Wow! 100 posts! Unbelievable. I am so glad you will continue to follow the residents you profiled as they begin to rebuild their lives. Thanks so much for being there!

Thank you ALL: Mike Brunker, Andrew Locke, Kari Huus, Jim Sieda, Miguel Llanos, David Friedman, Bob Sullivan AND last but certainly not least Andrew Locke. All of the survivors, all of the rescue personnel, and those involved in helping care for those wonderful pets and people to our thanks and prayers to you all. To the newspeople, You went out of your way to gather up all of the stories; from near and far, big towns and small. You showed us the human side of these tragedies. You showed us all of the news in a professional and unbiased manner; the good, the bad and the ugly. You showed us sides of humanity that can manifest itself in such circumstances; the good and the bad and the ugly.

Most importantly you shared stories of people's lives that give inspiration and insight to how we ALL should be prepared in ourselves for when the next disaster should occur. You showed us with words how we need to work together with our neighbors and not engage in a battle of finger pointing the blame but to instead use our fingers along with our hands and our minds to be kind and to lift the fingers of helping our neighbors, and pets too. Through these blogs you have brought people from all over the nation and the world together with ideas on how to rebuild, how to inspire, and how to improve ourselves as human beings. We will survive and rebuild and hopefully better than before. People endure so much throughout the world, yet how people deal with these things is a sign of a nation's strength. When the smallest towns with the lowest incomes of people had lost everything yet the people in these towns would give their last piece of bread to a total stranger or the last shirt off of their back because those smallest towns the people have the biggest of hearts.

Hopefully we can all, EACH one of us, take it upon ourselves to be prepared so we are not stuck without basic essentials for one, and another, look after our neighbors and take the "Adopt-a-Neighbor" more seriously. In every neighborhood in this country there are rich, there are poor, there are those that cannot drive due to being too old or too young, physically and/or mentally challenged, or just do not have enough money to own a car and not enough money to evacuate even if they wanted to, so every one of us should help our neighbors especially in such a time as what has passed. Share hotel accomodations, or at least a space in your car so they are not left standing there looking at you. Your children if you have them will learn the most important lesson in life and that is compassion. Yes there are so many with too much pride to ask for help and when offered will likely refuse, but the fact is that if we all took the time to know our neighbors (not in a nosy busybody bothersome way) but in a way that we all treat each other as a big family, then when/if tragedy strikes again we will all know who is likely to need our helping hand, again not the finger point of blame. We need to inspire each other, hold each other and cry if need be, but to be compassionate. This is how it was in those small Texas towns. There is a saying that is "Everything is bigger and better in Texas." This may be true and some may disagree but the proof is how those small town folks treated one another. They have the biggest hearts. We all need to take a stand against hate of our neighbors because we do not like their color, their race, their religion, their choice of being spiritual, their lack of money, and I could name so many reasons why people think hate is necessary. Let me let you all in on something, many already know this but I feel need to type anyway..."Beat not down one another, my sister and brother, For we are one you and I, Under the same sun shining in the sky. We don't need to be in disharmony, as we are one you and I, under the same stars shining in the sky..." I have the rest written in my journal, but basically regardless of our choice of religion, our faith, our spiritual practices, our race, ethnicity, skin color, way of dress, we all bleed the same. We all have the same basic fundamental needs of food, clothing and shelter. We all need the giving and receiving of love and acceptance. So, let us all try to be in a little more harmony with our neighbors.

Call me a dreamer but I believe in world peace, it begins one individual at a time to learn compassion. I would rather be a dreamer than live in a world of hate. Quote by me (ValSu)

I do understand that even in close families disagreements arise, but not all out war. People get involved in drugs and crime and there are those in every neighborhood just about, that we would rather not have as neighbors, but this is where compassion is important especially in such tragic times as flood, hurricanes, earthquakes and let us not forget, EVER what happened when Terrorists took planes and killed all those people at the Pentagon, Pennsylvania, the Twin Towers, and other issues of terrorsit acts. We need to help our neighbors that live next door to us to evacuate, to find food and shelter if need be to even share accommodations until relief agencies get it together. I am not saying pity terrorists I am saying to have compassion for our neighbors that may need assistance such as previously mentioned the elderly or those with needs.

