| Big weekend for bass fishermen at Clear Lake
Clear Lake will be crowded with bass fishermen this weekend, most of whom will be competing in the America's Vanity Cup team tournament. There also will be dozens of fishermen out on the lake doing some recreational fishing and prefishing for the upcoming Holder Ford-Mercury Team Tournament scheduled for March 17-18. The Vanity Cup tournament take places out of Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa and the weigh-in begins at 3 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. The good news is that spring-like weather has turned on the fishing. In fact, the action could be wide open by Saturday afternoon as daytime temperatures are expected to reach 80 degrees. The bass are moving into the tules and along the shorelines in preparation for spawning. Without a doubt the hottest lure on the lake continues to be a 6-inch plastic worm rigged on a shaky head jig.
Winters a trial for Maine's nudists
BANGOR -- They say they like being naked because it feels free, uncomplicated. But for members of the Dirigo Naturist Association, a nude recreation club known until this month as Bare Nekkid Mainers, finding places to take it all off has been anything but easy. When they tried to plan a dance for New Year's Eve, three function halls turned them away. When they scheduled a Labor Day lobster feed, a campground accepted their reservation, but canceled it later. The Bangor nudists were thrust into the spotlight in January, when police were called to a bowling alley they had rented for one of their popular nude bowling parties. Summoned by a man who walked into the business with his son despite a "private party" sign outside, police found no laws had been broken. Still, the incident made news all over the country.
Telecom Italia Posts Slide in Net Profit
Telecom Italia SpA said Thursday that full-year net profit fell 6.3 percent on declining margins and tighter competition in the domestic wireline market. Italy's largest telecommunications operator said 2006 net profit stood at euro3 billion (US$3.9 billion) from euro3.2 billion a year earlier. The result was slightly above the euro2.96 billion (US$3.88 billion) average estimate of ten analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires. It said full-year revenue rose 4.5 percent to euro31.3 billion (US$41 billion) from euro29.9 billion in 2005, mainly driven by European broadband and Brazilian mobile. Italy's former monopoly Thursday confirmed its dividend policy, proposing a 2006 dividend of euro0.14 (US$0.18) a share, unchanged from a year before. Telecom Italia, which is coming off a management shakeup earlier this year, is schedule to unveil its three-year business plan on Monday.
Government officials who turn to lobbying bring in big bucks
NEWARK, N.J. - Government officials who turn to lobbying in Trenton are making record amounts of money, according to a published report. An analysis of state lobbying reports for 2006 reveals that eight of the 10 lobbyists who made the most money used to be government officials, according to a report in The Sunday Star-Ledger of Newark. At the top of the highest-paid list is Kevin Hagan, who worked as deputy chief of staff for former Gov. James E. McGreevey. As a one-man lobbying firm, Hagan last year earned $487,500 from 13 clients, including Cablevision Systems Corp. A former director of the Democratic State Committee, Hagan said the number is inflated because he doesn't deduct expenses like other lobbyists. Hagan said he works for his money. "I'm fortunate to have a client base that I'm proud to work for each and every day," Hagan told The Star-Ledger.
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