newsletter #65 for Monday, 8th April, 2024

3 min read

NZ Unprepared For EV Fire Risks: OIA documents reveal

A document for NZTA Waka Kotahi and others details dozens of potential EV safety issues. For example: No way to move burning EVs from critical areas, like tunnels, due to the extreme heat and toxic gases released. Despite plans to make public transport go electric, no safety plans have been prepared to deal with potential EV fires.

3 min read

AT was warned about speed bumps and emergency response delays – Part 2

Sometimes lowering speed limits can save lives, but also lead to longer travel times and more traffic congestion. The Road to Zero campaign, focusing on achieving zero fatalities from road crashes, often overlooks the drawbacks of lower speeds. Reducing average speeds can significantly increase vehicle emissions, thus contributing to higher levels of CO2, carbon monoxide, and nitrous oxide.

3 min read

A plan for balance in NZ government media

NZ needs a better way to ensure balance for state owned media. The Television New Zealand Act 2003 provides the company editorial independence.

Yet, independence does not mean balance if, by accident or design, there are partisans in control. Equitable coverage for the political spectrum on state media is key. Anything less is hollow. 

3 min read

“Science” is often unreliable, with coffee and tobacco both providing good examples

Decades of research on coffee’s health effects reveal a tug-of-war between touted benefits and potential risks. 

Smoking had its own tug-of-war, which finally came down hard on the “bad for you” side. The Salem Witch Trials, plus countless other debunked scientific theories, illustrate the common belief often proves to be wrong. Understanding that some things are hard to prove is a great place to start.