Letters to the Editor

Where in Maine?
Anyone who’s driven Routes 6/15 north out of Greenville to Rockwood, a charming community in its own right with spectacular views of Mount Kineo and northern Moosehead Lake, will recognize the giant flying moose just before the cut-off to the Rockwood marina. The statue announces the home of the president of Manac, the North American (Canam = Manac) tractor-trailer manufacturer. The flying moose also serves as Manac’s corporate logo and can be seen on semis all over the world. But the best one is in Rockwood!
—John Contreni, Brookston, Indiana
 
Maine’s Prettiest Harbors
Kudos to my fellow admirers of X, surely one of Maine’s prettiest harbors — you kept your mouths shut, didn’t nominate X, and in so doing have given us all the best chance to keep this lovely harbor a secret. Thank you! My thanks also to Down East for the nice September feature on other pretty harbors in Maine.
—Hillery James-Chung
New Smyrna Beach, Florida
 
I was delighted to see Cape Porpoise among your readers’ prettiest harbors in Maine! Cape Porpoise has nothing — and everything. It has no shops, no glitz, no parking, no yacht club, no presidential retreat, no crosswalks, and no T-shirts for sale. It does have bait barrels, working lobsterboats, true Maine curmudgeons, a dock dog, and a bench on which visitors can sit and ponder genuine serenity while watching the tides ebb and flow from Goat Island. Cape Porpoise is unspoiled Down East at its best, and let’s hope it never changes — but let’s keep it a secret, okay?
—Brenda Robinson
Kennebunk, Maine
 
Judging FairPoint
After reading the article about FairPoint in your September issue, it is clear that the media’s view of FairPoint has been, and continues to be, focused on those customers who have experienced problems. While I choose not to comment on the opinions of those quoted in the article, let me make a few points in an attempt to provide some context to explain my concerns.
We moved customer, network, and billing data off 650 Verizon systems to approximately sixty new operating systems. This activity required us to essentially shut down system access for ten days. It is important to remember that approximately 90 percent of our customers were not impacted at all by the systems transition. Admittedly, we were not pleased that any customers were negatively impacted during the transition.

 
The article mentions that FairPoint “has found itself scrambling just to provide the most basic level of service.” The fact is we successfully transitioned the telephone network components — customers were able to make and receive calls — from Verizon to FairPoint without issue. Phone service was not interrupted by the systems transition.
We are keenly aware that we still have some issues with some of our systems that need to be addressed, but most of the systems are functioning as they should.
Finally, we would take exception with the contention that FairPoint’s acquisition of the landlines in northern New England qualifies as a “fiasco.” It is our hope that reasonable people would conclude that the true test lies ahead for FairPoint — and that down the road we will ultimately be judged by our endeavors in the region over the long term.
—Jeffrey J. Nevins
Corporate Communications
FairPoint Communications
Portland, Maine
 
Reality Lumberjacks
I love watching American Loggers, the subject of your August article. It’s nice to see real reality. It’s such a breath of fresh air with no fashion, decorating, or dating drama. Give me real Maine people any day. I think it’s hilarious, though, when they put up subtitles for men speaking perfectly understandable English.
—Sue Granholm
Brunswick, Maine
 
Leave Linda Alone
I was so offended by the comments from the two people who wrote letters about Linda Bean published in your September issue. Liberals always accuse conservatives of being intolerant — I guess they must be looking in a mirror when they say that. It is sad that these people can’t get past the politics and their hatred and give credit to a lady who is working so hard to help an ailing Maine industry.
—Alfred Deschaine
Winslow, Maine