Soutpiel's big bucket of web crap

More laughable Google ad placements

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:39:23 +0100

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,..."

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:43:13 +0100

““… capitalism and criminality are not the same thing. But to the extent that they coincide, it’s capitalism that needs to reform.””

- Review: McMafia by Misha Glenny | Books | The Observer

Misha Glenny investigates global crime networks | Video on TED.com

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:35:30 +0100

Misha Glenny investigates global crime networks | Video on TED.com

So the dog’s thinking, ‘If I just keep copying this...

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:48:25 +0100

So the dog’s thinking, ‘If I just keep copying this stupid noise, will they leave me alone?’

Bobby McFerrin — remember him? — does some of that...

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:23:19 +0100

Bobby McFerrin — remember him? — does some of that stuff he does, except at a science festival.

Probably my favourite pic from our Sardinia trip. Taken at the...

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:12:22 +0100

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.

Why free ebooks should be part of the plot for writers | Cory Doctorow | Technology | The Guardian

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:35:01 +0100

Why free ebooks should be part of the plot for writers | Cory Doctorow | Technology | The Guardian

Traveling in mountains in the Olbia Tempio region, Sardinia....

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:36:11 +0100

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...

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:30:31 +0100

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...

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:07:00 +0100

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

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:26:00 +0100

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..."

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:09:20 +0100

“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.””

- Roger Ebert’s Journal: Archives

Hugh McGuire: Why "Self-Publishing" Is Meaningless

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:19:04 +0100

Hugh McGuire: Why "Self-Publishing" Is Meaningless

And now, a motivational message from our kitteh life coach. -...

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:49:41 +0100

And now, a motivational message from our kitteh life coach. - Boing Boing

Sincerely, John Hughes

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:32:38 +0100

Sincerely, John Hughes:

Lovely, lovely story

"There is no rational reason to expect property to always be a good investment"

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:53:13 +0100

““There is no rational reason to expect property to always be a good investment””

- The wishful thinking about house prices smacks of dotcom delusion - Telegraph

Picture Palace Campaign: support a cinema for Crystal Palace

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:48:28 +0100

Picture Palace Campaign: support a cinema for Crystal Palace:

“English Heritage has identified the triangle as an ‘at risk’ conservation area, as such, the sympathetic restoration of this building to its original community use would act as a catalyst for the rest of area”

Awful Library Books: Crafts for (the) retarded?

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:23:34 +0100

Awful Library Books: Crafts for (the) retarded?

Pasolini’s “The 3rd test match” (Monty Python)...

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:52:11 +0100

Pasolini’s “The 3rd test match” (Monty Python) (via vetery1)

Looks more like Luis Bunuel to me, but most amusing all the same.

"‘… only 13% of respondents correctly identified the code for London (“020”)..."

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:52:46 +0100

“‘… only 13% of respondents correctly identified the code for London (“020”) without prompting: 59% incorrectly identified it as “0207” or “0208” ‘”

- UK telephone code misconceptions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia