The 9pm Edict

It's more or less the start of the spring series as Stilgherrian vents about three more things that got on his wick this week. He also plugs his current crowdfunding campaign, because of course he does. In this episode he talks about the shoddy journalism of the US presidential campaign, the problems of artificial intelligence, and his disturbing dreams. Full podcast details and credits at: https:...

With so much news about social media in Australia right now, I thought I'd wrap up the winter series by speaking with Professor Axel Bruns from the Digital Media Research Centre at Queensland University of Technology. In this episode we discuss whether anything can replace what was Twitter, Australia's News Media Bargaining Code and Meta refusing to pay for news content, age restrictions for socia...

It's time for another podcast about space, so we're joined once again by astrophysicist Rami Mandow, founder of SpaceAustralia.com. In this episode we talk about what may be a new kind of pulsar, the cancellation of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, three ways in which the solar system is being a jerk, Japanese folklore (no really), those astronauts who are definitely not "stuck" or "stranded" on the...

Victorian-era Melbourne had a thriving sex industry, and the flashiest of the flash madams was Caroline Hodgson, aka Madame Brussels. My guest today is Barbara Minchinton, author of the new book, Madame Brussels: The Life and Times of Melbourne's Most Notorious Woman . In this episode we talk about Madame Brussels' life in the context of Victorian-era Melbourne. We cover sectarian disapproval her...

Have you ever been a victim of cybercrime? I know I have. I bet you have too. So let’s talk about that now with Dr Miranda Bruce from UNSW Canberra, because she's been working on the World Cybercrime Index. In this episode we talk about the types of cybercrime and its different characteristics around the world, cybercrime factories and human trafficking, and how law enforcement agencies' views abo...

Finally the real special guests start hitting the Edict's winter series. It's Scottish author and social researcher David F Porteous. We do touch upon the recent UK election results, but there's much, much more. In this episode we talk about Armando Iannucci, lacerated ears, magic shoes, serial killers, haggis smuggling from Kenya, the weight of a teaspoon of sugar. and other things. Full podcast...

Back at the start of the year, my good friend Snarky Platypus and I created some bingo cards for 2024. Two sets of 25 things that might happen. Well, we’re half-way through the year, so let’s see how we went. You might want to follow along with the original blog post. https://stilgherrian.com/essay/bingo-card-2024/ In this episode we talk about Thai politics, the ongoing myth of a Melbourne airpor...

It's more or less the start of the winter series as Stilgherrian vents about three things that got on his wick this week. In this episode he talks about some stupid political reporting from Canberra about Labor's equally stupid response to Senator Fatima Payman, a stupid law that will change nothing, and a stupid event that kicked off in Kuala Lumpur. Full podcast details and credits at: https://t...

The autumn series of the Edict concludes with a returning special guest, Scottish author and social researcher David F Porteous, to chat about the UK election campaigns and much, much more. We discuss cocaine and koalas, Scott Morrison's post-parliamentary career, Elon Musk's $56 billion package, the King's Birthday, and an encounter between an echidna and a tiger shark. Full podcast details and c...

The last couple of weeks have been full of online safety news, from eSafety Commissioner v X Corp in the Federal Court to AI to deepfakes. So my guest this time is. Zoe Jay Hawkins, head of policy design at ANU’s Tech Policy Design Centre. In this episode we talk about the way AI and deepfakes might influence this year's many elections, the polarisation of the online safety debate, free speech, co...

As the autumn series of the Edict overflows into Official Winter, we go arty with Esther Anatolitis, editor of Australian literary journal Meanjin and a colossus striding the Melbourne arts scene and beyond. In this episode we discuss the controversy over Vincent Namatjira's portrait of billionaire Gina Reinhart, and why Melbourne is so arty and, allegedly, so liveable. We touch upon Cole's Book A...

In recent weeks the Australian government has opened multiple fronts in its war against the social media giants. So who better to speak with than Justin Warren, “consultant, freedom of information tragic, hexagon enthusiast, and creator of the CyberRating™ labelling scheme”? In this episode we discuss the MediSecure data breach, Australia's new Digital ID laws, the pilot of online age assurance te...

