"my bag 'n body inspector confiscated my cashews before being assured by his female cohort that Planters had yet to produce an explosive snack."

Since when cashews are now become dangerous??? Brian, I know that you will not take cashews on your next flight especally since you are heading back to New Orleans. Cashews are expensive.. The airport security confiscated your cashews and ate those cashews for snacks on a break... Keep you the great work on Nightly News! I look forward to hearing you report on the 1st anniversary of Hurricane Katrina!

First time I've been here. I feel refreshed. There is hope when people asking for good news mean quality news, not warm and fuzzy. There is too much at stake to leave the affairs of our country to the government spokespeople. Thank you, Brian, for reflecting the best of journalim when you may.

Mr. Williams,

You are old enough to have a daughter going to college ?

Mr. Williams...your comment regarding "driving my daughter to college" struck me, given your superb attention to detail and commitment to accuracy. Would your comment be more appropriately worded: "driving our daughter" since your wife really should be included? Just a thought....it is interesting how many people use the "my" rather than "our" when it comes to discussing children.

With the war on Iraq claiming civilian and American lives.....the war between Irael & Hezbollah continuing, Iran developing a nuclear weapon, North Korea shooting missiles, and the world that we live in today witnessing a revolution in the Islamic faith unlike anything we have ever seen before, the only thing that cable news can focus on is the Ramsey case? Come on....this from the same networks that just 3 weeks ago were providing wall to wall coverage from the "front lines" in the Mid East, THE STORY HAS NOT GONE AWAY, and who had experts on commenting on "World War III." Try to put this world into perspective and forget about ratings, at least you will be doing a public service.
By the Way, I think what Brian and Nightly News have been doing, with tonight's report continuing the story of airline security, and the continuing series The Long Road Back, is doing the best they/he can with a less than 30-min. broadcast.

I have found cable news to be unwatchable since the latest development in the JonBenet Ramsey story. I hear her father is thinking about leaving the country. Can't say as I blame him.

I, too, will be bringing a child to college in a couple of weeks. I'm told boys are easier - wardrobe in a duffle bag, labtop, MP3 player and you're good to go. Negotiate the microwave and refrigerator with the roommate. My friends with girls are talking about renting trucks. I'll remember the extension cord.

Dear Brian, glad to have you back. I must say you are by far my "favorite" news person. I have watched you from the beginning and one thing I commend you on the most is your consistency. You are one of the only reporters who has mentioned Hurricane Katrina relentlessly and I applaude you for that. It amazes me how we as a people forget the important things in life and focus on the not so important things like the Jon Benet Ramsey case. I am glad they found the guy, if he is the guy, but why do we spend so much time on giving him exactly what he wants, "The Lime Light?" I was ery upset with the Today show this morning and all the coverage this man is getting. Even the Sniper shooters didn't get as much coverage as he's getting and our own people in the Gulf Coast haven't gotten as much coverage as this man has gotten. What is wrong with America? I sometimes find myself laughing at the things the media covers and chooses not to cover. I don't think there should be a day that goes by in which Katrina isn't talked about, but yet we don't talk about it. To hear our President say he's going to send $230M to Lebanon just baffles me. We can't even provide that kind of money to our own people, but yet he's going to send it to a country he "truly" hates? Help me on this one please. And what's up with Congress they aren't any better. Like i said i'm baffled at what goes on in this Country and how so many people are allowed to get away with it. Help me to understand.

Brian,

Ditto on the Ramsey case.....we'd rather hear some "real" news.......Also thank God for Olivia Elizabeth Burdon, Peoria, Ill. above for thinking of us down here on the Gulf Coast. She hit the nail on the head and you can bet every single person that voted Republican in the last Presidential election will be re-thinking their position. Louisiana obviously is not a blue state but it will most certainly be less blue in the near future -- providing of course the Dems have anything decent to offer. Either way most people in the Gulf Coast area has lost complete faith in our government.......we'd secede in a heartbeat if we thought we could get by with it.

