Remixxing the mainstream news one blog post at a time from the shores of Venice Beach. News, politics & conspiracy theories about world issues. All posts are opinions meant to foster comment, reporting, teaching & study under the "fair use doctrine" in Sec. 107 of U.S. Code Title 17. No statement of fact is made or should be implied. Ads appearing on this blog are solely the product of Blogger.com and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Remixx World!
In order to test its missile defense technology, the United States intends to defend against a simulated attack that, according to reports on Iran's military capabilities, is not technically possible.
Most prior tests of U.S. missile defense systems have been geared toward defending against a volley from North Korea.
Sometime in January a simulated missile will be launched from the Marshall Islands, aimed at California, but Vandenberg Air Force Base is expected to intercept it.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) created Friday a Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Personnel (CBFSP) to carry out the government policy to prohibit the bearing, carrying and transporting of firearms or deadly weapons to ensure the holding of a clean, honest, orderly and peaceful elections and directed the Philippine National Police to suspend the issuance of firearms licenses during the election period for the May 10, 2010 polls which is from Jan. 10 to June 9, 2010 (emphasis added).
The Comelec en banc led by Chairman Jose A.R. Melo designated Commissioner Lucenito N. Tagle, a former Regional Trial Court Judge, a retired justice of the Court of Appeals and member of the Philippine Judicial Academy, as CBFSP chairman with one star rank officer or equivalent, from the AFP and PNP, as members. It is assisted by a secretariat composed of representatives from the Comelec, AFP and PNP.
Comelec warned that firearms licenses issued in violation of Section 1 of its en banc Resolution 8714 are null and void, without prejudice to the filing of appropriate administrative and/or criminal charges against the holder or those responsible for the issuance of the license.
PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other law enforcement agencies were directed by the Comelec to submit not later than Dec. 29, 2009 the list of the names of the personnel of the agency, together with a description of their firearms, who are authorized to bear, carry or transport firearms under en banc Resolution No. 8714.
“The list shall bear a certification that the persons named therein are in the regular plantilla of the agency performing law enforcement functions and are receiving regular compensation for the services rendered in the said agency and that the firearms described are duly registered firearms,” the Comelec said.
PNP, AFP and other law enforcement personnel mentioned in the certified list shall be considered authorized to bear, carry or transport firearms only upon its receipt by the CBFSP, it was pointed out.
The CBFSP will be responsible for the implementation of the ban on the bearing, carrying or transporting of firearms, and the employment, availment or engagement of security personnel. It is required to submit to the commission a monthly report on the implementation on the ban on firearms and security personnel.
Swine flu has already infected 50 million Americans, killing 10,000, most of them children and younger adults, federal officials reported Thursday.
The new estimates suggest that the flu, also known as H1N1, has spread through 15% of the U.S. population since it was first identified in April. As of Nov. 17, 200,000 people have been hospitalized, says Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The FDIC closed seven (7) banks on December 18, 2009 -- RockBridge Commercial Bank in Atlanta, Georgia; Peoples First Community Bank in Panama City, Florida; Citizens State Bank in New Baltimore, Michigan; New South Federal Savings Bank in Irondale, Alabama; Independent Bankers' Bank in Springfield, Illinois; Imperial Capital Bank in La Jolla, California; and First Federal Bank of California, F.S.B. in Santa Monica, California.
Of course they were going to pass an agreement and now it is reportedly been agreed upon by the various Nation-States. The globalists will not accept failure and they will have their global government despite all the talk about everyone walking out on the summit. They were merely playing possum. Can we now officially say the world government is here? More details will definitely be forthcoming.
COPENHAGEN — Official: US reaches 'meaningful agreement' with China, India, South Africa at climate summit.
UV radiation index in the bolivian altiplano reached from five to seven out of eleven, which is considered extremely high. Experts have recommended the population to avoid being exposed to sunlight from 10 am to 3 pm, and encourage the use of long-sleeved shirts, hats and sunglasses.
