U.S. Taxes Explained in Beer Terms . . . .

U.S. Taxes Explained in Beer Terms . . . .

        Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100.
        If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
      
        The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
        The fifth would pay $1.
        The sixth would pay $3
        The seventh would pay $7.
        The eighth would pay $12.
        The ninth would pay $18.
        The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
       
        So, that’s what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. ‘Since you are all such good customers,’ he said, ‘I’m going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20. ‘Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men – the paying customers?
      
        How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his ‘fair share?’ They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody’s share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man’s bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.
      
        And so the fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
        The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% savings).
        The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28% savings).
        The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
        The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 ( 22% savings).
        The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
      
        Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.
        ‘I only got a dollar out of the $20,’ declared the sixth man.
        He pointed to the tenth man,’ but he got $10! ”Yeah, that’s right,’ exclaimed the fifth man.
        ‘I only saved a dollar, too.. It’s unfair that he got ten times more than I! ”That’s true!!’ shouted the seventh man.
        ‘Why should he get $10 back when I got only two?
        The wealthy get all the breaks!
        ”Wait a minute,’ yelled the first four men in unison. ‘We didn’t get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!
        ‘The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up. The next night the tenth man ( the richest) didn’t show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!
      
        And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

Skiing and Riding in Jackson Hole

Skiing and Riding in Jackson Hole

JACKSON HOLE • Jackson Hole is world famous for one of its ski resorts but Jackson Hole is lucky enough to have three of them. All have differing attributes, Snow King is In the town of Jackson and is smaller but is affordable and convenient Grand Targhee is plumb over on the far side of the Grand Tetons but for that reason it gets much more snow so is Jackson hole’s powder cache, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is the destination resort of the three and certainly is the gem. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Jackson Hole Mountain Resort offers visitors one of the best ski and snowboard experiences in the world. It is world renowned for its steep and deep terrain, consistent fall line, deep, light powder and endless backcountry, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort also allows beginners and intermediates to excel at their own pace on a variety of groomed runs and open bowls. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has been rated as the third best ski resort country and who could argue with that. Jackson Hole has 4,200 vertical drop and that drop comes right out of the Grand Teton Mountain Range. These spectacular mountains crown jewel the Grand Teton Towers over the Valley and resort at a majestic 13,770 above sea level. When they say ski the big one they mean it! With 2,500 acres of inbounds terrain, a 4,139' vertical rise, 459" of average snowfall each winter, and unparalleled backcountry access, Jackson Hole offers a truly unique winter experience. Two distinct mountains in the heart of the Tetons - Rendezvous and Apres Vous - make up Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and have been home to incredible skiing and snowboarding for the past 40 years. Whether you're here to experience "The Big One's" wild, untamed terrain, rolling, wide-open groomers, or you're just getting out on the snow for the first time, it's bound to be an experience you'll never forget. Snow King Mountain Since Snow King’s founding in 1939 as the first ski area in Wyoming, Snow King has served as Jackson Hole’s ‘Town Hill.’ Generations of residents have grown up learning to ski there. It’s a real part of the community, where parents can drop off their kids for after-school turns and adults can do some bump skiing during their lunch hour. But it’s not just a place for townies, its steep terrain will challenge the best of skiers yet has great terrain for the beginner. With Jackson Hole Mountain Resort only a short drive away, Snow King doesn’t bother trying to compete with its high-octane neighbor. Instead, it positions itself as the little guy who just tries harder. With its short-but-steep ski area, ski-in/ski-out accommodations, and ultra-convenient location, I felt right at home at Snow King. It is what it is an unassuming and fun mountain where people come to ski, and not to be seen. Grand Targhee There’s only one word for skiing at Grand Targhee: extraordinary.  Though other words such as effortless, knee-deep, and uncrowded all apply.  The key is the more than 500 inches a year that fall on the backside of the Tetons – the snowier Western side – each year.  Add to that a skiable terrain of nearly 2000 acres, with more than 1,000 reserved for Sno-Cat Adventures, and you have an experience beyond compare.  In addition to Grand Targhee’s legendary powder, families love our corduroy grooming with cruising runs that are a signature of Grand Targhee Resort. It's not only about legendary powder; those who love to carve will begin to salivate just thinking about shredding the pristine corduroy.  And if awesome freestyle terrain is on your agenda, look no further.  We’ve got two parks plus natural freestyle terrain to get you stoked.  North Pole Terrain Park gives everyone a chance to ease their way into the world of freestyle riding.  Trick Town takes the action up a notch, with numerous features, including table top, rainbow, flat down flat and flat down rails and more. Center Earth freestyle area is a dynamic playground based on natural features and enhanced with expert grooming. More Info

Yellowstone Snowcoach Tours

Yellowstone National Park In winter, is nature’s crystal cathedral. The landscape transforms into a marvel of textures and shapes all sparkling with an icy diamond allure. In the quiet of Yellowstone winter, hot springs bubble and boil, fumaroles hiss and howl, geysers roar and rumble. A whiff of sulfur mingles with the clean, tangy smell of lodgepole pine. Bison, elk and cluster around the geyser basins and along the ice free streams. Bald eagles and Canada geese grace the skies and waterways. Aboard a passenger snowcoach, you are toasty warm and have a personal introduction to this First of all National Parks through the narrative of an expert guide.

