absurdity....

Oil: Major Short Squeeze Around the Corner?

I doubt it. All of the individual economies of OPEC members are built on at least $70 oil. They all have incredible incentives to cheat and it isn't as though they have true trust of each other. That and it's tough for OPEC to stomache giving Russia and Mexico a free ride on their dime.

Overall, fair market for oil is believable at $60-70 in a robust economy. A sustained rise above these levels makes oil shale and coal gassification pencil out from an economic standpoint, and the markets are presumably efficient enough to recognize that.

My prediction is that oil is more likely to test $33 than to go to $53.

60% of Google Employee Stock Options Are Drowning

This is one of the silliest things I've ever read. By all accounts, google is of if not the best place in the valley to work from the perspective of working environment, interesting projects, empowerments, benefits, etc....

Secondly, for the engineers that I know, half their equity stake was granted as non-statuatory options but the other half was a straight stock grant that they vest into over 4 years. That part has to go to ZERO to be worthless.

Thirdly, google, unlike other companies provides a market for employees to sell their interest in vested options, so even out of the money options are still valued by time value.

Finally, your telling me that an employee that's doing interesting work in an extremely unstable economy working for one of the most profitable stable companies in the valley is going to voluntarily abandon that?

Yeah, well I have a bride to nowhere to sell you, too.

Juniper Networks: Recent Downtrend Is a Buying Opportunity

I agree with your analysis. Moreover the company has every reason to buyback stock at these prices. At $23/share, each share purchased is most likely accretive to earnings since jnpr is likely only earning under 4% on short term investments. Buying back at $1.13earnings/$23/shar... will result in more than 4.5% of virtual earnings, a .5% premium this year that will become much larger as earnings continue to grow.

Given their carrier business which has a long acceptance cycle, jnpr has had excellent visiblity into revenues at least 1-2 quarters out, and their conference calls have been uncharacteristically optimistic.

I admit that its a big IF whether they will be able to sustain their 20% growth model, but if they do, it's only 3.5 years till revenues double, so I would expect the stock eventually reflect its real value.