I've got a thank-you note to write to a friend of my parents'-- already quite late, since the gift was given early last month. Difficulty: since then, the recipient's house was damaged fairly badly by Hurricane Sandy, and she's been struggling with the aftermath. I feel like her current rough situation warrants some sort of extra gesture or comment beyond the usual thank-you boilerplate, but what might that be? [more inside]
posted by Bardolph on Nov 9, 2012 - 8 answers

I’m currently in NY in an apartment without water, sewage, heat or electricity. I’m living elsewhere until my area gets these services back. As I understood it, an apartment without these sorts of things (not to mention the stench of sewage and sea water eating away at the belongings in the floor below and the mold that must be growing there – I think the tenants down there are simply walking away and not cleaning up) is considered uninhabitable. Aren’t renters, by law, not obligated to pay rent until these issues are fixed? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Nov 2, 2012 - 16 answers

In picture #19, can this ship be saved? Assuming the hull is sound, can it be dragged back into the water, or shoved there, or some combination? Or is it a total loss?
posted by Chocolate Pickle on Nov 2, 2012 - 4 answers

How long will it take NYC to fully recover from Hurricane Sandy? [more inside]
posted by ben242 on Oct 31, 2012 - 16 answers