Jason Berkes's Blog

Google - GOOG

2008-02-11T10:24:00.000-08:00

Is Google at it low? I say YES. It has hit it bottom. Now it is really ready to run. Its going to 850 or 900 this time. See what other are saying:

"We believe GOOG has several years of exceptional growth ahead," wrote American Technology Research analyst Rob Sanderson in a recent research note. "Controversy has shaken marginal investors and a few sell-side bulls. We think this is creating a great buying opportunity and we encourage accumulation of the stock."

Some are now saying this could be the right time to get back in. "We think the bottom's already happened," says Jeffrey Lindsay, an analyst for Sanford C. Bernstein, who rates Google as outperform, with a price target of $750.

I agree with Jeffrey Lindsay here. He is right now.

Despite the fourth-quarter miss, the company still posted a 17% climb in profit and generated more than $1 billion in free cash flow. The company's search engine also continues to command an enviable lead over its rivals, capturing 60% of the market share.

$ 1 Billion in free cash flow. WOW. Again this stock is really ready to run now.

Jason Berkes
www.jasonberkes.com

My new family website

2008-02-10T22:44:00.000-08:00

Berkes-Family Website is now live!

My new family website is now all setup. Everything is live and member of the family are starting to upload some fun stuff. Check it out if you WANT.

www.berkes-family.com

Jason Berkes

Officials tally wildfire damage estimates

2007-11-05T17:20:00.000-08:00

San Diego County Dept. of Ag., Weights and Measures reports 11,456 acres of ag. production in affected wildfire areas, including an estimated 45 acres of greenhouses, 750 acres of field-grown cut flowers, 863 acres of outdoor nursery crops and 5,880 acres of avocado trees. Initial estimates for the Rice Canyon Fire, which burned in the Fallbrook and Rainbow areas, show 927 acres of ag. were either damaged or destroyed at a value of $30 million. This includes an estimated 217 acres of cut flowers, 218 acres of nursery stock and 486 acres of avocados. These losses do not include irrigation systems, equipment or dwellings. One of the biggest losses from the fires occurred at Kendall Farms, a field cut flower grower in Fallbrook, San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Dawn Nielsen, the county's deputy ag. commissioner, told the newspaper that the company lost 95% of its 200-acre crop. Nielsen estimated 1,630 acres (16.5%) of the county's 9,870 acres of ornamental crops are in the Rice Canyon and Witch Creek fire areas. Eric Larson, County Farm Bureau exec. dir., told the paper significant plant damage was expected from burning, dehydration, smoke and ash pollution. He said further losses could occur if plants can't be watered due to damaged irrigation lines. Larson didn't expect plant losses to result in increased prices because other growers would be able to meet demand.

Jason Berkes

Ethanol's Tough Times Continue

2007-10-25T23:58:00.000-07:00

It doesn't look like the ethanol industry is going to get relief from its pain any time soon, according to a panel of investors at the Dow Jones Alternative Energy Innovations conference in Redwood City, Calif., earlier this week.

The industry has seen margins shrink and stock prices fall, and companies such as VeraSun have pulled back on plans to increase their ethanol production.

When it comes to corn-based ethanol in the United Sates, "government and corporate support are being largely dictated by congressmen and senators from Iowa versus true scientists," he said. Iowa is one of the largest produces of ethanol in the country.

Ethanol doesn't make sense in many cases and fails to address numerous problems that the fuel is supposed to help solve, he said.

Among the biggest hopes for U.S.-produced ethanol is its ability to curb the country's dependence on foreign oil. President George W. Bush has supported such efforts, calling for 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels by 2017.

Jason Berkes

Federal and state wildland fire experts jointly respond to Southern California Wildfires

2007-10-25T23:51:00.000-07:00

"I spoke with Governor Schwarzenegger yesterday and I am pleased that we can help California by lending our firefighters, equipment and aircraft which are the backbone for combating devastating wildfires," said Conner. "Our thoughts are with all of those affected by this disaster and we will continue to dedicate all available resources to contain these fires."

