Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told a group down in the valley the other day that Google's business model is insane.

Likely having no clue what in the world Mr. Ballmer thought this assertion would do to improve Microsoft's fortunes, reporter Erika Morphy of TechNewsWorld offered this plausible explanation: It's possible that Ballmer's comments were prompted by professional jealousy.

In other words, he's crazy as a bedbug himself?

Forever I've been hearing about Microsoft's powerhouse PR. For years I've been reading about various Ballmer PRoclamations of dubious merit or consequence and reports of alleged unPRofessional behavior. My question has long been, do these Ballmerisms happen with the blessing or encouragement of his handlers or does he prohibit counsel and is therefore just their worst nightmare?

Any answer to these questions is bad. If he declines or refuses PR advice, is he equally immune to suggestions made on Wall Street or in the R&D labs? Or, if he takes the advice but then can't, shall we say, execute, is this at the root of Microsoft's problems getting things done or making new things happen? Alternatively, if these statements are crafted by messaging experts, if you have any idea what the message is in this case — how it helps Microsoft – could you let me know? The only reason I can imagine a PR person advising Mr. Ballmer to say this sort of thing is because it'll eventually get him fired or enrolled in a "head and breakfast" so someone else who takes advice well or needs no advice can take over. See, I think Google's strategy may be questioned… but how saying it this way helps Microsoft is PRofoundly beyond me.

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