Brian -

Perhaps there should be a 'Trash TV' channel where those who want to know about the Celebrity/Trash news of the day could tune in.

I'd also like to take the President to task for announcing he's "going to stay out of Connecticut" during the upcoming campaign season. I'm a native, born in the same hospital as 'W' and I've been here ever since - managed to get educated, raise a family and retire as an administrator from the same university attended by both Bush Presidents. Connecticut is a nice place to live.

However,some CT politicians could use some supervision. Aside from the Lieberman situation (Party of One) we have officials who do federal time, and one who apparently gambles under an assumed name, but doesn't want to pay his debts. The ex-Governor (Bush friend 'Johnny')is out of the pen now, and says he's learned his lesson.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that Governor Jodi Rell, a woman who has taken over the reins in Hartford, is doing well.

Never Underestimate...........
Joan Chapman, Cheshire CT.

Brian,
Since I would echo the comments of many here, I will change course and focus instead on the thought of taking your daughter to college. What a privilege and honor for any parent to bring their child to college! It is now that you & your wife will be able to bask in the warm glow of knowing you have raised a fine young woman who with values instilled by her parents will begin to venture out into the world charting her own course. (Of course she will always be your little girl).

If I may offer a tidbit of advice, do not leave for this trip without the dad's survival kit -- hammer, screwdriver, two-sided sticky tape, flashlight, extension cord and an endless supply of good humor.
And be prepared, if her dorm has an elevator, in all likelihood it will be out of order. Best of luck to all!

Welcome back, Brian!

Regarding President Bush's plan announced at yesterday's news conference to donate $230 million to Lebanon:

NO! NO! NO!

It made my blood boil when NBC Nightly reported last night that some of this money would be used to fund schools in Lebanon so they can re-open in time for the new school year.

What about schools in NEW ORLEANS? People in that city, according to an article in yesterday's New York Times, are having trouble getting their children registered in PUBLIC schools--even with New Orleans' drastically-lowered school-age population. Too few schools there are in good enough shape to re-open. Bush should instead donate this money to New Orleans' school system to ensure that every child in New Orleans can attend school.

Then I got a sinking feeling when I heard that some of this $230 million is going to help rebuild housing in Lebanon. What about rebuilding housing in LOUISIANA? This would be fitting because Bush gave Louisiana the shaft earlier this year when he rejected the Baker Bill, which would have provided Louisiana's people far more extensive housing relief than the relatively-paltry sum she finally had to settle for after its long having been bottled up in Congress. This amount does not provide Louisiana's people sufficient money to rebuild and could force many to leave the state and imperil New Orleans' recovery.

It is unconscionable for President Bush to be handing $230 million out overseas when he cheated Americans here at home in Louisiana out of housing aid they should have been able to get. I guess President "Sweet-Talker" who promised that New Orleans would "rise again" and said he wants to see a "Louisiana that's vibrant" has changed his mind--he wants to promise that Beirut will rise again and wants to see a Lebanon that's vibrant. And no longer cares about what happens to New Orleans and Louisiana.

It is a pity that this wholesale rip-off of taxpayer dollars cannot be voted on in Congress after a lengthy delay--the way all Gulf Coast recovery packages have had to. Congress should have the opportunity to put the kibbosh on this giveaway when the money would best be used at home.

I would have been much happier had Bush instead announced that he was planning to press the UN, EU, the Saudis and other oil-rich "allies," and others to step up to the plate to provide this humanitarian aid. And announced, with Katrina's coming anniversary in mind, a donation of $230 million to help New Orleans re-open her schools and Louisiana to help her people who lost homes to Katrina and Rita rebuild.

Also, about NBC Nightly's coverage of Bush's news conference: It is shameful that, while with Katrina's approaching anniversary he was asked about Gulf Coast recovery, nothing was reported about this on last night's newscast. Nor was there anything else about the Gulf Coast. There should at least have been some of Steve Major's interview with Governor Blanco.

