We live in Waveland... have a FEMA trailer and an 18X30 revival tent. The revival tent has sunshade on all sides. For reasons I don't understand, mosquitos and no-seeums don't like the sunshade: we can be inside the tent, bug-free; guests outside the tent are eaten alive. We don't sleep in the tent though, as my wife does not sleep well with silverfish crawling in her hair!

John S
Waveland MS

What are they going to complain about next? Why don't you just go ahead and blame it on FEMA or some other gov't agency? I think everyone needs to stop complaining and get back to work---get that coast rebuilt so another hurricane can take it all down again. God bless the little termites and roaches. They didn't do anything to anyone---they get such a bad rap!

The insects have always been horrible in Biloxi. You can't be outside and not be bitten or see a cockroach the size of a Buick. It's hard to imagine it worse than it once was.

To the guy who wants to know what they will complain about next----go visit there and then talk. They have every right to complain. God bless em. It is
a nightmare. Rebuild, easy for some to say--but the thieves are stealing the equipment and contractors are fed up. We are hear to listen. Complain and talk all you want. People do care!

Perhaps it has been a reduction in alternative hosts available to the biting flies that has made it seem like there are more of them such that they are attacking humans more readily. I wonder what the storm's impact was like on wildlife.

I'm really tired of hearing about why rebuild because another storm will take it down. In that line of thinking why should the area along the northern east coast clean up after the flood they are having --- it's just going to rain again!!

Please rebuild houses of concrete and steel not plasterboard and sticks as they will not last in a stong storm Make sure the roofs have hurricane straps. That is what we do in Jamaica.

Yes, people will rebuild but if you rebuild then don't complain if it happens again. I do feel sorry for the homeless down there though. It is now obvious that the gulf coastlines were not meant to be built on. I think that no insurance company should ever cover a structure in the damage zones. And our government should not cover any new structures in those zones. If you want to live there then be prepared to afford to rebuild again if you want to. I think that there are many people that would still build there under those conditions. Sorry, I got off the point of this blog.

they is turkey skeeters in the north part of da state....danditt they will raise a whelp!!!....ain't sure iv'e ever seen em dis big!!!.....ON KIDDING!!!!.......I think I got some kinnda Nile virus.....cough...cough....

Unless you have allergic reactions to things that fly, crawl, and/or bite, you probably don't understand why complaining about them is a big deal. A bite from any number of bugs swell me up just this side of an ER visit. A wasp or hornet will send me to the ER, but the rest of them.....are the reason why I stay away from the woods and tree lines and spend my time on the coast during the summer.

If we weren't to rebuild after natural disasters, there is no place in America that would be safe. We'd either have fires, or floods, or hurricanes, or tornados, or earthquakes, or avalanches, or any other host of problems. Within a year, America wouldn't have a population.

To the guy that said we are just complaining, I can only say that one day you will have to deal with something really difficult and maybe you will realize that your words have come back to haunt you.."walk a mile in our shoes", then talk~

I am from down south, I feel that this has always been a problem. Only because of the storm it is worth talking about. They are rebuilding to give those people hope for there future. If you haven't notice, most of them have not been really welcome other places. Much different from it was when everyone came to there state and city to visit.

Those insects are our fossil fuels in 1000 years. I say let them live and multiply.

Perhaps we could train the insects and send them over to Iraq. We'd get our troops back quicker and they could help rebuild the coast.

hey bob from georgia...are you saying that people shouldn't build in california also, along the san andreas fault?? geesh....obviously, from your point of view, the entire state of california (and alaska for that matter) should be declared uninhabitable!

As to what Parie said, that just proves (much to this born and raised Texan's delight)that not everything is bigger in Texas. I thought I had seen large roaches, but that was before moving to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Then I learned what big cockroaches really were!

Sometimes I just have to ask, why even attempt to rebuild anything in such a hellhole? So much of it is unchanged from last fall, the wreckage is going to get blown around in the next Cat 3, 4, 5, or even perhaps 6 storm that comes through *this* year. Go somewhere where you've at least got a fighting chance! Don't say to me "but it's HOME!" Home's where you hang your hat - hang it where the hurricanes don't roam.

On the news, I saw that Washington, D.C. is being flooded and more floodwater is expected for the next few days, as a result of a tropical system. Federal buildings had to be evacuated. It would be just awful if our public servants had to be evacuated and couldn't serve the public.

The american psyche is wounded and festering. Symptomatic of this is what is occurring in the Katrina-hit LA and MS regions with stolen large construction equipment etc. It is incredulous that this goes unchecked. Such blatant actions just show how close we are to anarchy. Neither political party offers any true salve or is likely to spark any constructive actions other than continued partisan dogfights. What is wrong with the American people that they don't just throw these dogs out - we are so jaded, we cannot imagine true representative democracy. Meanwhile, other nations surpass us in the sciences and our reputation among world nations continues to decline. Give us a John Kennedy, someone we can believe in and who can give us a new sense of honor and duty.

Hey John S ...Yah should have spent a few extra bucks on that big ole revival tent and had a floor sewn into it along with sceeter netting on the windows and doors. Then you could avoid the silver fish and get some freash air as well. But no .. yah never listen to me ..! Then you could be sleeping in your tent as well .. (hey you forgot the best part ..tell'em about the "porta-potty experience").

Joe S

"flying teeth"....shouldn't that be on the post about the theives?....if I catch a thief on my place...there will be flying teeth...you can bet

Given the state of things in LA, I say let the population complain about the bugs - for heaven's sake, they have enough to deal with and we have no right to censure them - as for the man saying no ins company should cover those areas, imagine the next time you have an accident and no ins co will cover you even though the accident wasn't your fault. Feel crappy doesnt it?

Complaining about bugs? Complain about something we can control, like the thieves and the insurance fraud going on down there

To the person who is telling us to stop complaining, I know it's probably difficult to comprehend what we have been through here on the coast since Katrina came through if you're not from the area. However, compassion towards your fellow man should be a universal thing. We're not asking you to come down here and rebuild our homes or clean up our mess. We aren't asking for your sympathy. The only thing we ask is that people stop making detrimental remarks towards those of us who are trying to rebuild our homes and lives. For many of us, the beautiful Gulf Coast has been home to our families for generations and we wouldn't consider the thought of living anywhere else.

Mark,

I believe you must have some of these critters up your...sounds like you are the one that is complaining!

Apparently, no one noticed that the guy used to be from Biloxi. Try reding the whole post before you post your response...

Saying no insurance company should cover people on the coast, you should also say insurance should not cover anyone on a fault line or anyone on tornado alley. We were not affected by Katrina but we were affected by Rita...the forgotten storm and I have to tell you it is not only a physical challenge to get everything back as it was but it is a mental challenge. I just hope that you never have to overcome something like this because if you are small minded, as some people on this blog are could never live through the emotional toll it takes. Not only are we trying to get back what we once had, we are still taking care of our children and trying to help them understand and it is very hard on your marriage, I know it was a contributing factor in my divorce and the divorce of many of my friends. If you don't have anything nice or supportive to say about us, KEEP YOUR NEGATIVE COMMENTS IN YOUR SMALL MIND...IF THERE IS ROOM!!

