Link to the NPR Radio Interview I Had Today: Halliburton/KBR

[CorpGovActivist]

http://www.kut.org/items/show/6442

Scroll down the page for the audio clip link, if necessary. Mr. Largey couldn't have been more professional, or more insightful in his questioning - and it seems that there was a lot left on the cutting room floor (which may or may not appear in future segments, I surmise).

- Dave

[acmejack]

1. My local station.

Very good! Thank you for the link and your service to the public, Sir!

[CorpGovActivist]

2. The TX Media...

... is all over this. I mean, all over it. It seems like there is a desire to expose (and maybe even stop or mitigate) another Houston Heist.

- Dave

[Gwerlain]

3. K&R, thanks for the linkie...

and yeah, that sounds like a hell of a party to me. Interesting to hear your voice.

A thought has struck me...

Who's buying all those shares, anyway? There's an interesting little investigation for someone to pursue. I believe any entity purchasing more than a relatively small amount of the outstanding stock has to file, don't they? It's something like, ohhhh, 1%, IIRC. Could there be some more money getting washed up on down there at the end of that trail?

[CorpGovActivist]

5. You're Very Welcome...

... and yeah, that sure does sound like one helluva party, huh? It jives with things my cousin told me when he returned from Camp Bondsteel, too: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=camp+bondsteel+kbr

"Interesting to hear your voice."

Nursing a cold; cordless phone; my own Podcasts will be clearer.

"A thought has struck me..."

Gently, I hope.

"Who's buying all those shares, anyway?"

You deserve a cigar for that question. Financial services companies who routinely show up on campaign contribution lists for BushCo. principals, that's who.

"There's an interesting little investigation for someone to pursue."

The stock transfer records, from the word go, are discoverable in legal proceedings, and are subject to Congressional subpoena.

"I believe any entity purchasing more than a relatively small amount of the outstanding stock has to file, don't they?"

Search on Schedule 13D. Any entity holding 5%: http://www.sec.gov/info/edgar/forms/edgform.pdf

- Dave

[acmejack]

4. You were great.

I would like to hear all of it, before they edited.

[CorpGovActivist]

6. My Own Podcasts...

... will be a feature at www.HALwhistleblowers.org.

I think a call-in format would be nice, and no editing. Raw story.

Thanks, though!

- Dave

[WiseButAngrySara]

7. Thanks! I'll go listen. K&R for now. ....n/t

[bobbolink]

8. Thanks for posting this! Such fun to hear!

:bounce: :party: :bounce:

[CorpGovActivist]

9. Well...

... I imagine it's going to be an interesting time at the ol' Thanksgiving table this year.

; )

- Dave

[bobbolink]

10. At least you know *you're* not the turkey!

:rofl:

[CorpGovActivist]

55. That's Debatable...

... if you ask my siblings. We regress at the Thanksgiving table.

: )

- Dave

[Tuesday_Morning]

11. Hey - you sounded great!

Brief but very effective, I'd say. Good to hear it getting out there.

[CorpGovActivist]

16. Thanks! It Seems...

... like a sort of critical mass is building in the coverage of the Halliburton stories.

: )

- Dave

[femrap]

12. I am beginning to think that all that

US Businesses do is move paper from one place to another....KBR goes public this week (the SEC certainly isn't doing much of job) and Clear Channel goes private.

Just watch....a few years from now, KBR will be bought by someone or file for bankruptcy; and Clear Channel radio stations will be re-bundled and sold to the public again.

It's a damn racket...nothing gets done except for paper passing from hand to hand.

[CorpGovActivist]

17. Well, the Halliburton/KBR IPO...

... is going to come in for a helluva lot of (well-deserved and long-overdue) scrutiny, I think.

- Dave

[conscious evolution]

13. Good one

In more ways then one. It reminded me that I have a friend who works at a NPR station here.I think I might give him a call tomorrow.

[CorpGovActivist]

18. Awesome!

As you know, many NPR stations will run rebroadcasts of each other's stuff.

- Dave

[DemReadingDU]

14. An NPR interview, excellent!

Good to hear your story!

Thanks David!

[CorpGovActivist]

19. Yeah, Long-Time Listener...

... first-time interviewee.

: )

Or something like that.