Hot Farming Stock

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner today announced that additional Incident Management Teams are en route to Southern California to assist with containing the rapidly spreading wildfires. These teams are comprised of specialists from eight state and federal agencies who routinely work together in responding to disaster and wildfire emergencies.

More than 2,000 members of the interagency wildland firefighting community mobilized through the National Interagency Coordination Center are engaged in a wide range of wildfire response efforts to several fires in Southern California. Requests for assistance through the National Interagency Fire Center began on Oct. 21 and firefighters and incident management teams were mobilized from across the country. These professionals come from across the spectrum of federal, state and local wildland fire organizations.

"California's tremendous firefighters are not alone in fighting these fires," said Kempthorne. "The federal government, through the National Interagency Fire Center, has responded to all requests for assistance made by the State of California. Last night, I assured Governor Schwarzenegger, Senator Feinstein and other California leaders that the federal family stands ready to offer additional assistance if requested."

Jason Berkes

www.jasonberkes.com/usda

Upstate New York to receive greatest share of investment

2007-10-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Bank of America and Rural Opportunities, Inc. (ROI) today announced Bank of America has made a $5 million investment to provide much-needed financing to small and micro businesses across New York state.

The announcement was made today during ROI's 38th Annual Community Luncheon at the Crowne Plaza in Rochester, N.Y. About 300 people attended the luncheon.

"This is precisely the type of financing that will give a boost to small business enterprises in New York state. I am very grateful to Bank of America for again leading the way in this critical area and I am so pleased that they are partnering with ROI," Senator Clinton, D-N.Y., said in advance of the announcement. "We have to remind ourselves that 65 percent of all New York businesses are small and employ four or fewer employees. ROI staff are experts in working with small business in the state and have successfully provided management training, technical assistance and financing to hundreds of these companies."

ROI, based in Rochester, operates community development programs in seven states and Puerto Rico. ROI established The Enterprise Center in 1997 to enhance the economic self-sufficiency and quality of life of individuals and communities through entrepreneurial training, technical assistance and access to financing for new and expanding businesses.

Jason Berkes

Who should be the next president of the United States?

Farming Faces Phosphate Shortfall

2007-10-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

A salt of phosphoric acid salt, phosphate is a chemical compound made up of a central phosphorous atom and four oxygen atoms.

Phosphorous is a "finite and irreplaceable" mineral, whose known reserves that are economically viable for exploitation could run out in 60 to 100 years if the current pace of global consumption continues, Euripedes Malavolta, veteran agronomist and researcher at the University of Sao Paulo, told Tierramérica.

"Without phosphorous there will be no agriculture, nor biofuels, nor life. Humanity will end," he said. Other minerals, like nitrogen, potassium, cobalt, magnesium and molybdenum, are also essential, but their sources are not as limited and, except for the first two, their consumption is relatively low.

Do you think it is really this bad?

"Phosphate has the risk running out before petroleum does," José Oswaldo Siqueira, professor of soil microbiology at the Federal University of Lavras, told a bio-energy conference held last month in Sao Paulo.

Strong expansion of agriculture for bio-energy purposes would accelerate depletion of phosphate, which is a fact to consider in any "strategic vision" for that sector, he said in a Tierramérica interview.

Jason Berkes

Monsanto shows how high-tech farming has become

2007-10-21T23:51:00.000-07:00

The Monsanto agricultural company brought its seed genetics know-how to the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition in a display on a tractor-trailer rig.

The research done on the major crops also can be used to help develop and make improvements to smaller crops, Burton said. Its work is designed to improve the genetic buildup of crops while still keeping the look, feel and taste of them the same.

Burton said the company spends about $2 million each day on seed research, and introducing new products takes anywhere from eight to 10 years of research. Unlike other companies who also work to develop better seeds, Monsanto’s only project is agriculture, he said.

