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☆ Who Profits After Natural Disasters Like Hurricanes and Wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Anthony Dimauro | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

After Hurricane Michael struck Florida in 2018, home sales rose significantly, allowing disaster investors to reap the rewards. This venture has the potential to be even more rewarding given the increasing frequency of natural disasters in the US. But federal disaster relief is painfully slow to respond and often doesn't cover most of the costs. And while moratoriums on damaged land sales aren't a long-term, legally tenable solution, there are ways state officials might be able to deter disaster investors. As the threat of natural disasters increases, so will disaster profiteers.

Persons: Josh Green, Ian, Hurricane Michael, Hurricane, Joe Raedle, Hurricane Maria, Congress —, Hurricane Sandy, it's, Anthony DiMauro Organizations: Nashville Metro Council, FEMA, Hurricane, Centers for Environmental, Federal Reserve's Survey, Consumer Finances, Emergency Managment Agency, Small Business Administration, Urban Institute, Office, Congress, of Housing, Urban, Bloomberg, Newsweek, L.A Locations: Hawaii, Maui, Hawaii's, Tennessee, Nashville, Florida, Wilsey, New Orleans, California, Puerto Rico, Lahaina, New York

☆ When Your ‘Doppelganger’ Becomes a Conspiracy Theorist
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Jennifer Szalai | More About Jennifer Szalai | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Klein was trapped inside a hall of mirrors, and she was trying to find a way out. Before writing about her doppelgänger, Klein felt stuck. Klein told her what she was going through: “I used to fill notebooks, you know, everywhere I went. As much as Klein recoiled at what Wolf was saying, she also felt the sting of recognition. (In an email, Wolf declined to comment on “Doppelganger,” explaining that she hadn’t yet read the book, but said that some of her tweets “were poorly worded and were deleted.”)

Persons: Klein, Hurricane, ”, Biden, V, Eve Ensler, Harriet Clark, ” Clark, Joan Didion’s “, Covid, “, hadn’t, ” Klein, Philip Roth, Wolf, tweeting, Naomi, Tucker Carlson, nodded Organizations: Rutgers University Locations: New Jersey, British Columbia

☆ Hurricanes could drive gas prices, and inflation, higher
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

That’s potentially bad news for gas prices. What’s happening: Gas prices are already at $3.82 a gallon. Geopolitical tensions have been supporting high oil and gas prices for some time. In 2005, for example, gas prices surged by 46% between Memorial Day and Labor Day because of the landfall of Hurricane Katrina, according to Bespoke. “Energy prices have been a major contributor to persistently high inflation in the US, so the crude oil price will remain a watch-out factor for future inflation.”High oil and gas prices are one of the largest contributing factors to inflation.

Persons: “ Idalia, ”, Louis Navellier, Andrew Woods, OpenAI, Catherine Thorbecke, Estee Lauder, CNN’s Gregory Wallace Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Labor, Nasdaq Advisory Services Energy Team, Navellier, Investment, Citigroup, Day, Federal Reserve, “, Exxon Mobil, BP, Chevron, Fortune, CNN, The New York Times, Reuters, Disney, Bloomberg, The Washington Post, ABC News, ESPN, American Airlines, Airlines, Department of Transportation, Fort Worth Locations: New York, Florida, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, The, Texas, Dallas, American

☆ How does Storm Idalia compare to the most powerful hurricanes in US history?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Here is a list of some of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the mainland U.S. based on minimum atmospheric pressure, which scientists use to rate storm intensity. A lower pressure, measured in millibars, or mb, means a more powerful storm. UNNAMED FLORIDA KEYS HURRICANE, LABOR DAY 1935 (892 MB)The hurricane struck the Florida Keys as a Category 5 storm, the highest ranking on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale. After ravaging the Keys, the storm moved north off the western coast of Florida before turning inland. Ian almost hit as a Category 5 storm, with the wind speed falling just short of the threshold of 157 mph (252 km).

