On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 8:21 AM, Dana Paxson <[email protected]> wrote:
> ... > > A few years ago I finally did the Web research and found Fiesta ware, which > had those brilliant reds and oranges and yellows in the glaze. The colors > came from uranium oxides, normally found in ore but also made available from > the tailings at the uranium refineries producing bomb-grade U-235. The > tailings were supposed to be low in radioactivity. Eventually the > government clamped down, and use of the tailings was... curtailed. A good > thing, no doubt. > ... > > Funny you should mention that...this isn't a fiesta ware story, but it is about radioactive dishes. My dad is a nuke-e. He worked on many projects that involved large amounts of radiation. At one point in the early 60s (I think it was when he was working at Jackass Flats, designing shielding for a nuclear rocket engine) it was fashionable for people on the team to bring in glassware, put it in a cardboard box with your name on it, and leave it inside the containment for a while, after which it would get very very dark. It worked best if you used something heavy, like highballs or juice glasses. A few weeks later (after the glassware was a little less radioactive), you'd get it back, and you'd have a lovely set of deep gray conversation-piece glasses. Mom & Dad still have at least one. -- eric scoles ([email protected]) --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "R-SPEC: The Rochester Speculative Literature Association" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/r-spec?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
