TYB
Governor Newsom Increases California National Guard Presence at the Border To Crack Down on Fentanyl Smugglers
Sep 07, 2023
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Cracking down on illegal drugs — including fentanyl —being smuggled into California, Governor Newsom is increasing the number of California National Guard service members deployed to interdict drugs at U.S. ports of entry along the border by approximately 50%.
SAN YSIDRO –– Building on California’s $1 billion investment to tackle the fentanyl and opioid crisis, today Governor Gavin Newsom announced he is increasing the deployment of California National Guard (CalGuard) service members by approximately 50% from 40 to 60 soldiers at the four U.S. ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border to support the interdiction of illicit drugs, including fentanyl. The Governor’s expansion enables CalGuard to further support U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) narcotic search operations, including through the operation of a vehicle X-ray system used for detecting the transportation and concealment of narcotics. This increased deployment builds on Governor Newsom’s prior expansion of CalGuard-supported operations that last year led to a 594% increase in seized fentanyl in the state. Last year, CalGuard’s efforts helped law enforcement seize 28,765 lbs of fentanyl in California, an amount with an estimated street value of more than $230 million.
WHAT GOVERNOR NEWSOM SAID: “Fentanyl is a deadly poison ripping families and communities apart. California is cracking down — and today we’re going further by deploying more CalGuard service members to combat this crisis and keep our communities safe.”
Over 150 Americans die every day from overdoses and poisonings related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. As part of Governor Newsom’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis, CalGuard is supporting federal, state, and local law enforcement counter-narcotic investigations and operations through analytics, reconnaissance, and interdiction efforts. As of July 1, CalGuard helped seize over 11,760 lbs of fentanyl so far this year. The additional service members being deployed will support CalGuard’s existing partnership with CBP to interdict illegal drugs and develop informational analysis on organized criminal activity. CalGuard’s statewide efforts are funded through a $30 million investment proposed by Governor Newsom and enacted in the state budget to expand the department’s existing drug interdiction efforts and deepen integration and support to High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) programs.
A majority of fentanyl is smuggled into the U.S. at ports of entry by U.S. citizens, not by migrants seeking asylum, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Since 2019, Governor Newsom has invested over $1 billion to crack down on opioid trafficking and enforce the law, combat overdoses, support those with opioid use disorder, and raise awareness about the dangers of opioids. The Governor’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis provides a comprehensive framework to deepen the impact of these investments — including through a CalRx effort where California will allocate $30 million to support partners in developing, manufacturing, procuring, and/or distributing a naloxone nasal product under the CalRx label. With today’s announcement, coupled with California’s extensive abatement, enforcement, and treatment efforts outlined in the Master Plan, the state is saving lives and improving public safety.
B-roll footage and photos featuring a recent visit by Governor Newsom to the San Ysidro Port of Entry are available for download and use by producers and members of the media.
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/09/07/governor-newsom-increases-calguard-at-border/
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
Sep 7, 2023
The Large Cloud of Magellan
The 16th century Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan and his crew had plenty of time to study the southern sky during the first circumnavigation of planet Earth. As a result, two fuzzy cloud-like objects easily visible to southern hemisphere skygazers are known as the Clouds of Magellan, now understood to be satellite galaxies of our much larger, spiral Milky Way galaxy. About 160,000 light-years distant in the constellation Dorado, the Large Magellanic Cloud is seen in this sharp galaxy portrait. Spanning about 15,000 light-years or so, it is the most massive of the Milky Way's satellite galaxies and is the home of the closest supernova in modern times, SN 1987A. The prominent patch above center is 30 Doradus, also known as the magnificent Tarantula Nebula, a giant star-forming region about 1,000 light-years across.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?
There was
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12481099/Huge-fireball-sparks-panic-streaks-skies-DC-NYC-36-000mph-causes-loud-boom-explodes.html
ISRO
@isro
Aditya-L1 Mission:
đź‘€Onlooker!
Aditya-L1,
destined for the Sun-Earth L1 point,
takes a selfie and
images of the Earth and the Moon.
#AdityaL1
10:59 PM · Sep 6, 2023
https://twitter.com/isro/status/1699663615169818935
US military scrubs hypersonic missile test launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Sep 7, 2023
A planned test launch of a new hypersonic missile system was scrubbed Wednesday (Sept. 6).
