Idle Chatter: Google Gets Real; Time Inc. Bleeds

-The economy is forcing Google to act like everyone else, meaning downsizing. The web giant is shutting down underperforming programs and telling engineers to curtail their work on open-ended pie-in-the-sky projects. [WSJ]

-Time Inc. isn't getting as many buyout volunteers as it needs, which means layoffs are coming soon at People, Time and Sports Illustrated. [NYP]

-NBC definitely wants David Gregory to host Meet the Press, but it has yet to finalize the deal. Premature reports that the job is his have introduced a twist into the negotiations. [NYT]

-Reed Elsevier may have to cancel its planned sale of Reed Business Information; the unit is valued at less than half what it was worth when it was first put on the block 10 months ago. [WSJ]

-Tina Brown is the Oscar Schindler of print journalism, providing sanctuary -- if not a living wage -- for the laid off journalists of Manhattan at The Daily Beast. [NYO]