SilverMallard

I'm glad I'm not the only one who had those kinds of thoughts when I watched that video. It was highly sensationalized (water washing over the side and then running off the other is "bilge water"...pleeze!). Bilge water is water held in a BILGE in a pretty good size boat. And I am quite certain that the US gov't has ZERO intention of regulating the water quality of the water you bail out of your canoe or jonboat with a bucket! LOL On the other hand, the JUDGES rules in such a way that would indicate that. But that was just a court ruling. I'm sure some more common sense will enter the legislation in response to that decision. Judges do this sort of stuff all the time. And such sweeping and ridiculous changes NEVER result from those cases. But I am all for recreational boats in the US NOT being exempt from efforts to insure they aren't discharging pollution into our inland and littoral waters. I'm also all for a sensible, phase-in period for mandating 4-stroke engines on boats. I strongly defended against an attempt by Honda USA to pass legislation in MO several years ago to force a 4-stroke conversion that had no period of years for recreational boat owners to plan for the upgrade. But if they gave everyone 4 years or so to plan for it and didn't exempt municipal, state, and federal watercraft, I'd support the idea in a heartbeat. 2-strokes are nasty, messy water and air polluters. And there are gazillions of them out there on our lakes and rivers. Interestingly, Doyle Childers was our state Senator then. Now he's the head of DNR. Some of you know he owns boat dealerships. He was head of the state boat dealers' assn at the time. He was the point guy in killing that bill and I talked to him quite a bit about it. HE opposed it because he said boat dealers stood to lose a LOT of revenue in the most profitable part of their businesses: the engine repair shops. And there were 3 boat dealership owners on the committee where this bill was circulating. The bill never got out of that committee. Now Doyle is our embattled head of DNR, dealing with sexual harassment scandal after scandal, Muslim terrorists using state resources to funnel money to Islamicist terrorist orgs in the Mideast, issuing permits to CAFOs next to state parks and mining operations on sensitive Ozarks streams, and rolling back years of progress in environmental conservation that occurred PRIOR to his watch.

Probably so, Caddis. Cuz more of the boat bimbos would still have clothes on. LOL Yes, between the Miss and Mo rivers and LOZ, that accounts for most of it. Truman also has it's fair share of accidents, but that's mostly due to navigational difficulties exacerbated by weather and/or darkness. And it's nothing like LOZ's accident rate! Yeah, Terry, LOZ is a party boating zoo...not a good fishing lake. Once upon a time, the fishing was much better than it is nowadays. A 20' Triton with a 200hp 4-stroke outboard is a dingy on LOZ these days. I get a kick out of all the cigarette boats and other bay boats folks buy and put in the water up there. I've been traveling THRU LOZ on 3 holiday weekends in the past decade when we personally encountered some sort of emergency response or people directly involved in fatal accidents or murders at LOZ while stopping for food or gas. Another time, we had to defend ourselves with a handgun in the State Park campgrounds against 2 guys who had just murdered a security guard while trying to steal a boat and were running from the cops. They tried to steal my truck. That was the FIRST of the 4 incidents. And that one made us decide that LOZ was NOT a place for us to try and relax anymore. That's a different sort of "playground" up there!

I think they would have a hard time keeping it closed to fishing. And I agree with you, a quality C&R stream...maybe even fly-fishing only...would be awesome! I'll bet that we could get TU and FFF involved in something like that. TU would love to see more wild trout and C&R water in the Ozarks. And they and FFF have the national clout to lobby effectively with the NPS.

At the RFD-TV Theater.

On Branson radio yesterday (KHOZ), they were telling everyone to watch their cars because people are stealing license plates from cars similar to their own and using the stolen plate to go steal gas. When the plate is run, the cops come knocking on YOUR door instead of the thief's.

Can't make it this time. That's the weekend of our FFF chapter's mini-conclave at Jolly Mill with Dave and Emily Whitlock.

Dayum Right! LOL Vigorous competition mitigates uncontrolled greed in a free market. Our gov't has allowed the industry to consolidate down to 3-4 big refiners. There is no longer anything resembling "vigorous competition." So the greed spirals out of control. It's pretty simple macro-economics.