Persons: Ian, Marco Bello, Idalia, Florida . HURRICANE CAMILLE, Camille, MICHAEL, Michael, HURRICANE KATRINA, HURRICANE ANDREW, Andrew, HURRICANE IAN, Hurricane Ian, Rich McKay, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, National Hurricane Center, Florida Panhandle, U.S, HURRICANE, Texas Gulf, Hurricane, Thomson Locations: Fort Myers Beach , Florida, U.S, Florida, Florida , Georgia, Carolinas, FLORIDA, Florida . HURRICANE, Mississippi's Gulf, Central America, HURRICANE, New Orleans, South Miami, Dade County, TEXAS GULF, Texas, Texas Gulf Coast, Indianola, Galveston, Atlanta

☆ Analysis: Trump mug shot is stark in its simplicity
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The mug shot of Donald Trump instantly became one of the most iconic images of anyone who served as commander in chief. Video Ad Feedback Haberman: This is the message Trump wanted to convey in his mug shot 01:08 - Source: CNNFor those who revile Trump for his autocratic instincts, demagoguery, vulgarity and self-obsession, the mug shot may offer feelings of vindication. For any other politician, a mug shot would be the end. Even though he’s no longer in office, Trump’s mug shot will now enter the historic record of the select band of those who’ve called the White House home. The same will be true of Trump’s mug shot.

Persons: Donald Trump, P01135809, Trump, revile Trump, he’s, –, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Jacqueline Kennedy, husband’s, Richard Nixon’s, George W, Bush, catalyzing Organizations: CNN, Office, Republican, Trump, Service, Twitter, GOP, White, Air Force, Hurricane Locations: Fulton, Georgia, New York, Atlanta, Wisconsin, Dallas, ignominy

☆ Gulf Coast officials are scrambling to prepare for a hurricane and extreme heat
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

And along the Gulf Coast, officials are now grappling with how to handle two potentially deadly disasters set to compound: a hurricane and extreme heat. Last week, the city issued an emergency declaration for extreme heat, underscoring rising concerns about widespread power outages ahead of peak hurricane season. Experts have also said that extreme heat is a silent killer and can be a major contributing factor in the overall hurricane death toll. “If Miami experienced extreme heat at the same time, portions of our community would have no relief for what could be days or weeks,” Williams told CNN. Officials there are still navigating how to properly prepare for the rapidly changing extreme weather to avoid mass casualties.

Persons: CNN — It’s, ” Anna Nguyen, —, they’ve, ” Christopher Dalbom, who’s, Christiana Botic, Nikisha Williams, ” Williams, Irma pummeled, ” Thomas Muñoz, “, We’ve, Pete Gomez, Hurricane Ida, Eva Marie Uzcategui, Daniella Levine Cava, Gomez, ” Gomez, Williams, ”, Muñoz, I’ve, ” Muñoz, Nguyen, they’re, Katrina, ” Nguyen, “ There’s Organizations: CNN, New Orleans Homeland Security, Preparedness, Tulane Center, Environmental Law, New York Times, The Miami Foundation, Miami, Houston’s Office, Emergency Management, Dade, Bloomberg, Getty, Homeless Locations: Gulf Coast, New Orleans, Miami, Dade County , New Orleans, Houston, Coast, Irma pummeled Florida, Texas, Florida, Dade County, Miami , Florida, “, Orleans

☆ How tourism destinations come back from natural disasters
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Rich Harrill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The following Q&A with University of South Carolina research professor Rich Harrill, an expert on hospitality and tourism, looks at what’s happened in Hawaii and how other tourism destinations have bounced back from natural disasters. Compared with other destinations, Hawaii is very reliant on tourism – it comprises about 25% of the state’s economy. Maui County has the state’s highest reliance on tourism, with 51% of its jobs falling into sectors directly associated with tourism. This is a process that’s led by groups known in the travel industry as destination marketing and management organizations. Working with their local destination marketing organization, local governments should make decisions carefully about inviting visitors back.

Persons: Rich Harrill, Patrick T, Fallon, who’s, Hurricane Katrina, Iniki Organizations: CNN, University of South, Hawaii Department of Business, Economic, Tourism, Kahului, Getty, Hurricane Locations: Maui, Lahaina, University of South Carolina, Hawaii, Maui County, Kahului, AFP, New Orleans, Kauai

☆ Cadaver dogs are in Maui to help find the deceased
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Zoe Sottile | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

As Maui officials continue searching through the wreckage for the many who are still missing after wildfires tore through the island, they have a new tool at hand: human remains detection dogs, often called cadaver dogs. Human remains detection dogs are one of several kinds of working dogs trained to detect scents, like bomb or drug detection dogs. Search dogs are often dogs with a working heritage, like border collies or German shepherds. Lynne Engelbert, a human remains detection dog handler and teacher, told CNN the job requires a specific canine personality. Lisa Briggs, a forensic criminologist who specializes in the use of human remains detection dogs, told CNN not all human remains detection dogs have the same skills – and the dogs in Maui would need to be imprinted specifically on burnt remains in order to search effectively.

