All I can say is WOW! What devastation. I'm the first to admit I underestimated the impact. I figured it was media hype, but I was wrong.
I think Gov. Christie was almost "Democratic" with his forward looking words of rebuilding bigger and better. (Plus, he had nothing but praise for Obama.)
Sometimes, no, most times, a catastrophic event--earthquake, fire, hurricane, tornado--will result in a bigger, better, more modern structures and features.
Yes, we lament the "passing" of historical buildings, like the Atlantic City boardwalk. But, "out of the ashes".... And Americans get a charge out of seeing the "new and improved" scenario.
With global warming and oceans levels rising and more powerful storms, we should heed the warnings of climatologists. Sea walls (dikes) are only temporary. Only a fool builds in a flood plain, or, in this case, on a beach. House on the San Andreas Fault? Not a good idea. But, that won't prevent us from trying to stop nature's fury. "Prime real estate" puts blinders on humans. Never mind the potential consequences. We'll see.
By the way, here in north central Indiana, we got the tail whip of Sandy. Lots of wind, some rain, and chilly.