It's not a Gulf Coast thing...it's summer and it's time for mosquitoes and other biting insects. In the South, with the heat and humidity, it's a fact of life. Every year they are "worse" somewhere...here in NC we've just had 5 straight days of flooding rains and guess what...the mosquitoes are going to be worse.

I'm not knocking the Gulf Coast...as a matter of fact, as of this Friday, I'm getting ready to come to Biloxi for the first time since the hurricane and spend a week there...amongst the bugs...but mostly amongst the spirit and joy for life that the Gulf Coast residents have.

If you don't like bugs, move here to Portland, OR!!!! The best summer's in the world and very few bugs. I've been bitten by 1, count it 1, mosquito so far this summer. Deer flys? Never see em'... "No-see-ums"??? Here, we really don't see-um! IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHERE YOU LIVE...MOVE...

This is where this years major wild-fire needs to be. The people down there need to stop being so nostalic and move on. The gulf coast is all going to be under water in the next 100 years. It's been proven scientifically, so where these plans to rebuild the gulf coast come from stating the LA coastline will survive longer than 100 years is beyond me. So lets get a head-start and just burn it. Cut your losses people. The rest of America (people who weren't directly affected by the Hurricaines) don't care about you or the gulf coast. I am one of them.

Bugs suck. Nobody likes to be bitten. They can complain if they want to and people can rebuild if they want to. Isn't it wonderful to live in America?!:)

You do need to stop complaining! I'm from the Cayman Islands, which was completely devastated after Hurricane Ivan. We had to put up with the same problems as you, but instead of complaining about everything or finding someone to blame, we worked together to rebuild and bounce back! Yes, we had looters and thieves and insurance fraud. However, you can't just sit there feeling sorry for yourself and expect someone to take care of the problems for you. And you definitely can't blame your goverment for the problems down there. Feel lucky that you live in a wealthy country that gives quite a lot of federal aid. And ACT! Take charge. You all have been in my prayers. Good luck.

Hey we are rebuilding Iraq after we destroyed it.
Why not rebuild after Katrina? Just fix those levies right.

The things about all of this that still bothers me the most is the repsonse of the federal government. I remember when other countries were offering help and the Bush Administration refused some while FEMA tied others up in red tape.
I am well off now, but grew up very poor. It shows me once again that the Republican minded people in charge of our government really don't want the poor or needy to depend on government for anything. Dennis Hastert, third in line of the Presidency, said that they weren't going to rebuild New Orleans. Remember him saying that? The liberals may have taxed and spent in the past. But the conservatives tax and give the money to their already rich friends.
I'm just disgusted with Bush and his buddies. I will be taking a week long vacation to go volunteer in that region. I really hope things get better for the American people. It all seems so grim. Gas prices, the senseless war in Iraq, the "other" war that we are now loosing [Afghanistan], carbon emissions, harder to get a college education, big brother looking at our calls, emails, and bank accounts, and last but not least... another, maybe stronger, hurricane season coming.
Think about it: If the average temperature of our planet has gone up, wouldn't precipitation go up too? Wouldn't storms get stronger? Wouldn't some species of animals and insects be hurt by the climate shifting while others will be more desperate from a lack of food.
I heard that polar bears and some kind of cricket are eating each other for survival. Think of the canary in the cool mine. What if that was happenning to humans? Some kind of world-wide combination of famine, floods, and extemely powerful storms displacing millions world wide.
Why does our president ignore good science pertaining to global warming? Because he and his rich friends only care about the money they're making and they don't care about what happens to us. :(

Where has all the sympathy, empathy, human respect and consideration from the American people gone? Is it only those that have lost it that write on these blogs? Have a heart! Get a heart! God Bless all of those whom have lost everything to mother nature and who have hope and strength to rebuild. (and getting it off your chest...'complaining' is healthy!) God bless everyone of you....even those who are bitter towards you!

This should make Bob from Georgia's day.

My home will be up for sale very, very soon. I'm outta
here in a short while. Good luck to all and God
bless. I don't think I can take another storm. And
if I could, I'm not sure I can take -

1) Another cabbie in another earthquake infested
city give me a hard time about me taking money from
his pocket;

2) Some joker in a hotel up North asking me why
anyone would want to rebuild a region as backwards
as Mississippi;

3) Some yahoo in Chicago telling me that the hurricane
is Mississippi's fault for voting for Bush (I know
that executive power is as great as it's ever been
but I would doubt that it's _that_ great.)

4) A bunch of rabble on a website telling me
essentially the same thing as 1)-3).

I don't wish this on my worst enemy, or on any of
those naysaying, "get yer hands offa my wallet"
types who've posted on various topics on this site.

If you're staying and rebuilding, I wish you the
best.

To all that are using this as an opportunity to kick Mississippi Gulf Coast residents while they're down, shame on you! We (my family and I) are here as volunteers to assist in the rebuilding for the summer and have found the residents of Gulfport and Biloxi to be a determined lot and extremely gracious under all the pressure that has been their life since August 29. As we have attempted to play a very small part in coordinating volunteer work groups coming in to help we have been humbled and touched by the outflow of gratitude that is expressed by these folks who have dealt with so much and have so far yet to go.

I urge anyone who reads this to open their hearts and use this opportunity to "love your (Gulf Coast) neighbor as yourself." Just do something for "heaven's sake".

Maybe Global warming got the bats. Another thing we have to blame on President Bush! After all wasn't Katrina his fault as well! I have been to the coast, but I saw the destrucion in my area and we are 150 miles from the water! Coastal residents remain in my thoughs and prayers

alabama people know how you feel it was not long ago we had a little storm called ivan and we are still cleaning up that mess

I lived in Florida for 34 years and we had our share of hurricanes and tornados, etc. If you weigh out the percentages on good and bad weather of course the good definately out weighs the bad. So I understand why people want to stay and rebuild and I can also understand if some one might not. But the main point is, unfortunately, the one's staying will have to deal with more aggrevations than the any of us or anyone sitting comfy in their homes. I commend them and their efforts and they deserve to be able to complain if they need to.

Hey, maybe it's just that there are less people and the same amount of bugs. That's the ticket right there!

Complaints about bugs will always be around for us wonderful humans. I hope they can always find us around for a source of food.

Rebuild and come back because everyoneis born and then dies, but they are defined by what comes between.

depending on a republican controlled government is foolish you are going to have to get out there and do some searching for help.

Joe From Seattle writes: This is where this years major wild-fire needs to be. The people down there need to stop being so nostalic and move on. The gulf coast is all going to be under water in the next 100 years. It's been proven scientifically, so where these plans to rebuild the gulf coast come from stating the LA coastline will survive longer than 100 years is beyond me. So lets get a head-start and just burn it. Cut your losses people. The rest of America (people who weren't directly affected by the Hurricaines) don't care about you or the gulf coast. I am one of them.

What a compassionate caring fellow. And whatever
affects the Gulf Coast in terms of sea level rise
will affect Seattle as well. Puget Sound isn't an
isolated body of water.

Kelly writes:
You do need to stop complaining! I'm from the Cayman Islands, which was completely devastated after Hurricane Ivan. We had to put up with the same problems as you, but instead of complaining about everything or finding someone to blame, we worked together to rebuild and bounce back! Yes, we had looters and thieves and insurance fraud. However, you can't just sit there feeling sorry for yourself and expect someone to take care of the problems for you. And you definitely can't blame your goverment for the problems down there. Feel lucky that you live in a wealthy country that gives quite a lot of federal aid. And ACT! Take charge. You all have been in my prayers. Good luck.

