[ RadSafe ] TV Program "Numbers"

[Doug Aitken]

Last night one of the networks aired a program in the series "Numbers" 
about a dirty bomb scenario.
As usual, maximum scare was used to make the program more tension-filled, 
while totally ignoring the realities....
Anyone else see it?

The scenario was some crooks stealing a truck loaded with a couple of big 
transport shields (clearly labeled Yellow II, 0.03 GBq Cesium 137, TI = 
0,3) with the purpose of tying up the emergency services on the threat of a 
dirty bomb in downtown LA, while they robbed some artwork......
These containers were stated to "leak radiation" (but within permissible 
NRC regs.....!) and exposure could cause "acute radiation sickness" (a 
graphic description of melting internal organs by one of the "expert 
physicists" - the "walking ghost phase" of sickness....)

And to top it off, the guy who had stolen the truck, after about one day 
sitting in the cab, collapsed due to "radiation sickness"

Is it any wonder that the public are frightened by all things radioactive 
and object to shipments of low-level radioactive waste by public highway.......

Doug

Doug Aitken
Schlumberger D&M QHSE Advisor
Office (rarely!)        281-285-8009
Home (better!)          713-797-0919
Cell (best?)            713-562-8585