We’re halfway through spring and this, finally, is the first episode of the spring series. In the Philippines, there’s typhoons and floods and earthquakes and political protests. So to look at what’s happening in that country, we’re joined by journalist Erin Cook, who specialises in South-East Asia.

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 events in the Philippines and provide some background on its politics, both domestic and international. We preview the upcoming ASEAN Summit. And we ask whether fridge magnets are the new souvenir spoons.

There's an update on Thai politics, and even a side-trip to talk about Myanmar.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00254/

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Weeks late, the mid-2025 series finally draws to a close. Our special guest today is Scottish author and social researcher David F Porteous, and we cover a lot of different topics.

In this episode we talk about K-pop and plate tectonics, the naming of cats, Oasis and AC/DC, the trickiness of venomous snakes and drug-addled spiders, Donald Trump's visit to the UK, defamation, the nature of community, Nepal's Gen Z protests — and we even get our Barlows confused.

This episode was recorded back on Friday 19 September, which explains some of the date references.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00253/

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As you all know, I am a lizard, and through the power of 5G and the implants which have been secretly inserted into you via chemtrails and the covid vaccine, or possibly by a UFOnaut which was probing you, I can control your mind.

Well, no. But conspiracy theories do exist, and a new book explores the Australian flavour of these beliefs. My guests are the authors of Conspiracy Nation, journalists Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson, and the book is available from Ultimo Press and all the usual places one buys books.

In this episode we talk about why conspiracy beliefs are so appealing, the aftermath of the Wieambilla shootings, Agenda 21, Qanon, pseudolaw and sovereign citizens, the celebrity chef turned guru Pete Evans, and what to do if one of your friends starts heading down a rabbit-hole.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00252/

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https://the9pmedict.com/spring2025

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There's been riots in Indonesia with at least nine people killed. And there’s political chaos in Thailand as the prime minister is sacked and 15 political parties scramble to form coalitions so they can choose a new PM. So who better to talk to than journalist Erin Cook, who specialises in South-East Asia?

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 riots in Indonesia, what they're about, why they kicked off so quickly, and why they probably won't be as severe as those in 1998. We also try to understand the political chaos in Thailand. And we take a brief look at something happening in China.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00251/

Please consider supporting this season’s crowdfunder:
https://the9pmedict.com/spring2025

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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, we’re half-way through the year, so let’s see how we went.

You might want to follow along with this chart to see which ones we discussed.
https://stilgherrian.com/essay/bingo-card-2025/

We also talk about a potential trade war between Indonesia and China, sleep hygiene and insomnia, habituation and impulse control, bird flu, fairy bread, Kyle Sandilands, and the music of Wilson Phillips.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00250/

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Any moment now, Donald Trump might cancel AUKUS, the massive defence agreement which among other things would see Australia buying eight nuclear-powered submarines. AUKUS has become the big thing in Australia's defence procurement, but do we need it? Sam Roggeveen thinks not, and he's our guest today.

Sam is director of the Lowy Institute's International Security Program. In  former life he was an intelligence analyst for the Office of National Assessments, now the Office of National Assessments. And he's the author of “The Echidna Strategy: Australia’s Search for Power and Peace”.

In this episode we discuss the two competing schools of thought on defence policy, the defence of Australia school versus the forward defence school. We talk about what the actual threats from China might be. We look at what the echidna strategy might look like in practice. And much more.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00249/

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With massive budget cuts to NASA, claims that we've found alien life, and an important anniversary coming up, it's time once more to talk about Space! My guests, therefore, are space archaeologist Dr Alice Gorman aka Dr Space Junk, and astrophysicist Rami Mandow.

In this episode we celebrate the anniversary of the first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, we discuss how Donald Trump's budget cuts will affect space research, and we discuss fast radio bursts, the overview effect, and why Mars is a shithole.

This episode was originally posted as "The 9pm Controversial Alien Discovery and Budget Cuts with Dr Alice Gorman and Rami Mandow" but that misses out the entire reason for posting it this weekend.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00248/

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Let's kick off the Edict's mid-2025 series with a look at Australia's relationship with Indonesia, because Jakarta was the first international city prime minister Anthony Albanese visited after his re-election. Our special guest is journalist Erin Cook, who specialises in South-East Asia.

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 Albo's meeting with Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto back on 15 May. But we also discuss that weird drama over a supposed Russian airforce base in Papua, the long-running Cambodian–Thai border dispute, the decline of specialists journalism, crafting and what counts as copying someone's work, discipline, and horseback adventures.

