The American Spectator

Reid Collins wrongly suggests that duct tape and gaffer’s tape are the same thing. They are not.

The primary difference between the two is the adhesive used; gaffer’s uses a less strongly adhering glue. That is because gaffer’s tape is usually used to secure cables to floors and rugs for short periods of time, after which it must be removed, without damaging the underlying rug. In contrast, duct tape is intended to longer-term use, sealing ducts (as in air conditioning ducts), where once installed, it will generally stay installed. A stronger, more long lasting adhesive, is therefore required.

Gaffer’s tape is also usually black or brown (the better to match the color of rugs) whereas duct tape is usually gray or silver (the better to match the color of ducts).

If you use duct tape to secure cables to a hotel’s rug, you can reasonably expect the hotel’s ire for the damage you do to their property. If you use gaffer’s tape to secure plastic in your safe room, you can reasonably expect the system to fail prematurely.

A “dirty bomb” is an undefined term, but is essentially an explosive device combined with some readily available radioactive material (probably industrial waste or industrial X-ray source). There is no history of this having ever been done, but it is in the terrorist literature. The result would be damage from the explosive plus some contamination from the dispersed radioactive material, plus as much hysteria as the media can generate.