Radiation detection an arduous task at ports

A rusty yellow truck triggered a radioactivity alert in Pier A in the Port of Long Beach. The truck was then directed to a secondary inspection station. This truck was originally suppose to carry window shutters from China. The truck was then asked to open the cargo so that further inspection of the shipment for radiation. The driver claims to have been setting off radiation alarms all across the port. Multiple trucks have been tested for radiation in the Long Beach Ports. By the time 2012 all cargo will be scanned and billions of dollars will be needed to do this. The possibility of nuclear weapons being shipped into the United States has been brought up with all the radiation that has been present in much of the investigation. On the other hand much of the cargo does put out gamma radiation.

No unknown terms

It is scary to believe there are so many types of trucks giving off radiation and we don’t have a real reason what is setting off the alarms. The thought of a terrorist attack is definitely a possibility. Also it is so easy to actually send something across the border because of the vast length. In some parts of Texas there are wooden posts to mark the border of the United States and Mexico. Also this article could also just be a way to scare Americans into believing that we need to spend money and that the government will do all they can to protect the nation.

Vartabedian, Ralph. Radiation detection an arduous task at ports. L.A. Times, Nov. 25, 2007.