Google and AOL don't seem to be much of a fit, especially in their culture mismatch. But those two companies don't have to be a good fit in order for Google to be able to monetize the AOL traffic better than any of the other suitors.

If Google doesn't get AOL, that's fine, because it has likely increased the bids to investment levels that are more challenging to recover. This is an increased burden on a competitor and integration issues are a distraction.

It's win win for Google--the planet's computer, and its most scalable platform.

Here is a USA Today story: