[ RadSafe ] Dirty Bomb Material Crosses Border

[BLHamrick at aol.com]

I don't believe the isotope or activity has been released, but you can read  
between the lines in the report.  They purchased exempt quantities (so  likely 
in the multi-microcurie range), they told the business it was to  "calibrate" 
radiation pagers, and they "focused only on the procedures for  [detecting] 
gamma radiation," so it appears this was a gamma-emitting  isotope, commonly 
used for calibration....Hmmm...what could that be?
 
I also just want to point out that two deranged people with guns (which  also 
"can be obtained for malicious intent" in case the GAO hadn't noticed)  
terrorized the Washington, DC area for weeks, and actually killed people.   I can't 
think of a comparable event using exempt sources of radioactive  material.  I 
can't actually imagine a comparable event using exempt  sources.
 
I'm not advocating one way or another on gun control, but puh-lease!!   We 
need to put the issue of the commercial availability of radioactive material  
into some perspective.
 
Senator Coleman was "alarmed" that radioactive material was available for  
commercial sale.  Why, he'd absolutely FLIP if he knew how much free  
radioactive material I have for the taking in my backyard soil.
 
Someone really needs to put a halt to this insanity.
 
Barbara L. Hamrick, CHP, JD
 
In a message dated 3/28/2006 5:59:52 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
Cehn at aol.com writes:

Does  anyone know how much activity was "smuggled" across the border in the   
(failed) test of border security?  I've heard it was Cs-137, and it  was  
about 
as much as in a smoke detector.  I suspect both  reports are  incorrect.  Is 
the actual data  classified?