tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post8077253599594182928..comments2024-03-28T11:30:46.101-04:00Comments on Murder is Everywhere: Slaves to Algorithms, Addicts of Small ScreensOvidia Yuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749549092493567689noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-43673997408720828572017-05-12T22:39:32.269-04:002017-05-12T22:39:32.269-04:00Well, Jeff Bezos is now the second richest billion...Well, Jeff Bezos is now the second richest billionaire on the planet, second only to Bill Gates. In his pursuit of monopolization, he owns not only Amazon, but the Washington Post, Book Depository and many other entities.<br /><br />It's astonishing to see what can be purchased from Amazon from bathrobes to cookies from Australia.<br /><br />I heard a woman say that she orders food delivered from the company as she's homebound. <br /><br />So, I imagine the company will stoop at nothing to grow its fortune.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-71958338993774337342017-05-10T18:44:35.030-04:002017-05-10T18:44:35.030-04:00And advertising is nothing new. It was certainly ...And advertising is nothing new. It was certainly around in Roman days, and probably LONG before that. :-(Everett Kaserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12371555243187874414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-67432373323809388072017-05-10T09:10:32.221-04:002017-05-10T09:10:32.221-04:00Zoe and Kathy, thank you for your reports. I find...Zoe and Kathy, thank you for your reports. I find it very useful to know what they are up to. Forewarned is forearmed, as the saying goes. If we know that we are being lured into something and especially how, I think it will make it easier for us to resist. I don't think there is any chance we will ever get them to desist. The invention of advertising put a stop to that forever. If we find another planet to live on, I imagine billboards (or the moral equivalent thereof) will greet the first settlers. Annamaria Alfierihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12311596277267789834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-37223976410019814112017-05-10T06:11:29.434-04:002017-05-10T06:11:29.434-04:00I have browsed at websites for particular items an...I have browsed at websites for particular items and then for weeks, whenever I went to any web site totally unrelated to the aforementioned ones, ads for those products would pop up.<br /><br />And in an eerie incident, I was involved in an email conversation with someone I know, who is a published writer. After our email exchange, an email from Amazon advertising her book showed up in my email.<br /><br />I asked her if she had an arrangement with Amazon to do that and she said "no." So I emailed Amazon and asked the company not to track my email, but was told I couldn't request that unless I blocked all Amazon email.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-79193203591765630222017-05-09T00:48:25.271-04:002017-05-09T00:48:25.271-04:00fascinating blog, as always, Annamaria! i've h...fascinating blog, as always, Annamaria! i've heard the same thing about any selling website -- that they know how many times you've been back to look, and up the price a little accordingly. the only exception i've found to this was recently renewing my car insurance, which was actually £25 cheaper than the initial quote when i went back to buy it.<br /><br />i also heard that, sneakily, advertisers could pay for page loading speed. in other words, have you ever noticed that sometimes when you click on a website, the ads come up a second or so before the rest of the page loads. and for that brief period, your hijacked eyeballs have nothing to look at except the advert. cunning, no?Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-9252086663786116762017-05-08T22:11:16.615-04:002017-05-08T22:11:16.615-04:00EvKa, I shall not cue up for that. AmA, and here ...EvKa, I shall not cue up for that. AmA, and here I always imagined you fading off to the voice of Michael Bublé.<br /><br />Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-74597103955051150522017-05-08T16:46:36.317-04:002017-05-08T16:46:36.317-04:00Kathy and Sue, for many years now, I have bought o...Kathy and Sue, for many years now, I have bought out-of-print books from Alibris--excellent prices and sources from around the world. I focused on Amazon because I fear their algorithm is doing monkey business, had read Robinson's piece on the subject, and Amazon reportedly is responsible for 80% of book sales worldwide. Annamaria Alfierihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12311596277267789834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-21487113363035130122017-05-08T15:42:09.309-04:002017-05-08T15:42:09.309-04:00I buy out of print books from time to time and ALW...I buy out of print books from time to time and ALWAYS use ABE Books. Once you factor in shipping it's almost always cheaper than Amazon.Sue T.https://www.blogger.com/profile/18178527899514406682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-48234454558498879012017-05-08T13:05:24.646-04:002017-05-08T13:05:24.646-04:00Stan, if you are right (as usual) Amazon is not of...Stan, if you are right (as usual) Amazon is not offering my books except from other dealers. The prices I show above are all the ones that were available. I can understand that for Invisible Country, which is now out of print, but I am not sure why that would be the case with books in print. Maybe I am just too small a potato for them to stock my work.<br /><br />One day you will show me how to clear cookies. The only ones I now know how to clear are the ones one takes with milk. I prefer chocolate chip. Annamaria Alfierihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12311596277267789834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-10050014109034444992017-05-08T12:55:51.678-04:002017-05-08T12:55:51.678-04:00EvKa, My bed is in a very large space that is also...EvKa, My bed is in a very large space that is also my home office. I spend a majority of my hours at home in here. I thought it over at bedtime last night. My e-reader is allowed in bed with me, as is my iPad, which also serves as an e-reader, and more importantly has an Audible app, which reads me to sleep each night. Like any kid who needs help getting drowsy, I prefer favorite stories. I set the sleep timer and almost invariably am in dreamland before the time is up. This week's choice is Michael Kitchen reading The African Queen. I do not consider this an inappropriate use of a gadget. Annamaria Alfierihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12311596277267789834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-55431745292509489662017-05-08T11:31:05.308-04:002017-05-08T11:31:05.308-04:00I suspect that most of the odd prices for your boo...I suspect that most of the odd prices for your books are from dealers rather than from Amazon. The high prices are probably for books with your invaluable autograph! As for the variation on pricing from one person to another, I'd be surprised if it didn't happen. When I've been browsing for airline prices, I alway clear my cookies before finally buying so they don't know I've been checking and checking back - and hence offering an inflated price.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-43691534165397121732017-05-08T11:12:39.579-04:002017-05-08T11:12:39.579-04:00The only electronics that get carried into our bed...The only electronics that get carried into our bedroom is our vibra...er...uh... I mean, our e-readers. But then self-control has always been one of my primary character traits, or perhaps more accurately phrased as "primary driving forces." I know, I know, it's hard to believe. Cue Jeff...Everett Kaserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12371555243187874414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-4117170241503960672017-05-08T04:48:23.986-04:002017-05-08T04:48:23.986-04:00I admit that I am a chocoholic, and addicted to th...I admit that I am a chocoholic, and addicted to the New York Times and Internet news and crime fiction blogs.<br /><br />But I'm very frugal on spending, trained by Depression-era parents.<br /><br />One more source of book buying: The Book Depository, which is owned now by Amazon, often charges less than the on-line monopoly and offers free shipping and no taxes.<br /><br />So when I occasionally want to buy a book, I check there first. And then I check with Abe Books which offers remaindered or used books, often with free shipping.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com