No one here is complaining, we're rebuilding. The
problem is the attention provided by this website is
a double edged sword. More negative than positive
stories appear, so we sounds like a bunch of whiners.
However MSNBC fails to put these stories in context,
so those who haven't been following this story from
the beginning get the wrong message.

MSNBC - please either start fixing this or shut this
site down. It's starting to do more harm than good.

Shame on anyone who choses not to allow people to have their opinion. I thank GOD everyday that I have a roof over my head, food to eat, clothes and a position that pays for those things. Anyone who has experienced loss, of any kind, as HUMAN BEINGS, we should feel compassion for those with the loss and be thankful we have what we have. We lived in Ocean Springs, Ms. for 4 years and even tho' my home state is Ill. I feel such sadness for the things that are lost. Places we'd eat, visit, etc. Even driving thru Pensacola this year saddened me when I saw things that were damaged by IVAN. And YES, ANYWHERE in the country mother nature can have her way. What most of us forget is the MAGNITUDE of Katrina. The bug thing, well it's okay to complain. Even when we lived there we'd complain about the love bugs and yes, there are some of the largest cockroaches in the world down south-they fly too!!! God Bless and best to all who chose to stay. Those of you who chose to leave, I respect that also. Let us take the energy we use to complain to help others instead, we did!!

hey joe from seattle...i moved to east wa. from mississippi coast only to hear that the west of washington is gonna have a big wave that will destroy ya;ll..lol i dont feel sorry for u either..how can u be so heartless un less u been there on the coast..i can tell u i miss my home town..wish i was back there..but there are not many places to rent or buy.. but i feel like u should at least go to the coast an see before u judge us.

Just as the generosity of some astound me, so does the ignorance and pomposity of others. I've lived in Mississippi for the vast majority of my life. I started working summers when I was 14 years old, and even while attending college, I held down three jobs. My husband has always had a job and works very hard. My father was the most honest, hard working man you could ever meet. He worked himself to death. My mother worked also. My 16 year old daughter has a summer job. We don't sit back and whine and beg for wellfare. We are doing for ourselves. Seven years ago, the rental house we lived in burned due to old, faulty wiring. There was no insurance. We couldn't afford it. Last August we lost our home to a big oak tree in the middle of hurricane Katrina. No insurane there either, as our mobile home was too old and too far out in the country for us to be able to afford the premiums we would have to pay. Still, we have worked to get ourselves back on our feet. Our family of four lived in my mother-in-law's storage building for a while, then in my sister's spare room in her mobile home until we were able to purchase a used, unfurnished mobile home for ourselves. I'm not whining and I don't have my hands out for charity. It's the same with others I know here who have lost their homes. They are working hard and doing for themselves. Help is welcome but not asked for.

To be honest, I have thought about moving. I'm sick and tired of hurricanes and tornados. I'm tired of having to run every time a hurricane is forecast to come here. It's expensive, and I don't have the most understanding boss in the world. First of all, moving takes money that we don't have. Yes, we work hard, but live from paycheck to paycheck and never seem to have any extra left over after paying bills. Secondly, where would we move? I have a friend in Detroit, but then thieves have stolen everything but the fillings out of her teeth at times. The crime is horrible. Let's see, what about my friend in California? No, there are all those fires, mudslides and earthquakes. Plus, well, there's the crime. Okay, Ohio...no, too many floods and tornados. What would you suggest? Those of you who think we are sitting here, drawing wellfare and whining, what would you do? How would you get the money to move and exactly where would you move to that has no natural disasters or crime? I'm anxiously awaiting your suggestions. I'd love to benefit from your wisdom.

I thoroughly appreciated Laurence Ransom's comments on this article and the situation in the Deep South. Being a Rutgers Camden College student from New Jersey, and living through the torturous pictures and stories of hurricane destruction is one thing, but to argue incessantly about "who's to blame," "this or that person should or shouldn't be in power," etc remains, at times, worse than the damage of the storm. All of us, around the world, have lived through difficult times, and they do not have to be nature-related (i.e. terrorist bombings.) My applause goes out to those taking the time out of their lives to help the people of the devastated areas, and also those trying to get back to a sense of normality, and we ALL should be praising their efforts instead of badgering one another about insurance or bugs or what have you. News reports have already discussed the setbacks of poor leadership in this crisis, and yet, hasn't this happened around the world time and time again? Iraq? Afghanistan? Earthquake ravaged Iran and Turkey? The areas affected by the Tsunami of 2004? In each situation, it is the "same old song": not enough help, diseases are rising, people are to blame. Why not, instead of arguing again about the ways of "how to rebuild," applaud the efforts of what has already been done to help the people of the Deep South? And, if you still cannot come to terms with the whole "government" argument, elections are in the fall. Those who do vote should be sure to be educated enough to choose one who can and SHOULD LEAD.

My prayers go out to all the families from all the Hurricanes last year and the flood victims. I do have to say its a little asinine the way FEMA is rebuilding most of yer homes, build something that will last, no give the contract to the lowest bidder, and to Bob from Georgia, what about people in LA, they have cars stolen like non other should they be refused insurance and told well if ya want to drive you better be prepared to buy another car? Or how about areas that have had bad earthquakes, those who live in San Franscio should not be allowed insurance either? I'm sure there is something in yer neck of the woods that happens from time to time that should bar you from insurance. These people should build wherever they want but should build smart, don't cut corners or necessarily go with the lowest bidder, also tell yer government representatives the same thing. Good luck and God Bless all of ya.

Hey Joe from Seattle: I typed up a response to send to your email address directly, but your email address was not valid and it was returned to me... Too bad. I can't use the same language in this response as I did in that one because it would never get past the censors.
Suffice it to say that since you are such a self-proclaimed expert on scientific weather projections, what do all the scientists say about the odds of Seattle being destroyed by a tsunami in the near future, probably our lifetime? Pretty high. Most projections state that the next mega-disaster will probably be Seattle being washed into the Pacific, or either San Francisco or Los Angeles being destroyed by earthquake. So for you to sit there at ground zero of the next catastrophic event and throw stones is almost comical, if it were not so damn scary. So do all of us a favor down here, and sit there smugly in your little s**thole and wait to be washed into the ocean, but please do it quietly.

I dont care what anyone says those people need to be realistic about their situation. I spent the last 6 months in Port Sulphur, La. It is not a pleasent place to be now. The insects (nats, noseeum,mosquitoes,deer flies, greenhead horseflies, will give you all the love and compassion they can muster. As far as rebuilding the coast, there will be fema trailers everywhere if another hurricane of any force hits the coast.

State Farm just dropped their earthquake insurance coverage for people in Washington state.

Hopefully, some of the aid money that is going down South for Katrina relief (and not being absconded by Haliburton, Kellog Brown and Root and the rest of Bushes traitorous pals, the same ones stealing more billions of $$$ in Iraq) will be spent on teaching the folks of the Gulf Coast how to write or at least buy a spell checker! I feel bad for most, but supporting the Anti-Christ (BUSH) will gain you no lasting sympathy. Bush left you low and wet. That idiot has lost the lower part of NYC, all of New Orleans, the Pentagon, a good deal of the Gulf Coast and the lives of more than 2500 sons, dads, brothers and sisters in a war that most Americans finally believe was trumped up. Let's not forget the nearly 20,000 wounded, though I am sure his two unemployable kids have no idea of the pain their 'Dear Daddy' has caused. If ever there was a President that deserved impeachment, it is clearly the fool currently so fullof himself sitting in the White House.

