Thoughts on banner ads...

This http://blog.pelland.com/?tag=banner-ads got me thinking.  You guys really were doing a good job.  According to that article, the average click through rate is about 0.2%.  One of my blogs had about 500% click through a couple of times and each had about 100% click through- so I can see why AdSense thought something was fishy.   The article also confirmed my gut reaction- people don't really like banner ads.  According to the article, 94% of people dislike banners, just 1% less than the number of people who hate pop-up ads.  Wow.    So even if AdSense reactivates my account, I probably won't reactivate the ads.  I have a hard enough time keeping any semblance of respectabiltiy, I don't need to shoot myself in the foot on top of it.

Ads...

I've had a few emails this morning asking me what happened to my ads. My AdSense account has been disabled, but Google won't say why (it's a "trade secret").  I did submit a help request last week asking why I wasn't getting page impressions but I was seeing ad clicks- no response (surprise). I appealed the disabling of the account and we'll just have to see what happens.  I guess you folks were just -too- curious about the advertisers.   I may have to reinstate the paypal buttons.

The Mythbusters

The main members of Discovery Channel's Mythbusters, Jamie and Adam, have been basically blowing stuff up for years to test urban legends. The first season was geared toward the urban myth more than, well, each season since. Over the years they've tested lead balloons, underwater car escapes, many, many bullet and gun myths, and too many more to mention. I almost always question the validity of their method, but I'm generally entertained by the results.
As long as they keep blowing stuff up, these two moustachioed maestros of mayhem will keep being badasses.

Guy Fawkes

Remember remember the 5th of November- the gunpowder treason and plot...   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes

U.S. Offical who resigned over Afghan War- Matthew Hoh

This is Awesome.  You don't have to agree with the guy, but let's look at this.  He served as a Marine Captain in Iraq (and claims he enjoyed hearing about his unit "whacking a bunch of Iraqis") and now is the (former) Senior Civilian Representative for the U.S. Government in Zabul Province, Afghanistan.  His reasons- the people we're fighting don't want -anyone- else to be there, not even other Afghanis.  Nevermind the US who supports a "corrupt local government" (his words).  Also, this is a civil war that's at least 35 years old (see "Charlie Wilson's War for the Hollywoodized fict-history of the Russo-Afghan conflicts in the 80s).  I think you can hear his big brass 'uns clacking as he walks down the hall.    This story is all over the place right now.  BadassesWithMoustaches is cutting-freaking-edge on this story, but check someplace else for developments because I'm too busy/lazy to update this all that often.   Here's his 4 page resignation letter: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/hp/ssi/wpc/ResignationLetter.pdf?sid=ST2009102603447

Paul Haggis- "Crash" Director

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/crash39-director-paul-haggis-quits-scientology-ap I wasn't a huge fan of "Crash."  I thught it was a little schmaltzy and simplistic- so that's not why this guy gets a badass stamp of approval today.  Homeslice quit Scientology (sure, I'll capitalize it) which is, I hope, a sign of things to come for the "church" that isn't.  But more than that his reason for quitting: Scientology's stance against gay marriage.  Now it would have been awesome if he just said, "well, after 35 years I realized this was bullshit" but it may be better that he said (I paraphrase), "I can't sit idly by and let you guys consent to discrimination against gay people... it's especially hypocritical, because this town is known as a Mecca for gays, and my two sound guys have been together since before I started making movies."  So, no more Scientolo because of gay rights, plus a little face stubble in the pic equals the badass stamp of approval.

Abe Lincoln

No I didn't say "Hey Blinkin." It's Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president. He was born in a log cabin, but he didn't build it himself despite rumors to the contrary. He's on the $5 bill and the penny. He wouldn't let the Confederates take federal property (Fort Sumter) so they decided to start the Civil War. Then he emancipated slaves who were still in the South (which is to say the first declaration was kinda meaningless and shifted the focus for most people onto the issue of slavery instead of states' rights). He did manage to save the Union (with a little help from Grant and Sherman and a few hundred thousand soldiers) and was killed the same week that Lee surrendered.


Interesting trivia: was acutely aware of how goofy he looked, especially at 6'4 and wirey as a pipe cleaner. Is said to have had a high pitched voice. Was socially inept and was prone to telling off color jokes while amongst polite society (awesome). He is said to have enjoyed watching wrestling. He completed the equivalent of a 9th century online degree- he was mostly self taught and became a lawyer. We get a day off from work and school to commemorate his birthday.

Verdict: 100% badass.