It’s been a volatile courtship of sorts that has lasted many a fortnight — an atypical relationship that competes with most Daytime soaps for drama and suspense, leaving its avid watchers avidly waiting to see what’ll happen next. MSFT –> the dashing knight in shining armour riding in to save the day. Yahoo! –> the damsel, who is playing hard-to-get, resisting the advances of said knight at every turn. The Knight has promised they would rule the world together, staving off the evil, monopolizing King Google, who has extended his powerful fiefdom ten-fold… and now has been reportedly flirting with the gorgeous damsel obviously for more reasons than mere interest.

Now as this saga unfolds, the dashing knight has proposed an arranged marriage with an incredible dowry should the damsel say yes (odd, isn’t the dowry normally offered by the damsel’s family?). Up until now, the damsel resisted all temptations for marriage. As an independent, self-made success story, the damsel didn’t see the need for a rescuer. She did pretty damn well on her own all these years. But as all things, the world has changed. Suddenly, the world that was her oyster decided to turn on her and make way for the younger, more nimble generation. No one told her they would be so smart, learn quickly or move so fast to keep pace…..and even bypass her own or the good Knight’s successes. Suddenly, she was eating their dust and found herself struggling to play catch-up. She tried at every turn to replicate the innovation, drive and passion that resulted in past victories. And, there were many. But now she’s actually reaching middle-age…. a cougar by many respects…. too old to marry but young enough to entertain offers.

So, the damsel and the Knight haven’t spoken over the weekend. His offer has come and gone and she awaits to see whether this play-hard-to-get game will bring her more loot. In the meantime, King Google continues to expand his kingdom, ever wary of the potential claim on his fair maiden. Will he pounce and rescue the damsel? We all know that the two together will “search” the world over. But, alas, fair Knight, you need to up your dowry for the damsel to consider your proposal even noteworthy. Otherwise, take it to her children, and force an uprising from within.