Unlike last year, which for much of the nation featured "the winter that didn't come," this year is expected to bring only slightly warmer-than-usual temperatures and a record high for home heating oil prices. And that's bad news for one region of the country in particular.
Hurricanes Irene and Lee flooded thousands of cars across the Northeast, totaling them. Such heavily damaged vehicles get "salvage" titles to warn potential buyers, but thanks to greedy scammers and lax interstate oversight, many of those "total losses" are about to resurface on America's used car lots -- with clean titles.
When it comes to bold weather-related boasts, it's hard to beat the Post Office's unofficial motto: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." Yet even the USPS pales beside the standard set by the New York Stock Exchange.
Winter in the Northeast was particularly brutal this year, but not enough to account for the likely record prices. Blame crude oil's recent price jump for that. But the chills could become even worse if Obama's proposed cut in low-income energy subsidies passes.
The state's worst natural disaster in 200 years came at a time when its economy was already struggling. But federal aid will start pouring in, and this could jump-start a recovery.
Ski resorts are loving the winter storms that have pounded the East Coast. In industry lingo, "Backyard Syndrome" means people are overtaken by a desire to ski or snowboard if they see snow around their homes.