Maybe its time people really started to READ the bible themselves instead of relying on others to tell you what the bible says exactly.
Pay particular attention to the last sentence in this paragraph.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
17 ¶ And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/revelation_16.html
http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/revelation_18.html
(America IS Armageddon)

I had the pleasure of helping some Cameron Parish residents by way of working on a FEMA mobile home park in Sweet Lake, La.,south of Lake Charles. The images you see on the news and in the papers can't properly convey the devastation the Gulf Coast and inland cities endured from Katrina and Rita. Imagine all your "stuff" that's in your house; 'fridge, pictures of aunt Myrtle, Granny and Poppa(deceased), kids first pony ride at the state fair, furniture, washer&dryer, clothes, extra bed linens, the beds, everything that used to be in your garage, shed, storage bldg.,IF you can see it......is strewn across the road, hung in the fences, adorning the trees, filling the ditches(bayous), rice fields(that won't grow crops that can be sold for years due to the salinity of the soil[storm surge]), and you start talking to people who lived in three different places the same week and were booted from their sons' house(daughter-in-law couldn't be inconvenienced any longer), these people who lost everything except their lives, can still laugh and smile and ask how your doing, go about the business of rebuilding of their homes and cities. Because that's what humans do, this was home, is going to be and always will be home. Unlike the industrious ants who have the mound kicked by children on the way home from school, we can verbalize our displeasure with the abundance of 'skeeters, no-seeums and deer flys. For crying out loud, let gripe!

As I read these comments, it makes me think of a family...complain, shut up and do your chores, oh, it's going to get messed up anyway. What's wrong with that? The people in the South have every right to say, Katrina has come and gone...and yet here they sit, with our materials pilfered, their contractors pulling their hair out and chaos rules.

Bugs, bugs that grow in the south are indeed something to give a wide birth to. They can tread water a very long time...It's only relative, when it's you being eaten alive, the pests are, well, pests. If you are one to chart the bugs and their numbers, it's all relative. May god be with those trying to put their lives back together, and a curse on the folks making money from someone's pain...

Since this thread has moved to close to the real point, here's a view point I think an awful lot of people are missing: What's wrong with the system is that we don't build structures (I'm mostly talking about houses) that can protect us and will last through (potential) disasters. We have weather and scientific knowledge now, unlike in the past. We know the water is rising, we know hurricanes will happen, and we know earthquakes will happen, among others. People seem to think that insurance will protect them. It won't, and it is a drain on all of us to rebuild and rebuild and rebuild again. A longer term approach, and this is a responsibility of all of our's, is to build structures that will protect us and will survive. All it takes is a little concrete and steel. If you build a wood house 10 feet below sea level, next to the sea, what's going to happen? I mean, what's assured to happen? If you build a heavily reinforced structure of concrete and steel, raised 20 feet above sea level, I guarantee the outcomes will be very different. Then all this effort of rebuilding, and, more importantly, getting all the resources for that building, can be spent on mosquito irradication (and healthcare, and childcare, and less need to work, so time off for vactions, etc.) I'm so tired of hearing all this baloney, instead of real answers to the problems. I agree with others - if you want to build 10 feet below sea level, next to the sea, do it on your own dime. If you want to build responsibly, for the future and for the good of us all, let me know when to come help!

You know it is the fault of the women, if Eve would have not eaten the apple or Pandora not opened the box, then we would all be living in paradise.
Just joking, having lived in Ga, Al,TX and many states inbetween, I can understand how the gulf folks feel. No matter where you live, north/south/east or west, there is good and bad, be it weather, bugs or crime. For the guy from Portland who has only be bitten once good for you, but how much rain do you get compared to the coast of Fl,Ms or La.
I feel for those that are recovering from the hurricanes, and I wish them the best.

It's interesting to read the advice from people in other states who have not been here (in person) since Katrina devastated the MS Gulf Coast. The majority of people know only what they see on TV or in the newspapers, most of which was about New Orleans. (My heart goes out to the people there, but their damage occurred the day after Hurricane Katrina hit the MS coast! Levee failure caused the massive flooding, and I'm sure, just as much pain for the residents.)

Because we live a block and a half from the beach and still have a home, damaged as it is, we have not asked for volunteers. As senior citizens living alone, we probably would not have been faulted for doing so. Recently, however, Grace Lutheran Church near us, sent a case worker to assess the needs of people still living on our street. Consequently, we have had two groups of hard working volunteers, from KY and from PA. Our ceiling is no longer hanging down and there is an underlayment for hardwood floors in our LR, where the week before it was dragging the ground because the major joists underneath were broken.

To a person, each volunteer told us that they would never been able to comprehend the scope of the destruction here had they not seen it for themselves. TV does not show a 360 degree view, for miles and miles, of destroyed antebellum homes, barren ancient live oak trees, piles of concrete from slabs where shopping centers once stood, dust and debris where there once were landscaped yards with lovely shrubs and flowers blooming, etc.

As for the bugs and mosquitoes, yes they are everywhere. This "comes with the territory" and we have learned to do what is necessary to cope - insect repellent, making sure there is no standing water, keeping any area where food is served clean, etc.

For the last two nights, an animal (probably a lost raccoon desperate for food) has come through our pet door on the back porch, turned over the large dry dog food can having a secure lid, removed the lid and ate some dog food - leaving the rest scattered. As near as we are to downtown, there are still animals who have no home, like many of our neighbors. Chances are, we'll just put some food outside tonight and close the pet door. (Wouldn't want an altercation between a raccoon and our Lhasa Apso, or our 22 year old cat!)

So, before you criticize from afar, make it a point to look at the "before and after" shots of historic homes, landmarks, restaurants, museums, and other structures that made the MS Coast beautiful - they are on www.sunherald.com. And try and show a little compassion, leave out politics and sarcasm, and say a little prayer for those of us who are quietly rebuilding the only home we've ever known.

First, I would like to say that my heart goes out to everyone that was affected by Hurricane Katrina. Most people in that region are trying to make the best of a bad situation. I do think that there are maybe some areas, those most prone to flooding or right on the coast, that should have some building restrictions. That said, who knows what disaster is waiting to strike any of us? Will it be a terrorist attack, floods, earthquake, fires, tornados, hurricanes, deadly virus, drought? Or maybe a smaller, more personal tragedy like a fatal car accident, house fire, cancer death? What is disturbing in this blog is the lack of empathy from people. That coupled with the lack of morals of people stealing from those who need help the most, is what is really wrong with our society.
Then there is the global warming issue. Although I am not happy with George Bush and the current Republican government either, we can't realistically blame them for global warming. It hasn't just magically appeared during the last six years. And what is the average citizen doing to help? Are we all walking more, driving less, driving smaller more fuel-efficient cars? No, we aren't.
In the end, we are our own worst enemy. If we don't wise up and start taking responsibility for our own actions, there isn't anything that any government or any politician can do to help us.
Let's start by helping our fellow human beings instead of kicking them when they are down.

