The Secret MS vs. Yahoo! Plan

1. MS stars quit the company and go work for Google.

2. Yahoo stars, ditto.

3. MS disses Yahoo, calls off bid; Yahoo stock first ever to achieve negative numbers.

4. MS stock doubles.

5. Yahoo, now linked at the hip to Google and with a valueless stock, drifts aimlessly through the Saragasso Sea of No Strategy.

6. MS buys Google.  Gets Yahoo online revenues by contract as part of the deal for free .  Kevin Martin intervenes with the FTC and Justice Dept, insisting that no competition is good competition.

7.  Ballmer re-reads note from investment bank lawyer, “what about Google?”, wondering if he misinterpreted the message.