OMG, Insanity in the US Senate!! Check FoxNews Right Now on TV!!

[johnwilliamson062]

Whether a "dirty bomb" would have any real health effects, does anyone here doubt it would destroy the economy and real estate market of whatever city it was set off in? The panic following the news that a dirt bomb was set off could very likely cause a great deal of casualties.

I agree with the sentiment that part of the problem is that rights groups aren't willing to work together, or at least stay out of each others ways. I know the ACLU, which fights like crazy for most of our rights never has any problems leaving the second out, even when it involves illegal search and seizure of a firearm or such.

[N.H. Yankee]

Good thing he didn't have a pack of firecrackers, damn we'd all loose our fireworks before the 4th got here! Typical antigun BS, they are just looking for anything to hype and the obedient leftist media is more than happy to follow in lockstep with the story. The gun wasn't used in the commission of the crime, but its still evil and takes center stage. Pretty soon they make every so called terrorist take a mugshot holding a teabag so the media can ramp up the lies about the violent teabagger's.

[44 AMP]

Bloomberg and his people have shown, and will continue to show that they will use any public issue even remotely connected with firearms as an opportunity to call for further restrictions on private sales and ownership. That leopard ain't gonna change its spots.

With the exception of the Fort Hood shootings, there have been very, very few "terrorist" attacks or attempted attacks involving a Muslim compenent and firearms that have made the news.

The DC Sniper was not labled a terrorist. No gun involved with the Times Square bomb attempt. No guns on 9/11. Shooting individuals just doesn't seem to be the terrorist's main MO. But, as one of our administration's minions said recently, "never let a crisis go to waste"!

I wonder what the next Reichstag Fire will be?

And I am still waiting on anyone who can back up the claim of all that plutonium that our government "lost".

[rshanneck2002]

A few days back i recieved an e-mail saying that Hillary (as our sec. of state) was in cohoots with a so-called small arms treaty covering the globe which some say will try to circumvent our 2nd ad., back door treaty using our neighbors to the south mexico. If so., remain alert,because these libs never give up on this issue at all. I can not wait until Nov for the elections and this country better wake up,if not your looking at a Chavez style gov in 10 yrs at the most.

[Doc Intrepid]

44 AMP -

Appropos only of your request, and not quite 'on-topic' otherwise, according to DOE Inspector General Report 0813 dated February 18, 2009 (DOE-IG-0813), which is an Audit Report on the Department's Management of Nuclear Material Provided to Domestic Licensees, the findings determined that DOE domestic licensees had failed to accurately account for the locations and quantities of certain nuclear materials; and/or that the department had "agreed to write-off large quantities without fully understanding the final disposition of these materials". Among the findings:

"...Waste processing facilities were unable to determine whether some 6,711 grams of special nuclear material (SNM) and 35,269 kilograms of uranium were still under their control or had been treated and disposed of as waste"; and

"...DOE agreed to write-off 20,000 grams of SNM and 194,000 kilograms of... uranium" (page 2);

http://www.scribd.com/doc/12831982/D...terials-Report

There are certainly steps in standard nuclear materials processing where reductions in amounts of nuclear material accounted for may be encountered. For example, in the 1990s at Rocky Flats it was determined that a percentage of material unaccounted for had leached into piping out of the acid solution flowing through the pipes.

But not in these amounts.

In most cases the findings detailed circumstances that reflected less malfeasance and more sloppy material control & accounting (MC&A) practices. Still, the fact that the DOE ultimately had to write-off SNM as unaccounted for remains potentially problematic.

FWIW.

Doc

[pnac]

Appropos only of your request, and not quite 'on-topic' otherwise, according to DOE Inspector General Report 0813 dated February 18, 2009 (DOE-IG-0813), which is an Audit Report on the Department's Management of Nuclear Material Provided to Domestic Licensees, the findings determined that DOE domestic licensees had failed to accurately account for the locations and quantities of certain nuclear materials; and/or that the department had "agreed to write-off large quantities without fully understanding the final disposition of these materials". Among the findings:

"...Waste processing facilities were unable to determine whether some 6,711 grams of special nuclear material (SNM) and 35,269 kilograms of uranium were still under their control or had been treated and disposed of as waste"; and

"...DOE agreed to write-off 20,000 grams of SNM and 194,000 kilograms of... uranium" (page 2);

http://www.scribd.com/doc/12831982/D...terials-Report

There are certainly steps in standard nuclear materials processing where reductions in amounts of nuclear material accounted for may be encountered. For example, in the 1990s at Rocky Flats it was determined that a percentage of material unaccounted for had leached into piping out of the acid solution flowing through the pipes.

Some may also find this disconcerting:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.p...xt=va&aid=7158

A story first reported by Military Times and subsequently by Global Research
about missing nukes. Interesting read.