Dano, you're right. You know you're right. I know you're right. We've told them. If they want to argue the point, I'd just ignore it. That's what I'm doing. As you know, it also doesn't matter how many OTHER people are breaking the law if YOU are the one who got caught...as you well know. It is also illegal for a cop to let you borrow his patrol car to run to Wal-Mart or use his dept-issued wireless laptop to conduct your eBay auctions. And this is just about the same sort of thing: unauthorized use of gov't resources. But you also have the distinct possibility of a FEDERAL civil rights violation. I'm done posting on this subject. The discussion is silly.

Here's a hint about what I said about legal ways of getting this info: Voter registration record are public domain and often include things like social security numbers or driver's license numbers. But that would not help by itself in this case. County tax records are public records. And they would have the make/model/year of all vehicles owned, but not the plate number. But a private investigator could (and would...for a fee) find all cars fitting the make/model/year (estimate) in the county, drive by each of those houses with the plate number, and cross-reference to the address to determine who the registered owner is. Combined with the surveillance video, an ID of the actual driver/thief could be obtained legally in this manner pretty easily. If it was the guy's brother or neighbor or co-worker borrowing his car, then there might be one or two more steps involved. But you get the idea. Of course, if the vehicle is garaged, then you're at a dead end. A PI cannot trespass or violate any reasonable expectation of privacy. And he/she sure cann't commit a B&E! For the cops to ignore this is ridiculous. Statistically, there is a very high likelihood that someone who does an intentional drive-off from a gas station is also involved in a LOT of other more significant illegal activity.

Unless it was a juvenile who did the gas-n-git. Exactly! Prosecution is unlikely for said officer, but a reprimand for a first offense or a firing if there are other issues as well ARE likely outcomes. The reprimand could come with forfeiture of pay, demotion, etc. Not something I want to happen to someone who did me a favor.

Cops have to eat and drink too. They also need to go to the bathroom just like other workers. There is nothing implicitly wrong with 4 cop cars @ an IHOP. There's nothing wrong with 4 cop cars almost ALWAYS being at the IHOP. Now, if it's the same 4 cars and the same cops all the time, that might be a problem. But cops usually do get a dinner break, and they tend to take them at the same places.

Terry, if they are a pre-pay store, I have no problem with the policy at all. I agree that it is probably a GOOD policy for pre-pay stations. The places I have stopped shopping in the past were retail stores that charged clerks for bad checks they took WITHIN the conduct of routine business in accordance with store policies. For the owner to pass that loss off on an hourly employee who did no wrong is reprehensible. In the main instance I recall, my wife and I were frequent customers for years who often paid by check. We made a large purchase, and the check-out clerk said she couldn't take that big of a check and the person authorized to do so was not in the store (the owner). We have never written a bad check anywhere. And we had written dozens of checks in this store over the years in my hometown where I grew up and everyone knows me and my family. When I protested, the clerk explained that she had been charged for ALL bad checks she took in the few years she worked there...regardless of whether they required higher authorization or not. We told her we would find a new job. In fact, we offered to HELP her find a new job. We didn't make the purchase and I called the owner later and told him that we made the purchase elsewhere and would not be shopping there anymore due to the embarassment and inconvenience WE endured AND the policy of charging bad checks against the pay of employees who were just doing their jobs to make the owner money. He apologized for not being in the store to authorize our check, but that was all. And we never shopped there again. Several months later, we encountered the checker in another store and struck up a conversation about it. She said that she had taken our advice and found a job where they did NOT have such a policy...and she got better pay and benefits in the bargain.