Snowcoach tours offer the most comfortable and easiest way to experience this winter wonderland. Snowcoach tours run through most of the park all through the winter season, and are available from a number of National Park Service approved vendors. Snowcoach tours are available at Mammoth, Old Faithful, and at the south and west park entrances. Comfortable for everyone of any age, these climate controlled customized touring vehicles create an amiable environment from which you can view wildlife and thermal activity. Imagine a large van with an extended high top, tank treads for tires and skis extending at the front of the vehicle. Many of the Yellowstone Snowcoach operators offer guided tours that include skiing, snowshoeing and lunch.

Snowcoach unloading passangers at Old Faithful Snow Lodge

Snowcoach tours will unlock the park's secrets for you, while a naturalist guides you through the splendors of the first national park. You may be concerned that you have less control on where you stop; but the snowcoach operators are very good about stopping for scenic viewing, photo opportunities and leg stretching. Snowcoach tours are also less expensive than snowmobile tours.

Although Yellowstone’s bears are hibernating for the winter there are abundant wildlife viewing opportunities. Elk and bison are seen routinely and wolves are seen often. Yellowstone’s Wildlife is challenged more than any other time of year and their struggle is evident too see. That is why there is so much interest in seeing this adventure first hand.

During the winter, the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and the Old Faithful Snow Lodge are the only two overnight facilities open in the park. The Snow Lodge is only accessible by over-the-snow vehicles. The park’s winter season begins Dec. 18, with the opening of the Old Faithful Snow Lodge.

According to Yellowstone Park Winter visitor statistics, snowcoach tours are quickly becoming the most popular way to visit Yellowstone. A combination of lower cost, greater comfort, commanding views, and opportunities to learn about Yellowstone is inspiring more visitors to choose snowcoach tours as their preferred way to experience Yellowstone.

A snowcoach tour is an awesome way to view wildlife in Yellowstone

Advantages over snowmobiles include: easy communication with your guide, you can still stop when you want to for photo opportunities. Snowcoach tours start at $109 per person (West Yellowstone), private tours can be even less. They are warm and cozy, even in the coldest weather. Regardless of snow conditions, snowcoach access is available even when snowmobiles are not. The interpretative information given on snowcoach tours is interesting, educational and fun. Larger coaches can accommodate more than the snowmobile tour limit of 10 sleds. It is easy to communicate and interact with each other on the trip.

There are more than 12 Snowcoach tours serving all three Yellowstone Park entrances. Many tours offer multiple day vacation packages, which include snowmobiling and snowshoeing.

Yellowstone National Park is a wonderful place to see year round, but the winter time has been called it's best season Even if you have been through Yellowstone Park a dozen times in the summer, Yellowstone's unique winter environment should not be missed.

More Yellowstone Winter Information

Star Valley Wyoming Visitor Information

STAR VALLEY WYOMING - Wyoming's Star Valley is known as the "Little Switzerland of America," because of its beautiful farms surrounded by steep, rugged mountains. The area's many dairy herds and dairy products enhance its claim to the European moniker. The moniker certainly fits. With a beautiful high-alpine setting and the rural backdrop of a mountain valley, northwestern Wyoming’s Star Valley really does feel like a picture postcard from some long-past excursion to Switzerland except that we wear regular clothes here.

Cattle drive in Alpine Wyoming is usually a family affair, the Nelson girls do their part to get their families herd to summer range.

Star Valley is located 30 miles south of Jackson Hole and is tucked between the Salt River Range in western Wyoming and the Webster Range of eastern Idaho. Scattered through Star Valley are a number of small towns with unusual names like Smoot, Grover, Etna. Alpine, Thayne, Osmond, Freedom and the areas newest town Star Valley Ranch. Three national forests surround Star Valley, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Caribou National Forest, and the Targhee National. Star Valley Wyoming. The Snake and Greys River inter the valley on the north side and dump into 20-mile long Palisades Lake and the Salt River winds through its center. Star Valley provides great access for the outdoorsman and is home to world class hunting and fishing. Star Valley Is a rich place to visit or live.

Star Valley still lives its western heritage, ranching is still a way of life for many. In the Spring you can still find cowboys driving cows to summer pasture in the surrounding mountains and in Fall you can find them at roundup time for the cattle drive back to the ranch.

