Incidentally, light travels a bit more than one foot in a nanosecond. I trust you that you think you're counting nanoseconds.

Martin

Did you actually look up the law before you offered your legal opinon? It's not hard, just Google "Nebraska law destructive device." It certainly isn't vague nor does it leave room for interpretation. It explicitly categorizes CO2 "bombs" as destructive devices.

Nebraska Penal Code 28-1213(7)(a) Destructive devices means: (i)(I) vessel or container intentionally caused to rupture or mechanically explode by expanding pressure from any gas, acid, dry ice, or other chemical mixture

http://law.justia.com/nebraska/codes/s28index/s2812013000.html

At least the Nebraska law requires the intent to "use as a weapon against person or property;" California has a similar law, a felony with a 2 year mandatory minimum sentence, with no such stipulation. Indeed in California, even possessing dry ice and a soda bottle with the intent to put the one inside the other is a felony.

Do not mess around with CO2 "bombs" unless you are very familiar with the applicable law in your state. You could end up in very, very serious, very expensive trouble.

However, oil companies have a vast investment in oil infrastructure, technology and expertise which give them a significant advantage over potential competitors when it comes to delivering oil at a profit. They do not have an advantage at delivering plastic trees. As a result, they are not quite as unbiased as you imply with regard to the exact form in which energy is delivered to the customer.

I disagree.

There are obvious reasons not to put in too many specific details, in case the buyer reads Slashdot. (Unless of course this whole discussion is a negotiation tactic by the poster, in which case, bravo!)

You seem to want to provide accounting advice. Slashdot is not news for accountants, presumably the poster is better off hiring one of them for their accounting needs.

What Slashdot does have is older more experienced nerds who have been through this before and can give nerdly life advice. That's clearly what the poster is after, and we got exactly the right details to give a reasonable overview of their life outlook.

Your enthusiasm for your current gig puts you in a very nice position. Since you are not especially motivated to sell, you can drive a hard bargain and safely explore the limits of what the buyer will pay. If they get annoyed and walk away you go back to doing what you love. Win-win.

So, I would say, put your heads together and come up with the lowest price at which this decision would become a no-brainer, where you could all move on without regret. Make a counter offer at that price. Then go from there. The very least you will get is additional information about your negotiating position.

Just remember, you have the upper hand in the negotiation because you are happy to walk away.