The Bolivian Health Ministry, conjointly launched the alert with the Meteorology and Hydrology National Service, whose representative, Felix Trujillo, explained that during the summer season in the southern hemisphere, UV rays are stronger and directly affect the bolivian altiplano.
This propaganda piece fits right in with the schemers in Copenhagen who are plotting and conspiring to implement a global tax on all humans for the mere right and privilege of living! Once the globalist banks and industrialists can tax humans' and animals' carbon dioxide releases, then you will have to pay for the right to live. If you refuse to pay the global green tax, then your land, liberty and life will be taken.
If someone says that the Sun does not affect the Earth's climate, then that person is an idiot! The sun is a freakin' star only 93 million miles away. If the sun went supernova, then the Earth would be vaporized. If the Sun suddenly went out, the earth would immediately begin freezing! To say that it does not affect Earth's climate is quite naive. However, the BBC reported in 2008 that there is no 'sun link' to climate change. Therefore under my analysis, the BBC is an idiot.
Scientists have produced further compelling evidence showing that modern-day climate change is not caused by changes in the Sun's activity.
I guess if you want to believe that the Sun does not affect Earth's climate, then I am quite sure someone could write research papers with fancy numbers and graphs that prove the existence of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. If you read Hollow Earth Theory, this theory sometimes make sense. However just because some parts of theory make sense, that doesn't mean someone can visit Hollow Earth by heading to the North or South Pole.
AFTER 15 years loyal service with Fitzroy River Water, Graham Demeny says his career is down the gurgler because of fluoride and an uncompromising council.
Graham, who was responsible for making Rockhampton’s drinking water safe, resigned earlier this month after his request for a transfer within Rockhampton Regional Council was refused.
He said he questioned the safety of adding fluoride to the city’s water supply and ethically wasn’t prepared to do the job.
I learn more about cytokine storms every day. It sounds like an old school Marvel comics crossover with the X-Men books. However in real life, a cytokine storm occurs when the body's immune system overreacts to a respiratory infection causing the lungs to flood with fluids and mucous - thus, drowning the victim. Canadian science believes that a certain cytokine storm molecule interleukin 17 may be a clue to explain why some people die from H1N1 "swine flu" and others suffer only mild symptoms.
The researchers from Toronto's University Health Network found high levels of a molecule called interleukin 17 in the blood of severely ill H1N1 patients, and low levels in patients with mild forms of the disease.
Interleukin 17 is a cytokine, a kind of molecule that helps regulate the body's white blood cells which fight viral, bacterial and other infections.
But interleukin 17 can also go "out of control" in some cases and has been linked with such inflammatory autoimmune diseases as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma.
In the cases of respiratory infections, cytokines plays a part in a potentially fatal immune reaction called a "cytokine storm," in which the immune system of a healthy person goes haywire and "overreacts" to an infection. The cytokines command a patient's body to flood the lungs with fluids and mucous, which can eventually block off the airways and "drown" the patient.
Cytokine storms are what are thought to have caused many of the deaths in the SARS outbreak, bird flu, and the 1918 Spanish flu, which killed a disproportionate number of otherwise healthy adults.
Critics want Gov. Gary Herbert to stop a train that's loaded with depleted uranium. It began rolling toward Utah Tuesday night, even though the governor sent a letter to Washington to try to stop it.
The critics called on the Governor Wednesday to take even stronger action, but his aides believe he doesn't have the legal authority to block the train.
EnergySolutions, the company that will take the depleted uranium, insists it is safe and no more radioactive than waste it's been putting in its Tooele County landfill for many years. But the governor's office said the state is only part way through a study of that issue.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a National Emergency Grant of up to $50 million to establish approximately 10,000 temporary jobs for eligible dislocated workers to help in the recovery and clean-up efforts underway in Mississippi in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Approximately $16.6 million in grant funds will be released immediately (emphasis added).
“Many Mississippians are missing a paycheck because their place of employment has shut down or they can't earn a living because their business or livelihood has been devastated. This $50 million National Emergency Grant will create approximately 10,000 temporary jobs so Mississippians can help in the cleanup and recovery of their communities and earn a paycheck too,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “Workers in these temporary jobs will be involved in the provision of food, shelter and other services to fellow Mississippians.”
