What a day!!  There’s no fuel to be found in South Florida. We quit looking.
I traded some tools for a 5 gal can and paid another guy $100 to siphon his tank from a farm near Arcadia, FL.
Not having watched the news – has anyone mentioned that Lake Okeechobee breached it’s banks and sent a torrent of water two miles North of the town of Arcadia and into the Peace River? Has this been on the news. Not a peep was on the radio… (f**kers).
En route to the coast we got a ham radio call, well, more of a desperate plea for help on U.S. 17 for a group of families stuck between Wachula and Arcadia.  By the time we got there… yikes, desperate homeowners and families trying to salvage anything amid chest high water actually flowing on US 17.
We were able to get about 5 families and their pets, and a few belongings, relocated about 2 miles away and called for the United Way to get there and help. It was like something out of a farm movie. These people are suffering, and they didn’t have much to start with; and they are so thankful.
By the time we got them to safety, we couldn’t get back to where we came from.  We had to drive 20 miles north; to head West toward I-75 near Bradenton; to head South. On the way across SR64 there were people stuck with the Peace River flowing down the streets and driveways.  We helped who we could amid widespread downed power lines; broken power poles snapped like twigs (East to West wind); and trees as thick as cars that were blown over (North to South wind).
(more…)

NOTE: I am posting this for Sundance, who is very busy at the moment. He wrote this last year on September 11. (signed) Stella

I hope he will rejoin us at any moment!

To honor the memory of those lost on September 11th/12th 2012:

The Benghazi Brief

The “Benghazi Brief” remains the most controversial research report we have ever produced. The brief contains over two years of research and hundreds of very specific factual citations supporting it. Two years after it was originally written, and not a single aspect outlined within the brief has ever been identified as inaccurate.
(more…)

There are millions of people without power throughout central and south Florida. As a consequence people are turning to broadcast livestreams available from local media on video platforms.  Here’s two livestream media sources for Tampa and Orlando:
♦West Coast –  Tampa, Bradenton, St. Pete (Manatee and Hillsborough Counties) via ABC Action News:

♦Central Florida – Orlando, Lakeland, Orange, Polk, Osceola, Citrus Counties via WFTV News 9:
(more…)

My apologies to those who have written complaining that CTH is not providing the comprehensive coverage of political news.  Unfortunately, home base for all current research consists of three duffel bags, a laptop, generator and a well suited 4×4; loaded with power tools, emergency kits and assorted roughneck supplies.
I will make every effort to return to political research and analysis – as soon as current logistics, community safety and overall concerns with safety/instability are abated.
Fortunately Hurricane Irma is weakening rapidly as the storm made contact with the Florida peninsular at Marco Island.

At 500 PM EDT (2100 UTC), the center of Hurricane Irma was located near latitude 26.2 North, longitude 81.8 West. Irma is moving toward the north near 14 mph (22 km/h), and a north-northwestward motion with an increase in forward speed is expected by tonight, with that motion continuing through Monday. On the forecast track, the eye of Irma should move near or over the west coast of the Florida Peninsula through Monday morning. Irma should then move inland over northern Florida and southwestern Georgia Monday afternoon.
(more…)

Ground report follows NHC update.  Thankfully the slower forward progress has moderated the most severe and extreme Irma timing with SWFL tidal impacts.  Unfortunately, Tampa and St. Pete are now in the direct impact path. Tampa Bay storm surge is a very serious concern.

At 1100 PM EDT (0300 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Irma was located near latitude 23.5 North, longitude 81.0 West. Irma is moving slowly northwestward away from the north coast of Cuba near 6 mph (9 km/h). A turn toward the north-northwest with an increase in
forward speed is expected through late Monday. On the forecast track, the center of Irma is expected to cross the Lower Florida Keys Sunday morning and then move near or along the west coast of Florida Sunday afternoon through Monday morning. Irma should then
move inland over the Florida panhandle and southwestern Georgia Monday afternoon.
(more…)

As part of FL CERT (Citizens Emergency Response Team), we are forced to reposition outside of the storm surge area.  As a consequence during the logistical move I will be out of the loop for most of the afternoon and evening.  We will respond to recovery efforts from positions East of SWFL.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to check back in and give updates later tonight.

To ensure continuance of communication, CTH has auto-scheduled posts set up throughout the next week which will run automatically without any need for human data entry.  [ie. the website is secure and will function as normal – and site admins are disbursed throughout unaffected timezones]  Other than my absence (hopefully sporadic), you should not see any disruption.
What can YOU DO?
Please pray for the people of Florida.  This is an extremely stressful time for many people, including a significant number of elderly.  Unfortunately, due to modern disconnection a considerable number of people do not have frequent contact with family.
If you know people in Florida, please just reach out to them via social media and let them know they are in your thoughts and prayers.  You don’t have to call them, your don’t need to look for a response, but a short note -just touching base- via social media (facebook etc.), with kind words, can mean the world to people who might be feeling isolated.
Trust me, I’ve been seeing and reassuring those faces all day.  It matters.
(more…)

Smart move by the Trump administration, Rex Tillerson and Nikki Haley.  After showing the United Nations Security Council members the proposed resolution against North Korea last Tuesday, they are calling for a vote this Monday.
China and Russia are already on record saying additional economic sanctions would be needed; but also pushing the request for diplomatic talks more prominently.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States called for a vote Monday on a U.N. resolution that would impose the toughest-ever sanctions on North Korea, a move that could lead to a showdown with the country’s biggest trading partner China and its neighbor Russia.
The Trump administration adopted a totally new approach with this resolution, circulating an American draft Tuesday and setting a vote six days later. With previous sanctions resolutions, the U.S. spent weeks and sometimes months negotiating the text with China and then presenting a resolution to the rest of the Security Council for a vote.
(more…)

Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert gives an update on preparations for Hurricane Irma, recovery from Hurricane Harvey, and takes questions from the press:

We are blessed to have solid leadership in key and critical positions. Tom Bossert represents one of the best.
(more…)

Taking a break to cool down in the AC and provide some understanding to the unique challenges the media appears to be missing for Hurricane Irma.
Florida is a long state peninsular 450 miles. In many logistical ways it’s more comparable to an island, with one-way in via land, from the North.
There’s never been a South to North Hurricane experienced or predicted like this.
The closest was Donna in 1960. There’s been massive population growth since then.
South Florida is attempting to evacuate North. Those who already left are running out of gas mid-state. Fuel trucks are needed mid-state to keep that traffic headed north. The fuel trucks headed into the state are stopping mid state, North of Lake O.  Port Everglades is an East Coast distribution hub for fuel via Atlantic side delivery for I-95 and Monroe County.
It is understandable, and entirely necessary; but those south of Lake O (on the West Coast) have been unable to locate consistent fuel supplies since this boxcar effect began two days ago. The state emergency teams are trying to keep the top of the line moving forward. Again, understandable. However, those South of Lake O are stuck without fuel. No-one’s fault, it’s just the way it is.  Millions of people.
Those of you who have been reading here for a few days will note the issues we outlined with a South to North Hurricane that tracks the West Coast of Florida. Unfortunately, the latest forecasts are predicting exactly that. Governor Rick Scott is trying to evacuate the South West Gulf Coast, however the fuel issues noted above are impeding that possibility.
(more…)

President Donald Trump provides a weekly address against the backdrop of one of the most potentially devastating Hurricanes ever to arrive in Florida.

(more…)