Photo Fun!

Inspired by my friend Mr. D's blog, I have spruced up my title with a snappy new picture.

The picture was cribbed from here and adjusted in MS Paint with my awesomely spectacular graphic design skills. If anyone who has actual graphic design skills wants to come up with something better, I would be much obliged.

Couple of other blog management type things, while we're on the topic:

1) I am vaguely considering switching the blog to Wordpress. There seem to be some better features over there that interest me. If anybody has thoughts on the relative merits of Wordpress vs. Blogger, or even just wants to tell me about the fantastic features of Wordpress, I'd be interested.

2) Ads. As I was implementing my title picture, I noticed a "Monetize" tab in the Blogger management screen. Since we in the U.S. are now all about monetization, I was intrigued. But, of course, I live to serve my readers, both of them. Would there be any sig. objections to my experimenting with the relatively run-of-the-mill Ad-Sense text ads? Please register objections in the comments to this post. Frankly, I'm interested to see what ads my rather specialized take on the world would draw...

CBS reads my blog... or my mind...

So I finished up watching last week's How I Met Your Mother on the web this morning and the ad selection this time around was much better. Rather than a 50-something selling me Viagra they had the hilarious set of ads of Neil Patrick Harris using his "former fake doctor" bona fides to sell me "prescription strength Old Spice -- without a prescription."

Using ads targeted to the same demographic as the show during which they air? Featuring the actor who performs the breakout character of the show? Much better.

I love those ads.

The episode, btw, was one of the best ever. And that's saying something.

"See you guys later, I've got to take a huge New Jersey."

I'm not that old, I swear...

So this morning I finally got around to watching last week's How I Met Your Mother. So far, it is hysterical. It's a whole episode about the rank prejudice that young New Yorkers have against New Jersey. Many of the jokes I and my friends have in fact made ourselves. Genius.

But here's the odd thing. I'm watching it on CBS's website, since I had a scheduling conflict and couldn't DVR it. On the website you get fewer ads but you can't skip them. So what was the ad? Viagra.

A show about 20-30 somethings that is designed to most appeal to 20-30 somethings serves up an ad for erectile dysfunction.

I remember the first time I saw a beer ad with a song I had actually bought. I realized that I had hit the age (not 21, btw) at which beer companies felt it was worth paying attention to what I like. But am I really at the age when ad companies feel I might be interested in Viagra?

I'd note that the guy in the ad was in his 50's at least. I'd bet good money that the over 50 audience for How I Met Your Mother could fit comfortably in my apartment. And the over 50 web audience could fit comfortably in my refrigerator. Which is not a full-size fridge.

good, good

A brief note to the creators, whoever you are, of the most annoying currently airing ad: the Wendy's ad for their warm chicken salad. The ad's main copy is as follows:

"If warm chicken tastes good... and cold, crunchy veggies taste good... wouldn't a warm chicken, cold, crunchy salad taste good good?"

The answer, in case anyone is so completely illiterate as to not know, is "Of course not, you blithering idiot." Adjectives in English are not increased in intensity by repetition. In fact, this is exactly the kind of linguistic habit that parents try to break small children of.

Thanks so much for simultaneously striking a blow against good grammar while polluting my favorite television shows with more vapid adverts for empty calories. The fact that you're advertising a salad does not make up for the assault on our language.

I sometimes wish I believed in hell so I could have the satisfaction of wishing it on the sorts of people who create these kinds of things. Alas, alas.