If Best Buy is one of the few stores being given stock of what is clearly an in-demand hard-to-get item like the iPad 2 and at the same time running ads that mock the iPad, is it possible that Apple might find that a little irritating and redirect some of their shipments to stores that aren't making fun of the iPad in advertising?

Sure, it would be a little petty and capricious, but it would send a clear message. Now, as I said above, I don't have the slightest what's actually happening, but it seems like if you're going to report those two stories, you might think about the possible connection.

If you were one of the few stores given stock of a high-selling, low-on-stock item like the iPad 2, and you were, at the same time, running ads that essentially mock the product,