Oh yeah, and we talk about the presidential cat. Bobby Kertanegara is his name.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00247/

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With just days remaining until Australia's federal election, who better to talk with than Scottish author and social researcher David F Porteous? Well, lots of people, but here we are.

In this episode we do talk about the impending election, and quite a bit about sausages. But we also discuss important issues about transubstantiation, whether Princess Diana went straight to hell, why heaven is awash with bears, TV ratings, the taste of tuna, and for some reason the attraction of group face-licking.

There's also quite a bit about genitals. And it's the final episode in the summer series.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00246/

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The summer series is dragging on, and there's still so many things on our minds. So joining me for a bonus episode is my good friend Snarky Platypus.

In this episode we talk about lego, trains full of boomers, the echidnapus, and the panic about a so-called Chinese Spy Ship. And of course there's a few rants about election discourse and political polling.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00245/

Please consider supporting the current crowdfunder. You have until 9pm AEST this Tuesday 22 April.
https://the9pmedict.com/mid2025

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There's a lot going on in The America. You may have noticed. So as the summer series grinds on — way behind schedule — we're joined by Associate Professor David Smith from the United States Study Centre.

In this episode we talk, obviously, about the powers of POTUS and his Yalta 2.0 imperialist desires to annex Canada. And Greenland. And Mexico. We discuss how the new Trumpian America might affect Australia's favourite government program, AUKUS. And inevitably, we talk about Trump's weird relationship with Elon Musk.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00244/

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As the summer series grinds on we’re joined once again — well, after a gap of more than a year — by author and columnist John Birmingham.

In this episode we talk, inevitably, about the nexus between Elon Musk and Donald Trump. But we also chat about Brisbane and the good old days, cancer, the Apple Vision Pro, World Expo 88, digital locks, physical fitness, and the links between hypermasculinity, Gamergate, and fascism.

It also sees the return of the chia seed protein pudding, and yet more mentions of Umberto Eco.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00243/


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Snarky Platypus and Stilgherrian return to that park in North Sydney park to record another uninformative trailer for their new podcast. Please ignore the squealing child.

They’ll be recording two pilot episodes in the coming weeks, just as soon as the paperwork is done for the music license.

The summer series continues, and it's more science. Today's special guest is infectious diseases physician Dr Trent Yarwood.

In this episode we talk about infectious diseases, of course, from smallpox to long covid, and HIV to measles. But we also discuss the appendix, biological warfare, norovirus, poo, and the medical semiotics of bow ties.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00242/

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Snarky Platypus and Stilgherrian sit in a North Sydney park to record a brief and uninformative trailer for their new podcast. They’ll be recording two pilot episodes in the coming weeks, just as soon as the paperwork is done for the music license.

Happy New Year. It's time for another look at space news, I reckon, so once more 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 Mars, including its role as both a source of aliens and as a potential new home for humans. That does mean we dissect Elon Musk's comments about colonising Mars.

We also talk about the space debris that fell on Kenya earlier this month— or was it something else? And we discuss Blue Origin's New Glenn launch vehicle which failed to launch on Monday, the future of human civilisation, early science fiction, O'Neill cylinders, and the pronunciation of Uranus.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00241/

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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 now at the end of 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/

You might also want to listen to our half-time update from July.
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00224/

In this episode we talk about sex education, high-speed trains, Nauru, Hong Kong, South Korea, television, NIMBYism, brain scans, and much more.
Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00240/

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Our first special guest in the summer series is Scottish author and social researcher David F Porteous, and we’re going to talk about everything that happened in 2024. Every single thing.
Well, no. However we do have to talk about Donald Trump. Sorry, but we do.

We also talk about the latest challenge to honesty on OnlyFans, the latest in adult diapers, certain aspects of biology, the Spanish Armada, Australia's love of Olympic-level breakdancing, and much more.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00239/

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The first summer series episode of the Edict features Stilgherrian telling a personal story, plus a few other bits and pieces.

In this episode he talks about his recent injuries and related hospital visits, the history of those hospitals, content warnings, dildos in Texas, and some old anti-vaxxers.

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00238/

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It's the final episode of the spring series, finally. And with all the weird digital policy action in Australia in recent weeks, I figured we'd better chat once more with Justin Warren, "consultant, freedom of information tragic, hexagon enthusiast, and creator of the CyberRating™ labelling scheme".

In this episode we talk about Australia's newly-legislated social media ban for under-16s, sure. But we also talk about something called "systems intentionality", product safety, the new AI tool from MyHeritage that turns old photos into videos, and wine decanters,

Full podcast details and credits at:
https://the9pmedict.com/edict/00237/

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