Podcasts about Hurricane Ian

Send us a textIn this Special Edition, Sarah Lux discusses the importance of go bags for public information officers (PIOs) and shares her personal experiences and insights on what to include. She emphasizes the need for emergency preparedness and provides practical tips on essential items, balancing technology with traditional tools, and unique, surprisingly valuable items. The conversation also covers power management solutions and personal well-being items for those working during crises. In this conversation, Sarah Lux shares her insights on the essential items for a go bag, the importance of regularly evaluating its contents, and how to customize it for different crises. She emphasizes the need for preparedness in reputational crises and advises new public information officers (PIOs) on building their first go bag. The discussion also touches on the support agencies should provide to PIOs regarding go bags and concludes with key takeaways on the necessity of having a go bag for every PIO.Sarah's BIO: Sarah Lux earned a bachelor's degree in Anthropology from the University of Central Florida and a master's degree in Public Relations from Full Sail University.  Sarah has practiced Public Relations for over 10 years, specifically focusing on community education, government affairs, and crisis communications. She is part of the Florida Association of Public Information Officers' deployment team and a PIO for Florida's Region 5 All-Hazards Incident Management Team. She has been deployed by the state of Florida to aid communications in other counties four times, including Fort Myers Beach after Hurricane Ian. She earned her Master PIO certification in 2024, a federal training program that has accepted and certified less than 175 PIOs in the nation. Lux prides herself on her ability to clearly explain complex governmental matters to citizens in her community. She currently serves as Public Information Manager for the City of Orlando and owns her own communications consulting firm, Lux Communications.SARAH's Go Bag ListSupport the showOur premiere sponsor, Social News Desk, has an exclusive offer for PIO Podcast listeners. Head over to socialnewsdesk.com/pio to get three months free when a qualifying agency signs up.

Edward “Teddy” Byrne is a Producer and Writer at WGCU on the “Southwest Florida in Focus” TV show team. After earning degrees in Journalism and Psychology from Keene State College Teddy settled in Southwest Florida starting with a job with WINK News. As a Sports Producer there, he had the opportunity to tag along with the FGCU Men’s Basketball team during their epic “Dunk City” adventure to the Sweet 16 in 2013. A trip back to the newsroom led to him becoming part of the NBC2/ABC7 team that spent multiple days covering Hurricane Ian. Now, he says he feels privileged to help develop strong newsworthy content to residents of Southwest Florida at WGCU. SONG 1: “Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) by Looking Glass from their self-titled album released in 1972. https://youtu.be/DVx8L7a3MuE?si=gvoJp78YDuZYVTuC SONG 2: “Smile” performed by Nat King Cole, released in 1954...it's actually based on the theme song used in the soundtrack for Charlie Chaplin's 1936 film Modern Times. https://youtu.be/phS7BfOfTOY?si=7wg07rdZOxYTyv97 SONG 3: “Magic Carpet Ride” by Steppenwolf from their 1968 album The Second. https://youtu.be/zROGY_nH5BU?si=6K3rDHK-y_L2UYXy See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Strong Home Safe Families, host LeslieChapman-Henderson speaks with Dr. Michael Brennan, Director of the National Hurricane Center, about the upcoming hurricane season and the importance of preparedness. They discuss the evolution of weather communication, the challenges of forecasting storm surge, and the significance of knowing evacuation zones. The conversation emphasizes the need for reliable information sources and the unpredictability of hurricanes, highlighting lessons learned from past storms like Hurricane Ian, Helene, Milton, and more. The episode concludes with a lightning round of meteorology basics, providing valuable insights for listeners, especially those new to the hurricane topic.Topics Origins - Dr. Michael Brennan's Journey in Meteorology (0:55)Evolution of Multi-platform Weather Communication (2:25)Navigating Competing Information Sources During Hurricanes (4:13)Understanding #HurricaneStrong – Start with “Know Your Zone (7:48)Challenges of Forecasting Storm Surge and messaging (11:08)Messaging for the Expected and Unexpected in Weather Events (15:54)Lessons from the Catastrophic Losses in Hurricane Helene (23:00)Lightning Round: Meteorology Basics (29:47) Resourceswww.noaa.gov#HurricaneStrongKnow Your Evacuation ZoneEmergency Board UpConnect With UsDr.Michael BrennanLeslie Chapman-Henderson

Ep. 44 | Dana Bronsord: From Soccer Fields to Hurricane Hero – The Ultimate Teamwork Story! Join us for an unforgettable episode of It's All About the Team as we dive into the incredible journey of Dana Bronsord, a Youngstown State soccer star turned physical therapist and hurricane relief leader! From her small-town roots in Wellsburg, WV, to building thriving teams in healthcare and spearheading recovery efforts after Hurricane Ian devastated Fort Myers Beach, Dana's story is proof that pressure makes diamonds! In this episode, Dana shares: How her soccer days at YSU taught her to gel teams under pressure The secrets to leading healthcare teams in a challenging industry Her heroic role in rescuing neighbors after Hurricane Ian's 18ft surge Why embracing change is the key to unstoppable team success “No substitute for time when building relationships” – Dana's lessons will inspire you to level up your teamwork game, whether in sports, business, or life! Don't miss this powerful story of resilience, community, and the unbreakable spirit of a true teammate. Like, Comment, and Subscribe for more stories that prove It's All About the Team! Share your favorite teamwork moment in the comments below! Watch now and discover how Dana turned chaos into triumph! #Teamwork #HurricaneIan #Inspiration #DanaBronsord #YoungstownState #Leadership #Resilience 00:00:00 - 00:00:41 | Welcome & Dana's Inspiring Journey Begins00:01:01 - 00:02:46 | The Power of Family & Community as a Team00:03:09 - 00:04:51 | Choosing Youngstown State: A Game-Changing Decision00:05:10 - 00:07:37 | Building a New Soccer Team from Scratch00:08:02 - 00:09:43 | Adapting to New Leadership & Learning from Mistakes00:11:46 - 00:13:21 | Balancing Soccer and Physical Therapy School00:16:37 - 00:19:55 | Building a Healthcare Team in Maryland00:21:06 - 00:24:05 | Starting Island Fit from Nothing in Fort Myers00:32:31 - 00:36:24 | Heroic Hurricane Ian Rescue Efforts00:38:19 - 00:42:37 | Rebuilding Fort Myers Beach: Embracing Change

Dave and Drake dive into Drake's journey from Libertyville to Grayslake, his work in water restoration, fire remediation, and trauma cleanup, and his passion for community. The conversation is a delightful mix of professional insights and playful anecdotes, including Drake's first vehicle—a 1999 Harley-Davidson—and his hidden talent for making people laugh. They also discuss the importance of preparedness, local business support, and the rewarding nature of helping families recover from disasters. Tune in for a heartwarming and informative episode! Discovering Grayslake: Community, Resilience, and Preparedness with Servpro Welcome to another insightful episode of "Discovering Grayslake," where we delve into the heart of our community, exploring the stories and experiences that make Grayslake a unique and vibrant place to live. In this episode, host Drake Haig sits down with Drake, a representative from Servpro, a company specializing in water restoration, fire remediation, and trauma cleanup. Broadcasting from the bustling Agora Coworking space, the conversation covers a range of topics from disaster preparedness to the importance of community support. Let's dive into the key takeaways and actionable advice shared during this engaging discussion. The Journey to Grayslake: A Personal Story Drake, the guest, shares his journey from Libertyville to Grayslake, highlighting his background in criminal justice and business management. After spending eight years in Phoenix working for a similar restoration company, he and his wife decided to return to the Midwest to raise their children in the family-friendly environment of Lake County. This personal narrative sets the stage for understanding the deep-rooted community values that drive his work at Servpro. Understanding Servpro's Comprehensive Services Water Restoration, Fire Remediation, and Trauma Cleanup Servpro is a one-stop shop for various restoration needs, managing everything from initial cleanup to the reconstruction of homes and businesses. This comprehensive approach allows them to support clients through some of their most challenging times, often forming lasting relationships with those they help. The Importance of Preparedness Drake emphasizes the need for homeowners to regularly review their insurance policies, especially as property values increase. Many people may not realize that their coverage limits may not reflect the current value of their homes or belongings. Here are some actionable tips: Review Your Insurance Policy Annually**: Ensure your coverage limits are up-to-date with the current value of your home and belongings. Ask About Specific Coverage**: Inquire about additional riders for items like sump pumps, which often require extra coverage. Document Your Belongings**: Keep an updated inventory of your possessions, including photos and receipts, to facilitate the claims process in case of a disaster. The Emotional Impact of Restoration Work Drake shares anecdotes about the emotional connections formed with clients, who often become like family during the lengthy restoration process. The rewarding aspect of helping families return to their homes after a disaster is a recurring theme, highlighting the personal satisfaction derived from making a positive impact in people's lives. Community Involvement and Support Local Business Collaboration The conversation touches on the camaraderie among local business owners, showcasing how they come together to support community initiatives. Drake shares a heartwarming story about collaborating with Myra, a local barber, and John from The Freeze, to sponsor a back-to-school program for underprivileged children. This initiative involved providing backpacks and meals, exemplifying the spirit of collaboration and community support. Volunteering and Board Membership Drake emphasizes the fulfillment that comes from volunteering and serving on the board of a local charity. He encourages listeners to get involved in their communities, highlighting the personal and professional growth that can result from helping others. Disaster Response: Insights and Challenges Hurricane Recovery Efforts Drake recounts his experience responding to Hurricane Ian, traveling to the East Coast to assist with recovery efforts. This experience not only provided financial relief but also marked the beginning of increased business for Servpro. The overwhelming scenes of devastation and the urgent need for assistance underscore the importance of preparedness and community support during crises. Logistics of Disaster Response The logistics of disaster response, particularly in hurricane-affected areas, can be complex. Drake explains that the team often finds themselves in situations where many people are seeking help simultaneously. Prioritizing effectively and bringing essential supplies, such as water, are crucial aspects of their response efforts. Fun and Personal Insights The Grayslake Hotseat In a fun segment called the "Grayslake Hotseat," Drake answers rapid-fire questions about his personal preferences and experiences. This lighthearted segment adds a personal touch to the episode, allowing listeners to connect with Drake on a more intimate level. Here are some highlights: First Vehicle**: A 1999 Harley-Davidson motorcycle, which became less practical during the harsh winter months in Libertyville. Hidden Talents**: Making people laugh, a valuable skill in both personal and professional settings. Nicknames**: Surprisingly, none, despite his adventurous past. Learning from Failure**: Emphasizing that failure is often a stepping stone to success, a valuable lesson for entrepreneurs. Conclusion: The Power of Community and Kindness As the episode concludes, the conversation circles back to the importance of kindness and community support. Drake encourages listeners to engage in random acts of kindness, reminding everyone that small gestures can have a profound impact on others. The episode serves as a celebration of community spirit, resilience, and the importance of supporting one another in times of need. Key Takeaways Review and Update Insurance Policies**: Ensure your coverage reflects the current value of your home and belongings. Get Involved in Your Community**: Volunteering and supporting local businesses can lead to personal and professional growth. Be Prepared for Disasters**: Regularly review your preparedness plans and ensure you have the necessary coverage and supplies. Engage in Acts of Kindness**: Small gestures can make a significant difference in the lives of others. Listeners are encouraged to subscribe to the podcast for more insights into the Grayslake community and to stay informed about future episodes. Thank you for tuning in, and remember to spread kindness in your daily lives.

Deanna chats with photo organization expert Krista Kowalczyk about how to simplify and safeguard your photo collection. From old prints to digital chaos, learn easy strategies to declutter, organize, and protect your memories—without overwhelm. **************** Resources Mentioned (some may be affiliate links - thanks for supporting the show at no extra cost to you): Check out my favorite tools & resources Connect with Krista Kowalczyk Instagram Krista's Website Krista's Photo Course Krista's Book Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Facebook Website Podcast **************** In this episode of the Wannabe Clutter Free podcast, the host, Deanna Yates, interviews Krista Kowalczyk, a photo organization expert dedicated to helping people manage and protect their precious memories. After witnessing the devastating effects of Hurricane Ian, Krista shifted her focus from photography to helping others preserve their photo collections. She shares practical, easy-to-follow strategies for organizing both print and digital photos, offering listeners a clear path to reduce photo clutter and keep their memories safe for years to come. Throughout the conversation, Krista reveals her best tips for tackling overwhelming photo collections, creating a simple routine to manage digital images, and avoiding common mistakes that lead to lost or disorganized memories. She also introduces helpful tools—including AI-powered apps—that make photo management easier and more efficient. Plus, Krista discusses her book Beyond the Storm, which blends personal stories with actionable advice on preserving and protecting your most cherished moments. Whether you're drowning in digital photos or unsure how to handle old prints, this episode provides the motivation and guidance you need to take control of your photo clutter. In this episode, you'll discover: Simple strategies to organize and protect your print and digital photos How to create a manageable routine for photo organization Common mistakes people make with photo storage—and how to avoid them The best tools and apps for streamlining photo management Insights from Beyond the Storm and how to safeguard your memories long-term **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** Subscribe & Review Are you subscribed to the Wannabe Clutter Free podcast? If you're not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don't want you to miss an episode. I'm adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you're not subscribed there's a good chance you'll miss out on those. And if you enjoyed today's episode, it would make my day if you left me a rating and review. You can leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a comment on Spotify Podcasts or Goodpods, or connect on guest video interviews on YouTube. Your review helps other people find my podcast and they're also fun for me to read. Let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! **************** We'd love to hear how you're applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don't forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Madison Morris is a singer-songwriter who focuses on bringing his storytelling nature to light over top of an Americana sound - playing more than 200 live performances throughout the year as a full-time musician. He co-wrote "We're All Still Here" with his wife in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian after they were displaced from their home and lost so much. It was included on the official ballot for Grammy consideration in 2023. The newest single, “Hard Rain”, came out in July of 2024 and was also recognized with a Grammy consideration in 2024. Madison also officially launched his band, called Madison Morris & the Stringfellows. SONG 1: “Seminole Wind” by John Anderson from his 1992 album of the same name. 3:57 - https://youtu.be/UmWexj90OU4?si=nZluDeCKRcfIF5kd SONG 2: “24 Frames” by Jason Isbell by his, IMHO, singular album Something More Than Free released in 2015. 3:13 - https://youtu.be/-JLlPssDF5A?si=QBL6gqDhXNCF2rTP SONG 3: Jimi Hendrix's “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” from his 1968 album, Electric Ladyland. 5:13 - https://youtu.be/L7UMubmfbH0?si=9KXMJZuioFzfLpgt See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hundreds of homeowners along Phillippi Creek were flooded during Hurricane Debby last August. That has raised questions about deficits in stormwater management and how it could be improved. The Suncoast Searchlight brings us this report. Then: A coalition of non-profit, business and government organizations says they have outperformed the Sarasota County government in recovery efforts after Hurricane Ian. Now they are asking the county to give them the lead in the recovery spending from last year's storms, as Ramon Lopez reports. Next: FEMA has already paid out a billion dollars in the areas affected by last year's trio of storms. But many disaster relief applications are still in limbo, and FEMA agents are asking for your help.Then: The Tesla Takedown came to Sarasota last weekend, and it's coming back next Saturday. We have a report.Finally: What's in your drinking water? A lot of chemicals. Sera Deniz reports from a local forum about the bad and the good.

More Top Global Sustainable Stocks includes articles by financial analysts at S&P and Morningstar. Plus, links to two more articles! By Ron Robins, MBA Transcript & Links, Episode 148, February 21, 2025 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast episode 148, published February 21, 2025, titled “More Top Global Sustainable Stocks.” It's presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources. Remember that you can find a full transcript and links to content – including stock symbols and bonus material – on this episode's podcast page at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, and I don't receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal any investments I have in the investments mentioned herein. Additionally, quotes about individual companies are brief. Please go to this podcast's webpage for links to the articles and more company and stock information. ------------------------------------------------------------- More Top Global Sustainable Stocks (1) I'm beginning with this insightful article titled 10 Key Sustainable-Investing Themes and Companies. The referenced overview is by Martin Vezer on morningstar.com. Here are some quotes by Mr. Vezer from his article. “Morningstar Sustainalytics' analysts recently highlighted 10 environmental, social and governance themes that they believe will affect corporate value chains in 2025. For each theme, we profiled one publicly listed company that is leading its industry on addressing the ESG issues we identified. 10 Stocks From Sustainalytics 1. Power-Hungry Data Centers: A Dilemma for Big Tech We compare the carbon intensity of some of the largest software & services players, helping investors identify AI players in the subindustry that are leading in terms of mitigating carbon risks. Among the seven companies that we sample, IBM (IBM) stands out for having reduced its carbon intensity by 30% from 2020 to 2023. 2. Green Energy Demand: A Boon for Utilities The adoption of generative AI across various sectors introduces a new set of concerns regarding its energy footprint and the rapid growth of power demand for data centers… As a renewable power producer, EDP Renováveis (EDRVY) has maintained its very low carbon intensity from generation activities over the years. Its overall carbon intensity is also in line with that of its subindustry peers. 3. AI Innovation Boosts Gains for Healthcare AI adoption across the healthcare and biopharmaceutical industries has been proliferating in recent years, targeting both cost cuts and innovation gains that are meant to expand and accelerate patient access to quality care, as well as to new therapies and treatment options. Pfizer (PFE) stands out for utilizing AI not only for drug discovery and development but also to monitor medicine and vaccine safety and to improve its supply chain. 4. AI in Oil & Gas Bolsters Efficiency and Innovation AI has been an important tool for the oil and gas industry for years, but recent advancements are transforming decision-making and have the potential to meaningfully reduce environmental impacts and improve safety… Baker Hughes (BKR) is among the oil and gas firms applying AI-driven software to streamline production and reduce emissions. 5. Banks Play a Critical Role in Transition Finance The growth of transition finance represents an opportunity for banks to diversify the risks of their loan books and safeguard the sustainability of their business models. Barclays (BCS) is the only bank out of the 10 large banks we analyzed that has set a credible sustainable and transition financing target of USD 1 trillion by 2030. 6. Resilient Infrastructure Is Climate-Smart Investing Recent weather and climate-related catastrophes, such as the Los Angeles fires, Hurricane Ian in Florida, and flooding in Valencia, Spain, highlight the intensifying risks that extreme weather events have on the construction industry. Aecom (ACM) is an interesting case study because it generates 60% of its revenue from sustainable products and services and has developed many of its initial green infrastructure projects globally, such as the first LEED-certified airport terminal in the US. These projects are backed by a broad offering of climate adaptation services, including natural disaster preparedness reviews. 7. Lithium Boom Brings New Challenges Clean technologies, such as solar panels and electric vehicles, are highly dependent on lithium-ion batteries for energy storage. Investors with carbon-and water-related goals may consider opting for lithium for a lower environmental impact and lower ESG risks. Vulcan Energy Resources (VULNF) is engaged in projects to extract and process battery-grade lithium hydroxide, in addition to producing renewable geothermal energy. 8. Building Responsible Food Supply Chains Human rights violations expose firms to material risks, including fines, reputational harm, and operational disruptions that erode shareholder value. Compared with other subindustries, packaged foods and food retail have been involved in a disproportionately large number of incidents related to human rights abuses in their supply chains. Lindt (CHLSY) demonstrates the relatively strong management of these issues. The firm has a robust human rights policy for suppliers and actionable initiatives to support it. Despite an August 2022 controversy linked to child labor in its Ghana cocoa supply chain—a challenge faced by most cocoa companies—Lindt remains transparent and proactively collaborates with local communities to create tailored mitigation and remediation programs. 9. A Future With Less Plastics Fast-moving consumer goods firms (for example, packaged foods and personal products) that invest in advanced technologies, such as chemical recycling to produce more postconsumer recycled packaging or venturing in biodegradables such as cornstarch or bamboo packaging to replace single-use plastics, are likely to see increased demand and growth. Among our sample of 11 consumer goods companies, L'Oréal (LRLCY) had relatively few plastics incidents in recent years and performs well on our measures of solid waste management. 10. Alcohol-Free Beverages Are Growing The industry is undervalued; the average share price in our sample of 26 beer, wine, and spirits firms is trading 20% below Morningstar's fair price value as of November 2024. Asahi Group (ASBRF) a leading Japanese brewer, has set several targets to expand its no-and low-alcohol portfolio, and we note that it is one of the few companies in the sample that provides some transparency into its nonalcoholic beer revenue. To learn more about these themes and the companies noted above, download the report here.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- More Top Global Sustainable Stocks (2) This next article titled S&P Global 2025 Sustainability Yearbook is a highly referenced ranking of sustainably oriented companies around the world. It's by S&P and found on spglobal.com. Here are some quotes by S&P concerning some aspects of its rankings. “The Sustainability Yearbook distinguishes companies within their industries that have each demonstrated strengths in corporate sustainability. Yearbook members and distinction levels are selected based on their 2024 Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) Score, which is the S&P Global ESG Score without the inclusion of any modeling approaches. The selection process also reflects exclusion screening criteria. Distinctions are calculated against the top performing company in each industry, and exclusions applied thereafter. Distinction level and Scores are industry specific. 780 companies made it into the Sustainability Yearbook. As of January 22, 2025, over 7,690 companies assessed for the 2024 Corporate Sustainability Assessment were considered for inclusion in The Sustainability Yearbook 2025. This year, only 780 companies made it into the Sustainability Yearbook.” End quotes. Note: companies are divided into Top 1%, 5%, and 10% of S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment Scores. Among the well-known companies are Coca-Cola HBC AG (CCH.L), Iberdrola, S.A. (IBE.MC), and Ingersoll Rand Inc. (IR) Non-US companies appear to be the majority on the list. Anyone looking for geographical diversification in their sustainable portfolio(s) should find these rankings useful. ------------------------------------------------------------- Additional Article Links Title: 3 Renewable-Energy Stocks That Could Thrive Under Trump on barrons.com. By Avi Salzman. Article from Canada Title: Meet the four most sustainable funds on the market for 2025 on corporateknights.com. By CK Staff. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment These are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips for this podcast “More Top Global Sustainable Stocks.” Please click the like and subscribe buttons wherever you download or listen to this podcast. That helps bring these podcasts to others like you. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope and prosperity in these troubled times! Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for listening. I'll talk to you next on March 7th. Bye for now.   © 2025 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

