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Groundspeak is all about the $$$?


DCWarrior

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Why is this even being debated???? If you want a free lunch, go to the other sites.

 

There are other sites for those who don't like the way this one operates, however what do the the users do after they found both caches?

 

At the rate the whiners cache there should be a third one placed by then.

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To me this is a contradictary subject. While I agree that Groundspeak is about the $$$, I expect any business to want to grow and earn money. On the other side, I feel that geocaching is much better as a niche hobby, and a lot of the business decisions are not good for the hobby that I like and it is becoming a hobby that is getting harder and harder for me to enjoy as much. The pmo cache option has actually helped some of my angst. I resisted them for a long time, then finally switched all mine over and would not go back.

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Why is this even being debated???? If you want a free lunch, go to the other sites.

 

There are other sites for those who don't like the way this one operates, however what do the the users do after they found both caches?

 

I don't know.. maybe move on with life? Or stick around here and stop the whining.

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There's no doubt that Jeremy and others want to make money. From the interview with Elias above, you can tell that making big bucks wasn't the first thing on their mind. However, and i think in most cases, with success comes that bit of greed. They're going to push some things out there that may make them more money.

 

On that note,, i am recently noticing the different ads that come up on cache pages (while signed in as a premium member). The geocaching related ads didn't bother me too much but now i'm getting larger ads that have nothing to do with caching.

 

The latest was this: We don't want younger men, we want older men like you. Something to that affect. It also included 4 or 5 pictures of women showing alot of cleavage. While this in itself doesn't bother me as a whole :P , it's something i don't expect to see on geocaching.com.

 

I guess there could be something else going on that is causing this, like a bug on my computer or something. I don't think so myself and if not, then yes, Groundspeak is pushing this which indicates to me that they are trying another tactic to make still more money.

 

Not sure if we're talking about the same thing, but I have noticed ads that are "local" to me within just the past week or so. Obviously, this is done by IP address, and I've seen "local" ads directed at me on distant websites all over the internets for years, just not here until last week. No cleavage yet, but believe me, I'll be looking for that. :ph34r:

 

Just saw one with major cleavage yesterday for the first time, maybe its been there before but I never noticed, definately wasn't expecting to see anything like that on geocaching.com

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There's no doubt that Jeremy and others want to make money. From the interview with Elias above, you can tell that making big bucks wasn't the first thing on their mind. However, and i think in most cases, with success comes that bit of greed. They're going to push some things out there that may make them more money.

 

On that note,, i am recently noticing the different ads that come up on cache pages (while signed in as a premium member). The geocaching related ads didn't bother me too much but now i'm getting larger ads that have nothing to do with caching.

 

The latest was this: We don't want younger men, we want older men like you. Something to that affect. It also included 4 or 5 pictures of women showing alot of cleavage. While this in itself doesn't bother me as a whole :P , it's something i don't expect to see on geocaching.com.

 

I guess there could be something else going on that is causing this, like a bug on my computer or something. I don't think so myself and if not, then yes, Groundspeak is pushing this which indicates to me that they are trying another tactic to make still more money.

 

Not sure if we're talking about the same thing, but I have noticed ads that are "local" to me within just the past week or so. Obviously, this is done by IP address, and I've seen "local" ads directed at me on distant websites all over the internets for years, just not here until last week. No cleavage yet, but believe me, I'll be looking for that. :ph34r:

 

Just saw one with major cleavage yesterday for the first time, maybe its been there before but I never noticed, definately wasn't expecting to see anything like that on geocaching.com

Somebody gotta' pick that cotton and pay the bills. Pop ups worry me because you have to click on something, but I haven't noticed those with Groundspeak yet. Haven't paid any attention at all except for those Maxpediton bags. I think I' gonna' have to have one of those,

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Just went to my geocaching.com search page and the first ad on the right side was one for "Xfinity". Refeshed a few times to get "AAA" and "Autotrader" ads. So far, no cleavage today. :huh:

 

Don't know how to post the image here but they come out looking just like the one posted in Mr Yuck's reply above.

 

Anyways, i understand that Groundspeak is here to make money. I realize that i don't have to click on them but i still dislike seeing these types of ads come up on the site. I may be wrong but i thought one of the benefits of being a premium member was to not be subjected the ads.

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Just went to my geocaching.com search page and the first ad on the right side was one for "Xfinity". Refeshed a few times to get "AAA" and "Autotrader" ads. So far, no cleavage today. :huh:

 

Don't know how to post the image here but they come out looking just like the one posted in Mr Yuck's reply above.

 

Anyways, i understand that Groundspeak is here to make money. I realize that i don't have to click on them but i still dislike seeing these types of ads come up on the site. I may be wrong but i thought one of the benefits of being a premium member was to not be subjected the ads.

 

One place where those big non-geocaching ads consistently show up is in the results page of any "search for caches near your home location" request. Most other pages that have ads seem to still be geocaching related.

 

5ad254ab-9ddf-4a04-a9ae-d9cbe25bf76f.jpg?rnd=0.8823889

Edited by cheech gang
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Wild. I suspect you guys have some sort of virus. I refreshed a couple of gc.com pages about a hundred times and never saw any ad that wasn't geocaching related. No cars. No computers. No cleavage.

