Feeling distinct polonium-210 symptoms.

After Monday, we hunkered down.
I spent the day listening to, and later singing along with, Peace in the Valley, Elvis' Complete Gospel Recordings, drinking Jack Daniels and Coca Cola.

At some point, probably mid-afternoon, I had an epiphany. Bright white light, the whole bit. All the pieces fell into place.

Today I don't actually remember much about it. My outlook is better. Alka Seltzer and a bloody mary with an extra dash of Worcestershire.

We will survive.
At least for 20 years when Al says the waters will cover the earth.

Black Monday.
Dow down 158.
We at RichardEHead.com look at investing with an even-handed, cool, long-term view.
The consensus here is Armageddon. This is the end.
Our recommendation is GOLD. Hard gold, not in the bank, under the bed, next to the gun.
It all started with Jim Cramer's rant at the comedy club.

A chick as President of France?
Could happen. Segolene Royal was nominated today by her party to run against the candidate of the ruling conservative party. Election is April 22. Polls show her even with the conservative front runner.
Ms. Royal is the unmarried mother of four.
Chic?

Black Friday.
Amazon has a 4 to 6 week ship on the lowest price MacBook.
Apple has them, with a $101 discount until midnight tonight.
Apple up 1.32 today, 91.63.
We are revising our target to 110, January, then a split.

Consider tofu.
Happy Thanksgiving.

Amazon has run out of the iPod Shuffle.
May we suggest a MacBook?
From 949.99 with Amazon rebate.
Runs Windows XP better than Dell.
Apple up another 1.71 today. 90.31.

On September 4, 2006 we recommended Apple stock at 68.38.
Today the stock hit a new high, closing at 88.60.

Now we recommend buying several iPod Shuffles for the holidays.
Then our stock will go to 100.
Thank you.

Went to see Bond last night.
Full. Ended up in Let's Go to Prison. Plenty of seats.
Gave it 15 minutes. Eased into Happy Feet, already in progress.
Two thumbs up.

Borat still going strong. I've become an Ali G fan from YouTube.
Astounding Sacha Baron Cohen performance in Talladega Nights.
Best supporting.

Best man was Tom's life partner David Miscavige.

Best hat was Victoria Posh Beckham's.

Katie was resplendent in her ivory-colored Armani gown adorned with Valenciennes lace and Swarovski beaded crystal embroidery featuring a delicate crinoline frill at the shoulders and a silk soleil border around the hem.

I won't be at the wedding.
My luggage went to Rome...or Seattle.
I was pulled out of line by aggressive, abusive TSA goons because MY name now appears on the "no fly" list.
Released from a little room after my flight had flown.
My thanks to Ramone for making the strip search as courteous as could be expected, for moving the three agents out of the room when their laughter got disruptive and for warming your hands before...searching.

KBR started trading this morning. It was a raging success. Closed at 20.75, up 3.75, 22%.

Whatever. We are off to Rome for the wedding. We will be reporting from just outside the castle.

In desperation, Halliburton went ahead tonight and priced KBR for sale in the morning. Without waiting on the British Ministry of Defence to complete their investigation.

Halliburton stock exploded upward today, up almost 5%.
We, at RichardEHead.com, are depressed.

The KBR IPO was supposed to price tonight and start trading on the New York Stock Exchange in the morning.

The British Ministry of Defence asked them to pull the IPO until KBR could prove they would be financially viable after the split from Halliburton.

At stake is KBR's 51% of the Devonport ship and submarine maintenance contract. The prospectus shows the income from the contract in 2006 so far is $649 million, with operating income of $57 million.
The problem is, they only show $38 million of net income for the whole company in the first 9 months of 2006. They need this contract. The British have the right now to cancel it.
Cramer is wrong.

November 9, 1998: A. "Jack " Stanley is selected as president and CEO of Kellogg Brown & Root by Halliburton chairman Dick Cheney.
June 18, 2004: A. "Jack" Stanley is dismissed from KBR after $5,000,000 is found in his Zurich bank account, part of a $170 million bribery fund destined for Nigerian officials to get a $5.6 billion contract.
The Houston Chronicle yesterday had an excellent recap of the investigations going on by British, French, Swiss, U.S. governments. Read it here.

This week Halliburton will try to get rid of the embarrassment that is KBR, their subsidiary with the contracts in Iraq.
The IPO will attempt to spin off this "company" to the public.
Before the new congress can begin issuing subpoenas.

Their worst nightmare.






Disclaimer: We at RichardEHead.com have purchased April 2007 put contracts on Halliburton.

Rummy, I'll miss you.









Britney, call me.

Congratulations Speaker Pelosi.

Congratulations me. Britney is available again.

Vote.
Please vote.

The President went to Pensacola today to speak at a rally for his candidate to replace his brother as the governor of Florida.

The candidate was scheduled to introduce the President.

9000 people, flags, confetti, but the candidate decided it was not a good idea to be seen with Bush. Charlie Crist didn't show.

Karl Rove, usually cool and controlled, got upset. See Forbes article.

The Boston Globe reports that Vice President Cheney will spend election day in South Dakota on his first hunting trip since he shot Harry Whittington in the face.

The paper says daughter Mary will accompany him.

People close to the Vice President say the Ted Haggard thing sent Cheney into a rage. He is "sick and tired" of his daughter's lifestyle and hopes to "talk some sense into her."

Bird shot?

Army Times.
Navy Times.
Air Force Times.
Marine Corps Times.
Circulation 250,000.
Reacting to Bush's statement this week that Donald Rumsfeld is guaranteed to keep his job for the final two years of his presidency, these publications are asking that Rumsfeld be fired.
See editorial

New Life Church officials announced today that Ted Haggard, who resigned as pastor yesterday after allegations of a relationship with a male prostitute, will check in to an Arizona rehab clinic to fight his methamphetamine addiction.

Haggard also resigned as president of the 30-million member National Association of Evangelicals.
The officials confirmed that the Arizona facility is the same clinic housing Rep. Mark Foley but refused to say if they would be roommates.

ABC News said Kerry canceled campaign events with three Democratic candidates on Wednesday.

Kerry's staff has issued his revised schedule leading into next Tuesday's vote:

Friday Nov. 3 - the IMPROV, Tampa, FL (no cover)

Saturday Nov. 4 - Comedy Club, Outer Banks, NC, Ramada Plaza Hotel

Monday Nov. 6 - The Funny Bone, Shreveport, LA

Senator John Kerry's remark Monday that, "our troops in Iraq are uneducated and stupid" is reverberating through every Congressional district.
Democratic polls after his statement show that an eight House seat pickup may still be possible, but margins are getting thinner.
DNC Chairman Howard Dean said, "we still have a chance at two Senatorial seats".

Bush strategist Karl Rove Tuesday said his numbers show Republicans picking up four House seats to extend their majority.
"Jeb Bush 08", he told a reporter, "slam dunk".