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For over 25 years, Krista Kowalczyk has captured life's most cherished moments throughout Southwest Florida, from Sanibel Island to Naples. As the owner of Impressions Photography, she is renowned for her exceptional wedding, and portrait photography, as well as her outstanding customer service.   Krista's work and expertise have been featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir, Fox Weather, The Weather Channel, and NBCLX. Her photography has also been highlighted in publications such as Rangefinder, Brides, The Knot, and Destination Weddings & Honeymoons.   After witnessing the destruction of family photos during Hurricane Ian, Krista began teaching others how to safeguard their memories through easy-to-follow photo organizing techniques. She has since published a book on the topic, spoke at national events and led workshops offering approachable guidance to help people of all tech levels protect their personal collections.   Throughout her career, Krista has photographed NFL games, been published in national magazines, and managed millions of photos. She was named 2023 Mentor of the Year by the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools and became an inductee of The Knot Hall of Fame. Her photography career has taken her around the world to capture beautiful photographs and now also helping people to secure their memories.    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.krista.k?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==   Website: https://thekristak.com/   In this episode we will be discussing everything about Sanibel Island Florida to plan your next trip. In this episode we will cover:   Best time of year to visit Sanibel Island Sanibel Island hotels Sanibel Island resorts Things to do in Sanibel Island Sanibel Island shells Where to eat in Sanibel Island Favorite restaurants in Sanibel Island Itinerary for Sanibel Side trips from Sanibel  

Are you feeling stretched thin, creatively blocked, or like you're constantly running on fumes? In today's episode, we're diving deep into burnout—how to recognize it, navigate through it, and reignite your spark. We're joined by Reina Lombardi, a licensed mental health counselor, board-certified art therapist, and entrepreneur who faced burnout head-on and rebuilt her energy, health, and creativity from the ground up. Reina shares her personal journey from overwhelm to balance, along with practical strategies to prevent burnout and incorporate sustainable self-care into your busy life. Whether you're struggling to find time for yourself or feeling stuck in a creative rut, this conversation will help you reconnect with your passion and purpose. Tune in and learn how to conquer burnout before it takes over your life! Highlights: The subtle signs of burnout and how to differentiate it from everyday fatigue. Why entrepreneurs stop prioritizing play—and how that leads to creative blocks. Reina's personal journey of overcoming burnout after Hurricane Ian and business expansion stress. Practical strategies to reclaim your energy, set boundaries, and prevent burnout. How creative therapies like art therapy and EMDR can help reignite passion and mental clarity. Resources + Links: Join our free Facebook Group, Energy Secrets for Business Owners and Professionals, for more content, live coaching, and a kick ass community HERE: https://fitnessproject.kartra.com/page/energysecrets   WANT TO BUILD A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE WITHOUT HAVING TO WORKOUT FOR 6+ HOURS / WEEK AND BE ON A TEDIOUS DIET? i.e. Want fitness to fit into your life rather than having to become your life? -- Apply Now to Learn More About How We Can Support You In Your Journey: https://thefitnessproject.us/application/   Check out our client transformations: https://thefitnessproject.us/client-transformations/ Tag us in an Instagram Story with your biggest takeaway  @conquerthedaypodcast   Connect with Lindsey Pickowicz Instagram | @lindseypickowicz Facebook | @lindseykatepickowicz   Connect with Brian Pickowicz  Instagram | @brianpickowicz   Connect with The Fitness Project for Inspiring, Healthy Content Facebook | The Fitness Project Co Instagram | @thefitnessprojectco

Join us for a groundbreaking conversation with the Honorable Mike Twitty, the Pinellas County Property Appraiser, as we unlock the mysteries behind the innovative updates to the PCPAOgov site. We promise you'll gain valuable insights into the often-confusing FEMA 50% rule letter, understanding its true origins and how it assists property owners in navigating the aftermath of storms. Discover how this massive three-year project enhances user experience with cutting-edge tools and architecture, especially for residents dealing with storm-induced challenges. This episode is a treasure trove of knowledge for property owners, offering practical guidance on handling property appraisal intricacies and storm-related repairs with confidence.We also tackle the complex world of FEMA regulations and permitting processes in Pinellas County, drawing lessons from Hurricane Ian's impact. Learn about the critical importance of flood insurance compliance and the potential pitfalls of neglecting FEMA guidelines, as evidenced by Lee County's loss of NFIP insurance discounts. Our discussion shines a light on the crucial role floodplain managers play in efficiently managing the rebuilding appraisal process, ensuring timely permit approvals amidst the bureaucracy. With insights from Mike Twitty, we equip you with the tools to navigate governmental red tape and streamline your storm-related permit endeavors.

Barbara & Andreas Dolleschal, founders of Zotter Chocolate and the e-commerce agency Smargesy, share their journey of scaling their chocolate business from $800K to $2.2M in annual revenue. They discuss how they crafted an "irresistible offer" that revolutionized their sales strategy, grew their email list from 4,000 to 25,000 subscribers, and leveraged influencer collaborations to create high-quality content at minimal cost. The conversation also highlights the importance of a smooth user experience and advanced payment options like Apple Pay to meet modern e-commerce standards.Facing setbacks like Hurricane Ian, which destroyed their warehouse and melted $17,000 worth of chocolate, the guests recount how they rebuilt their business in record time. Despite these challenges, they not only retained growth but also strengthened their resilience. The discussion concludes with insights into TikTok as a future marketing avenue, the vital role of technology in e-commerce success, and the creativity behind their 175 unique chocolate flavors.CHAPTER TITLES02:35 - The Key to Crafting an Irresistible Offer04:54 - Scaling from $800K to $2.2M: The Journey07:21 - Email Marketing Strategies: Growing to 25K Subscribers09:35 - The Power of Influencer Collaborations12:10 - Repurposing Content for Maximum ROI14:23 - The Challenges and Benefits of Building Brand Loyalty16:47 - TikTok and the Future of Social Media Marketing19:34 - E-commerce Tech: The Amazon-Inspired UX Formula22:26 - Overcoming Setbacks: Lessons from Hurricane Ian24:45 - A Flavorful Legacy: Chocolate Innovation and Business ResilienceConnect with Barbara & Andreas:Zotterusa.comSmargasy.comConnect with Rudy Mawer:LinkedInInstagramFacebookTwitter

Dive into Episode #126 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest Jason Frazer, CEO and Chief Fun Officer for Drizzle Communications, a multiplatform training and educational consulting firm. Before launching Drizzle Communications, Jason was a Meteorologist and Co-Host for FOX Weather, the 24/7 weather streaming service from FOX News. Jason helped launch the network in 2021. His contributions included leading a documentary on turbulence called 'Fasten Your Seatbelts' and helping to cover several weather events, including Hurricane Ian, the New Jersey earthquake, Tropical Storm Harold, the solar eclipse, and more. Jason and Dr. Daniels will talk about the weather, the inevitability of its impact on everyone on Earth, and some of the psychological concerns that weather events can have and how we respond to them.

This week on Here's What We Know, join us for an unforgettable conversation with country singer-songwriter, philanthropist, advocate, and all-around amazing human, Jay Allen. Known for his emotional storytelling, trademark humor, electric performances, and tireless work to make a difference, Jay opens up about his life, career, and the causes closest to his heart. Listen now!In This Episode:Jay dives into his fitness routine and how staying active helps him maintain mental clarity. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Jay's preparation for the last ACM Awards, where he rocked a timeless all-black wedding tux.Jay opens up about how he and his wife overcame the curveball of Hurricane Ian disrupting their wedding plans. Thanks to the generosity of friends, they turned a challenge into a beautiful celebration of love.Prepare to be moved as Jay shares his mission to fight Alzheimer's. With over $120 million raised for research, collaborations with artists like Walker Hayes, and impactful charity concerts, Jay's philanthropy shines a light on how music and storytelling can make a difference.Jay reflects on an emotional visit to The White House during a film screening, sharing how vulnerability and empathy fuel his powerful storytelling through music.Jay talks about his music, “Better Now,” dedicated to those facing anxiety and depression; this song is a reminder that healing is possible.This episode is sponsored by:Habana Cuba (Be sure to use code "Gary20" to get 20% off your order!) A Flood of Love Bio:Known for his philanthropic work spurred on by his mother's passing from Alzheimer's in 2019, Jay has gone on to raise over $160 million to help fight the disease.He's been featured on NBC's The Voice, ABC World News, PeopleTV, Pickler & Ben, and in People & Forbes Magazine, among many other media outlets. He was selected as The Highway Find on Sirius XM with his song “Sounds Good To Me”, won the 2022 Country Now Awards as Favorite Competition Contestant, and was recognized as one of Music Mayhem Magazine's 2023 Artists to Watch.Celebrated for his philanthropic work in 2023, Allen was presented The Caregiver Award by The National Alzheimer's Association, was personally invited to The White House by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, made history by performing the first-ever concert in the U.S. Capitol Building, and successfully concluded his first international tour in the United Kingdom, leading to airplay on BBC.Jay signed a record deal with ONErpm in 2023 and continues to tour with his band “The Stallions” in effort to help those suffering with dementia and their caregivers. His new 10-song album “Des Moines” is available now.Website: https://www.jayallenofficial.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayallenmusicTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayallenmusicConnect with Gary: Gary's Website Follow Gary on Instagram Gary's Tiktok Gary's Facebook Watch the episodes on YouTube Advertise on the Podcast Thank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!

Send us a textHow can social media be your secret weapon to success in commercial real estate?In this insightful conversation, Yonah sits down with Carson Baird, a commercial real estate professional and social media strategist based in Southwest Florida. Carson shares his unconventional journey from tech sales to a flourishing career in real estate, where he leverages social media to build meaningful connections and close million-dollar deals. Along the way, he opens up about the personal growth fatherhood has brought, the lessons learned from a challenging project, and the power of being consistent and genuine on LinkedIn. [00:01 - 08:00] The Entrepreneurial SpiritCarson's upbringing in a family business and the early influence of real estateTransitioning from corporate roles to commercial real estateLessons from his father's entrepreneurial journey[08:01 - 16:34] Hard Lessons in Real EstateCarson recounts a difficult deal involving zoning regulations and legal battlesThe importance of knowing when to walk awayValuable takeaways from "life seminars."[16:35 - 24:47] Social Media: A Modern RainmakerHow Carson uses LinkedIn to create warm connectionsThe shift from traditional sales methods to content-driven engagementGenerating leads and deals through strategic posting[24:48 - 32:56] Market Insights in Southwest FloridaAnalyzing the current state of the industrial, office, and multifamily sectorsThe impact of Hurricane Ian on the local real estate marketPredictions for the market moving into 2025[32:57 - 40:14] Defining SuccessCarson reflects on the true meaning of success in light of fatherhoodBalancing professional ambition with being a present family manAdvice for young professionals on building connections authenticallyConnect with Carson:Website: https://lqcre.com/carson-baird/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carsoncre/LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW by clicking this link.WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE?Be sure to follow me on the below platforms:Subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, or Stitcher.LinkedInYoutubeExclusive Facebook Groupwww.yonahweiss.comNone of this could be possible without the awesome team at Buzzsprout. They make it easy to get your show listed on every major podcast platform.Tweetable Quotes:"Social media is about chumming the water—create consistent content to attract attention and strike when the time is right." - Carson Baird"The best marketing isn't just about ads; it's about being top of mind and offering valueSupport the show

The Spirit of Hurricane Ian delivers a potent message of guidance and fair warning in this episode of GT. Want access to the transcript and show notes for future episodes? Visit our website at www.gaiatranslate.com Please rate, review and share the Gaia Translate podcast with your friends and colleagues so that more of us are able to receive this timely communication from the greater family of life we are all a part of.

I talked about Too funny I thought when I got up to 30K downloads I was doing something, now at over 300K, it's aiiiihh-ght. Why grown Black Folks are Getting the Hell out..#BLAXIT I was completely floored with with reversal of Roe, you can hear it in my voice in the intro.  I solicited donations for Hurricane Ian victims...now I'm like, unbothered. FL and SC and between overwhelming support a felon's ascent to the Presidency and made it clear me and my accomplishments don't matter...so. Black Excellence TV Watching Pass your music requests in the comments. But I created another coping playlist.   I discuss whatever was or was not going on in Black Excellence TV Watching I am still really raw knowing that sorrow and joy can exist together has been enlightening and challenging, but I improve every day. Connect with me https://linktr.ee/tnfroisreading Or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Part 2 of our joint interview episode with Ft. Myers Brewing and Wicked Dolphin Distillery! We are back with Jen Whyte and TJ Jewell from Ft. Myers Brewing and Joseph Termini from Wicked Dolphin to talk about Ft. Myers Brewing's Spyk'd hard seltzer, new flavors of Wicked Dolphin rum and their new tiki bar, and everything they were able to do in the community supporting and handling the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in 2022. Listen in... Host: David Butler of the Florida Beer Blog Executive Producer: Jaime (“Jemmy”) Legagneur, Chief Enthusiasm Officer Field Producer/Photographer: Steve Pekala Editor: Daniel Delgado Guests: Jen Whyte (Co-Founder) and TJ Jewell (VP of Operations) from Ft. Myers Brewing Guest: Joseph Termini, Director of Sales and VP, Wicked Dolphin Distillery Equipment Sponsor: Mainline Marketing | Featured Product: Shure MV7 | Full MV7 Podcast Mic Bundle with Boom Arm and Headphones Interested in becoming FBP's next Title Sponsor? Contact FPN today! Support the Show on Patreon: Become a Patron! Opening Voice Over Courtesy of: Jeff Brozovich Follow Florida Beer Blog on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Additional Support Provided by: Florida Podcast Network and Listeners Like You!! Join the FPN Facebook Group: FPN Insiders Partner with FPN: Become the Voice of YOUR Town!! From sponsoring episode segments through creating and growing your own branded show, we have the solution to promote you while we promote Florida! Media Kit We are currently boarding shows to build out our network. And, you don't want to miss ANY of the new hosts and podcasts were have joining us. Search for and subscribe to “Florida Podcast Network” on iTunes and all your favorite podcast players to get more of this and ALL our shows. Become a Patron: Have a suggestion for the Network? Join us in the FPN Insiders group on Facebook and let us know!    FPN:  Check out the other shows on the Florida Podcast Network

Welcome to Part 2 of our joint interview episode with Ft. Myers Brewing and Wicked Dolphin Distillery! We are back with Jen Whyte and TJ Jewell from Ft. Myers Brewing and Joseph Termini from Wicked Dolphin to talk about Ft. Myers Brewing's Spyk'd hard seltzer, new flavors of Wicked Dolphin rum and their new tiki bar, and everything they were able to do in the community supporting and handling the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in 2022. Listen in... Host: David Butler of the Florida Beer Blog Executive Producer: Jaime (“Jemmy”) Legagneur, Chief Enthusiasm Officer Field Producer/Photographer: Steve Pekala Editor: Daniel Delgado Guests: Jen Whyte (Co-Founder) and TJ Jewell (VP of Operations) from Ft. Myers Brewing Guest: Joseph Termini, Director of Sales and VP, Wicked Dolphin Distillery Equipment Sponsor: Mainline Marketing | Featured Product: Shure MV7 | Full MV7 Podcast Mic Bundle with Boom Arm and Headphones Interested in becoming FBP's next Title Sponsor? Contact FPN today! Support the Show on Patreon: Become a Patron! Opening Voice Over Courtesy of: Jeff Brozovich Follow Florida Beer Blog on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Additional Support Provided by: Florida Podcast Network and Listeners Like You!! Join the FPN Facebook Group: FPN Insiders Partner with FPN: Become the Voice of YOUR Town!! From sponsoring episode segments through creating and growing your own branded show, we have the solution to promote you while we promote Florida! Media Kit We are currently boarding shows to build out our network. And, you don't want to miss ANY of the new hosts and podcasts were have joining us. Search for and subscribe to “Florida Podcast Network” on iTunes and all your favorite podcast players to get more of this and ALL our shows. Become a Patron: Have a suggestion for the Network? Join us in the FPN Insiders group on Facebook and let us know!    FPN:  Check out the other shows on the Florida Podcast Network

It's not uncommon for hurricanes to spawn tornadoes. For instance, according to the National Hurricane Center, in 2022 Hurricane Ian produced 14 tornadoes in Florida, mostly with magnitudes of EF0 — that's the lowest — but one that was an EF2. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 holds the record for the most tornadoes spawned by a hurricane in the United States, with 118 confirmed twisters, but that was across nine states. When it comes to hurricanes spawning tornadoes just here in Florida, then Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9, 2024 is record breaking. We learn what about Milton led to both a record number of tornadoes, as well as more stronger ones than we typically see during strong tropical storms.

