Am I being paranoid if I fear that one of the harder to get components of a
suitcase bomb is detected on airplanes traveling from Russia to England.

Suitcase bomb would use plutonium and that needs U238 under the lead shield
as a neutron reflector as well as Polonium 110 and Beryllium dust injected
into the critical mass of plutonium (34 pounds) to achieve detonation.

Lead and Beryllium are easy to get, the harder to get items like U238 and
Plutonium are dangerous but not as dangerous as Polonium 110 and Polonium is
an Isotope that has a shorter life than that of U238 or Plutonium. An old
(taken out of service) nuclear weapon would require the electronics, the
shaped charges and the Polonium replaced to insure detonation.

As to the political aspects of using Polonium 110 as a poison, the only
countries that make it are France, Russia, India, Pakistan, China and the
US.

"Jeff Rigby" wrote in message
. ..
Am I being paranoid if I fear that one of the harder to get components of
a suitcase bomb is detected on airplanes traveling from Russia to England.

Suitcase bomb would use plutonium and that needs U238 under the lead
shield as a neutron reflector as well as Polonium 110 and Beryllium dust
injected into the critical mass of plutonium (34 pounds) to achieve
detonation.

Lead and Beryllium are easy to get, the harder to get items like U238 and
Plutonium are dangerous but not as dangerous as Polonium 110 and Polonium
is an Isotope that has a shorter life than that of U238 or Plutonium. An
old (taken out of service) nuclear weapon would require the electronics,
the shaped charges and the Polonium replaced to insure detonation.

As to the political aspects of using Polonium 110 as a poison, the only
countries that make it are France, Russia, India, Pakistan, China and the
US.


Sometime in the next few days, I expect to see congressional blowhards
talking about how we'll be checking all passengers for radioactive whatever.

"Jeff Rigby" wrote in message
. ..
Am I being paranoid if I fear that one of the harder to get components of
a suitcase bomb is detected on airplanes traveling from Russia to England.

If you think you're paranoid you probably are.
On a technical note; I once owned a Fountain with highly-modified 30 hp
Evinrude that used Polonium 110 and methane as fuel. The Polonium was
delivered to the dock in a suitcase and the methane was derived from BS. I
was able to use a flux capacitor as a neutron reflector thereby saving the
weight of a lead shield.

John Wentworth wrote:
If you think you're paranoid you probably are.
On a technical note; I once owned a Fountain with highly-modified 30 hp
Evinrude that used Polonium 110 and methane as fuel. The Polonium was
delivered to the dock in a suitcase and the methane was derived from BS. I
was able to use a flux capacitor as a neutron reflector thereby saving the
weight of a lead shield.


man, the best of worlds! an Ion Torpedo at feesh boat pricing!