The Labor Department grant, given to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, will hire workers in temporary jobs providing food, clothing, shelter and humanitarian assistance for victims. The grant will also be used for demolition, renovation and reconstruction of destroyed public structures, facilities and lands. In addition, grant funds will be available for work on the homes of the economically disadvantaged who are eligible for the federally-funded weatherization program.
“The damage caused by this storm has left thousands without homes and suitable shelter,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. “The Department of Labor will continue to work with the state of Mississippi to coordinate resources to aid those affected by Hurricane Katrina.”
Through the grant, 52 Mississippi counties targeted for assistance will be served: Adams, Amite, Attala, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Claiborne, Clarke, Clay, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Itawamba, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lee, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Walthall, Warren, Wayne, Webster, Wilkinson, and Winston.
National Emergency Grants are part of the Secretary's discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state's ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information on the Department of Labor's employment and training programs, please visit www.doleta.gov.
Please note that this article is from 2001 is from the Fox News network. Why has this article not been pulled from the Internet if it is inaccurate? I do not recall anyone disputing this article when it came out. In fact, I have continually heard from the government that Osama bin Laden was still alive and running wild through Tora Bora.
I live thousands of miles away, so any information I have is strictly hearsay and referenced from the publicly available information sources! Nevertheless, Fox News reported in 2001 that Osama bin Laden is already dead! This story contradicts America's current position that Osama bin Laden is still alive and managing the Al-Qaeda database network.
The article lists bin Laden's name as "Usama" instead of the usual spelling of "Osama." I do not know if that fact should subject this story to greater scrutiny or if it is a standard alternate spelling of the name.
December 26, 2001
Usama bin Laden has died a peaceful death due to an untreated lung complication, the Pakistan Observer reported, citing a Taliban leader who allegedly attended the funeral of the Al Qaeda leader.
"The Coalition troops are engaged in a mad search operation but they would never be able to fulfill their cherished goal of getting Usama alive or dead," the source said.
Bin Laden, according to the source, was suffering from a serious lung complication and succumbed to the disease in mid-December, in the vicinity of the Tora Bora mountains. The source claimed that bin Laden was laid to rest honorably in his last abode and his grave was made as per his Wahabi belief.
About 30 close associates of bin Laden in Al Qaeda, including his most trusted and personal bodyguards, his family members and some "Taliban friends," attended the funeral rites. A volley of bullets was also fired to pay final tribute to the "great leader."
The Taliban source who claims to have seen bin Laden's face before burial said "he looked pale ... but calm, relaxed and confident."
Asked whether bin Laden had any feelings of remorse before death, the source vehemently said "no." Instead, he said, bin Laden was proud that he succeeded in his mission of igniting awareness amongst Muslims about hegemonistic designs and conspiracies of "pagans" against Islam. Bin Laden, he said, held the view that the sacrifice of a few hundred people in Afghanistan was nothing, as those who laid their lives in creating an atmosphere of resistance will be adequately rewarded by Almighty Allah.
When asked where bin Laden was buried, the source said, "I am sure that like other places in Tora Bora, that particular place too must have vanished."
The Army says a Fort Detrick biodefense worker has been hospitalized for treatment of a disease she may have contracted in a laboratory.
Caree Vander Linden of the U.S. Army Institute of Infectious Diseases said Wednesday that the woman was admitted Monday to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington to receive antibiotics intravenously.
Tests have confirmed that the woman has tularemia (too-lah-REE'-mee-ah), a respiratory illness that can cause life-threatening pneumonia.
Sanofi Pasteur is recalling approximately 800,000 doses of its pediatric influenza A (H1N1) monovalent vaccine in a single-dose, prefilled syringe (0.25 mL) because antigen content is lower than required levels, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today.
The doses are part of 4 lots shipped in November and are intended for children aged 6 to 35 months.
