These are the people that are forgotten in the tug of war between FEMA, SBA, the insurance companies, and the federal goverment. They are the backbone of these fishing villages that were destroyed by Katrina. My family has know Bob Metz for years now as a hardworking fisherman. We have enjoyed his bounty every summer. Hopefully, things will work in a manner to get the "little" people back on their feet.

Valdez, Alaska is donating a Marine TravelLift to help get Katrina's land-bound boats back in the water.

Reminds me of the Forrest Gump movie except this is real life. I was shrimping after hurricane Fredrick came thru in 1979 and the Mississippi Sound was full of jumbo white shrimp.
My Dad always told me, " Shrimping is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your going to get" :)

What a Absoulute Shame! Right now we are in high wind warnings... ( a coatal town off the pacific ocean) Fishing Industry is so important to our food chain here, as is to the usa... Gods be with you all, May Hope Peace and Compassion be with you.. all of you.. Today, and Always. Bead and Family

I feel sorry for any poor working man trying to get money out of this administration. The bureaucracy surrounding this administration is out of control. There is no common sense in the whole of Washington DC.

Why would the government want to help the working class when they can spend the money on people who can't even make out a 1040 and not have brains enough to get of harms way..

seems as much tax dollar is being lost with these boats not in the water...the towns...the counties..the state ...and yes even the feds would say...let's put those folks back to work...all ya gotta do is help get the boats in da drink and tada...you will have people working again

Again, what i've wrote in other notes time and time again. How can you expect an area the size of the effected parts of Miss. & Alab. to have recovered in a couple of months when the whole thing is broke? The fishing industry (all aspects) were, in effect, wiped out. But people from around the country still write about pulling the aid away from that area "and make them people get jobs like everyone else". This is a big need that needs to be filled and our government needs to coordinate and help rebuild it as soon as possible with the same "gusto" George went to war with or the families effected will be further and further away from recovering what they had lost. And why couldn't congress attach a little more money for recovering the industry to that recovery bill??? Well, good luck to you folks. Your going to need it...

These fishermen have a terrible plight. They should be riding their Congressmen and Senators daily until they get help. If they don't complain in the right venue, they will never get help. The government should help butwill have to be pushed. Reminder, this is an election year!!!!

I am glad to hear that the catch is plentiful and safe. We were floundering in Ocean Springs and saw live oysters over Thanksgiving which was really heartening. I hope you all get the help you need to get back in business. The live food you catch is such a wonderful part of life on the coast.

My tears fall and my heart is broken as I am constantly reminded of all those in despair in the coastal region where I laughed, loved and misbehaved. What souls of great strength I read about and read their stories. I am honored to know I came from such great stock. With all it's rips, scratches, and stains that give it the character I adore. I have my mother and sister with two nieces and one nephew that are part of the stalwart folk that make up the true grit of the coast.
My New Year's Prayer and blessing on them is already
true. Wisdom, wealth, healing and health with much
love and long happy lives. God is sooooo good! "According to your faith," Jesus said this in many ways. Take this from a truly loving father, mother, provider, one that wants you to have and be blessed and believe. I'm pointing to you as I have 4 more fingers pointing back at me. Pull yourself up
and KNOW you already have all your requests from God
when you believe in his Son and take him at "his WORD."
If you make it VOID by not believing, that's sad. Take a baby step. I do, everyday. Once in a while I leap and bound, but sometimes I stumble over my own advice.
Two great losses occurred to me almost three years ago now. My father passed away, my sisters' family fell apart. I fell down hurt and angry on my knees to
cry, complain, and do great drama to my soul, thinking it wasn't fair! BUT then I remembered the nature of the God I believe in. Powerful and Loving!!!! He wants us to have Wisdom, Wealth, Healing and Health. Mostly He specifies WE have according to Our Faith. Faith moves mountains, puts love in our hearts, changes lives, heals hurts, and gives grace in the time of need. Go OUT OF Your houses, trailers, tents and do unto others as you would have them do to you. I love you though I don't know you all. My belief and my request to God for the people of the Gulf Coast is Wisdom to restore, love, have great prosperity (wealth) healing of all the broken hearts, Have health and long happy lives to enjoy the fruit of their LABOR. TO: "STRENGTH AND COURAGE!" To watching the Great Recovery! By the way, The Nation and the World are Watching, it's proving time. I BELIEVE

HOW CAN WE HELP? THIS IS NOT FAIR. CAN WE SEND EMAILS? TO FEMA? TO YOUR CONGRESSMAN? I'M LISTING TO THE PRESIDENT SPEAKING RIGHT NOW ON MSNBC AND HE KEEPS SAYING HOW GOOD EVERYTHING IS GOING. I KNOW IT IS NOT TRUE WHEN I READ AN ARTICLE LIKE THIS, BUT I AM A WIDOW IN CALIFORNIA. THE ONLY THING I CAN DO IS SIT HERE AND SEND EMAILS, BUT THAT I WILL DO.THIS IS AMERICA AND MY TAX MONEY SHOULD BE HELPING MY FELLOW AMERICAN.

This makes me sad and hungy all at the same time.Hang in there.

As a longtime lover of all forms of seafood as well as fishing itself including charter fishing this article is distressing. Each day we read of just one more thing our current administration was never prepared for or seem willing to support. Yet we constantly seem able to overspend our taxpayers dollars overseas. It is time our goverment supports it's people and not just the worlds.

I hope everyone out there is e-mailing Washington to find out what is taking sooo long. If it was their area they would be right on it.

We all recognize that the tragedy of this year's hurricane season has been great, and the cost to everyone will be too as we march forward in time. Even so, it is not the governments job to bail us out... unless, of course, we want to be a nation that has a socialistic or even communistic form of government -- where we depend on the government to meet all our needs, and thus are enslaved by that mindset.

Kudos to those who are not looking to Washington for answers!

What a crying shame. This administration should be ashamed of itself. If Bush would put all his gusto and effort into the Gulf Coast rebuilding as he has this so-called war, people and our economy just might thrive and flourish as he so claims they are doing.

People dont understand bureaucracy...you cannot just hand out money with good will...there has to be structure and verification of funds with paper trails so that scandal can be diverted. Nonetheless I feel for the people of my home state and pray that soon enough government funds will break through to wash away the sorrow.

Blaming the Bush Administration is easy and typical of the many liberals chiming in on this discussion. Mother Nature is responsible here and people must realize there is sometimes a price to pay for living in beautiful coastal communities. The beauracracy of the local and state governments are far more responsible for the problems we are seeing than the Federal Government. Be glad you live in a country where there is a government that has the ability to provide bale out monies, be glad that you were able to survive the storm and the aftermath. Free market will provide for folks who have properly planned and prepared for such a situation. People who live in that region should have always had contingencies that would provide for them in a situation like this. There was plenty of warning and it should have not been a surprise to anyone that such a devastation storm was possible. In times of plenty, you should plan for times of need.

I pray for the people down in Katrinas path. I would like to know why it took so long for help if thats what you want to call it. It was known that Katrina was coming,maybe not to the extreme that it was but they knew. Why wasn't the help there. Also the fact that so much more help is needed still so why does the government and the media put ot aside. Could it be that the governmnet and certain agenciew screwed up so bad thta they are trying to push this issue aside. In the mean time we have so many billions of dollars locked in for the rebuilding of what we bombed in the Mid East. Fiqure that one.

