Feds swarm a "radiant" rider

[twyztdmynd]

Metra secretly scans for Nuclear substances...

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/video/8638493-video-feds-swarm-metra-train/

Source Code anyone ?

[Busjack]

Too much coincidence here. The question is how many nuclear detectors are at the rail stations? I guess a threat would want to get on further down the line.

[Busjack]

Slightly related (as good as any place to put this) is a story about a lit up Cubs fan Metra rider was sentenced for punching a conductor, because the rider had drunk away the fare.

Since it was on the Milw N. line (I assume since the Metra police arrested him in Libertyville), I assume he was drunk on CTA to either Grayland or Union Station, too.

[Railwaymodeler]

Now I got to wonder: Both Lionel and AC Gilbert used to make chemistry sets, an old AC Gilbert catalog I have from the early 1950s shows a nuclear physics set, with (supposedly) "Safe" radioactive ore.

I got to wonder if these detectors would pick something like that up. I wonder about someone who has just come out from chemotherapy too?

[jajuan]

Now I got to wonder: Both Lionel and AC Gilbert used to make chemistry sets, an old AC Gilbert catalog I have from the early 1950s shows a nuclear physics set, with (supposedly) "Safe" radioactive ore.

I got to wonder if these detectors would pick something like that up. I wonder about someone who has just come out from chemotherapy too?

Well one would think that with this being 2013, law enforcement's technology for finding such things is smart enough to detect the difference between a chemotherapy patient and a bomb carrying terrorist. Plus I'm not too sure there are very many nuclear physics sets in today's time especially with all that's going on in today's world with the type of people of such disturbed minds to want to build explosive devices and indiscriminately harm everybody around them.

[Railwaymodeler]

True, detectors should be able to tell the difference. On the other hand, a false positive is much better than a false negative. After all, given that some terrorists commit their acts knowing they will die, what stops one from fooling a radiation detctor by poisoning himself then himself becoming the bomb? While I don't know if that is even possible, it does bring up security, be it internet/network, house and home security, or national security, is always a cat and mouse game.

[twyztdmynd]

Now I got to wonder: Both Lionel and AC Gilbert used to make chemistry sets, an old AC Gilbert catalog I have from the early 1950s shows a nuclear physics set, with (supposedly) "Safe" radioactive ore.

I got to wonder if these detectors would pick something like that up. I wonder about someone who has just come out from chemotherapy too?

Well, the guy in my story had some tests done using radioactive dye in his system. So I bet the Metra system is super touchy.

[busfan2847]

Now I got to wonder: Both Lionel and AC Gilbert used to make chemistry sets, an old AC Gilbert catalog I have from the early 1950s shows a nuclear physics set, with (supposedly) "Safe" radioactive ore.

I got to wonder if these detectors would pick something like that up. I wonder about someone who has just come out from chemotherapy too?

Chemotherapy does not use radioactive materials. Cancer patients who have had Radiation Therapy may do if the radioactive material has been placed inside the body.

[busfan2847]

True, detectors should be able to tell the difference. On the other hand, a false positive is much better than a false negative. After all, given that some terrorists commit their acts knowing they will die, what stops one from fooling a radiation detector by poisoning himself then himself becoming the bomb? While I don't know if that is even possible, it does bring up security, be it internet/network, house and home security, or national security, is always a cat and mouse game.

Unfortunately the Physics of the process is the same for "good" radiation used for medical testing and radiation therapy and "bad" radiation from a terrorist device. The detector is going to be triggered by either.

[Passenger]

So they detected a non-treat and the sap in question feels safer?

I'd feel safer if we didn't have all this "security".