having grown up near machias, maine – i still tend to imagine things like this. big on things outdoors. little on support for high tech [although, i have to admit that my grade school was pretty aggressive in getting a few apple iie’s when i was in 6th grade (circa 1982)]. however, from the sounds of it, the current governor would like to make maine a tech mecca:
“One, many people don’t realize we have one of the best telecommunications infrastructures in the country — maybe the best, in terms of high-speed Internet access, digital switch networks, (and) fiber optics — all the pieces that go to making a really good telecommunications infrastructure.
We have high-speed Internet access in towns of 2,000 people. I like to say that New Sweden, Maine has better Internet access than Manhattan. And that gives us a real opportunity for any kind of telecommunications-based businesses.
The second thing is we have great people. We have a very long tradition of a really good work ethic, going back 100 years, 150 years. Maine was one of the early pioneers of the Industrial Revolution — textile mills, shoe factories — and there’s a carry-over work ethic that’s really good.”
i love the intentional juxtaposition of infrastructure with the mythic new england work ethic. imagine silicon valley without the need to pamper the young turks. salty, high tech captains of the digital seas, smoking pipes, saying -“aaaayuh. suuuuuuure e’nuff.”.
b.t.w. if you’re looking for a good look into the psyche of those that grew up ‘downeast’ – i really can’t recommend Down East Maine : A World Apart highly enough.