Being almost 78 years old now, I was 34 years old when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon in July 1969.

I loved reading your Associated Press story about Neil and his passing (he will never die). His career was beyond anything out there today. No one since Dwight Eisenhower has inspired me as did Neil Armstrong.

Additional Photos

The career of Neil Armstrong, the first person to set foot on the moon, “was beyond anything out there today,” a reader says. 1969 NASA File Photo via The Associated Press

I have to confess that my eyes were not dry as I read the story in the Sunday Telegram (“Armstrong regarded as modest hero,” Aug. 26). When we witness true greatness, it is so different than the contrived greatness of our “reality”-based society today.

Neither you nor I nor anyone else alive today will witness anything as momentous as the first moon landing. Mars is a dream … far, far from reality, and way beyond even our economy to attain. Neil Armstrong and those supporting him will go down in every history book ever written, and so be it.

May God bless his eternal soul and all those in his family and circle of friends who supported him in his brief flight through this time when we were blessed with a genuine American hero.

Dick Brooks

Phillips

Less-messy recipe could win new fans for lobster

I am a summer resident of Friendship (and a winter resident of North Yarmouth) and have been close to the lobster fishermen here for many years, mostly good years but some not so good, like 2012.

Your editorial, “State should promote ‘sustainable’ lobster” (Aug. 12) was very well done. Yes, Maine should promote its own natural resources and add as much value as possible before they leave the state. Having processing plants here should be a priority, but how do we go about increasing demand for lobsters?

First off, though I like lobster, I do not like to eat a lobster out of the shell. It is just plain too messy, leaving one’s hands and fingers sticky with lobster entrails, and you are still left with disposing of the shells.

The other day my son’s friend cooked lobsters a new way for us. The recipe is called “Brazilian Lobster,” which is prepared from lobster meat served in a coconut milk sauce with spices, hot peppers and cilantro.

It was so delicious, it immediately occurred to me that this could easily be made by a processing plant and sold frozen to a good retailer like Whole Foods, which would market it all over the country.

Once people try it, they will be back for more, even those who previously have said they do not like lobster — like my daughter, who had not had a lobster in 10 years. For me, it means I will eat lobster served this way several times a year instead of only once out of the shell.

Excepting the coconut milk, all the ingredients can be grown right here in the state of Maine.

William G. Ambrose

Friendship

Conference coverage failed to mention corporate role

The New England Governors Conference that took place July 29 and 30 was touted by The Associated Press (in a story with no journalist’s name attached) as a conference of regional governors and Canadian counterparts meeting in an effort to work with regional power producers.

What the article did not disclose is that the “conference” was bought and paid for by a conglomerate of power resource investors from all over the map, and not an actual New England governors-sanctioned get-together to serve the region’s constituents.

The article also mentioned the series of protests July 29 without identifying the participants. For the record, those participants included:

• The 99 percent and Occupy group.

• Those against the expansion of Hydro-Quebec into New Hampshire, including members of the Innu First Nation peoples and other Quebec citizens and groups from around New Hampshire.

• The anti-tar sands groups from Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.

• Members of the 350 Group from all over New England and their spokesperson, Bill McKibben.

It was the hope that at least our governors would meet with citizens and hear our voices in the debate since it involves our close connections to where we live and work and raise our families. The groups were composed in ages from toddlers to octogenarians, from all social and economic levels, and from all over the region.

The governors and their far-reaching corporate sponsors — both national and international — found other attractions for their bought-and-paid-for weekend. That should give some insight into what we are all in for in the very near future.

Loretta M. Turner

Biddeford

Mad Horse mourns Lucid, prepares alternate venue

The Portland Press Herald recently noted that Lucid Stage would be ceasing operations in early October (“Lucid Stage will close in the fall,” Aug. 22).

Mad Horse Theatre Company has been the resident theater company performing at Lucid Stage for the past two seasons, and as such, would like to comment on this loss.

Lucid Stage provided an affordable venue in a convenient location that served a variety of artists. Its closure not only saddens us, but affects many other performance groups like Mad Horse that require (this difficult-to-find) space for intimate, smaller-scale productions. This is a blow not only to Maine artists, but to the audience and community as well.

We are very grateful that Lucid Stage was able to give Mad Horse a heads-up about its impending closure, allowing us to make alternate plans for our 2012-2013 season.

As a result, we will present our upcoming productions at our facility in South Portland, currently our office and rehearsal space, which we are developing to accommodate a black box performance space.

Our season will open with “November,” by David Mamet, Oct. 11-28; “The Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo,” by Rajiv Joseph, Jan. 17-Feb. 3; “A Six Pack of Miller,” staged readings of six Arthur Miller plays, April 2-14, and “Titus Andronicus,” by William Shakespeare, June 6-23, performed open-air.

All performances will be at the former Hutchins School, 24 Mosher St., South Portland. Come and join us for the 2012-13 season.

In closing, a sincere “thank you” to Liz McMahon, executive director and founder of Lucid Stage, and its board, staff and supporters for the important contribution they have made to the Portland arts scene.

Christine Louise Marshall

artistic director

David Jacobs

board president

Mad Horse Theatre Company

South Portland

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