These stories shared on this "Blog Zone" and ideas from so many people, their words of praise to inspire, of criticism so hopefully the federal government can coordinate evacuation better and this would include those people with service animals like seeing eye dogs, and other pets too. Hopefully people will have taken it upon themselves to be prepared, having an emergency supply kit in their car or trunk of their car and diapers and food for at least five days maybe? Medicines and water too, and of course checking the dates once a month or so to be sure the food supply does not get out of date, or baby formula maybe have just an extra case for yourself (the baby I mean) LOL. Protein bars and food that you add water to, I could name all of the supplies you may want to stock up on to have as part of your emergency kit. For the Federal Government from the locals to the White House, better coordination between the Red Cross, Animal rescue organizations and others so that everyone and their pets can be rescued. Talking about rescuing pets, here is the sign up page to sign petition to get this part of the plan...

"A new bill has just been introduced to require federal evacuation plans to protect pets, and we need your signature on this petition to Congress today":

http://go.care2.com/e/gIA/bT/onkD

We can thank Carol of Birmingham Alabama for this posting of hers. Thank you Carol!

I have signed as well as my entire family and my friends. Anyway, if you don't like animals and don't think pets should be considered then, you know who you are, please keep insensitive remarks to yourself. I have stated VERY clearly already in Miss Kitty blog why pets are so important, so again nothing nice to say please say nothing. I would like to say, for those non-animal caring people, that when you have lost it all, house, belongings, car, everything but your life, and all there is left is that living, breathing animal you better believe that it is important to rescue it. These "pets" are truly family to so many, and life savers literally by the story of Miss Kitty and her Mr. Bill. Mr. Bill, I hope you get to read these as you are an inspiration. Give that Miss Kitty a gentle hug and some pets for us! We love ya and know you will make a great misister. Godspeed to a quick recovery for you.

Okay, I think I have typed enough on this last blog, and my "mini-novel" fingers are tired, so love to you all, thanks for posting my "mini-novels". I hope never to have offended anybody with my words, I hope to inspire and God Bless you all. May the road always be straight for you, may you have success in all of your endeavors and strength to overcome obstacles, strength to love and to dream. If you can dream, if you can percieve, if you can believe you can achieve. May the wind be always to your backs and the sun shine above you. Assalamu Alaykum (Peace be upon you) All of you.

Thanks to all of you that covered the people devastated by these storms. You put a very human face on these catastrophes and I will ever be the same after seeing it through your eyes. I will miss reading the blogs every day. Good luck and Godspeed!

Being originally from Louisiana and now living in South Carolina, you furnished a compassionate and human lifeline of information that has helped me tremendously. I have been so impressed with the thoroughness and unbiased approach in your reports. You have not reported the sensational and negative aspects that the general media seems to thrive on. You have gotten to know the people you had interaction with and treated them with the compassionate respect they deserved in the face of all they've lost. For that and good reporting, I thank you. I'll look forward to following your new Blogs in the future. Keep up the good work, travel safe, and God Bless.

I have truly enjoyed reading all 100 posts over the past month. I will definitly miss it as well. Your journalistic skills and humanity have inspired me day after day. Thanks for your effort and perserverance in bringing it to all of us who can't be there helping.

I'm going to miss these blogs/posts. I'm going to miss seeing your faces on the left side of my computer screen. If you are allowed, give us an update on yourselves from time to time.

I truly feel like I'm losing friends. Take care and again, thanks for your reporting.

It would be interesting, and informative if the blog were revived say 6 months from now. Just for a short time, update us on all the people we've met here, and a good look at how the reconstruction is going. And of course, since you've made Miss Kitty a media celebrity, we all want to know how Bill and she are doing.
Let me add my thanks for the coverage, it was an honest look at a major event.

Thanks to all of you for giving us a glimpse of what happened to our citizens in the Southern US. Without your words and photos, many of us just would not be able to comprehend the massive destruction.

Thank goodness I found your website. Fantastic reporting. I have a sister living in New Iberia, LA and haven't heard from them. Any info available?
There has been little or no news on that area.

Oh no - no more blog? Whatever am I going to read on a daily basis? But kudos to 100 posts! Has it really been THAT many? I can't say the time has flown by; it does seem like forever since Katrina struck - even for me, who's not been in the devastated region. Special thanks to Mike, Kari, Jim, Miguel, David, Bob, and Andrew for bringing us all these stories. By far, the one I'll remember most is dear Miss Kitty and her grateful human, Bill. I had to go buy cat litter and food for my two felines this afternoon, and thought how easy it was for me to fill their empty bowls, compared to all those down south who don't even know where the bowls are that need to be filled, or the cats who need to eat from them... *sigh* and I have to admit; all the names I've seen posting here on a daily basis are feeling like family! We all owe it to those who live in the Gulf States to not forget the devastation and to keep the money for rebuilding moving down to them. Thanks.

