These natural and human tragedies provided the headline news; they also provoked a quite remarkable humanitarian response. It has been clear that in the course of this year relief workers and financial support have come from members of every faith and from every corner of the world.

Over the course of the past two weeks, ... NBC News has done a remarkable job of reporting on the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, and Steve has been integral in every aspect of our preparation, planning and coverage. . . . We have a talented team in place in the front office, and I'll be working closely with all of them throughout this transition.

United Press International is a great news agency. It has made a remarkable mark in the annals of American journalism and has left a superb legacy for future journalists. I wish the new owners all the best, great stories and happy landings.

All my possessions for a moment of time.

Let us not take ourselves too seriously. None of us has a monopoly on wisdom.

It's all to do with the training: you can do a lot if you're properly trained.