Hot off the presses, Microsoft and Yahoo have agreed to an Internet search and advertising partnership. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/30/technology/companies/30soft.html?_r=1&hp

Microsoft and Yahoo announced a partnership in Internet search and advertising on Wednesday morning intended to create a stronger rival to the industry powerhouse Google.  The Microsoft-Yahoo pact is measured step that represents a pragmatic division of duties between the two companies instead of the blockbuster deal Microsoft made last year, when it bid $47.5 billion to buy Yahoo. That hostile offer was ultimately rejected by Yahoo, and its collapse and the uncertain aftermath for the Web company led to a management change and the replacement of co-founder Jerry Yang by Carol Bartz, an outsider who is now Yahoo’s chief executive

The Indy is back in town this weekend and the title sponsor is Honda! Festivities kicked off today at Dundas Square with a Media Pit Stop Challenge. PHD and partners from Platform A (formerly AOL), Cottage Life, Sharp Magazine, Olive Media, Macleans, Rogers Digital, Canwest Digital, Microsoft Advertising, 24/7 Real Media and Sun Media came out in support of a great cause. Not only were our media partners enthusiastic about supporting this event some honorable mentions go out to….. Daria Lennon & Partner from Maclean’s magazine in top spot, tied for second place was Jeff Rockwell & Bernie Ward from Platform A (who would have had the #2 position if people kept their shirts on) and Jamie Forbes and his partner our very own Geoff Glen all came in under :24 sec.

Not only was this an exciting way to kick off what will be a whirlwind of events but there was a method to Honda and Budweiser’s madness. Paul Tracy’s car is being sponsored by Wounded Warriors www.woundedwarriors.ca To help assist Wounded Warriors sponsorship of the car media partners like the good people here at PHD pitched in to aid the sponsorship and will now have our logo seen by millions whipping around the track all weekend. The top place winners received a check in the amount of $1000 as a donation to Wounded Warriors.

Thanks to all that came out and remember to start your engines!