Uncle Sam did not help me build my business. If I had a fire or a tornado that would distroy my business, my insurance company, would rebuild it. When a tornado hit the midwest and distroys farms and houses, our government does not rebuild the homes. That is why you should have insurance. Why sould our Government rebuild your business?

It's weird that when someone asks why the government
can't help just a little, others start screaming about
their tax dollars and raising red flags about Communism.
Geez. I don't see a single person down here sitting
around waiting for their government check.

Mr. Jim Null should come down here and have a look
at how people are rebuilding their lives.

Pretty neat how bountiful the ocean becomes as soon as you pull the nets out of the water. Feel badly for those guys, but the Gulf is overfished.

Paul in IA don't be to sure that the insurance will rebuild your business. there are many down here whose homes and businesses were destroyed by Katrina that had insurance and the insurance companies are only paying less than 30% of the coverage

Waves come crashing, strong winds blow,
life feels as though it’s falling apart,
Know yourself; love yourself, be yourself,
God placed these things deep within your heart.
No I will not take a step back,
I will not go their way,
I’ve worked to hard to be where I’m at
Going back just means more to pay.
I’ll be a better person through all of this,
The lessons of life we learn each day,
The road is there so take a step,
For soon you will find your way.

I AM IN THE RESTURANT BUSINESS IN LOUISIANA, AND WE HAD A HARD TIME FOR A WHILE, BUT THE HARD WORKING FISHERMEN ARE BACK FURNISHING OUR NEEDS. WE, LIKE OUR FORE FATHERS, DON'T SIT AROUND AND WAIT FOR THE GOVERNMENT WHEN WE CAN DO FOR OURSELVES. THERE ARE LOTS OF JOBS ON THE COAST, COME JOIN US.
KRD, DERIDDER, LA

Even if, and I'm not saying it isn't,but even if everything possibly were being done and more money thrown at it than was needed. You would still be in this mess for the most part. It takes time to rebuild everything. Its not just boats! It Packing companies, and icing companies and docks and marine fuels. Get some understanding people, it took decades to build this infrastructure, its going to take several years to rebuild it! And quit crying for the government to do everything, what have we become a nation of Welfare recipients.

I wonder how much the president actually given of his own millions along with his staff.....

I read about the 'loan' the federal government made to Louisiana, and I wonder, was it a loan when the US sent help (money & supplies) to tsunami swamped India. Loaning money to one of the states of our own country is ridiculous when we give it outright to other countries. A shame!

Derek, I'm only blaming the Bush admin. for the things they are not doing inside our own country to help the citizens of OUR country. If I started to complain about what they've DONE, lied, cheated, stolen, what they are about to do, I would be here all month. The fishing idustry (besides casinos) just about the biggest thing there. So to expect a little "help" from our government is not too far fetched. Can a fisherman fish without a boat? Can he dock to docks that were destroyed? Can he deliver them to a warehouse that is 1/2 mile inland from where it was before Katrina? Get my drift?

God bless each and every family still suffering in their efforts to rebuild their businesses, homes and lives on the Gulf Coast.

While I agree with some points on both sides of the issue, it is indeed up to each of us as individuals to prepare for times such as these. If someone can make a thousand dollars a day from their fishing business, then they certainly should be able to put enough away to bring themselves through tough times like this. At the same time, someone who makes that kind of cash also presumably pays an enormous amount of taxes. You would think that the government that receives such bounty would be eager to get these folks back up and running.

Your nation prays for you guys. Remember, when things don't go according to the plans you had, then God's plan is being excercised. His plans turn out better than ours all the time. Sometimes it may not seem that way while you are in the process, but think about this; how many times have you said, "If that had not happened I would not have..."

My sympathy to all who were affected by this natural disaster. However, to categorize someone who earns more than a quarter million dollars a year in the fishing industry as a member of the "poor working man" class is pretty hard to swallow by those of us who actually are. Your failure to maintain insurance to protect your assets is exactly that, your failure. My tax dollars should not be used to rebuild your business or lifestyle. In other words, you pay the premiums, or you take your chances. Quit crying that that the government needs to fund the results of your poor business decision.

The fishing industry, not much could have been done to escape the wrath of Katrina. For these people help is deserved and needed. You just can't haul out every boat over 30'. Even if you could, you can't move them inland far enough to escape damamges.
On the other hand, the majority of New Orleans populace still expects the federal government to bail them out when they wouldn't listen in the first place, back in the mid 60's when Louisiana was informed as a state by the Fed's the levee system would not hold up under severe conditions. And then when told to evacuate they ignored the order. To top it off they couldn't act as an orderly society when they realized the situation.

Louisianas politicians over the years helped flood New Orleans by not demanding the state take care of it's own problem by fixing it's levee system. I sincerely hope the the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers tells the Govenor of Louisiana to start collecting the taxes need to do the fix and...oh by the way...we told you so.
Amazingly though, North Dakota just went through one of the worst blizzards in decades that involved the upper left quarter of the state. People stranded, no heat, no electricity, cars buried in embankments and snow ditches, one quarter of the state brought to a stand still. Funny how the people of North Dakota just pulled together and helped each other out. No government involvement, no whining about who's going to help, no temporary housing, no checks, no FEMA...nothing. They haven't been coddled over the years with expectations of handouts. They know how to make do for themselves.

The people of New Orleans got they're wake-up call.

I am sorry for having to post this, but we all have to realize that New Orleans is below the flood plain. They built the city with wall to hold back the floods. Hurricanes are not new to this area. Why hasn't the city and state governments done something before now. The whole coastal region has been through this before! Lets stop blaming Washington DC and the current administration. Lets blame years and years of neglect from the territories that were hit and poor planning for rebuilding in case they were hit again. I pray for the citizens of these area's and know that this is what the American Dream is all about, starting with nothing and building your future. As long as these people survived, they have the greatest thing of all, their lives. If they don't want to rebuild there and risk losing it all again with the next bad hurricane, there are plenty of other communities across this great land that would gladly welcome them with open arms.

It truely saddens my heart to see how slow our goverment worked at getting help to the people. We nead to pull together,next time it could be you or me.
Gods speed to those in need. kay wilkerson kalispell mt.

Derek Collins on the typical liberal getting help from the government in a free market society, is not the problem. If in a free market society you should be ready for the hard times, why did we have to borrow 200 BILLION DOLLARS FROM CHINA TO GO TO WAR IN IRAQ, and why did HALLIBURTON PICK UP BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BY THE SUITCASE FULL (OF OUR MONEY) IN IRAQ BECAUSE THERE WAS NO FINANCIAL SYSTEM IN PLACE AND EVERYONE GOT PAID WITH A SUITCASE FULL OF MONEY! ALSO, PAUL SMITH ON INSURANCE, HOW COME OUR GOVERNMENT, WITH OUR TAX MONEY BAIL OUT THE INSURANCE COMPANIES BECAUSE OF 9/11 LOSSES, ALSO, CHECK OUT THE MONIES ,TAX MONIES, POURED INTO FLORIDA OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS DO TO HURRICANES. LETS FACE IT FOLKS, SINCE CLINTON LEFT OFFICE THIS COUNTRY HAS GONE DOWN THE PORCELINE CHUTE. KING GEORGE THINKS HE AND HIS BASE SHOULD NOT BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THIS COUNTRY. WELL I SAY IF YOU TAKE FROM THE SYSTEM BE PREPARED TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK.

