Grown out of an office suite in Tysons Corner, Virginia, AOL is now one of the world's major media companies. The acquisition of Time Warner was designed not only for diversification and growth, but to develop synergies - as much as anyone hates that particular term, there is a real synergestic effect when properly done.

Today, AOL laid off 1,200 of its 16,000 Internet employees. That's their third round of layoffs in less than a year. The market didn't really react to the news since it had been previously announced. In fact, AOL is almost at its 52 week low and at about half of its 52 week high.

The Warner Brothers stores are gone. AOL Internet usage continues growing, albeit with a slower trajectory, and the company is now pushing media offerings cross-platform.

Sounds to me like everything is a part of the master plan, but so far, finance folks seem unimpressed. One wonders if there is still lingering doubt that Case, Levin and Co. can make this huge merger work. Most mergers don't succeed in the long run.

Anyone think they're doing a particularly good or bad job?

Good question, George. I've been watching this for awhile, and honestly, I've no clue.

It does seem as if they have a "steady as she goes" plan, which is appealing, but I've wondered so many times to myself how the tumult of the last year on the internet has changed their outlook.

There's nothing particularly exciting about what they are doing, but at least it isn't a business plan based on selling dog food over the internet.

Andrea
who misses that dog puppet thing