Twitter is not a technology. It's a conversation and it's happening with or without you.

In theory, it makes a lot of sense to combine the two operations, especially on the back end. But merging the two actual portal consumer experiences into a unified site will be a nightmare.

Some of the power has shifted from companies to people. Using social media tools (blogs, wikis, tagging, etc.) more individuals are creating semi-spontaneous 'groundswells' of opinions to which companies and other institutions are realizing they must respond. From marketing to consumers organizations are being pulled into engaging with individuals.

Taking a close look at all technical options is the right thing for them (AOL and MSN) to be doing.

We're all learning here; the best listeners will end up the smartest.

Leadership is defined not by the position you hold but by the people who follow you.

Then they show up at the door and the reality is that they are 5-foot-8, 240 pounds and have not run a mile in years. A background check is not going to help you with that.