I don't think legality, or lack thereof, is a prerequisite for something being evil.

You asked me to elaborate on the difference between a static logo and dynamic ads, not delve into personal preferences, which are completely subjective.

There's also the "slippery slope" argument, i.e., if this goes over like I'm sure it will, ads will become more obtrusive. No, they are not currently overly obtrusive.

If it doesn't bother you, that's good. It does me.

Well, to start with, one is static, while the other is dynamic.

If you meant, "besides obvious semantic differences", the former is a non-changing logo that's always in the same spot on a non-user-interface area, i.e. the top bezel, or the rear panel.

Compare and contrast to a updating ad placed inside the user interface, namely, the e-ink screen.

I don't generally stare at the rear panel or top bezel when using my Kindle, but I am fond of looking at the screen while using the device. Hence, it's intrusive, and a sea change compared to a static manufacturer's logo.

That line in Amazon's press release about the special launch deals, is just a red herring. Amazon Recommendations are already built into the Kindle, this is actual ads. As in for Buick.

I already get free 3G for the life of the device - why on earth should they start charging for that now? Making something that used to be free, now be ad-supported, is a sure way to piss off your customer base.

Now, if they were to give it away free - the 3G version, not the silly crippled version - that would change things. I'd still want the option to buy a "real one", of course, and that's the problem I see. This is a trial balloon, and if uptake goes well, it stands to reason that this model will be extended across the Kindle line.

Sure, my clothes and cars bear the manufacturers logo. As does my Kindle - right across the top, Amazon Kindle - and again on the obverse.

What my clothes and car do NOT do is update their ad cache via a wireless connection every x days/weeks.

Static advertising is one thing, auto-updating ads are something else completely. Putting a logo on a product is not nearly the same as selling ad space.

I don't know that "people who didn't notice" counts as Amazon "not giving a fuck".

Sounds a lot more like the people who failed to notice the terms of the service they signed up for, didn't give a fuck.

"Save our Souls" is also a backronym. "SOS" was initially chosen because - - - . . . - - - was easy to remember, send, and receive.

Are you aware that middens are found nearly everywhere humans habitate for any appreciable length of time ? Middens of discarded oyster shells are all over the New York City-area, not to mention the UK, parts of Kentucky and Tennessee around the Mississippi River, among many others.
Your assertion that Native Americans are some sort of mythical creature who used "every last remnant of the buffalo" or whatever is pretty outdated - perhaps in comparison to white settlers, they used more, but it's not like they would have been horrified at the thought of discarding shells.
I'm not supporting the claims made in TFA, just pointing out that middens are pretty widespread and common, all over the place.

You just can't convince certain types of people that not everything their Gym teacher taught them in 8th grade was true. Do you drink coffee ? Caffeine's a drug, and it lingers in your system. Do you operate a motor vehicle ? CO, CO2, NOx, SOx, VOCs. All have lingering effects. Marijuana is not a boogeyman.

Certainly - competition is a good thing. I used to use GOG as well. You are certainly welcome to continue doing so, I was only illustrating that what you perceive as an acceptable tradeoff (GOG randomly doing offline for PR stunts), others may take issue with. I also use Direct2Drive, Amazon games, etc. I dislike being tied to a single service.

And the tradeoff of using GOG is the possibility they'll decide to pull some idiotic PR stunt and tell the world they're shutting down operations for several days, leaving you unable to redownload.

Like the dentata YT wears in Snow Crash ? Had the same thought. It worked against Raven, after all!

It's shiny and makes people think the owner is important. At least, that's the best I can figure out.

Actually, most ARTCC's do in fact provide frequencies during handoff.

As per your proposal, it'd be trivial to insert declination information into ATIS - there's already an infrastructure in place that automatically broadcasts airport altimeter, weather, and NOTAMs at most airports at least regional in size, so just add "declination 3 degrees west" and you're done.

However, I think re-designating runways just makes more sense (as KTPA is doing here). INS, radio, etc can all fail, but a simple magnetic compass just keeps going.