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Here's eBay's motivation for huge deal-making. A reader says eBay's pulling less action than Jon Schwartz on a Saturday night:

Ebay & Paypal have a hiring lock-down. Revenues are falling well behind forecast (can you say Skype?) and they are doing everything they can to make the quarter. Employees are bailing at a record rate, since the stock is hitting new lows ... and the place is known valley-wide as a sweatshop.