May I draw your attention to this article -[news.bbc.co.uk] - or rather the second paragraph which reads "Scientists in New Mexico have shown that this inexpensive and harmless technique can detect a small block of uranium concealed inside a truck full of sheep."

What is the significance of the sheep? Is this Al-Ovina once again? And am I the only person to find myself smiling at the image of a bucnh of blokes in white coats spending ages arguing over the experimental design -
"Why don't we use frogs?"
"In the Mexican desert? On a Friday? Two days after the frog-eating festival of fujitsu? Anyway, we've got that job lot of sheep lying about that we need to get rid of. I said that we wouldn't be able to train them to guard submarines, but oh no - you had to order them anyway. And those bloody lifejackets for them cost a fortune."



PSD

==========

This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

Deep inside Iraq, a secret military installation receives covert deliveries.

"Has the latest consignment of weapons-grade uranium arrived?"

"It has, sir. But we have a serious problem with waste disposal, sir."

"There's no problem. Just drop the radioactive waste down a few Kurdish wells."

"That's not what I meant, sir. This is the 300th secret delivery of uranium we've had."

"And?"

"And, what in Shaitan's name do we do with all these bloody sheep?"



- - -
I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

Maybe the inspectors missed a trick there. Just wit till nightfall, and go and look for the sheep you can read by. Although I can imagine there would be some misunderstandings - "Hans, I'm just off to look for some radioactive sheep."
"If you find any, bring one back for me."
"Sorry?"
"You did say 'attractive', didn't you? Oops."



PSD

==========

This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

That sounds like a method for the disposal of nuclear waste that the Russians once suggested: Pump it down abandoned oil-wells' shafts... in Poland. Needless to say the Polish government wasn't particularly keen on the idea.

***********************************************************

"Some days I diet, other days (including this one :-) they serve lasagne."

I think you have it, PSD. In the absence of missiles to fire nuclear warheads, the devilish plan is to irradiate sheep which will then be "liberated" and eaten (or, errr, whatever) by invading troops, thus spreading alarm and despondency. And so on.

Recommended reading suggested by thread:

'Bellwether' by Connie Willis. Chaos theory and the study of fads in a brilliant, farcical satire on modern culture (or lack of). For example, the heroine discovers that if books have not been borrowed from the library for over a year, they are disposed of. So she checks the last lending dates on the classics and borrows them if necessary, to ensure that they stay. She encourages co-scientist to buy a flock of sheep in order to study chaos.

'To Say Nothing of the Dog' by the same author is also highly recommended. High-farce, beautifully plotted time-travel with lots of literary references.

Both books difficult to buy in UK but can be ordered from Amazon etc.

they look like fun, having read the reviews on amazon. I'll add them to my list of books to watch out for..

"I bought these sheep to study chaos theory!"
"Oh, yes, sir. Pull the other one, it's got bells on."

------------------------------------------------------------------

"General, I think we should pull the Welsh Guards and the New Zealanders out of Koni al-Huq."
"Why's that, Colonel?"
"Because that's where the Iraqis are attacking with sheep, sir."
"The swines!"



- - -
I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

Does this explain General Melchett? "BAAAA!!!!!!"



PSD

==========

This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.