LOL, I’ve noticed this happening off and on during the past few weeks, thought it could be the web shield, turned it off, looked for other settings on system…but hey, now it’s official, it’s a Google feature: ROTFL 
…even thought something was wrong with Firefox as I never had it in Chrome :
http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2009-12-03-n67.html
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/now-you-see-it-now-you-dont.html
Another reply to Bing.
I stopped using Google because I love bing, it teaches me a lot when I search through its pictures
Unfortunately bing isn’t as fast as Google when you’re searching for answers.
I really like Bing but like Bob says its answers and google that counts.
But there’s a few things in google unrelated to search that dont work when you need them.
Google is faster, I appreciate.
But I like bing because everyday, in the homepage, there is a new picture with lots of knowledge.
For complicated search, I use Google 
Yeah this on and off google thingy happened on the past before…
I thought something was wrong on my PC but it was google after all^^
-AnimeLover^^
In Firefox there are numerous add-ons for Google that further enhances its features, like GoogleMonkey.
Oh, so its there by design…I just thought the page was loading really slow…(a reasonable assumption when using my school pcs… ::))
Going to google for mail…and AHH Where is the mail button, it’s gone…oh wait…it’s back…weird…
Has the word google become properly classified as a verb? Everyone say google this, that and the other thing…even on websites where google is not involved ;D
Firefox only:
OK as I find this Google new stupid feature particularly annoying, I’ve been looking for ways to disable it. First one is so simple…yeah, just forbid javascript for google.com (with ns extension) and the trick is done. But this can be annoying, and bring issues on other google sites or in the search pages themselves, so there’s another way: install a script via GreaseMonkey
step one install GreaseMonkey:
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/748
step 2 restart Firefox
step 3 go to the script page and install it:
http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/63436
you’re done
for Opera, IE and Chrome, you’re gonna have to do a bit of Googling (there are a few hints on the link I gave for Opera already).
edit: just found this link for Chrome, will give it a shot…
http://techie-buzz.com/google-chrome/how-to-install-greasemonkey-script-in-google-chrome.html?rel=web_related&utm_source=self&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=web_related
edit: doesn’t work with this script (prevent google fade in effect)
I have had google as my default search for some considerable time now in firefox and IE and I have to admit I haven’t come across this new behaviour/feature that you mention.
I do use CustomizeGoogle add-on in firefox so I don’t know if some of my many customisations prevents this already.
I got customizegoogle as well but it doesn’t do the job here…will check something in the settings and post back in a minute…
…found nothing in customizegoogle that can achieve that…either you have something else or the area where you live was excluded by Google for this feature. You’re on dial-up, may be the area is known for not having broadband I’m not sarcastic, this is possible, Google can do such selections I think.
Google have localisation down since they first turned their distribution inside out. I can only click on to google through local google. That’s the default. With Yahoo I have local or offshore as two separate but very much similar options.
Despite great localisation google let me down last week on a share service. Unforunately I ran the service and it worked very well, so I confirmed only to find out later that the servers were down. And still more than that but never mind for now. Very let down I was at the time. Thought I was ahead of the pack. Still unsolved.
Others may have had a better experience with google share. Its a first time for me. Otherwise google as per search and find.
I think this new feature of Google is just plain dumb.