Join Cape CopCast hosts Lisa Greenberg and Officer Mercedes Simonds for the inaugural Chief's Chat!Curious about how a police department navigates extreme weather events? In this new weekly segment of the Cape CopCast, we talk to Chief Anthony Sizemore about what we've changed after Hurricane Ian and what we learned from Hurricane Milton. Discover the meticulous preparedness and collaborative efforts that lead to successful storm coverage. Chief Sizemore highlights the significance of the Alpha/Bravo schedule, a dynamic system ensuring all officers are on duty during emergencies so the department runs like a well-oiled machine when disaster strikes.The conversation takes a thoughtful turn when personal stories illustrate the urgent necessity for better infrastructure and resources like high-water vehicles to combat increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. We mark the beginning of a new era in community engagement, inviting you to actively participate by sending in questions or topics. This commitment to transparency ensures you're up to date with significant news stories and community events. Tune in every Friday as Chief Sizemore joins us to keep you informed and prepared!

In this powerful episode of the Wired Differently Podcast, Todd Saylor draws inspiration from Romans 12:12, sharing how to persevere through life's trials with hope and faith. He opens up about his youngest daughter's challenging experience during Hurricane Ian and the unexpected diagnosis that followed. Through this personal story, Todd provides insight into how we should be during times of tribulation, remaining joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.Join Todd for this emotional and uplifting episode!

Coach Myrna is a motivational speaker, life coach, and the host of "Transform Your Mind to Transform Your Life", a podcast dedicated to self-improvement, resilience, and personal growth. Leveraging her rich personal experiences and professional expertise, she offers guidance and wisdom to help individuals navigate life's challenges. Based in Florida, Coach Myrna has firsthand experience with life-altering events, such as Hurricane Ian, which she elegantly weaves into her teachings on empowerment and perseverance.Episode Summary:This empowering episode of "5 Min Fridays with Coach Myrna"  delves into the poignant theme that "Every Cloud Runs Out of Rain: Finding Hope in the Storm." Through her insightful narrative, coach Myrna inspires listeners to view life's inevitable challenges not as enduring misfortunes but as temporary storms that ultimately give way to new beginnings and growth. Myrna draws parallels between natural and emotional storms, offering listeners an uplifting message rooted in resilience and hope.Throughout the episode, Coach Myrna shares her personal experiences of storms including enduring Hurricane Ian and its aftermath, using it as a metaphor for life's adversities. By emphasizing how storms pave the way for renewal and growth, she reassures listeners that every hardship is transient and holds the potential to usher in personal transformation. Coach Myrna bolsters her message with biblical references, promoting the idea that faith and perseverance are key in overcoming life's trials. Listeners will find solace and strength in her compassionate guidance, reinforcing the notion that, like nature, life's storms are followed by clarity and calm.Key Takeaways:Storms are Temporary: Life's challenges, like storms, are transient and pave the way for personal growth and renewal.Growth Through Hardship: Difficult times can lead to unforeseen personal development and resilience.Hope as an Anchor: Holding onto hope can provide stability and assurance during turbulent times.Faith and Promise: Biblical teachings offer comfort and the assurance that challenges will pass and brighter days will follow.Personal Reflection: Coach Myrna uses her own experiences, specifically enduring Hurricane Ian, to illustrate the potential for positive transformation post-adversity.To advertise on our podcast, visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/TransformyourMindor email kriti@youngandprofiting.com See this video on The Transform Your Mind YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@MyhelpsUs/videosTo see a transcripts of this audio as well as links to all the advertisers on the show page https://myhelps.us/Follow Transform Your Mind on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/myrnamyoung/Follow Transform Your mind on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063738390977Please leave a rating and review on iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/transform-your-mind/id1144973094

Send us a textSarah Lux earned a bachelor's degree in Anthropology from the University of Central Florida and a master's degree in public relations from Full Sail University.  Sarah has practiced Public Relations for ten years, focusing on community education, government affairs, and crisis communications. She is part of the Florida Association of Public Information Officers' deployment team and the Lead PIO for Florida's Region 5 All-Hazards Incident Management Team. The state of Florida has deployed her to aid communications in other counties four times, including Fort Myers Beach, after Hurricane Ian. She is part of the 2024 Master PIO cohort, a federal training program that has accepted and certified less than 170 PIOs nationwide. Lux prides herself on her ability to explain complex governmental matters to citizens in her community clearly.Support the show

On Oct. 9, Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Some key citrus-growing regions felt impacts from the storm. While damage was spotty, fruit loss was significant for some. Now, the waiting game is on to see how much more fruit drops from the stress to trees caused by the storm. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) quickly organized a webinar after the storm to provide growers with information about resources available to rehab trees and seek financial assistance. The webinar is the topic of the October All In For Citrus podcast. Michael Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), shares highlights of the webinar and gives updates on what he was hearing and seeing in groves after the storm. He also discusses how CREC facilities and groves made it through the storm. Chris Oswalt, UF/IFAS citrus Extension agent for Polk and Hillsborough counties, talks about the path of the storm and how it impacted various citrus-growing regions. He says the storm had a large wind field with 70 to 80 mph winds reaching well inland across Florida. He also draws some comparisons between Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Ian, which struck in 2022. Tripti Vashisth, UF/IFAS associate professor of horticultural sciences, joins the podcast to provide guidance on the use of plant growth regulators to help reduce the amount of fruit drop in the wake of the storm. Applied in a timely manner, 2,4-D can reduce delayed fruit drop that could be caused by Milton. To learn more about Hurricane Milton damage and resources available to help growers, don't miss the October episode of All In For Citrus. The podcast is a partnership between UF/IFAS and AgNet Media.

Welcome to the Supernatural Junkies podcast, where hosts Alex, Dr. Thomas Dozier, Dr. Dennis O'Hara, and Dr. Kevin delve into the pressing issues affecting our nation. In this episode, the team reflects on recent experiences with Hurricane Ian, highlighting moments of compassion and community support amidst chaos. As the conversation unfolds, the hosts tackle the political landscape, focusing on the upcoming presidential election in the United States. They discuss the importance of voting aligned with one's values and beliefs, shedding light on the perceived dishonesty and manipulation within political narratives. Through a candid examination of recent statements and actions from political figures, the team encourages listeners to critically evaluate the information presented to them and make informed decisions. With a commitment to truth and integrity, the Supernatural Junkies aim to empower their audience to discern the lies from reality, emphasizing the role of faith in shaping one's worldview. Join them as they navigate the complexities of current events, offering insights and perspectives rooted in biblical principles. 1) The Biden administration and political party will stay the same/ ·      https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/08/politics/video/kamala-harris-the-view-interview-ana-navarro-digvid ·      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVduLlGMXgY&list=PLUH50ZcX-WEKFOgHy6vIvjn5j7QIhV2tk&index=35 2) Biden & Harris said they wouldn't take the vaccine until they did research, and then they turned around and made it mandatory for everyone! ·      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dAjCeMuXR0. ·.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVyx-xeEXbo&t=13s  ·      https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/jul/23/tiktok-posts/biden-harris-doubted-trump-covid-19-vaccines-not-v/ 3) They said it wouldn't be mandatory ·      https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55193939 & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6QNsNMFH5s&t=19s 4) Biden and Afghanistan withdrawal left all our weapons. Video of town hall saying that he would never do that! ·      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9CmUpCFR-M 5) The mental capacity of Biden then versus now. ·      https://www.foxnews.com/politics/harris-ripped-for-resurfaced-claims-praising-biden-amid-age-concerns-complicit-in-coverup.  

In this episode, Lisa and Congressman Byron Donalds discuss the political implications of Hurricane Milton in Florida. Lisa criticizes Vice President Kamala Harris for her perceived lack of genuine involvement in disaster response, accusing her of using the situation for political gain and photo opportunities. Congressman Donalds shares his frustrations, highlighting the impact of the hurricane on his district and critiquing Harris's media strategy. The conversation also touches on Donald Trump's campaign strategy, emphasizing the importance of reaching out to voters in traditionally Democratic areas and the shifting dynamics in battleground states as the election approaches. The Truth with Lisa Boothe is part of the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Podcast Network - new episodes debut every Monday & Thursday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We first ran this episode in May 2023, but following back-to-back hurricanes in Florida this month, it remains as relevant as ever.You've got insurance, right? Are you sure?That's today's big question, and my guest is Washington Post reporter Brianna Sacks.Brianna's an extreme weather and disaster reporter for the Post, where she explores how climate change is transforming the United States through violent storms, intense heat, widespread wildfires, and other forms of extreme weather.Brianna deploys to disaster zones, which are sometimes very close to home, and does enterprise reporting on the preparations for responses to and the aftermaths of catastrophic events.We're having this conversation today because last month Brianna revealed how insurers have slashed Hurricane Ian payouts far below damage estimates, often up to 80%.I cannot emphasize enough that the future includes an insurance landscape that is among the most important in our very brittle economy and society.It underpins everything we rely on, so understanding not only your own insurance but how well your mortgage holder and the system at large are prepared for what's here and what's coming, is essential.-----------Have feedback or questions? Tweet us, or send a message to questions@importantnotimportant.comNew here? Get started with our fan favorite episodes at podcast.importantnotimportant.com.-----------INI Book Club:What I Talk about When I Talk about Running: A Memoir by Haruki MurakamiOn Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen KingTraining for the Uphill Athlete by Steve House, Scott Johnston, and Kilian JornetThe Great Displacement by Jake BittleFind all of our guest recommendations at the INI Book Club: https://bookshop.org/lists/important-not-important-book-clubLinks:Follow Brianna on Twitter and InstagramRead Brianna's piece on Hurricane Ian insurance cutsRead more of her reporting at The Washington PostFollow us:Subscribe to our newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSupport our work and become a Member at importantnotimportant.com/upgradeGet our

In this Ford News episode, Johnathan and Brian start the show by discussing the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. We give credit to the Biden Administration for their response, and we also give credit where credit is due. Ron DeSantis has handled this situation rather well. And no the government is not controlling the weather. In segment two, we dive into the dozens of former Trump administration officials who have abandoned their former boss. This should be a sign. The "Ford Fact Check" brings us to Kamala Harris' economic plan which has been praised by economists the world over. LinksHurricane MiltonHurricane Milton leaves path of destruction across Florida, at least 23 dead (cbsnews.com)Hurricane Milton slams Florida; 12 dead, millions lose power - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)Biden and DeSantis DeSantis and Biden speak on storm recovery after reports GOP governor hadn't returned calls from president, vice president | CNN PoliticsBiden meets with DeSantis while surveying Hurricane Ian damage in Florida (nbcnews.com)Trump loyalty falling, Republicans for HarrisOf 44 Members of Trump's Cabinet, Just 4 Endorsed Him for 2024: NBC - Business InsiderFull List of Republicans Endorsing Kamala Harris as Trump Dealt Four Blows - NewsweekMilley says the military doesn't swear oath to a ‘wannabe dictator' in apparent swipe at Trump | CNN PoliticsTrump's former Joint Chiefs chair: Trump is ‘fascist to the core' (msnbc.com)Pence says he ‘cannot in good conscience' endorse Trump | CNN PoliticsFord Fact Check16 Nobel Prize-winning economists say Trump policies will fuel inflation | ReutersOver 400 economists and ex-officials endorse Kamala Harris | CNN Business

In this episode, join Craig and Joey as they provide the latest updates on Hurricane Milton. Craig discusses crucial preparations, including evacuation zones, securing construction sites, and ensuring proper insurance coverage.Tropical Depression Fourteen formed on the morning of Oct. 5 in the southwest Gulf of Mexico and was quickly upgraded to Tropical Storm Milton. Within 24 hours, the storm rapidly intensified into Hurricane Milton, reaching that status at 1 p.m. CDT on Oct. 6.In this episode:Preparation for Hurricane MiltonThe impact of Hurricane Ian in 2022Post-Ian recovery effortsSources of information and updates about Hurricane MiltonInsurance and community supportImportance of documentation for insurance claimsKnowing your evacuation zonesYou can follow along at the National Hurricane Center at this link:www.nhc.noaa.govCheck out these websites for updates on Hurricane Milton:WINK News HEREWink News FB HERELee County News HERECape Coral News HERECharlotte County News HEREI Suvived Real Estate is on October 25, 2024To purchase an individual ticket please Click HERE!More info HEREThe Norris Group originates and services loans in California and Florida under California DRE License 01219911, Florida Mortgage Lender License 1577, and NMLS License 1623669.  For more information on hard money lending, go www.thenorrisgroup.com and click the Hard Money tab.Video LinkRadio Show

