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When hurricane warnings begin on the news, being prepared comes with a bit of uncertainty. Most people wonder if a storm really is as bad as the weather forecaster’s hairdo, but everyone should always have a plan for the worst case scenario. Hurricanes are often unpredictable, but as devastation unfolds from Sandy and the memory of Katrina shows, the lack of hurricane preparedness can be fatal. So if you have never sat down and created a hurricane preparedness kit, all of the information to get started is right here. 1 Safe and Secure Home-Proofing Your Historic Home Historic homes tend...

Dear Friends and Colleagues, We have received numerous inquiries asking for assistance in response to Hurricane Sandy. We will be working tirelessly in the coming weeks assisting with the clean up and repair of artwork affected by the storm system. If you have incurred damage and need assistance evaluating your artwork, our team is ready to help and we will be making on-site evaluations throughout the week. Due to a Verizon phone outage, our voicemail is not working properly. The best way to contact us is by phone during our office hours Monday through Friday 9am - 5pm, or by...

o Residents claim they are the 'forgotten victims' of Sandy o Also say that lack of power and law enforcement means more looting and violent crime o Those in stricken areas stockpiling weapons like kitchen knives, machetes, and bats to protect themselves o Coney Island residents say they are forced to 'scavenge for food like animals' o Power unlikely to be returned to Brooklyn, Queen's and Staten Island until sometime next week Almost one week after superstorm Sandy struck the East Coast with its ferocious force, power was still out to some 2.5 million customers due to damages, down from...

Storm-ravaged and weary Rockaways residents cornered Mayor Bloomberg yesterday to angrily demand more aid for their devastated neighborhood. “When are we gonna get some help?” blasted one desperate woman, who had to be held back by the mayor’s security detail as Bloomberg stood by with a deer-in-the-headlights look. “When are we gonna get some bleeping help?” she demanded. “There’s old ladies in my building that don’t got nothing,” lashed out a man on video caught by a NY1 reporting crew. Bloomberg’s trip to the Rockaways wasn’t announced and wouldn’t have been caught on cameras if the news crew hadn’t happened...

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed President Obama for reelection. The decisive issue according to Bloomberg: global warming. “If hurricane Sandy has shown us anything it is that all other issues dwindle into insignificance in the face of catastrophic climate change,” Bloomberg contended. “While it could be argued that nothing we could do would be significant enough to avert climate change, the point is that the President cares. He’s on record wanting the seas to recede.” “In contrast, Romney has ignored this issue in order to focus on deficits, taxes, jobs, and terrorism—all are piffling concerns in comparison,” Bloomberg...

<p>Storm-ravaged and weary Rockaways residents cornered Mayor Bloomberg yesterday to angrily demand more aid for their devastated neighborhood.</p> <p>“When are we gonna get some help?” blasted one desperate woman, who had to be held back by the mayor’s security detail as Bloomberg stood by with a deer-in-the-headlights look.</p>

Obama at FEMA: "We still have a long way to go"By Lucy Madison/ CBS News/ November 3, 2012, 12:42 PM President Obama on Saturday acknowledged the nation has "a long way to go" in the aftermath following Superstorm Sandy, but pledged the administration will be putting in a "120 percent effort" to ensure the impacted regions get the assistance they need. Mr. Obama, speaking after a briefing about ongoing recovery efforts at the FEMA headquarters in Washington, D.C., emphasized his commitment to restoring power, pumping flooded areas, removing debris, and attending to the needs of those impacted by the storm,...

Did President Obama's handling of Hurricane Sandy's aftermath; Help his chances of re-election Hurt his chance of re-election Have no effect on his chances of re-election

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was Mitt Romney’s first choice as a running mate before Romney had a sudden change of heart and dumped him for Paul Ryan. Christie was miffed by Romney’s decision, particularly because he was led to believe in the weeks leading up to Ryan’s introduction that he would be joining Romney on the Republican presidential ticket, Politico reported, citing conversations with ‘campaign insiders.’

Living near the coast in the Northeast, I see the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy firsthand. Many have been without power for days; there are long lines at gas stations; some supermarket shelves are bare; and, more to the point here, some in vulnerable areas lost their homes. And because the storm is such a horrible, high-profile disaster, government aid to rebuild is in the offing. But should it be? This question may seem heartless. And, don't worry, you won't hear a politician asking it anytime soon, as doing so might very well cost him the next election. But political...

