Greetings. The fire situation is very much improved, especially in my neck of the woods, though the damage around Southern California is devastating. Nice to have clean air to breath again (no anti-L.A. remarks, please).

With much excitement (probably way too much) brewing over word of Google planning an IPO, a much scarier (Happy Halloween!) prospect has emerged as word has circulated of Microsoft's interest in possibly absorbing Google via a buyout.

While Google has reportedly not been particularly interested in going that route, the handwriting is on the wall. MS wants to dominate searches -- and the related revenue streams -- just as they have the Web browser marketplace. How long will it be before new versions of Microsoft products are tooled not only to steer users to MS search engines by default through hooks deep in the OS, but also are designed so that it's cumbersome for users to reach rival search engines with equal ease?

Google is in Billy's crosshairs, one way or another.

--Lauren--