What’s the significance of 100? It depends on who you ask.
For television executives, 100 episodes is the threshold at which point a series typically becomes viable for syndication, which can result in big profits. For Batman aficionados, the 100th edition action figure issued in 1998 is a prized piece coveted for collections. And for Canadians, the 100th Grey Cup, slated for November, is a testament to the enduring appeal of Canada’s unique brand of football.
Live text chat, app and more
To mark the occasion, we’re pleased to announce:
• The first-ever OSQAR live text chat. This is an opportunity to talk about oil sands development. We’ve assembled a panel to take your questions. It includes: Gord Lambert, Suncor’s vice-president, Sustainability; Ed Whittingham, executive director of the Pembina Institute and David Layzell (PDF), executive director, Institute for Sustainability Energy, Environment and Economy and professor, department of biology, University of Calgary. Watch future OSQARs for more details.
• The official OSQAR app. Available for mobile devices, this new app will make it easier to read OSQAR on the go as well as explore video and photo content related to the oil sands. Watch future OSQARs for details on how to get "OSQAR to go" for your device.
• A special OSQAR video. Go behind the scenes with the OSQAR team and for a tongue-in-cheek look at how each edition is planned, written and published. View it here:
Following on the rise
We’re pleased to report OSQAR’s popularity has grown since the first edition was launched in April 2010 in email newsletter format only to just over 200 subscribers. The email newsletter edition now has more 2,000 subscribers and the blog version, launched in June 2011, attracts about 1,125 readers per week. We’re thrilled so many of you are interested in our content and have shared it with your colleagues. Thank you for that.
The next 100 editions
What’s in store for the next 100 editions? We’ll continue tackling controversial oil sand development topics. We’ll also continue inviting others to contribute through guest columns, as we believe offering a variety of perspectives facilitates knowledge and encourages fact-based dialogue.
While we’re gratified to see our following grow, the real reward is the knowledge we’ve contributed, perhaps in a small way, to supporting constructive discussion about the oil sands. We hope you’ll keep reading OSQAR and sharing it with your friends and colleagues.
