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August 14, 2006
Nuclear Doofus
John Derbyshire notes someone who needs a clue:
"There is a vast, but not unlimited, amount of highly enriched uranium and weapons-grade plutonium in the world, and it is within our power to keep it secure. The United States does not lose gold from Fort Knox, nor Russia treasures from the Kremlin Armory<1>." ——Graham Allison, NUCLEAR TERRORISM (2004)
Emphasis mine.
Uh, Graham, I think you mean "plutonium and weapons-grade uranium". All naturally occurring uranium, even if refined to a metal, must be "enriched" if you want to make a bomb. Even that term seems a little inaccurate: the isotope U-235 must be physically separated from the much more abundant U-238. When it is enriched enough, it becomes weapons-grade. But only uranium needs to be "enriched". Plutonium is not a naturally occurring element, and Pu-239 is capable of a chain reaction as soon as it's manufactured. "Weapons-grade plutonium" is redundant and indicative of someone who doesn't understand what they're talking about.
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Comments
The Wikipedia Listing explains his ignorance:
In the 1990s, Allison served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy and Plans of the Clinton administration.
Enough said!
Posted by: Floyd Yeah at August 14, 2006 12:58 PM
Maybe I'm nitpicking a little...or maybe not. I'm no expert and even I know the difference.
I know what he meant, but I think sloppy word choice reflects sloppy thinking.
Posted by: Jeff at August 14, 2006 01:13 PM
Sloppy thinking...would you expect anything less from a Harvard professor?
Posted by: Floyd Yeah at August 14, 2006 01:36 PM
[gasp]
You mean I should start considering a different college for my son?
Posted by: Jeff at August 16, 2006 09:11 AM
DeVry would be a better choice than any Ivy-Covered liberal brainwashing center.
Posted by: Floyd Yeah at August 16, 2006 12:57 PM