I would like to tell all victims of the hurricane ---Nobody knows why it happend exept God but I admire the courage and bravery in those people.I 'm a 6th grader and I had a friend who passed away and I kow how you may feel so my faith is with you and my prayers .God Bless

Prior to temporarily "moving" to MS for the summer I had many of the same sentiments as some of you. However, after visiting Gulfport, Biloxi, New Orleans and Slidell (LA) I realize that these people have lost more than their homes. They are struggling with not only rebuilding buildings, but rebuilding a culture that has existed here longer than we have been alive. Culture that no matter where in the country you live, you are aware of. Southern Culture. Sweet Tea, cockroaches, Mardi Gras in the French Quarter and brick buildings. Are any of you suggesting that it is okay to leave the culture that makes up so much of the country behind? Think about the culture in your region. Are you really willing to "let it go"?

It is a shame that all of these discussions turn into partisan bickering. I am with the earlier post who says neither one of the two parties cares anymore. Democrat and Republican Parties are like two puppets on the same guy's hands. They are more alike than they are different. We get all worked up and squabble when neither party has any intension of changing course.
Bless all of you who are staying and rebuilding. Despite much of what is posted to blogs, the rest of the country is behind you.

Visit www.organicmosquitokiller.com. Live a life without pesty mosquitoes.

I've been impressed with the majority of the people in Mississippi, who were cleaning-up, making repairs and trying to return to normal life the day after Katrina passed through. That's what makes Americans different from much of the rest of the world. If you want to work, then stay here, if you want to complain and wait for someone else to bail you out, move to a European nation.

Hey Joe from Seattle, guess what. EVERYONE living in the 90 mile stretch along the Gulf Coast that was hit by Katrina ---- we're ALL coming to live in your perfect city. Hope there is room for all of us. The prices are sure going to go sky high, just think of all the big companies that will be shut down in this area because we're all out of here. We finally decided to listen to a bunch of idiots that don't know from a whole in the ground, we're taking your advice and closing up shop. Hope you can do without all the products that come from this area!!

How about a little perspective on the whole "Bug" thing? It's called "Being kicked when you are down". So many things are wrong for so many people in the effected areas that something as simple and small as bug bites can be a big source of complaint. Are they really complaining about the bugs? Yes, to some extent. God knows, I hate getting bitten too. Mostly, I think that those people are still suffering and that the things we see as small or insignificant are really just the tiniest of portions of what they are going through on a daily basis.
A few years ago, I crushed my left arm in an auto accident. Naturally, it happened at the worst of times: My then-wife and I were in the beginning stages of breaking up; We were both already living behind the Paycheck-to-Paycheck status, with creditors calling every day to "Arrange payments". The additional burden of medical bills, the shock of a near-death experience, and the lower pay from disability set me so on edge with life in general that I was literally throwing tantrums over getting the wrong kind of dipping sauce with my chicken nuggets. My poor mom, being caught in that particular tantrum, inquired as to why I was so very upset over the stupid sauce when I could get the right stuff out of the 'fridge.
So, why so bothered by bugs that may or may not be more numerous than in previous years? Because Life Sucks, and we can't always present the false smile that you would like us to.

I have read a lot of negative blogs in here and I was going to contribute to them but.....I decided that I would rather just ask the simple questions of: Does anyone have common sense anymore????? Who is at fault for a Hurricane? Who is at fault for a Tornado...or an Avalanche? I don't have much faith in theology but I do know that some things just happen....so...rebuild...enjoy the hell out of life and everyone just think....do we live in eutopia or on earth??????? If I thought Bush could create a Hurricane...I would have voted for him...*wink*.......

Two hurricane seasons ago, We went through two cat 3's and a cat 2 within 6 weeks of each other. No major damage thank the lord.But the sounds,the loss of feeling safe in your home,the fear of the next big one. My life was forever changed by this event.And I fear the wind and darkness on stormy nights.So as one blogger stated "walk a mile in our shoes" God Bless all of you people in that devastated area. Rebuild we must, not to would be giving up and quitting on life. It's our home!

hmmm for all those saying there moving too seattle you may wanna think of 2 words first volcanos and tsunamis:P and for the one that said if you wanna complain and wait for someone to bail you out move to a european country you dont know what your talking bout:)and dont worry living here in a huge wildfire area havent gotten hit yet we build firelines ect score: us 16 fires 0

Oh, come on, guys. Don't even take people like Joe from Seattle seriously. It's not like his suggestion to "burn the Gulf Coast" is going to happen. He just has nothing better to do, so let it go in one ear and out the other. We all know who our friends are, and we should all take heart in the support we've seen. The rest of America does care, and I know that because I SEE them here helping. I don't know why Joe from Seattle even reads this if he doesn't care. Don't let someone who can't even spell "hurricane" (especially after seeing it written maybe 100 times?) ruffle your feathers.

if you live in a swamp, don't complain when you realize you live in a swamp. move!!

I came back to this blog to see the comments about my previous post and there are many. Let me ask you all a few questions to those who are detractors of what I stated....
How much do you care about the average Iraqi? When are you planning to vacation in the mid-east? How much do you care about the starving poor AIDS infested regions in Africa? How much did you donate to ANY, ANY, ANY, ANY charity before Hurricane Katrina, and didn't claim it on your taxes because you genuinely felt that you did not want reimbursement/write-off? And, when was the last time you thought about all the Tsunami survivors over in Asia. To all of the above, I'm willing you feel/do/did ZERO over all I've listed. And, for me to come out and state I don't care about you and your problems-- I'm free to state that and as much as the truth hurts, I care for all of you as much as you care about an average Iraqi, African with AIDS, or a poorer than you Tsunami survivor....and many other Americans feel the way I do.

Yes, I live in Seattle. Yes, there are quakes here (and we're due for a BIG one) but those come along once in....well, years...and you take the risk. You people have a risk of a CAT 5 hurricane EVERY YEAR and when a good one hits and mowes over your town, the complaints and begging from the government is perplexing to me. It's a known risk to you all and on THAT consistent level, I don't understand. Every year. Every year. Every year you are at risk, like clock-work. So, as offensive as I may sound, I also sound pragmatic, and real. San Fran: Some of the most expensive real estate in America and the city is founded on SEVEN different fault-lines. When all those people lose their homes after the next big quake I'll say the same about them. And when a big one hits here, I won't expect any of you to care because that's just the way it is. Anyone who has ever worked in the section of lost luggage for an airline knows what I'm talking about.

My comments of burning the worst affected areas are harsh, I admit that. However when world-credible scientists come on 60 Minutes and state there is significant evidence that that part of the Gulf Cost is going to be entirely under water in another 100 years, a good portion of you trying to rebuild sounds like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic if you ask me. But you people will never see that. Your childrens' kids will.

If you want to live in the Gulf Cost, don't act surprised when your town is soaked in chemicals, feces and the like after it's mowed over and when you don't get insurance returns or FEMA help, or Red Cross help, while your eaten alive by effing mosquitoes, don't expect me or anyone to feel sorry for you. All I do is watch it on TV and say, "wow, that sucks." And then I continue eating my dinner....which by-the-way is EXACTLY what 99.9 percent of you do every time YOU hear about those poor, unfortunates on the other side of the world.

