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I'm all for people pitching in to rebuild after a hurricane. But should the taxpayer be subsidizing the rebuilding, especially when an area has proven to be disaster-prone? New York Times: ******** DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. - Even in the off season, the pastel beach houses lining a skinny strip of sand here are a testament to the good life. They are also a monument to the generosity of the federal government. The western end of this Gulf Coast island has proved to be one of the most hazardous places in the country for waterfront property. Since 1979, nearly a dozen...

DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. — Even in the off season, the pastel beach houses lining a skinny strip of sand here are a testament to the good life. They are also a monument to the generosity of the federal government. The western end of this Gulf Coast island has proved to be one of the most hazardous places in the country for waterfront property. Since 1979, nearly a dozen hurricanes and large storms have rolled in and knocked down houses, chewed up sewers and water pipes and hurled sand onto the roads. Yet time and again, checks from Washington have allowed...

I (Reginald Kaigler) speak with financial expert Warren Pollock on his experience in the New York City area dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Not certain if Chris Christie (notice the double Christian appellations)  was fully serious or half serious, but I think he has been listening to Someone. I have often joked about the extreme liberalness of the Eastern Seaboard folks - for its  academics, for its worship of money, for being the center of liberal media, and not least, for producing Jersey Shore. I don't think Governor Chris Christie is completely joking when comparing his state's devastation to Biblical scale plagues. No matter Who or what  the cause, we should never gloat in the misery/judgment of others.Can it be purely coincidental that Katrina, September...

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, once considered a rising star Democrat, is facing a storm of criticism over the dismal performance of the state-owned electrical utility, Long Island Power Authority, in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. Even today, over ten thousand Long Islanders remain without power. The danger signs were obvious well before Sandy hit. The New York Post wrote: ***** A state-authorized independent analysis undertaken after Hurricane Irene last year found LIPA to be an outdated, barely competent organization. The agency had ignored a 2006 recommendation that it update its management system, which runs on an obsolete 25-year-old computer...

Damage in New York state from Superstorm Sandy could total $33 billion when all is said and done, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday as the state began cleaning up from a nor'easter that dumped snow, brought down power lines and left hundreds of thousands of new customers in darkness. A damage forecasting firm had previously estimated that Sandy might have caused $30 billion to $50 billion in economic losses from the Carolinas to Maine, including property damage, lost business and extra living expenses. Cuomo's estimate will likely push the bill even higher. A damage estimate of even $50 billion total...

<p>More than 400 possible cases of price gouging of gasoline and other essentials, including a $10 box of matches and $7 loaf of bread, have been reported in New York before and after Sandy.</p> <p>Reports are being investigated in New York City, the Hudson Valley and on Long Island by state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.</p>

Russian attack sub discovered just 200 miles from the East Coast and given safe harbor from Hurricane SandyBy Daily Mail Reporter UPDATED: 00:15 EST, 6 November 2012 U.S. defense officials are downplaying the potential threat of a Russian attack sub detected just 200 miles from the East Coast and given safe harbor in Florida during Hurricane Sandy. The Russian Seirra-2 class submarine was believed to be part of the country's Northern Fleet, outfitted with SS-N-21 anti-submarine warfare missiles, SS-N-16 anti-submarine warfare missiles, and torpedos. **SNIP** Officials said the submarine was likely conducting anti-submarine warfare efforts against U.S. ballistic and cruise...

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.