Congratulations, Mark, on your retirement decision. You have not really physically changed much all through those years since I have last seen you and went to school with you; although I'm five years your senior. Although my wife and I are still employed through our own decisions, as I happen to be CEO/COO of our law firm, and she is a practicing attorney here, we plan to semi-retire in three years (at my age of 70). I guess retirement is a bittersweet decision, Mark. But, this is bound to come as this is another step in our lives we look forward to as an absolute. Best of luck, prospect and future, sir!

Best of Luck to you Mark. Some of your editorials, when you was writing same, several years ago, were not of the nicest things you have written on me and Brewe (some good)... But all is forgiven, and here's wishing you the best in the future. Now how about a BOOK! Why not, everybody else does..Larry T. Doughty, larrytdoughty@yahoo.com. www.ourstory.con/larrytdoughty/

I've talked with Mark once or twice. He actually will take calls...........He seems like a decent enough guy. But at the end of the day, he's just one of thousands of dedicated "true believers"---editors and publishers who would rather have their newspapers serve a propagandistic role (leftist) than to serve the readers or actually grow the business. Thus, he's presided over the mind-numbingly predictable decline of a once-pretty-good-paper (when's the next round of layoffs, Mark? Maybe you got out just in time....).

The decline..................and all that's left now is the fall. Anybody silly enough to think that Rick Warren will snap out of his True Believer fog long enough to actually put the brakes on? Don't place that bet.

Reaganite, Ronald Reagan, a big tent Republican, would be embarrassed to see you claiming his name. At various points in his career he signed an abortion rights bill, supported or proposed tax increases, and chose his wars carefully. The BDN, which has supported Collins and Snowe, is hardly a "leftist" paper. The teabagging wingnuts who now control the Republican Party have gone so far to the right that Reagan would never recognize his former party.

reaganite...so why do you bother to read a 'leftist', by your own description, newspaper? Are you masochistic? Does reading it make you feel somehow superior to other readers? Are you so right winged that you can''t stand seeing a newspaper report on the common man, instead of a world that doesn't exist anymore? A world that is only a republican ideal? The fifties are gone, dude, either lend your hand or get out of the way.

Woodward turned a once thriving newspaper that served Maine well for decades into the "Pravda of the Penobscot", Now all the BDN publishes are pedophile stories, regurgatated police log reports, self-serving press-releases from Augusta, church itineraries, and lame feel good opinion pieces. Hopefully, he will be replace by a hard-driving editor who will print real news and do in-depth investigative reporting.

Congratulations Mark, now you can get back to doing what you were born to do.........men's rec league ice hockey is just starting up and several teams are looking for a real power centerman. You could easily play on two teams this season!

Fausto and letterreader, you're probably leftists......so OF COURSE you're going to be glad that the BDN is now a Dem. propoganda tool. This isn't rocket science, after all.

But wow, talk about biting off your nose to spite your face! The lamestream media, including the BDN, just can't seem to help itself..............that itch to propagandize must be scratched, it seems. So, away it goes..................down the drain. Paper after paper, employee after employee...............

HELP ME, scarecrow!! I'm melting!!!..................

It's kind of funny. They have it coming. They DESPISE potential readers and subscribers like me.................and what kind of business can get away with that................with despising and spitting on potential customers?? Nah, they have it coming.

Don't think it's going to happen? Well, I'm THE absolute poster child for "person who can't wait to pick the paper up off the porch and read it over breakfast". Nobody in the world beats me there. And I read the BDN maybe, once a week?? Buy it...NEVER. (ONLINE editions? GOOD LUCK making THAT business model fly!!)

But that's okay................Even as we speak, leftists like Fausto and letterreader are out there rounding up tens of thousands of new readers to replace ones like me, right??? lol Yep.

Mr Woodward may be a very nice guy but the Editorials are so lame and slobbery it's shameful.

Best of Luck to you Mark. Some of your editorials, when you was writing same, several years ago, were not of the nicest things you have written on me and Brewe (some good)... But all is forgiven, and here's wishing you the best in the future. Now how about a BOOK! Why not, everybody else does..Larry T. Doughty, larrytdoughty@yahoo.com. www.ourstory.con/larrytdoughty/

& Mr Woodward &~~~All I can tell you is I for ONE love retirement. And others on here that seem to know you seem to really Respect You. Good Luck in All You Do. Now and in the Future. (((:~o ) ))) God Speed To You

(( Now reaganite )) I agree with( Fausto ) completely.

You probably should get your head out of Rushes b__t.

I like to listen to Rush, Beck, Hannity,O`Riely and Fox News too.

But no ONE person or Organization is Right On Everything.

You my Man are the One that needs To WAKE UP and get yourself more Balance in your Life.

And that looks like that be a Fact in me believing in what you are trying to say.

Your Bias is Way to Obvious to Me.

I like Beck the Best Personally.

He seems to be One using a Good Melting Pot Thought Process

Thru this years issues of decision making.

I have discovered that I Am a Republican Independant Libetarian.

What da heck do I call Myself.

Oh Yeah, Just someone that has Woken Up.

Mr.Woodward: Hope you have many good and pleasurable years ahead. Thanks for all your service and dedication to the Bangor Daily News and to the city of Bangor and surrounding communities.