Persons: Hurricane Dora, John Pelletier, “, Jason Purgason, Lynne Engelbert, that’s, ”, Purgason, it’s, Lisa Briggs, –, ” Briggs, Mary Cablk, ” Cablk, “ There’s, Briggs, ” Purgason, Hurricane Katrina, Engelbert, “ They’re Organizations: CNN, National Fire Protection Association, Officials, Federal Emergency Management, Maui Police, Highland Canine, Desert Research Institute, Hurricane, “ Locations: Maui, Hurricane

☆ FEMA Outlines Maui Wildfire Support as Victims Critique Government Response
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Eileen Sullivan | More About Eileen Sullivan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“We understand that connectivity is still scarce in some areas,” Deanne Criswell, the FEMA administrator and one of about 300 agency employees on the ground in Hawaii, told reporters on Monday. There are questions about whether wildfire warnings were loud enough and early enough and whether government officials were adequately prepared to deal with the fires. FEMA is typically the first agency to face intense scrutiny after disasters. It is most often associated with its role responding to hurricanes, particularly because of its history of bungled reactions to previous disasters. While the federal agency plays a critical role in disaster response, it is not meant to be the first on the scene.

Persons: Deanne Criswell, Andrew, Hurricane, Hurricane Maria Organizations: FEMA, Hurricane, Defense Department Locations: Hawaii, Lahaina, Florida, Orleans, Puerto Rico

☆ Moving Out of Harm’s Way
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Manuela Andreoni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The floods and fires exacerbated by climate change will push an increasing number of people out of their homes. It turns out, though, that many people who’ve already had to move out of harm’s way haven’t gone very far. At least not in the United States, according to a new study by researchers at Rice University who focused on floods. And race appears to be a factor in how and where they move. About three-quarters stayed within a 20-mile drive of their old homes.

Persons: who’ve, James R, Elliott Organizations: Rice University, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane Locations: United States

☆ In the Kitchen, a Soulful Serving of Heritage and Tradition
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Marcus Samuelsson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

I’ve been blessed to travel the world chasing flavors, wandering through markets, dining at fancy restaurants and eating at mom-and-pop food trucks. It makes me think of a woman who inspires me like no other: the great Creole chef Leah Chase. “In my dining room, we changed the course of America over a bowl of gumbo and some fried chicken,” she once said. I turned to her legacy for inspiration, motivated by how her restaurant helped shape the civil rights movement and sustained the community. To me, this is the spirit of true American food, which is more democratic than ever.

Persons: I’ve, Leah Chase, Barack Obama, Dooky, “, Derrick Adams, Thelma Golden, Erick, Lee Anne Wong’s, —, Marcus Samuelsson Locations: Senegal, Spain, New Orleans, America, Chelsea, United States, Savannah, Chicago, Hawaii

☆ When Will Gas Prices Go Down?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +10 min

Gas price outlook for 2023When you venture out during the summer travel season, expect gas prices to remain steady through September—mostly due to overseas economic pressures. “When per-barrel prices go up, gas prices go up. By that time, the EIA estimates gas prices will drop to roughly $3.09 per gallon—a near-50-cent price break from today’s prices. Other factors affecting gas pricesWhile supply and demand are the leading factors that dictate oil and gas prices, they aren’t the only players. The Google Maps app also has a gas pump icon under the main search bar that will highlight local gas prices.

Persons: ”, Stuart Katz, Robertson Stephens, “, we’ve, John LaForge, Barack Obama, Biden, Katz, — you’ll Organizations: U.S . Energy Information Administration, Organization of, Petroleum, Energy, Wells, Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Bush, Hurricane, International Energy Agency, Treasury Department, State Tax Gas, of, PayPal, Google, Gas, Shell, Exxon, Mobil, Consumer, Lexus, Ford, University of California Locations: Ukraine, Russia, China, Wells Fargo, Persian, West Coast, California, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Washington, Hawaii, Illinois, Alaska, New Jersey, Connecticut, Los Angeles

CNN —Pat Robertson, the prominent televangelist who founded the Christian Broadcasting Network, made the Christian right a powerful political force and unsuccessfully ran for president in 1988, died on Thursday, the network said in a news release. “Pat Robertson, longtime TV host, religious broadcaster, educator, humanitarian, and one-time presidential candidate died at his home in Virginia Beach early Thursday morning. Pat Robertson (right) hosted the show "The 700 Club" on his Christian Broadcasting Network from 1966 to 2021. Linda C. Culpepper/APRobertson helped transform the conservative evangelical movement into a political force on the American right that helped elect Ronald Reagan. His wife of 70 years, Dede Robertson, died last year at the age of 94.

