Pumpkin Seeds: Kitchen Sink Edition

1. David Twohy, director of The Chronicles of Riddick, told Now Playing Magazine that further installments of the proposed Riddick trilogy of films will depend in part on the performance of the upcoming Riddick director's-cut DVD, which hits stores next week. The first Chronicles of Riddick film didn't fare well at the box office in its premiere this year. Sequels are "still a possibility, but many eyes are watching this DVD release very closely," Twohy told the new magazine. (SciFWire)

2. Support a worthy cause. Buy The Chronicles of Riddick today!

3. Ralph Nader has successfully called for a recount in New Hampshire, making it a "test case for the accuracy of optical scan vote-counting machines" which, depending on the results could require other states that used the technology to do recounts as well. Meanwhile, in Ohio, the Green party has successfully raised the $113,600 necessary to call for a statewide recount, which will happen as soon as the vote is officially certified in the next day or so. The fat lady has apparently sat back down.

4. Even if John Kerry is somehow maneuvering in the background, playing the unification game while awaiting the outcomes of these two efforts, he still comes off as a quitter who capitulated way too soon and, should a miracle happen and the election is somehow overturned, he'd be an even more ineffectual leader than Bush was pre-9/11.

5. K-Mart and Sears are merging and I'm kicking myself over not figuring out a way to follow my own advice to buy some K-Mart stock back in 2002 when they were on the verge of being delisted.

6. In related news, the announcement of the proposed merger boosted Martha Stewart's namesake company's stock, despite the fact that it posted a higher than expected 4th quarter loss thanks to a decrease in advertising revenue, and that Stewart has actually suggested that the company should pay her $3.7 million legal bill! If you ignored me earlier in the year and bought in when the stock had dropped to $10, I'd suggest you bag your profit now and jump ship.

7. Any financial-related opinions expressed here are my own and shouldn't be mistaken for specific advice. Speak with a licensed professional, preferably fee-based over commissions, for advice specific to your financial situation and overall goals.

8. Tonight is the about-to-be-former boss' farewell happy hour. I can count on one hand the co-workers I wouldn't mind having more than one obligatory drink with, and only one of them is likely to come out tonight. Fun stuff!

9. Babe in the Woods, NaNoWriMo Word Count, Day 16: 15,609 (-11,063)

10. Today's moment of zen.