My friend lost everything in Kitrina. She had a home, a kennel and three acres, all now gone. Did she sit around waiting for a gov't handout? No. She spent the 6 months alloted in a hotel in Alabama and then relocated to a place in Mississippi where she is starting over again. Get a grip and get off your freeloading asses and get a job. Oh, my friend actually evacuated when she was told too. That would probably make the difference.

Sad that U.S. taxpayers' $$$ went to the bombing, invasion, occupation, and rebuilding of Iraq instead of to the victims of disasters here in America.

To Carol Johnson - would you have wanted to live in one of the lovely FEMA provided trailers? They were nothing more than construction trailers at best and the feds paid $60000 each for them, what a joke! You could buy a double wide for less than that on the open market! How can you say they have no culpability in the fact that the area still looks the same, do you work for FEMA or some other federal agency?

Since JFK we have elected leaders who have promised more and more every year from the Federal Government with the result that it is now "Jack of all trades and master of none". A bureaucracy that large can only get in the way - not get things done. Rebuilding should be a local responsibility. Perhaps in the most at-risk areas, the empty homesites should be bought by the State and made into a park and left as a buffer against the next storm rather than being rebuilt. I'm not sure I would want to rebuild in those areas knowing another Katrina can and will happen in the future.

I don't live on the coast, but we do have areas in our State that are known to flood from time-to-time. I would not build my house on a known flood plain and expect the rest of the country to bail me out when the flood eventually occured.

I do believe, however, that the insurance companies should be made to meet their responsibilities to the homeowners in the area who had policies in force when Katrina came through.

You build a house on sand, and you're surprised when the ocean washes it away? There should never have been such rampant building in New Orleans. God willing, these fools will have learned from the mistakes of the past, and never build there again.

I see a lot of people saying it's the governments fault that nothing has been done. The President and Congress sent in $62.3 BILLION dollars. The check was written. Where did the money go? Don't get me wrong, the disaster and initial response by FEMA was terrible and they should be ashamed. Everyone wants to point out whats wrong with everything but if we want to really fix the problem then we must do it ourselves. We can not nor should not expect the government to handle everything.

This is unacceptable. We should let the politicians know this when we vote.

To BETH: (1) They were NOT construction trailers. It's OK if you don't know the difference, but don't pretend you do. (2) They did NOT paid $60,000 apiece for them. This is Basic Research 101. (3) A double-wide would only eat up twice the land in this "temporary housing" situation. Temporary. Get it? Don't get me wrong - FEMA is the inbred moron cousing of the IRS - all idiots. But their plan was not as flawed as some would believe.

I was so heartbroken for the people of New Orleans over their treatment after Katrina. I can only imagine what these families have gone through. My only thought is: Why were the people of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks, ND able to recover and rebuild their city so quickly after the horendous floods they endured in '97? I find it amazing that Cancun can recover and rebuild their city in less than 1 year after the hurricane that ripped their city apart. (I am guessing that not many residents or business people in Cancun had hurricane insurance).These people did not spend endless hours blaming someone else for their problems or complaining about what was not being done for them. They did not sit around and wait for someone to give them a handout. They got down to business and fought to regain their lives and their livelyhood. I have watched the waters rise, filled sandbags for hours on end only to see my city destroyed - not once but twice. But we pulled together and didn't wait for anyone.

Not the governments fault, this is what you get for living below sea level. There was enough notice to evacuate. I have more sympathy for someone who has lost everything in a tornado than a hurricane.

Rob, the article and pictures are about Mississippi not Louisiana - Mississippi didn't have levees - these were coastal beach front towns. In your defense of the federal government you have proven that you are just as ignorant about the situation as our leaders were. You should take the time to educate yourself before speaking so verbosely.

to Kate DePauw,

This site is about the Mississippi Gulf Coast, not New Orleans.

And we have some of the highest elevation on the whole Gulf Coast. Much of Bay St. Louis is on a ridge, over 20 feet above sea level. In comparison, the average elevation of Miami is 6ft. The storm was unprecedented in 300 years of this town's history, not to mention the country's.

When we who call this place home are derided for putting ourselves in harm's way, for our efforts to rebuild, it adds insult to injury. Get real.

