Kristen Nicole of Mashable.com reports that Facebook may launch a music service on May 21.

Mashable is pretty solid when it comes to rumors, so Facebook must at least be thinking of this. How close they actually are to releasing this service is really anyone’s guess, though.

My question: Where did Kristen hear about May 21 as a release date? More on that soon, hopefully.

Check out this PC World story on what Google’s thoughts would be if Microsoft and Yahoo merged.

Not that I regret posting this or anything, but results from a recent study conducted by the International Center for Media and the Public Agenda show that those who keep up with RSS feeds from mainstream media just aren’t getting the news.

In fact, the feeds are useless for people who want little more than infotainment or the latest celebrity dirt from PerezHilton. The study says that most people should just stick with Google’s “Top Stories”. Also, some news outlets may prefer to keep some coverage out of its RSS feeds.

It’s an interesting report and I suggest at least giving it a look.

According to a story in this weekend’s Wall Street Journal, Yahoo doesn’t appear interested in a possible merger with – or sale to – Microsoft.

Yahoo recently signed contracts with 12 newspaper publishers to run the company’s ads on their Web sites, and these publishers represent more than 260 newspapers and the Web portal of Comcast Corp.

C’mon, Yahoo, stick to the content. You’re still have your “cool Web start-up” status. Don’t lose it by selling to Microsoft!

$50…billion…dollars. Fuhahahaha

According to a story in today’s New York Post, Microsoft may be working with Goldman Sachs to purchase Yahoo! for a whopping $50 billion dollars.

A deal between Microsoft and Yahoo! would up the combined companies’ ad search share to 27 percent against Google’s 65 percent. It would also narrow the gap in overall online ads with Google to just 13 percent, so maybe the deal’s worth doing for both sides.

MSN.com has been running in last place this whole time, but could a MSN-Yahoo merger topple the mighty Google? Who knows?

Then again, who says he’s even trying to? MSN isn’t that big a moneymaker for the software giants, who seem to be putting all its eggs into convergence and the so-called “magic box.” Microsoft may be working on the next generation X-Box, and if it buys Yahoo!, the Yahoo Music library could be an offering. Hmm…

But it’s funny how the Post, owned by Rupert Murdoch, is making news with this exclusive story, fresh off the heels of the announcement that Murdoch may buy Dow Jones

After gains yesterday of more than $20 a share, the price of Dow Jones stock (Symbol: DJ) has fallen about 0.36 percent today. Early today, the losses were well over 1 percent, but that could have just been a reaction to Rupert Murdoch’s announcement yesterday.

As something of a non sequitur, here are excerpts from some of today’s editorials around the Web about the News Corp. bid.

I wonder if the price will level off fully or if it will stay around $55 a share. Perhaps Wall Street investors are wondering what Murdoch knows that they don’t.

Imagine this: The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post could soon be controlled by Rupert Murdoch.

If Rupert Murdoch and News Corp. purchase Dow Jones, the Wall Street Journal may get a bit racier. Here’s what it may look like (above)

According to a CNN Money article, News Corp. bid $5 billion today on Dow Jones, which isn’t up for sale.

Just think about the possibilities, though. Regular Page Six-style stories on the happenings of the hoity-toity. The possibilities are endless, as you can see in the picture. (Note: I haven’t yet installed Photoshop on my computer, so the image is really bad.)

Dow Jones – not surprisingly – employees are pissed. In a statement, the Independent Association of Publishers’ Employees (the union representing Dow Jones) said, “Mr. Murdoch has shown a willingness to crush quality and independence, and there is no reason to think he would handle Dow Jones or The Journal any differently.”

At least we know where they stand.

Let’s see what happens with this. I’m keeping an eye on this story.

(Disclaimer: Photo courtesy TribuneIndia.com, and it’s not a real story. I just used a random image of a stockbroker. So lay off, you lawyers out there.)