j70k -- fair enough re a hostile -- as for the rest of your look forward, while of course I do agree that things could end up in a friendly deal (always a possibility), I do not agree at all with your line of thought that such will ever be 'required' -- IDCC is already 'a viable force in wireless' -- Merritt has made it very clear in recent conference calls and in recent conference presentations that IDCC's business plan looking years into the future does not require in any big way 'increasing the size of the company' -- IDCC is cash-rich AND cash-flow and earnings positive, and there is nothing to indicate that IDCC will ever need any additional resources from another company in order to carry out its business plan -- etc.