Grab bag: Surrender, strip, Dubai

Okay. So you’re the world’s biggest book merchant, and you completely pull physical and digital inventory of a publisher’s books out of circulation because you have a pricing disagreement with them. I mean, they’re totally gone from your website. Then you reinstate them after reconsidering your position. Would you choose to use the word “monopoly” in your post explaining the situation? Would you, seriously, use the word ABOUT THE PUBLISHER? What on earth are they smoking at Amazon?

Somewhat to my surprise, strip croquet is in the “frequent” category as of this writing (n>1.44%). (I forgot about the strip croquet scene in “Heathers.”)

There’s something refreshing about the thought that there is no longer any point to trying to get the “world’s tallest skyscraper” title. Maybe now we can refocus attention on the streets.

“Millions of ads use Flash. Get used to the blue legos. You’re welcome.” <—Hahaha.

A more cogent take on the Flash evangelist’s “blue Legos” picture, using actual Mobile Safari screen caps. Only two sites are completely inaccessible without Flash.

Nice cogent discussion of the possible impact of the iPad (and iPhone) on Flash market penetration. I’d add: the other major reason for falling Flash usage rates is the annoying uses to which Flash is put. Animated ads, splash banner pages that you have to wait through to find out something about the site you just visited…

“The Republicans are better at questioning the President than you are.” Does an “articulate president” who engages in “substantive” discourse spell doom for the media? Maybe for the media we have now.

Watterson is sharp as ever and proves he still knows which end is up in this reply to a human interest interview question: “Q: How soon after the U.S. Postal Service issues the Calvin stamp will you send a letter with one on the envelope? A: Immediately. I’m going to get in my horse and buggy and snail-mail a check for my newspaper subscription.”