The valley hosts quite a variety of fishing opportunities. The Salt River that flows through the valley offers great fishing for brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout, the Grey's River and little Greys River are home to many fine cutthroat trout and Alpine Canyon's Snake River provides greatwhitewater adventure fishing for cutthroats. Star Valley is only a 20 mile drive to the world class fly-fishery the South Fork of the Snake. If you prefer lake fishing to rivers 20 mile long Palisades Reservoir provides fishing opportunities for all of the above as well as

Kokanee Salmon. All of these rivers are fed by small stream many of which fish well as well but some things are best left unpublished assmall streams can't take the pressure of fame................................. for more fishing Info

A fly-fisherman trying to persuade cutthrout trout to come up for a visit on the Greys River below the Salt River Mountain Range

The magnificent mountains of Star Valley Wyoming are known worldwide for their excellent big game animals. elk, deer, bear, antelope, moose, mountain lion, mountain goat, and bighorn sheep can all be hunted here in the Yellowstone ecosystem. Many Boon and Crocket records have been established here. This region has a large selection of outfitters and guides to fulfill the dreams of any sportsman............................. for mor hunting Info.

The region provides access to hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trails that in turn open up access to countless high country open bowls and mountain vistas in both Wyoming and Idaho. The Greys River drains the Wyoming Range and is the area between Alpine and Kemmerer. This area has approximately 335 miles of trails....................................... for Snowmobiling Information

For the whitewater enthuisist Alpine Canyon section of the Snake River just north of alpine regardless of the water level provides plenty of whitewater action. At prime flows (6-12,000 cfs) world class 2 & 3 waves are found throughout this stretch of the Snake River. ...................For whitewater rafting check out the whitewater rafting page, for kayaking check out the kayaking page. There are many more recreation opportunites, too many to mention but look around the site and you will find info about skiing, mountain biking, bicycle touring etc.

Annual Festivals: Cutter/Chariot Racing December through February, Afton Snowmobile Hill Climb Challenge in late February, Professional Rodeos July 4th weekend and at the Lincoln County Fair in late July and the first week of August.

More about Star Valley Wyoming


EXERPT FROM THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE RESOURCE GUIDE

Pinedale Wyoming Recreation Information

PINEDALE WYOMING • Sublette County in Western Wyoming is the gateway to the Wind River Mountains, the Upper Green River Valley, The Gros Ventre Range, and the Wyoming Range that includes two rugged wilderness areas, the spectacular Bridger Wilderness and Gros Ventre Wilderness are pristine unspoiled places where man is only a visitor. Over 1300 lakes, including Fremont Lake and Half Moon Lake dot the region and are said to be some of the best trout fishing outside Alaska. Throughout Sublette County you will find spectacular scenery, wildlife, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, photography, and so many more exciting adventure opportunities.

F

This rural farming and ranching valley have only about 7,000 residents throughout 4883 square miles. The county is 80% public land including Bureau of Land Management, State, and the Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Fishing here is legendary The New Fork River starts high in the Wind River Range as a glacial stream before flowing into the New Fork Lakes, just north of Pinedale. From the lakes, it flows as a small stream down the Green River Valley and behind the town of Pinedale. While it widens after merging with Duck Creek, it is still a small, stream that provides excellent habitat for German Brown Trout. The Green River starts as a small glacial stream high in the Wind River Mountains. Like the New Fork River, it dumps from the glaciers into a pair of large lakes in the northern region of the Winds and emerges suddenly as a fast-flowing, freestone river with a deep emerald color that appropriately gives the Green its name. As it flows through the valley, it widens, slows, and begins to wind its way south. The good bank structure provides holding ground for wild Brown Trout, while the freestone qualities created at the headwaters hold a strong population of hard-fighting Rainbow Trout. Many high mountain lakes of the Wind River Range are home to five-pound golden trout and the morainel lakes at the base of the Wind River Mountains are home to many giant Lake Trout. Due to the afore mentioned plethora of wildlife The Green River Valley is a hunters nirvana.

Average summer temperatures are in the 70s-80s and winter about 15 degrees F. Average rainfall is about ten inches per year. Pinedale is your base camp for adventure into the beautiful Wind River Mountains, and right on the way to Yellowstone National Park, the Tetons and Jackson Hole!Gannet Peak is the highest mountain peak in Wyoming and has 5 rugged glaciers on its flank, the largest glaciers in the American Rocky Mountains. It is remote and considered an exciting alpine mountaineering challenge due to its inaccessibility and moderate difficulty. This trip is best tackled by experienced climbers with great stamina well acclimated to high elevations. Gannett Peak is the longest round trip of any climb, including Danali in Alaska. The hike is at least 40 miles roundtrip and an almost 9,000 foot vertical climb.

Whether you are searching for golden trout, bagging Gannett Peak, plotting a new route up Pingora in the Cirque of the Towers, or just heading in for a quick day hike to enjoy the beautiful wildflowers, you are sure to find this area to be a special place, and will want to return again and again. If you're looking for fewer crowds, western hospitality, and fantastic scenery consider visiting the Upper Green River Valley.

Learn More About Pinedale Wyoming's Recreation Opportunities in the Wind River Mountains