You have to wonder if the news is dire, the crimes horrendous day after day, do the readers/viewers get "tone deaf" or "numbed" by the severity of the headlines and the crimes themselves?

Hey James. We get an average winter temperature of 19. We don't hibernate and love to snowsled, ice fish, play pond or lake hockey and ski ski ski. This neighbor of mine like other kids plays outside and looks really cold doesn't he? Sure beats kids planted on a couch, eating a large bag of chips fifteen minutes before supper huh?

I think there are many beautiful places with less or no crime statistics day in and day out. But in major population centers, I guess it comes with the turf. Have a son in Washington DC who I do not feel unsafe with as we walk to dinner around the Georgetown area, a daughter in Boston that is the same sense of safety after the walking out of Fenway Park when the Red Sox come from behind in the eighth to beat the Yankees and their evil empire (kidding...well sort of). Now Miami late at night...not so much.

I hear you James. I can not do the humidity of a Miami but no snow shovel there or need for winter wiper blades.  I look at it that in the winter, the bugs aren't bad and if you are cold, you are not dressed right. I'll ship you a few pounds of new snow when it lands around Christmas!

Linda...I think folks that have not been here think igloos, snowshoes, darkness for six months straight and dog sleds. It's not like that. We have three other seasons...lakeside during summer sunset is not so cold huh? Glimpses of Maine without snow!

Richard with the 4th lowest crime stats...and the northern half of Maine half that state figure again...I think you find most of the folks at Warren did something while drunk and are not serial killers or on the FBI's top 10 wanted. They may be habitual driving under the influence types or have an addiction that keeps them behind bars at the crowbar hotel.

I like the steamed clams, corn on the cob, a garden salad and something cold to drink with a Maine blueberry pie with a little mountain of vanilla ice cream on it. I had way way too little lunch! Seriously, lakes..without the crowds and area parks with just you and the wildlife, unspoiled is what I like best.

Westbrook is on the other end near Portland and you need to grab here and head to Aroostook County...11 people per square mile. Alaska has one per square mile, NJ 1000 p/s/m. People can mess it up I am sad to say. We are far enough north to be in Canada and 1.5 miles from the border so that distance is what insulates us...not isolates with I-95 starting here and heading to Florida.

Patricia, you are so close you could be one! Red Rover Red Rover, send Patricia right over. Jump ship and move to Maine.

Had the same problem with the guy on bloopers..not even sure what his name is but get that alot Dan. When you are ready to point the car northeast, I can help give you suggestions on things/places you want to see. One big honking state. The license plate calls it "Vacationland" for a reason.

Marc...Often we will have a buyer from eight states away that is contemplating buying a lake home, hobby farm spread and the only hold back is a fellow they work with, or a relative back home that says you are going to freeze to death, you won't like it, why are you moving, etc. I smile and say ask them if they have ever been to Maine. 99% of the time they have not and I say "So this person is an expert on Maine but never been here to see it first hand and has no real basis to go on because of never traveling here right?" Case closed. Anyone who has been to Baxter State Park and hiked Mt Katahdin, or had a lobster at a pound overlooking an ocean harbor or kayaked our 6000 lakes, knows Maine is four seasons of unspoiled beauty and friendly helpful people. I would be a poor person to give a talk or disertation on say Alaska or Toronto. Have never been there and can regurgitate bits and pieces of what I think it could be like but how do I really know without riding the horse? Thanks for stopping in.