[time-nuts] How dangerous if Rb lamp broken?

[Lee Mushel]

I do agree with you, generally, on the topic of ionizing radiation and want 
to thank you for reminding me to check the batteries in my geiger counter! 
I do live with a nuclear power plant upwind from me and thus feel that 
maintenance of the instrument is desirable.   And I do remember back in the 
"prehysteria" days when, in the middle of a mineralogy lecture, a second 
professor broke into the room with long tongs and removed a rock sample that 
had been used for identification and was known to be radioactive and quickly 
retreated with it.   Until that moment any danger had not been considered. 
Not that the lesson did any good because I know that I have a rather large 
radioactive sample in our bedroom closet where it has peacefully resided for 
some twenty plus years.   I would suggest that anyone who is actively 
looking for something to get excited about look into the packaging materials 
we use for our foods today!

Sincerest best regards,

Lee A. Mushel,  K9WRU
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Atkinson" <robert8rpi at yahoo.co.uk>
To: "Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement" 
<time-nuts at febo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2013 5:49 AM
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] How dangerous if Rb lamp broken?


> Hi
> Why are so many people radiophobic? As in ionising radiation. There are 
> far more hazardous things in our hobby, electrocution and falling from a 
> height be two of the big killers. I defy anyone to come up with a 
> confirmed case of death caused by radiation as part of our hobby. Lead, 
> solder flux, mercury, PCB's (the chemical in some caps and transformers) 
> and cleaning solvents are all more harmful to our health.