Internet advertising sucks. I have to admit it has made me a few bucks in the past, but regardless of that it still sucks. WeÂ’ve mostly grown to accept banner ads, and even the occasional popup ad which we usually rapidly close. However, thereÂ’s a deeper, meaner breed of internet advertising on the prowl.

I just recently noticed, while checking my PayPal balance of $0, that an ad for a casino popped up. Well, damn I thought. PayPal doesnÂ’t have lame ads like that. In fact, PayPal doesnÂ’t have any ads. So my engine got rollinÂ’ and my brain started smoking.

Then I found it. There was this neat little fucker running in the background called ‘wnad.exe’. So, what does this little bastard do you ask? Let me run down what I’ve found out in a short little while;

• It automatically updates itself
• It contacts the mother ship, suspected to be www.rankyou.com/wnad/ (there's nothing there)
• It spawns your web browser (itÂ’s even AOL compatible, thatÂ’s impressive) and loads up an ad for various things.
• IÂ’m not quite sure if itÂ’s viral like, if it propagates itself or not. So I submitted it to Symantec, hopefully theyÂ’ll get back to me and add this little program to their virus list. I think it should be, itÂ’s just that. Unwanted, inconvenient, and annoying.

Where did it come from?

It came from a Twisted Humor download. And guess what? Anybody who downloads a Twisted Humor file and installs it is agreeing to have this software installed.

“4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ADVERTISING CONTENT AND DISTRIBUTION

You acknowledge that the Osama Software includes added software and technology which allows Lions Pride Enterprises, Inc. to provide advertising content directly to your computer. By installing, downloading, copying, or otherwise using the Osama Software, you specifically agree to include the noted software and technology through which Lions Pride Enterprises, Inc., its subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, divisions, and clients provide advertising content to your computer. You acknowledge that you desire to receive advertising content, if any, from Lions Pride Enterprises, Inc., its subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, divisions, and clients. You acknowledge that you desire to receive advertising content as a condition to using the Osama Software. This software may update itself automatically if a newer version is released.”

Hello, boycott time. There’s limits, and when you uninstall a software package you expect everything that was installed with it to vanish as well. This little “addition” does not vanish, in fact it runs and runs and runs.

Now itÂ’s time for a rapid rant;

Twisted Humor; I guess the advertising on your website and news letters just isnÂ’t enough eh? ItÂ’s paying you so little that youÂ’ve got to assault people with this crap. I mean your flashing banners and your popups arenÂ’t enough, that youÂ’ve gotta degrade your delivery methods to this? Give me a break, you guys are pathetic. This is a violation of trust, you of all people should know that nobody reads license agreements. If everybody read them weÂ’d all be so damn uptight your service would be dead in a day.

Lions Pride Enterprises, Inc. (aka rankyou.com aka twisted humor's owner): Suck my balls. You’re in the same pathetic little boat as your little sibling company. Yeah, I’m on to you like a bad case of herpes. If I ever see a company using your “EyeGrab” ads, I will kick their asses too.

So, my furry little friends (thatÂ’s you, the readers!). HavenÂ’t you been pushed enough? I think itÂ’s time for you to use your fingers and start sending complaints to sites that push you to the limit. These little corporations think they can hide behind their dot commie name since they donÂ’t actually have to face the public. Well, this is the public and theyÂ’re gonna face us.

Right?

Now click on my ads so I can pay my bills! At least I donÂ’t install stuff on your computer!