 

Cheech Gang is on to something. It's search pages. I just did a zip code search, and got the same Overstock ad. Any search will do; nearby caches from a cache page, etc...

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Wild. I suspect you guys have some sort of virus. I refreshed a couple of gc.com pages about a hundred times and never saw any ad that wasn't geocaching related. No cars. No computers. No cleavage.

 

I find it more likely that Groundspeak has opted to place Google AdSense on specific pages as a revenue stream. I could be wrong (I was wrong once in 1988 and again in 2003, so I'm due). Have you looked at the specific pages I referenced?

 

BTW, I get it in both IE and Firefox

Edited by cheech gang
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So was this post more about ads being on search pages rather than ground speak being all about the $$$ ?

 

Why don't people grind their axes against what they are actually annoyed about? Jeesh!

 

Shaun

Paying members don't like ads on their pages. Groundspeak added ads on the pages to make money. Ergo GS is all about the $$$. It's not complicated.

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Paying members don't like ads on their pages. Groundspeak added ads on the pages to make money.

There are free Ad Blockers for all major browsers these days. They are simple to install. If someone doesn't like ads, they should do something about it instead of sitting there bitching. Install an Ad Blocker and 1) you won't see the ads, and 2) no one will make any money from the ads. It's not complicated.

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I don't use IE but decided to open up IE to see if the overstock ad on the side is there. Sure enough, I did a search of my area for caches and the overstock ad was there. Also a shop Groundspeak ad on another page. I don't see it on Firefox or Google Chrome because I run adblock on it. At least I know I can buy one of those remote helicopters for $14 on overstock. <_<

 

Reloaded up the page and now I get an ad for cenegentics featuring a 70 year old man photoshopped into a 29 year old body.

Edited by gpsblake
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Paying members don't like ads on their pages. Groundspeak added ads on the pages to make money.

There are free Ad Blockers for all major browsers these days. They are simple to install. If someone doesn't like ads, they should do something about it instead of sitting there bitching. Install an Ad Blocker and 1) you won't see the ads, and 2) no one will make any money from the ads. It's not complicated.

I was focusing on the apparent lack of understanding of the correlation between $$$ and ads. I was not bitching about the ads themselves. :laughing:

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Tell me where that bridge is going to be. I would like to put an ammo can under it's base.

 

Thanks,

Shaun

GS/reviewers won't approve it...at least that is what they keep telling me! ;-)

 

Glad to hear it's an ammo can & not a leaky plastic thing. Permission granted, as long as it's a small bridge.

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Caches are placed and maintained by individual people that play the game, premium or not. Those people choose to have a premium membership or not, and then those that choose a premium membership choose whether to make the caches they place premium or not. Groundspeak never forces anyone to make those choices. They just give the opportunity to do so as an "extra".

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Wild. I suspect you guys have some sort of virus. I refreshed a couple of gc.com pages about a hundred times and never saw any ad that wasn't geocaching related. No cars. No computers. No cleavage.

 

I find it more likely that Groundspeak has opted to place Google AdSense on specific pages as a revenue stream. I could be wrong (I was wrong once in 1988 and again in 2003, so I'm due). Have you looked at the specific pages I referenced?

 

BTW, I get it in both IE and Firefox

 

^^^This :lol: nicely done

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I realize that i don't have to click on them but i still dislike seeing these types of ads come up on the site. I may be wrong but i thought one of the benefits of being a premium member was to not be subjected the ads.

I guess it would be nice. Maybe. I just don't 'see' the ads. It's kinda' like walking the og on garbage day. There are bags of garbage out but I just don't really pay attention.

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I realize that i don't have to click on them but i still dislike seeing these types of ads come up on the site. I may be wrong but i thought one of the benefits of being a premium member was to not be subjected the ads.

I guess it would be nice. Maybe. I just don't 'see' the ads. It's kinda' like walking the dog on garbage day. There are bags of garbage out but I just don't really pay attention.

 

[/whiny mode ON] Except that it is garbage day every day. [/whiny mode OFF]

Edited by cheech gang
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Not whining, at least too much, here. Just noting my observation that there are now larger ads showing up on my geocaching pages, that have nothing to do with geocaching, which go along with the premise that geocaching is trying to make more money, which therefore has something to do with the title of this thread.

 

The little bit of whining i am doing is because i do not wish to see an R rated "dating service" type website advertised on geocaching.com. <_<

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Too many whiny threads on the forum. I think y'all should go out and find some caches.

 

That's the thing, the whiners are not the ones out there finding caches, just in here whining.

 

That was brutal, Mrs. I. Did Roman hack your account and post that? :P I don't even get it. Who's whining? For me, someone mentioned ads (and cleavage), and I noted that I just recently started seeing IP address based ads that are "local" to me, and I posted one. And Millions of people all over the internets use ad blockers. I hardly think they need to be told to go outside and get fresh air. :)

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I realize that i don't have to click on them but i still dislike seeing these types of ads come up on the site. I may be wrong but i thought one of the benefits of being a premium member was to not be subjected the ads.