[44 AMP]

and you too, pnac.

To continue the thread drift just a little longer, After having read the DOE report, I'm not at all concerned. While 20kg of SMN is enough to achieve minimum critical mass, we are talking about material in small amounts, distributed to many different "non governmental agencies" for research, over the past 50 years! Taken in total, the material unaccounted for seem like a dangerous amount, but I think the reality is somewhat different.

And the large amount of uranium is of very little consequence, again, for the same reasons. Although 194 metric tons seems like a huge amount, again, reality is somewhat different. Uranium is heavier than lead, and the amount named would fit in about 40 55gal drums worth of space. And only a very small percentage of the uranium was enriched uranium. As a toxic metal, Uranium is less dangerous than arsenic, beryllium, or a number of other common chemicals.

To come back a little closer to the point of this thread, a report of loss of 200+kgs of plutonium (and the unaccounted for SNM in the linked report was only 1/10th that claimed amount) is just the kind of thing that, taken out of context, without any background info that sends the uninformed into a panic. Just as the information that the Times Square bomber bought a gun was intended to do.

So WHAAT if he bought a gun? As a (naturalized) American citizen, with no criminal record, he was entirely within the law. This happens many thousands of times EVERY DAY across this country. Of course, if Mayor Bloomberg had things the way he wants, that would change. Radically.

Prohibiting persons on the Terror Watch list and the No Fly list from buying a gun (from an FFL dealer, the only method the Federal government has the authority to regulate) is, considering the bureaucratic inefficiency and out right stupidity of the management of those lists, a very poor idea. At least it is from my point of view. Because we have all seen or heard of examples of these lists hampering totally law abiding citizens.

With no publicly admitted criteria for what puts one "on the list" and no means of challenge and review, it is rife for abuse, accidental, or otherwise.

Although I have not yet ever had any problem with the instant background check when buying a gun from an FFL, I mentally cringe every time it is run on me. Not from any fear due to my wrong doing, but from a fear of the problems I would have to face and overcome if/when a bureaucratic error flags me as "no sale". At least there, if/when it happens, I have a legal method to challenge the finding.

It should be better today, but at one time, the accuracy of the system was consided...iffy. We've come a long way, but no system is perfect, and one without any process for challenging error is worst of all. And thats what we appear to have with these lists. And the good Mayor wants to use them for even more than they currently are. I, for one, find that unsettling.

[Doc Intrepid]

I quite agree with your conclusion - Glenn Podansky's office wrote the letter attached in Appendix III, and noted that this was in effect a one-time balancing of the books that included accumulated error throughout the entire DOE nuclear complex, and over it's lifespan. Additionally, plutonium was not mentioned.

I am also far more concerned about Bloomberg's efforts to link the various "no-fly" list(s) maintained by different organizations with the insta-check process used to conduct background checks for firearms purchases.

People are put on "no-fly" lists for all sorts of reasons that do not include convictions for any crimes, and far more frequently than should be the case reports surface of errors and individuals being denied flights by mistake due to similar names, etc.

It is yet another of Bloomberg's endless efforts to restrict gun rights by any means possible, and it leaves a rational observer wondering just how much longer American citizens are going to be inconvenienced by the anti-gun agenda and personal vendettas of one completely entitled, arrogant, and narcissistic individual.

[44 AMP]

just FYI, SNM (Special Nuclear Material) is plutonium, and a few other elements. Basically it is the fissionables that are needed/used to make a nuclear weapon (and the matrial containing them, such as irradiated fuel rods). Note that ordinary uranium is not listed in the same category.

SNM is much less panic inducing language in official documents that can be/eventually are released to the public than the "p word" (plutonium)

[Musketeer]

Back on topic somewhat... This was a NY politician pushing an agenda. Nothing new to report. Just yesterday Bloomberg was in London and spouted off how the car bomber might not have tried to blow up his car bomb if he knew he was on camera like in London. What an imbicile. I live on Long Island and everyone knows Times Square has cameras all around. They had footage of this terrorist changing his shirt next to the car for crying out loud.

Then the buffoons in the gov't let him get on a plane and leave the gate. He was already flagged!!! The guy has been to Pakistan fivetimes recently, come on now! This just made me feel safe as I was in the air on the way to Switzerland at the time...

Continue to watch as politicians use this event for their own agendas even though it is another monumental DHS failure. Just like the Christmas attack again we got lucky. Our luck is going to run out real soon. The politicians will then have blood on the street to use for their agendas.

[zeezee]

This discussion was being reasonable. Rants that are off-topic don't contribute.

GEM

[Brian Pfleuger]

Reasonable reply to off topic rant, so edited also

GEM.