Disperse This

"RDD" is short in the nuclear emergency business (no, business is most definitely NOT booming) for Radiological Dispersal Device. The conventional wisdom among pundits used to be, "Whoa - not much distinction in the public's mind between an RDD and an actual nuclear explosion. We know better, but let's scare the bejeezus out of everyone; makes for good copy."

Now that an actual, semi-credible RDD threat has been uncovered with the arrest of pathetic loser Jose Padilla, the Powers that Attempt to Control our Every Thought (a/k/a New York Times) are now soft-pedaling the reality of a RDD.

The Times may be a-changin', for it has a balanced, accurate, only slightly misleading analysis article in today's front section. The misleading part is the statement, about one particular type of radiation source, that it"...would emit enough radiation to kill a terrorist before he could attach it to conventional explosives." This is first of all a bit of an overstatement, since an average-sized person would, indeed, get a guaranteed lethal dose if he (or she) was in contact with such a source -- but it would not be an instant death; it would likely take a few minutes (to hours if the terrorist wore some protective lead aprons). Certainly enough time, if the person knew what they were doing, to package the RDD for his/her colleagues to deliver.

Remember, these people have shown us time and again that they do not especially value the lives of their foot soldiers.