“Monsanto is focused only on agriculture,” Burton said. “Our success is dependent on farmer’s success.”

Hot Farming Stocks

Major developments Monsanto has been able to introduce in recent years are seeds and plants that are more resistant to insects, Burton said. Using products such as Bollgard II cotton seeds, farmers have gone from having to spray pesticides as many as 14 times per year some 12 years ago to spraying only two or three times per year now. Reduced spraying, of course, adds to the profit line.

Seed development is a continuing goal to improve farmers’ yields and better plant production, Burton said. Monsanto is about four years away from being able to bring drought-resistant corn to the market, he added.

Jason Berkes

www.jasonberkes.com/usda

Biofuels Forum to Focus on Biodiesel And Ethanol for Fleets

2007-09-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute (AFVi) announces
keynote speakers for the Biofuels Drive Economic Solutions Forum to be held
Thursday, September 20, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Michael Caudill,
automotive journalist for KTLA in Los Angeles, and expert on the vehicle
marketplace kicks off the morning with his insightful automotive forecast.
Nationally recognized energy icon, David Freeman is the keynote lunch
speaker. The Forum focus is on biodiesel and E85 and is designed as part of
AFVi's Learning Marketplace to introduce fleets and other decision-makers to
a wide range of information on the fuels, the vehicles, and available
incentives.



"Today this country runs on oil. That must and can change and the vehicles
we love to drive can be just as sexy, roomy, safe and comfortable," said
David Freeman in his book that's due out October 1 called, Winning Our
Energy Independence. The only thing more compelling about Mr. Freeman than
his optimism and clear thinking is his straight-talking candor. Mr. Freeman
rose to national prominence as the head of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
For three decades he ran some of the country's largest municipal utility
districts, including the Sacramento Municipal Utility District and the Los
Angeles Department of Water and Power. He's been an adviser to several
governors, Congress, and former president Jimmy Carter. Currently he serves
as the President of the Board of the Los Angeles Harbor Commissioners, a
position he was appointed to by the Mayor of Los Angeles. His five decades
of energy industry experience combined with his work as a federal energy
policymaker are the core of his acute awareness of the steps that need to be
taken to move away from our fossil fuel culture.



Michael Caudill is the President of Driven Media Communications and car
correspondent for KTLA, the most viewed morning news show in Los Angeles.
Mr. Caudill's varied experiences with automotive media and clients have
placed him in a position for years where he's had his hand on the pulse of
the industry. His observations about the market changes related to
alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles provides insights with
real-time information designed to equip decision-makers with information
that will sharpen their understanding of new market directions leading to
better decision-making regarding cost-effective purchases. Under Mr.
Caudill's leadership, Driven Media Communications has represented companies
ranging from Ford Motor Company to Mazda to Goodyear.



Other speakers include expert presenters representing vehicle and engine
manufacturers, fuel associations, suppliers, users of biofuels, and
high-ranking officials from federal, state, and local government regulatory
agencies. The topics to be addressed are industry perspectives on biofuels,
government policies and incentives, biofuels myths and facts, a product
preview, and fleet users sharing their experiences using biodiesel and
ethanol.



The Forum runs from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 20. The
registration fee is $199. The fee includes access to Forum materials, a
continental breakfast, and lunch. The Forum will be held at The Orleans,
4500 West Tropicana Avenue, in Las Vegas. The Forum is presented by AFVi and
the lead sponsor is the Las Vegas Regional Clean Cities Coalition. EPIC and
NBB are supporting sponsors. To register, go to the AFVi website and sign up
today. http://www.afvi.org/forums.html



About AFVI

AFVi is an entrepreneurial organization that works through industry to bring
people in need of proven transportation technologies together with those who
can meet their needs. AFVi is the education provider and information link
between the alternative fuels and vehicles industry and public/private
fleets. The primary business of the company is to help improve
transportation energy supply by facilitating market integration of new
transportation fuels and technologies while minimizing environmental impact.
AFVi is fuel and technology neutral.