Dr. Merry Jennifer Markham and ASCO CMO Dr. Julie Gralow discuss the shortage of IV fluids and other challenges that have emerged from Hurricane Helene as high-risk areas brace for impact from another storm, Hurricane Milton. In a conversation with Dr. John Sweetenham, they highlight resources for oncologists and patients and stress the importance of crisis preparedness at cancer centers. TRANSCRIPT Dr. John Sweetenham: Hello, I'm Dr. John Sweetenham, the host of the ASCO Daily News Podcast. Hurricane Helene made landfall on September 26th in Florida and raged over parts of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The disaster has claimed over 230 lives. Many people are still missing, and many thousands are homeless. The hurricane has exacerbated the nation's IV fluid shortage, and some health care facilities have begun implementing conservation strategies. Meanwhile, Hurricane Milton, another powerful hurricane, is expected to wreak havoc as Florida braces for back-to-back hurricanes in parts of the state. On today's episode, we'll be discussing the impact of these events on cancer care, including the shortage of IV fluids. Joining me for this discussion is Dr. Merry Jennifer Markham, a professor and research lead for the University of Florida Health Cancer Center's Gynecologic Cancer Disease Site Group. I'm also delighted to welcome Dr. Julie Gralow, the chief medical officer at ASCO. Our full disclosures are available in the transcript of this episode. Merry Jennifer and Julie, many thanks for joining us for the podcast today. Dr. Julie Gralow: Thanks for having us, John. Dr. Merry Jennifer Markham: Yes, thank you. Dr. John Sweetenham: Merry Jennifer, can you tell us your exact location today and how your patients and institution have been impacted by Hurricane Helene so far? Dr. Merry Jennifer Markham: I am in the north-central part of Florida. I'm in Gainesville, Florida, which is the home of the University of Florida, where I practice medicine. And we are physically about two hours north of Tampa, two hours north of Orlando, and about an hour and a half southwest of Jacksonville. So right in the middle. And we are currently in the track for the next storm. Helene was a really a devastating storm and what our area felt was primarily what we tend to get in most storms here in the center part of the state, which is a lot of rain, a high risk for tornadoes and a lot of power outages. And one of the challenges that my center in particular faces, and some of the local cancer centers and cancer care providers around in our region, is our patients live in a very rural population. So for those patients who are not in downtown Tampa, downtown Orlando, for example, the rest of the state, especially in the northern part, tends to be quite rural. And so many of our patients had loss of power and a lot also in those regions are on well water. And so when the power goes out, it's not just a matter of losing air conditioning and losing access to Wi-Fi, but it's also losing access to fresh, clean water. Dr. John Sweetenham: Wow, it sounds very challenging. And of course, there are growing concerns at the moment about the IV fluid shortage that's being caused by Hurricane Helene and some hospitals have already begun conserving IV fluid supplies. Can you tell us a little bit about your experience with IV fluid shortages so far and whether you are anticipating other medical supplies to be affected by these shortages in the days or weeks ahead? Dr. Merry Jennifer Markham: Well, the IV fluid shortage has definitely impacted us. I happened to be on service last week and this week, and, working in the inpatient setting right now on our oncology inpatient service, we are having to conserve all IV fluid, and the entire hospital has been directed to find workarounds. And it's not always easy to find workarounds. It has definitely impacted our ability to safely discharge patients and to sometimes adequately give people the hydration, for example, that they need. A lot of the cancer therapies, we also use intravenous fluids to pre-hydrate or post-hydrate, and it's a challenge when we also need to conserve those IV fluids for other critical needs in the hospital setting. And for me, the shortage is really being felt in that inpatient setting right now. I think that other centers are still going through. And what we learned from the pandemic is that when there is a shortage, and it's not just actually the pandemic that we learned this from, but from any of the supply chain issues that we've had is then centers start buying it up, right? And so there's a bit of a panic in the healthcare field where if we're short on IV fluids, then well, now everybody is buying up the remaining IV fluids. And I think that does impact, unfortunately, everyone in a negative way. Dr. John Sweetenham: Yeah, I was reading some news reports earlier today actually about stockpiling and the efforts that some of the companies are going to control their outward going supplies to hopefully prevent some of that stockpiling. As if life for you and your patients wasn't difficult enough, you now have the prospect of another major storm, Hurricane Milton, which is headed your way and predicted to be among the most destructive hurricanes ever on record in central Florida. What are your major concerns in the days ahead and for what this might mean for the longer-term impact on cancer care? Dr. Merry Jennifer Markham: It's concerning. We are definitely in the path and the hospital is currently in sort of crisis preparedness mode. My concerns are always for the patients and for the teams caring for them, especially in my current work in the inpatient setting, these last two weeks. Our patients, because they come from such rural areas, are going to lose power. We will probably lose power, but we have generators at the hospital system, so we're a bit protected. But in many of these areas around us, there will be high winds, there will be flooding for those along the coast, and just the access to a clean, safe living environment is going be in jeopardy during and after the storm. What concerns me about our patients in particular with cancer are the ones who are undergoing treatments and who may have complications and may not be able to reach the help that they need during the storm or in the days following. I have patients that I have been caring for in the last week who still haven't recuperated, still haven't recovered their power from Helene. And so this is just adding insult to injury. I think that the impact on medical supplies is still to be seen. The challenge is always when a storm wipes out the major manufacturer of a particular product, I think we'll probably continue to have the IV fluid shortages. And I think it's just going to be a matter of preparing for a worst-case scenario but being prepared. Dr. John Sweetenham: Absolutely, yes. I think you've already alluded to the fact that as each of these successive disasters affect the country, we sort of learn a little bit more each time. And ASCO has provided resources on its website for disaster assistance. We'll share a link in the transcript of this episode to connect providers and patients to the Hurricane Helene-specific resources, government agencies, and also to patient and caregiver groups. Julie, as ASCO's chief medical officer, you've been speaking to stakeholders across the oncology community, as well as many groups that are responding to the crisis. What's your message to ASCO members and patients and caregivers today? Dr. Julie Gralow: Our main message at ASCO to our members, our immediate outreach was, ‘We're thinking of you, we're here for you, let us know how we can help you.' As you've already said, we've learned from past natural disasters. We had Katrina way back when, specifically for the IV drug shortages. We had a shortage back in 2014 due to a problem in Norway, but in 2017 we had another hurricane, Maria, which impacted Puerto Rico and majorly impacted IV fluids. So we have knowledge that we've gained, we as the whole medical community have gained on how to adapt and where we can hydrate orally or, you know, give electrolytes and where we can reserve things. I think one of our main messages at ASCO is that while our members are those who treat patients with cancer, we use IV fluid everywhere in the hospital, the operating room, the emergency room, the ICUs. We are all in this together, and so, while we have some specific things related to oncology where we can probably save fluid and conserve, etc., we need to work as a whole team, a whole body to protect each other. So, if you're developing an incident management team at your institution or whatever, it needs to be multidisciplinary. We all need to be protecting each other's patients as well. Dr. John Sweetenham: Yeah, absolutely. Just briefly on the subject of IV fluids, do you think it will be necessary to mitigate the IV fluid issue by bringing IV fluids in from other countries? Dr. Julie Gralow: I think the full impact, how long this is going to be, how much we can ramp up domestically, is really yet to be seen. all looking at this. So Baxter, which supplies about 60% of hospital IV fluids and peritoneal dialysis solutions, it was flooded essentially at their big plant in North Carolina. They have several other plants in the US and some internationally too. So the question will be, did those other plants also make IV fluids? Can they be ramped up? There are another at least two companies in the U.S. that make IV fluid. What will be their ability to ramp up? we already do. Baxter says they've already; I think Merry Jennifer alluded to this, they've already instituted a mitigation strategy where they're placing products on a protective allocation. So they are really trying to protect against stockpiling, et cetera. The FDA has come out and said it will consider reviewing potential temporary imports. It also is looking at expediting reviews once the manufacturing lines are up and going again, it will expedite those as well. And they're looking at alternative providers. IV drugs are officially on the FDA's drug shortages list, and that allows certain flexibilities, I am told, in terms of, for example, being able to make sterile IV fluids at a local site if it's on the FDA drug shortage list. And there are some other things that go along with it. It's really hard to find on the FDA drug shortage site. You have to use the right keyword. You have to look it up under sodium chloride for injection. You can't look up saline on it. But it is now there. I think it just got placed in the last 24 hours or so. And so that does allow some additional flexibilities. Dr. John Sweetenham: Okay, great. Thank you. So a question for both of you. A couple of years ago, we covered the consequences of Hurricane Ian on this podcast. And Helene and Milton will presumably not be the last storms which are going to disrupt cancer care and undoubtedly cause a great deal of hardship to many people, both our patients and our caregivers, those who are giving care. Climate change probably predicts that this is going to be an ongoing event. You know, these events have undoubtedly tested the disaster preparedness plans of cancer centers in the region. I wonder how you would assess the readiness of cancer centers to respond to these big disasters, which are undoubtedly in our future, and what areas of care do you think would need more attention? Merry Jennifer, maybe I'll start with you for that question. Dr. Merry Jennifer Markham: I think cancer centers, working within their health system, really should have a disaster preparedness plan in place. Here in Florida, I am very used to the preparedness plans that my system has developed really for every hurricane season. And because hurricane season is from June to the end of November, we are fully aware of this plan and can start taking action. And a lot of that deals with when do we close particular clinics? What areas do we need to prioritize? How do we make sure we've got proper staffing? I think that is the type of thing that cancer centers should have really in a written protocol – here's what we do when this news is coming out of the weather center or something along those lines. One of the challenges that we face, and I think probably this is, I guess I'm going to speak for all of the Southeast who is in the, you know, a hurricane, you know, risk area is disaster fatigue. And I think that is a problem. I don't know if it's unrecognized. I fully recognize it because I feel it. think earlier when we were talking, you mentioned Hurricane Ian and I don't even remember, Ian, because we have so many of these hurricanes. Every year there's a new one or multiple, and they all seem to bring the same kind of disasters. Usually on a local scale; I think what we've seen with Helene has just been so massive across multiple states. But the fatigue, that disaster fatigue, I think can lead people to become a little lax. And there is a risk. If we think of all of us as caregivers for all of our patients and for the physicians and teams practicing, it's easy to become numb and tired and worn out of preparing for these disasters. So, I think it's very important that this stays top of mind and that centers are preparing and also cognizant of the fact that fatigue is also a real potential issue. Dr. John Sweetenham: Right, thanks. Julie. Dr. Julie Gralow: We learn from each event and the events have come closer and closer, at least the hurricanes have. I totally agree with Merry Jennifer that we can't have disaster fatigue. Each one does have its unique component. For example, Helene, while we could see the path and it didn't stray that far from its path, did we really expect that this region, this Appalachian region would be the one most impacted? They're nowhere near a coast, you know, it was a bunch of flooding and dams breaking, so each one is different. From ASCO's perspective, we've learned and we've developed both a domestic crisis response team and plan, as well as an international one. And it's, besides hurricanes and major storms, you know, we've had fires and earthquakes and for our international crisis response team, we've been dealing with conflict and getting cancer care delivery in regions of conflict. So by having a team formed, by learning from each event, and then quickly communicating with members when we can get ahold of them on the ground as to what the real situation is and how we can help, I think we've gotten stronger over the years. It's still, with each one, it's horrible for the people on the ground and our job really is to best support our members and their patients as they're trying to get their lives back together. Dr. John Sweetenham: Thank you. So, I think that winds up most of the issues we wanted to cover today. And I wanted to thank you both Dr. Markham and Dr. Gralow for being on the podcast today and sharing your insights on what is, of course, an extremely challenging situation. I should remind listeners that they will find links to disaster resources for providers and patients on the ASCO website at asco.org. You can also follow Dr. Markham on X. Her tag is at @DrMarkham, where she has been sharing key information and resources. And Dr. Julie Gralow will continue to share resources on X. You can find her @jrgralow. We want to wish you, Merry Jennifer, and our many colleagues in the affected regions, all the best during what we know are very challenging times. Dr. Merry Jennifer Markham: Thank you. And thanks to you, Dr. Gralow, for sharing your insights and thoughts with us today as well. Dr. Julie Gralow: Thanks for having us, John. Dr. John Sweetenham: And thank you to our listeners for your time today. If you value the insights that you hear on the ASCO Daily News Podcast, please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Disclaimer: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. It is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. The guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ASCO. Mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement.  Find out more about today's guests: Dr. Merry Jennifer Markham @DrMarkham Dr. Julie Gralow @jrgralow Follow ASCO on social media:  @ASCO on Twitter ASCO on Facebook ASCO on LinkedIn Disclosures: Dr. John Sweetenham No relationships to disclose Dr. Merry Jennifer Markham: Stock and Other Ownership Interests (Immediate Family Member): Pfizer Research Funding (Inst.): AstraZeneca, Merck Dr. Julie Gralow: No relationships to disclose

In the aftermath of Helene's wrath and Milton's threatening approach, this week's episode of Take It To The Board, hosted by Donna DiMaggio Berger, takes us on the emotional journey of community association industry veterans Wayne Srsen and Kelly Kuhn as they share their firsthand experiences with natural disasters and the insurance industry. They also highlight the indispensable roles of first responders and logistics professionals, such as those at Florida Power and Light, who work tirelessly to restore normalcy.The stormy landscape of Florida's insurance industry presents unique challenges. Donna, Wayne, and Kelly navigate the intricacies of working in this environment. From bureaucratic hurdles to the moral dilemmas faced by insurance adjusters, Wayne highlights why integrity and proactive preparation are crucial. They delve into the human side of disaster response, where community involvement can make all the difference. Kelly shares his insights on the importance of networking and how authentic connections can foster mutual support in the professional world, alongside discussing the distinctive strengths women bring to a sales environment. As they journey through the hurdles of project management and board behavior, Donna, Wayne, and Kelly underscore the need for skilled professionals in construction endeavors, especially in older coastal communities. The significance of clear communication, effective leadership, and expert guidance cannot be overstated. The episode wraps with a heartfelt reflection on life's fleeting moments, inspired by personal philosophies and the tranquil solace of the beach. Join us as we celebrate resilience, integrity, and the power of community in overcoming life's challenges.Conversation Highlights:Perception that insurance companies seek to deny or underpay legitimate claims accuratePreparing for catastrophic eventsThe hallmarks of a great salespersonBoard members or managers attempting to serve as the Owners' Representative on large restoration projectsPreventing cost overruns on a projectIncidental damage to a unit during a construction projectPredictions for the community association industry Related Links:Article: Insurers slashed Hurricane Ian payouts far below damage estimates, documents and insiders revealPodcast: Mastering Construction Contracts: Essential Insights with Steve LesserOnline Class: Disaster Preparedness and Recovery

On todays show TFT(The Fearsome Threesome) have a Lively talk about political landscape, focusing on Kamala Harris's performance in a 60 Minutes interview, her handling of border security, and her recent public appearances. TFT crew discuss her evasive responses to questions about border crossings and her ownership of a Glock. They also touch on the potential impact of Hurricane Ian on Florida and the Appalachian states, and the challenges faced by FEMA. Additionally, they debate the credibility of media sources like Twitter and Google, and the implications of Elon Musk's comments on Trump's potential loss. The discussion also includes speculations about election interference and the reliability of certain states' election processes. Don't miss it!

On the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attacks in Israel, Marc Cox expresses concerns over the lack of retaliation against Iran. The show delves into anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S., protests in support of Palestinians, and Kamala Harris's perceived priorities. Hans von Spakovsky joins to discuss election integrity issues, including a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling rejecting a leftist group's efforts to undermine absentee ballot laws. The show also covers Dolly Parton's $1 million donation to Hurricane Ian relief, Amazon Prime Day deals, and Meta's new augmented reality glasses.

On todays Show the Fearsome Threesome talk about The 2020 presidential election and claims of election fraud/interference. The upcoming 2024 presidential election and potential issues with voting/election integrity. The impact and response to Hurricane Ian in Florida and the Appalachian region. The history and trends of hurricanes/natural disasters in the United States. The role of government agencies like FEMA in disaster response and recovery efforts. Broader political and cultural discussions around topics like masculinity, storytelling, and marriage.

Almost exactly 2 years to the day of Hurricane Ian hitting our home in Ft. Myers, Florida, we are once again living through another devastating storm. My family recently moved back to my hometown of Boone, North Carolina – just one of the communities across the Southeast where Hurricane Helene caused widespread damage. Today, I'm sharing how my husband and I are talking about Hurricane Helene with my kids and how the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse are serving in the hardest-hit areas now recovering from Florida to Georgia and South Carolina, and across the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee.Watch the episode and find out how you can help at https://cissiegrahamlynch.com/fearless-episode-138/. For more resources and additional episodes visit https://cissiegrahamlynch.com.   

