Google's Tom DeLay Problem

A quick one kids: Google's AdSense, which I experimented with on this page for a while, comes up with some insane "contextual" advertisements. Last week, I pointed out a wacky ad on Fred Wilson's site asking readers to bid on RSS feeds on eBay. Well, this week takes the cake on this blog: I blasted Republican heavy Tom DeLay and his pals for their cynical politicking over the Terri Schiavo case and here's what AdSense delivered:

Pray for Tom DeLay
Only prevailing prayer will protect him from his political enemies.
www.prayeralert.org

Clicking on it sends me a micropayment for referring readers, so what the Hell ... ooops, heck .... here's what we got:

Dear Christian Friend,

Thank you for visiting The Capitol Hill Prayer Alert Foundation Website.

If you are a Bible-believing Christian who takes prayer seriously, you are needed on the front lines in the war for our nation’s soul.

You know that ungodly forces are out to destroy America. They hate the Gospel and America’s Christian heritage. They want to remove the Biblical foundations from American law and government, the very moral roots that made ours a free nation & a light among the nations.

Well, it goes on. And you know, I'm sure there are many good people who want to remember the The Hammer in their prayers. Maybe he'll reform his evil ways. But ahem, my main point here is that AdSense delivers little value, certainly doesn't pay the bills (as per my buddy Pamela Parker), and is fast becoming a humor meme in the blogosphere for its insane matching algorithms. Say it again folks: good advertising takes the mind of a human.

Comments

[Tom K]

Those Christians, and their praying. Cracks me up every time.

[Cole]

You have to remember that the person who purchased whatever keyword is triggering an ad is probably happy with the ad's performance for their site AND the Google engine is happy with the performance of the ad.

Basically, if people are clicking, then the ad is a good ad. If people are clicking and then donating, then the ad is a great ad.

Just because it looks silly to us doesn't mean it isn't making money for someone.

[Jim]

I run Outsports.com, a site for gay sports fans and athletes, and our Google Ad Sense ads have sometimes been for sites that promise to "convert" gays to straights. This is offensive to our readers (and they let us know this) and so we must take the time to complain to Google to take these ads down. AdSense isn't all it's cracked up to be.

[Ralph]

Im supposed to comment on the silly adsense software, but of course, I find some bible-believing Christians to be impossible. They don't understand that a secular, pluralistic democratic republic was created for EVERYONE. If they want to start their own country and draft their own Bible-based government, then sure, take Utah or Montana or something - but leave us post-Enlightment citizens of the universe alone.