- Dave

[MANative]

15. Thanks, Dave, for the link...

A terrific next step - can't wait for more. Kudos once again!

[CorpGovActivist]

20. You Bet...

... and - based on what I'm hearing from some in the media - there will be lots more to come.

- Dave

[MANative]

24. That makes me do a happy dance!

:party: :toast:

[CorpGovActivist]

56. You and Me Both...

... and I think someone's going to get a Pulitzer out of this story.

- Dave

[MANative]

61. This story surely has outstanding potential....

Do you have a specific candidate for the prize in mind, or is this more general level-of-the-story thinking?

edited for typo

[CorpGovActivist]

63. General...

... level-of-the-story thinking. Exposing the shell game that is Halliburton has Pulitzer written all over it, because in the unraveling of that tale - so much of the recent off-track history of the US unfolds.

- Dave

[BeHereNow]

21. He did NOT refer to you as a "low level" employee!

Lemme at him!

Still, any press is better than no press!

Congratulations!

Let's hope there are hours of interviews ahead for you!
Hopefully with interviewers who refer to you more respectfully.

BHN :hug:

[CorpGovActivist]

22. He Was Making the Point...

... that - in the Halliburton Hierarchy - there couldn't have been many more "ranks" between the other David Smith and me.

No harm, no foul. Honestly.

: )

- Dave

[BeHereNow]

23. Well...okay, but in the FUTURE, I want to see you addressed PROPERLY

As the FORMER HARD working employee of the company...

Know this: BHN is very protective type of friend.
My daughter once referred to me a "Mother Weasel."

I was confused by the comparison until she explained
that Mother Weasels are know for their tenacity in defending
their young, so much so that they will take on a critter Many times
their size if the feel their young are in danger.

That's me alright where my kid, family and friends
are concerned...

BHN

[CorpGovActivist]

32. Mother Mongoose

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=rikki+tikki+tavi+mongoose

Rikki Tikki Tavi was one of my favorites growing up, Mother Mongoose.

; )

- Dave

[Patsy Stone]

25. Wonderful!

I laughed! I cried! Two BIG Thumbs up!

Very well done, and glad to hear the story is getting out there.

Oh, and I considered buying some shares because I figured it was a good way to get some of my tax money back. It was only going to go up, until it fell like a stone, at which point...SELL!

[CorpGovActivist]

33. Oh, Patsy...

... speaking of falling like a "stone," when are we going out for "a drink or two"?

; )

"glad to hear the story is getting out there"

That's the main thing, right there. It's not just blind optimism on my end - I have very good reason to believe that some old-fashioned journalists are tearing into this story with every tool in their kit.

- Dave

[Patsy Stone]

57. If there are only two things I know:

1) Halliburton sucks and everyone wants to see them go down.

2) Anytime is a good time to go out for "a drink or two".

[CorpGovActivist]

59. MST3K Too?!?

Oh, dear God. You must be my long lost sister!

: )

- Dave

[radfringe]

26. WHHOOO HOOO way to go!

:thumbsup:

[CorpGovActivist]

34. I Wish...

... I could just draw them one of your pictures.

: )

But then again, I suppose that wouldn't exactly "convey" on radio.

LOL.

- Dave

[radfringe]

65. Hee-hee I know

It's like painting a picture of music...

[CorpGovActivist]

58. Halliburton Humor...

... now has its own page: http://www.HALwhistleblowers.org

: )

- Dave

[Buttercup McToots]

27. Good Job David!!

Lets hope this picks up alot more steam...

[CorpGovActivist]

35. Steady Sailing...

... through January, I think, with "groundwork" stories coming out.

- Dave

[1932]

28. Will Weekend Edition have the courage to pick this up for the national broadcast?

I won't hold my breath.

However, I hope millions listen through this link.

[CorpGovActivist]

36. I Trust NPR's Production...

... sensibilities. They'll serve their listeners on this story.

- Dave

[Buttercup McToots]

29. Halliburton's KBR Rises as Much as 26% in First Day of Trading

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aiiAdkFc6I9U&refer=home

(david, why don't you email this fella? Would be worth a try, yes?)