About Las Vegas Regional Clean Cities Coalition (LVRCCC)

The LVRCCC is a public-private partnership aimed at expanding the use of
alternatives to gasoline and diesel fuels. By encouraging the use of
alternative fuel vehicles, LVRCCC helps enhance energy security and
independence and environmental quality in the Las Vegas Valley. LVRCCC is
one of nearly 100 U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities coalitions
operating in communities throughout the country.



About Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC)

EPIC is a nonprofit alliance of ethanol industry leaders who have come
together to grow consumer demand for ethanol energy through targeted
marketing. Their goal is to reach consumers and key influencers across the
country and educate them on the performance and environmental benefits of
using an ethanol-enriched fuel in their automobiles.


About the National Biodiesel Board (NBB)

NBB is the national trade association representing the biodiesel industry as
the coordinating body for research and development in the United States. It
was founded in 1992 and today is a comprehensive industry association. NBB's
membership is comprised of state, national, and international feedstock and
feedstock processor organizations, biodiesel suppliers, fuel marketers and
distributors, and technology providers.

Jason Berkes
www.jasonberkes.com

How Ethanol Is Making The Farm Belt Thirsty

2007-09-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

Mike Clements stood near the railing of a low bridge on a dusty country road and pointed to a clump of green amid the rippling waters of the Republican River.

"There it is," he said ominously. Anyone else might have seen a reed-like grass swaying in the breeze. But Mr. Clements, head of the Lower Republican Natural Resources District, saw phragmites, a fast-growing invasive species that is slowing the flow of the river and sucking up precious water. The stuff had to go, he said.

Jason Berkes

www.jasonberkes.com/ethanol

Ethanol numbers grow again

2007-08-14T00:24:00.000-07:00

Ethanol production and demand moved higher in May, reflecting the growth in the ethanol industry and the increased gasoline demand at the beginning of the summer driving season.

As oil refiners struggled to keep their facilities operating, ethanol production grew to an average of 406,000 barrels per day (b/d), according to information released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

This increase in production helped to mitigate the price spikes American drivers endured as a result of refinery maintenance problems, reduced gasoline inventories and higher crude prices.

Additionally, demand for ethanol also increased to an estimated 427,000 b/d per day.

Both production and demand represent increases of 38 and 22 percent respectively over May 2006 figures.

Thanks

Jason Berkes
www.jasonberkes.com/ethanol

China to get New Biodiesel Plant

2007-08-14T00:18:00.001-07:00

The new biodiesel fuel plant will be located 15 miles from China Clean Energy's existing facility and will have a land area of 112,744 square meters, with total investment cost estimated at $15.0 million, including land usage rights, equipment acquisition and installation costs as well as working capital. The construction blueprint has been completed and land fill is scheduled for completion by August of 2007. The Company expects to secure credit line approval from local banks by October, when the entire approval process is expected to have been completed. The first phase of construction will add 50,000 metric tons per year of biodiesel fuel production capacity and is expected to come on line before the second half of 2008, while the second phase will increase capacity to 100,000 metric tons per year with expected completion in the first half of 2009. China Clean Energy has signed long-term agreements with major processors from Indonesia and Malaysia to supply palm oil leavings (waste) as raw materials for the new facility.

Thanks

Jason Berkes
www.jasonberkes.com

Biodiesel Plant has formal opening in Vaslui, Romania

2007-08-04T22:51:00.000-07:00

ULEROM announced the formal opening of their largest facility in Vaslui, Romania.

ULEROM is one of Romania's largest agri-business corporations.

The 7 million GPY plant is the first biodiesel production facility to operate in Eastern Europe.

The President of Romania, the honorable Traian Basescu, is invited to formally open the facility. The plant is a key element in the ability of Romania to meet the EU's requirement for 5.75% Biofuels based on the country's extensive agrarian holdings. Officials from the American Embassy in Romania were on hand to emphasize the American origin of the plant built by Greenline Industries of San Rafael, California.

