Here It Comesssss

Here's the first of many. And don't forget boys and girls, these numbers are for ONE QUARTER:

HOUSTON - ConocoPhillips, the nation's third-largest integrated oil and gas company, said Wednesday its third-quarter profit surged 89 percent, reflecting strong prices for crude oil and natural gas.

Earnings for the quarter ended Sept. 30 rose to $3.8 billion, or $2.68 per share, topping the average Wall Street estimate of $2.57 per share, according to a Thomson Financial survey of analysts. A year ago, the company earned $2 billion, or $1.43 per share.

Hey....almost double last year! It's just amazing what superior management can do! Not bad in this out-of-control, litigious, environmentally unfriendly country....eh?

But wait just a minute. There was a dark cloud for Conoco-Phillips:

"During the quarter, our U.S. Gulf Coast operations were significantly impacted by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Dennis," said Jim Mulva, chairman and chief executive.

OH NO! They were "significantly impacted"!!! Geez, you gotta wonder how they'll "weather" this difficulty. He's almost gonna get a visit from.......the Waabulance!

.......naw.

But maybe, just maybe they'll make it:

"Despite these impacts, our overall operating performance for the quarter was good, and we continued to benefit from the strong commodity price environment."

Performance was "good". This guy is like your worst nightmare teacher. If this is "good", his staff must be sweatin' bullets.

By-the-way, how much was that gas you bought today?