Wow...I agree with Joe from Seattle. The gulf coast was not meant to be built on. The low areas of New Orleans were not meant to be built on. If we are to support the US government to rebuild, then why not find an area more inland to rebuild for those homeless people. Another thing that bothers me is that there was insurance available to cover the destruction in Miss. I have a friend that had a restaurant directly on the gulf and her house was a couple of blocks from the gulf. Both were destroyed and she was able to cash in on her insurance on both properties. She is not going to return to rebuild. Don't get me wrong, I do care for the people there, but paying to rebuild in those areas is wrong because it is likely to happen again. And to the person who compared this to the earthquakes, I think that you people in CA know about the risk and therefore should not depend on the US government to bail you out when the big one happens. Those hills in CA should not have been built on not only for the earthquakes but also for the fires that happen there.

To smug Joe in Seattle, who is clearly trolling (who really feels the way he does and then come back to see what people think? Sounds like narcissism.)

It's true that, when disaster struck in other parts of the world, it would not affect me much.

But having endured this, I will never feel that way again. And yes I have, unlike Joe, donated to other charities and not claimed it on my taxes, thanks. The
tsunami effort in particular, as well as the 1993 Midwest flood.

Also those credible scientists on 60 Minutes (snicker) say this 100 year thing with "certainty." Dude, there is a lot of vigorous and creditable scientific debate going on on that issue. It's not a sure thing. I saw Gore's movie and while I liked it, he doesn't make note of the fact that this conclusion is far from certain. Being a scientist, I'm fairly well clued into this.

Additionally I don't think I would go onto a website dedicated to the people of Banda Aceh or Phuket post-tsunami and say "who cares." Joe might. If he thinks that makes him a "truth teller", go for it. See what happens when karma hits.

In fact, I would gather that many scientists are more certain of a major earthquake in your area than they are about the Gulf Coast being underwater in 2106.

I'll bet Joe didn't know that. But he gets his science news from "60 Minutes."

While I have to say that he could have put it in a less caustic manner, Joe's comments aren't completely unfounded. If global warming really is the threat that many people believe it to be, then it is in fact possible that the Gulf Coast could be underwater within the next 100 years. At the very least (again, assuming you subscribe to global warming), higher water temperatures are conducive to the creation of hurricanes, and it is highly likely New Orleans and the surrounding areas will be hit again, potentially by a hurricane of Katrina's magnitude. Knowing that, I'd be far more concerned with moving than with rebuilding.

????????....what kindda DUMA**...blames bugs on the President?....some of you people need mental help!!!...or maybe a foot in the A**

Wanda, I live in Long Beach also, just a few blocks north of the tracks. You told it exactly like it is. Our house was not as badly damaged as yours but the one we were building in the Pass was destroyed. The only think we have asked for is some bottled water and that came from where my husband works. And keep looking out after those displaced animals. I do that also, keep plenty of sunflower and bird seed on hand and LOTS of pans of water. Seeing the wild life return has gotten me out of many deep depressed moments. God bless all the people that have come to help us and a big blessing on those that did animal rescue!

Hey Joe from Seattle, I'm not sure how a story about mosquitoes and gnats got turned around into something where you felt like you had to inflict yourself on the community where I live with your hateful, misinformed comments, then go back to see how many people you angered enough to respond to you. Call me thin-skinned but it just rubs me wrong when you type crap like that. What does how much I donate to charities have to do with anything? Or how I feel about the average Iraqi, tsunami victim or African with AIDs? How much of my time and money do I have to give to be worthy of basic sympathy? Don't equate me or the people of my community with someone who is beneath you and worthy only of your contempt, on your misguided perception that I/we probably don't care about the plight of others, therefore somehow we're deserving of having our community burned. I don't care that you don't care either. I'm perfectly okay with that. But unlike you, I WILL care when a similar catastrophic event happens in your community of Seattle. I definitely won't say crap like "oh the scientists all said it was bound to happen, why did they all keep living there? Oh well, none of them measure up to my standard of what makes a human being worthy of sympathy, so just burn the rest of it down."

To Bob from GA and Brian from Depford -

The scientific community is not in agreement on the Gulf-Coast-underwater-in-100-years. There is a lot of scientific debate on the issue, and I do believe that global warming exists. Unlike what comes out in the public press, there is a lot of active scientific investigation into these "doomsday" scenarios, and rightly so - these may end up directly affecting public policy. Those looking into these issues don't have every box checked, however. A scenario like this requires that all the shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica fall into the ocean. Read these papers - no one is saying any of this with 100% I-will-put-my-future-funding-on-the-line certainty.

But I guess what riles me about comments like this is that the Gulf Coast is singled out in particular. It's any coastal region. New York is vulnerable. The entire Eastern Seaboard. The San Francisco Bay area. All of Florida. Seattle is connected to Puget Sound, no? Even the Great Lakes area, since the St. Lawrence Seaway is connected to the Atlantic. And that's just the US. Are we gonna burn all of it, or at the very least tell people to move inland?

Maybe we should. But if you're going to do that you're gonna have to do more than point to archived 60 Minutes clips.

Let me ask you - did you have this opinion when the Big Four hurricanes hit Florida in 2004? When Hurricane Isabel hit Virginia? When Andrew hit Florida? When Hugo hit South Carolina? Hurricane Floyd in North Carolina? What if Savannah were taken out by a hurricane, Bob? Would you be behind Joe's "burn 'em all, let God and Allstate sort out the ashes" wish? Or is Mississippi the only beneficiary of this received wisdom?

The irony here is that I am actually leaving the area - I will be gone next month. So why kvetch? As one who has lived in many other parts of the country, I cannot abide regionalism, even if second hand. I've also never liked armchair quarterbacks, be they in Seattle, Georgia, or wherever. Either pick up a hammer and actively rebuild, or pick up a legislator and actively destroy.

I had a conversation with a Georgian a while ago who strongly advocated the MS Gulf Coast not rebuild. We talked some more and I mentioned that I turned down a job opportunity in Savannah because of its proximity to the Coast. He looked stricken. "But it's so beautiful there!" Yeah - now. But the Georgia coast shares the same oceanographic characteristic that contributed to the destruction of the MS coast - a long wide shallow shelf. And they haven't been hit in a while.

Maybe we should tell them to move, or wish a wildfire upon them, eh, Joe? I wouldn't do that myself, but then again I don't blindly take in what "60 Minutes" tells me to.

Why are we rebuilding? Because we aren't quitters! If the frontiersmen (and women) gave up everytime they had a setback, where would we be? I've been here the whole time, had 12 feet of water in our home, had to send my son away for school because his couldn't open for months, gutted our own house and done a LOT of the work on it ouselves, lost all my relatives to moving away, and lived in the aftermath with no electricity, no water, no way to bathe, nowhere to use the restroom, difficulty cooking, no more vehicles (we lost 4). The whole time we went through all that, I constantly thought of the pioneers and how hard it was for them and if someone got sick, they either got better or died, pending any home rmedies that might actually help. We too had dystentary and any small cut could quickly lead to death due to infection from the contamination. And thank God I wasn't pregnant! Our forefathers dealt with all this and we can too! But for us, it is just for a while but they had to live like that all their lives! Those people were TOUGH!

Wow...haven't looked at this post in a while. I'm not going to weigh in on any of the diatribes, except to say that out of all the lovely memories I have stored away of my years in the Bay, there were some things I forgot. Easy to forget...those swarms of little blighters that came out in certain seasons when the breeze stopped or when the sun started to slip down over the horizon. You see, when you have a home and are inside, you can escape the little nippers and they are just a nuisance.

