I'd love to learn what the story is, but this is too painful to read in 12px (i.e. 9pt) gray type. Maybe, just maybe, if you're doing advertising, and you have

I'd love to learn what the story is, but this is too painful to read in 12px (i.e. 9pt) gray type. Maybe, just maybe, if you're doing advertising, and you have a strong need for some specific look, tiny low contrast type may be appropriate. For anyone else, it only reduces the number of people who will read your content. Would you go to a tech talk and do a mumbling Marlon Brando impersonation? I didn't think so. Please don't do the same in print.