There’s a lot of good news about the new economic opportunities that rural areas are enjoying thanks to renewable energy development – especially wind power. Unfortunately, most of the news articles I link to below come from out West. But soon enough, Maine will have more stories like these of its own.

First up: an article in Monday’s New York Times profiles Ainsworth, Nebraska, a town with a population 1,800 that describes itself as “The Middle of Nowhere.”

I admit I lack empathy for lobsters. When it comes to considering their feelings, I tend to categorize the tasty crustaceans with crab grass, black flies, politicians and other lower life forms. I just don't care about their problems. As far as I'm concerned, the only difference between lobsters and the others is that I wouldn't eat a politician, even if I was really, really hungry.

I don't believe I'm the only Mainer with this attitude. Most of us couldn't be bothered listening to a lobster's

For the period: May 6-12, 2008

Welcome to MTWLWLW, our weekly review of the top stories (and some of lesser quality) from around the state. This past week's news was dominated by a couple of bombs - both of them, as it turned out, duds - as well as a new retail rivalry, a scientific debate, a disaster declaration and a court decision on how much of a splash you can make this summer.

The first bomb came in a report that the