Calling All GURUS ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

SQL Server Load Balancing -- Any ideas?

There is no inherent mechanism available in SQL Server (replication, log shipping, or clustering) which allows you to load balance you database server.
Clustering is only useful for a failover situation and does not allow active/active balancing.

Is is possible to use merge replication between two identical OLTP servers
and manage transactions via MSMQ? Will this mechanism allow for a load balanced OLTP server?

Will this work? If not, why not?
What will work? Will federated servers work for an entire database??