Guest Author • Jun 03, 2016 •
By Carla Litchfield, University of South Australia The death of Harambe, a 17-year-old silverback Western lowland gorilla shot dead by Cincinnati Zoo staff after a four-year-old boy fell into his enclosure, has sparked anger and controversy. One lesson we can take from this sad episode is the need to be realistic about the conditions in which … Read More
Robert Hickson • Oct 10, 2014 •
Some of you may recall “The Hoff” and his smart car KITT in Knight Rider. With the advent of Google’s autonomous cars, parallels between them and KITT have be drawn. But apart from self-driving ability, there’s not a lot of similarity (and the Trans Am is way sexier than a self-driving Prius). Now though, Volvo … Read More
SciBooks • Mar 17, 2014 •
by Rod Hanson REVIEW The Tragedy at Pike River Mine – How and Why 29 Men Died by Rebecca Macfie Awa Press RRP: $40.00 The Pike River coal mine disaster which cost the lives of 29 men in November 2010 has been extensively researched and documented with great feeling and compassion for the families involved … Read More
John Pickering • Oct 24, 2012 •
A few weeks ago a member of Christchurch City Council and Canterbury District Health Board advocated the non-wearing of bike helmets. I commented on the idiocy of this at the time. A source tells me that said person got a hard time from other CDHB board members-good. Perhaps this recent research will put the anti-establishmet … Continue reading » … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Jun 04, 2011 •
I have to say, I much preferred the WHO when they were only a rock and roll band and not a teeming hive of health BureauPrats*. This week, a meeting of the terminally stupid (otherwise known as the International Agency for Research on Cancer – IARC) issued a statement that flies in the face of logic, [...] Related posts: … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Jan 12, 2011 •
Coroner Demands Jet Ski changes A Wellington coroner has demanded mandatory helmets, lap belts and roll bars for all Jet Skis in New Zealand, blasting the authorities for a lack of action. In his reserved findings into the death of 21-year-old Elephant Farmer, Hamish MacTavish, coroner Ian Smith said at least 3 people had died [...] Related posts: … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Dec 28, 2010 •
Dean Scanlen makes an impassioned plea for stricter driving license laws in the Herald today. I have much sympathy with his call to make the driving test more comprehensive. I have long been an advocate of making the defensive driving and the advanced driving courses compulsory for learner drivers. This would certainly provide new drivers [...] Related posts: … Read More
Ken Collins • Aug 05, 2010 •
This recent article on The Herald web site highlights how careful we all need to be when trying to contain things in a secure laboratory environment. While I don’t know the specific details of this particular facility or the event that was investigated, it does highlight that the success of any laboratory is the interaction between the buildings features … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Jul 27, 2010 •
I blame the feral response to National’s announcement – that they will not be dropping the legal blood alcohol limit to 0.05 g% – squarely on the media. I am certain that it is the media’s propensity always to give the maximum amount of airtime and newsprint to the most hysterical over-reaction that encourages people [...] Related posts: … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Jul 26, 2010 •
Found this in my e-mail today Hi Jim, I remember reading a while ago that you thought a medical ratings website might be a good idea. Well found this on trademe forum the other day, looks like its going to be a reality? http://www.medrate.co.nz Thanks Steve Sadly for Steve, I am generally not that much in favour of medical [...] Related posts: … Read More