When you are outside working, or living in a tent, it's a little tougher. We were working at OLG church in the Bay and restoring some of the landscaping since the storm...it became tough to see or open your mouth when you squated down to slip in the plants and shrubs. You see the "no seeums," as we always called them, hover near the ground. They slipped in our ears and eyes and mouths as we tried to work and bit. Yuck. How had I forgotten these nipping little creatures that are almost impossible to see?

No problem. I remember them now. Won't forget them for a long time. I thanked the Lord every day when the breeze blew soft and steady, because the work was easy and good for the soul, and the body didn't have to struggle with the irritation of these swarming little critters. So imagine what it's like sifting and sorting through the debris of your life and property for months, kneeling down and digging and pulling and having to close your eyes and swat the nipping little swarms away. Not a huge deal, but it just adds a little more unpleasantness to an already tough job.

If you notice, it's the reporters reporting the presence of the no-seeums. (I've never heard the name "flying teeth.") If you've never run across these tiny insects in your life...I'm telling you they make an impression!...so being a completely new to the MSNBC staff, they're reporting on them. Folks in the area just take the bugs in stride, big and little, as a part of life. In all the years I lived in the Bay, I never heard a soul complain about the heat or the humidity, and they may have just noted that the "no-seeums" were "bad this year." I like what Mary said in her diary: "They're the price you pay for living in paradise!" Well...I know it doesn't feel like paradise sometimes, any more, but its still beautiful and the people are amazingly resilient and it's a shame to let something like "no-seeums" ruin a perfectly lovely summer day. Hang in there everybody. I love the Bay and you guys have my utmost admiration. Don't let these folks bring you down!

In response to Bob from Georgia, who stated that insurance was available to those living in the coast, that's not entirely true. Our insurance agent would not sell us flood insurance because we didn't live in a flood zone according to mapping. Katrina re-drew the lines on that map, obviously, because we had 6 feet of water in the house. I know that I am not the only person who has had this problem, because 90 percent of the people on my block had the same problem. So, just because it's "available" doesn't mean it's available. When we renewed our policy this time, we made sure that our agent allowed us to purchase flood insurance this time.

I am amazed by the number of people who believe hurricane-ravaged areas should not be rebuilt because they "never should have been developed" to begin with. In short, they apparently believe that areas susceptible to natural disasters should remain untouched by human hands and, if you're "stupid enough" to want to settle there, you should expect to go it on your own when nature strikes.

I find that to be an interesting argument considering virtually every inch of the United States would fall into this category. Wild fires, droughts, earthquakes, floods, tornados, blizzards, ice storms, 7-year locust infestations, and hurricanes plague various portions of our nation at various times. All require assistance from state and federal governments and the generosity of our fellow Americans for recovery.

From the outer banks of the Carolinas to the California coast; from the Mississippi Delta to the shores of the Great Lakes; from the wheat fields of Oklahoma to the corn fields of Ohio...every American could at some point find themselves among Mother Nature's victims.

I only hope that if it ever happens to those writers who apparently live in some secret American paradise where nature ceases to exist, the people reading the daily trials and tribulations posted on their blogs will be more sympathetic than they.

I am like Joe in Seattle. I decided to come back online just to see if anyone wrote concerning my post. No one did. I am crushed. I just live to see what other people think of what I write. I even try to sound extreme. I lie awake at night trying to think of ways to annoy people. Darn!

Seattle Joe, did you have any friends growing up?

Hey worried from ms,
The art of being truly annoying is so much more than being simply extreme; You also have to come across as a smug know-it-all with a self-perceived air of superiority, then you have to back up your point of view with totally baseless pseudo-facts, as well as imply that anyone who does not agree with you is stupid. And you get extra points on the annoy-o-meter if you enhance your post with comments like "this is where this year's major wildfire should be" or other caustic comments. Please refer back to Joe from Seattle's and to a lesser extent, Bob from Georgia's posts, as examples.

Mike Scheid....I wuz gonna repond to "worried" ...but I think you did...Hoooraay

Mike, you are right. Joe and Bob are the masters.

People are entitled to their opinions and have the right to express them. I understand that there's a lot of frustration nationally because of all the news coverage of fraud and other criminal activity. But damn, have a little compassion when you do express your opinion, please? How utterly un-classy would it have been to go on a website after 9/11 happened and berate the people of New York for living in a city? Or the victims of the Midwest flooding in the early '90's? I went to the San Francisco, California area for a few months to work after Katrina and all the people I talked to asked one thing- Why don't you move? These are people living on a fault line!! I don't move because this is my home, these are my neighbors.

Joe in Seattle better watch what he is saying - those North Koreans are getting closer!!

Mike Scheid - that was priceless!! good for you!

To those who say we should move, I challenge you to find the perfect place for us. Where can we go that doesn't have some potentially serious problem or other? Can you tell me where there is no threat of hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, tsunami's, earthquakes or blizzards? Oh yeah, also, it has to be a place with very little to no crime. This place also has to have affordable but safe housing, plenty of jobs with good enough pay to support a family of four, with health benefits. I'm not being facetious. I'm serious. Tell me where this place is and where I can get the money for the move and I'll be there in a flash. I'd really love it if I didn't have to worry about any of those disasters happening to my family, so since you're so smart, help me find the perfect place and the means to get there.

you're right T...Mike has good comments!!!....No....priceless!

I read most of the posting and finally came across something I would like to comment on. I sort of agree with the do not rebuild comments. Or like the Jamacan said make the building right or not at all. New Orleans is already below sea level, let the ocean claim what is rightfully its ground. The goverment should not spend the 5+ BILLION to make it useable ground. If the people from there want to spend the money let them or they can move to places where it does not have the problem. Comparing the hurricanes of the gulf to a tornado is crazy. Tornados are unpredictable. The entire gulf has had a hurricane in the last 15-20 years. You know there will be another one just give it time. We recently had a tornado which came within 1/2 mile of my home. So I know the people affected. One home that was built in the 1930's was not touched yet the house next to it which was built in the last 10 years was destroyed. Yet another very old home just down the street was flattened. It had nothing to do with how it was built but where the path of the tornado went. I was on the gulf coast several years ago after a much lighter hurricane had come through. Why was it the older houses that seem to do better against the storms? My guess is they were built better with heavy timber used. I feel that the rest of the nation should not be punished to pay higher taxes to build a wall around New Orleans so people can live there. Biloxi and other places above sea level should be rebuilt but rebuild them properly or not at all. The loss of life is something that can not be replaced so protect it.

I lost a house to fire a few years back. It is very hard on you to loose everything. I thank God we were all gone and that our drier caught on fire the week before while we were home and awake. The last part seems like curse until you realize that we were gone doing laundry for the whole week with a family of 4(2 kids at the time). We had our cloths. When we returned we found the back door standing open and a note on our other car from the fire department. So I have dealt with the loss of my home. It is something I hope I never have to go through again. It is the unpricable items like baby pictures of the children, the first shotgun given to me by my father, and such that hurts. Then I find out how bad I was under insured. So I can relate to those that were not properly insured. I hope that those that read this will use this paragraph to judge the first one by.

