Health Physics Is All About Controlling The "Source Term"

This article, courtesy of graymalkn ,  nicely outlines what I've thought for quite a while: the only hope to prevent nuclear proliferation is the control of fissile material.  Because that pits fallible human security versus dedicated intent to defeat that security, some material will eventually be diverted.  Not just anyone can make/design a nuclear weapon nor can Joe at the bar just get some enriched uranium.  It takes an active effort by a decent number of people...but it is a lot easier to do than it was the first time. 

For many things, we endure "security theater" (thank you pure_doxyk for that term) where they go through the motions for the sake of you seeing them go through the motions.  The nuclear security stuff is not quite so silly, though it may seem so at times, because its the only line of defense we've got. 

Also, it still remains strange for me to think of spent nuclear fuel as Intrinsically Safe.  From a radiological point of view, they are horrible cylindrical death but that exact quality makes them very secure from the security vantage point.  You can't steal them unless you exert Herculean and, above all, noticeable effort without dying, thus they are Intrinsically Safe.

Scientific Coffee Addendum

In honor of Egg Shen from Big Trouble in Little China, I have decided to name this ultra-coffee "Black Blood of the Earth" or BBotE for short.

Also I forgot a memorable moment that needs sharing:

blark's cup of unadulterated BBotE is now half empty.  He grabs his water bottle and pours the remainder into the cup.  He looks at it and then puts his hand up because He Needs An Adult.  He says with concern, "I added water but it didn't change color."

We all wander over to peak into the dark heart of his mug.  Even diluted to 50% of the original strength, it is still as black, oily, and potentially lethal as a tar pit.

Black Blood of the Earth, indeed.