New Name, New Look, Half the Gang - New Current Events Show on CFRU

It was a sad development for the end of the year, the announcement that Gang of Four would be no more. It was a reverse Christmas present, something that was being taken away not just from me, but from the hundreds of people that like the show, and like getting a different perspective on politics and current affairs. Change is inevitable, and change is never one thing, which is why while The Gang of Four is no more, Open Sources Guelph now lives.

My Picks for the BTBB Awards 2015

It's that time of year again. Christmas! And the Beyond the Ballot Box Awards. Fitting for the final episode of the Gang of Four, we salute the real heroes: the politicians and news stories we talk about weekly. If you were listening to the radio, you will have heard my picks already, but in case my justifications weren't clear, I decided to write them out in long form below. It was a very busy year in politics, and there were a lot of darts and laurels (mostly darts) to go around, but after considering all the factors and contenders, here are my choices for Best Politician, Worst and Dumpster Fire of the Year. 

Farewell to the Gang of Four

Sadly, tomorrow brings to a close a three year odyssey called "The Gang of Four," the little radio show that could. Honestly, looking back on the last three years working with the gang, it's a wonder not that it's coming to an end after three years, it's a wonder that it kept going week after week for this long. This a show, after all, that none of us get paid to do, and a lot of work goes into each and every show as we all seek to provide balanced and intelligent insight into the various issues of the day. But now the time has come to say goodbye. Sort of.

2014 Provincial Election - Last Call

As the last day before the 2014 provincial election heads off into the sunset, it seems timely to leave you with a reminder to get out tomorrow and exercise your democratic franchise. But no, there's just too much bat $#!% craziness happening on the campaign trail right now. This last full day of the campaign was filled with shenanigans from all sides; misleading letters, bad taste in Photoshop, and enough sign vandalism to shake a stick at, and then use that stick to vandalize some election signs. Ladies and gentleman, this was your last day of Decision 2014. The day decorum died.

Guelph Provincial Election Debate Details

For the last week or so I've been trying to find details about when, if ever, there will be a local candidates debate for the Provincial election, and it took Jim Furfaro's Ward 1 blog to give me the info I needed, and the info I needed to share. Mark your calendars for June 3 at 8 pm because the Guelph candidates debate for the 2014 Provincial Election will go live to air be broadcast from Cutten Fields on Rogers channel 20. The actual debate will happen June 2.*

Upcoming "Beyond the Ballot Box" Specials for the Holidays

As per usual with the end of the year, the Gang of Four and Beyond the Ballot Box will be doing some special episodes for the last few weeks of 2013. 

Gang of Four Features End of Year Specials

So it's the end of the world year 2012, and to mark the occasion (and because we appreciate a break at the holidays) The Gang of Four on "Beyond the Ballot Box" on CFRU 93.3 fm are doing a pair of holiday specials over the next two Mondays.

We'll Do It Live!

Do you like listening to the Gang of Four on your radio every Monday morning, but have always wondered what it would be like to be inside the recording booth with us? No, you probably haven't, but that's okay because you're going to get your chance anyway.

Whatever Happened to Pierre Poutine?

On the Gang of Four a couple of weeks ago we talked about the robocall scandal and what news had since been developing there. If you were hoping that the case was wrapped up in neat little package like a typical Law & Order episode, you'll be disappointed, but we all took the red pill last spring and we're seeing just how far down the rabbit hole goes.

And the rabbit hole has brought us a community southwest of Guelph, and a nondescript home to five residents who all had access to the same IP address from which Pierre Poutine went about his local vote defrauding efforts. For the less technical among us, an IP, or Internet Protocol, address is the distinctive number that identifies where you are when you're on the internet. The thing is that you can do a Google search and in a fraction of a second get several thousand results that will tell you how to hide your IP address. 

That's why when Elections Canada went to the home of the IP address Pierre Poutine used, they found five residents who knew nothing about the Marty Burke campaign in Guelph, knew no one involved with the Marty Burke campaign, and had to connection whatsoever to the campaign and the campaigners. A dead end, right?