Rookie mistake

Early days, but we need to get over to the UK next year at some point, and it makes sense to tie it in with another trip to Europe that’s happening in 2023. It needs a bit of organisation, with our family being distributed liberally across the continent at some points, so I’m making a start on checking out our options now.

But then, I made the mistake of looking at potential flights and hotels without using Incognito Mode.

And now every single advert on every single site I visit on every single device I own (including the hoover) is for a flight or a hotel. Everywhere.

Yes, I could use an ad-blocker, but usually, I’m rarely bothered by ads, so I don’t have one of those. But I’m thinking of doing something to remedy that, given that there are Croatian hotels and flights to Slovenia.

I never even looked for those destinations, so not only are the ads annoying, they’re also inaccurate and unhelpful.

I’m an idiot to make such a foolish error, and I’m sharing this here so you don’t have to endure the same crap each time you go near an internet.

Tomtop

Let’s run through a quick backstory here.

New school year, new extra murals for the kids. But there’s bad news: the boy’s cooking class (which he loves) has been cancelled because there isn’t enough interest. Sad.
Instead though, because every cloud has a silver lining, he’s joined the Photography Club at school.  Chip off the old blog and all that…

An old camera is a helpful thing to have for this sort of thing and he’s extremely lucky in that I have kept my old Panasonic and my old Sony. Given the choice, it seems sensible to use the Sony, which is still a really good, solid bridge camera. The only issue being that I can’t find the charger (it does have a microUSB to charge through though, so still usable) and the one battery doesn’t hold charge as well as it did. Still, it’s more than fine for an eleven year old starting out at school Photography Club.

I wondered how much it would cost to get a new battery. Turns out that it’s fairly pricey everywhere, but there’s this Chinese online place called Tomtop which has a typically eclectic selection of goods at all too reasonable prices. I’d never heard of Tomtop, but two appropriate batteries and a charger were available for the princely sum of R150.33 including tracked shipping. Still too good to be true? Well, no issue if so because payment was via PayPal, meaning that I’m covered should this turn out to be a complete scam. Back of the net!

I’ll keep you informed as to any progress.

Inevitably though, there had to be a downside. Life, ne?
That downside is that the google ads on every webpage I visit are now Tomtop ads.

All of them feature the actual product that I purchased, which doesn’t really make sense to me, but to be honest, that all pales into complete and utter insignificance when you look at what else it’s suggesting that I should buy.

I don’t have the cleavage to carry off that bottom outfit.
I do have the legs for the LBD above it though.

But… but… the man praying in the big black genitalia suit?
Why on earth would I be interested in that sort of thing?

I’m an atheist.

Well, this is awkward…

When the Google ads on your blog post blatantly and unashamedly disagree with said blog post:

arc1

“Quality Cruises to Antarctica Amazing Wildlife and Scenery”

Yep. Also (with equally unacceptable grammar): “Free Penguins Easily Destroyed Moss Beds”.

Have you maybe considered Alaska as an alternative?

Any excuse: The horse care conundrum

Oops – incoming from @JacquesR:

This criticism is a bit rich from the guy whose blog’s google ads recently gave us Psychic Nora and her “shockingly accurate insights”.

As we’re all aware (Jacques included), psychics are complete bunkum and should be treated with disdain wherever possible. Horses though do require natural horse care, because they are lovely:

Disclaimer: I have no idea what that equine care link suggests, so I cannot endorse the contents in any way. I do, however, know all the words to My Lovely Horse.

Google Ads Cat’s Eye Love

Since my excitement over the wonderful new road-based traffic lights in Lower Buitengracht, my google ads (subtly placed all over the site for your clickthrough delectation) have been going crazy for all things cat’s eyes. The company that seems to have benefited most from this sudden new trend is NightSight LED products. It’s a niche market and I guess that these sort of ads are aimed more at technical websites in the construction sector. 
You know, the sort of people who should be blogging about cat’s eyes.
In the same way, the Korean marine safety products that google put all over the post on the Fishhoek shark attack were aimed at the shipping sector and not about a commentary on someone getting eaten in Fishhoek bay. (It’s worth pointing out that none of the Korean marine safety
products advertised would have helped the unfortunate swimmer, incidentally.)

NightSight have got some really odd stuff in their 2008 catalogue (which seems to be the most recent available).
For example, what is “fibreglass nosing”? 
They also have some awesome stuff: who in their right mind could resist the “Glow Mining  Helmet” or the concerningly-named “Solar Road Flares”? Not me – I’ve ordered several of each. 
This company is undoubtedly the first place you should visit before your next outing to a fancy dress party dressed as any sort of robot or individual with a shiny helmet. You’ll be the talk of the jol.

I’m going to start paying more attention to google ads from now on. Obviously, I’m not allowed to click through my own (nor can I suggest that you should either), but my new aim in life (apart from the obvious world domination thing) is to find the weirdest products advertised by google ads.

I would guess, from what I’ve seen so far,  that the competition will be quite stiff.