Persons: Pat Robertson, “ Pat Robertson, Robertson, “, Academic Affairs William L, Hathaway, “ Dr, Jesus Christ, ”, ” –, Linda C, Culpepper, Ronald Reagan, George H.W, Bush, Bob Dole, Jerry Falwell, ’ ” Falwell, ” Robertson, Donald Trump, Trump, Gordon, Dede Robertson Organizations: CNN, Christian Broadcasting Network, Regent University, ” Regent University Executive, Academic Affairs, Southern Baptist, Republican, Christian Coalition of America, ”, ACLU, People, Trump Locations: Virginia Beach, Virginia, America, Haiti

☆ How MTV Broke News for a Generation
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Remy Tumin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A little over a year into his first term, President Bill Clinton made good on a promise to return to MTV if young voters sent him to the White House. The town hall-style program in 1994 was meant to focus on violence in America, but it was a question of personal preference that made headlines and helped put MTV News on the media map. Now, a generation after MTV News bridged the gap between news and pop culture, Paramount, the network’s parent company, announced this week that it was shuttering the news service. They brought viewers on the presidential campaign trail and face to face with world leaders like Yasir Arafat, and took them into college dorms in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. They also embraced the messy chaos of 1990s and early 2000s celebrity, as when Courtney Love interrupted an interview with Madonna.

☆ Hurricanes of Data: The Tiny Craft Mapping Superstorms at Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Porter Fox | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +35 min

The Tiny Craft Mapping Superstorms at Sea Shortly after dawn on Sept. 30, 2021, Richard Jenkins watched a Category 4 hurricane overrun his life’s work. That August, a sister ship, SD 1031, successfully entered Tropical Storm Henri, but only in its early stages. Hurricane research, modeling and forecasting requires many terabytes of data for every square mile the storm passes through, including vitally important sea-level data from inside a storm. The next day, the depression was upgraded to a tropical storm and officially given the name Sam. And four months later, Tropical Storm Megi killed more than 150, wiped out several villages with landslides and displaced more than a million people.

☆ Opinion: Happiness is a trap. Here’s what to pursue instead
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Opinion Monica C. Parker | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Monica C. Parker Elena RossiniBetween chief happiness officers, the Happy Planet Index, Gross National Happiness, and the World Happiness Report (Finland scored the highest again this year), it seems as though happiness has some good PR. This one is: What if we’re so fixated on happiness that we’ve failed to question whether happiness is what we should be pursuing? We resist negative emotions such as sadness or fear at our peril. Even better than embracing your negative emotions is embracing both positive and negative emotions at the same time. Wonder makes us less stressed and feel like we have more time.

☆ New Orleans Mayor Moves Past Failed Recall Effort, but Unease Persists
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Rick Rojas | Katy Reckdahl | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To some residents, the challenges seem too complex to blame on the mayor, or feel anything but resignation about the city’s future. Her popularity soared with her steely response to the pandemic after Mardi Gras in 2020 became an early superspreader event. Critics argued that Ms. Cantrell, a Democrat, had become distracted and defensive. They needled her for taking economic development trips to Switzerland, and to the French Riviera at a cost of $43,000 over four days. They criticized her for spending much of her time in a city-owned apartment in the French Quarter typically reserved for official business.

☆ Touching the sky: A rare solar eclipse and a new hotel in the clouds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Courtesy Amelia Earhart Hangar MuseumAmelia Earhart wasn’t just the first woman to fly solo over the Atlantic. Camelot Theme Park (England): Set in the leafy Lancashire countryside, the Magic Kingdom of Camelot resurrected tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Scott Audette/AP Pripyat Amusement Park (Ukraine): This theme park was orphaned in 1986 following the Chernobyl meltdown just five kilometers (three miles) away. Considered the first theme park in Southeast Asia, it featured an artificial lake, huge swimming pool with giant water slides and a Prehistoric Animal Kingdom. Anne Jones/Alamy Stock Photo 10 fascinating theme parks that have closed forever Prev NextThat’s the question posed by these no-longer-in-operation theme parks around the world.