Is it any wonder, then, that Bush thinks it's O.K. to throw money much needed in Louisiana (and in Mississippi and the rest of the Gulf Coast, for that matter) away in Lebanon? Obviously, with the cameras, with rare exceptions such as Sunday night's compelling report on New Orleans' battered women, having been turned off on the Gulf Coast--he must think it's O.K. to wash his hands of the area. He must have figured from the scant news coverage that Americans don't care about the Gulf Coast.

Here's a facetious thought: Suppose Louisiana was to secede from the Union, then apply for foreign aid? With any luck, she could get a package of goodies as big as Lebanon's. And perhaps NBC Nightly would re-classify Louisiana news as "world news"--and give her as much news coverage as Lebanon is getting now.

Brian:I have gotten so tired of hearing about the Ramsey case. I grieved with the parents when their daughter died, and I wish it had not happened....but at this late date, I could not care less about what is happening in the case...no that's not what I mean to say. I do care, but a simple announcement that he is caught, and later another announcement that he was found guilty or not guilty will be sufficient.

The whole world is turned upside-down, and we have so many concerns that I resent having to listen to endless nit-picking and surmises about this case all the time. Contrary to what the news organizations think, I believe most people out in the nation want to hear about current, big, things going on in this country and all over the world.

Becky Shain

Welcome back, Mr. Williams. You're one of the main reasons I love NBC news.

I came to the website this evening to question the attention devoted to the JonBenet/Karr story, and I am so pleased to read from several people what I've been feeling, particularly Brian Williams' comments. So instead of a complaint, I have a question: how can the general public influence the decisions of those who determine our network news coverage? The time spent reporting the recent developments in this ten-year-old story could easily have been focused on so many other news items that desperately need attention.
There are many of us out here, all over America, who turn to NBC and the other networks for substantive news, and we greatly appreciate it when the coverage truly is about news and less about gossip. Keep fighting the good fight, Mr. Williams--we're with you!

Where is the last intern, Kaylee Hartung's, blog? I was enjoying the series and was hoping to read the final chapter. Glad you had a nice trip to Europe!

I spent three separate one hour classes explaining to high school freshman girls why it is important to watch, read, or listen to the news every day... and here we are in Colorado, so guess what is on the front of the two major papers, surrounding smaller papers, local news, and of course all national news... the Ramsey case. The girls were quick to talk about it and we spent a lot of unplanned time talking about it, correcting misinformation, clarifying terms (is he guilty? is he prosecuted? was he under arrest?)... no real Social Studies curriculum got covered, but we spent time talking about our world, some things that are wrong with it, and how they have a challenge to address those things in a few years. Now I wait for the phone calls and emails from concerned parents who don't want their daughters exposed to the news... and hope for a supportive administration in the front office.

I suggested this blog as an ideal way to see how the news is put together and several said they wanted to know how to be an intern. Where can they get that information?

Brian,
While I know you are not responsible for the actions or content of the rest of NBC's programs, I found the coverage on this morning's 'Today' show to be disappointing. No matter how much any person tries, no person will ever be able to justify to me the reason for showing the JonBenet murder suspect's every action on his plane trip from Thailand to the US.

Too many men and women are fighting -- and dying -- for our country overseas. Too many people are doing horrible things in this world. Too many people are doing the smaller, littler great things in this country. Too many journalists are spending the wrong amount of time covering the wrong story.

Until the networks have enough time -- or an entire channel -- to dedicate to following every single kidnapped child, stories like this do not need to be the top new story.

Mark Knofler song? You don't have Industrial Disease, do you, Brian?

Please Brian - you left us in limbo -What are your feelings about the Jon Benet story?

I'm with you on the JonBenet story. There are a few other important things going on in the world, aren't there?

Thanks for your measured and appropriate comments about your colleagues who are or will be on the air with you each evening at 6:30 pm. September 5 and thereafter cannot be about who is better or who gets higher ratings. Let's just hope that the "hype" sends more citizens to watch the news ... on any network ... and seek to understand how it impacts and affects them. And what they can do about it. There are plenty of viewers for what will inevitably be three very different newscasts offered by three outstanding anchors. You are behaving like a gentleman in this and I commend you.