Navigational warnings announcing the closure of Atlantic Ocean airspace east of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida appeared earlier in the week that suggested a test launch would take place between Sept. 6 and Sept. 8.
On Wednesday (Sept. 6), the Department of Defense gave a statement to Florida Today confirming the planned test was, in fact, canceled. No reason for the cancellation was given. "On Sept. 6, the Department planned to conduct a flight test at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, to inform our hypersonic technology development. As a result of pre-flight checks, the test did not occur," a Pentagon spokesperson told Florida Today.
Despite the cancellation, the Department of Defense spokesperson told Florida Today that the test was still useful in providing data for the program moving forward. "The Department was able to successfully collect data on the performance of the ground hardware and software that will inform the continued progress toward fielding offensive hypersonic weapons. Delivering hypersonic weapons remains a top priority for the Department."
As Ars Technica reported, the scrubbed launch was likely a test of the U.S. Army's Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), a land-based missile system. In March 2023, a similar test was likewise planned and scrubbed; that cancellation appeared to have been caused by a battery issue, The War Zone reported. A U.S. Army statement from later that month confirmed that the new hypersonic weapon system was deployed to Cape Canaveral at the time.
Photographers along Florida's Space Coast captured images on Wednesday (Sept. 6) of what appears to be a LRHW launcher stationed at Space Launch Complex 46 on the eastern trip of Cape Canaveral, although it's hard to say for certain what the hardware might be.
The U.S. Army's LRHW consists of a solid-fuel rocket booster and a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV). Its rocket booster is designed to propel the system to an optimal altitude and speed before deploying the HGV to fly on its own.
As its name implies, this class of hypersonic vehicles can glide towards its target at speeds at or above Mach 5 while retaining high levels of maneuverability. Some HGVs are able to execute abrupt maneuvers in flight, zig-zagging towards their target, making them difficult to track and intercept.
The U.S. Navy is developing its own sea-launched version of the system known as Conventional Prompt Strike. In a 2020 statement, the Pentagon's public affairs stated that the new missiles will be able to "strike targets hundreds and even thousands of miles away, in a matter of minutes, to defeat a wide range of high-value targets."
Developing and fielding this class of weapons is one of the Pentagon's "highest technical research and engineering priorities," the statement adds.
https://www.space.com/us-hypersonic-missile-test-launch-scrubbed-cape-canaveral
Archaeologists discover 1,000-year-old mummy in Peru
September 7, 2023, 7:03 AM
LONDON Archaeologists have discovered a 1,000-year-old mummy believed to be of an adult individual – in Peru's capital, Lima.
The mummy, which was discovered at the Huaca Pucllana archaeological site in the upscale Miraflores neighborhood, was found alongside two ceramic vessels and textiles.
The discovery becomes the latest in a string of ancient discoveries made in Peru this year.
"I find it quite interesting that right in the heart of Miraflores, in the middle of the city, surrounded by modern buildings and constructions, an important site is still preserved," said lead archaeologist Mirella Ganoza.
Ganoza noted the mummy had long hair and was found seated with bent legs. The remains of the ancient figure were also found with its jaw and long hair still preserved.
The mummy is thought to date back to 1,000 A.D, belonging to the Yschsma culture, inhabitants of whom lived south of Lima.
"This discovery helps to complement the information we know about the Ychsma culture so far," said Ganoza.
The discovery is the latest in string of century-old discoveries of mummies and pre-Hispanic remains made in Lima, including the discovery in June on a hilltop of a mummy found surrounded by cocoa leaves.
In March, a Peruvian man was arrested and charged for illegal possession of historical patrimony after he was found in a possession of a mummy believed to be 600 to 800 years old in his cooler delivery bag.
The Huaca Pucllana site is viewed as a Pandora's Box and archaeologists anticipate that many more artifacts could be found.
https://abcnews.go.com/International/archaeologists-discover-1000-year-mummy-peru/story?id=102991562
Here is a sauce to go with that
https://ticker.tv/news/china-may-be-using-ai-to-sway-u-s-voters-microsoft/37927/