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Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo made headlines and raised eyebrows Monday when he said that while Hurricane Katrina was deadlier than Hurricane Sandy, the latter storm was “more impactful” over all and “affected many, many more people and places than Katrina.” Mr. Cuomo added that Hurricane Sandy had a greater economic impact, destroyed or damaged more units of housing, affected more businesses and caused more customers to lose power. For our part, City Room decided to undertake a little truth-squadding. While apples-to-apples numbers for the two storms are very difficult to come by, especially given that Hurricane Sandy’s costs are still...

After Hurricane Sandy hit along the New Jersey Shore and throughout New York City, President Obama traveled to the affected area and delivered a message to both victims and the federal government, advising the fed to use “no bureaucracy, no red tape … get resources where they’re needed as fast as possible.” To the victims, he promised assistance. “We are standing behind you and we are going to do everything we can to help you get back on your feet.” It was that same day that an emotional embrace between the president and a New Jersey businesswoman, Donna Vanzant, was...

Says because of Hurricane Sandy in Atlantic City "much of that boardwalk no longer exists -- just the pillars where boardwalk used to be." Hurricane Sandy washed iconic Jersey Shore landmarks into the sea, but despite what you may have heard -- from social media, television or maybe even a United States senator -- the historic boardwalk fronting Atlantic City's casinos survived. Two weeks after the monstrous storm swept through New Jersey, devastating large swaths of the state’s coastline, Frank Lautenberg, a Democrat, took to the Senate floor to describe the destruction and push for funding for recovery efforts. In...

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is sitting atop many Republicans’ you-know-what-list these days, after what seemed like some unnecessarily excessive displays of ultra-bipartisan praise of Obama in the pre-election wake of Hurricane Sandy. Yes, everyone understands that he's the Republican governor of a blueish state and that some well-placed schmoozing to the federal government can help him gain more federal resources for his domain, but it did seem kind of over-the-top, especially after Romney gave him the keynote slot at the Republican National Convention. As Allahpundit already noted, it's tough to believe that Christie wasn't milking the situation for all...

As we head into the Thanksgiving weekend, thousands of families in the northeast face a difficult holiday season. For those still reeling from the effects of Superstorm Sandy, emotions are still raw and futures are uncertain. Reuters photographer Mike Segar visited Staten Island last week, spending time with residents hard-hit by Sandy. He collected not just their portraits but their stories, as they stood amid the wreckage of what had been their homes, businesses, and places of worship. While there was anger and sadness on display, there was also a sense of gratitude for the outpouring of help from afar,...

On Sunday, Eustace and dozens of fellow firefighter volunteers served 800 free hot meals from a steamy Army tent in this hemorrhaging beach community, where there are no longer stores or restaurants, where most people have no gas to cook with, no heat or hot water and no hot food. That afternoon, a freon-blooded inspector from the city’s Department of Health issued Eustace a notice of violation for not meeting the same food-handling standards as, say, the Four Seasons. This is beyond outrageous. This is Emperor Bloomberg’s bureaucracy gone completely mad in a time of death and destruction in the...

We knew from yesterday’s home builder confidence index that housing starts were likely to increase in today’s report. Housing starts rose 3.6% in October versus an expectation of -3.7%, an over/under beat of 7.1%. Building permits, on the other hand, fell -2.7% in October after a big increase of 11.6% in September. Of course, it is a little early (and in late November) for the Sandy-related surge in housing construction to take place. We will likely increases in housing starts going forward through next year. As Melissa Francis on Fox Business observed, American households seems unconcerned about the rapidly approaching...

Long Island residents experiences : Cash : - is king. But, we made the mistake of keeping large bills ($50s )....... Heat: I live in a house with oil heating. Without power, the heat turns doesn't work (the hot water follows suite)....... Fuel:- We topped off the tanks, but weren't expecting the gas shortage that ensued. ....Communication:- Phone lines were down and cell phone coverage was affected. I need to come up with a plan for communicating that relies on alternate sources of energy. ......Protection: - Every night I feel as though we're in a fishbowl. With no curtains on...

