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More laughable Google ad placements
There have been a few examples of ridiculous, insensitive or just plain stupid online advertising targeting by the likes of Google and Facebook. For example, I read something recently by a woman who changed her Facebook relationship status to single and was immediately assaulted by adverts trying to sell her “psychological secrets” and “mind games” to help her win back her man.
Here’s my addition to the canon. I just finished reading an article on the Guardian website in which Misha Glenny takes issue with Chris Grayling’s references to “Baltimore upon Thames”. The gist being the reprehensible way the politician is playing up to public perceptions of violent crime through TV series (in this case, The Wire) in order to fear-monger and score political points. The truth is that UK violent crime figures don’t warrant this kind of hysteria, and in fact are not even on the increase. Add to this the inappropriate use of The Wire to illustrate the point. According to Glenny the “unambiguous” message of The Wire is that “the war on drugs is what fosters violence and gangs in west Baltimore”. So it’s precisely the hysteria about crime, and the inept and opportunistic way this is used by politicians and law enforcement, that end up encouraging and building on the problem.
And at the end of the article, the cack-handed Google ad placement engine saw fit to place these three adverts:
Personal Panic Alarm
In your mobile phone. With GPS Location. Download it FREE
Peoplesafe
an effective mobile panic alarm Alert, Listen, Locate, Respond
Minder Personal Alarms
From the Manufacturer, Guaranteed Lowest Bulk Prices & FREE Catalogue
"… capitalism and criminality are not the same thing. But to the extent that they coincide, it’s capitalism that needs to reform."
Probably my favourite pic from our Sardinia trip. Taken at the Wine Museum at Berchidda. B and I were the only people there on a sleepy Wednesday afternoon. We were outnumbered by the staff.
Traveling in mountains in the Olbia Tempio region, Sardinia. Decided to stay over in Tempio rather than drive the hair-raising mountain passes back to the coast. Tempio is a great town. Looking forward to eating local specialities. Barbecued sheeps entrails or perhaps horse steak.
Apartment in La Caletta, Sardinia. Note the 2 litre bottle of red wine - lovely plonk for only 4 euros. The landscape around here reminds me of parts of South Africa.
Getting rid of carrot and stick: “… But once the task called for even rudimentary cognitive skill, a larger reward led to poorer performance.”
acrossair | Nearest Tube Augmented Reality iPhone 3GS App
Oh yes, please. I want to try this NOW.
"Thank you, Roger Ebert. “… I think I do know where their anger is fed. The drumbeat of far-right commentators fuels it. Their agenda is not health care, but opposition to the Obama administration."
Sincerely, John Hughes
Lovely, lovely story
