Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday December 8, 2016

We are a few weeks away from Christmas (and so is everyone else), and here on Open Sources Guelph, we got an early Christmas present. In Alberta, a conservative firebrand was up to his old tricks, getting the scorching rabble all fired about the current premier of Alberta in some very unexpected ways. This story will break up nicely our Royal City focus this week, first as we mark the passing of another political year in Guelph, and then we’ll have a conversation with one of the councillors that represents Open Sources HQ on the University of Guelph campus. Continue reading “Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday December 8, 2016” →

The Weekender: Why Are You Making Me Side with Gerry Barker?

About three people sent me the link in quick succession, and by the end of the day I had talked to maybe another three people in person about the fact that Gerry Barker was being sued by one of the City of Guelph’s upper managers. Barker, the erstwhile creator and provocateur of Guelph Speaks, has made it his business to talk smack about anyone at the City of Guelph, he thinks, make his taxes too damn high. Frankly, given his acid tongue and one-track mind, it’s a wonder that this is the first time someone’s taken Barker to court, but to be honest, as good as it feels to see him sued for half-a-million dollars, this isn’t the way to do it. Continue reading “The Weekender: Why Are You Making Me Side with Gerry Barker?” →

Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday December 1, 2016

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we say goodbye to a dictator. Or maybe that’s goodbye to a working class hero. There’s a lot of controversy there as the prime minister knows, and we’ll keep serving up the controversy as Justin Trudeu’s Liberals seem to be hedging on that electoral reform he so vehemently promised last fall. Speaking of flip-flops, we’ll head to Toronto where the mayor there now thinks that tolls aren’t so bad, and we’ll round up the week by talking about everyone’s favourite President-Elect whose wrath we expect to feel on Twitter any day. Continue reading “Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday December 1, 2016” →

The Weekender: Fake News Isn’t Our Only News Problem

This week on the show we talked about the recent issues around fake news, and whether these fake news industries that have arisen, websites that create posts that are sold as news but are barely related to actual news happening anywhere, had an effect on the U.S. Election. Fakes news is obviously a problem, but as we pointed out on the show, the problem has been significantly affected by the fact that few people seem to know what real news is anymore. That’s not a problem created by Russian oligarchs, alt-right provocateurs, or unemployed post-grads, it’s being caused because there are times when our local news stations don’t know what real news is. Continue reading “The Weekender: Fake News Isn’t Our Only News Problem” →

Get Your Questions Ready for #AskMayorCam Part 2!

Last year, Open Sources Guelph hosted Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie for a full-hour of discussion after only just six months since his 2014 election to head of the Royal City’s government. It was a tremendous success, and it was thanks i to you, our beloved audience, who gave us such great questions to ask the mayor live on air. So in the grand Hollywood tradition of doing things so right the first time that we have to do it again for a second, get ready for #AskMayorCam Part 2: Electric Boogaloo! Continue reading “Get Your Questions Ready for #AskMayorCam Part 2!” →

Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday November 24, 2016

Here on Open Sources Guelph, we can’t guarantee that we’ll always get them right, but also promise not to intentionally mislead you. It’s an important distinction this week as we dig into the phenomenon of fake news, and whether or not it had an effect on the U.S. Presidential election. Also this week, we’ll talk about how if you can walk and talk, you can go to Brock, and get elected to Queen’s Park as we look at the Ontario by-elections. We’ll also look ahead to the 2017 British Columbia provincial election, and how in another 13 years, Santa won’t be able to leave coal in your stocking anymore. Continue reading “Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday November 24, 2016” →

From Spannerbook: Carte Blanche

Spannerbook

hat-and-mug The first headline to finally cut through the President Trump news tsunami on my feeds was “Mosul battle: IS hangs bodies of 40 civilians from poles in Iraqi city, UN says” on November 11th. The Daesh are feeling the heat and are reacting as classic fascists do; killing civilians, getting teenagers and children to suit up and do their dirty work, sending out the suicide bombers into the markets of the unarmed and defenceless as only cowards can do. Are they finished? It’s very difficult to wipe out an ideology. You can beat it back but the latent period will end eventually. An entrenched idea will inevitably regain traction in the greater consciousness. Sometimes it’s a slow burn and other times it’s as if a switch has been flicked. Trump is insistent he is going to take care of ISIS but he seems to have unleashed a taste of an…