If the President thinks we can rebuild a country we bombed, we should be able to take care of our own. One veteran of 14 wars who saw the devastation from Katrina have said he'd never seen anything like it, and how can you call helping your neighbor "communism?" I don't think there's any danger in the US becoming a communist state. This is what is known as a "smokescreen," a way of diverting attention from the real issue. If we are such a Christian nation that all the right-wing fundamentalists, inc. GWB himself, purport us to be, then why are we enmired in the swirl of such selfishness as the Delay/Abramoff scandal, and shouldn't we be more charitable in general? Such hypocrisy is unbelievable.

i am sorry for thier plight, i drive truck coast to coast, govt is everywhere,everystate has a excuse. people will get to basics, the less govt the better, depending on family and friends,i hope??

Bill DuBois.....i'm hungry too ..bet i could eat 3 dozen {half shell }....if i could only get dem...hot sause...horseradish....and crackers...shoot now i'm sad!!!....fish people we want the seafood....best of luck!!!

It's time to remember who your local elected officials are and when they come up for reelection, they should replace him with a local fisherman. I say those of us who have worked in the marine business head down there and get them back on there feet, and bill FEMA

Mr Paul Smith, yes if we had a fire or a tornado, we also would have been able to rebuild. We have homeowners and windstorm insurance. As far as the flood, we asked about buying it, but our insurance agent stated it wasnt required, and that he wouldnt be able to sleep at night if we bought it. It would have only costed around $300 a year for it, and we would have spent it. Everyone believed and used Camille as a measure, that nothing could be as bad as she was. So, Mr Smith, what would you do, if whole entire towns were wiped out. My FEMA adjuster finally came last month, and my windstorm adjuster came a few days ago. So, where do you think all these homeless people should be staying, waiting for assistance? Unfortunately we still do have people living in tents, and greatfully others are staying with strangers, that have some sort of shelter. If our government can spend money on rebuilding other countries, why not rebuild ours, your neighbors.

What Valdez AK is doing by sending the equipment to help lift the boats is a excellent example of Americans helping Americans! We need more help of each other and not so much sitting around waiting for some government offical to swoop down and hand out money.

If we can't blame the Bush admin then who can we blame? The democrats, Better Homes & Gardens, Wal-Mart, or the media for its reports? NO... put the blame where it belongs.

Mike J, Phoenix.....i don't know who to blame...it seems dem. or rep. it's all the same s***!!!...but idon't think we can blame it on Wal-mart....LOL

A lot of fair and reasonable people have taken the time to reply. Good news. Now, what if...
Those who wrote and spoke so well joined together to form a "coalition" (for lack of a better word) to write councilpeople, congresspeople, mayors, governors, etc. to motivate them to action...
Those who had the talents to get boats back in the water faster got boats in the water...
Those who had the talents to reap the harvest of Mother Ocean, respectfully reap her harvest...
Those who process and ship and those of us who consume at home and in restaurants...
ALL joined together to make this happen for ALL of us. Now that's the Good Ol' USA! God Bless us all.

Best Wishes From the State of Maine. Fishing is a great source of our income. I only hope we never get hit like you folks did. I would hope other fishing industries could help with sending equipmment like the travel lift. If the government had barges in the mothball fleet they could donate them to set up a dock system, and processing base. The government has a wide inventory of water craft in the mothball fleet that could be pressed into service, wich the people of the gulf coast already paid for. mmmm, sounds like insurance paid in advance. I think if you were only to look you could find many resources just sitting unused tied up somewhere.

Lets keep a prespective on how federal goverment aid is being doled out. Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, which took a 1 billion dollar (fully insured) loss to their Pascagoula shipyard, received 1.7 billion dollars in the aid package. The casinos, which took hundreds of millions in loss, collectively received about 1 billion dollars - but the casino operators requested none (to their credit).

I personally have not received a penny in any government aid - I did get a "blue roof" (tarp) from the Army Corp of Engineers, but it leaked. I do blame the bush administration, and the Republican Party, for mismanaging initial aid and now directing public funds to the people and organizations who need it least.

We have lived in southwest La. 30 years having come from original home in Texas to the oil refineries here. Our daughters grew up and married here and all of our grandchildren born here so I guess this is home now. Have had many, many observations on the politics, social behaviors and life styles of 'these peope' down here over the years and not all of them were positive observations! Having now lived through, and suffering damage to all 3 of our homes, we now feel a greater kinship to the land and the people. They will rebuild right where they were along the absoulute edge of the coastline if allowed to. They belong to their land just like a midwest farmer who gets blown away by tornados or upper southwest snow.
Good or bad? who's to say. God loves us all and despite our differences in political ideologies we as a nation are a good and kind people. Pray for those down here suffering so badly those of you in the outlands, get active politically and pressure those in power us peoples down here, and do all we can to help each other while we take personal responsibility for helping ourselves. GWB didn't break it but he and his can help in better ways to fix it. Faith based operations and communities helping each other is what we have seen the most results from. God loves us all.

What kind of equipment is needed to put these boats back in the water? Cranes? Semi trucks?

Is there not a way for us to ask people we know to go help these folks get there boats back in the water.
I would be there in a heart beat if I had the equipment and I would do it for free.

I am going to start today looking into crane/heavy equipment companies and trucking companies to see what kind of efforts I can help pull together to help these folks get there boats back in the water.

And just think if they were in the water they could be bringing in there own income and not having to wait on FEMA.

Hang in there ya'll.
there are still some of out here that care and want to help. I don't have the equipment but I have courage on my side and I am NOT afraid to start asking questions and looking into an alternate path of help to get you ALL BACK ON THE WATER!
Can anyone else do the same?

To blame someone is not the answer to your questions that many of you seem to have. What about the insurance company did you call them about your claim. If you had a insurance ploicy then things should work out. But if you failed then who is to blame but your self. Remember if you plan then how can you fail.

man...BRAINSTORM......weeeh...that don't happen much anymore.....try The Baxter CO. Inc. in Tupelo,Ms. he has the eqiupment to put the boats in the water....and plus ....i know he loves boats and the water....and he is a good guy!!!

I've read with keen interest the comments on these pages. My interest stems from the fact that I've been there -- done that (as they say). Yes, I and 24 or so of my church friends traveled down there (Bay St. Louis and Waveland) during Thanksgiving week. That was AFTER I had contributed monetarily several times (Red Cross, Salvation Army, through the church, and even personally to some awesome citizens that wound up here in Macon to escape the wrath of Katrina). And we will be going back several times in the coming months to lend a hand to that region.

Some insurance companies WILL no doubt go bankrupt after paying perhaps 50% (maybe 60%) of their claims' face value. Government will not be able to payoff everyone that got displaced (nor should they). And , yes, there are plenty of small people who will choose to point their finger at someone in order to place blame. Some people will always arm-chair quarterback in situations like this and ask what the government should or should not do FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE GULF REGION and how unfair they are to US while supporting a war to protect our freedom instead.