☆ 10 fascinating theme parks that have closed forever
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Joe Yogerst | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

In April, we’re taking a thrilling ride into the world of theme parks. “We think of amusement parks as vibrant, colorful, noisy, cheerful places,” says Jim Futrell of the National Amusement Park Historical Association. Pripyat Amusement Park (Ukraine)The Pripyat Amusement Park was built right before the Chernobyl disaster. Yongma Land (South Korea)Once in a blue moon, abandoned theme parks find new life by adopting totally new functions. Faced with increased competition from Orlando’s modern theme parks, Cypress Gardens closed in 2009 and was eventually absorbed into LEGOLAND Florida.

☆ Racial Disparities are worsening disaster recovery for people of color. With climate change, things could get worse
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Lauren Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Rolling Fork, Mississippi suffered massive damage from a powerful tornado on March 24. Racial disparities existed in Rolling Fork for decades. She started I-DIEM after spending over 14 years in disaster management. Shirley Stamps stands in the rubble of her home in the aftermath of the Rolling Fork tornado. And increasingly, non-profits are doing things differently to address racial disparities in disaster management.

☆ Who is Nouriel Roubini, Wall Street's 'Dr. Doom' economist who has warned of catastrophe for 2 decades?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Nouriel Roubini, the economist known as "Dr. Doom", has been warning of disaster for two decades. He rose to prominence after being among the commentators to call the 2008 financial crisis. When he spoke of an impending housing crash at the International Monetary Fund that year, the audience chuckled, the New York Times reported. Nouriel Roubini economics professor at New York University attends 48th edition of Economic Forum of Cernobbio on September 02, 2022 in Cernobbio, Italy. "Even a stopped clock is right twice a day," Anirvan Banerji, a critic of Roubini's told the New York Times in 2008.

☆ Candida auris is just one infection fueled by rising temperatures. See how extreme climate helps spread disease, in 3 simple charts.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Climate change may be driving the rapid spread of Candida auris, a deadly fungus, across the US. Three charts show how extreme weather and environmental changes help spread disease. Nicolas Armer/picture alliance via Getty ImagesA leading theory on this fungus's sudden emergence and wide spread is that it's fueled by climate change. Whatever survives, however, is adapted to extreme heat — including the fever our bodies produce to kill off pathogens. David Ryder/Getty ImagesHumans and their infrastructure are more vulnerable to the devastating impacts of disease when they're compromised by extreme weather.

☆ Marian Croak, who has 200 patents to her name including the technology behind Zoom, became one of the first Black women to be inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Yoonji Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Marian Croak became one of the first two Black women to be inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame. Her innovations in internet technology have enabled remote work, text donations, and voting for American Idol. Last year, she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame — among the highest honors for inventors, including Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and the Wright brothers. Croak became one of first two Black women to receive that honor, alongside the late Patricia Bath, an ophthalmologist who created a device used during surgery to easily remove cataracts. As one of the first-ever Black women to be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Croak recognizes the importance of diversity in a historically homogenous industry.

☆ I'm an EPA worker who's responded to more than 100 toxic spills and chemical fires, and I'll never forget one that got my adrenaline going
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Kelly worked on disasters like the BP oil spill and lead drinking-water crisis in Flint, Michigan. I'm one of the 220 emergency responders that the EPA has across the country who's on call when there's a major oil spill or chemical fire, like after the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. There are also smaller events, like fires at oil refineries and paper mills and hazardous waste left behind by mines. EPA on-scene coordinators sample air, water, and buildings for toxic chemicals to determine public-health risks. Brian KellyThe EPA issues an enforcement order to the companies responsible for a spill or fire to take over the cleanup.

☆ Factbox: Turkey earthquake and some of the worst natural disasters of this century
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HAITI 2010 EARTHQUAKEA 7.0 magnitude earthquake on Jan. 13, 2010, devastated Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince and killed about 316,000 people. CHINA QUAKEA 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit China's Sichuan province on May 12, 2008, killing about 87,600 people. PAKISTAN QUAKEA 7.6 magnitude quake that struck northeast of Islamabad on Oct. 8, 2005, killed at least 73,000 people. JAPAN QUAKE/TSUNAMIA 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck Japan’s northeast on March 11, 2011, killing about 15,690 people. HAITI 2021 QUAKEA 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck southern Haiti on Aug. 14, 2021, killing more than 2,200 people and destroying or damaging about 13,000 homes.

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