The power restoration came as gasoline supplies headed to coastal zones devastated by the record storm surge and to motorists whose patience has been tested by gasoline rationing during the painstaking effort to rebuild. With the U.S. presidential election just three days away, about 3 million homes and business remained without power in a region choked with storm debris and long gas lines reminiscent of the 1970s-era U.S. fuel shortage. Angry storm victims wondered when their lives would return to normal.

Angry residents pelted utility crews with eggs as they tried to restore power in Bridgeport, Conn., after the mayor claimed the local power company had "shortchanged" the state's largest city as it tries to recover from superstorm Sandy.

It's just too tempting to compare the media response to government relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the response to Sandy. The dichotomy is stark. ABC News: ***** The residents of Staten Island are pleading for help from elected officials, begging for gasoline, food and clothing three days after Sandy slammed the New York City borough. "We're going to die! We're going to freeze! We got 90-year-old people!" Donna Solli told visiting officials. "You don't understand. You gotta get your trucks down here on the corner now. It's been three days!" Staten Island was one of the...

A powerful new storm system is preparing to batter the East Coast next week, even as millions are still reeling from the devastation left by Superstorm Sandy. The nor’easter storm will bring snow and strong winter winds beginning Tuesday, Election Day, until Thursday. Most of the severe weather will hit northern New England – hundreds of miles north of where Sandy made landfall.

Power outages at hundreds of gas stations and a distribution bottleneck due to flooding damage and power loss has caused a gasoline shortage in the New York metropolitan area that may not be cleared up for at least a week, according to industry experts. What was a problem for drivers when Super Storm Sandy ended two days ago has become a nightmare for frazzled motorists who find themselves in gas lines that can stretch on for hours. Some lines were hundreds of cars long in sections of New Jersey and New York Thursday, and in a number of locations police...

I dare The Obama to come back to New Jersey, to visit our gas stations and tell us some more of his ideas about wind and solar and renewable energy -- and explain again why he killed the Keystone pipeline -- and talk about why he cancelled oil leases on federal lands -- and discuss why his rogue EPA has shut down oil refineries -- and remind us about his illegal moratorium on drilling in the Gulf ... I dare him, I say. In fact, I double dare him.

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. - November 1, 2012 -- The Fun Town Pier in Seaside Heights is now a pile of twisted metal and broken rides lying on the beach as waves lap over it. It's one of two piers destroyed in hurricane Sandy where the iconic Ferris wheels seem to be the only thing left standing. It's hard to conceive of how long that could take. Seaside Heights and nearby towns are under martial law.

New Jersey Is Running Out Of Gasoline And Police Are On Hand Robert Johnson and Geoffrey IngersollNov. 1, 2012, 9:21 PMOnce free of the confines of storm stricken Manhattan, it doesn't take long to realize that traveling through New Jersey presents its own daunting set of problems. The first line of cars stretched along the highway for miles raises more questions than concerns, until it becomes clear that the three mile string of vehicles are all waiting for gasoline to continue on their way. Eighty percent of New Jersey stations don't even have gas, while police guard closed stations and...

At a press conference this morning on Staten Island, a host of local officials, including Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, gathered to highlight the needs of the hard-hit borough in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. And, although many pols spoke, no one was more impassioned than Borough President James Molinaro, who called the Red Cross an “absolute disgrace” and even urged the public to cease giving them contributions. “Because the devastation in Staten Island, the lack of a response,” Mr. Molinaro said to explain his comment to NBC after the press conference. “You know, I went to a shelter...

A wave a looters followed the Sandy storm surge in Coney Island, creating a double-whammy for business owners trying to pick up the obliterated pieces. The thieves started down Mermaid Avenue Tuesday morning as the chest-high water receded, turning the seaside community known for its hotdogs and tourist attractions into a lawless free-for-all. "People were running in and out of Rent-A-Center carrying these big flat screens. They were holding on tight," said witness Aisha John, 20. "I couldn't understand how someone could steal a big TV in broad daylight, but no one cared.” She said people were running out of...