the elusive pagerank

Has anyone else ever wondered why Google doesn't offer some sort of basic PageRank lookup utility on their website? What gives?

Why would a company as large as Google fail to see the usefulness of having a page *on Google* that allows one to lookup their *Google* RageRank? Instead, we're left having to install goofy tool bars and use third party websites that may or may not be accurate. I just don't understand it. There are all kinds of websites out there that allow one to lookup their website pagerank, and they are obviously interfacing with a Google API somewhere, so why no direct lookup utility on Google?

Perhaps Google is committed to allowing others to make money off of its PageRank utility, and doesn't want to strike a deathblow by offering it themselves. It would be a little like eBay offering a spelling search function to their users, effectively killing off the unique offerings of misspelling sites that survive off of affiliate auction sales. But in Google's case, Google could offer a simple pagerank lookup, and still allow other webmasters to manipulate the API for more detailed and enhanced ranking displays.

I guess it is all part of Google's confusion tactics. Gotta keep everyone guessing to retain supreme power...