I totally agree with you about answering machine messages (Editor's Letter, Aug. 8). How do you feel about the voice coming on after you dial a number and let it ring maybe six or eight times (some older folks need extra time to get to the phone)? Then this voice tells you the line is busy and for 95 cents they will keep trying. What happened to the old busy signal that came on as soon as you dialed a number that was busy?

I have even found out that some of the time the party I was trying to reach wasn't even home at that particular time, so how can the line be busy? I'm afraid that makes me angry.

Alma Wallace, Albany

Mailbag: A flood insurance deal (Aug. 11)

In regards to your article on flood insurance, you quoted that you can get flood insurance on a $250,000 house for an average cost of $644. Yet we pay $1,056 for the same government program on a $156,000 home.

Howard Johnson, Albany