All possibilities, no doubt. But way too complicated.

MSN could hand over it’s Ads/Pubs “network” (entirely) to Looksmart and still have Looksmart operating as an “independent”, accountable division, competing against it’s (MSN’s) own ‘existing’ search and advertising structure. (And MSN then get’s to achieve a “bridge-ing” effect, between the “old"/existing and the “new” way of doing things), is how I see it .....

By “chunking in” some $8.00 per share, (an aprox. 35M shares ONLY, would need to be sold to them. It really doesn’t matter, at WHAT price), MSN would then have a 60% “controlling stake” in Looksmart. Overinflated? Hardly .... it will cost MSN exactly “NOTHING”, (in “real terms"), as they effectively “get their money back”, in taking over FULL control of the Co ....

Looksmart would STILL ‘trade’ as LOOK and as an independent (fully accountable to shareholders), business, as it does now.

NOTHING (at all) changes, except the shareprice “value” ..... With LOOK now having that $280M, plus it’s own cash, of $40M (and say, another$20M, with the “sale” of F url) or, a grand total of $340M - $350M to buy smaller Ads/pubs networks or, suitable “accretives”. (Like THK, CNVR, etc).

Both MSN and Looksmart (particularly all it’s shareholders), would ALL, be “off to the races”, so to speak. (And LOOK could quickly get rid of, sell off, those unneccessary “other” smaller businesses, that both THK or, a CNVR may have).

Remember (also), that MSN has it’s MSN “chats” that can be easily monetised (Globaly), either on a “geo” or, on even an “audience” (age, sex, contextual ‘interest’, etc), “demographical” basis .....

And with absolutely NO “intergration” required, at all, with these additional (above) considerations all being “add-ons”, if you follow me ....

Looksmart hed-honcho “Ten-percent-Ted” can get to “hold down” his CEO role in a (new “look") now, an instant, “billion dollar” Co (with one or, two of the other board members also ‘surviving’), but MSN would only need to appoint it’s required “control” quota, within a quickly reconstructed board.

Such a “deal” would be an ULTIMATE “win-win-win” for ALL concerned and should NOT for a moment be considered as, just another “kite flying” exercise ....

And let me now ask the question?

How much would MSN’s ($8.00pps X’s 35M shares) be ‘worth’ to them when it then gets to be shown as as an “investment” on it’s own “books”, AFTER such a “deal” is/was completed?

Just ....."DO IT”

Comments?

ps; Don’t be “shy” now ....Remember, that “ideas” will ALWAYS remain “ideas” UNLESS, they are put into practice!

LOL!!

Microsoft can get a huge amount of value in its own backyard out of a company called Marchex.  They own 3 ad networks, an SEM business and a variety of analytics & online advertising technologies.  Most importantly, marchex is solving the local search problem, the next major frontier in online advertising.

Looksmart’s ‘clean -cut’ independence in it’s publisher/advertiser solutions and it’s OPEN (Global) Exchange “interconnector” (of other Ads Networks), will soon get to be better understood by the market, I’m sure. Marchex are also a partner of Looksmart, is my understanding.

Cheers!