“Techdirt”, yeah there’s a source that’s qualified to offer opinions on IP law.
Look, everything is obvious after someone thinks it up. Amazon’s patent is no more “a joke” than countless others, depending on whose ox is being gored. Getting a patent is relatively easy (I have several) - the real work comes when you successfully defend it in court, and that’s what Amazon has now done. Good for them, they played by the rules and won.
If I apply for a patent to climb up a ladder by skipping every other step, does that mean I should be granted one ?