Welcome to a podcast where we peel back the layers of deception to reveal the truths lurking beneath the surface. Join host Austin Adams as he delves into the most controversial and pressing issues of our time, challenging the mainstream narrative and sparking thought-provoking discussions. From Engineered Disasters to Global Conflict In this gripping episode, we explore the dark theory behind hurricane Helene being a directed hurricane to target lithium-rich regions. Is there a hidden agenda to manipulate natural disasters for corporate gain? We investigate the evidence and discuss the implications of such practices on vulnerable communities. War on the Horizon As tensions escalate globally, we dissect the recent attack on Israel by Iran, examining its origins and potential consequences. How might these conflicts draw the United States into another protracted war? We analyze the geopolitical landscape and what it means for international relations and security. A Strike That Could Cripple America Turning our attention homeward, we delve into the longshoremen's strike that threatens to shut down America's ports. We discuss how this could cripple the U.S. economy, leading to shortages, price hikes, and widespread disruption. What are the demands, and is there a resolution in sight? Join the Conversation Don't miss out on these critical discussions that mainstream media won't cover. Subscribe now to stay informed and empowered. Follow us on YouTube, Substack, and social media for exclusive content, updates, and more. Thank You for Your Support We appreciate your commitment to seeking the truth and supporting independent journalism. Your engagement makes all the difference. All the Links For easy access to all our content and platforms, visit: https://linktr.ee/theaustinjadams     ----more---- Full Transcription        Hello, you beautiful people and welcome to the Adams archive. My name is Austin Adams and thank you so much for listening today. On today's episode, we are going to be diving deep into some really serious catastrophic situations that have occurred over the past couple of weeks here. The first one being the terrible and horrific Hurricane Helene that has hit several states and just decimated, absolutely decimated the communities there. It's horrible. It's terrible to see. There's All of these videos of people that are stranded on top of buildings. There's firefighters telling people not to go rescue them because it's too dangerous. It is horrible.  On top of that, there's also some speculation and skepticism  similar to what there was in Lahaina  where people don't believe that this hurricane Was as natural as it appeared not the production of it But the path of it and you might be thinking well, that's crazy We can't move hurricanes and what I would say to that is listen to the full episode because maybe you'll change your mind  The second thing that we're going to discuss is going to be will briefly touch on the vice presidential debate. That was just a  Eight hours ago now. We will talk about that, some of the key moments. We won't take too much time on that, but I did wanna just highlight a couple things. And that will be at the end actually, I believe so. Other than that, we will also talk about the seaport strike that is going on,  which could heavily affect  the United States production and ability to provide food.  to provide gas to provide everything and anything that you purchase comes through one of these seaports. Now, these workers are on strike for several reasons, mostly contract negotiations, but also they are hesitant or frustrated that the opportunity of the organization that they're working for utilizing automation.  I have my own opinions about it. I do see their point, but we'll talk about it.  And we'll also talk about what this could possibly do to you and your family and maybe what you can do to get prepared.  Then we will talk about Iran striking Israel  in a  act of what could turn into a very high escalating, , tensions between several countries, including the United States, potentially getting involved as we have had several officials say that we will.  Retaliate on their behalf, which is terrifying.  Alright, all of that and more, but first, go ahead and hit the subscribe button. Leave a five star review.  And if you'd like, go ahead and check out my company, Ronin Basics. Ronin Basics is a Faraday goods company, and we provide several different products that protect you from the modern threats out there in society today. Everything from EMFs, which Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has talked about at length  more recently,  to the Privacy intrusions that are going on between your cell phone, your laptop, every device in your house that has a microphone, tracking GPS, all of those things. So with the EMF side of things, we have EMF blocking Faraday hats. We have beanies and we have phone sleeves that will be in, in just a couple of days. They look just like this. You. Put your phone inside of this beautiful magnetic area here. Slide your phone inside of there. It will eliminate all inbound and outbound signals from your cell phone. All right, now go check out the website. I just did a ton of work getting it updated. I'm very happy with it. So if you've seen it before, go see it again, cause it's way better.  , so go check it out. Appreciate you. Love you. Without further ado, let's jump  into it.   All right. So the very first thing that we're going to talk about today is going to be the horrific hurricane that happened in North Carolina, Tennessee. It is spread across several states, which seems a little unnatural to me. I don't know when the last time there was a hurricane in Tennessee.  Can you remember that? I don't know. Maybe we should ask chat GPT, our  knowledge overlord, what's going on there. So we'll go ahead and take a look at this. There's a tweet that I think really captured all of the damage. So if you're watching here on YouTube, you can actually take a look with me. And if you're not, I will talk you through it. So there is some horrific situations going on and this captures. It in detail. It's just a minute long. So if you're listening  stay with me here, but obviously what this says, I don't know why that's obvious if you're not looking at it The hurricane helene death toll has risen to over a hundred and thirty survivors  Has the death toll has risen to over 130 as survivors. That makes more sense in Western North Carolina. Describe seeing bodies stuck in trees.  Locals are describing the pop apocalyptic scenes on the ground. As the official death toll continues to climb, there were bodies in the trees. They are finding bodies under the rubble. Said local woman, Alyssa Hudson, according to the New York post. Hudson explained how she made it out of her house before it collapsed. Her friends in downtown Black Mountain describe seeing bodies floating in ditches and residents fighting against the rising tide. We were a mountain town, but now we look like a farm town. It's all destroyed. A lot of people won't be back. The total damage from Hurricane Helene is currently projected to be about $34 billion according to Fox.  The following footage was shared by Severe Forecast at Biltmore Village not far from Black Mountain. And here is that video.  Make sure I don't blast you with hurricane sounds.  So there's cars just stuck up in trees.  Restaurants decimated.  One thing that I had seen when I was watching some of these horrible videos was that there was towns that were almost completely under rubble. Almost completely under these landslides that just went above the highest building. And where there used to be a town, there's literally nothing. Nothing. Now could you imagine if this is your city? If your family member is there?  How terrifying. And they're, and they don't have cell phone service. You can't reach them.  You can't know that they're okay.  Now, this isn't the worst of it. I've seen some re some terrible videos.  And guess what? In these videos, there's nobody from the government scene. Nobody, not a single person.  The national guard. Isn't there helping people?  Guess where they are? They're like overseas right now. The National Guard, the same people that are supposed to be here helping our citizens are not here. They're in other places across the world helping other people.  Now speaking of that, one thing that's been frustrating, and I'm sure you can dive into the damage of this Hurricane Helene, and my heart goes out to all of these families. I can't imagine. Even just losing your town, your house, your history of your family,  let alone the amount of people that we're going to find out that are dead as a result of this. It's terrible.  Now there's a few  political plays going on here, which again, is disgusting shouldn't be about that. It should be about helping these citizens.  And one thing that happened was that Kamala Harris was as she's always been. Kamala Harris was dead silent about the hurricane, dead silent about the families that were stranded on top of these buildings, dead silent about the damage that occurred.  Then,  they had the nerve, yesterday,  to come onto the TV, during an interview, at the White House,  and tell the citizens  that they were going, they're going to give the citizens that 1. 3 million dollars, total, combined. For Now, one of the journalists in the audience goes, Billion or million?  And he says, no, no million. 1. 7.  I think it even might be 1. 3. 1.  7 million dollars. Let's be generous here. And just say that it's 1. 7.  That's two houses that got taken out.  They're claiming they're going to use this for 750 dollars to the citizens that are affected. How far does 750 dollars get you in Kamala's mind?  economy.  How far?  Maybe a tank of gas  and a week's worth of food.  Now, one thing they don't seem to consider because they're saying that it's going to be a direct deposit is that the people that are highly affected by this don't even have access to their bank,  don't have access to a grocery store around them,  don't have access to even get gas. There's reports that came in that there was a gas station, one gas station that was in this mountain town where everybody was trying to get out of. And it was empty within hours of people showing up there  and now everybody else is stranded.  I cannot believe the response to this 1. 7 million,  750. If you got affected by this in the same week that we gave Ukraine 8 billion, Kamala  and Joe Biden have now said, they're going to give the citizens of Ukraine. That are affected by the hurricane 1. 7 million 1. 7 million how disgusting of a response. Don't even say that don't even mention the 1. 7 million dollars.  It's a slap in the face to everybody that has been affected by this atrocity. And then speaking about that Kamala three to four days after  three to four days after the hurricane  posted a photo about a briefing about Hurricane Helene.  And one thing that was noticed about this photo.  Is that she's claiming that she's on her airplane. I was just briefed at FEMA by FEMA, Deanne Criswell on the latest developments about the ongoing impacts of hurricane Helene.  We all discussed our administration's continued actions to support emergency response and recovery. I also spoke With North Carolina Governor Cooper about the ongoing rescue and recovery efforts in North Carolina, our administration will continue to stay in constant contact with state and local officials  to ensure communities have the support and resources they need.  Doug and my thoughts are with all those who lost loved ones and those whose homes, businesses, and communities were damaged or destroyed during this disaster.  Now, one thing that you'll notice about this photo, there's a few things going on here. One, she's writing on a piece of paper, a piece of paper that appears to be empty,  appears to be an empty piece of paper.  Yeah, looks pretty empty to me. Number two,  she's wearing headphones.  She's wearing headphones that are not plugged in.  Now, Donald Trump  loved pointing this out,  where he said,  Another fake and staged photo from someone who has no clue what she is doing. You have to plug the cord into the phone for it to work.  Biden and Harris abandoned Americans in Afghanistan. They sacrificed Americans to an open border, and now they have left Americans to drown in North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and elsewhere in the South.  Under this administration, Americans always come last because we have leaders who have no idea how to lead.  Now, when you went and saw the news articles about this,  they were criticizing Trump  for making this accusation. Not criticizing Kamala for faking her image,  for faking caring about these families,  but they're criticizing Trump, of course, for even having the audacity to accuse her of this.  Let's see if I can find that video  of the white house saying they're going to give 1. 3 million.  Let's see if I'm right on 7,  because I'm interested  to families affected.  This was like late yesterday,  the 1st of October.  Let's see.  Statement from Harris  news briefing as Biden responds. Let's  see.  All right. And here it is. Let me go ahead and pull this up for you.  Took a second to find that. Right here is the White House briefing.  And the reporter asks this question here.  And this is where the 1. 7 million comes from.  Hopefully you anticipate getting to some of those areas that have been cut off. Oh, not  to that.  Here we go. Not just by land, but by air as well. And how quickly do you anticipate getting to some of those areas that have been cut off because of the roads being cut off? As quickly as we can.  No answer. Go ahead, Jeff. Thank you, Karine. Mr. Secretary, do you have a sense of how much money it's going to cost, A, to do this relief effort And B, to do the rebuild effort once we get there and how much of that will be covered by insurance companies and how much will be covered by the government. So this is a multi billion dollar undertaking. In terms of the search and rescue and the response, I should note that we already Approximately 1. 7 million in individual assistance that individuals million that individuals will be able to access. I believe it'll be as early as tomorrow. It is a direct deposit into their accounts, but the rebuilding Did you catch that 1. 7 million to these people and they've the journalists. These paid journalists who are shills for the government thought that was so ridiculous, they didn't even register it. And one person goes billion, right? Billion? You're giving 1. 7 billion to those affected by Helene. And he goes no.  Million.  What the fuck are they gonna do with $1.7 million? Let's say there's a hundred thousand families that are affected, and that's very low. There's so many people that are affected by this. Let's probably a million, right? You're gonna give 'em $1.30, $1.70 a dollar in 7 cents, 70 cents,  $1.7 million to those affected, and they'll have it in their accounts deposited as soon as possible. As soon as possibly tomorrow they'll get a $2. What is a million dollars going to do for all of these people affected? And again, the same week that we gave Ukraine 8 billion, the same week, 7 billion to Israel, the same exact week, this man walks up onto that stage and says, don't worry, guys, we're giving our citizens 1. 3 million.  That's going to get, what is everybody going to do? They're going to go to the corner store, walk up to the corner store and get themselves a Gatorade. Hey guys, a refreshment on us. Thanks.  What a slap in the face. Just don't even mention that. Don't mention that figure. 1. 7 million  to hundreds of thousands, millions of citizens that have been, had their families decimated. They've lost all of their livestock. Their family members have been killed.  And you're going to give them 1. 7 million collectively to help out.  Do you want to know who's given more money to this? Their own citizens of the United States. There is a GoFundMe  that was started. And I just let's watch this one more time. So you can hear just how ridiculous this is. And I want to see what the response is of the journalists. Cause they should probably call him out on that, right? You would assume. Note that we already have approved approximately 1. 7 million dollars in individual assistance that individuals million that individuals will be able to access. I believe it'll be as early as tomorrow. It is a direct deposit into their accounts. But the Rebuilding is something that is not for today, but that is going to be extraordinarily costly and it's going to be a multi year enterprise. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Secretary. Two questions. First, about the President's decision to go to Raleigh. Can you give us a little bit of a breakdown as to why he's going to that location, and what he will see, and whether or not he'll be able to see any of the Alright, so literally no response by these propagandists in the audience.  Not even Peter Doocy said something about this. Maybe he was the one that said billion.  Crazy, literally makes no sense.  So 1. 7 million from our own government to these affected citizens from Hurricane Helene. Donald Trump posted this GoFundMe, and there's 3. 7  million, more than doubling the amount that the government's giving out.  3. 7 million by the citizens of the United States that are giving their own money.  And people here,  like Stephen Wyckoff, I believe he's a former senator. I  saw that one, one former senator had Donated about five hundred thousand dollars. So that may be who that was. Let's  okay. So Senator Kelly Lafleur, not sure who this Stephen Wittkoff is, but that's very nice Dana White has given a hundred thousand dollars William Ackman a hundred thousand dollars Bass Pro Shops a hundred thousand dollars Dan Newlin a hundred thousand dollars Christopher Drummond You 25, 000. Kid Rock, 25, 000. That is amazing.  And here our government is sending billions to Ukraine and wants to send 1. 7 million. I cannot stress how frustrating that is enough.  1. 7 million to those affected, those decimated, those family members that were killed. Kamala's on a frickin airplane with airpods that aren't plugged in taking a propaganda photo to send it out.  Donald Trump posted a GoFundMe and gets more than double what the entire government is collectively giving those citizens. . 1.7 million dollars. That's how much they care about you.  I wonder why they're giving 8 billion the same week that they're giving American citizens 1. 7 million. I wonder why. Maybe it's because the citizens that they're going to give that money to aren't going to funnel it back to them. Aren't funding their campaigns. They don't care about the voters.  They do not care about the voters. They do not care about the American public. They care about being elected and more power,  which is why they'll send 8 billion to Ukraine the same week that they spend 1. 7 million to our citizens that were obliterated in a hurricane. But thank God, there's people out there donating to this. So I highly recommend it. It is GoFundMe. com slash support dash hurricane dash Helene dash victims slash GoFundMe. Dash with dash president dash 3.  7 million.  Incredible. Now there's some speculation here,  some speculation around the idea that maybe, just maybe this hurricane wasn't as  natural as it seemed,  as it appeared.  There's some speculation that maybe, just maybe, just like there was in Lahaina, there's some questions around why.  Why this targeted this specific area the way that it did  let's say targeted let's use that word loosely in terms of a natural disaster But if this is true targeted is the right word  the idea  Comes from the fact that some of the towns that were the most decimated in these cities that were affected by this hurricane are also under contract with Blackrock and Vanguard  For lithium mining, liquid gold, the thing that is the next great endeavor for our  humanity,  the most valuable substance today, when it comes to things like electric vehicles, when it comes to things like AI,  these small towns were fighting back against this contract proposed to sell their land for lithium, right? Go back to Lahaina, right? Go back to Lahaina.  He had all these front beachfront properties.  That we're trying to get pushed out by big money from black rock, big money from Vanguard. And they didn't want to sell. That was their property. That was their family's property. That's where their grandparents lived. They're not moving  right. Cue the Wolf of wall street. I ain't leaving. Then  it just so happens within the year before they're supposed to start this lithium mining while also the citizens aren't selling their property.  The entire town gets  obliterated by Hurricane Helene.  You might say, that's a coincidence, Austin. Stop looking for strings where there are none. Tying these two things together. And I would say, I believe you. I agree with you. Until I saw some of these videos and some of the evidence surrounding how they have, since 1947, we have been able to steer hurricanes.  This is a technology that has existed for almost a hundred years.  We're going to watch a video that explains all of that.  But I would just say to you, how many things have we been right about? How many things? Now, it doesn't mean we're going to be right about everything. And it doesn't mean that we shouldn't have skepticism around all of these claims.  But when there's evidence, very specific evidence, just like they tried to gaslight you and tell you that the the  weapons that they used those laser based weapons,  right? The direct energy weapons aren't real. And then I sat here in front of you and showed you video after video of Lockheed Martin and Raytheon boasting about this technology.  Then I show you video after video about how they can start fires with that technology, videos after videos  of all they need to do is put a really high altitude airplane over top of this location and boom, billions of dollars.  How much is a life worth to these companies?  How much is a life worth?  How much, how far would they be willing to go? What's the price tag per head that they're willing to kill  or have die in a natural disaster so that they can make their profits? What's the price tag? Do you think it's 20 grand? Probably not a 10 grand,  five grand.  There's gotta be a calculation just like there is in the auto industry, right? If the amount of fatalities. And the cost for the litigation does not exceed a certain amount per car. They don't update the vehicles. They don't do a recall.  If they calculate go back and watch fight club. It's a great scene about this.  If they calculate  that the amount of litigation that's going to come as the result of not recalling it exceeds the cost. of doing the recall itself, then they will recall it.  Now reverse that. If the amount of damage, the amount of costs, that's going to be the result of a natural disaster like this,  If the amount of profit exceeds what the cost would be  in terms of loss of public trust, in terms of how much they have to pay for Facebook and Instagram and YouTube to censor these topics, like they did with direct energy weapons.  If the amount of that does not, the cost does not exceed the profit. They will move forward. They do not care. It isn't a LLC. It is an entity. It is a corporation, which does not have a moral compass. The only compass it has is how do we continue to have growth year after year regardless of how much  Destruction we leave in our wake. They do not care They want to sit in their high towers the top of the castle  while the peasants are at the bottom drowning in the water that they brought there  So let's watch this video and see if with you think  or at least have any idea The  eyebrow raises that I do. This comes from Greg Reese.  We have had the technology to create control and steer hurricanes for decades.  Project Cirrus is the first official attempt to modify a hurricane. It was run by General Electric with the support of the U S military. The official theory.  Project Syrus, C Y R U S, 1947,  was the first time that there was a concerted effort  to steer a hurricane.  Now it says,  President Lyndon B. Johnson, Southwest Texas State University, 1962 said, let's see if we can get the full quote here, I'm not sure if it gives it all to us and ultimately to control the weather and he who controls the weather will control the world.  He who controls the weather controls the world. Lyndon B. Johnson, 1962 at the Southwest Texas State University.  Okay,  let's move on. Project Cirrus. Project Cirrus is the fir Now, there's a news article that is the Daily News. It says, Destroying a Hurricane. This is from 1947,  September 17th.  This is from the Daily News, the 17th year, Charlotte, O'Malley, Virgin Islands. The destroying a hurricane, the energy expended by a tropical hurricane is enough to drive all the machinery in the world for three or four years. Yet the army, the Navy, and the general electric company are collaborating in a daring meteorological  experiment, which is to determine whether or not the colossal.  that we call a hurricane can be broken by making it precipitate the thousands of  cuts off. I assumed water, right? If the older attempts at rainmaking came to nothing, it is because it is not known how the raindrops are created. Some years ago, it was discovered that unless there is a nucleus, something around which, A moisture can wrap itself. There is can be neither snowflakes nor droplets. The rest now seems simple. Little seeds of carbon dioxide, snow scattered from a plane, serve as much. Nuclei.  Okay. 1947. There's your article. First official attempt to modify a hurricane. It was run by General Electric with the support of the US military 1947. The official theory was that by changing the temperature. Outside the eyewall of a hurricane, which they did by seeding the clouds with various compounds such as silver iodide, a decrease in strong winds will result on October 13th, 1947 Project Cirrus targeted a hurricane heading out to sea.  This says Project Cirrus, first hurricane cloud seeding experiment. The cyclone was historically significant in that it was the first tropical cyclone to be modified as part of a multi year operation called Project Cirrus. In 1946, General Electric scientists concluded that experimentation that dry ice seeding could induce heavy rainfall and thus ultimately weaken storms by cooling temperatures in the eye. To undertake Project Cirrus, General Electric, the United States Army, the Office of Naval Research, and the U. S. Weather Bureau functioned jointly on research and planning. Early on October 13th, 1947, 200 pounds of dry ice were dropped through the storm, then located about 350 miles east of Jacksonville, Florida. While the appearance of the clouds changed, the initial results of the seeding were inconclusive.  Shortly after the seeding took place, the hurricane turned sharply towards the southeastern United States. While the move the leading General Electric scientists later blamed upon the seeding, subsequent examination of the environment surrounding the storm determined that a large upper level ridge was in fact responsible for the abrupt turn.  Of course it was, because then hundreds and people died as a result of your experiment. You're not gonna admit that. Are you? Especially if you're the government.  Now you have to ask yourself, is this the government doing this? Is the government going in there and manipulating these hurricanes to move this closer to this area where they want  the people that funded them to go in and be able to take this lithium? I don't think that's the case, right? This is all speculation, by the way.  Maybe I'm making stuff up here.  Go do the research yourself. But what I would say is it doesn't have to be that it doesn't have to be this big governmental experiment. It doesn't have to be that it has to be four or five executives paying a small team of pilots that, that all go from Blackrock in their private jets  and just so happened to fly directly through a hurricane, by the way, just remembering  There was a pilot that drove  directly through the hurricane. Directly through. I'll see if I can find that for you.  Give me one second.  Alright.  Here is the plane  that flew directly through the hurricane. November 610 Foxtrot Papa.  Now, you can go do research on what that is. Some people are saying that it's an aerial photography company.  Who cares? It's an airplane flying directly through a hurricane. Who does that? Why would you do that?  Maybe they don't even have people doing this. Maybe it's a drone.  They don't need people with stories to tell, and jobs to lose, and indictments to be had to be doing this. They need five to seven executives and two people to pay somebody to fly a drone through this and drop that dry ice or whatever it is that they're doing now 85 years later.  It doesn't have to be this big government conspiracy. It could be five executives wanting to get their fucking lithium out of that city.  And so they pay somebody to fly through it. They pay them to drop this cloud seeding. And then all of the sudden, it decimates Tennessee?  Tennessee? When was the last time a hurricane hit Tennessee?  And then again, radio silence for days by the news. Why is the news not talking about this with the severity of it? Remember New Orleans? Remember Hurricane Katrina?  Everything shut down. They were raising, we were donating in high school, middle school, elementary school.  All over the country was united. And now with this, radio silence. For days. The only reason any of us knew about this. For three days. Was because of social media.  Don't be suspicious. Don't be suspicious. Okay, so there's your airplane, November 610, Foxtrot Papa. Go do some research on it. I don't have the time today to do it. But go check it out for yourself. Maybe I'm wrong.  They definitely flew through this hurricane.  I wonder why.  So all they have to do is fly one airplane through this hurricane, drop this cloud seating, and then all of the sudden,  all of the sudden,  you have a hurricane taking a sharp left turn when it wouldn't have otherwise. Here you go.  Approximately 180 pounds of dry ice was dropped into the clouds. The crew then reported a pronounced modification of the cloud deck, and the hurricane abruptly changed direction and made landfall.  Alright, I just wanted to read this for you because this is the actual facts, he's giving a narrative around it, which is great, but this is the article. October 13th, 1947, a disaster with Project Cirrus. What happened next was the worst case scenario. Instead of dissipating, the storm furiously swung nearly 130 degrees to the west. Very similar as it did with Helene. And smash in the Georgia where it caused $2 million worth of damage. Threats of lawsuits soon followed with Georgia residents Blaming the government in 1947 for the hurricane devastation Project Serious was all but shut down before it truly began, and any research into weather manipulation was re Reddit. Re  reputated Repe Repudiated  . R-E-P-U-D-I-T-E-D. Repu, repudiated, it's a weird word for decades.  All near Savannah, Georgia,  the public blamed the government  Irving Langmuir who pioneered General Electric's atmospheric research department and admitted that the project was about learning how to weaponize the weather. Also claimed the reversal of the hurricane had been caused by Project Cirrus, but the government denied it for 12 years. After a short delay, the project.  Okay, again. Let's go back, he's telling the narrative, but there's facts up on the screen for you. And what this said,  if we can go back, let's see here.  And I do want to tell you the source here, this is Gregory's he's a InfoWars submission guy, like he does a lot of their great videos.  Listen to the narrative, don't listen to the narrative, look up these newspapers. Don't take my word for it.  Don't take his word for it. Go find these newspapers. The Lincoln Journal Star, Sunday, May 1st, 1955. Hurricane seeding. Langmuir and cloud seeding during Project Cirrus in the New Mexico Desert was conducted at regular weekly intervals and Midwest rain begins to fall weekly too. The scientist described another test in October of 1947 where It's he said a hurricane was seeded. It changed course, hitting the city of Savannah, Georgia, doing heavy damage. So that was him admitting that was a cause of that hurricane.  Let's move on. This is the story 12 years after a short delay, the project officially continued and in 1965 Project Storm Fury had targeted Hurricane Betsy for seeding on that day. The storm immediately changed direction and made landfall in southern Florida.  This comes from the Liberty Beacon says yes, the government has experimented with controlling hurricanes. Hurricane Betsy was building strength. It looked like it was aiming for South Carolina, posing no threat to South Florida. But on Saturday, September 4th, the storm whirled to a stop  about 350 miles east of Jackson when Betsy started moving again on Sunday. She had changed directions. The storm plowed through the Bahamas Monday night, then mauled Florida. Or South Florida. A day later, Florida Congress blamed it on Project Storm Fury, but the government claimed that the hurricane shifted before they ever had a chance to seed it. And after two months of congressional hearings, the project was allowed to continue.  In 1997, US Defense Secretary William Cohen, admitted we have the technology to control the weather.  Okay, this comes from DODs News, defense Briefing United States. Department of Defense website January 15th, 2006. It's an article from 2000 or 1997  and it says Cohen's keynote address to the Congress on terror or conference on terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and us strategy at the Georgia center. Mahler auditorium, university of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. The event is a part of the Sam Nunn policy forum being hosted by the university of Georgia. Senator Nunn. Thank you very much. As Senator Nunn has. And indicated he and I have worked for many years along the Senator Lugar. The two of these gentlemen, I feel perhaps the most courageous and visionary have served in the Senate. Let's see if it actually goes into Including earthquakes and volcanoes.  Says Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen. Monday, April 28th, 8 45 a. m. It says Tuffler has written about these, this in terms of some scientists in their laboratories,  Different things. Trying to devise certain types of pathogens that would be ethnic specific. Ooh, imagine that. So they could just eliminate certain ethnic groups and races, and others are designing some sort of engineering, some sort of insects that can destroy specific crops. Others are engaging even in an eco type of terrorism, where they can alter the climate, set off earthquakes, volcanoes  remotely through the use of electromagnetic waves. The U. S. government has placed gag orders on employees of the National Weather Service. In October of 2012, after Hurricane Sandy weakened to a tropical storm, microwave imagery shows a thick red beam.  Now this says that you can the website for this is morphedintegratedmicrowaveimagery.  com C-I-M-S-S version one. The hurricane in the time of this type of energy was 2012 October 27th.  And you can go look for that yourself, but there is this red wave that goes directly at the hurricane  that is going away is dissipating. Then all of a sudden, immediately followed by Sandy growing into a category one hurricane and taking an unexplained left turn into New Jersey.  The push towards alternative energy demands more lithium and according to the US Geological Survey. The United States has over six million tons of identified lithium resources. The majority of this lithium has been identified in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. Kings Mountain is believed to have one of the largest resources in the world, but the biggest problem is that people live there and they don't want their quiet towns turned into lithium mines. People in Cherryville have been pushing against a proposed lithium mine for the last several years, but everyone we spoke with here said it's too divisive of an issue to share their opinion on camera.  Cherryville is a small, quiet town. I think that's good that we keep it small. so quiet. Many don't feel comfortable speaking out against Piedmont Lithium's proposed mining operation nearby. I think we're a silent majority.  I think a lot of people are afraid to say anything about it because they are bringing a lot to the town as far as money. Last year, the Department of Defense entered a 90 million agreement. Okay, DOD enters agreement to expand domestic lithium mining for U. S. battery supply chains. The 90 million agreement entered into the Defense Production Act, Title III authorities, and utilizing funds appropriately by the Inflation Reduction Act will help support Abler Marley's planned reopening of the Kings Mountain, North Carolina, lithium mine to increase domestic production of lithium for the nation's battery supply chain.  Estimates that Kings Mountain will be operational between 2025 and 2030. With Alba Marley Corporation to increase domestic production of lithium for the nation's battery supply chain,  specifically from Kings Mountain, North Carolina, starting by 2025.  This is the same area experiencing what is being described as biblical floods.  While the federal government spends billions on foreign wars and illegal immigrants, they simply cannot be bothered with the health and well being of the American people, especially those living on coveted mineral rich land.  Reporting for InfoWars, this is Greg Reese.  The family's devastation there.  So I think You have three questions to ask yourself about this hurricane and this conspiracy.  Can they do it?  Can they do it? Now we know the answer is yes.  Would they do it? If there's enough money involved, we know absolutely they would do it. Check. Did they do it?  That's the question that needs to be answered, but the first two are answered 100%. Can they do it? Yes. They can manipulate the weather and specifically hurricanes to make this type of movement inward towards shore. They can manipulate it to go where they want it to go, at least in some sense, right? The accuracy of that moving, but it obliterated almost, a fifth of the country towards that lower area.  So can they do it? Yes. Yes.  Would they do it if the price tag is high enough? Yes, absolutely. We know that Blackrock and Vanguard will go to any lengths to make profits.  Did they do it?  I'll leave that one to you. And maybe we'll see some type of evidence that comes out more here in the near future.  So  let's see if there's anything else on that. And then we will move on to the next topic. All right. So there's several people talking about this. There's several clips that have gone. Quote unquote viral about this. And here are some of  those. Let's see if we can  pull it up here.  All right.  This is the one that I probably found to be the best. I'll tell you what I find suspicious as shit, that one of the areas affected by hurricane Helene is the world's largest lithium deposit. And the DOD just entered into an agreement with this company right here to mine lithium for electric cars. Starting in 2025. Now that area is completely devastated. This is a 90 million agreement between the D. O. D. And this company right here to get Kings Mountain North Carolina lithium mine up and running by 2030. If that area has been inundated, it's in a disaster zone. then the government can come in and do eminent domain and they can pay you what it was worth five years ago rather than what it's worth right now. Imagine that your home has turned into a watery lot and the government comes to you and says, Hey, I'll pay you what you paid for it. You're going to take it and you're going to go, right? What do you think is going to happen right here now that they want this lithium mine up and running by 2025 2030 at the latest? Back in 1947 we had the Florida Georgia hurricane or hurricane nine and it was the first hurricane to be targeted for weather modification. What happened was General Electric said, The U. S. Navy, the Army, the Air Force, they poured dry ice into this hurricane using airplanes to see what would happen. Would they slow it down? What happened was it slowed down a little bit, but it turned west really sharp. Let me show you. This is the path that the hurricane took in 1947. Does it look similar to you? Probably not. It's a coincidence, right? Moving on. I'm sure this is just another coincidence, but do you know who owns the most shares in that lithium mine? BlackRock and Vanguard.  Yep, so everything I just told you just from her voice.  Now, the one thing that's interesting about that is the imminent domain conversation, which is the fact that was brought up when it came to Lahaina too. If this is a devastated land, the government can basically take control of that land, claim an imminent domain, pay out those people for that, not based on what is the mineral rich underneath that, the amount of materials that they can siphon from it, which would be the fair market value. But,  what they paid for it five years ago, before this contract was even entered, and before they even knew that there was lithium there.  Sounds like a good reason, and motivating enough for them. To me. Okay.  Let's move on here. But let's touch on this first. Remember that one time where Kamala said that disaster relief should be based on equity?  Also an interesting thing to note. Yeah, remember we talked about that before. I forget the, which hurricane was that. That was for Hurricane Ian. She said that, and here it is.  Oh, shit.  Let's see if we can get it to play from right here. Here we go. It is our lowest income communities and our communities of color that are most impacted and most impacted.  By these extreme conditions and impacted by issues that are not of their own making. And so when  Absolutely. And women. Yeah. And so we have to address this in a way that is about giving resources based on equity, understanding that we fight for equality, but we also need to fight for equity, understanding not everyone starts out at the same place. Yeah. Marxism. And if we want people to drown based on their income. Sometimes we have to take into account those disparities. And do that work. Yeah. Yeah.  That could be your next president, folks.  Alright, now that leads us to our next discussion.  which is about the longshoremen.  I think it was called the portshoremen. Not terribly inaccurate, but also not true. The longshoremen, international longshoremen's association. All right. This guy  is the one kind of leading  the discussion. I  believe he might be like the president of the union or something like that. I'm sure we'll find out in just a moment, but Very chilling words. And if you're an American citizen, this should frustrate the hell out of you, right? All of these unions, these strikes, these, all of this, look, I get it. You have to negotiate for fair wages and there's a certain way to go about that. And having a union is. If you're somebody who works in this type of job, and you also want to decimate the economy for a 50 percent raise on your 150, 000 salary. Now, I'm not saying these guys don't deserve that type of money. I'm not saying that they're in the complete wrong here in terms of making the strike, but understanding what could be the potential outcome for this as a result.  It's pretty terrifying too. Now, maybe you'd put that back onto the longshoremen the organizations that they work for and say, Hey, maybe you should pay them more. Maybe you should stop the automation. We'll talk about all of that, which is the reasons why they actually are going on this type of strike.  Let's go ahead and watch.  But  today's world, it's changing into the future. They're not making millions no more. They're making billions and they're spending it fast as they make it. I want a piece of that for my men because when they made their most money was during COVID. When my men had to go through Go to work on those peers every single day when everybody stayed home and went to work, not my men,  they died out there with the virus. We all got sick with the virus. We kept them going  from Canada, the main of Texas, Great Lakes, Puerto Rico. Now the Bahamas, everybody went to work during COVID. Nobody stayed home.  I want to be compensated for that.  I'm not asking for the world. They know what I want.  They know what they want. And if they don't then I have to go into the street and we have to fight for what we rightfully deserve. These people today don't know what a strike is. When my men hit the  from Maine to Texas. Every single port, a lockdown,  what's going to happen. I'll tell you. First week  be all over the news every night. Boom, boom. Second week  guys who sell cars can't sell cars because the cars ain't coming in off the ships.  They get laid off. Third week  mall starts. closing down. They can't get the goods from China. They can't sell clothes. They can't do this. Everything in the United States comes on a ship. They go out of business. Construction workers get laid off because the materials aren't coming in. The steel is not coming in. The lumber is not coming in.  They lose their job. Everybody's hating the longshoremen now because now they realize how important Our jobs are. Now I have the president screaming at me. I'm putting a Taft Hartley on you. Go ahead.  Taft Hartley means I have to go back to work for 90 days. That's a cooling off period.  Do you think when I go back for 90 days, those men are going to go to work on that pier? It's going to cost the money, the company's money, to pay their salaries it went from 30 moves an hour, maybe to eight.  They're going to be like this.  Who's going to win here in the long run? You're better off sitting down, and let's get a contract, and let's move on with this world. And in today's world, I'll cripple you.  I will cripple you, and you will have no idea what that means. Nobody does.  I love the nice music at the end there. I will cripple you, not I will cripple you, the longshoreman's associate or the organizations that they work for. No, I will cripple the men and women. He even said it in there. I will cripple the car salesman. I will cripple the small business owners. I will cripple the American family trying to get food to their table.  Right now you want to talk about what they're trying to negotiate here, what they want out of this strike.  They want a five year. A five year 50 percent raise. They currently make about 150, 000. They want a five year 50 percent raise 10 percent every year for the next five years.  The other part of this was about automation.  They want to have the companies that they work for stop using automation. Apparently on the previous contract that they utilized, and this comes from a video I watched, I haven't validated the contracts, but allegedly  they want it. The organizations that they work for to promise. They won't use AI promise. They won't use automation promise that they won't take their jobs eventually over time. Like every other industry is dealing with the same thing that we have saw with the writer's strike,  right? How long did it take for them to come to an agreement? Almost a year. It was like eight months, maybe even longer, right?  That's why all the movies sucked for all of last year. So  the question is what's going to come from this, right? And what is the expectation here? Yeah. If you don't move with the times, you're going to expect them to just never use automation, never use AI. And if they do, you're all going to quit.  Doesn't that just  Speed up the use of automation.  China's already doing this. China is already all of their longshoremen, all of their seaports that are taking in all of their goods or shipping it more than likely, if you're in China, all of those are already automated. There's videos out there that you can watch right now. These guys that sit behind the computer and they're working nine to 10 screens, all telling these vehicles where to go and what to pick up and how to move it and all this stuff. So they're hyper efficient compared to what we're doing. How do you expect it to not move that direction? And you're just going to sit on your butt and go, okay,  don't do it. Or I'm going to, I'm not going to work. What is the expectation here? And how is that a solution to the problem? Why not develop a strategic agreement or Alliance or profit sharing agreement that if there is automation, that there is a longstanding percentage of that automation profitability that goes towards retirement funds,  there's one solution. Why not?  Go build out the automation themselves. Why not start a company that then has the ability to, or it has the foresight to  service the vehicles, right? If you have a contract on any of these automations that are then in the future, the first right to contract for the, that money. goes to any previous longshoreman, right? So any of the automation that is being built, any of the maintenance that is being done, any of the assistance that needs to happen on the ports, all of that business immediately goes to the people who were previously hired as longshoremen. Maybe that's their agreement, but the idea that there's just never going to utilize automation and you're just going to outlast technology is just silly. So come to a better agreement,  figure it out in a way that's actually useful because this is not.  These guys are going to cripple the American economy. So let's get some context here. This article comes from ConstructionDive. com, and it says, work stoppages across east and west east and Gulf Coast ports may cause product shortages, price hikes, and delivery issues, construction experts say.  This was published yesterday, October 1st, 2024. It says, as the International Longshoremen's Association went on strike this morning over a new master contract, construction pros across the country are waiting to see how the walkout. which affects ports from Texas to Maine will impact their businesses. The ILA's talks with the United States Maritime Alliance broke down over wages and a total ban on the automation of machinery important to dock work, including cranes, gates, and container moving trucks. According to the Associated Press,  the strike is the first by the union since 1977.  The impacted reports are some of the main points of entry for construction materials, heavy machinery, food, vehicles, chemicals, according to the Wall Street Journal. Material delivery delays could also incur in other regions of the country, according to Manufacturing Dive. Exports of oil, liquefied natural gas at Gulf Coast ports will likely be unaffected due to the ILA has little or no involvement in those operations.  Bill Fleming, Senior Vice President at the New York based consulting firm, Cumming Group, weird name said that impacts of the strike should be felt immediately in the construction industry. Okay, so this is very specific to construction. Combine that with hurricane induced shortages, it starts to bring up. This could be catastrophic. For the U S infrastructure. So  there's a little bit more context. I'd like maybe a little bit more but I think you get the idea. It's all about AI. It's all about automation. It's about eliminating some of their jobs and them wanting higher pay. So not only do you want us to not use AI to lower our overhead costs.  You also want us to pay you more, which is only again, going to speed along the automation track. Automation is not going away.  What is going to go away is the people who don't jump on board with helping to build that future,  right? If you were somebody who is I don't know, what's a good example of an old job that is lost. If you were a  factory worker in building Model Ts  by hand. You probably weren't going to  decide not to work anymore once they decided to bring in some machines, right? If you were a horse and buggy taxi driver, you're not gonna decide not to drive a car, right? There's a new way to do what you do and to help push along the production line.  You just have to figure out what that part is. And see it soon enough to play a part, right? Don't fight against this. It's going to, it's going to happen. There's going to be automation, right? Maybe you get your raise because you add more skills around automation. Not just eliminate it, the use all together, right? Seems silly to me and the fact that they're going to shut down our country over some Ridiculous claim that there's going to not be any automation or AI integrated into this type of industry is ridiculous It's never gonna happen There's always going to be the next best thing and movement in industry and for them to say we're going to Cripple small business owners. We're going to cripple small businesses Young families, we're going to cripple the entire us economy until we get our way. We get a 50 percent rate, a 50 percent salary increase off of our 150, 000 a year salary. I'm not saying they don't deserve that. They deserve that. And they probably deserve more. It's a freaking hard job. It's a crazy difficult job. I'm not discounting that. But what I am saying is that you can't fight back against automation.  It's going to happen.  And if you don't do it, your company is going to go under. Because another company is going to come in and do it at a lower cost. Or they're going to outsource that work to other people and you're just going to lose your job altogether.  So that's where we're at with that. Now there's people sounding the alarm. There was lines outside the door at Costco yesterday, people bulk purchasing toilet paper and dry goods so that if, and when the supply chain fails over the next couple of weeks that they have what they need. Now, I'm not saying you need to go do that. I'm not saying not to do it, probably a good idea, always to have reserves of food,  reserves of water, reserves of gas, I'm not sure if there's a way to really do that, but if there was, you should probably do that generators, all of that stuff, guys just, if we've learned anything over the last four to five years, there is going to be some sort of catastrophic event that cuts us off from the grid, there's going to be supply chain shortages, COVID was just  a glimpse into that.  Maybe start to do something about that. Not specifically because of this, but just because you should, right? Because if it's not, this is going to be something else  be prepared.  All right, now moving on,  let's go ahead and pull  the next article up.  There is escalating tensions. Oh, we got one more thing here. One more thing. Let's see. Let's see this one more article and then we'll move on. Cause I think we got it. This is a big deal, guys. Let's watch this one.  Same guy.  Knocking down doors. She's trying to stop this. She's trying to get us to a media where we can have a fair negotiations. It's the companies that don't want to. They don't want to sit here and be fair. So that's why we're out here fighting for our livelihood. What more from the automation do you want? What more protections could there be? What more? Yeah, they have language in there now. Not strong enough. Because what happens is they come in with new technology. We just caught them in Mobile, Alabama called Autogate. And that means the trucks are coming in and they're already checked in somewhere else and not using the checkers in the I. L. A. Circa vetting the contract. They don't care. They don't care.  It's not fair, and if we don't put our foot down now, they would like to run over us, and we're not going to allow that. You are going to grind the economy to a halt here on the East Coast and the Gulf Coast. No, not us. They are. Don't spin it now, because you're Fox News. They're going to drive it. But are you worried? Are you  worried that this drive They have the capital. to settle this thing. Are you worried that this strike is going to hurt the everyday American, the farmers that need to reach the export market? They're telling me that they're going to hurt. You start to realize who the longshoremen are, right?  People never gave a about us until now, when they finally realized that The chain is being broke now. Cars won't come in.  Food won't come in. Clothing won't come in. You know how many people depend on our jobs? Half the world! And it's time for them, and time for Washington, to put so much pressure on them, to take care of us because we took care of them and we're here 135 years and brought them where they are today and they don't want to share.  Fox Business Lydia Hu joins us now from the port of Newark in New Jersey and I've been following you. We have been as you've done this story for us and now the rubber has met the road and he feels like he's dug in and feels like he's in a strong position. Is he in as strong a position as he thinks or appears to seem to be? He certainly feels like he's in a strong position, and he's probably looking around at other unions and the wage gains and the record contracts that they have notched in recent years. Just last year, the West Coast port workers got a new contract with a 32 percent wage hike. Over four years. So now Mr Daggett, the president is looking at that and saying we want that and better just yesterday, Dana, Mr Daggett rejected port management's offer of a 50 percent wage hike over eight years. Just to give you an idea of where they stand right now. It does seem like the two sides are still far apart, but he does at least see  Wow, so you see this guy is on a power hungry streak, right? Again, they have a fair contract 80 or 50 percent increase over eight years  Seems pretty fair to me the idea that there's already language in the contracts that say that they can't use automation Seems pretty fair to me bring up the litigation against the company, right? Go to the court with them Don't cripple the entire country all of the small business owners  Families trying to feed their children. Because you want to be selfish And again,  You're just going to get replaced. This is so stupid. What are you doing?  Ridiculous.  These unions are a problem, dude. These are, these unions are they,  The union, that guy is an absolute idiot. He's sitting there, riling up his team, Getting their, these, So let's move on to something just, if not more pressing, which is  the next stages leading up to potentially world war three, as we've seen, go back and search my podcast and look for world war three, we've seen the Russia, Ukraine, we've seen that I ran, or we've seen Israel and Hamas, we've seen Iran now, and Israel,  Iran has openly attacked Israel. is now attacking back. In light of that,  there is Russia escalating tensions. There was a fighter jet yesterday, a Russian SU 35 pilot  going right by an F 16 near Alaska in our own airspace. This is how they're treating us. This  fighter jet flies within two feet of our F 16, two feet, and then takes off.  Pretty sweet. The  pilot goes, holy fuck. Yeah, holy fuck.  But, that just shows you, they're willing to go to these lengths. And when you look at the BRIC you look at that alliance, you look at the downfall that's happening with the U. S. dollar. You look at the conversations that are being had between Russia and China, India, right?  We're, this is not a, this is not a winning battle for us.  We should not be in these wars. We should not be the proxy funding capital of the world.  Let Israel fight it out. We have nothing to do with this. Now,  the U. S. has sent another aid package to Israel.  And Biden has directed the U. S. military to shoot down Iranian missiles targeting Israel. It says U S president Joe Biden. This comes from business standard and vice president Kamal Harris are monitoring an Iranian attack against Israel from the white house state situation room and receiving regular updates from their national security team. According to the white house situation room update, president Biden directed the U S military aid to aid Israel's defense against Iranian attacks and shoot down missiles that are targeting Israel  on Tuesday in a major escalation in the raging conflict in the middle East. Iran launched a missile attack on Israel on Tuesday. To start a sentence with on Tuesday and end it with on Tuesday is crazy. In a statement, the IDF said all Israeli citizens are in bomb shelters as rockets from Iran are fired at Israel.  Hezbollah is upset that the IDF exposed their plans to massacre Israelis, this says, so they decided to target innocent civilians by firing a barrage of rockets, the IDF further said.  102 missiles have been launched towards Israel. According to the Jerusalem Post, sirens continue to sound across Israel amid the attack. The Times of Israel reported, according to the IDF, around 10 million civilians are the targets of Iranian projectiles. Okay, I'm not sure I'm taking the IDF's opinion on really anything at this point. Maybe there's a better quote or  source that we can utilize because we know it's all propaganda on both sides, all the way across. There was also a terrorist attack yesterday that killed, I think, eight civilians in Israel. Two men with guns that opened fire just before. Terrible. Horrible.  No good. Very bad day.  This is ridiculous. We shouldn't be involving ourselves. We all know that the United States is going to put its nose where it doesn't belong.  We all know that we are the ones that are fighting Iran. We are the ones that are fighting Russia. We are the ones aiding the both of these countries would have absolutely no chance if it wasn't for our money and they wouldn't even be in the wars to begin with.  But they're going to send your sons and daughters to die  so that Israel  has a chance in this war and so that  Ukraine can continue giving 10 percent to the big guy.  Here's a video again coming from Alex Jones. I think the more and more we get into this crazy scenario or this crazy simulation, the more we find Alex Jones stuff out, you bull. Now again, it's Alex Jones. Take it with a grain of salt. He's been right about a ton of stuff. He's been wrong about a few things, just like all of us. But here is his video that I thought was decently well done.  And it's only going to get worse until people wake up and you will wake up one way or another.  You may wake up when the drones are flying down the street and the big trash trucks, robot driven, are pulling up and getting the dead bodies and your wife and kids are dead. And for some reason you're immune to the new virus and you're sitting there with the electricity off and no food and half the city's dead.  And just know that often luxurious places that people like Zuckerberg will be in their bunkers while we're all dying.  Our people are everywhere  and they're watching the enemy. And when we all jump on their private jets this week, next month, a year from now, whatever it is,  and the private airports are full, all the establishment and their minions loaded up with all their crap flying off to their armored fortresses, that's another key to know when they're about to pull the trigger on a new bio weapon.  Or a nuclear war.  But after the dust settles, we know where to get the medicine and food we need as survivors, don't we? And that's what matters at the end.  Is we will get these people.  I may not be around for it, and a lot of you won't be around for it. But don't get on the bus when they tell you they're relocating you for your safety when all the food and energy's off.  Because you go to that forced labor camp, you ain't ever coming back.  This is how it works in history.  Happens all the time.  People forget freedom. They don't stand up for themselves and the tyrants take over.  And they don't just not care about you. They hate you. They want to hurt you. I always hear, Oh, the new order doesn't care about the people. Oh, the Democrats don't care. Oh, they do care. They love partying and taking drugs and getting their hair done and flying around on private jets while your kids are all locked up at the house with you and you're going bankrupt. They enjoy hurting you. It makes them enjoy their lives so much more.  And hey, only people you got to blame is yourself, right? I'm not saying you're to blame. They obviously are the really bad people. But, hey, I get it. A lot of fun stuff. A lot of movies to see. A lot of concerts. Let somebody else handle that. The new order is gonna handle you.  They're making their move.  You're like they'll never get away with that. This is America. Have you looked around, boys and girls, at where we are?  And how fast thin

