The 9pm Edict

Have you seen what’s going on in the Philippines? They’re trying to impeach the vice-president — again — and there was even a shootout in the senate building. It’s time to chat with journalist Erin Cook, who specialises in South-East Asia. And as always we talk about a lot of different things.

Erin produces the excellent newsletter Dari Mulut ke Mulut, an English-language summary of what’s happening in the region, and an occasional newsletter specifically on the Australia-Indonesia relationship, Flat White, Kopi Susu.

In this episode we talk about those high-level political dramas in the Philippines. But we also chat about the oil crisis and its affect on the region, scam compounds in Myanmar, the history of physics for some reason, Thaksin Shinawatra out on parole, the exciting world of Memorandum of Understanding 44, and much more.

Full podcast details and credits:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00268/

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Something different to kick off the mid-2026 series. Just two days ago, on the 8th of May, Sir David Attenborough celebrated his 100th birthday. As it happens, way back in 1984, I interviewed him when he was just Mr Attenborough, and here is that interview.

It was part of the program Science Journal series 1984 episode 35 from community station Radio 5UV, now Radio Adelaide, first broadcast on 29 August 2024.

I spent half an hour with Attenborough in his hotel room. It was his ninth interview for the day, and the greying gentleman in his fifties was visibly tired — particularly tired, he said, of being asked questions like “What’s your favourite animal”. But as I set up my equipment we chatted and, once he realised that I knew his work and knew what I was doing, his eyes began to sparkle just like on TV.

Full podcast details and credits:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00267/

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From Australia’s teen social media ban to AI safety, there’s so many tech policy matters these days! So to wrap up the summer series — finally! — I decided to chat with Johanna Weaver and Zoe Jay Hawkins from the Tech Policy Design Institute in Canberra.

In this episode we talk about how Australia as a middle power can participate in global tech policy. We chat about AI slop, the battle between Anthropic and the Pentagon, the digital duty of care, and of course the social media age restrictions.

This episode was recorded on 11 March 2026, so some of the topical references may be slightly dated.

Full podcast details and credits:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00266/

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As I post this, we’re supposedly just hours away from the launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission around the Moon. So what better time to chat with space archaeologist Dr Alice Gorman aka Dr Space Junk and astrophysicist Rami Mandow?

In this episode we talk about that mission, but also flag some of the problems, including the various laws and treaties relating to the Moon. Also, cooking in space, drugged-up spiders, the recent total eclipse of the Moon, tightrope walking, and cockroaches.

This episode was recorded on 11 March 2026, so some of the topical references are slightly dated.

Full podcast details and credits:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00265/

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It may well be nearly the end of March, and indeed it is, but this is still the summer series. Our special guest today is Scottish author and social researcher David F Porteous, and as always we had a wonderful conversation.

In this episode we talk about smoking and vaping, looksmaxxing, Nigel Farage and Reform UK, Donald Trump, how we’d renovate Washington DC, sheep, snakes (again), and Manichaeism (again)

This episode was recorded on 6 March 2026, so some of the topical references are slightly dated.

Full podcast details and credits:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00264/

Please consider supporting the the current crowdfunder:
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As the summer series continues we're joined once more by David Gerard for a suitably cynical look at what's happening in and around the AI bubble. Bros, do not send hate mail, but we do not believe your claims.

David produces the newsletter Pivot to AI, which is now also available as a video essay or podcast.

In this episode we discuss the AI economy, what happens when chatbots are left to run a business or even given their own social network, why robots want your body, the addictive nature of chatbots — and of course we simply had to talk about Elon Musk, SpaceX, xAI, and data centres in space.

Full podcast details and credits:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00263/

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With Thailand's general election just over a week away, I figured it's time once more to chat with journalist Erin Cook, who specialises in South-East Asia. But as always we talk about much more than just Thailand.

Erin produces the excellent newsletter Dari Mulut ke Mulut, an English-language summary of what's happening in the region, and an occasional newsletter specifically on the Australia-Indonesia relationship, Flat White, Kopi Susu.

In this episode we discuss what to look out for in Thai politics over the coming weeks. We also talk about the elections in Myanmar, the latest deadly landslide in Indonesia, a couple of events in the Philippines, the Cowra prisoner of war camp, making excuses, the Crying Horse, and Donald Trump's body odour.

Full podcast details and credits:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00262/

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Don’t let the title put you off, nor attract you too eagerly. The 9pm Summer Series 2025 continues with philosopher, reprobate, and all-round cleverthinker Patrick Stokes, and a conversation about many, many things. He’s also half of The Fake McCoys.

In this episode we talk about the philosophy of AI and technological determinism, certain aspects of ICE, how sex drives innovation, teleportation, Erich von Däniken and his ancient astronauts, pigs, bats, wine moms, deathbots, the nature of memory and the extended mind thesis, and a “wonderful word” that was invented by J R R Tolkien.

Full podcast details and credits:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00261/

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Back at the start of the year, my good friend Snarky Platypus and I created a bingo card for 2025. A set of 25 things that might happen. Well, it’s now New Year’s Eve, so let’s see how we went. And let’s create a 2026 Bingo Card.

You might want to follow along. We’ll skip over the ones we’d already discussed back in July.

We talked about Taylor Swift, Chris Minns, weight loss drugs, rugby, AUKUS, Myanmar, Thailand, Glasgow, the Sydney Metro, and of course TikTok — and much more.

Full podcast details and credits:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00260/

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I like food. My good friend Snarky Platypus also likes food. And we also like wine. But we also have opinions. So in this final episode of the spring series we bring you some of those opinions.

In this episode we talk about the magical world of slop bowls, the foods of Italy and Indonesia, grilled chicken, rending, tempeh, duck, parrots, steak, and the price of wine.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00259/

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