It may come as a shock, but it turns out the climate crisis has not yet been solved. So joining me for an update is Ketan Joshi, a researcher and communications consultant who works on climate-focused comms. We discuss why the atmosphere is a bathtub, why bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is absurd, and why more rain and snow doesn't mean things aren't warming up. We also talk abou...

A chicken shop in New York leads into a commentary on the correct use of capital letters in a podcast of a slightly different style. This mini-episode was commissioned by Jamie Morrison as part of his reward for supporting The 9pm Autumn Series 2024 crowdfunding campaign. Full podcast details and credits at: https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00217/ Please support this podcast by considering a tip: htt...

A comet! An eclipse! Everything is happening in space! To kick off the autumn series, my special guests are space archaeologist Dr Alice Gorman aka Dr Space Junk from Flinders University, and astrophysicist and founder of SpaceAustralia.com Rami Mandow. In this episode we talk about the plurality of worlds controversy, comets and eclipses, Irish astronomer Agnes Mary Clerke, and what it might take...

Have you heard? Artificial intelligence is a thing! Maybe it's even out of control? For that and various other reasons, my special guest for the final summer series episode is Professor Johanna Weaver, former cyber diplomat, and director of the Tech Policy Design Centre at ANU. We talk about making the internet more resilient, diplomacy during the covid times, and Australia's relatively competent...

This episode's special guest is Scottish author and social researcher David F Porteous, who manages to deliver some fascinating commentary on happenings in Britain, while I increasingly suffer the totally unforeseeable effects of wine and gin. We talk about King Charles III, Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, and sewage. We also discuss the important differences between Twisters, Quavers, Nik Naks, and Twigl...

This week I've been obsessed with a certain news story out of Glasgow, so I just had to do a podcast. Also, the episode I'd originally scheduled is running late — and that's my fault. In this episode we talk about Laurie Anderson's weird AI experiment, various other gripes about AI, politics, and alcohol pricing. There's audience feedback. There's a long whinge which might be interpreted by some a...

It's a marathon episode for serious political tragics! I'm joined by Snarky Platypus to discuss the ABC TV documentary series Nemesis about the three recent Liberal Party prime ministers of Australia. But we also find time to discuss other matters. We talk about the complexities of Lunar New Year, comedians, absinthe, magpies, Prague, trifle, lab-grown meaty rice, and the frustrations of the job s...

With so much AI in the news, I thought our special guest for this first episode for 2024 should be Justin Warren, "consultant, freedom of information tragic, hexagon enthusiast, and creator of the CyberRating™ labelling scheme". In this episode we talk about panic, generative AI, millipedes, why Taylor Swift fans are so few in number that we need to create more of them using AI, smart toothbrushes...

It's a bonus, or at least unfunded, summer series episode with guest Snarky Platypus. This long and rambling conversation was recorded on Boxing Day 2023, which explains many things. We talk about the death of Henry Kissinger and the Fourth Crusade, the reintroduction of platypus to the mainland of South Australia, the TV series American Born Chinese, the new Minns Dynasty in NSW, the former membe...

Today we look back at the year in space. My special guests are space archaeologist Dr Alice Gorman aka Dr Space Junk from Flinders University, and astrophysicist and founder of SpaceAustralia.com Rami Mandow. In this episode we talk about the annoying name given to Australia's first moon rover, why Jupiter is both friend and foe, India's Chandrayaan-3 mission to the Moon, NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission...

The summer series takes a disturbing turn this week with one of our favourite guests, author and columnist John Birmingham — who admits to eating something that I simply do not understand. In this episode we also talk about Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese, Donald Trump, Bluesky versus the site formally known as Twitter, cosplay, why sheep love solar energy projects, pork, alcohol, Chris...

As Australia faces another "covid wave" before Christmas — at least if you believe the scary news reports — and with the dirty, dirty holiday season coming up, I thought the summer series should kick off with infectious disease physician Dr Trent Yarwood. And so it does. In this episode we also talk about the joys of syphilis and gonorrhoea, the dangers of hand-washing, the complexity of medical s...

The spring series really comes to an end today with this sort of bonus unscheduled and somewhat shouty solo episode. That's a pun which will become clear. We talk about alcohol and the nanny state, some of Donald Trump's supporters, the demise of the delightful and oh so sexy Mike Pezzullo, and more. Full podcast details and credits at: https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00206/ Please support this podc...