‘What’s Happened to Adsense?’ Goes the Silent, Unheralded Cry of Impoverished Web Publishers Everywhere
In a quainter, more peaceful age, when neighbors greeted each other, men wore top hats, and fruit grew on trees, a select group of web publishers eked out a living, or at least found a noticeable, if not hefty chunk of change in their pockets, thanks in no small part to Google Adsense.
But then came the Wall Street Wreck of September 2008, and since that time earnings from Adsense seem to have fallen faster than Bill Clinton’s pants upon the introduction of a new staff intern. Revenues in the Chortler Media Empire have declined substantially, to the stage where we ask ourselves: “What is the point of Adsense?” Is it is merely a slightly better alternative to affiliate marketing programs, or is there still something to it? In other words, is Adsense the Barack Obama of the online advertising world, ie, disappointing and lackluster but better than the alternatives?
Apparently, we are not the only ones feeling a Google-ly pinch. In fact, a quick search of the famed search engine shows that a myriad of publishers are seeing their earnings trickle down drop by meager drop.
Message boards for online publishers these days are afire with irate and frustrated webmasters lamenting the ever-diminishing size of their monthly check from Mountain View.
Here’s hoping better days are ahead for those who bring us the World Wide Web.
Stereotypical Europe: How True Are the Myths?
Traveling around Europe you would expect to run into some stereotypes, but do Germans really work harder than everyone else and do the French always smell of garlic because they are such amazing cooks? We investigate the top five European myths to see if they really are true:
Are We the Only Ones Who Find the Sale of Barack Toilet Paper Amusing?
Two years ago we took snaps of Barack Toilet Paper on sale in Hungary. (The photos can be viewed here.) And every year since we have made it a tradition of making a mention of the topic.
The product has nothing to do with the present occupant of the White House Barack Obama. Instead, it is merely a reference to the Hungarian word for peach (oszibarack), or perhaps apricot (sargabarack).
So, Barack Toilet Paper is merely a product for those Magyars who like to add a fruit-scented element to their daily personal hygiene.
And there is something about that which always makes us laugh.
Scripophily’s Super Saturday
The other day in an attempt to rejuvenate my Spanish knowledge, I came across this piece by EFE about the first share of Lehman Brothers selling at an auction in Würzburg, Germany for 24,000 euros or $33,000, or millions of times more than the paper is actually worth.
The auction was handled by HWPH, an association for those interested in the collection of historical certificates, stocks, bonds and other financial history — or scripophily.
According to the HWPH website, the certificate for the company which has served as the poster child of the current financial crisis was issued to former Lehman CEO Richard Fuld, Jr and once hung in his office.
Numbered LB0001 and dated May 31, 1994, the certificate is 20.3 x 30.4 cm and shows vignettes of company founders Mayer and Emanuel Lehman.
Bids opened at 5,000 euros.
Odds of Euro Collapse 33/1 Before End of 2011, According to British Bookmaker
In less than 60 days we shall bid adieu to 2011 and welcome in a new year. Yet that does not preclude the possibility of some heated events transpiring between now and the time European leaders head off to their winter skiing holidays.
One of which is the — albeit remote – possibility that the euro may be no more by the time we ring in 2012. Today Ladbrokes, the British bookmaker, produced odds of 33/1 for such an eventuality.
A more likely scenario is Greece being the first to exit the common currency of the continent. The struggling Aegean nation is 1/5 to throw in the towel on the euro at some point and 5/1 to bring back the drachma before the end of the year, according to Ladbrokes.
Italy at 5/1 is the next most probable country to leave the euro, in the odds provided by Ladbrokes, followed by Portugal at 6/1. Spain, Ireland and France are all 10/1 to call it quits.
“The future’s looking pretty bleak for Greece. It’s now odds-on they announce it’s over this year and we can’t rule out any neighbours going with them,” Alex Donohue of Ladbrokes said.
“We may well have to pay winning punters back in Drachma,” he added.