"This biodiesel plant is a tribute to international cooperation, the facility was designed in the United States, built in Germany and Romania, and installed by a team from both the US and Romania," according to Adrian Porumboiu, owner of the Racova Group which encompasses ULEROM. "This facility has more than just a business reason to exist; it represents a big step in the direction of energy independence, a logical and lucrative outlet for our crops and a serious playing card in the worldwide battle against warming and pollution."

Jason Berkes

www.jasonberkes.com

Inspectors To Begin Checking Diesel Pumps For Biodiesel

2007-08-04T16:50:00.000-07:00

Oregon's Department of Agriculture will start sniffing around Portland's biodiesel pumps beginning this week, to make sure the fuel measures up. Rob Manning reports.

The City of Portland's requirement that all diesel pumps in the city contain at least 5% biodiesel goes into effect in about two weeks.

To enforce the standard, Portland is contracting with the Department of Agriculture to ensure that pumps are, in fact, meeting the standard.

Ag spokesman Clark Cooney says there's not an easy way to do the measurement.

Clark Cooney: "Testing to assure that there truly is truly 5% of biodiesel in the retail motor fuel that the customer sees relies primarily on the delivery documentation from when that fuel was produced, blended, and delivered to the station."

Cooney says there are screening tests, but they're not entirely precise.

Oregon also has enacted statewide biodiesel requirements. But they depend on Northwest producers reaching minimal output levels.

Jason Berkes
http://www.jasonberkes.com/biodiesel

South Africa biofuel subsidy unlikely

2007-07-30T23:14:00.000-07:00

South Africa is unlikely to introduce subsidies to support a biofuels programme that has been billed as a lifeline for the struggling farming sector, a cabinet minister said on Monday.

The Southern African Biofuels Association says it needs between 2 billion rand and five billion rand a year from the government to get a capital intensive industry off the ground.

Science and Technology Minister Mosibudi Mangena said lending support to the renewable energy industry might spark an outcry from farmers, whose fortunes have waned after a massive cut in state subsidies in post-apartheid South Africa.

Jason E. Berkes
www.jasonberkes.com

ADM Profit Doubles, But Corn-Processing Falls

2007-07-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

Archer Daniels Midland Co. said fiscal-fourth-quarter profit more than doubled, boosted by asset sales and a 28% increase in revenue, but operating profit in its corn-processing business fell on higher corn costs and lower ethanol sales volume.

The Decatur, Ill., agricultural-processing company, which also said results were hurt by declining margins in its oilseeds business, said it expects its corn costs to fall amid a strong global crop and ethanol prices to decline.

Jason E. Berkes
www.jasonberkes.com

US Government crazy about Ethanol

2007-07-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

The Senate bill calls for annual ethanol production to rise to 36 billion gallons by 2022, up from less than 5 billion gallons in 2006. Let's set aside the question of whether that's enough ethanol to wean us from an oil addiction that has us consuming more than 140 billion gallons of gasoline each year. What are the economic implications of trying to meet the Senate target?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that 12.5 billion bushels of corn will be produced this year. A bushel of corn yields about 2.7 gallons of ethanol, so we'll harvest enough corn to distill nearly 34 billion gallons. However, if we used all of our corn for ethanol, what would we feed our livestock? Where would we get high-fructose corn syrup to sweeten our sodas? It's not an all-or-nothing proposition, but even with increases in corn acreage and yields, the demand for ethanol is already crowding out other corn products.

For years, ethanol's share of corn production hovered around 5 percent. But since 2000, that percentage has grown. Last year, about 20 percent of the American corn crop was used for alcohol-based fuels, and the USDA projects that it will be more than 30 percent by 2016. Even at 30 percent it's unlikely that we'll meet the Senate's goal using corn ethanol. But perhaps that's just as well, because it'll be very hard to build the necessary distillation and distribution capacity by 2022.

