[Winni]

kjbathe and Grant:

I do agree with you, but I have a problem with a lake where it isn't safe to just swim off my dock. I don't ever go more than about 20 - 25' from shore, but I'm not even sure that's safe now. That is a very, very sad statement about what this lake has become.

That's not the MP's fault; it's everyone's fault who doesn't use courtesy and care in their water activities. I'm scared to death I'm going to get smacked by one of those idiot jet skiers in our neighborhood someday. But, you can't enforce courtesy and thoughtfulness. All you can do is ask that each and every one of you think about what you are doing as you use the lake and pass that request on to everyone you know.

Airwaves:
Whatever makes you think NH is going to fund MPs when they won't even fund Education??? Just ask any teacher you know why they work in NH; the answer will NOT be because they pay well (and don't give me any of that business about their hours 'cause I will be all over you!) Worst case: substitute teachers: lucky to get $60 gross pay per day; do work 8 hour days whether you want to believe it or not; must have current certification which means at least a B.S., more often an additional M.S. or M.Ed., plus pay for their own 75 hours of recertification every 3 years.

MPs, teachers, police, firemen/women, EMTs, etc. do not do what they do for the dollars. We all know they should all be paid a lot more, but you know what that would do to your property taxes. Many of you in this forum have lake property, so if we tried to be fair about paying these folks, who, in my opinion should be paid more than all the CEO/Enron-types and movie stars in Hollywood, would you actually be willing to put out the enormous amount of cash it would take?

Then, this brings us to the subject of broad based taxes. Anyone want to open that can of worms?

WildWoodFarm: Clearly you aren't familiar with how things work on the Big Lake. Here's how it goes: Violator zips by at 80 mph, or jet ski does a wheelie at the end of your dock, or big boat makes big wakes and does damage. Whatever...the point is you call the MP and they say, "Did you get the hull id?" Now, in all these cases, and I would say in about 99% of violations similar to these, including the ridiculous 150' rule, this is totally impossible. Even if you do, you must then be able to describe not only the boat but also the driver! Who is anyone kidding? "Reporting" a problem is a task in futility. The only time the violators are ever caught are when the MPs are actually there to see it happen AND the violators do not know the MPs are there. This IS the reality of the situation.

Saugus Boater: If you don't like the forum, then why do you bother reading it? As I see it, the forum is a good wholesome medium for the exchange of ideas. Some really great things happen on these forums (see for example the one on Pepper losing her hair!). As they say, "If you don't like the show, change the channel!" It's just that easy on a computer too.

The bottom line is: The only people whose behavior you are ever going to change is your own. We can try to influence others by our words and deeds, but the changing must be done by oneself.