Australian author and reprobate John Birmingham joins me for the first in this podcast’s Spring Series 2020.
We talk about Cobra Kai, Elon Musk’s high-energy cyberpig, QAnon and weaponised BS, pea and ham soup, the nature of democracy, baby fascists, the re-election of Donald Trump (obviously), and the collapse of civilisation generally.
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JB was on a previous episode of the Edict in 2018.
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This episode it’s thanks to Attain Consultants, Bob Ogden yet again, Geoffrey Peters, Paris Lord, Peter Lieverdink yet again, Peter Sandilands, Robyn Parker, Roger Crawford, and three people who wish to remain anonymous.
Episode Links
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John Birmingham (born 7 August 1964) is a British-born Australian author, known for the 1994 memoir He Died with a Felafel in His Hand, and his Axis of Time trilogy.
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I write books and things. This is sort of like my private club where anyone can hang out to talk about that stuff. So, okay, not that private. I’ll let you know about the stuff I’m doing, the stuff I love, and more importantly, the sort of things I think you might love too. For once, it’s not all about me.
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Frankly, JB needs the money. The gold-plating on that fleet of hovercraft is murderously expensive to keep buffed to a high polish. Also, he hates the same people you do. Reason enough, surely?
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Forget those holiday plans to the Sunshine State anytime soon, because Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the border will stay closed to NSW until at least October.
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There are two striking aspects of Australia’s response to coronavirus: the first is that it’s being increasingly led as a police issue, and the second is that this is happening while the rest of the world works to reform and curtail police powers. As other democracies talk about abolition, we’re sending armed officers into housing blocks and calling it public health.
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Q. To what extent would you support or oppose the following measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 in the community?
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Police said a 19-year-old woman from Heritage Park, a 21-year-old woman from Acacia Ridge and a 21-year-old woman from Algester have been charged with providing false and misleading border documents, and fraud.
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Facebook has threatened to remove Australians' ability to post news content to its platforms if the Federal Government doesn't back down on a proposed code of conduct that would force companies like Facebook and Google to pay local news outlets.
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The Australian government wants the online giants Facebook and Google to pay for links to news stories, and those companies are paying hardball. I spoke about the stoush this morning with David Penberton and Will Goodings on 1395 FIVEaa in Adelaide.
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I just feel like there’s some ’splaining to be done about this cage fight between Google, Facebook and the dwindling survivors of the old media houses.
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Facebook has overhauled how it ranks the posts, videos and photos that appear in its users’ News Feeds, introducing major changes on Thursday designed to put what friends and family have to say first
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Anthony Comello is obsessed with conspiracy theories. His paranoia is being litigated in a Staten Island court.
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If you’re in the mood, the very dark mood, for some end of the world anxiety—and who isn’t! Amirite!—these three pieces should have you in a fine lather by the time you’re done.
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Our conversation with Ambassador Bolton focussed on elements of Trump administration policy — and changes in US strategic thinking — of relevance to Australia’s national interests: strategic competition with China as a foundation of US policy, evolving expectations of alliance partners, US leadership, the likely direction of US policy under either a second Trump administration or a Biden administration.
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Self-declared "prophet" Jeremiah Johnson says that COVID-19 is a "demonic attack" sent to the United States to target baby boomers and prevent them from reelecting Trump.
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Zero Day Code End of Days, Book 1 By: John Birmingham Narrated by: Rupert Degas
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Tens of thousands are following the exploits of a teen Donald Trump fanatic who is hell-bent on taking down Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews.
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The official song to the Cobra Kai (Karate Kid Sequel/Spinoff) Music Trailer.
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Cobra Kai is an American action comedy-drama web television series, presented in an episodic storytelling format, and based on The Karate Kid film series.
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Knorr stock cube advert from the late 70's or early 80's
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Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's neuroscience startup Neuralink has unveiled a pig with a small computer chip implanted in its brain. Describing the implant as 'a Fitbit in your skull with tiny wires', Musk said the pig was 'happy and healthy' two months after initially having it fitted. He presented a demo displaying the pig's neurons firing 'in real time'.
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“We have a healthy and happy pig, initially shy but obviously high energy and, you know, kind of loving life, and she’s had the implant for two months,” Musk said of Gertrude, the pig.
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Series Credits
- The 9pm Edict theme by mansardian via The Freesound Project.
- Edict fanfare by neonaeon, via The Freesound Project.
- Elephant Stamp theme by Joshua Mehlman.