My friend, you can condemn, point fingers, rant and rave, and ask why this or why that. You can callously say "so what! I don't like seafood anyway," and go about your own life not thinking twice about the plight of our neighbors on the gulf coast. But I have a better suggestion and I give it to you to challenge your thinking and your will. Go to the gulf coast region and say, "what can I do?" If you go with only a rope in your hand, you will find something to do that will be of help. If you take nothing but a hammer and a shovel (and nothing else), I PROMISE YOU THAT YOU WILL FIND PLENTY TO DO. If you do nothing but get yourself there empty-handed, but with the will to help--someone will arm you with a shovel, a chainsaw, a hammer, or maybe just a bucket or a wheelbarrow. What our brothers and sisters need all over the gulf coast is boots on the ground and a willing mind to contribute to this long recovery process.

A dozen people can muck out a house in 8-10 hours. We gutted and cleaned 3 houses, moved tons of debris, and cut downed trees and limbs in 4 days. If every able-bodied person in the southeast would resolve to get to the gulf region for one week of their life, it would be amazing what could be righted about the world that was turned upside down in 12 hours or so by Katrina. Many people have gone from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana (literally from all over the U.S.) to help out. They didn't choose to sit at home and blast the government and FEMA and turn a deaf ear to the many cries for help for co-LABORERS.

There is a church group in central Georgia that just returned from their second trip to Mississippi (maybe the third). Of the 28 or so that went on this trip, 4 were from the sponsoring church (other church members went on the first or second one and perhaps couldn't go on this one). But 24 other people answered the church's call to "come join us." The people that went with the group (from about 4-5 other churches) have now seen firsthand the enormity of the work to be done and have already begun their own church's follow-up trip. That's the domino effect of getting yourself down there. Seeing the destruction and realizing that WE ARE OUR BROTHER'S KEEPER, can go a long way in inspiring others to GO DO SOMETHING instead of passing judgement on what should have been done before, during, and after the storm. Get your "boots on the ground" in the gulf region and let's see how quickly WE can pull this incredibly beautiful area of God's creation back up to pre-Katrina.

And, oh by the way, George W. didn't send Katrina to the gulf. Neither did John Kerry, Al Gore, or Howard Dean. Forget politics, my friend and do what George 1 and Bubba are doing. Work together for the common good of our fellow countrymen (and women). YOU WILL BE BLESSED BY BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION.

"My good Countrymen, lend me your ears" I grew up and lived in New Orleans for over 30 years, (In Ohio since '98), I visited New Orleans and the Mississippi River basin down to the mouth of he river over the Christmas Holidays, the devastation is indescribable! The destruction in most (all) of these fishing/seafood communities is "TOTAL Destruction”. I spent five days traveling South Louisiana, and there was no getting away from the "Hiroshima" type devastation. Honestly... The scope is beyond what anyone can imagine. Stare at pictures of Japan and Germany after WW II and you will BEGIN to get an idea. As big as our Government is, it's not enough... they need people, lots and lots of people, fellow citizens, to take their trade skills go down get involved and make a difference. The Government can pump hundreds of billions into the area, there is almost no one available to clear the access channels and waterways, rebuild docks, icehouses, cold storage facilities, trucking and logistics to bring the seafood to market. The Government does not employee (nor would we want them to) enough people to clean this area up. My God, it has to be cleaned out before it can be rebuilt. I have never seen such total and complete devastation... town after town... slabs where homes and business used to be, houses after house in the middle of the street. Water line debris on the top wires of the power lines and telephone poles... massive flooding, and or tidal waves and high wind damage for 90,000 square miles. If you want to feel truly humbled and realize how defenseless society can be against the power of nature, just take a trip to New Orleans and visit 9th ward and lower St Bernard and Plaquemines Parish... you will leave saying my God how do you recover from this? Where do you start? Public works... destroyed. Entire city halls and local Government buildings destroyed. Power and gas infrastructure... destroyed. Entire towns and small cities... destroyed... gone, and most all the residents are gone... nowhere to live, no business to provide goods and services... destroyed, and where the business are re-opening there is little or no population to draw employees from... open for business and no one to hire and no one to sell to. In New Orleans Burger King is paying $6000.00 sign on bonus and $9.00 per hour just to attract Hamburger flippers. We as Americans are to busy with our lives to go down and help, and realistically, probably the only two countries that would have enough man power to through at this MASSIVE undertaking would be China and India, they have over 1 billion people each... America... 250 million and most of us are busy with our own lives... These people are on their own... Our Government is not big enough to do what needs to be done as quickly as we Americans are used to... The scope of devastation is just too massive... It does not matter who is in power, Democrats, Republican, or Independents. Republicans run the Federal Government, Democrats run the State of Louisiana, and 95% of the City and Town Governments, Katrina is just too much for everyone.... This should not be political anymore... this is a mankind issues... “Please lend me your ears" I have lived there and returned... look at pictures of Hiroshima and Indonesia after the tsunami... and combine them!
I am affiliated with a Relief Organization in New Orleans/Marrero Louisiana, Christian Fellowship Catastrophe Fund, If you would like to help by donating time, monetary or supply donations simply link to www.CFChurch.com and see how they are reaching out to South Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. You can take part in the recovery.

Take care.

This discussion of government reminds me of the famous old comment about cops-- "Nobody likes a cop until they really need one." Perhaps a good government is one that you don't really notice a whole lot, and yet when you really need them, they come through for you. We all pay taxes, so it's not too much to expect something in return. In a democracy, of course there is room for debate on how much we're actually going to get. I just hope that the debate is honest and not driven entirely by lobbyists and shallow self-interest rather than the greater needs of the affected community and the nation.

All the folks pontificating about how everyone should just pull themselves up by their own bootstraps-- well, then, give up your Medicare, social security, federal highway funds, federal aid to school systems, federal crop and agricultural funds, etc. Everyone hates government "handouts" except for the ones that they are getting.

I do agree that this nation needs to adjust its spending priorities and learn how to pay its bills-- I shudder to think of the bills our kids and grandkids will be paying for this deficit. But investing in the Gulf Coast so that it can revitalize itself as quickly as possible will be a net benefit to the economic health and strength of our nation in the long run. I would make it a higher priority than simple-minded attempts to nation-build overseas in countries that aren't interested in any help from our military.

While I am sure all of you affected by this storm consider yourselves victims I ask you to consider this. Mother nature has shown over the years that She will alwasy balance the books. Maybe y'all aren't supposed to harvest the fish and wildlife in the area for a bit. Maybe She asked you to slow down the harvest and let the numbers build back up but you did not listen. So, let the work pay off. Get your boats back together and don't be in such a hurry to use all of your modern day equipment coupled with greed get you back in the water harvesting the fishngame. Let them recover too. I love seafood, it is something I could live off of and I appreciate what a hard life it is. I have witnessed it firsthand. I also know that greed and corporate practices are behind the decimation of the numbers of fish available.
Maybe you will all get together and realize that this may have been another hint. Slow down, save some for the next generations. Or, Mother Nature may come back and make it impossible for you to ever fish your waters again. Just sayin'.

Blaming the Republican party or the current President is RIDICULOUS. I was fortunate enough to be a Federal volunteer (30 days from my agency to support FEMA) and spent the time in the Waveland/Pass Christian area. I saw two things during my 30 days as a volunteer.

1. The resolve and spirit shown by Gulf Coast residents was amazing. I have no problem believing how our country is the best in this world. Seems like Americans (all types, immigrant and native) face adversity with indomitable strength.