The most appropriate comment for the entire situation is the God has to be ashamed of us all for the outcome of such a vital situation. If we cant repair the damage we have here in the great US of A, we will never win or prosper to the fullest. If we did win or prosper from all the sin we commit and judgement we put down upon ourselves and others, it would go against what the Lord and Savior I know as Jesus Christ died for as well as the teachings left behind by Chirst and his followers. We owe Jesus and God our creator much more than we give. Remember people we MUST start at home (USA and our individual homes) as a united family (country). At this critical time in our history, we still can not achieive what most terrorists have which is UNITY in a cause no matter what it is. If we all could stick TOGETHER as a whole we would have a better chance. A lesson is to be learned from that. The amount of people we kill or towns we crush will never beat the UNITY of the people we encounter. In the end of it all we ALL will be judged.

The government is helping thousands relocate every month--it is called FEMA rent assistance. The President just extended the rent assistance. I live in LA and got no rent assistance. I got a job, what is wrong with other people going to work?

The government has no responsibility what so ever to rebuild these peoples lives. They have the responsibility to rebuild themselves,since when do we look towards washington to rebuild our personal lives.

How shameful the governor of New Orleans didn't really take action for katrina... :[

Maybe we should look at some of the positive things that have happened here on the gulf coast of Mississippi, specifically in our ability to provide necessary health care to the residents and refugees with existing community health centers, temporary clinics and especially the hundreds of volunteer health workers who have worked in this area. Despite the threat and very real possibility of disease outbreaks, we have been able to contain these except for the upper respiratory Katrina Cough and more recently, the increased mental health problems. We are quick to criticize shortcomings but I believe that health care, as thrown together as it was, has been excellent under the circumstances.

I feel like the pictures above are showing hope and memories. Hope that the families will return and memories that they were once there. Look at all of you blaming everyone, except yourselves, or the fact that things happen because God wants them to happen. Just be thankful your safe and alive. You don't need material things when you have God. Look at the people that did not surive, even though now they are hopefully in a better place, it was God's will. Pick yourselves up, go to church and PRAY! In doing that, your lives will better. This is just what Satan would want.

I live in Biloxi, I don't think the government has failed us, insurance companies--yes. The pictures are only showing memories, i see rebuilding everday here and hancock county. We have to be responsible for ourselves just as we choose to live here, we choose the dangers of living here. I am tired of hearing about the poor people of N.O. They didn't have a hurricane they had a flood.

Having been on a mission trip to Biloxi 19 months after the devastation, if the insurance companies had of paid like they were suppose to, there would be more rebuilding, also rip-off artists came in and immediately took the money and ran leaving a half finished job, roofs still have blue tarps, local building supply companies have donated immense amounts of materials to help out, churches are down to half their previous populations. Why do you think the government should do something? Some are still waiting with open hands while others and began rebuilding bit by bit. It will take another 5 years before any progress is seen. Also there are more volunteers needed to help the people in the Biloxi area to rebuild. The Casinos are rebuilding fast and so are the hi-rises which are going up. Go down and help these people because they need it and don't expect the government to solve every one's problem. Government isn't the answer, people with a heart for others are needed in this area.

It is truly amazing how everything comes back to blaming George Bush, as per Sharon's post. When it comes to federal support and what truly needs to be done to help those in need, too many individuals have installed too many hurdles to get to the funding because too many people are simply greedy, meaning those in charge of the distributing the funds want to keep all for themselves. It should be our congress and senate representatives at the federal level that need to be held responsible - those that represent the people and oversee the committees responsible for this as well as those put in charge of overseeing the various relief programs.

Excuse me Jim D., but I do remember millions of dollars being donated towards Katrina, so what happened to that money? Oh wait, was this money also used on weapons of mass destruction? The government does have a responsibility on helping these people out. We contribute enough on taxes and donations to be able to help victims out in situatins like this. How are they suppose to re-build their lives when everything they had is gone? This is George Bush's fault. He is the leader of our country and our leader has not taken control over this situation. Cannot wait until 2008! Question: Remind me again how he won the second election? :)-

FAILURE! Thats the grade America should give Pres. Bush at the end of his term. The commander in chief should have mobilized all resources needed to get the job done after the Katrina's disaster. "FEMA", what a joke.

For those who had the courage to stay and rebuild, much respect! On Election Day, make your vote be heard.

I think I will move to Miami, put down $10 big on a $500,000 condo, buy a boat and live large. When the next Andrew wipes me out, I will expect all of you to make me whole by way of Uncle Sam. Thank You All in advance.

The federal government is always jumping to help someone else and not it's own people. They want everyone else in other countries to think they are something they are not, when we the people know that they are faking the funk. They are only worried about what goes in their pockets and not the people's pockets. They are a sorry excuse for a government.