As Hurricane Helene hits the Gulf Coast, Jeff and Ginny Rapkin are still rebuilding after Hurricane Ian ripped the roof off their home in 2022. Their insurance company valued the damage at only about $15,000 for repairs. Sharyn Alfonsi investigates what happened. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a fierce critic of Putin, survived two poisonings and was sentenced to the longest term ever given to a political prisoner in Russia. Hear his story with Scott Pelley on 60 Minutes. Jon Wertheim sits down with WNBA stars to talk about the league's soaring TV ratings, player pay, and the buzz around this year's standout rookies. And Caitlin Clark challenges Wertheim to take a shot. Mezcal has experienced more production growth than any other liquor in the last decade. Cecilia Vega visits Oaxaca, Mexico, to meet the families working to meet demand for this popular spirit, while preserving the environment and their culture.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The White House is taking swift action as Hurricane Helene bears down on the southeast. In response to the Category 4 storm, President Joe Biden approved emergency disaster declarations for Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, unlocking critical federal resources. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has deployed over 1,100 personnel to assist with search and rescue, power restoration, and medical needs across the affected states. With flash flooding and widespread power outages expected, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell urged residents to evacuate if instructed, emphasizing that even moving 10 to 15 miles inland could be life-saving. She also noted that the storm surge could bring up to 20 feet of water. To put that in perspective, back in 2022, Hurricane Ian caused 14 feet of storm surge resulting in massive destruction and the tragic loss of over 150 lives, due mostly to drowning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Chat with the Chief episode, Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche is joined by North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison to reflect on the devastation of Hurricane Ian, two years after it made landfall. As the anniversary of this deadly storm approaches and the region enters peak hurricane season, the two chiefs discuss the lessons learned from the disaster, the investments made in equipment and technology to enhance response efforts, and the unwavering support from surrounding agencies that came together day after day.Tune in as Chief Garrison shares how the City of North Port has recovered, the resilience of its first responders, and the steps being taken to better prepare for future storms. Join us for an insightful discussion on leadership, community strength, and the power of collaboration in times of crisis.

