Time Warner Cable Won't Be Charging Customers Who Lost Service During Sandy

That's right -- if you lost cable, Internet or phone services during the hurricane, TWC will automatically credit your account. It will show up on your bill as "Hurricane Sandy Credit." 

This is now the second thing that Time Warner has done this week that has made us reconsider our passionate hatred for them. 

[Via Gothamist]

Here's Another Way To Stay Up-To-Date On Areas Affected By Hurricane Sandy

In the wake of Sandy, there have been SO many resources for info on where to volunteer and what to donate as needs have been changing from neighborhood to neighborhood. Ben Chirlin, from a company called The Mechanism, has put together a crowd-sourced map where anyone with a computer and Internet access can drop a pin on a local map to indicate precise areas where people can volunteer/donate supplies, alert people to places without power and places to purchase gas. Here are the deets:

 I work for a small web design firm based in the city and, like many others, our office and my co-workers were greatly effected by super storm Sandy. As such we decided to use our expertise to try and help storm victims out there by making a crowd sourced map of storm relief and support around the area here. 

As a platform for one such community it would be great if you could share the map with your readership and help drive some report additions and updates. The more people who use such a map, the more useful it becomes. While other maps are out there, we are yet to find one that covers such a variety of resources and uses the public to keep it up to date. We've also put some effort into making the map look good on mobile devices so those without power or internet can continue to use and contribute on the go.

This Sandy Relief Amazon Registry Is a Great Way to Get Supplies To Far Rockaway

Recently, we received an email from a woman named Keara Schwartz, who created an Amazon gift registry for those who want to immediately donate supplies for Hurricane Sandy victims living in Far Rockaway -- an area that was hit hard during the storm. She writes:

"After volunteering at the Park Slope Armory a few times and learning who and what is really needed, I decided to create a registry of items that families are in need of in Far Rockaway, NY. You can purchase any item from my Amazon Registry and it will be send directly to Far Rockaway, NY City Council member James Sanders, Jr. Shipping is free if you have Amazon Prime. Many mothers need baby forumla and diapers. Families need flashlights and batteries. The items range in price."

Please donate if you can! Giving to the Red Cross is a great contribution, but there are people in immediate need, and you can get them supplies REALLY FAST THIS WAY!

And don't forget to check out Occupy Sandy's Amazon Registy while you're at it! 

HIPSTER OR HASIDIC?

With all the devastation that Sandy has brought on to our beloved NYC, I for one could use some goddamned comic relief. 

So join in with Jimmy Kimmel and his audience while they attempt to identify Brooklyn Hipsters or Brooklyn Hasids based on tight close ups of their man face hairs. 

Minus the handlebar mustache, it's pretty damn challenging!

THE FLIP SIDE TO SANDY: LOCAL BUSINESSES BOOMING

As much as we love to yell at each other on this site, I think we can all agree that Hurricane Sandy was a gigantic bitch of a tragedy for the tri-state area. The effects of this hurricane will likely be felt for weeks, months and even years to come. Lives were lost, homes were lost, and those who were hit hardest have literally had their whole world turned upside down. 

But here in Park Slope, it rained, it was windy, and we basically had a bunch of trees fall...that was kind of it.My electricity never went off, my cable was great, and I never even lost internet.

And through it all, most Park Slope businesses kept their doors wide open. 

And that folks, is one of the very few positive things to result from this Sandy craziness: local businesses were making a shitload more money than they normally do for the past week. 

Yes the circumstances sucked a gigantic dizzle, but still: most people were homebound for a solid week and they were hungry, thirsty and needed to buy shit. These shop owners provided much needed supplies, food and services for Park Slopers. 

Here's what we we were hearing from local businesses around the neighborhood: 

Click to read more ...