A Geiger Counter in Every Cellphone

[Tuckerfan]

More The War Against Terror bullshit, IMHO.

Researchers at Purdue University are working with the state of Indiana to develop a system that would use a network of cell phones to detect and track radiation to help prevent terrorist attacks with radiological “dirty bombs” and nuclear weapons.

“The likely targets of a potential terrorist attack would be big cities with concentrated populations, and a system like this would make it very difficult for someone to go undetected with a radiological dirty bomb in such an area,” said Longman, who also is Purdue alumnus. “The more people are walking around with cell phones and PDAs, the easier it would be to detect and catch the perpetrator. We are asking the public to push for this.”

Sorry, but no. It’s stupid, pointless, and utterly unnecessary.

[Leaffan]

The revised version of “A Chicken in Every Pot?”

[Faruiza]

You might be right, Tucker, but I’m wondering exactly why you think it’s stupid, pointless, and utterly unnecessary. I haven’t formed an opinion yet, because there must be lots of information missing from the article, but assuming it could be done without a significant price increase in the gadgets to the consumer, why not? Do you think it just wouldn’t work properly?

[Tuckerfan]

@Faruiza

You might be right, Tucker, but I’m wondering exactly why you think it’s stupid, pointless, and utterly unnecessary. I haven’t formed an opinion yet, because there must be lots of information missing from the article, but assuming it could be done without a significant price increase in the gadgets to the consumer, why not? Do you think it just wouldn’t work properly?

No, my big beef is that the odds of their being any need for this are practically nil. One would think that if terrorists thought that a dirty bomb was a viable weapon, they’d have used it before now. The closest we’ve come have been the Chechen rebels, who planted radioactive materials in parks in Russia, and then promptly alerted the media as to their location. That was about 10 years ago.

[T_SQUARE]

I guess it’s an interesting concept to play around with at a university lab, but I sure as hell don’t want to pay for it (and don’t kid yourself, this sounds expensive). Same thing with missile defense systems on airliners. I’d rather take my chances, thanks.

I had a laugh the other day when some news anchor had a shock teaser line about terrorists hacking into the controls of a 777. If you’ve ever seen an Al Qaeda web page, you’d know just how funny that thought is.

[Faruiza]

Ah, ok. There is definitely something to be said about not succumbing to the “What if?” hysteria that grips most people.
I keep trying to have an opinion on it, but all I can come up with is, “Meh. As long as it doesn’t cost me significantly more when I buy a cellphone, I don’t care.”
I watched way too much 24.

[Gatopescado]

I’ll give up my Geiger Counter when the take the camera, games, iPod, currency enchanger, porn portal and personal vibrator from my phone.

Please. Take this shit. I don’t want, or use, any of it. What the fuck is wrong with “just a phone”*?

*The only possible thing I can concieve of being useful, in addition to a fucking phone, is a lighter, you know, to start a fire and stay alive till rescue comes. Or maybe a “Black Box Pinger”. Can you buy that? No. But you can fucking play Break-out till you freeze to death…