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It appears at present that Google is using 2 separate algorithms, one for highly competitive terms and one for the rest. This would account for wide fluctuations in results. Also, incoming links appear to have changed their value. It is likely that many sites suffering in the results pages have had the incoming links drastically devalued.

Other things google could be doing:
a new algorithm using Natural language. Natural language allows Google to analyze symantics, look at adjectives in page content in depth. Many professionals believe Google is currently using this new technology.

Google appears to favor .gov and .edu websites. This is more evidence their search pages are turning away from commercial websites.

Stemming is a new feature we get wether we like it or not. This uses multiple syntax related to the same keywords entered. For example, if your keyword is party supply, then party supplies, and partys supply will return the same results.

Google may have implemented the Hilltop algorithm. Hilltop was develooped by Google several years ago and employs an expert ranking system. By compiling a specialized index of expert web pages that contain multiple links to other pages on the web of the same subject matter, the expert websites are the authoritative sites on a particular subject. The resulting rankings predominantly show pages that the expert pages link to.
[url=http://webworkshop.net/florida-update.html#whathappened]more about Hilltop[/url]

With regard to linking, link exchanges and inbound links:

The concentration of inbound links across a website may be a factor. If most inbound links point to the home page, that is an indicator of a link exchange, or that the content is not important enough to draw unsolicited inbound links.

Google could start valuing inbound links within paragraphs much higher than links that stand on their own. These links are much less likely to be the product of a link exchange, and therefore more likely to be genuine votes for a particular website.

Outbound links may be more important than previously thought. Two pages with 90 inbound links to them are theoretically valued equally, even if one has 10 outbound links and the other has none. Quality websites provide information, and this includes links to external websites.

A website with most outbound links concentrated on just a few pages is more likely to be a link swapper, so it is better to spread links across multiple pages. This meshes with incorporating links into paragraphs instead of compiling them in lists.

Google could be taking a sample of inbound links to a domain, and check to see how many are reciprocal links. If a high percentage are reciprocated, Google could filter them out or drop any links from sites that have a different theme. I believe Google only counts links from similar themed websites.
See what Search Engine Watchs
[url=http://searchenginewatch.com/searchday/article.php/3286101]Danny Sullivan[/url] says about Googles recent changes.