Google makes for
quintessential Minotaur

A new German-based project will challenge Google's reign over the internet, adding gravity to the idea Europe may indeed be worried about Google's increasing strength over the global economy.
Theseus loftily hopes to become "the world's most advanced multimedia serach for the next-generation Internet," and will receive $165 million from the German Government once approved by the EU, reports TechCrunch.

The German Government will fund Siemens AG, SAP AG, Deutsche Thomson oHG and EMPOLIS Gmbh which will all begin work on the project. More funding will be given to small and mid-sized businesses to build on the initial research.

Meanwhile, France is cooking up its own Google killer. The country known for making love, not war, is reportedly discussing a plan with the European Commission that would deliver $112 million to a potential Google killer dubbed Quaero, led by French video-technology company Thomson.