To contact the reporter on this story: Jim Kennett in Houston at [e-mail]

Halliburton's KBR Rises as Much as 26% in First Day of Trading
By Jim Kennett
Nov. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Shares of KBR Inc., the engineering and government-services arm of oilfield-services provider Halliburton Co., rose as much as 26 percent in their first day of trading.
The stock jumped $3.75, or 22 percent, to $20.75 at 10 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading after going as high as $21.50. The Houston-based company sold shares for $17 each in an initial public offering yesterday, raising $473.3 million. The company builds energy projects such as liquefied-natural-gas terminals needed to meet rising demand for imported fuel.
snip>
The deal marks Halliburton's first step toward extricating itself from KBR, a unit that has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers who claim the company won its Iraq military contracts through ties to Vice President Dick Cheney, a former Halliburton chief executive officer. Current CEO David Lesar has said KBR is a drag on Halliburton's share price, and that both businesses would be worth more separately.
KBR's Businesses
Halliburton provides oilfield services that help oil and gas companies drill and produce more efficiently, while KBR's two business units focus on engineering and constructing large energy projects like refineries or liquefied natural-gas terminals, and government services such as those that made it the largest U.S. military contractor in Iraq.
KBR shares sold at the top of the $15 to $17 range predicted in the company's prospectus. The company sold 27.8 million shares, or 17 percent of its stock, valuing the unit at $2.3 billion. Funds raised from the offering will go toward repaying debt owed to Halliburton, according to the prospectus.
snip>
Lesar, 53, has said he will spin off his company's remaining stake in KBR to shareholders by late April.
William Utt, formerly chief executive officer at Suez Energy North America, is CEO of KBR. After last week's U.S. congressional elections, he'll have to deal with a Democrat- controlled House and Senate that may step up investigations of how KBR has handle government contracts.
snip>
Henry Waxman
U.S. Representative Henry Waxman, a California Democrat and vocal critic of Halliburton and its ties to the Bush administration, will become chairman of the Government Reform Committee after his party won control of the House.
At a meeting with Loomis Sayles analysts in Boston last week, Utt ``pretty much said, `You're going to see guys like me before Congress,''' said Robert Goodof, who helps manage $20 billion in equities at Loomis Sayles, including more than 9 million Halliburton shares. ``They expect it, and they just figure it comes with the business.''
Halliburton's Lesar has said he doesn't expect his company to be immune to criticism, even after the split.
``There will be an element of Halliburton pulled into the political discourse whether KBR is part of Halliburton or not,'' he said.
KBR was formed after Halliburton's $6.02 billion acquisition of Dresser Industries Inc. in 1998. The purchase included Dresser's Kellogg unit, which Halliburton combined with its Brown & Root subsidiary.
Cheney's Creation
The Dresser deal, engineered by Cheney, brought liabilities for asbestos, a carcinogenic insulation and fireproofing material used through the 1970s. Those liabilities contributed to three straight years of losses at Halliburton. Lesar negotiated a $4.8 billion asbestos settlement in 2004.
snip>
KBR also is embroiled in investigations for work stretching from Iraq to Bosnia to Nigeria.
In Nigeria, KBR's TSKJ joint venture faces questions from the SEC, the U.S. Justice Department and the U.K.'s Serious Frauds Office about possible bribes to government officials related to a construction project. Fines could have a material effect on KBR, and a finding against the company could render it unable to work with the U.S. and other governments, the contractor said in its prospectus.
KBR also is being investigated by the U.S. Justice Department for possibly overcharging the government for work in the Balkans and Iraq.
Investors also are watching to see how KBR handles losses that have crept into some of its largest energy projects. The work has traditionally been done under fixed-priced contracts that left them susceptible to rising project costs. An example was the $148 million in cost overruns Halliburton reported in the second quarter on KBR's Escravos gas-to-liquids project in Nigeria.
To contact the reporter on this story: Jim Kennett in Houston at [e-mail]

[CorpGovActivist]

37. Thanks for the Heads-Up!

As usual, Mrs. McToots, you're spot on.

- Dave

[Buttercup McToots]

40. Been around the world...

an` back this mornin`...
Time fer coffee:donut:

[CorpGovActivist]

41. I'm Joining You, Then...

... on my first cup. I slept in. Dog tired.

