The 9pm Edict

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 Arcade, Melbourne being a UNESCO City of Literature, being Greek — her not me — and much more.

This conversation was recorded on 20 May 2024, so listen all the way to the end for some updates.
Disclosure: Meanjin is a client, though I am not being paid for this and it was all my idea.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00220/

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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 technology, plans to ban young people from using social media, how socialisation puts a little police officer in your head, the concept of Reward Cheese, the problem of apostrophes, eSafety Commissioner vs X Corp in the Federal Court, censorship more generally, and why farmers are complaining about space weather.

This conversation was recorded on 21 May 2024

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00219/

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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 about some dodgy statistics relating to hybrid vehicles, and Earth Day.

And, sad to say, we riff off one of Ketan’s blog posts to talk about Elon Musk and X — but trust me, it's interesting.

This conversation was recorded on 22 April 2024

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00218/

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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:
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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 to keep the Moon nice — and much more.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00216/

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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 approach to regulating artificial intelligence. I even reveal my true age.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00215/

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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 Twiglets, and what wine you should drink with them.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00214/

Please support this podcast by pledging your support to the current crowdfunding campaign by 9pm AEDT tonight, Thursday 7 March 2024:
https://the9pmedict.com/autumn2024

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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 as a defence of capitalism, but it's really a defence of the Industrial Revolution. And we ask whether eggs are the same as gin.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00213/

Please support this podcast by pledging your support to the current crowdfunding campaign:
https://the9pmedict.com/autumn2024

If you miss that deadline please consider a tip:
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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 search process.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00212/

Please support this podcast by pledging your support to the current crowdfunding campaign:
https://the9pmedict.com/autumn2024

If you miss that deadline please consider a tip:
https://the9pmedict.com/tip/
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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, Elon Musk (briefly), disinformation, and the enshittification of everything.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00211/

Please support this podcast by pledging your support to the current crowdfunding campaign:
https://the9pmedict.com/autumn2024

If you miss that deadline please consider a tip:
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