Eric Lander reports that MSN is seeking advice from the members of Webmaster World on how to improve their search algorithm and user experience.

I don’t know, those WW folks are a shy bunch.

According to ClickZ, classified search engine Oodle (love that name) is broadening its regional classifieds aggregation strategy to include classifieds sites targeted toward students at colleges and universities.

College students are a ripe, but underserved audience for classified ads, Faith Sedlin, co-founder and VP of marketing at Oodle, told ClickZ News. “They’re online all the time — more than 90 percent are online every day. And they’re bargain-hunters,” Sedlin said. “We think they’re underserved because they’re not seeing all of the listings out there.”

If they could figure out how to tap into the 50+ audience range, they too are ripe for the picking. My parents (and in-laws) love going to yard sales and finding bargains. “Oh look, a cream-pourer in the shape of a kitten and only $2!!!”

The Telegraph has some extracts from a recent Steve Ballmer presentation, including…

Ballmer insists: “I’ve never thrown a chair in my life.”

Translation? “I may have helped it gain maximum velocity in order to defy gravity for a few seconds”.

On cussing like a sailor…

“Did I want to keep that fellow at the company? Yes. Did I say I wanted to compete with Google? I don’t know what words . . . Did he write down the exact words? I don’t know. By and large I made a commitment nine years ago that I was not going to curse. I know I’ve had one or two transgressions in nine years, but I made that commitment to myself. Is that one of them? I don’t recall.”

Want to know the second fastest growing advertising channel (behind SEM)? Apparently advertisers are getting pumped-up by video game advertising, according to ClickZ.

According to the Jack Myers 2006 Marketing and Advertising Spending Forecast, in-game advertising is expected to grow by 40 percent in 2006, though it will still represent less than one percent of total ad spend. Online advertising will increase by 27 percent to reach a 6.4 percent market share.

I can see it now. Google buys Rockstar and all of a sudden AdWords ads start appearing alongside Grand Theft Auto….“Finger Print Remover – just held up the jewelry store? Best prices in finger print removal”.

Looks like I’ll be speaking at Webmaster World’s PubCon in Las Vegas.

Brett kindly asked me to speak and I decided that it’s time I found out if it lives up to its great reputation.

Now, if I could just find a new company to shamelessly plug at the event.

TechCrunch offers up a handy-dandy idiots guide to getting some blog-love.

Looks like the rumors are all true…bloggers can’t keep anything a secret.

According to Cnet…

eBay plans to pay $1.3 billion in cash and $1.3 billion in stock to the global communications company. It has agreed to hand over up to an extra $1.5 billion, for a total payout of more than $4 billion, if Skype meets certain financial targets by 2008, according to a presentation to investors on Monday morning.

How does Skype fit in with eBay’s model, I hear you ask?

When the deal is complete, eBay hopes to integrate the service with its e-commerce operations, allowing buyers and sellers to communicate through VoIP.