- Dave

[Buttercup McToots]

30. Interesting site showing some connections I guess...

Not sure


http://www.politicalfriendster.com/showPerson.php?id=30&name=Halliburton

[DemReadingDU]

31. interesting people connections, but

not sure if this site is reliable? I had not heard of this site before.

[Buttercup McToots]

38. Aye

Mornin` Dem
I never saw it b/4 either...and I've been around the net
an awful lot lately...somebody put alot
of trouble into it, though, it seems...

[CorpGovActivist]

39. These Relational Sites...

... are still being perfected. A single news article containing my name and Dick Cheney's name *could* - under some algorithms - link me up with him.

I prefer the raw data at FEC: http://www.fec.gov/

; )

Some of these relational sites are tweaking their algorithms, though. The basic principle is inspired, but there's a lot of hard work involved in actually turning it into a reliable tool.

- Dave

[Octafish]

42. Good job, Dave! Please send info to Amy Goodman at DemocracyNow.

She's global. She's a true journalist. And she cares about the truth.

Please send her offices background, the link and your contact info.

mail to: [e-mail]

It's interesting to hear KBR's IPO went so well. Halliburton's big shareholders must be so proud.

Thanks to you and other patriotic Americans, their days of greed and plunder will soon be over.

[CorpGovActivist]

43. Yeah, the "Rise" in the Stock...

... is a parlour trick, concocted by the round robin of robber barons, trading amongst themselves to create buzz - only to unload the stock to the general public later.

Many thanks for the contact info.

- Dave

[lonestarnot]

44. A whole bunch of this crap going on now. Hat's off to Dave!

:thumbsup: Let's take back the money!

[CorpGovActivist]

45. Disgorgement Proceedings...

... are a beautiful thing: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=disgorgement+proceedings+ill-gotten+gains+securities+fraud

- Dave

[G_Leo_Criley]

50. Return of ill gotten gains...

to those from whom they were taken, can only be a good thing!

Great that things are beginning to move along! Nice to hear your voice on the radio broadcast.

glc

[CorpGovActivist]

51. Part of the Story Is How ...

... the regulatory watchdogs took a walk on this.

"Great that things are beginning to move along!"

Amen!

"Nice to hear your voice on the radio broadcast."

I'm looking into Podcasting for my website.

- Dave

[DemReadingDU]

52. Radio Free Halliburton!

also known as David Smith Podcasts...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=2742465

[lonestarnot]

62. Wooodamnwhoo! Radio Free Halliburton! Yesssss!

[G_Leo_Criley]

53. Amen! indeed sir ...

Yes, definitely - those toothless watchdogs are looking the other way, or are "out of town" while things go down! They should be taken to task as well.

"I'm looking into Podcasting for my website."

Great idea. Saw that upthread (or in another thread.) Met a musician recently who's doing his first podcast soon. He was quite excited about it. Sounds like an excellent way to get the word out.

Meanwhile, having NPR as the first was just the right placement. Hope that there are possibilities that more NPR stations will pick it up, over the weekend! May more and more MSM people pick up on this story as well!!!


glc

:-)

[CorpGovActivist]

54. I Was Thrilled...

... that NPR chased me down. You're absolutely right: I couldn't have asked for a better "first" for a radio network.

: )

- Dave

[leveymg]

46. It would be shocking if an IPO didn't pick up at least 25% in its 1st day

You can almost bank on it. Part of the old pump-n-dump game.

What were the projected gains?

[CorpGovActivist]

47. Expectations Game...

"What were the projected gains?"

You know how it is. They massage the expectations - aided and abetted by the self-dealing analysts - and then the less-seasoned members of the MSM crow about "top of the range" and such.

; )

- Dave

[leveymg]

48. Did it hit the high end of the range?

[CorpGovActivist]

49. Debut Was at High End...

... and the financial services rags are cheering BOO-YAH!

Typically, they can't see - or are choosing to ignore - the bigger picture, thereby doing a real disservice to their readers.

- Dave

[FogerRox]

60. Kn R, bookmarked for later listening.

[upi402]

64. Thank you!

:kick:

[Buttercup McToots]

66. Good Monday Mornin`

How are we taeday?
Basketball games all weekend so I was missin` in action...
Anything new?
Tell me all...:bounce: