I have noticed that on occasion an ad appears on a website next to a story or inserted into the text of an article that could be construed as accidentally relating to the story.
The above screen shot is from the Washington Post story “Pentagon Rules Out Striking Iranian Cultural Sites, Contradicting Trump” with an ad for eating eggs to stay sharp after age 60 between a paragraph about Trump saying the United States identified 52 targets to represent the 53 Americans held hostage during the Iranian Hostage Crisis for 44 days between 1979 and 1981. I rather doubt Trump came up with this one. I suspect Stephen miller came up with it.
Choosing the number of targets for symbolic reasons rather than military reasons is pure Trump. Also pure Trump residence is having the Pentagon make the choice.
Oddly historians credit the hostage crisis wit the defeat of President Jimmy Carter and the election of Ronald Reagan, so Trump should be thanking the Iranians.
Then we have the “How to Stay Sharp After the Age of 60” ad followed by the statement Trump has been lambasted over about attacking sites which are important to Iran and the Iranian culture.
(I wish the media would refer to this as cultural and religious sites for impact, a point made in the Daily Beast article Biblical Sites, Ancient Wonders, the Last ‘Garden of Eden’: Here’s What Trump Just Threatened to Bomb in Iran.)
This statement first made by tweet and then in a comment was contradicted by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Monday who said "we will follow the laws of armed conflict" as they relate to the targeting of cultural sites, which is considered a war crime.” (CNN report) is referenced under the egg ad.
The ad rightly suggests that Trump needs to do something to stay sharp. Unsaid is that he needs to do something to stay both sharp and sane. Would it be so simple that he ate more of nature’s perfect food:
Excerpts related to Trump:
- Brain health: Eggs contain vitamins and minerals that are needed for the regular functioning of cells, including the brain, nervous system, memory, and metabolism. Nutrients contained within eggs are beneficial for brain cells and promote healthy brain function.
- Weight loss and maintenance: The high quality of protein within eggs might help keep people energized and feeling fuller for longer. Feeling full prevents snacking, which reduces overall calorie intake.
This isn't the first time that a website placed an ad between parts of a story with could be construed as an editorial comment. It isn't even the best. I posted some of these on my blog but I’m not inclined to go back and find them, but they were even more biting than this one. I assume such ads, probably by algorithms. I doubt a real person decides which ones go where. I assume there is an algorithm that picks ads based on what the computer knows about me, in this case that I am a senior citizen, and about my browsing habits, see Some websites can choose ads based on your browsing history.
Here’s a May 2016 article that recognizes the phenomenon of unfortunate or funny accidental ad placement: 26 of the most hilarious, unfortunate online ad placements.
Some are just amusing, others border on tragic, and this one throws shade on Donald Trump:
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This Salon story online today abut the madman “cosplay” (the practice of dressing up as a character from a movie, book, or video game) relates to my Daily Kos post from yesterday...
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“Donald Trump's new ‘fire and fury’: More madman cosplay, with no exit strategy — Getting played and exposed by Kim Jong-un wasn't enough. Now Trump will allow the Iranian regime to eat his lunch” by Bob Cesca is an important story about the most serious issue of Trump’s presidency, but by chance the ad I first saw could apply to Trump and provided some much needed amusement:
The inserted ad below from this article is interesting.
While the second, fourth, and fifth make sense, what are we to make of links to articles about losing abdominal weight and 5 signs of depression. The first is something Trump ought to read and heed, and the third is something which could be helpful to the rest of us here on Daily Kos.
When I was taking a two year break from college between my sophomore and Junior years and living the Manhattan I tried, and failed, to get a job in an advertising agency (in the mailroom where some people have started before moving up). I ended up working in a graduate school psychology library.
Ever since I read the Vance Packard best seller “The Hidden Persuaders” (right, the paperback I had available for $7 online) in high school I have been intrigued by advertising and the many ways people could be influenced in powerful yet subtle ways in their beliefs and decisions. This is obviously very relevant today as we endeavor to understand the power a cult leader like Trump has over his flock.
The Salon story also included several targeted ads aimed at Portland residents like me which aren’t like those which may influence someone on a less than conscious level. These ads are placed because cookies websites put on my computer reveal my location.