Of course, since Google owns 5% of AOL, they would certainly veto such a sale.

I'll first submit my opinion that Time Warner and AOL are each healthy in my view. Perhaps their marriage didn't go as "planned" but actually, I don't think that at the outset they actually had a plan other than to see how things would naturally develop. That's a fine position, especially considering the way this internet has grown.

The internet is poised to enter the next stage of it's development. That's signified by the volume of large moves and overall stress we've seen in the past three months. The internet is getting past toddler stage. This baby's ready to run! As soon as some more of the ground rules are set and we clean out some more of the crude operators, this internet will start to become what furturists have invisioned since the fifties. Read Ray Bradbury and Issac Asimov, they're both laughing right now!

If I was in control of all the pieces in this game of chess and I had to accomplish as many wins as possible regardless of actual competition, here are some of the major moves I'd make to really set the internet in motion. I'll miss a lot of names here but I have to be to my "regular" job in a couple hours.


Time Warner and AOL can stay the way they are. They should consider bringing computer hardware firms on board. They should have a focus towards satellite communications and telecommunications as a whole. Entertainment should be their mantra. They should try to remain low profile as they work... for now.

Yahoo needs to be bought up. They are mired in quicksand right now. They're like a huge bus of football players circling inside the stadium looking for a game. Someone needs to stop that bus, open the door and let those players get off. Until that happens, Yahoo is a big load of unrealized potential. That's the way it will stay until someone makes a move.

I'm holding my breath for eBay. October 18,19 and 20 will tell the tale. Will it be "Free at last, free at last." or will it be crash and burn? Only time will tell. I'd be heartbroken if they let it die. Heartbroken, yes, to the point of tears. I have a plan but I'm keeping it to myself. I may be cheap but I ain't easy. I'll wait for things to get sorted out. A whole history and future could be crushed with a few poor decisions. Please J. Edgar, say it ain't so...

AT&T and Sprint/Nextel should be sticking their hands in here, among others, even if they're groping blindly looking for someone to take hold. Telecommunications are in need of some guidance when it comes to this internet playing field. We're trying to establish something new here. The old gaurd has the resources and control to really make things happen. Open invitations need to be sent out.

Google is Google, what can I say? I have no vision for them they don't already know. I'm behind them 110%. They have a road map and they already own nice parts of the road. I would add two things to their mix though. I'd buy a well read American newspaper. Let's see if they figure that one out. And I'll plug my own self here... Guys, I have this browser concept we really need to talk about. Once again, I'm cheap but I'm not easy. Perhaps you're already working on what I'm thinking about. That wouldn't surprise me.

Online retailers need to begin to form associative groups. There are already merchant's unions. Let's bring this thing to the next level. Some really big players are coming. Before they take ultimate control, let's level the playing field. Put the smack-down on that two tier internet crap RIGHT NOW!!! There's money and power enough here for everyone. If a few big businesses get total control of this thing, consumers will really lose out. Use the Illinois highway system as your example... Toll roads really suck.


I need to get some breakfast now.

I'm sure I gave you plenty to think about.


Blessings to ALL

Gary

That I B that TW recieved from Google ,does not give Google any veto power in any deals TW would do in the future.IMO,it simlpy was a payoff to keep AOL,for Ad Money.In return it in TW's view put a 20B valuation on AOL.Yahoo and AOL would be a perfect fit.Perhaps somesort of merger?

Five percent is not what we call a "blocking rights" position.

Doug McIntyre

Doug -- Your lead sentence is exactly backward. It should read: Time Warner has never quite worked as planned for AOL.

Remember who bought who.

You would be right to point out that the TWX guys now run the company, but that's only because they were willing to take the stock from $91 to $19 to drive out the AOL team that was in charge.

The TWX side refused any and all efforts to cooperate and look for synergies with AOL. Remember it was Bewkes who said that "Synergies are bullshit." Tell me, what good is a conglomerate if you aren't going to look for synergies?

AOL will continue to take TWX down. The recent idea to offer AOL for "free" is a lost, me-too, strategic notion where AOL walks away from $2B of subscription revenue to try to fix the advertising problem as a dull attempt to FOLLOW Yahoo! while Google walks away with the market. Jeff Bewkes does not understand AOL in the least and all their great talent has long since left. $19 is GREAT price for TWX (reflects recent upgrades) but AOL will never be able to deliver on this strategy. Sell and move on!
-Sandy

I agree with Gary, that TWX would be making a mistake if it sold off AOL. They bought AOL during the peak of the dot.com. boom and they just can't get over the fact that they paid too much. They have to let go of the past and move on. TWX could do some great things , but they have no vision. I would offer some ideas, but I also wouldn't do it for free.