I decided to write a bit more after reading and rereading many of the comments. I hope many of you understand why I say let the ocean have New Orleans. Biloxi is above sea level and happens to be one of the 2 best vaction spots for my family. I would love to live there. I told my soon to be ex wife years ago I wanted to live on the coast. Biloxi was the first choice. But I also told her I would not live right on the coast and that I would rather be 20 miles or a bit more inland to protect against the hurricanes. But close enough that it could be a nightly outing to the ocean. But this would have to be a well built house still yet to be safe. The other place we visited commonly was Pensicola Fl. I have often wondered if a few of the houses we looked at are still standing. There was one she said was ugly that I have a feeling is still standing. It was build on concrete pillars with the area under the house being used for parking.

I really am sorry for those who lost it all and even to those who are having a hard time due to the storm but please do not rebuild below sea level and when you do rebuild the other places build them to last and with stand these forces or not at all. My goal for a future home is mostly concrete and partly underground. Fire resistant, storm resistant(not proof), and energy wise(solar pannels and solar heating).

I sure understand what the person with the broke arm went through. I lost a house to fire 10 months before I fell and broke my back. I know for a fact the ex wife's affair was caused by the finacial stress in our home as she even now openly admits it was mostly caused by us not even being able to afford driving to town let alone going to McDonalds for a meal. It was being stuck at home doing nothing that helped to lead her a stray as her new love started out just buying small things for her like a candy bar from the vending machine at work which she could not afford.

I visited Louisiana last week to say good-by to my dying uncle. No one has any right to chastise those hit by the hurricanes if they are not familiar with the destruction and the looks of despair, anger and hope. Some of the nicest people I have ever met were in Chalmette and they have nothing. I looked for someone to simply give cash too, I didn't know what else to do, I was so overwhelmed. God Bless you all.

Hi, T and everyone. I second Rhonda's challenge. No place is without its concerns. I live in the high plains dessert, where the cost of living is great and its really beautiful and you know your neighbors and it feels like crime isn't much of an issue...just lots of bunnies and cayotes and endless sun and rabbit brush and sage. Not much shade. (I repeat...not much shade!) We have been on high fire alert, and there have been wildfires in the mountains and smoke from them clouding the sky for several weeks. For fourth of July, they were going to allow fireworks in our community, even though all fires of any kind are banned. (Go figure.) Then on the morning of the fourth it started to rain and rain and rain. It rained for 8 days straight(40 days and 40 nights???)...the first serious water falling from the sky since around Feb. (I had to remind myself what it was.) For three days we were grateful, and then we began to get nervous. We had floods...in the desert. We even had our very own tornado. Since moving here, my daughter has scoffed when I pay attention to tornado warnings...not anymore. Family from far away called to see if we were ok, as we had made the national news. Unbelievable.

Lest you think this is paradise...(I really do like it here...)we also have to worry about drought, again the wildfires, skin cancer and a mustard gas munitions storage and disposal site, oh and then there's NORAD which is also a big terrorist target not too far away, but we're probably ground zero...so it wouldn't matter much. Oh and I forgot, we also have the federal prisons including SUPER MAX, the highest security prison in the country where all our BIG convicted criminals and terrorists are kept. Those are all within 20 to 60 minutes. When people get released...I hope hope they put them on a long bus ride. But really, the weather is fine 9 days out of 10 and the people are down to earth and skiing is 2.5 hours away and if you like sun...you should come on out! Really! Consider that an invitation!

Wow, I Just returned from GulfPort, New Orleans, Pass Christian etc..The destruction is total and widespread. The people were gracious and unbelievably resilient. The residents and vendors in the French Quarter were welcoming the first convention and conference since Katrina with smiles and open arms. BUT..I am a demolition and debris removal contractor that is astounded and disturbed that very little work is being done. FEMA, Army Corps, City officials, and SOME residents are making contracting in the area impossible. WE WANT TO HELP ! PAY THE BILLS ! LEAVE OUR EQUIPMENT ALONE ! Dispose of most of the red tape, and let us work ! And..please rebuild. The history and character of the region is irreplaceable. I challenge any civic leader or reputable contractor to make it possible for our crews to work safely and get paid.

I wish to remind everyone.......please do not feed the mosquitoes.......or the trolls.......

Rhonda.South Mississippi....We are in the perfect place......it's called HOME!!!

Well hello to all. I think if the good people on the Gulf Coast want to complain let em. Who hasn't complained about something at some point in time and they have a lot to complain about right now. If you don't want to hear (or read) about their plight then
don't. How is it hurting you?? As for rebuilding how many homes in Illinois have been destroyed by tornadoes lately. Should they not rebuild? My sister lives in Big Bear City in CA. She called me a couple days ago saying that she might have to evacuate because of the fires. She did have to evacuate a couple years ago with the fire right behind her as she drove down the mountain. My Mom lives in L.A. She lives near the San Andrea fault. She is blessed to never have had any damage but if she did, would you say don't rebuild because there may be another earthquake? This is a vast country and the people who live in Oregon and Washington State have volcanoes on their doorstep. There is no perfect place. Just because you have never experienced any kind of disaster don't think that you never will. Someday you just might. As for bugs, there are huge mosquitoes in Alaska and all kinds of different critters in every part of the country.

Anyone old enough to remember the "skeeter sprayer"? Remember running behind it in the fog of insecticide? Ahhhhh, the good old days!

Lanie - you are so right, now I remember me and my brothers doing that too - can you imagine what chemicals we were inhaling!! But probably nothing to the amount of mold we here on the coast have inhaled in the past year!
Laurie - Hi! I have thought about you so many times lately - hope all is well with you - they started my sheetrock yesterday!!!! Awesome! walls in my home!!
Andy - you are so right - I KNOW the perfect place is home and that place for me is right here in Bay St. Louis! and if another Katrina blows through... I'll probably rebuild again! I challenge everyone who has never been here to come and drive down the beach at sunset and low tide and then tell me it's not worth taking the chances we take with storms, mosquitos and everything else they criticize us for to live here!
And by the way, if I want to complain because some little damn bug is gnawing on me as I try to rebuild my home that had 10' of water, I think I have earned that, don't you??

Hi, T!!! Sheetrock....Wow!!!!!! Progress is so precious, even when it comes in little bits! I'm so happy for you! How was the crab fest and the OLA reunion? I didn't get down...but I was thinking of you all! We've got some news that has kept me busy! Write me and I'll fill you in!

I'm from Tupelo, MS but currently living in Virgina on the coast due to being in the Air Force. I have not visited the coast yet but my parents have and said it is gone. That's really sad. I have lots of fond memories of the Gulf coast.
There are a lot of people that post on here and it seems to me that they think that this type of stuff can't happen to them. Well I have some advice for you, maybe you should move in a bomb shelter or something but who is to say that that is really going to protect you? I don't think that guy from Seattle gets out much except to get something from Starbucks and pretend he is someone important by watching "60 Minutes" which has all the answers.
HAH People like you make me laugh. Don't worry Joe your day is right around the corner I'm sure.

So is Jefferson Davis's house still there in Biloxi or did it get washed away?

I HATE DAMN BUGS!!!!..T. I wuz fighting red,guney and bumblebees last weekend!....with my hat and a riding mower...on rabbitt speed...my wife ran...I didn't have any of that ding-dang spray Durnitt!