Ads, Ads, Ads

July 8, 2008

      We all got used to CNN so why not CNN.com?
      Why not indeed.
      And then they added video.
      Cool.
      Not.
      It's one thing when the TV runs ads (and runs them right over that crawl you were reading ---- (WHY? can't they keep the crawl in the foreground while trying to numb your mind?)
      It's another when, on clicking something that looks interesting, a loud ad pops up in your face and will not stop running (until you leave the page)
      Or when a story you got to run is interrupted by the ad re-starting and you cannot get the story to run
      Or the ones where YOU MUST see the ad or cannot see the video.
      If I cannot stop the ad fast enough (by clicking over and over on the story title) and get the story to run - I get off the page and use Google News and search the topic - rather read about it.
      Ads are EVERYWHERE.
      So many that they have disintegrated into NOISE we ignore. The normal web page is just littered. Click on something by accident and your computer will get an increase in SPAM. No, I do not need to increase my manly parts --- don't come equipped with any. No, I don't want her to swoon at my size (gag). And so forth.
      At work, they get quarantined - so I can delete them all at once. So - only men look at mortgage rates????? They have animation (defeat this by keeping the screen window small - they are (usually) to the far right) Yes - we figure out ways to avoid them We are blind to print. Discard animation.
      No wonder they are trying everything to FORCE you to watch.
      On DVDs and Tapes - you can skip ahead (if you can't - send the DVD or tape back) - OR - re-record without the ads - HA!
 
      With a DVR you can fast-forward
 
      With plain old TV you can go to the bathroom, stir the noodles, make a sandwich - you have plenty of time - MINUTES not seconds and watching plain old TV is soon boring.
 
      DVR recordings and DVDs - give me them any time.
      TV is in the toilet.
 
      OK - In Plain Sight - might be interesting
      The Closer - hope this season better than the last (too much family and personal stuff - irritating)
      CSI - shot itself in the foot
      CSI Miami - boring- the lead actor is fine - one or two of the others - but the plots - oh the plots (what plot)
      CSI New York - lost it sometime back (what's with the every CSI has a hidden son and each an office romance - highly illegal) (Oh yeah - we had to have every lead actress raped or endangered) let me run from the room
      PBS - enough with the pledging - I get THREE CHANNELS - I donate to ONE a year - do my part - Get back to PROGRAMMING
      YES- I watch PBS even thru pledge breaks because they are just like commercials------Maybe taking commercials (beginning and after - not during a show) and odd minute starts (they do that anyway) so nothing is cut from the show
      Maybe the networks should import more BBC productions!
 
      But back to the commercials on the news website
      CNN.com is fast losing a reader ----
      There's nothing like sitting at work taking a mental break and checking on the news, clicking innocently on a story with the volume down low while sipping that now-cold decaf coffee, to have a commercial BLAST into the cubicle
      How fast can I exit? Pretty damn fast.
 
      And people - let's keep Microsoft away from YAHOO - Yahoo runs the AT&T DSL - Last thing I want is Microsoft controlling my access to the internet ----- MONOPOLY!
 
      Verizon wireless module ---- hmmmmmmm --- I could loose big old expensive phone company and keep Microsoft in check --
      now that's an ad I am watching----
 
      Need a tower in Fremont folks!
 
      Of course AT&T is playing with that too --- I am not listening.