Sanofi Pasteur notified the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after testing 1 lot and later finding 3 additional lots that had deficient antigen levels.
According to a CDC health update, the CDC and the FDA agree that the "small decrease in antigen content is unlikely to result in a clinically significant reduction in immune response among persons who have received the vaccine."
"For this reason, there is no need to revaccinate persons who have received vaccine from these lots," they note.
The following lots are affected and should be returned to the manufacturer unused:
* 0.25-mL prefilled syringes, 10-packs (NDC 49281-650-25, sometimes coded as 49281-0650-25): UT023DA, UT028DA, and UT028CB; and * 0.25-mL prefilled syringes, 25-packs (NDC 49281-650-70, sometimes coded as 49281-0650-70): UT030CA.
According to the CDC and the FDA, no safety concerns have been associated with the reduced antigen content. In addition, the decrease is considered only slightly below the required level, and levels met specifications when the vaccine was distributed, the update states.
All children younger than 10 years should get the recommended 2 doses of H1N1 vaccine approximately 1 month apart for optimal immune response.
Questions and answers regarding the withdrawn vaccine are available on the CDC Web site (or below).
Adverse events related to the pediatric influenza A (H1N1) monovalent vaccine in a single-dose, prefilled syringe (0.25 mL) should be communicated to MedWatch by telephone at 1-800-FDA-1088, by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, online at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch, or by mail to 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20852-9787.
Why are some lots of pediatric H1N1 vaccine manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur in pre-filled syringes being recalled from the market?
As part of its quality assurance program, the manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur, performs routine, ongoing stability testing of its influenza A (H1N1) vaccine after the vaccine has been shipped to providers. Stability testing means measuring the strength (also called potency) of a vaccine over time. It is performed because sometimes the strength of a vaccine can go down over time. On December 7, Sanofi Pasteur notified CDC and FDA that the potency in one batch (called a “lot”) of pediatric syringes that had been distributed was later found to have dropped below a pre-specified limit. As a result of this finding, Sanofi Pasteur tested additional lots and found that three other lots that had been distributed also had an antigen content that, while properly filled at the time of manufacturing, was later measured to be below pre-specified limits. This means that doses from these four vaccine lots no longer meet the manufacturer’s specifications for potency. Sanofi Pasteur will send providers directions for returning any unused vaccine from these lots.
What does potency mean for the H1N1 vaccine?
Potency (or strength) is determined by the measurement of the concentration of the active ingredient (also called antigen) in the H1N1 vaccine.
Are there any concerns about safety of vaccines from these lots?
No. There are no safety concerns with these lots of H1N1 vaccine. All lots successfully passed pre-release testing for purity, potency and safety.
Should infants and children who received vaccines from these lots be revaccinated?
No. The vaccine potency is only slightly below the “specified” range. The vaccine in these lots is still expected to be effective in stimulating a protective response despite this slight reduction in the concentration of antigen. There is no need to re-administer a dose to those who received vaccine from these lots. However, as is recommended for all 2009 H1N1 vaccines, all children less than 10 years old should get the recommended two doses of H1N1 vaccine approximately a month apart for the optimal immune response. Therefore, children less than 10 years old who have only received one dose of vaccine thus far should still receive a second dose of 2009 H1N1 vaccine.
What action(s) should parents of children who have received vaccine from the recalled lots take?
Parents of children who received vaccine from the recalled lots do not need to take any action, other than to complete the two-dose immunization series if not already completed.
What are the lot numbers affected by this recall?
Vaccine doses with the following lot numbers are included in the recall:
0.25 ml pre-filled syringes, 10-packs (NDC # 49281-650-25, sometimes coded as 49281-0650-25): UT023DA UT028DA UT028CB
0.25 ml pre-filled syringes, 25-packs (NDC # 49281-650-70, sometimes coded as 49281-0650-70): UT030CA
How many doses of the pediatric H1N1 vaccine are affected by this recall?
Approximately 800,000 doses of vaccine in these lots were distributed to providers.
