ness

Al, I'm looking at their financials. ExxonMobile (XOM) is US-based and paid $15 billion in taxes in 2009. Net income of $19 billion. That's a lot of money, but they're a huge company. 9% after-tax profit margin.

Charlie, A little bird told me you guys fished the Thompson. So, how did it go?

I work in MO and pay taxes there, for whatever that's worth. It's a personal choice to buy the stamp.

Here Eric -- for your convenience I've clipped your comments. Yeah -- I'd say that's confrontational. All he said was he doesn't eat trout so he doesn't buy a stamp. Now he's short-sighted and selfish in addition? Come on man, there are better ways to get your point across. Sometimes less is more. For the record, I don't buy the stamp either. I can afford it, but I don't keep trout. It's just that by the time I've coughed up the dough for an out-of-state license I'm not really in a giving mood.

If he'd have left off the first three sentences his point would have been made and he would have sounded much less confrontational.

Sportin' fer a fight there Eric?

Naw -- it was a low-occurrence problem to start, Toyota worked out a fix, and no smoking gun. It also helped that BP blew a gasket requiring 60-days of 24-hour-a-day news coverage.

Me too. Loved the waterfowl stamps -- I've still got them all in my special stuff drawer.

I did edit -- edited all the way down to nothing Wish I could have made it -- would have been nice to put some names and faces to the handles and avatars. But, you know how it goes when you've got kids sucking up every minute of your free time.

darn, I almost posted something.

If you get a chance, tell Buzz in the number 4 that ness says hi. I taught him the Immelman.

That was painful to watch, on a couple different levels. I hope he was able to make it outta there without hurting himself or somebody nearby.

When I was just a pup, I watched a PBS series called "Free to Choose" that was written & hosted by Nobel Prize winning economist Milton Friedman. He went on to write a book of the same name, which I bought and read. It was one of the most eye-opening and influential books I've ever read. Anyhoo -- Stossel's show tonight is gonna be focused on this, and I'd bet it's going to be very interesting. If you don't know, Stossel's a libertarian, and the show is on Fox. The gist will be how free markets do a better job of creating prosperity than the government. I'm not looking to start a political discussion here, talk about Fox or Stossel, or complain about anybody or anything. I'm just sayin' it's gonna be on TV and regardless of your political leanings, you just might find it interesting.

Just joking about Sig Eps, of course. We had 'em where I went, and they were good guys. Sounds like you're on the trail. Those three web sites and a search of posts here will get you a lot more info than what I had back in the day, when I was trying to figger this all out. There are a lot of other opportunities nearby, really most all MO locations are withing easy reach. Interesting site the professor has -- I'm gonna sniff around there a little.

That's just down the road, and been there many times. Unfortunately, I'll be a couple blocks away at 3&2 watching baseball. Mebbe I can do both....

Hey Phil, How do you fizz a fish? I saw that mentioned in another thread too, and it's a new one for me.

Not with a dang Sig Ep!

Good luck to you, Terry.

It's been a bumper crop this year -- for weeds. I spent the bulk of yesterday getting on top of that. But everything's looking pretty good. Great year for lettuce with the cool temps and rain. Tried a new variety of spinach ("America") and it was a bust. Getting some small peppers and maters. Radishes are ready.

It's customary to tip a guide. If you want to be THE guide out there explaining why your fee is higher, then feel free. Trout guides typically work for an outfitter, who takes the bulk of the fee in return for the permits, insurance and marketing costs. It costs money to provide guide services. It's not all gas, flies and sandwiches. As to your earlier comment about having trouble tipping a guy that makes more than you. Well, what the heck's that got do do with anything? Anyway, those guys are working a fraction of the year. Taking the daily fee and extrapolating it to weekly, monthly, or especially annual income doesn't really work. And heaven? Come on, Eric. Untangling leaders, retrieving flies from trees, tying on flies, telling them where to cast, etc. is heaven?

From zero to 25%, depending. But good ol' 15% is the norm in my book. For 3 people, he's probably gonna work pretty hard...

Dayum. Sure seems like a lot of trouble to go to. Can't you just release them right after you catch them? That's what I do.

Buzz: what is that -- a Billy Bass???

That's too bad.

Nice.