Comments on: Another man’s poison http://www.chickyog.net/2006/12/01/another-mans-poison/ The weblog of Brighton-based writer Justin McKeating Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:35:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jim Bliss http://www.chickyog.net/2006/12/01/another-mans-poison/comment-page-1/#comment-24310 Jim Bliss Fri, 01 Dec 2006 23:04:41 +0000 http://www.chickyog.net/2006/12/01/another-mans-poison/#comment-24310 But isn't it obvious, Cian...? That's exactly what the rogue agents <em>want</em> you to think. But isn’t it obvious, Cian…? That’s exactly what the rogue agents want you to think.

]]> By: Cian http://www.chickyog.net/2006/12/01/another-mans-poison/comment-page-1/#comment-24304 Cian Fri, 01 Dec 2006 12:39:13 +0000 http://www.chickyog.net/2006/12/01/another-mans-poison/#comment-24304 I don't think there's anything botched about this. There are easier ways to poison someone, which don't involve importing difficult to source radioactive materials. The reason for using Polonium was precisely its scarcity. It made it absolutely clear who was responsible, while making it also abundantly clear that the Russians couldn't give a damn who knows and that the British state is too scared to do a damn thing about it. Whereas for the rogue agent story to be believable, you have to think that not only do the rogue agents have access to Polonium, the ability to fly it into the UK, but they're simultaneously stupid enough to use a substance which makes it bloody obvious who was responsible, instead of something nice and simple like cyanide, or even a gunshot (or for that matter - a hit and run). Not hugely believable. I don’t think there’s anything botched about this. There are easier ways to poison someone, which don’t involve importing difficult to source radioactive materials. The reason for using Polonium was precisely its scarcity. It made it absolutely clear who was responsible, while making it also abundantly clear that the Russians couldn’t give a damn who knows and that the British state is too scared to do a damn thing about it.

Whereas for the rogue agent story to be believable, you have to think that not only do the rogue agents have access to Polonium, the ability to fly it into the UK, but they’re simultaneously stupid enough to use a substance which makes it bloody obvious who was responsible, instead of something nice and simple like cyanide, or even a gunshot (or for that matter – a hit and run). Not hugely believable.

]]> By: Alex http://www.chickyog.net/2006/12/01/another-mans-poison/comment-page-1/#comment-24302 Alex Fri, 01 Dec 2006 12:18:59 +0000 http://www.chickyog.net/2006/12/01/another-mans-poison/#comment-24302 I don't know why you would need a government statement on these things. GCSE Physics includes the properties of alpha radiation. The half-life is 138 days. I don’t know why you would need a government statement on these things. GCSE Physics includes the properties of alpha radiation. The half-life is 138 days.

]]> By: Justin http://www.chickyog.net/2006/12/01/another-mans-poison/comment-page-1/#comment-24300 Justin Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:56:55 +0000 http://www.chickyog.net/2006/12/01/another-mans-poison/#comment-24300 A quick Google tells me <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polonium#210Po" rel="nofollow">Polonium 210</a> has a half-life of 138 days. I've <i>definitely</i> heard it mentioned on the news that the alpha waves travel only a very short distance. That's why Polonium 210 must be ingested or inhaled to be deadly - it's not dangerous in any other way, apparently. On background radiation, according to <a href="http://timworstall.typepad.com/timworstall/2006/11/polonium_210_on.html" rel="nofollow">Tim Worstall</a>, who sounds knowledgeable on such matters: 'Unless someone started stuffing the polonium 210 into your tea, you'd have got more radiation from simply being on a plane at 30,000 feet than anything else.' No doubt we could corroborate that pretty quickly. So your valid questions are all easily answered and reassuringly so as well. And has Reid been continually popping up? I count two statements all week - Monday and Thursday. During the terror plot busts in August he was nigh on <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5264334.stm" rel="nofollow">ubiquitous</a>. You clearly don't have to be as diplomatic with suspected Islamist terrorists as you do with 'rogue' 'Russian' goons. A quick Google tells me Polonium 210 has a half-life of 138 days.

I’ve definitely heard it mentioned on the news that the alpha waves travel only a very short distance. That’s why Polonium 210 must be ingested or inhaled to be deadly – it’s not dangerous in any other way, apparently.

On background radiation, according to Tim Worstall, who sounds knowledgeable on such matters: ‘Unless someone started stuffing the polonium 210 into your tea, you’d have got more radiation from simply being on a plane at 30,000 feet than anything else.’ No doubt we could corroborate that pretty quickly.

So your valid questions are all easily answered and reassuringly so as well.

And has Reid been continually popping up? I count two statements all week – Monday and Thursday. During the terror plot busts in August he was nigh on ubiquitous. You clearly don’t have to be as diplomatic with suspected Islamist terrorists as you do with ‘rogue’ ‘Russian’ goons.

]]> By: AttackCat http://www.chickyog.net/2006/12/01/another-mans-poison/comment-page-1/#comment-24299 AttackCat Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:36:21 +0000 http://www.chickyog.net/2006/12/01/another-mans-poison/#comment-24299 There is no reason apart from increasing fear why they coul dnot tell us the potential for actual harm, the half-life, for example, the length over which alpha waves can travel, a comparison with background radiation. I am of the view that Doctor Death repeatedly popping up saying there's nothing to worry about whilst saying how many planes have been grounded actually increases fear. So, whilst I agree with you about copy cat stuff, I agree more with your initial analysis There is no reason apart from increasing fear why they coul dnot tell us the potential for actual harm, the half-life, for example, the length over which alpha waves can travel, a comparison with background radiation.

I am of the view that Doctor Death repeatedly popping up saying there’s nothing to worry about whilst saying how many planes have been grounded actually increases fear.

So, whilst I agree with you about copy cat stuff, I agree more with your initial analysis

]]> By: Robert Sharp » Blog Archive » L’esprit d’escalier http://www.chickyog.net/2006/12/01/another-mans-poison/comment-page-1/#comment-24298 Robert Sharp » Blog Archive » L’esprit d’escalier Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:15:24 +0000 http://www.chickyog.net/2006/12/01/another-mans-poison/#comment-24298 [...] Justin at Chicken Yoghurt has been feeling a bit of the L’espirit too. [...] [...] Justin at Chicken Yoghurt has been feeling a bit of the L’espirit too. [...]

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