2. The failed FEMA bureaucracy didn't happen overnight or during one administration. We (non-FEMA federal vounteers attached to FEMA) were frustrated at every corner by FEMA and MEMA employees stating "we can't do that." It seems that none could
produce legislation, policy, or memoranda that could prove them. I think we got fired three times for doing things for the survivors that "we were not supposed to do." Don't get me wrong, the frontline FEMA employees have HUGE hearts and want to do the right thing, but they're not allowed to think or be creative without the fear of being fired. Like I said, I got fired about three times but never relieved. Officially, they had to protest our actions but also turned a blind eye to successful attempts to get aid to the survivors.

So, IN SUMMARY, don't blame the current administration or party, blame the entrenched FEMA bureaucrats at the upper levels who have lost touch with what's important. For instance, some mid-high level FEMA bureaucrat in Florida decided that our area had received sufficient trailers! That was back in late September. Even now, trailers are still needed. Anyway, lower-level FEMA workers made phone calls to other lower-level FEMA workers who do the actual work and things were fixed in a day.

I'm glad to have served, but next time I'll volunteer with a different organization.

very sad what happened in miss and alabama, stupidity in new orleans, but it will happen again so be ready this time and dont depend on the government right away stock up way before it strikes.

EVERY PERSON AT SOMETIME IN THEIR LIFE HAS A DEVASTATING CALAMITY BEFALL THEM. GET UP OFF YOUR ASS AND START WORKING AND DONT WAIT FOR A GOVERNMENT HANDOUT. YOU MIGHT FIND THAT IT IS VERY SATISFING AND HEALTHY TO DO SOMETHING RATHER THAN SITTING AND COMPLAINING.

I agreee with so many of you and with the same token disagree. I wonder how many people did lose their lives in the path of Katrina. I wonder if we will ever know. I too grew up on the coast and have family still missing in the hardest hit areas of Katrina. Where the heck is the help not only for the the fish families, but the families, business owners, regular people of the great south. I myself dont depend on the Gov. to provide (never have) but there is only so much an idividual can do. What is the plan? Who decides it? If we dont help ourself who will? My thoughts continue to be with all of you and your family's (safe, recovered or still missing)

If I had a boat sitting on a pile of logs I would definitley think about the gift the hurricane had left me. I would take the logs and line them up as they would make great rollers. A shovel to level the dirt would be helpful. You are going to need pry poles to start moving the boat. I would advise that nobody stand in front of the boat when the actual moving process began. Once the boat passed over some of the logs then they would be moved to make more rollers. Boats can be logged to the water. They might have to secure the boat from rolling while the new rollers are placed towards the front of the log road (using blocks etc.). If people can build pyramids without FEMA then a boat can be moved to the water with a little thought and a bunch of friends. We need to think farmer and nurse here... levers, pulleys, hard physical work, creativity!!! Don't give up, it can be done!I am just a female sitting here looking at a picture and wishing I could be there helping. My thoughts can be there. If people use their minds they can do anything! I have logged many things around as I do not have the physical strength to drag around vehicles etc. You would be surprised how much of our brains we have been taught not to use. Good luck and my thoughts are with you. I won't beat you with a lecture as I care about you and want to help you.

I myself being a southerner by birth, born in pensacola,Fla to parents both born in and raised in the south watched in utter horror what nature did to my beloved Gulf Coast. But the real horror came when I saw how unprepared our Government was in handling a disaster of this magnitude. It freightened me to think if this had been one of those man made disasters that the current administration uses to strike fear in the hearts of men. Our government has been telling us that they were preparing for catastropic events on all levels natural and man made . I feel very deeply for the peoples of the south who have been affected by this disaster. Anyone who loves the South as i do would understand the absolute neccesity to rebuild .It is a region unto itself, and people who are not from there donot understand how special the foods (seafood)are. It is not just an industry it is a way of life for those who live in and love or visit or feel a special kindship to the Gulf Coast South. God continues to bless America because we continue to be a nation that realizes it responsibility to its fellow man. It is easy to point fingers and say what someone would could should have done. But remember the saying " There but for the grace of God go I".

Why do we have to blame anyone? How do we blame "Mother Nature". When they said Evacuate, they obviously meant it. I feel for these people and I honestly don't know what my family would do in a similar situation. However, Just like hurricanes, California has earthquakes and either you prepare, or you are up a creek.

Many of us had insurance, but they are paying less than half of what it costs to rebuild. I have 60k worth of damage to my 80k home. My insurance company (ALLSTATE) just now (4 months later) sent me a check for 36k. Now my mortgage company wants to disperse it 1/3 at a time, even though i have had to pay over 20k of my own money to get rid of the mold and damage to my home. Others I know were NOT ALLOWED to buy flood insurance, because they dont live in a flood zone. But their home flooded, SO their insurance company will not pay. I was able to evacuate the area for the storm because I save money and had the extra $500 that it costs to leave and get a hotel, which by the way- you cannot find one within 8-10 hours. I evacuated 4 times in the last 2 years for no reason, other than I was told to by the city. I realize that some of your comments are dead on, we should not depend on handouts from the government; BUT one does not expect their insurance company to go BANKRUPT either, which many down here have. Thanks to the red cross and all of the volunteers that have come here to help out with cleanup. There is still debris everywhere, only half has been removed. Contractors hired by the state are doing a very bad job cleaning up, and taking only the "fluffy" stuff to get more cubic yards of debris. I have put over 1000 hours into the rebuilding of my home, and most of us are working our butts of down here. We should divert any money going to foreign countries to the gulf coast area to help rebuild and get everyone back to normal.

To Jim Null, Paul Smith and Derek Collins in response to your comments posted on Jan 6: I think each of you should go to the MS coast and see the damage for yourselves because you apparently don’t know a whole lot about the situation.

Mr. Null, as far as the government bailout comment you made, I’m curious - what would be your recovery plan if 80-85% of your town is wiped out? With no homes, where will the people live? With no businesses left, where will the people work? And don't forget, if there are no homes or businesses, there is no tax base for the city or county to help rebuild the essential infrastructure. Should these towns just cease to exist? My hometown is over 300 years old, so I guess all that history should just be wiped away – is that your suggestion? Without some Federal government assistance they won’t survive. Who else can they turn to for assistance?

Mr. Collins, as someone who grew up in one of the most heavily damaged towns on the MS coast, believe me when I say people who live there have contingency plans. Until Katrina, Camille was the storm against which all others were compared. When I returned with my family a few days after the storm to help them try to salvage pieces of their lives that came to rest a block or more from where the homes once stood, I asked them how they handled the destruction after Camille. The answer - Camille is not on the same scale in terms of damage, not even close. Katrina made Camille - which saw entire families swept away never to be seen alive again - look like a bad spring thunderstorm. Some areas in our town got close to a 40 foot tidal surge - that is like a four story building coming straight at you. How would you plan for that?

And to Mr. Smith: Most people who live along the MS coast have insurance coverage to help with natural disasters. But, you have to understand that the damage was due to water, not wind. It is the Federal government that designates what areas are within flood plains and in turn, who needs flood insurance. Most people that didn't have it didn't for one simple reason: they were told by the government (FEMA) that it wasn't necessary. My family’s insurance agent didn’t have flood insurance – because FEMA said he didn’t need it. Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods, and flood insurance doesn't cover your home's contents. So if you had flood insurance, you are still on the hook for replacing all of your possessions. If you didn't have it, you're stuck with nothing but a huge, seemingly insurmountable mess. And if you did get some sort of settlement, it was probably for pennies on the dollar. Good luck trying to rebuild a life on that.