You have done a wonderful service to the entire world by these daily postings, I only hope that you continue to follow the lives and environs of those displaced by mother nature. Please, don't let us and the world forget their lives, and those that were lost.
Thank you again for remembering the animals that were so devistated - you saved hundreds, simply by your "blog"!!

This can't be the end. Who will inform us on the Mr. Bill and Miss Kitty Saga. This is terrible..You guys can't leave...Thank You for all the information you've given on these blogs and a chance for all of us to give our thoughts. We will miss you all..Good Luck in furture endevors...

PS.. Please let us all know what happens in the end with Mr. Bill Harris and his beloved angel Miss Kitty....You will be missed

Who could we contact to plead the case of your returning to several of the more remote places you have visited? I will follow the stories of the 6 selected people, but that is just a drop in the bucket that you have so bravely filled for the last month. If nothing else, it lets the local people know that there is a lot of caring Americans on their side.

Thanks again for your reporting. It's brought so much more understanding of what impossible (almost at least) conditions people have survived and overcome. God speed.

I am sad to see this blog end. You the reportors, the comments have become a part of my life these past weeks. Has all brought a new awareness to my thoughts, our envirorment, and politics. Looking forward to the follow through of the rebuilding effert. Goodnight.

Ditto to all the thank yous that have been said above. I wonder if there might be some way to publish the blog, including some of the many moving photographs from Rita and Katrina?

Job well done.

Thanks to each and every one of the magnificent journalists who gave us a more personal and compassionate look at the places and faces of Katrina and Rita. The blog was the first place I would go each day when I turned on my computer. I will miss hearing from each of you. I sincerely hope that you will be able to revisit some of the people that you introduced us to during your journey and let us know how they are progressing in their recovery from these brutal storms. Thanks again for your willingness to put yourselves in harms way in order to bring us a truly personal view of both the good and the bad of these two wicked ladies.

Thanks guys for doing your part.

Hi! Finally got a chance to read some of your blogs today. Sorry I haven't had a chance to keep up with all of them. I do want to tell everyone at MSNBC News Network and MSNBC website that you all have done a great job reporting on what went on before, during, and after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita---the twin sisters! You did put a very human face to all the people that were very seriously affected by these severe storms, and what every one of them has been going thru over the last month. MSNBC, along with CNN and Fox News Channel, have done a lot to keep us informed of the situations in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, but no one bothered to go back to southern Alabama to see how those people have been doing since Katrina came thru there. Those people were still recovering from last year's Hurricane Ivan, and now they are having to deal with some damage from Katrina. Someone needs to go back to Mobile and Gulf Shores, Alabama, to check things out and find out how they are doing in their recovery and rebuilding stages.
Thanks for doing a great job, you all. Keep on going with keeping track of that whole disaster area, and keep us informed of the recovery and rebuilding progress there.
Thanks,
Chari Mercier :)
St. Petersburg, FL

It was really appreciated hearing news from you. The big sources focused on the larger cities, which I really don't care about they will get their government money no matter what. Hope the people in charge, you all know who I'M TALKING ABOUT, get beyond their approval numbers and take care of them. I could care less about casinos, they bring in money that we all know goes into the local politicians pockets. Give these people jobs cleaning up their homes and cities. Cheney might get pissed but hey. Keep up the fantastic work. We all know you were on the edge. THANK YOU

I think you all did a great job!! Glad your all safe. I just read that the new orleans mayor is laying off 3000 people, great way to start a recovery especially after receiving who knows how much from the feds. Maybe we should start a new blog to find out exactly what is going on. We know he gave some outrageous salary hikes, over $400,000 combined, to a couple of dozen employees but what is really happening. If he's that worried about "his people" maybe he should cut these raises out and lower his and all the politicians salary until they get back on their feet, we all know that will never happen. All we know is what we can read and search out on the internet, these blogs show a whole new look at what is happening. Again, Thank You all. You're the true warriors of the news.

Thanks for a great job in reporting. Made the whole story more real.

Excellent, excellent work.
Thank you so much for making the story real and alive.
I'll miss you and your posts.