Is the potency issue related to this recall isolated to just the pediatric H1N1 vaccine for 6-35 month olds?
The potency problem described here is specific to the four lots of Sanofi Pasteur’s pediatric H1N1 vaccine in 0.25 mL pre-filled syringes. Sanofi Pasteur is investigating what caused the problem. The same vaccine packaged in other dosing forms, such as pre-filled syringes for older children adults, and multi-dose vials, continues to meet specifications. This recall does not affect H1N1 vaccine produced by other manufacturers.
Were these lots of vaccine shipped after failing a required test?
No. The lots being recalled passed all quality controls and met all specifications before they were shipped.
All vaccines are routinely tested for purity, potency and safety prior to release. The four lots of vaccine met all required specifications at the time of release and shipment to distribution centers. The vaccine provided in multi-dose vials and the single-dose, 0.5 mL pre-filled syringes for persons 36 months and older continues to meet all specifications.
What is being done to notify providers who received vaccine from the affected lots?
Sanofi Pasteur will send a notification to providers who received doses from any of the four lots of vaccine so that they can return any unused vaccine.
Where were the affected lots of vaccine distributed?
Vaccine from these four lots was distributed throughout the United States. For U.S. children 6-35 months old, what other options are available currently for vaccination against H1N1 influenza?
For children 6 months of age and older, vaccine is available in multidose vials. The vaccine in multidose vials has not experienced this drop in potency and meets all standards of safety, purity and potency. As with all multidose vials of vaccines, these multidose vials contain a preservative (thimerosal) to prevent potential contamination after the vial is opened. The standard dose for this preparation in the 6-35 month age group is the same as for the pre-filled syringes, 0.25 mL. For healthy children at least 2 years of age, the nasal spray (live, attenuated influenza vaccine) is also an option. This vaccine is produced in single-units that do not contain thimerosal.
An estimated 2,300 people have succumbed to Q-fever this year in the country and six have died.
According to Dutch experts, Q-fever is caused by bacteria released when pregnant goats or sheep have spontaneous abortions.
A relative study shows that many animals can carry this kind of bacteria, but contact with infected goats is believed to be the main source of human infections.
Computers have changed the rules for keeping secrets. Confidential information can now be encrypted with keys so long that it would take a supercomputer until the end of the universe to break the code. But at the same time, with thousands of secret messages flying across the Internet, breaking security actually becomes easier.
When many transactions occur simultaneously, say in a banking system, air traffic control network or online auction, attackers can reap information by comparing one message with another.
"An adversary controlling many computers all over the Internet can get a little information here and there," Pass explained. "Cryptographic protocols -- the rules for encryption -- have traditionally been designed to work when only one thing is happening at a time."
A simple example is the "man in the middle" attack. The attacker sits between two parties, appearing to the sender to be the receiver and vice versa. As each message passes the attacker may learn something about how it is encoded. It's not even necessary to break the entire code, Pass says, if the attacker can learn enough to make subtle changes. Now suppose a hacker can deploy thousands of automated men in the middle reading thousands of messages at once and comparing notes.
One approach to foil this attack, Pass said, is to make messages "non-malleable," giving them a complex structure that is inseparable from its content so they are impossible to open or change without leaving a trace. Imagine a jigsaw puzzle with one word on each piece; change a word and the piece might need to shrink or grow, and the puzzle no longer fits together. Such a message could even be constructed so that the receiver couldn't read all of it -- just the needed information. Two parties could carry out a financial transaction or exchange passwords without meeting face-to-face or using a trusted third party.
"I will encrypt my input, and the other party will have a way to compute an answer," explained Pass, who has already developed ways to do this with simple transactions. The next challenge, he says, is to extend it to multiple concurrent messages.
Another security method is to communicate on an agreed schedule. The man in the middle would reveal his presence by the delay in retransmitting the message, even by a few milliseconds.
New security protocols, Pass said, also must protect against "side-channel attacks," where attackers gain some information by a method other than breaking encryption, such as simply reading a password pasted to a computer monitor or intercepting radio-frequency signals radiated by a computer from outside a building.