So, if any of you can give the good, hard-working people of the MS coast some ideas, I'm sure they would love to hear them. It really angers me to listen to the comments of people who don't have a grasp of what is actually needed for that area to rebuild to a level anywhere near where it was pre-Katrina. To see the small beachside town that has been the only home my mother's family has known in ruins is hard to put into words. The family-owned businesses that took decades to build, neighborhoods where I played with childhood friends, reminders of good times and bad - all of these things have been literally erased, with only slabs remaining. It's quite humbling to see entire blocks and neighborhoods obliterated. But the people of the MS coast are resilient and have such an amazing spirit and sense of community. I am truly blessed to call the area home and consider those people family. And if you do make the trip to see the damage first hand, don’t be surprised if when you leave you feel differently than you did on Jan.6 – fully understanding something before making comments about it usually helps.

I just have a few questions to all you naysayers--What if this had happened in your town? What if your home was worth $200k, the contents even more, and your insurance co. only gave you $2800?

I feel the government is doing an great job with the clean up. Everyday there are trucks removing as much of the debris as possible. Unless you live or work here you cannot imagine the amount of destruction and debris Katrina left us. This cannot be accomplished in a short time. It could take years. The home I lived in was destroyed but I was provided with a FEMA trailer to live in. My shrimp boat also sank in the storm and I paid a local company have it raised. I am now having to refurbish my boat for next shrimp season. All without the governments help! Life goes on.

The problem w/louisana is it is mainly a welfare state to begin with. The people are used to govt checks. The problem now is there are so many checks to hand out to people setting around and griping about our govt who provides them their livelyhood to start with. We need to place a time limit that an individual can draw govt monies. I say 2 years is long enough for people to train for and seek employment. You gotta break the chain of kids on welfare, getting pregnant at 14 or 15 and placing new kids on welfare. All Katrina did was show the problem that was allready in place. Oh yeah, for those who didn't listen to the advance warnings- if you live near the gulf, you stand a good chance of being in a hurricane. You may want to plan for this in the future.

i have to go with BJ Becker on this ....logs could be used....but PVC pipe works much better...and is not too expensive....i have moved some pretty heavy equimptement doing that.....you gotta work at it ....but if it's worth doing...all it takes is effort...and the PVC won't scratch a boats hull like logs might

I think people need to be more sympathetic and helpful and not fall back on blaming the people for the government's failure to provide assistance in this, the nation's biggest, national disaster. It's easy to sit back and watch the helpless victims and make derogatory comments about a 'welfare state.'

Conditions that society imposes upon people to exist are based upon the noncompassion of government and industry, who care more for the dollar than they do a single human being who works hard to maintain a semblance of dignity. That needs to change. Get off your butt and go volunteer, don't just complain and add to the misery of the people. It's politics as usual, and your response is typical of those who are not involved. I pity you when it comes your turn.

Robert (Bob) Metz is my father and I am so very proud of him and his contribution to our community. He is a pillar of strength. He is a spokesperson among the local fisherman and somewhat of a legacy in our community as well as across the coast.

When we returned home after the storm, the only thing left on my parent’s property (both home and business built together) was a flag that Congressman Gene Taylor gave to Dad on the Fourth of July for his contribution to the Annual Crab Festival in Bay St Louis.

Less than three weeks after the storm, he began rebuilding his business. His boats had been located (one upside down on Lower Bay Road, one in a heavily wooded area, and the other in a field upside down on a fence - none of them repairable). He had 50 crab traps, a borrowed boat and motor, a generator, and a tank of gas. He was back in business.

When you drive for miles and don't see a home standing or even a single light at night, you realize how small we are on this earth and how quickly your whole life can be turned up side down or forever changed. I cannot express what is felt when people make their way through the debris on Lower Bay Road to the beach and put their vehicles in reverse when they see "Bob's Crabs - now open". Customers that have been buying seafood from him for 20 years are amazed that he is there and back in business. He has given so much hope to so many people since the storm by being there and being a symbol of what it is that our country is built on.

Yes, my parents were ready to retire and lost everything; if the federal government is in the position to help them get back on their feet, then the tax dollars they have paid over the last 50 years have been well spent. If not, then they will recover and rebuild on their own strength, merit, prayers, and love and support of others. Rebuilding in this community will take years of dedication from those who have decided to stay. Yes, debris is being removed – mostly trees and shrubbery as the tens of thousands of homes, automobiles, and businesses cannot yet be bulldozed down or moved because of the issues with the insurance companies refusing to settle claims.

As you drive through your communities, try to picture what it would be like to drive down that street for 5 plus miles in one direction and not see a home standing for 30 to 40 plus miles across in the other directions. Try to imagine piles of debris (your photo albums, your wedding dress, your baby’s blanket, your big screen TV, your tools, collectibles, clothes) piled 30 feet high on top of your neighbors on top of their neighbors. It’s hard to picture or imagine or feel this without walking down what used to be a paved street or plowing through the mud and bayous looking for something that was in your home. My brother found a photograph of my son five miles from my parent's home. Part of his picture is still visible through the watermarks and mud. I had remained strong and supportive for them throughout this ordeal but broke down and cried for the first time over their loss when he handed me that picture. However, in that same moment I had so much hope for them in their endeavor to rebuild and to start again.

If you have the opportunity to visit Hancock County in the next year or two, you will still be able to get the true feeling of the devastation. So, I invite you to come to see and to feel what it is that we are enduring and why we staying and rebuilding.

I am amazed as I read your comments at the different point of views; some supportive, some encouraging, others placing blame or judgmental. Even the comments about the kids on welfare and the pregnant teenage girls - education and discipline start in a home, a home built on the same foundation that our country was built on - faith and prayer. Whatever your feelings or thoughts, know that there is a sense of togetherness across our coastline as we pull together to start again. To those of you who want to pass judgment, my prayer for you is that you never find yourself walking this road. I pray that you are kept safe and secure and your homes and families are always together. For those of you who offer your prayers and support in any form, I pray that God reaches to you and bestows a blessing that cannot possibly be measured here on earth.

I've always known that we are a great nation and that we are truly blessed. But, I did not realize the magnitude of this blessing until we found ourselves in the position of starting over. The words sung by Lee Greenwood about starting again in a country were we are free and have the opportunity and resources to rebuild now have a whole new meaning to us. For those of you who believe, I ask you to continue praying for the people here and I ask you to pray for our government and our leaders as they try to assist all the people across our nation that are in need. Thank you for your prayers and support for they have touched our hearts.

JC, Heeding admanced warnings, and trying to get out, is wise. You're right. Many people did...which preserved their lives, but not their homes or town. Katrina was a MONSTER of a storm, unlike anything ANYONE has ever experienced. It's arms filled the whole...the WHOLE Gulf of Mexico. It was a storm of a thousand years...not a hundred years. Historic homes in the Bay and Waveland were, some of them centuries old... they had seen and survived that many years' worth of hurricanes. Bay St. Louis is the highest point on the whole Gulf Coast. So... I guess, your little sentence notifying people on the Gulf Coast about the presence of hurricanes steams me up a bit! These folks have planned for and lived with hurricanes all their life. Your compassion is stunning!