Nancy Lewton evacuated her Florida home ahead of Hurricane Ian but a different storm was on her horizon. Not being able to contact her son Travis for days sent her all the way to Toledo, OH to check on him. When days passed and family members hadn't heard from her or her son they called the police. What the police would find was one of the more bizarre cases they had ever investigated.

What does mercy work look like immediately following a natural disaster? Joel and Kathy Matthews, Disaster Response Site Coordinators in the LCMS Florida-Georgia District, join Andy, Sarah, and guest co-host Rev. Kevin Robson, Chief Mission Officer for the LCMS, during our series on Mercy Stories to talk about where their interest in disaster response began, how they see this mercy work as a part of their Lutheran identity, how Hurricane Ian impacted the Florida-Georgia region, the opportunities they had to serve their neighbors during this time, what disaster response looks like immediately and after time has passed, and how they care for themselves as caregivers during these difficult times. Learn more about LCMS Disaster Response at lcms.org/disaster.  Read more about Mercy Work in the LCMS at lcms.org/how-we-serve/mercy. 

On this episode, Joe welcomes Bryan Stern, Army Veteran and Naval intelligence officer with over 25 years of experience. Bryan served in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom after being a first responder at Ground Zero on 9/11. Following his military service, he founded Grey Bull Rescue, a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing Americans in dangerous locations outside the reach of the U.S. government. In this episode, Bryan discusses a recent rescue mission in Russian-occupied Ukraine and the unique challenges faced by Grey Bull compared to traditional special operations units. He also sheds light on the current situation of Americans being held captive worldwide and his unwavering commitment to bringing them home.   Episode Resources: Grey Bull Rescue Foundation   About Our Guest    Grey Bull Rescue Foundation was founded by Bryan Stern, a Multiple-tour combat veteran of the United States Army & Navy, courageous 9/11 first responder and purple heart recipient. Bryan has over 25 years of military experience focused on special operations specializing in Hostage Rescue, Counter-Terrorism, Counter- Proliferation, Critical Technology Protection, and Unconventional Warfare. When Bryan saw Afghans struggling and Americans trying to escape the Taliban after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, he decided to act. Together with a team of former special operations and intelligence veterans, he led swift rescue missions amid the chaos. On their first mission, they saved 117 stranded Americans in one day. This effort led to the creation of the Grey Bull Rescue Foundation. Since then, Stern and his team have deployed on 616 missions, saving more than 7,000 lives. This includes missions in Ukraine, Sudan, Haiti, Israel and Gaza, along with operations in the United States during the Maui wildfires and Hurricane Ian. About Our Sponsors Navy Federal Credit Union   Navy Federal Credit Union thinks that tapping into your home's equity shouldn't come at a high price. They're here to help you get more out of your home base with their home equity loan options. Navy Federal has home equity loan options that could be used for home renovations, big purchases, and high interest debt consolidation. We've used equity in our home for all sorts of things over the years. Navy Federal covers one hundred percent of closing costs, which means you could save hundreds of dollars.  Plus, they don't have application or origination fees. To learn more about Navy Federal's home equity loan options, visit NavyFederal.org. At Navy Federal, our members are the mission.      Icogni  Go to incogni.com/veteran and use the code veteran at check out to get an exclusive 60% off an annual subscription. Join the conversation on Facebook! Check out Veteran on the Move on Facebook to connect with our guests and other listeners. A place where you can network with other like-minded veterans who are transitioning to entrepreneurship and get updates on people, programs and resources to help you in YOUR transition to entrepreneurship.   Want to be our next guest? Send us an email at interview@veteranonthemove.com.  Did you love this episode? Leave us a 5-star rating and review!  Download Joe Crane's Top 7 Paths to Freedom or get it on your mobile device. Text VETERAN to 38470. Veteran On the Move podcast has published 500 episodes. Our listeners have the opportunity to hear in-depth interviews conducted by host Joe Crane. The podcast features people, programs, and resources to assist veterans in their transition to entrepreneurship.  As a result, Veteran On the Move has over 7,000,000 verified downloads through Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, iTunes and RSS Feed Syndication making it one of the most popular Military Entrepreneur Shows on the Internet Today.

