Apparently, Microsoft means serious business when it puts its $44B of its money in exchange for Yahoo’s cooperation. The software giant just won’t take no for an answer.
Popularity: 15% [?]
Unable to topple Google Inc. on its own, Microsoft Corp. is trying to force crippled rival Yahoo Inc. into a shotgun marriage, with a wager worth nearly $42 billion that the two companies together will have a better chance of tackling the Internet search leader.
Microsoft’s audacious attempt to buy Yahoo, spelled out in an unsolicited offer announced Friday, shows just how much Google threatens the world’s largest software maker’s grip on how people interact with computers.For Yahoo, the bid represents another painful reminder of how missed opportunities and mismanagement combined to open the door for Google to supplant it as the Internet’s main gateway, decimating its stock price in the process.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Latest Pidgin version, version 2.4.0 is available for download from the official homepage.
Pidgin is an instant messaging program for Windows, Linux, BSD, and other Unixes. You can talk to your friends using AIM, ICQ, Jabber/XMPP, MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, IRC, Novell GroupWise Messenger, QQ, Lotus Sametime, SILC, SIMPLE, MySpaceIM, and Zephyr.
Pidgin can log in to multiple accounts on multiple IM networks simultaneously. This means that you can be chatting with friends on AIM, talking to a friend on Yahoo Messenger, and sitting in an IRC channel all at the same time.
Popularity: 3% [?]
I found these two super cute Wordpress plugins while browsing around the internet for plugins to use in my super cute blog 
- YM Status Wordpress Plugin -This plugin allows you to display your YM status on your blog in real-time and your visitors can click the icon to launch their YM client so they can send you a message. Signing in as invisible? The plugin will show you as offline! Just download this plugin here, uncompress and upload it to your WP plugins folder (/wp-content/plugins) and activate. Display the icon by inserting the code anywhere in your site or insert it in your Sidebar as a widget. Warning: You might get a lot of incoming YM messages by using plugin so you better be chat ready. Coolness factor: 4/5 Ease of Use: 4/5 Overall Impact 4/5.
- WordPress Yahoo/MSN Messenger Style Smileys Plugin - This plugin from Priyadi’s Place replaces your default Wordpress smilies with Yahoo Messenger style smilies. If you are an MSN user, you can also use the MSN smilies instead. This plugin is a cool addition to my WP plugins simply because in the world of blogging, you can show your emotions by using smilies. Like this or this
Cute huh? 
More examples: 
Download the plugin here and follow the instructions. Coolness factor: 4/5 Ease of Use: 4/5 Overall Impact 4/5.
These plugins are free to use but if you really like them, don’t forget to send the authors donations as a token of appreciation.
Popularity: 30% [?]
