Facebook has — according to the WSJ — 40 million users, and Microsoft (and apparently also Google) is now trying to grab a piece of the action.

Microsoft's approach to Facebook in recent weeks with proposals to invest in the fast-growing site is part of the software giant's effort to catch up with the Internet rival Google. If successful, Microsoft's talks with Facebook could give it an up-to-5% stake in the closely-held startup—a stake potentially valued at roughly $300 million to $500 million, the people familiar with those talks said.

The people familiar with the matter said that the discussions are still preliminary and Facebook could wind up not taking an investment from either Microsoft or Google. Factors in the discussions include the valuation the suitors would offer to Facebook and other business considerations they could contribute to sweeten any deal.

I wonder if there's anything else than an increase in Facebook's value in store for us, if either Microsoft or Google starts to invest in a company like Facebook. Some time ago Rupert Murdoch snatched MySpace — the far biggest social site/community.

In the past years Google and Microsoft have been in an internetish "battle of the titans". Things might get a lot more interesting…

Also the investments in Web 2.0 companies has started to move outside the San Francisco Bay Arena which is "known for producing some of the most high-profile Internet companies".

In the first half of 2007 New England topped the Bay Arena with $102 million invested dollars, Bay Arena had $90.5 million.

Also companies are becoming better at investing in web companies:

Read the article at WSJ.com

This time it's MyBlogLog a service aiming to connect like-minded bloggers in communities. You just add your blog by typing in the URL/URI. Apparently MyBlogLog also has a built in statistics module, that requires you to add a single JavaScript to your blog.

Read more about Yahoo's acquisition of MyBlogLog:

• at Techcrunch
• at CNET News
• at Om Malik's blog

The article sums up two years of interesting Yahoo acquisitions, seven in 2005 and three in 2006.

I can honestly say that there are some acquisitions in there, that I haven't heard anything about.

This sounds quite interesting.

In the press announcement it says:

This Charter – the first of its kind in the world – identifies the preconditions for enabling content and infrastructure providers to make film online services a commercial success. The Charter will serve as reference for future commercial agreements as well as for a broader Content Online policy of the European Commission.

I haven't read the charter yet, therefore I'm unable to write anything about its content.

Courtesy links:
Read the charter (English, PDF, 12 pages)
View the list of the endorsing companies and organisations (English, PDF, 1 page)

The article argues, that Time Warner, who owns AOL, might be considering to break off the AOL-branch of the business.

Read the article, it's interesting, and very important, stuff!