In Ducky's defense, a LOT of stores have this policy of making clerks cover drive-offs and bad checks they take at a register. I don't believe it is even legal, but a lot of them do it...and get by with it. Some restaurants charge the server for walk-offs as well. It is a horribly unethical business practice in my opinion. I have stopped patronizing businesses over this practice in the past when I found out they did this to an employee. As for the police, I agree you should contact your local prosecutor and file a grievance. Tell them that if they do NOT investigate and prosecute (if evidence warrants), that you (clear with owner, of course) are going to the local news media to tell them that the police dept refuses to prosecute gas thefts under $100. The LAST thing they want is a rash of drive-offs causing gas station owners to shut down their pumps on a holiday weekend! And that probably wouldn't be hard to arrange with a bunch of phone calls. They need to get their heads out of their posteriors. Finally, Danoinark is correct. Accessing police databases for unauthorized purposes is a FELONY...both for the person doing it and for the person who solicited it. However, there are legal ways to get DMV records. If the cops don't help, I'd call a private investigator who knows how to get it done without getting in trouble. Now, that is not to say that the 2 fellas who offered here do NOT know how to do it the right way. Maybe they do. I have no idea. But make sure your T's are crossed and your I's are dotted. Ah! If she violated a reasonable store policy (pre-pay), then she can be held responsible for the theft...dereliction of duty. In fact, if they could establish that she knew the person or somehow gained from the theft, she could even be prosecuted as an accomplice.

If y'all like shopping and art/craft and fishing, Taos, NM, is impossible to beat. It's our favorite. Most lodging there is a bit pricey, but there are a few great buys. Laughing Horse Inn is a fabulous double-adobe B&B in town that costs about the same as the Best Western or Comfort Inn in town. All three are very affordable options. The food is EXCELLENT all over town if you like Southwestern. And prices are very reasonable. And there's a pizza place right across the street from Laughing Horse that is AMAZING. And about 1/2 mi up the road is a fantastic nouvelle Mexican joint that is a terrific bargain. Fishing options range from the Rio Grande right outside of town (big browns...big water...lots of public access) to the Little Red, the Cimarron, and a couple of other smaller streams full of wild trout up in the hills to the N and E of town. Taylor Streit's Taos Fly Shop in the place to get your info and flies and such...or hire a guide. The art galleries, jewelry shops, folk art/craft shops are endless. Taos is one of the great folk and fine art capitals of the United States. And then there is the Taos Pueblo for history/cultural education for the kids (and grownups). It is a huge, ancient, real native American pueblo village. It has been continuously inhabited for many centuries. And the Indians preserve the ancient culture. Then there is the Kit Carson House and Museum. That is a "don't miss" stop as well. It is in the Taos Historic District downtown. The people are very hospitable and laid back. The whole place has a bit of a New Age/hippy sort of feel to it...even moreso than Sedona, AZ, or Carmel, CA. You can make the drive in one long day of pretty serious driving. Or you can stop for the night in the OK/TX panhandle to break it up. Absolutely stunning scenery as you get within an hour of Taos coming from the East! The kids would see antelope, mule deer, and all sorts of wildlife along the way starting at the TX/NM border...maybe even Elk or a bear. Pics: (L to R) Taos Pueblo, Laughing Horse Inn, and Pronghorn Sheep http://www.taosguide.com http://www.laughinghorseinn.com http://www.taosflyshop.com http://www.taoschamber.com

Nobody's picking on anybody. We're having a relatively intelligent discussion about how to minimize the impact of ridiculous fuel prices.

Chief, it's not the stopping and starting part. It's the sitting still part that impacts gas mileage in town. Idling equals low rpm gas consumption while going NOWHERE. So miles per gallon drops. And accelerating from a dead stop requires more fuel than cruising speed does, yes. And, yes, if they went 20 laps vs. 22 laps...that's a big deal. If they went 200 laps vs. 202 laps...not a big deal.

Yes, Chief. The wind drag created by driving at highway speeds with the windows down is about the same as the drag on the engine to run the ac compressor. However, at LOW speeds in town, windows down makes a pretty big difference. We're trying to consolidate trips as often as practical. And I'm keeping frivolous driving to a minimum. But my wife has to drive...no way around it. For her, the difference in gas prices basically works out to about a 1-2% reduction in profitability. So that's not a big deal in a business sense. It's the recreational stuff that's hard for us to justify.

Thought y'all might like this. A friend just sent it to me and I thought I'd share.