Finally, a security system must give users an incentive to be trustworthy, Pass noted. If there is a cost to the computation needed to make communication secure, not everyone will pay it.
The ultimate goal, Pass said, is to create a mathematical proof that a security protocol can't be broken. "There are many systems that we can't break, but we can't prove they are secure," he said. "We don't know what the attacker is going to do, so the only secure way is a mathematical proof."
Pass said this may not be possible with current security models. "We may have to find new models for defining what it means to be secure."
The AFOSR Young Investigator awards support scientists and engineers "who show exceptional ability and promise for conducting basic research." Pass won one of only 38 awards out of 202 proposals.
PESHAWAR: Women Wing of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Monday staged a peace rally to condemn the US drone attacks in the tribal areas and killing of innocent tribesmen in the strikes.
Led by PML-N MPA Shazia Aurangzeb, the women activists carried banners and placards inscribed with slogans for peace. The participants of the peace rally urged the government to review its domestic and foreign policies and stop “following in the footsteps of Musharraf.”
Majority of the participants were carrying white flowers and released pigeons on the Malik Saad Shaheed Flyover, near historic Balahisar Fort. The organisers said they had selected the Malik Saad Flyover to pay homage to the martyrs who lost their lives in terrorist activities and bomb blasts.
Above is local news video of a Colorado Springs' tent community that became the subject of controversy last week when a sign created that read 'Welcome To Obamaville: Colorado's Fastest-Growing Community' appeared. Unknown person or persons hung the sign on a gate outside the tent community until this weekend, when it was replaced with a sign that read 'Please Help: We Need Firewood, Propane And Canned Food.'
I do not know how rare it is for someone to be infected with bird flu, but there have been rumors that H1N1 and H5N1 may mutate and merge at some point. Therefore, any H5N1 infections will draw attention especially with the virus' high fatality rate. Case in point, a man in Vietnam has recently been infected with H5N1 avian flu!
The Ministry of Health has reported a new confirmed case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case has been confirmed at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE).
The case is a man from Dien Bien Phu city, Dien Bien Province, Vietnam. He developed symptoms on 18 November, was hospitalized at Dien Bien general hospital and died on 28 November 2009.
The source of exposure is currently under investigation. His family keeps chickens and wild geese in their household.
Of the 112 cases confirmed to date in Vietnam, 57 have been fatal.
A federal judge Wednesday sentenced a former Huntsville missile defense official to five years in prison for taking more than $1 million in bribes from contractors.
Michael Cantrell, 54, admitted taking $1.6 million in bribes from contractors over a six-year period ending in 2007. Cantrell served as director for the Joint Center for Technology Integration at the Army Space and Missile Defense Command.
Winchester® Ammunition was recently awarded a contract by the Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE) division of the Department of Homeland Security to supply a maximum of 200 million, 40 cal. rounds over the next five years.
“Winchester has a proud tradition of providing high quality ammunition to our nation’s law enforcement agencies,” said Dick Hammett, president, Winchester Ammunition. “No matter if they’re protecting our block, our city or our borders, each special agent is an invaluable resource and we are committed to giving them the best products available.”
The load selected for this contract is a 135-grain, hollow point designed for the office of Field Operations of Customs and Border Protection. It will fall under the Winchester® Ranger® line of products.
For more information about Winchester Ammunition and its complete line of products visit www.winchester.com.
WINCHESTER BALLISTICS CALCULATOR The new Winchester® Ammunition Ballistics Calculator is the most innovative program on the market, using cutting-edge technology to offer ballistics information for shooters and hunters.
The Winchester Ballistics Calculator allows users to choose their type of ammunition and compare up to five different Winchester products with easy-to-read, high-tech ballistic charts and graphs. You can customize shooting conditions by entering wind speed and outside temperature, adjust zero marks for sighting in—then print the ballistics for later reference on the range or in the field. The calculator is now live at www.winchester.com/ballistics.
