Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook the mixture over med. Heat, stirring. When the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil, raise the heat and bring the mixture to 290~F degrees on a cooking thermometer. This is called the soft-crack stage. It will be light brown in color, and syrup will separate into threads that are not brittle when dribbled into cold water. Quickly stir in 1/2 cup chopped almonds. Immediately pour the mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet. Wait 2 or 3 minutes for the candy surface to firm, then sprinkle on the chocolate chips. In a few minutes, when the chips have softened, spread the chocolate evenly over the surface. Sprinkle the remaining almonds over the melted chocolate. When the chocolate hardens, crack the candy into pieces. Store covered. Variations: To get a candy more like the Heath bar or Hersheys Skor, follow the same directions above except omit step 9.