Jason E. Berkes
www.jasonberkes.com

The ethanol effect

2007-07-30T17:48:00.000-07:00

It seems that everywhere you turn these days, ethanol is being touted as the best way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. The U.S. Senate recently passed a bill calling for a huge increase in domestic ethanol production over the next 15 years. Auto makers and oil companies run feel-good commercials about their commitment to ethanol. And no leading presidential candidate dares deviate from the gospel of ethanol, thanks to the prominence of corn-producing Iowa in the nominating process.

Yet the public debate about ethanol has been pretty one-sided. We hear a great deal about the potential benefits and very little about the costs. But in economics, there's no such thing as a free lunch. Benefits never come without costs.

I will now start blogging here about ethanol.

Jason Berkes
www.jasonberkes.com

Construction worker dies after fall at Benson ethanol plant

2007-07-30T17:40:00.000-07:00

A Missouri man is dead after falling from a tank under construction at an ethanol plant in western Minnesota.

It happened yesterday at the Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company plant in Benson.

Swift County Sheriff Scott Mattison says the victim 26-year-old James Pippen of Nevada, Missouri was an employee of U-S-A Tank Sales of Seneca, Missouri.

The sheriff's office got a call around 2:15 in the afternoon that a construction worker had fallen about 60 feet inside a tank under construction at the plant.

Rescuers took Pippen to the Swift County Hospital in Benson, where he died.

The accident is under investigation by the state OSHA division, the Swift County coroner and the sheriff's office.

Jason Berkes
www.jasonberkes.com

I just started a little more personal blog over here

2006-12-29T22:45:00.000-08:00

Check out my new blog at Yahoo! GeoCities.

http://www.geocities.com/jasonberkes/

Thanks

Jason Berkes

Google Acquires Video-Sharing website YouTube

2006-10-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

The wildly successful video-sharing site YouTube, is now officially in the big leagues. Google, the largest Internet search engine, has agreed to acquire the young company for a whopping $1.65 billion.

Here are a few other new stories:

Bloomberg: Google Shares Gain After $1.65 Billion Purchase of YouTube

Los Angles Times: Google Bets Big on Videos

YouTube: Can Google run it without ruining it?

Tell Jason Berkes what you think: Please post your message here.

Thanks

Jason Berkes

Jason Berkes's Blog

2006-10-07T22:03:00.000-07:00

Jason Berkes's Blog

How to get a job at Microsoft?

2006-10-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

Last year Microsoft hired 10,000 new people. This year they are looking for more good people. I can help you get noticed through a friends website. He is currently an employee of Microsoft. They have a employee referral program. His goal is to find 20 great people to join Microsoft. You get a great job, and he gets a referral bonus. This is the way he got his job there. Check out his site here.

Jason Berkes

Back to the Blog

2006-10-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

Well it has been awhile! It has been a crazy year so far, and lots of new tech has come to the surface. I will begin covering the latest over the next few days. Looking forward to hearing for you.

Jason Berkes

Google Blog Search beta released

2005-09-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

Google has released its blog search (in beta) you can check it out here google.com/blogsearch or blogsearch.google.com. This make Google the first major search engine to offer complete blog and feed search capabilities. Although most of the major search engines have played around in blog and feed search, none of them have offered a full-blown product until today.

Google defines blogs as sites that use RSS and other feeds, and update content on a regular basis. Google Blog Search is not a full-text search. Google says it will not crawl content that's disallowed by a Blogger. (robot.txt file)

Google Blog Search has an advanced search page that explains various commands that are available, including the link command. The link command is great for discovering who's linking to your blog or a post on your blog. But the most powerful command in my opinion is that a blog search can be saved as an RSS alert that's updated whenever new content is posted matching the query. This is a very cool feature. I will be discussing the power behind this command and show you how to us it in the next few days.

For additional information: Google Blog Search FAQ.