Personally, I never pass up free stuff unless there are strings attached. As a writer, I sometimes get free fishing and hunting gear, camping gear, tickets to events, computer stuff, and even trips. I don't just write about hunting/fishing. I am cautious to make sure no one who offers thinks they're bribing me for a positive mention or review. There is no quid pro quo. I've written some scathing reviews of outdoor products and various types of businesses over the years. In fact, an article I wrote influenced Gander Mountain's decision not to carry one hunting/fishing product line and the mfg called me and threatened to sue me. Of course, I informed him to call his lawyer before threatening to sue people. You cannot get sued for telling the truth about a product in a review that the maker of said product knew you were writing and sent you sample products to evaluate. Duh! And I felt this dude's product was both impractical and probably dangerous to the users' health. I tell everyone who offers, "Don't send me a product you are not sure of unless you are prepared for whatever my opinion might be." I am not a technical field tester. I write field test reviews. That means I use a product for a period of time (not one day...usually months) and then write about what I think of it. I don't use said product and then provide technical feedback to the mfg ONLY...unless they ask me just to do that. I do have a couple of those type of relationships. And they use me as a Guineau Pig for R-D product testing. You don't write about that kind of stuff because you have to break some eggs to make a good omelette. But when your product is in distribution and available to the public for purchase, it's fair game for a public review. And I don't write fluff or marketing pieces. But if a company sells me bad product or service, and they want to replace said product or compensate for bad service with free replacements/upgrades; I have no hesitation to accept it! TAKE IT! You paid for a certain standard and expectation. If they failed to deliver, they OWE YOU. FYI, gang, none of this "drives up the cost" of anything. These costs are already built into the pricing structure and business plans of EVERYTHING. It's been that way for 50 years or so now. Before a product ever goes into production, those costs are built into the price. If the product is up to quality expectations, there will be no surprises on the cost of warranty and replacement side of the equation. If it is NOT, then it deserves to perish and will perish. Backyard Burgers is running an ad on local radio right now where the owner "personally guarantees" that he makes the best burger you've ever eaten or he'll refund your money. Well, I've eaten his burgers in the past and I think Hardees Thickburgers are better. His are good, but not the "best"...in MY opinion. So I'm thinking about a free hamburger in the near future. Truth in advertising is an important thing. It's worth testing it every now and then. LOL

I just said you and ollie knock yourselves out because you told Chief you wanted to hook up with him. Nothing else was implied.

It is literally right across the county road from the Tan Vat access. There's a blue metal building on your left that used to be the General Store. It's for sale. There's a real estate sign out by the road. You cannot miss it if you're going in/out of Tan Vat. In case you don't know where Tan Vat is, just drive on the main drag all the way through Montauk SP. The road turns into gravel. Keep going. It's 1.5 mi from the lodge at Montauk. The road is rough in spots. Go slow. It's also quite narrow. Tan Vat and Eagles Park are located on the SW corner of the state park about 1/2 mi downstream from the border of the park.

My wife would NEVER do that to me. She wants me to go fishing everywhere we go. But I try to plan trips to places where there are things she really enjoys AND I can do at least 1 day of fishing. I usually fish less than 1/2 the days of a vacation. It's all about mutual respect. I see she has fun and she sees that I do. Sounds to me like MAYBE you've been a bit overbearing with the fishing in the past???? Payback can be tough. (keeping it family friendly in Phil's absence) CO is a great suggestion if your wife is termed that way. There is a lot of variety and great fishing within an hour of almost everywhere. I'd stay away from the tourist traps of the Smokies and think Asheville, NC if I was heading that direction. But we don't have kids to consider. With kids, I'd look more at Stone Mountain, Georgia, just north of Atlanta over in that part of the country. Williamsburg, Virginia, is another great family option! Some fishing around there, but an AWESOME family destination. It's great fun for everyone, highly educational (early American history/culture), very "chick-friendly," and outdoor rec options. If she wants to go the beach, you have tons of options along the Gulf Coast where you could sneak off for a day charter one day. Good luck. Sometimes you just gotta make up the difference.

There was no slight intended, Rusty. It just reminded me of that.

Chief, I know guys who catch channel cats on fly rods. Among avid fly anglers, it's not unheard of. But I don't like to fish for catfish at all. Nasty critters. Don't really eat them much, either. You and ollie go knock yourselves out.

Kind of reminds me of a gal who brought 2 bites of a hamburger back up to the front counter of the McDonald's where I worked briefly in school and said something was wrong with it and wanted it replaced. P.S. She got another burger, too.