Washington - The U.S. Customs and Border Protection took delivery today of the first maritime variant of the Predator B unmanned aircraft system. At a ceremony in Palmdale, California, CBP, U.S. Coast Guard, and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. unveiled the prototype maritime variant Predator B, known as Guardian.
To support future mission requirements, CBP in partnership with the USCG is exploring a maritime variant of its Predator B UAS to increase reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting acquisition capabilities in maritime operating environments. For this purpose, GA-ASI, the manufacturer of the Predator B UAS, modified a CBP Predator B aircraft to become the Guardian.
“The Predator B Unmanned Aircraft System has proven its value to homeland security over the nation’s land borders, the Great Lakes region, and in support of DHS hurricane and flood response operations,” said Michael Kostelnik, assistant commissioner for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine. “With the introduction of the Guardian, maritime variant of the Predator B, DHS now has a powerful tool and force multiplier to increase maritime domain awareness and confront threats to our borders.”
The Guardian has been modified from a standard Predator B with structural, avionics, and communications enhancements, as well as the addition of a Raytheon SeaVue Marine Search Radar and an Electro-optical/Infrared Sensor that is optimized for maritime operations.
The Guardian is expected to be ready for Operational Test and Evaluation in early 2010. This OT&E will be conducted jointly by CBP and USCG from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. After the Guardian completes operational testing this spring, it will be deployed to the drug source and transit zones to support joint counter-narcotics operations.
In 2008, CBP and the USCG formed a UAS Joint Program Office to identify and address common maritime UAS requirements, including sensors, command and control, data exploitation, logistics and training, and basing.
"I am proud of our partnership with Customs and Border Protection to develop the maritime version of the Predator B," said Adm. Thad Allen, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. "An unmanned aircraft system is a significant and needed force multiplier that will help us counter threats like narcotics and migrant smuggling, terrorism, and piracy in the vast expanses of the maritime domain. The collaborative work between Coast Guard and CBP officers at the Joint Program Office has been outstanding and we're seeing the results here today."
In the Southeast Coastal Border Region of the United States and drug source and transit zones, CBP plans to use the Guardian to conduct long-range surveillance in support of joint counter-narcotics operations, where maritime radar is necessary to detect a variety of threats.
In the future, at the Northern Border, the Guardian will allow CBP to conduct surveillance of the Great Lakes, creating a more comprehensive picture of activity in this expansive maritime environment, and give law enforcement a more accurate tool to use in sorting illegal activity from legitimate activity.
CBP first employed the Predator B in support of law enforcement operations on the Southwest Border in 2005 and along the Northern Border in 2009. CBP operates three Predator Bs from Libby Army Airfield in Sierra Vista, Ariz., and two more from Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. UAS operations will continue to expand in 2010. By 2015, Air and Marine expects to employ the Predator B throughout the border regions with command and control from a network of UAS ground control stations across the country.
Built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., Air and Marine’s new MQ-9 Predator B Unmanned Aircraft System will support air and marine crews and Border Patrol agents charged with securing the border.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
Contacts For This News Release Juan Munoz-Torres CBP Public Affairs Phone: (202) 344-3114 or (202) 359-2641 Fax: (202) 344-1393 CBP Headquarters Office of Public Affairs 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Room 3.4A Washington, DC 20229 Phone: (202) 344-1780 or (800) 826-1471 Fax: (202) 344-1393
The FDIC closed three (3) banks on December 11, 2009 -- Republic Federal Bank in Miami, Florida; Valley Capital Bank in Mesa, Arizona; and SolutionsBank in Overland Park, Kansas.
Republic Federal Bank will cost $122.6 million against the FDIC insurance fund. Valley Capital Bank will cost $7.4 million against the FDIC insurance fund. SolutionsBank will cost $122.1 million against the FDIC insurance fund.
The total amount charged against the FDIC insurance fund today is $252,100,000 (or $252.1 million). At this point, 133 banks have closed this year.
Just in case you hear or see some missiles heading toward the California coast in January next year!
