Search bar & other problems using Internet Explorer

Hello, when I am using Internet Explorer – when I “click in” the Search Bar at the top, it will sometimes take me 8 or 9 clicks to get the cursor to appear inside the search bar area so I can actually type a search. (I don’t have this issue using Firefox).

Another problem is I tried using a Plugin called Ajax Google Search; and “checked” the option to hide the Google Logo. Well, again, in Internet Explorer, I had the problem of the logo still being there and yet, in Firefox, the command worked – the logo was not there.

It seems that your code doesn’t like to respond to Internet Explorer. I don’t mind using Firefox, but many people out there use Internet Explorer, and I don’t want to have decreased functionality to a large portion of my audience.

Lastly, is there a way to actually make the search bar a lighter color? It’s almost invisible since it’s basically black on a black background in the header area. Please advise. Thanks.