Being billed as the All New Big Oil Extravaganza!, top executives at oil giant Shell have begun a 50-city tour across the United States this summer.

This is part of an oil industry public-relations campaign to thwart a growing movement in Washington to raise taxes on profits. The move is the first such effort in the company's history, as major oil firms try to dampen a political firestorm over soaring gasoline prices in spite of record earnings.

Last February, Shell reported that it had amassed record profits of $22.94 billion up nearly a third on the year prior. In just the last quarter of '05 it had made a record $5.4 billion.

"Our good performance in the fourth quarter 2005 gives us a solid platform to build on in 2006," said chief executive Jeroen van der Veer.

As to the U.S. road show, John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Co., the company's U.S. arm, said, "These are unprecedented times that require unprecedented responses."

In a related story... Barnum and Bailey Circus makes its way to Alltel Arena in Little Rock, Arkansas, Aug. 24-27, arena officials announced today.

Showtimes are 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, plus 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets go on sale Monday, July 24, at 10 a.m. through all Ticketmaster outlets or the arena box office. Prices start at $11.75 all the way to $42.75 for front row seats. $65 seating is reserved for the Circus Celebrities. Rumor is that there are also five $1 billion seats reserved for Shell Oil Executives.