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...

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.

How do you know when government is broken and rife with incompetence? A good indicator could be when Federally managed workers with the Federal Emergency Management Agency are lining up for food handed out by an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Occupy Sandy. Last week, FEMA shut down its New York centers set up to respond the devastation caused by superstorm Sandy because of… bad weather. This left a disaster aid void that was filled by independent volunteer groups, including Occupy Sandy. Many residents in the region reported feeling abandoned by the Federal helpers sent to aid them....

President Barack Obama vowed Thursday to stick with New Yorkers still struggling 17 days after Superstorm Sandy "until the rebuilding is complete" after getting an up-close look at devastated neighborhoods rendered unlivable. Obama brought the spotlight to people still without heat or electricity and hugged many of those trying to rebuild their lives. He also delivered a postelection message of unity, nine days after a closely divided America gave him a second term. "During difficult times like this, we're reminded that we're bound together and we have to look out for each other," Obama said from a Staten Island street...

Jersey City small business owners tell FEMA they need grants, not loansBy Terrence T. McDonald / The Jersey Journal updated November 15, 2012 at 11:29 AM **SNIP** But that’s not helpful, said Wayne Lyons, 52, owner of Soul Flavors Restaurant on Grove Street. The restaurant was closed for five days because of Sandy, which caused floods that destroyed equipment in the restaurant’s basement, Lyons said. Lyons said he was hoping for grants instead of loans, saying the federal government “bailed out Wall Street,” so they should bail out small businesses. FEMA declined to comment.

President Obama praised the resilient New York attitude and the efforts of rescue workers during his talk after touring areas of Queens and Staten Island that were ravaged by Hurricane Sandy.‘I´m very proud of you, New York. You guys are tough you bounce back,’ he said while visiting New Dorp Beach in Staten Island. After a brief helicopter tour of Queens- passing over particularly devastated areas like Rockaway Beach and Breezy Point- they arrived in Staten Island where they examined the damage by foot.

Obama, touring parts of New York City slammed by Hurricane Sandy, was chided by a girl for ignoring the disaster. As the president waded through a supply center, a girl who was waiting for goods told a reporter, "We need help--he should of been here a long time ago,"

(Reuters) - Superstorm Sandy drove a surge in new claims for U.S. jobless benefits last week and weighed on factory activity in November, providing early signs of how heavily the storm could hit the U.S. economy in the fourth quarter. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 78,000 to a seasonally adjusted 439,000, the highest level since April 2011, the Labor Department said on Thursday. It was the biggest one-week jump since the spike caused by Hurricane Katrina in September 2005.

Get ready for the "it's all Sandy's fault" barrage, because the post-reelection status quo sure will desperately need it today. The latest initial claims data posted a multi-year high 104,548 surge in weekly NSA claims from 361,800 to 466,348, and even the Seasonally adjusted number soaring from 361K to 439K on expectations of a 375K print. In other words, a complete disaster for any economic data bulls. What is truly amusing is that the same Wall Street "experts" who set expectations were unable to foresee the Sandy effect that every "macrotourist" on Twitter apparently is so very aware of. Also,...

Here's the essay.

In an emergency evacuation, there will always be people who stay behind to protect their personal belongings. People who ignored evacuation warnings had to be rescued and some lost their lives in one of the worst storms in the history of natural disasters in the United States.The biggest challenges were hunger and cold because of electrical outages. More than 8.1 million homes and businesses lost power.In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, city leaders across the country are asking how their city would respond to a similar disaster and examining their preparedness and self-reliance needs. Sandy would have resulted in much...

It’s been two weeks since Hurricane Sandy killed 113 people, wiped out portions of towns, and knocked out power to millions. It has also been two weeks since Barack Obama pledged, “No bureaucracy. No red tape.” However, according to multiple public and private sources, unions and union-related red tape are causing workers from out of state to be turned back, as well as workers contracted by FEMA, as well as tons of supplies, already in New York and New Jersey to sit idle—at a cost of millions to taxpayers. It has already been well publicized though the Daily Caller how...