If a guy from New Zealand was able to secure the rejection of Amazon.com's patent on 1-Click ordering, why didn't Apple or B&N try to do the same before doing deals with Amazon?

LVRJ: Housing, salary imbalances grow

Ratio of median home price to median household income:
2000 = 3.4
2001 = 4.2
2002 = 4.1
2003 = 4.4
2004 = 5.3
2005 = 6.6
2006 = 6.5

US, 2006 = 4.6

The median household income in the U.S. in 2006 was something like $48k and in Vegas it was $53k.