Every weekday, PR Daily associate editor Alan Pearcy highlights the day’s most compelling stories and amusing marginalia on the Web in this, #TheDailySpin.

The smiling Amazon.com box creeps out. It’s like it knows something we don’t—and maybe that’s because it does. The Fiscal Times reports that the e-retailer is the first winner of the recent Penguin and Random House merger. The growth of e-books and e-readers, which Amazon has fueled, is what reportedly pushed the deal forward. In that case, it will be interesting to see whether the new publishing powerhouse can postpone the day of reckoning for industry traditionalists.

Traditional print publications are also poised for their own day of reckoning, with companies such as Newsweek shifting to an all-digital format. Chronicling the destruction of the industry’s conventional roots, ClickInks.com shares an infographic recounting newspaper’s decline.

Related: How shifting newspaper circ numbers affect PR pros

If only newspapers had taken the advice of Steve Jobs when the Internet dawned, they might not be in their current predicament. That advice from Jobs, according The Masquerade Crew, a support forum for indie writers, is that it’s all a matter of connecting the dots.

Related: 10 inspiring Steve Jobs quotes

Of course, the dots are probably different for various genres of writing. Take advertising copy, for instance. Search Engine Watch reports that penning a search ad might be a matter of the context in which it’s written.

Advertising Age also published a story this week on ad writing, and—in its opinion—“the best piece of advertising writing you’ve never read,” which comes from the late British-born art director Lindis Redding. Titled “A Short Lesson on Perspective,” the essay serves as a reminder not to take this industry—or ourselves—too seriously.

What we should take seriously in our writing is the invasion of “mutant verbs.” From other parts of speech to even brand names, linguists struggle to decipher whether this maiming of the English language enriches or pollutes it.

Related: Change up your writing with vibrant verbs

One word that doesn’t need to be altered, but rather empowered, is that of a simple “no.” In fact, it might be the most powerful word in agency new business, or so says Hank Blank.

Words can also get you into trouble, however. Just ask American Apparel. The clothing retailer and its CEO Dov Charney are among a number of brands forced to explain their controversial marketing that has piggybacked Hurricane Sandy.

Related: Gap veers from its social media policy in Twitter blunder

There’s no explanation for these two fools on the beaches of Borfolk, Va., who photobombed a live news broadcast with their own seaside rendition of “Gangnam Style.” Drugs, maybe? Either way, it’s entertaining to watch.



Meanwhile, whereas our favorite late-night hosts can be equally as entertaining to watch, a report out this week found that during this election season, their TV monologues have joked about Republican nominee Mitt Romney twice as often as they have about President Obama. Why the uneven political jabs? The Daily Beast believes it has the answer.

And although she isn’t running for president this time around, you can steal a glimpse of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as a 1969 college grad in this online gallery from Life magazine that you shouldn’t pass up.

Is there something you think we should include in our next edition of #TheDailySpin? Tweet me @iquotesometimes with your suggestions. Thanks in advance.

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