U.S. has been secretly testing for radiation

[PocketRocket]

A classified radiation monitoring program, conducted without warrants, has targeted private U.S. property in an effort to prevent an al-Qaida attack, federal law enforcement officials confirmed Friday.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10588528/

This actually makes sense to me.

I mean privacy is one thing, but if you can literally drive by someone's house (hall/garage/office block/whatever) and point a doohickey at the building, and pick up some sort of radiation emission which is definitively linked to some sort of nuclear device, then as far as I'm concerned privacy concerns are right out the window.

While I largely disagree with the Patriot Act, this is a completely different ball of wax.

No way that this can be used under false pretenses to put away some kid who's growing a couple pot plants in his attic.

This would address one issue, and one only; possible nukes.

[moderateamericain]

A classified radiation monitoring program, conducted without warrants, has targeted private U.S. property in an effort to prevent an al-Qaida attack, federal law enforcement officials confirmed Friday.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10588528/

This actually makes sense to me.

I mean privacy is one thing, but if you can literally drive by someone's house (hall/garage/office block/whatever) and point a doohickey at the building, and pick up some sort of radiation emission which is definitively linked to some sort of nuclear device, then as far as I'm concerned privacy concerns are right out the window.

While I largely disagree with the Patriot Act, this is a completely different ball of wax.

No way that this can be used under false pretenses to put away some kid who's growing a couple pot plants in his attic.

This would address one issue, and one only; possible nukes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Its safe to say that that is something i can live with. As long as ALL it does is sniff for emissions

[Montgomery Burns]

A classified radiation monitoring program, conducted without warrants, has targeted private U.S. property in an effort to prevent an al-Qaida attack, federal law enforcement officials confirmed Friday.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10588528/

This actually makes sense to me.

I mean privacy is one thing, but if you can literally drive by someone's house (hall/garage/office block/whatever) and point a doohickey at the building, and pick up some sort of radiation emission which is definitively linked to some sort of nuclear device, then as far as I'm concerned privacy concerns are right out the window.

While I largely disagree with the Patriot Act, this is a completely different ball of wax.

No way that this can be used under false pretenses to put away some kid who's growing a couple pot plants in his attic.

This would address one issue, and one only; possible nukes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. Nothing wrong with sniffing for radiation out of mosques - especially with their sordid history of abetting terrorism.

[PocketRocket]

I'd say not just mosques.

If they've got a radiation-sniffer that can see through walls, then as far as I'm concerned, go to it!!!

Mosques, Theaters, Halls, Office blocks, apartment blocks, warehouses, sniff 'em all.

Better than confiscating library records or covertly recording phone calls.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear PocketRocket,

It can be done from space...

http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/mti.htm

or from the ground...

http://www.grove-ent.com/nucraddet.html

Mind you, thermal imaging has been used to find pot grow-ops, even though the actual imaging isn't admissable as evidence by itself.

[PocketRocket]

Howdy, T-BAG:

I agree, but this is not thermal imaging, at least not to my understanding.

It sniffs radiation rather than heat.

Can't think of any reason a grow-op would be producing radiation, unless they're carrying out some Lisa-Simpson-esque experiment to grow giant, mutant pot plants, which could only be a good thing, if possible.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear PocketRocket,

I'd say not just mosques.

If they've got a radiation-sniffer that can see through walls, then as far as I'm concerned, go to it!!!

Mosques, Theaters, Halls, Office blocks, apartment blocks, warehouses, sniff 'em all.

I am inclined to agree. Radiation is one of those things that has almost zero practicality in the hands of ordinary people.

I agree, but this is not thermal imaging, at least not to my understanding.

It sniffs radiation rather than heat.

Can't think of any reason a grow-op would be producing radiation

It is my understanding that light is a form of radiation...

http://www.astronomynotes.com/light/s3.htm

So really, a 'sniffer' doesn't 'see' into the building, it detects the radiation that 'leaks out'.

unless they're carrying out some Lisa-Simpson-esque experiment to grow giant, mutant pot plants, which could only be a good thing, if possible.

With buds the size of watermelons....'closet farmers' across the country would be tickled pink...not to mention possibly sterile....er,...I'll stick to the old method, thanks.

[PocketRocket]

Dear PocketRocket,

Always a pleasure, T-BAG. (BTW, I hope you don't mind the abbreviated nickname. No offense is meant by it.)

It is my understanding that light is a form of radiation...

http://www.astronomynotes.com/light/s3.htm

So really, a 'sniffer' doesn't 'see' into the building, it detects the radiation that 'leaks out'.

True, light is a form of radiation.

However, we are looking at a completely different type of radiation here, something called "radioactivity", which is generally applied to radiation at the atomic level.

Where light can be blocked by a plain, wooden wall, radioactivity can be detected through almost any substance aside from very thick lead, simply because the radiated atomic fragments pass between the molecules of the wall as easily as a bird passes through the air.

A geiger counter, for example, is actually registering the atomic fragments which impact on its sensing device.

But a geiger counter will not register light.

I believe they would be using a variation on a geiger-counter for this type of detection, but something that can "see" further than the normal GC.

There ya go. Atomic physics, kindergarten level (which is about as far as my understanding of the subject goes)

unless they're carrying out some Lisa-Simpson-esque experiment to grow giant, mutant pot plants, which could only be a good thing, if possible.

With buds the size of watermelons....'closet farmers' across the country would be tickled pink...not to mention possibly sterile....er,...I'll stick to the old method, thanks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The size of watermelons, hmm???

Something to think about.

BTW, sterility doesn't mean impotence, and I have no desire to have any more kids, so for me there's no downside

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear PocketRocket,

QUOTE(theloniusfleabag @ Dec 29 2005, 11:49 AM)

Dear PocketRocket,

Always a pleasure, T-BAG. (BTW, I hope you don't mind the abbreviated nickname. No offense is meant by it.)

No offense taken, it is a bit of a long name. (With some names here, I have actually cut&pasted then rather than typing them...notably Tokyo Takarazuka(sp?)

Of all the shortened versions I have heard of my moniker, I like this one best.

[PocketRocket]

Cool.

Which leads to the question of the day; in light of its meaning, why is "abbreviated" such a long word???