Days after the News Corp's chief buddied up with Yahoo's Jerry Yang about ways to keep Microsoft from gobbling up the independent Internet company, he flipped and is said to be joining Microsoft in upping its bid to buy Yahoo, a move that would create a conglomerate of MSN networks, MySpace, and Yahoo and assure that your Internet experience is shaped exactly how these three titans want it.

The last offer was $44.6 million. Yahoo rejected it, saying it wanted much more. And it's said to be in talks with AOL and Google for potential alternate deals. It all seems desperate and far-fetched on Yahoo's account, though. Most reports agree that no deal is close to being done. The level of backstab potential in the Murdoch maneuver is the factor to watch. For example, what if he conspired with Yang to get more out of Yahoo while dealing himself into the equation? Or what if he met with Yang on behalf of Microsoft to feel out just how high a bid Yahoo was looking for?

Blog it now. That sort of chatter won't be allowed on the inevitable Ya'softSpace forums.