Sean Dunnigan is Owner of Ollie's Pub in Cape Coral, FL, a punk venue located on Cape Coral Pkwy. Ollie's was one of the few venues in Southwest Florida that hosted live, original rock, metal, punk, and experimental concerts and events.  Following a challenging 2020 and weathering the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Ollie's, unfortunately, had to make the difficult decision to close its doors in April of this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we welcome back to our show, intrepid newsman, Ali Velshi. Host of “Velshi” and seemingly the favorite fill-in host of every other MSNBC Prime Time News Show. Velshi also reported live from the frontlines of the George Floyd protests, he was drenched during Hurricane Ian and dodged incoming fire from Russian artillery when he fearlessly reported live from the frontlines in Ukraine. Velshi has been a contributor at CNN, Al Jazeera America, and NBC to name a few. He's also a prolific writer, check out his new book, Small Acts of Courage: A Legacy of Endurance and the Fight to save Democracy” It's an excellent read. But today, Ali and I will break down the debate. So, if you want to take the next step in improving your health, go to lumen.me/COHEN to get 15% off your Lumen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every American who has a mortgage is required by their bank to have homeowners insurance, but getting it and keeping it is becoming a challenge. In this episode, hear the highlights of a Senate hearing examining the problems in the homeowners insurance market and why they might lead to much bigger problems next time disaster strikes. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Background Sources Effects of Climate on Insurance Christopher Flavelle and Mira Rojanasakul. May 13, 2024. The New York Times. Chris Van Hollen et al. September 7, 2023. Chris Van Hollen, U.S. Senator for Maryland. Alice C. Hill. August 17, 2023. Council on Foreign Relations. Insurance Information Institute. Antonio Grimaldi et al. November 19, 2020. McKinsey & Company. Lobbying OpenSecrets. OpenSecrets. OpenSecrets. Heritage Foundation SourceWatch. Demotech William Rabb. April 15, 2024. Insurance Journal. Parinitha Sastry et al. December 2023. Fannie Mae Adam Hayes. May 17, 2023. Investopedia. Hurricanes National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Audio Sources Senate Committee on the Budget June 5, 2024 Witnesses: Glen Mulready, Insurance Commissioner, State of Oklahoma Rade Musulin, Principal, Finity Consulting Dr. Ishita Sen, Assistant Professor of Finance, Harvard Business School Deborah Wood, Florida Resident , Research Fellow, Heritage Foundation's Grover Hermann Center for the Federal Budget Clips 23:05 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): In 2022 and 2023, more than a dozen insurance companies left the Florida residential market, including national insurers like Farmers. Residents fled to Citizens Property Insurance, the state backed insurer of last resort, which ballooned from a 4% market share in 2019 to as much as 17% last year. If it has to pay out claims that exceed its reserves, citizens can levy a surcharge on Florida insurance policy holders across the state. Good luck with that. Particularly if the surcharge grows to hundreds or even thousands of dollars to depopulate its books. Citizens has let private insurers cherry pick out its least risk policies. Those private insurers may have problems of their own, as we will hear today. 25:10 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): The federal budget takes a hit because these insurers and their policies are accepted by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, who either own or guarantee a large part of our $12 trillion mortgage market. This all sounds eerily reminiscent of the run-up to the mortgage meltdown of 2008, including a role of potentially captive or not fully responsible rating agencies. 25:45 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): Florida is far from alone. A New York Times investigation found that the insurance industry lost money on homeowners coverage in 18 states last year, and the states may surprise you. The list includes Illinois, Michigan, Utah, Washington, and Iowa. Insurers in Iowa lost money each of the last four years. This is a signal that hurricanes and earthquakes, once the most prevalent perils, are being rivaled by hail, windstorms, and wildfires. 28:00 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): This isn't all that complicated. Climate risk makes things uninsurable. No insurance makes things unmortgageable. No mortgages crashes the property markets. Crashed property markets trash the economy. It all begins with climate risk, and a major party pretending that climate risk isn't real imperils our federal budget and millions of Americans all across the country. 33:45 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): Insurance premiums are far too high across the board and may increase after the recent storms, including those very storms in my state of Iowa. Climate change isn't the primary driver of insurance rate hikes and collapse of the insurance industry isn't imminent. Although I'll have to say, Iowa had six property and casualty companies pull out of insuring Iowans. Climate change doesn't explain why auto insurance premiums in 2024 have increased by a whopping 20% year over year. It also doesn't account for the consistent failure of liberal cities to fight crime, which has raised insurance risk and even caused insurers to deny coverage. Expensive liberal policies, not climate change, are much to blame for these market dynamics. 39:00 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): The first witness is Rade Musulin. Rade is an actuary with 45 years of experience in insurance, specializing in property pricing, natural perils, reinsurance, agriculture, catastrophe, risk modeling, public policy development, and climate risk. Specifically, he spent many years working in Florida, including as chair of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Advisory Council during the time in which Citizens Property Insurance Corporation was established. 39:35 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): Our second witness is Dr. Ishida Sen. Dr. Sen is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Business School. Her recent research examines the pricing of property insurance and the interactions between insurance and mortgage markets. This includes the role that institutions and the regulatory landscape play and the broader consequences for real estate markets, climate adaptation, and our overall financial stability. 40:00 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): Our third witness is Deb Wood. Ms. Wood and her husband Dan McGrath are both retired Floridians. They moved to South Florida in 1979 and lived in Broward County, which includes Fort Lauderdale for 43 years until skyrocketing insurance premiums became too much. They now reside in Tallahassee, Florida. 40:35 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): Dr. EJ Antoni is a Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget. His research focuses on fiscal and monetary policy, and he previously was an economist at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Antoni earned his Master's degree and Doctor's degree in Economics from Northern Illinois University. 41:10 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): Commissioner Glen Mulready has served as Oklahoma's 13th Insurance Commissioner and was first elected to this position in 2019. Commissioner Mulready started his insurance career as a broker in 1984, and also served in the Oklahoma State House of Representatives. 42:15 Rade Musulin: Okay. My name is Ray Muslin. I'm an actuary who has extensive experience in natural hazard risks and funding arrangements for the damage and loss they cause. I've worked with many public sector entities on policy responses to the challenges of affordability, availability of insurance, and community resilience. This work included participating in Florida's response to Hurricane Andrew, which included the creation of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund and Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. The Cat Fund and Citizens can access different forms of funding than traditional insurance companies. Instead of holding sufficient capital or reinsurance before an event to cover the cost of potential losses, both entities use public sources of capital to reduce upfront costs by partially funding losses post-event through bonding and assessments. All property casualty insurance policy holders, whether in Citizens or not, are subject to its assessments. While the Cat Fund can also assess almost all policies, including automobile, this approach exposes Floridians to debt and repayment if large losses occur, and it subsidizes high risk policies from the entire population. These pools, others like them in other states, and the NFIP have contributed to rapid development in high risk areas driving higher costs in the long run. In Florida, national insurers have reduced their exposure as a significant proportion of the insurance market has moved to Citizens or smaller insurers with limited capital that are heavily dependent on external reinsurance. To date, Florida's system has been successful in meeting its claims obligations, while improvements in building codes have reduced loss exposure. However, for a variety of reasons, including exposure to hurricanes, claims cost inflation, and litigation, Florida's insurance premiums are the highest in the nation, causing significant affordability stress for consumers. According to market research from Bankrate, the average premium for a $300,000 home in Florida is three times the national average, with some areas five times the national average. A major hurricane hitting a densely populated area like Miami could trigger large and long lasting post-event assessments or even exceed the system's funding capacity. Continued rapid exposure growth and more extreme hurricane losses amplified by climate change will cause increasing stress on the nation's insurance system, which may be felt through solvency issues, non-renewals, growth of government pools, and affordability pressure. 44:55 Rade Musulin: Evidence of increasing risk abounds, including Hurricane Otis in 2023, which rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to a cat. five hurricane and devastated Acapulco in Mexico last summer. Water temperatures off Florida exceeded a hundred degrees Fahrenheit last week. As was alluded to earlier, NOAA forecast an extremely active hurricane season for '24. We've seen losses in the Mid-Atlantic from Sandy, record flooding from Harvey, and extreme devastation from Maria, among others. In coming decades, we must prepare for the possibility of more extreme hurricanes and coastal flooding from Texas to New England. 46:50 Dr. Ishita Sen: Good morning Senators. I am Ishita Sen, Assistant Professor at Harvard Business School and my research studies insurance markets. In recent work with co-authors at Columbia University and the Federal Reserve Board, I examine how climate risk creates fiscal and potentially financial instability because of miscalibrated insurer screening standards and repercussions to mortgage markets. 47:15 Dr. Ishita Sen: Insurance is critical to the housing market. Property insurers help households rebuild after disasters by preserving collateral values and reducing the likelihood that a borrower defaults. Insurance directly reduces the risks for mortgage lenders and the Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Mortgage Lenders therefore require property insurance and the GSEs only purchase mortgages backed by insurers who meet minimum financial strength ratings, which measure insurer solvency and ability to pay claims. The GSEs accept three main rating agencies AM Best, S & P and, more recently, Demotech. And to provide an example, Fannie Mae requires insurers to have at least a B rating from AM Best, or at least an A rating from Demo Tech to accept a mortgage. Now, despite having this policy in place, we find a dramatic rise in mortgages backed by fragile insurers and show that the GSEs and therefore the taxpayers ultimately shoulder a large part of the financial burden. Our research focuses on Florida because of availability of granular insurance market data, and we show that traditional insurers are exiting and the gap is rapidly being filled by insurers, rated by Demotech, which has about 60% market share in Florida today. These insurers are low quality across a range of different financial and operational metrics, and are at a very high risk of becoming insolvent. But despite their risk, these insurers secure high enough ratings to meet the minimum rating requirements set by the GSEs. Our analysis shows that many actually would not be eligible under the methodologies of other rating agencies, implying that in many cases these ratings are inflated and that the GSEs insurer requirements are miscalibrated. 49:20 Dr. Ishita Sen: We next look at how fragile insurers create mortgage market risks. So in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, homeowners with a policy from one of the insolvent Demotech insurers were significantly more likely to default on their mortgage relative to similar borrowers with policies from stable insurers. This is because insurers that are in financial trouble typically are slower to pay claims or may not pay the full amounts. But this implies severe economic hardships for many, many Floridians despite having expensive insurance coverage in place. However, the pain doesn't just stop there. The financial costs of fragile insurers go well beyond the borders of Florida because lenders often sell mortgages, for example, to the GSEs, and therefore, the risks created by fragile insurers spread from one state to the rest of the financial system through the actions of lenders and rating agencies. In fact, we show two reasons why the GSEs bear a large share of insurance fragility risk. First is that lenders strategically securitize mortgages, offloading loans backed by Demotech insurers to the GSEs in order to limit their counterparty risk exposures. And second, that lenders do not consider insurer risk during mortgage origination for loans that they can sell to the GSEs, even though they do so for loans that they end up retaining, indicating lax insurer screening standards for loans that can be offloaded to the GSEs. 50:55 Dr. Ishita Sen: Before I end, I want to leave you with two numbers. Over 90%. That's our estimate of Demotech's market share among loans that are sold to the GSEs. And 25 times more. That's Demotech's insolvency rate relative to AM Best, among the GSE eligible insurers. 57:15 Glen Mulready: As natural disasters continue to rise, understanding the dynamics of insurance pricing is crucial for both homeowners and policymakers. Homeowners insurance is a fundamental safeguard for what is for many Americans their single largest asset. This important coverage protects against financial loss due to damage or destruction of a home and its contents. However, recent years have seen a notable increase in insurance premiums. One significant driver of this rise is convective storms and other severe weather events. Convective storms, which include phenomena like thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hail, have caused substantial damage in various regions. The cost to repair homes and replace belongings after such events has skyrocketed leading insurance companies to adjust their premiums to cover that increased risk. Beyond convective storms, we've witnessed hurricanes, wildfires, and flooding. These events have not only caused damage, but have also increased the long-term risk profile of many areas. Insurance companies are tasked with managing that risk and have responded by raising premiums to ensure they can cover those potential claims. 58:30 Glen Mulready: Another major factor influencing homeowner's insurance premiums is inflation. Inflation affects the cost of building materials, labor, and other expenses related to home repair and reconstruction. As the cost of living increases, so does the cost of claims for insurers. When the price of lumber, steel, and other essential materials goes up, the expense of repairing or rebuilding homes also rises. Insurance companies must reflect these higher costs in their premiums to maintain financial stability and ensure they can meet those contractual obligations to policyholders. 59:35 Glen Mulready: I believe the most essential aspect of managing insurance premiums is fostering a robust, competitive free market. Competition among insurance companies encourages innovation and efficiency, leading to better pricing and services for consumers. When insurers can properly underwrite and price for risk, they create a more balanced and fair market. This involves using advanced data analytics and modeling techniques to accurately assess the risk levels of different properties. By doing so, insurance companies can offer premiums that reflect the true risk, avoiding excessive charges for low risk homeowners, and ensuring high risk properties are adequately covered. Regulation also plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy insurance market. Policyholders must strike a balance between consumer protection and allowing insurers the freedom and flexibility to adjust their pricing based on the risk. Overly stringent regulations can stifle competition and lead to market exits, reducing choices for consumers. We've seen this play out most recently in another state where there were artificial caps put in place on premium increases that worked well for consumers in the short term, but then one by one, all of the major insurers began announcing they would cease to write any new homeowners insurance in that state. These are all private companies, and if there's not the freedom and flexibility to price their products properly, they may have to take drastic steps as we've seen. Conversely, a well-regulated market encourages transparency and fairness, ensuring that homeowners have access to the most affordable and adequate coverage options. 1:02:00 Dr. EJ Antoni: I'm a public finance economist and the Richard F. Aster fellow at the Heritage Foundation, where I research fiscal and monetary policy with a particular focus on the Federal Reserve. I am also a senior fellow at the Committee to Unleash Prosperity. 1:02:15 Dr. EJ Antoni: Since January 2021, prices have risen a cumulative 19.3% on average in the American economy. Construction prices for single family homes have risen much faster, up 30.5% during the same time. 1:03:20 Dr. EJ Antoni: Actuarial tables used in underwriting to estimate risk and future losses, as well as calculate premiums, rely heavily on those input costs. When prices increase radically, precisely as has happened over the last several years, old actuarial tables are of significantly less use when pricing premiums because they will grossly understate the future cost to the insurer. The sharp increase in total claim costs since 2019 has resulted in billions of dollars of losses for both insurers and reinsurers prompting large premium increases to stop those losses. This has put significant financial stress on consumers who are already struggling with a cost of living crisis and are now faced with much higher insurance premiums, especially for homeowners insurance. 1:05:10 Dr. EJ Antoni: The increase in claims related to weather events has undoubtedly increased, but it is not due to the climate changing. This is why the insurance and reinsurance markets do not rely heavily on climate modeling when pricing premiums. Furthermore, climate models are inherently subjective, not merely in how the models are constructed, but also by way of the inputs that the modeler uses. In other words, because insufficient data exists to create a predictive model, a human being must make wide ranging assumptions and add those to the model in place of real world data. Thus, those models have no predictive value for insurers. 1:07:40 Sen. Sheldon Whitehoue (D-RI): You say that this combination of demographics, development, and disasters poses a significant risk to our financial system. What do you mean by risk to our financial system Rade Musulin: Well, Senator, if you look at the combination, as has been pointed out, of high growth and wealth accumulation in coastal areas, and you look at just what we've observed in the climate, much less what's predicted in the future, there is significant exposure along the coastline from Maine to Texas. In fact, my family's from New Jersey and there is enormous development on the coast of New Jersey. And if we start to get major hurricanes coming through those areas, the building codes are probably not up to the same standards they are in Florida. And we could be seeing some significant losses, as I believe was pointed out in the recent Federal Reserve study. Sen. Sheldon Whitehoue (D-RI): And how does that create risk to the financial system? Rade Musulin: Well, because it's sort of a set of dominoes, you start with potentially claims issues with the insurers being stressed and not able to pay claims. You have post-event rate increases as we've seen in Florida, you could have situations where people cannot secure insurance because they can't afford it, then that affects their mortgage security and so on and so forth. So there are a number of ways that this could affect the financial system, sir. Sen. Sheldon Whitehoue (D-RI): Cascading beyond the immediate insurer and becoming a national problem. Rade Musulin: Well, I would just note Senator, that in Florida, the real problems started years after we got past Andrew. We got past paying the claims on Andrew, and then the big problems occurred later when we tried to renew the policies. 1:10:50 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): And you see in this, and I'm quoting you here, parallels in the 2008 financial crisis. What parallels do you see? Dr. Ishita Sen: So just like what happened during the financial crisis, there were rating agencies that gave out high ratings to pools of mortgages backed by subprime loans. Here we have a situation where rating agencies like Demotech are giving out inflated ratings to insurance companies. The end result is sort of the same. There is just too much risk and too many risky mortgages being originated, in this case backed by really low quality insurers that are then entering the financial system. And the consequences of that has to be born by, of course the homeowners, but also the mortgage owners, GSCs (Government Sponsored Enterprises), the lenders, and ultimately the federal and state governments. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): You say, this will be my last question. The fragility of property insurers is an important channel through which climate risk might threaten the stability of mortgage markets and possibly the financial system. What do you mean when you refer to a risk to the financial system? Dr. Ishita Sen: Well, as I was explaining the GSEs, if there are large losses that the GSEs face, then those losses have to be plugged by somebody. So the taxpayers, that's one channel through which you've got risk to the financial system and the GSE's serve as a backstop in the mortgage market. They may not have the ability or capacity to do so in such a scenario, which affects mortgage backed security prices, which are held by all sorts of financial institutions. So that starts affecting all of these institutions. On the other hand, if you've got a bunch of insurers failing, another channel is these insurers are one of the largest investors in many asset classes like corporate bonds, equities, and so on. And they may have to dump these securities at inopportune times, and that affects the prices of these securities as well. 1:12:45 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-AI): Dr. Antoni, is there any evidence to support the notion that climate change is the greatest threat to the insurance market? Dr. EJ Antoni: No. Senator, there is not. And part of that has to do again, with the fact that when we look at the models that are used to predict climate change, we simply don't have enough empirical data with which we can input into those models. And so as a result of that, we have to have human assumptions on what we think is going to happen based essentially on a guess. And as a result of that, these models really are not of any predictive value, and that's why these models for the last 50 years have been predicting catastrophic outcomes, none of which have come true. 1:14:45 Glen Mulready: This focus on the rating agencies, I would agree with that if that were the be all end all. But the state insurance commissioners in each 50 states is tasked with the financial solvency of the insurance companies. We do not depend on rating agencies for that. We are doing financial exams on them. We are doing financial analysis every quarter on each one of them. So I would agree if that was the sort of be all end all, forgive that phrase, but it's not at all. And we don't depend very much at all on those rating agencies from our standpoint. 1:22:15 Dr. Ishita Sen: On the point about regulators looking at -- rating agencies is not something that we need to look at. I would just point out that in Florida, if you look at the number of exams that the Demotech rated insurers, that by the way have a 20% insolvency rate relative to 0% for traditional insurers, they get examined at the same rate as the traditional insurers like Farmers and AllState get examined, which is not something that you would expect if you're more risky. You would expect regulators to come look at them much, much more frequently. And the risk-based capital requirements that we have currently, which were designed in the 1980s, they're just not sensitive enough to new risks like wildfire and hurricanes and so on. And also not as well designed for under-diversified insurance companies because if so, all of these insurers were meeting the risk-based capital requirements, however, at the same time going insolvent at the rate of 20%. So those two things don't really go hand in hand. 1:23:25 Dr. Ishita Sen: Ultimately what the solution is is something that is obviously the main question that we are here to answer, but I would say that it is extremely hard to really figure out what the solution is, in part because we are not in a position right now to even answer some basic facts about how big the problem is, what exactly the numbers look like. For instance, we do not know basic facts about how much coverage people have in different places, how much they're paying. And when I say we don't know, we don't know this at a granular enough level because the data does not exist. And the first step towards designing any policy would be for us to know exactly how bad the problem is. And then we come up with a solution for that and start to evaluate these different policy responses. Right now we are trying to make policy blindfolded. 1:23:50 Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI): So we've had testimony before this committee that we've already spent $5-6 trillion. That's 5,000 to 6,000 billion dollars trying to mitigate climate change. We haven't made a dent in it. Their estimates, it's going to cost tens of trillions of dollars every year to reach net zero. So again, this is not the solution for a real problem, which is the broken insurance market. I have enough Wisconsin residents who live on the Gulf Coast in Florida to know after Hurricane Ian, you got some real problems in Florida. But fixing climate change isn't the solution. 1:33:15 Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR): In looking at the materials I saw that Citizens Property Insurance Company, I gather that's Louisiana and Florida, that have a completely state backed program. Well, alright, so if the state becomes the insurer of last resort and they now suffer the same losses that a regular private insurance company is suffering, now the folks in the state are carrying massive debt. So that doesn't seem like a great solution. Dr. Ishita Sen: That's definitely a problem, right? The problem is of course, that whether the state then has the fiscal capacity to actually withstand a big loss, like a big hurricane season, which is a concern that was raised about Citizens. And in such a scenario then in a world where they do not have enough tax revenue, then they would have to go into financial markets, try to borrow money, which could be very costly and so on. So fiscally it's going to be very challenging for many cities and many municipalities and counties and so on. 1:36:40 Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT): I wish there were something we could do that would reduce the climate change we're seeing and the warming of the planet. But I've seen absolutely nothing proposed by anyone that reduces CO2 emissions, methane gases and the heating of the planet. Climate change is going to happen because of the development in China and Indonesia and Brazil, and the only thing that actually makes any measurable impact at all is putting a price on carbon, and no one seems to be willing to consider doing that. Everything else that's being talked about on the climate — Democratic Senator: I got two bills. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT): I know you and I are, but you guys had reconciliation. You could have done it all by yourselves and you didn't. So the idea that somehow we're going to fix climate and solve the insurance problem is pie in the sky. That's avoiding the reality that we can't fix climate because that's a global issue, not an American issue. Anyway, let me turn back to insurance. 1:38:30 Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT): So the question is, what actions can we take? Fiscal reform? Yes, to try and deal with inflation. Except I want to note something, Mr. Antoni, because you're esteemed at the Heritage Foundation. 72% of federal spending is not part of the budget we vote on. So we talk about Biden wants to spend all this.... 72% we don't vote on; we only vote on 28%. Half of that is the military. We Republicans want more military spending, not less. So that means the other 14%, which the Democrats want to expand, there's no way we can reduce the 14% enough to have any impact on the massive deficits we're seeing. So there's going to have to be a broader analysis of what we have to do to reign in our fiscal challenges. I just want to underscore that. I would say a second thing we can do, besides fiscal reform and dealing with inflation, is stopping subsidizing high risk areas. Basically subsidizing people to build expensive places along the coast and in places that are at risk of wildfire. And we subsidize that and that creates huge financial risk to the system. And finally, mitigation of one kind or another. That's the other thing we can do is all sorts of mitigation: forestry management, having people move in places that are not high risk. But if you want to live in a big house on the coast, you're gonna have to spend a lot of money to insure it or take huge risk. That's just the reality. So those are the three I come up with. Stop the subsidy, mitigation, and fiscal reform. What else am I missing, Mr. Musulin? And I'm just going to go down the line for those that are sort of in this area to give me your perspectives. Rade Musulin: Well, thank you, Senator. And I'd agree with all those things. And I'd also add that we need to start thinking about future-proofing our building codes and land use policies. The sea levels are rising. If you're going to build a house that's supposed to last 75 years, you ought to be thinking about the climate in 75 years when you give somebody a permit to build there. So I'd say that's important. I'd also say that large disasters also drive inflation because it puts more pressure and demand on labor and materials. More disasters means supplies that could have been used to build new homes for Americans or diverted to rebuild homes in the past. So certainly doing things to reduce the vulnerability of properties and improve their resilience is important. And I do think, sir, that there are things we can do about climate change with respect over periods of decades that can make a difference in the long run. Thank you. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT): Thank you. Yes. Dr. Ishita Sen: So before that, the one point about inflation that we are missing, which is without doubt it is a contributing factor, but the US has had inflation in the past without such an acute crisis in insurance markets. So whether that is the biggest cause or not is up for debate. I don't think we have reached a conclusion on inflation being the biggest contributor of rising insurance cost. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT): It's just a big one. You'd agree It's a big one? Dr. Ishita Sen: I agree. It's a big one, but I wouldn't say it's the biggest one in terms of policy solutions. I completely agree with you on, we need to stop subsidizing building in high risk areas. That's definitely one of the things we need to do that. Mitigation, another point that you bring up. And on that, I would say not only do we need to harden our homes, but we also need to harden our financial institutions, our banks, and our insurance companies in order to make them withstand really large climate shocks that are for sure coming their way. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT): Thank You, Ms. Wood. I'm going to let you pass on this just because that's not your area of expertise. Your experience was something which focused our thinking today. Mr. Mulready. Glen Mulready: Thank you, Senator. I would say amen to your comments, but I'll give you three quick things. Number one, FEMA has a survey out that states that every $1 spent in mitigation saves $6 in lost claims. It pays off. Number two, unfortunately, a lot of communities have to have a disaster happen. In Moore, Oklahoma, back a dozen years ago, an EF5 (tornado) hit, it was just totally devastating. After that, the city of Moore changed their zoning, they changed their building zoning codes, and then third, the city of Tulsa, back in the eighties, had horrible flooding happened. So they invested over decades in infrastructure to prevent flooding. Now we're one of only two communities in the country that are Class one NFIP rated. 1:45:40 Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD): One way to address this, and I think it was discussed in a different matter, is the need to get the data and to get consensus on where the risks lie, which is why last year Senator Whitehouse, Senator Warren and I sent a letter to the Treasury Department, to the Federal Insurance Office (FIO), urging them to collect information from different states. I'm a supporter of a state-based insurance system for property and casualty insurance, but I do think it would benefit all of us to have a sort of national yardstick against which we can measure what's happening. So Dr. Sen, could you talk a little bit about the benefit of having a common source of insurance data through the FIO and how that could benefit state regulators and benefit all of us? Dr. Ishita Sen: Yeah, absolutely. Thanks for bringing that up. That's just the first order importance, I think, because we don't even know the basic facts about this problem at a granular enough level. The risks here are local, and so we need to know what's going zip code-by-zip code, census tract-by-census tract, and for regulators to be able to figure out exactly how much risk is sitting with each of these insurance companies they need to know how much policies they're writing, what's the type of coverage they're selling in, what are the cancellations looking like in different zip codes. Only then can they figure out exactly how exposed these different insurers are, and then they can start designing policy about whether the risk-based capital ratios look alright or not, or should we put a surcharge on wildfires or hurricanes and so on? And we do need a comprehensive picture. We just can't have a particular state regulator look at the risks in that state, because of course, the insurer is selling insurance all over the country and we need to get a comprehensive picture of all of that. 1:47:40 Sen. Chris Van Hollen: I appreciate that. I gather that the Treasury Department is getting some resistance from some state insurance regulators. I hope we can overcome that because I'm not sure why anyone would want to deny the American people the benefit of the facts here. 1:48:45 Rade Musulin: I will just note that sometimes climate change itself can contribute to the inflation we've been talking about. For example, there were beetle infestations and droughts and fires in Canada, which decimated some of the lumber crop and led to a fivefold increase in the cost of lumber a few years ago. So some of this claims inflation is actually related to climate change, and I think we need to address that. 1:49:35 Glen Mulready: If you didn't know, the NAIC, National Association of Insurance Commission is in the midst of a data collection right now that will collect that data for at least 80% of the homeowner's market. And we have an agreement with FIO (Federal Insurance Office) to be sharing that data with them. They originally came to us, I got a letter from FIO and they were requesting data that we did not actually collect at the zip code level, and they had a very stringent timeline for that. So my response, it wasn't, no, it was just, look, we can't meet that timeline. We don't collect that today. We can in the future. But from that is where this has grown the data called by the NEIC. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD): So I appreciate, I saw that there had been now this effort on behalf of the....So has this now been worked out? Are there any states that are objecting, to your knowledge at this point in time, in terms of sharing data? Glen Mulready: I don't know about specific states. We will be collecting data that will represent at least 80% of the market share. Music by Editing Production Assistance

As the Trump trial heats up - We flash back to the past. John chats with Gordon in Illinois about forgiving people and reparations. Then Cela from Texas talks about her friend in Hurricane Ian and her pot corn bread. Next Richie in L.A. talks about disco and Rich in Indiana reminds John about the Drop Kick Murphy's New Album release and quotes Arlo Guthrie about music integrity. The finally, John Interviews former Trump Attorney Michael Cohen on the Trump Foundation; Mar-a-Lago snitches; other Trump attorneys; the possibility of Donald going to jail; and his new book "Revenge: How Donald Trump Weaponized the US Department of Justice Against His Critics"See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.