Anyway. Implying that anyone could plan for or design their home to withstand a Katrina is like saying...you better plan for the apocalypse...'cause it's coming. OK. I guess my question for you is...in Illinois, when the apocalypse comes, how do you plan to handle it? When something like this nightmare happens, you better just hope your heart is right with the Lord, try to stay calm and think straight, and start praying.

As I read these posts, I must join in with those who live either in BSL/Waveland and the area, or who been there to volunteer to help. I , too, have been in BSL and must say loud and clear,..."there are no words to describe what I saw there"!!!!!! All of you who think you know the answers to what needs to be done! Go down there, you have NEVER seen anything like it. Miles and miles of total devastation, nothing left on an entire street but debris, nothing resembling an intact structure. Folks, this is so huge that no matter what anyone does it is going to take years to come back. Just removing the rubble is going to take at least a year or more. Many, many people are working hard, church groups, civic groups and just plain people who got in there car and wanted to help. I am not excusing the slow response of the government, or insurance companies, but I am going to put some blame on the press who have forgotten this area. Maybe if they did a few stories about these great towns, more people would volunteer their time.
Get a group togethr, a church group, neighborhood or just a few friends. Take some time and drive on down. You will not be sorry. You won't get paid, but it will be life altering for you. God Bless all those who I met in BSL. I love you all and pray for you everyday. Hope to see you soon.

I'm a little steamed at JC from Illinois too!!! I was born and raised in the burbs outside of New Orleans and now live across the lake in Slidell, La. It amazes me of how badly you think about the people of LOUISIANA because of the ignorance of the people living in New Orleans. The city of NO is majority welfare, not the state of LA. My hometown suffered great devistation because of Katrina, wind and flood. We had just as much devistation as Waveland/BSL if not more. But because of close minded people like yourself we get grouped into a category with NO. The truth be known, we've had little help because we're located between NO and MS. The eye of that storm passed right over Slidell and 95% of the buidings sustained damage. The entire south side of town was totally destroyed. SO i take great offense to your comments. Our people are recovering by ourselves with li'l or no help from our government. So maybe you can come down and help the working people of Slidell since it's apparent welfare recipients appall you..........

My heart goes out to all the people whom have lost family and friends. The of your homes and businesses is also very tragic. I will pray for you and all whom have lost so much. I can only hope that in the future that the people whom advise us do not give us false hope as to the rebuilding and promises that this government can do. They do not have the ability to any more at all. With the new threat in Iran I am sure we will test this nation again. We can only help ourselves.

well lets see. we have one person saying the eye came over Slidell and a bunch saying it came over Bay/Waveland. i wonder which is correct

Just got back from New Orleans returning our daughter to Tulane. Wow. Some comments (in no particular order of importance):
1. Why should the government help? Because it can. Because these are Americans hurting and needing help. Because we have for centuries legislated government help for various people, places, industries and private businesses that needed help. New York City. Chrysler. Railroads. San Francisco and Los Angeles. The airline industry. The Olympic Games. The poor in general and the very young and elderly poor in particular. And because it is just the right thing to do.
2. Why should the Corps of Engineers rebuild the levees? Because federal law says they must: the Mississippi is a navigable river and falls under federal jurisdiction. It was federal levees that failed, not state or local ones. But they just might want to think about all those canals. Do they really need to be there?
3. Should all the houses in NO be rebuilt? Likely not. Many are too far below flood stage to make rebuilding practical, but remember two things: first, these are real people's homes we are talking about, it is not an abstract concept to lose your home and not be able to rebuild; and second, will you then also refuse to rebuild the million dollar condos in Myrtle Beach and Boca Raton after they are destroyed? For better or worse, we have a national flood insurance program that encouraged people to build in harms way.
4. Will there be a New Orleans in ten years? I expect and hope so. The mouth of the Mississippi is a natural spot for a city of substantial size. Most of the midwest grain and produce goes south through New Orleans (it can go east through the Great Lakes, but that route freezes every year or so!) Most of the Gulf oil and gas infrastructure and support is there. Most of Central and South American imports come through New Orleans. So, just as there is a San Francisco after the 1907 quake, there will be a New Orleans after Katrina.
5. Should tourists go to NOLA? Absolutely. The hotels and restaurants are open and the food is great. The service is a little slow as they need more staff, but that is understandable. Everything that you need and expect for a safe visit is there: airport, transportation, hospitality, great meals and touristy things to do. Police, fire and ambulance. Hospitals and pharmacies. And music. Seriously ill people like heart transplant survivors should probably not go, but for the rest of us, laissez les bon temps roulez. (It should not need to be said, but tourists and casual visitors not willing to volunteer and help should stay out of the ninth ward; they do not need tourists gawking at the destruction. Limit your view to that from the airplane as you pass over and come back some other time with a church or volunteer group when you can do something useful.)
6. The work done by the staff, faculty and administration at the colleges and universities in New Orleans, especially Tulane, was outstanding. These people and their insurance companies and contractors reopened the campus in just five and one half months. Those schools which cannot open yet are being hosted at those which can open. The generosity of the American colleges and universities which hosted displaced students for the fall semester was also outstanding and will not be forgotten.
7. I have every faith in American generosity and ingenuity, hard work and discipline. New Orleans will be rebuilt; it may be changed, but it will be New Orleans. American engineering can send a man to the moon; it can also design and build a flood control system which will work. If the Dutch can do it, so can we. And we will not forget the poor and homeless; it is not in our nature, as Americans and mostly, Christian Americans to do so. The cost to rebuild New Orleans, and coastal Mississippi and Alabama will be a small fraction of the recompense in lives, communities, heritage, income, economic support, and taxes that this region will return to the nation.

Say what you want but if you are living anywhere that wasn't hit by Katrina, then you really have NO IDEA what you're talking about. Everyone in my family lost everything and it is really hard for me to swallow the CRAP that all of you are spouting out. It's really easy to speak it but really difficult to put your money where your mouth is; or better yet, put your volunteerism where your mouth is.
The fact is, that while you are composing these obvious farts of the brain from the comfort of your home and in front of your computer, people are still sleeping in tents on the foundations that used to support their homes. This is because FEMA officials are still restly comfortably on their hind ends while these people WAIT. I still have family waiting for a FEMA camper. Like it or not, FEMA is a government agency and like any government-run agency, they suck.
I go down there as often as my work schedule permits and since Katrina, not a lot of progress has been made. So, the next time you want to spout off about something you obviously couldn't care less about, try going to stay for a week with someone who is living in a freaking tent. It will make you appreicate the simple things that you and so many others are taking for granted. Like a toilet, or a grocery store, or any of 1000 other things.

I agree with most, the government shouldn't be responsible for rebuilding the businesses that were lost. BUT, what about helping to rebuild the lives, the local economy? If Hurricane Katrina had hit Washington D.C, the White House and all those monuments would've been rebuilt by now I'm sure.

The government and it seems by these comments that the rest of America looks at the South like we're less than everyone. How many people in Los Angeles CA are on Welfare? How many people in New York live homeless on the streets? How many welfare junkies live on your street corner in ANY state? The south has their fare share to be sure...but we are no better and no worse than the rest of you.

