NEWSLESS DAYS I have no idea who might have been the first to say: "No news is good news!"
The person who first expressed that opinion, obviously did not live through the time period encompassing November 30th through December 1st of 2006.
Remember? We first heard on TV of a British Airways passenger plane having been found to be radioactive at Heathrow, London. The offending substance found in the plane was identified as "Polonum 21" Highly radioactive, the substance was not to be found outside of an authorized atomic research facility. Shortly after we were told that a second plane had been identified as having been contaminated at the same location and that related sites were "under investigation."
Immediately, and almost automatically, most of us associated the announcement with the fact that the other main story in the news was telling us about a former Russian "spy" who had been poisoned with radioactive material. We had all seen numerous "before-and-after" photographs from our media showing his grotesque feature changes. In his last hours he accused the Prime Minister of his own country Valadmir Putin of having had him murdered "for political reasons." The seriousness of such a charge overshadowed even the pain-tortured death of the stricken man himself. His story and the Heathrow discoveries seemed to, quite logically, to tie together in some way.
I fully expected a group of stories by various airlines attesting to the safety and inspection routines in use on their own planes as well as on-board security to prevent any such materials from entering their craft. I even considered the fact that our own security people might issue a word of caution and restraint. Would all of this be that which the Terrorists' leaders have been promising for months - another air attack on the west. To cripple world-wide air travel would a terrible blow to the UK and the U,S.A. And the fact that no news items of that nature
appeared on TV was heard on radio created and then enhanced by no questioning denials or statements confusing suppose which naturally cause many viewers and listeners to consider "possibilities"- the size and nature of which only a few can imagine.
That news "grey out" lasted in to the week-end and the treatment still puzzles some individal who had some pretty serious because of the lack of news we expected hear. This morning we were informed that the radioactive "Polonum 210" used is avilable - if you need a supply - on line. Some folks can laugh it all off today, but it strikes me - deep down where my serious cares are kept - that the real thing could strike us in just this crazy sort of way at any moment.
Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 12-2-06 [c-472wds]
