KKR: Now hiring money

Again, I'll make tonight's "un-winding" story brief. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the same folks at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR) that rang the bell at the top of the late 80's LBO frenzy with its abominable buyout of RJR Nabisco, is trying mightily hard to do the same this go-round. Apparently, they've burned through their war chest of cheap money and has made it known that it is "inviting" guests to partake in its $26-billion "roll of the dice" LBO of First Data Corp. (FDC). News of Blackstone's eventual IPO got us close to midnight on this latest orgy of speculation, and I believe word of KKR's "all points notice" gets us a few minutes closer. I won't even mention the climbing 10-year rate. If a fork in the housing bubble isn't bad enough.