“Dirty Bomb” Sensor Detects Radioactive Cat

[nerdgirl 0]

From the annals of Dept of Homeland Security, keeping us ‘safe’ from radioactive pet felines on being chauffeured down the freeway:

“A radioactive source detected in a car driving on Interstate 5 in Washington state was found to be a cat.

“The incident involved a U.S. Border Patrol agent who was monitoring the highway for potential transport of a radiological ‘dirty bomb,’ said agency official Joe Giuliano. ‘Vehicle goes by at 70 mph,’ Giuliano said last week during a meet on San Juan Island. ‘Agent is in the median, a good 80 feet away from the traffic. Signal went off and identified an isotope (in the passing car).’

“The agent stopped and searched the car. Turned out to be a cat with cancer that had undergone a radiological treatment three days earlier,’ Giuliano said.

“‘That’s the type of [detection] technology we have that’s going on in the background. You don’t see it,’ he added. ‘If I hadn’t told you about it, you’d never know it was there.”

It was probably Iodine-131.

VR/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[Gawain 0]

That's pretty impressive.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[headoverheels 333]

Hmmm, gonna be detecting a lot of old guys' prostates, if they have radioactive seeds implanted.

[ryoder 1,590]

So if the half-life of Iodine-131 is 8.0197 days, and a cat has 9 lives, what is the life expectancy of that cat?

And will Geiger counters become a must-have accessory among mice?

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Skyrad 0]

It would be interesting to know exactly what the isotope was.

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[diablopilot 2]

I'd like to know what reason was given for the traffic stop.


The Gestapo seems to be watching.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Zarkon 0]

Quote

I'd like to know what reason was given for the traffic stop.


The Gestapo seems to be watching.

Personally I rather have some guy sitting in a median looking for radioactive junk than a camera checking to see if I come to a complete stop at a stop sign. Big brother-ish maybe, but what personal liberties can this threaten? Don't know if they could give the real reason for the traffic stop, but cops usually BS it if they have to any how. I've been pulled over many times and told it was for my lights off(which they weren't) to going 51 in a 50. If a cop wants to pull you over they'll find something

[DJL 235]

Quote

I'd like to know what reason was given for the traffic stop.


The Gestapo seems to be watching.

It sounds like the reason was pretty clear and apparent considering we're all reading about this. What's wrong with cops using passive systems to FIND radioactive materials that cross our borders and travel on our roads?

The same thing happened with an old lady who drove into DC.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[Jasmin 0]

What's wrong with it?

Nothing...
its more a question of effectiveness...

ie Suitable detector for specific emitters and ignoring the possibility of effective shielding.

edited to add:
Would've loved to have seen that cops face when the cat-carrying-car went past!

xj

"I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

[Esquilax 0]

"Im in ur pet taxi, gettn ur arse in trubul."

Ostriches and rheas are the only birds that urinate and defecate separately. They read Parachutist while doing #2.