As a long-time $supporter of CDI (have mentioned visiting them in DC) - I find their material among the most thoughtful, decently edited and - generally 'wise' .. around. Seeing their operation 'live' - priceless. I regret that their regular half-hours, years ago even on local bucolic PBS station .. have declined in recent years. Not enough $$, or mass Interest, I expect. Not enough car chases. :-/

That said, the CDI report is entirely logical and in accord with my experience (which helps me, if not you.) And BTW, a "20-25% increase over background" - via -not cosmic rays- but mobile particulate matter may Not be so easily lumped-together as a simple "%increase". This especially re long-term consequences, genetic and other. Another thread, that.. and not a simple one.

And yes, the Psychological aspects (especially in primitive, superstitious, uninformed cultures like ours) - may indeed trump the physical, $$$ aspects of such an Event. As pointed out by CDI -
Nightmarish though it may be, the dirty bomb scenario is thus one that must be prepared for, albeit one wherein the psychological dangers appear greater than the physical. That al Qaeda appears to have made more inroads into the production of such a device than was previously believed to be the case heightens such dangers even further.
After all, look how effective have been the Rove/G\ufffdbbels propaganda barrages: Words-alone! mere fear-mongering sans Substance. THAT is "where we live"...

Point: not a huge investment is needed, to continue regular background checks. Nor are the perps flawless in their strategy, tactics execution - simply because They Were, on that one day. A bonus (whatever the actual physiological risk of some actual planned event) -- is, a cheap sensor, whose warning might well lead to a rarity: actually catching some sickos. You Watch before you Pounce.

We can afford to do this. All the other stuff will always be debatable, legitimate arguments re priorities, triage shall occur, etc. Few of these options shall achieve consensus -- I think that this one should, if there's a single Authority Figure left with a sense of Scale and Relativity\ufffd (A large IF, sadly.)

(IMO, consequences of worldwide general-ignorance re isotopes and their consequences, just may prove as instrumental in the replacement of our ditzy species -??- as any of the too-numerous other catalysts on our various lists. Unfortunately, there can be no simple, compelling 'explanation for the masses' of the manifold consequences of our proliferation of these substances.)

One can only watch, shake head - and make best use of the time, by Living. Worrying about lemming-like behaviour in one's species can only grow hairy warts on neurons; possibly lead to burkha purchases in the febrile? or the championing of Windoze. :-)


moi