BIG news — the year in review

It has been a productive and rewarding year at BIG Media Ltd., and we owe it all to our amazing editorial team and faithful readers.

Over the last 12 months, our hard-working contributors (An editorial team worth celebrating) have helped keep people apprised on the biggest of issues.

My team of mostly accomplished scientists consistently provides definitive reads on the most pressing matters. They also allow me to wade into the vitriolic volcano that is social media and put an end to many arguments.

Nearly every day I drop links to fact-focused, thoroughly attributed articles produced by the BIG team into online debates. The arguments nearly always end immediately, and future posts from those who published inaccurate information are much more responsible.

Here are some of the topics we covered with the highest levels of accuracy and integrity:

Public health:

• Detailed analysis of 2021 death data reveals disturbing trends
• Statements regarding hybrid immunity belie checkered evidence
• Cardiac arrest data highlights importance of access to defibrillators

Climate change:

• Real climate science – uncertainty and risk
• Can climate be litigated?

Energy transition:

• Is ‘Big Oil’ holding up the energy transition
• Real-world lessons on energy transition
• Where is oil demand really heading?
• Hydrogen: the ultimate path to net zero or a whole lot of wishful thinking
• Use of scenarios in our energy future is a double-edged sword
• Canadian energy modelling flawed and futile
• Recognizing roots of global energy crisis might help us move toward solutions
• Energy transition – a lesson in advocacy and models
• What the world needs now is energy education and pragmatic energy policy

Plastics and policies:

• Federal court ruling a major blow to Canadian government’s war against plastics
• Jury duty — defendant plastics
• Trash talk: are microplastics truly the horror story we are being told?
• Are you prejudiced against plastics?

Geology:

• Peace River earthquakes – did the media get it right this time?
• Fracking 101 — just the fracts

Artificial intelligence:

• AI — where are we and where are we going
• Understanding machine learning
• What’s done can’t be undone
• Examining the AI myth

Censorship:

• Twitter Files confirm what we suspected

Once we have reviewed the objective reports of the BIG team, we are often inspired to provide opinions on the subjects covered. Here is a selection of articles that fell under the BIG Mouth category in 2023:

• Beware the dangers of blind loyalty
• Join my search for an important property
• The politicians who stole Christmas
• One parent’s perspective on the gender identity issue
• Solving labour shortages: Step 1 – hire back qualified people who were fired needlessly
• Practical education is the best path to harmony
• It’s time to hold news organizations accountable
• European indifference is a beautiful thing
• Yes, you can be boastful and intellectually humble

My friend Colleen Stewart and I also attempted to tickle your funny bone throughout the year under the BIG Chuckle column:

• Baby, it’s Christmas Outside
• All I want for Christmas is … quite a lot, actually
• ‘That doesn’t make sense’ and other truths about Paint Nite
• An exciting new game for the entire family – Trick or Treat!
• LOGIC – proprietary solution kills trolls dead
• I might as well admit it – I’m a speciesist
• Flight of fancy – taking the ‘class’ out of business class
• Masks? Hell, no!
• Is it remote work or (not) remotely working
• The moving story of woman vs machine
• Naked in the desert
• Top 10 signs you are working with the wrong realtor
• Pouring cold water on latest health craze
• April Fool’s Day is officially no fun at all
• BIG boastfest belies my modest manner
• Please forgive my 7 deadly journalistic sins
• Open letter to Google regarding Bill C-18

Many thanks to our readers, editorial contributors, and platform developer Innovative Digital Solutions Inc. for another fantastic year of delivering truth and critical context!

(Rob Driscoll – BIG Media Ltd., 2023)