From: utzoo!decvax!genradbo!mitccc!jfw Newsgroups: net.misc Title: Re: "Re: Cosmos A-Bomb" Article-I.D.: mitccc.268 Posted: Fri Jan 21 22:20:34 1983 Received: Mon Jan 24 06:48:53 1983 References: yale-com.694 Re: the poisonosity of plutonium. It is entirely unnecessary for it to be "poisonous" for it to have effect. Consider the mass hysteria when it is announced that there is radioactive plutonium in the city water supply. There are relatively few people informed enough to understand that such a low concentration is probably utterly without harm, and most of the rest have been scared by hysteria salesmen who wish to make their name through radiation-mania. Indeed, the denials by experts that there would be noticable danger would be taken by many as "proof" that there is critical danger. Someone desiring to extort money could quite easily dribble a small solution of Uranium Oxide* on the concrete next to the water reservoir, and announce that if $M is not paid in DELTA-T, another few gallons will be dumped into the supply. *Drop Uranium into water. It is about as reactive as sodium, and will replace the hydrogen in water, thus skittering about the surface of the water in a flaming jet until it is used up. Fun to watch, at least with sodium. John Woods, ...!genradbo!mitccc!jfw