Only God made Katrina, Pres. Bush had nothing to do with it. But the President didn't send HUrricane Andrew and he sure helped out Florida in rebuilding (oh wait, his FAMILY is there...). The president doesn't cause the earthquakes in California, the Avalances in Colorado, the Tornados in the Midwest, but when those things happen those "welfare bums" in those states are begging for assistance to help rebuild their businesses. Why, when the South asks for help, do you people snub us? Why are we so different from you? what makes us so un-worthy of FEMA, Red Cross, Government funds that are due to us because of LAWS (that BTW your congressmen voted FOR)??? Before you start critisizing, the white trash welfare junkies in the South, maybe you should take a walk in your own town...or perhaps mail that check you get on the first of the month back?

The Civil War is over, most of us down here have let it go. So should you.

D.S. ,Alabama.....don't think....God....really makes hurricanes...they are just pure...EVIL...trust me i lived thru one...ALISHA....ain't gonna again...if i can help it....it is true what you say...black...white.....everyone got a bad deal...nothing racial....we are all Americans....bless all

What an amazing collection of "comments" here. I have only seen the TV reports/pictures about the destruction. I'm sure they don't do it justice. About the comments concerning a "welfare state" do you actually know how many welfare recipients REALLY reside in the devastated areas?! Also heeding the "evacuation warnings" is a good idea but many of the people didn't have enough money to fill the gas tank of a car they didn't own. What were they supposed to do. Perhaps those flooded school buses should have been utilized! Good luck and God's speed in your recovery efforts. I will cotinue to pray for all the victims of a horrifis disaster.

To all on either side of the political fence, stop bickering. It is like when I hear screaming and hollering at my house and broken glass, and I go to see what has happened. The kids were horsing around and broke something. There is glass everywhere. They are hollering, blaming each other, pointing fingers. I tell them to be quiet. It doesn't matter who did what at this point. What matters now, is that they hold still so I can sweep up the broken shards so no one gets hurt. We need to all work together to rebuild this area. You have put so much time into arguing about whose fault it is, when you could/and can be doing something contructive like organizing volunteers and food/supply/money drives.

Secondly, as people have already stated this devastation is like none anyone has seen before in this country. Imagine bringing the aid in initially was hard due to having to do it by air because roads were impassable. The ocean ways were open to but how to transport it once you got it to shore. Everything is gone. To understand how hard it was then is to understand how hard it is now. Everything is gone. This is going to take time. People are going to suffer. Lets all work together to mitigate it, to ease, and never stop the prayers. They work. God always has a reason. Good will come of this. I think with this recovery effort, we will reclaim some of our national identity of being hard-workers, pioneers, and big hearted families that aren't afraid to rough it and go without to help our neighbors and nation.

Don B, the buses should have been utilized....your right but if i had no other way.....shoot man i'd start walking....you have to get away from a MONSTER...like a hurricane...any way you can...if you are walking away from something like that...someone will have pity and pick you up...people still help others...or i know i would

i live in an area in florida that saw the eye of 3 hurricanes go thru in 2004, leaving destruction behind, not equal to katrina but for us that lost everything, the effect was the same. the media didn't focus on us here in central florida, but on the coastlines where the damage was worse, but the population was mostly retired w/ money...and they were taken care of fast and first...after all the media had their attention on them, and of course our own jeb bush would not be embarrassed....but for us here, there are still blue roofs everywhere, fema trailers also abound, and for alot of us, there wasn't any fema, sba, or welfare to help out. my heart goes out to the katrina victims...and as little as we already had left, our area here in florida was one of the first to volunteer with man-power from our police/fire forces, and we all gave what we could of food, clothing and even gave our homes. only those that have lost everything, and put it all back together over time can understand.. so the rest of you spout your speeches...we in the south will overcome because we are a stubborn lot.

Well, fellow comentators, the real story behind this past huricane seasons is its only gonna get worse! God did not create these hurricanes, the pasage of time did! The earths average tempature over the last five years have been the highest average temp. ever recorded. Yes our artic's are melting rapidly and changing the ocean temp. and current flows. We should all sit-up, shut-up and take notice of schene behind the schene. Pres. Nixon took the blame yrs. ago! No more blame game, take heed, the sign of the times!!

After reading the notes from people all over the U.S.
The only conclusion one can reach is that our Government (our so called leaders!) are stupid. If they had spent the time that they wasted trying to derail Judge Sam Alito and instead discussed the problems of the Hurricane victims down South, their time would have been used more constructively. After all,getting everything rolling again down South, is helping a renewable resource. Just read the notes from the Fishermen.Maybe we could talk Senator Kennedy into loaning the Government some of his hidden, & tax free offshore funds, to help rebuild.

In October I worked in New Orleans, Louisiana with the American Red Cross. I had never been to the south before. It was a life changing experience for me. I met so many kind people while I was there. I wish you all all the luck in the world. I have faith that the south will rise again. It hurts me to see things not being taken care of as they should. I'm ready, as many people are to write letters. I'm sorry for all the things everyone has lost, I feel like there isn't enough help in the world that can be given, but I'll do my best! Good Luck to all of you and God Bless!

I just came down from philly to visit all of my family. They are from Mobile,Al. and Biloxi, MS. I really didn't realize the extent to how bad this hurricane was. My parents took me to see the destruction from Katrina.It's been just about 5 months now since she hit the gulf coast and when I saw the wreckage it was devastating. I've never seen anything like that before in my whole 24yrs of living in Alabama. I went all the way from theodore,al to long beach,ms to see the destruction that katrina had caused. It brought tears to my eyes. The further I drove the worse it was. The beaches are completely destoyed Boats are still on land and shrimp boats are still on land too. I can't believe that the gov't hasn't even done anything about all the boats on land and helping these people who literally lost everything. As I was driving along the coast I was looking at all the rubble where the houses used to be . This whole coast of oceanfront property was so beautiful before . Now I look around and I'm in shock because I don't even remember what used to be there. Everything is completely flattened. Some homes were still standing barely but you could see right through them.The homes that aren't liveable FEMA has put them in trailors where their homes are. It's so sad but it seems like they are making the best out of it. It seems like things are being done to help but very very slowly. Today I saw that they were working on repairing the beach. My heart and prayers go out to all of you on the gulf coast.

Ken - Long Beach - see attached. It is my understanding from the statistics that the eye was close to 60 miles wide and somewhat elongated when it came ashore.... see attached from national hurricane center. If the NHC information is correct, then the eye would have covered both areas as the bird does fly. · WIND
As previously mentioned, Katrina’s maximum landfalling windspeeds near Grand Isle, Louisiana were approximately 140 mph. As Katrina moved further northward and made her second landfall along the Mississippi and Louisiana border, the National Weather Service (NWS) WSR-88D single-Doppler radar in Mobile (KMOB WSR-88D) measured winds as high as 132 mph between 3000 and 4000 feet above ground level during the morning hours. It is estimated that eighty to ninety percent (approximately 104-119 mph) of the latter maximum wind speed value reached the ground. Tree damage in Stone County, MS was very similar to what Ivan produced in Atmore and Brewton. In the velocity loop ( > to see a velocity loop from 759 AM until 859 AM CDT) you will note the storm’s eye (labeled in the large white circle) is southwest of the region of maximum surface wind speeds. These measurements are winds flowing toward the KMOB WSR- 88D. The following colors indicate where the next highest velocity values begin (gray = 104 mph; brown = 109 mph; dark blue = 114 mph; cyan= 117 mph; green >127 mph). Table 2 con