I guess it would be nice. Maybe. I just don't 'see' the ads. It's kinda' like walking the dog on garbage day. There are bags of garbage out but I just don't really pay attention.

 

[/whiny mode ON] Except that it is garbage day every day. [/whiny mode OFF]

This is one area where although it doesn't really bother me, I don't think it is unreasonable for premium members to expect no ads. I think there are more important things, but it's not unreasonable. Many apps are fully functional and you pay to get rid of the ads.

 

Maybe garbage day isn't the best analogy. How about the stink involved in cleaning up after my Golden Retiever? Don't like it, the dog seems to be able to manage something no matter how often we go out and there isn't anything i can do about it. So it becomes white noise.

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I started geocaching with a $25 gps I bought off of craigslist. Garmin 72. I still have it and it will still works. I cached for probably more than 6 months and then decided this was something I was going to stick with and bought a premium membership. I will say this if one truly can't afford a $30 a year fee for premium membership perhaps you should not be worried about that fee. Indeed paying heating and food bills would take precedence. Now having said that I bet most of the people complaining about this have cable tv in their homes and a second car etc.. this is not about "poor" it is about someone wanting something for nothing and whining about it.

 

Chris

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...

So, if you are one of these people I'm describing, can you explain to me better what your issues are? Just an honest question because I don't understand the problem. Or maybe others can give a guess at what these people are thinking.

 

In a nutshell I'd rather see an organization of cachers like the NSS manage cache listings, and work with landowners on this activity. It actually has very little to do with my opinion of Groundspeak since on the whole I think they do a pretty good job.

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Too many whiny threads on the forum. I think y'all should go out and find some caches.

 

That's the thing, the whiners are not the ones out there finding caches, just in here whining.

 

That was brutal, Mrs. I. Did Roman hack your account and post that? :P I don't even get it. Who's whining? For me, someone mentioned ads (and cleavage), and I noted that I just recently started seeing IP address based ads that are "local" to me, and I posted one. And Millions of people all over the internets use ad blockers. I hardly think they need to be told to go outside and get fresh air. :)

 

Adsense ads are extremely intelligent and able to show ads based on the location and browsing habits of an individual. I do have a few theories why you are seeing "cleavage" ads, actually I only have one theory.

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Too many whiny threads on the forum. I think y'all should go out and find some caches.

 

That's the thing, the whiners are not the ones out there finding caches, just in here whining.

 

That was brutal, Mrs. I. Did Roman hack your account and post that? :P I don't even get it. Who's whining? For me, someone mentioned ads (and cleavage), and I noted that I just recently started seeing IP address based ads that are "local" to me, and I posted one. And Millions of people all over the internets use ad blockers. I hardly think they need to be told to go outside and get fresh air. :)

 

Adsense ads are extremely intelligent and able to show ads based on the location and browsing habits of an individual. I do have a few theories why you are seeing "cleavage" ads, actually I only have one theory.

 

NO!!! I have not seen a cleavage ad!! I would like to though. :o Mrs. Yuck, with me as the "co-buyer", did in fact buy a Subaru (Forester) a week before Christmas, and we were all over the Subaru website in early December. I've seen, I would assume adsense ads, all over the internet from Amazon.com, pimping the last items I looked at on that website. Hasn't happened here though.

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Too many whiny threads on the forum. I think y'all should go out and find some caches.

 

That's the thing, the whiners are not the ones out there finding caches, just in here whining.

 

That was brutal, Mrs. I. Did Roman hack your account and post that? :P I don't even get it. Who's whining? For me, someone mentioned ads (and cleavage), and I noted that I just recently started seeing IP address based ads that are "local" to me, and I posted one. And Millions of people all over the internets use ad blockers. I hardly think they need to be told to go outside and get fresh air. :)

 

Adsense ads are extremely intelligent and able to show ads based on the location and browsing habits of an individual. I do have a few theories why you are seeing "cleavage" ads, actually I only have one theory.

 

Beer ads?

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Too many whiny threads on the forum. I think y'all should go out and find some caches.

 

That's the thing, the whiners are not the ones out there finding caches, just in here whining.

 

That was brutal, Mrs. I. Did Roman hack your account and post that? :P I don't even get it. Who's whining? For me, someone mentioned ads (and cleavage), and I noted that I just recently started seeing IP address based ads that are "local" to me, and I posted one. And Millions of people all over the internets use ad blockers. I hardly think they need to be told to go outside and get fresh air. :)

 

Adsense ads are extremely intelligent and able to show ads based on the location and browsing habits of an individual. I do have a few theories why you are seeing "cleavage" ads, actually I only have one theory.

 

I have seen ads related to my web surfing come up on a few websites that i visited. For instance, after researching new automobiles, i would notice the banner below my aol email box flash car advertisements. I was trying to figure out the older women cleavage ad and the only thing i could come up with was that i had made a Sophia Loren search the other day. :o

 

No matter, i still don't think this should come up on the geocaching site.

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Too many whiny threads on the forum. I think y'all should go out and find some caches.

 

That's the thing, the whiners are not the ones out there finding caches, just in here whining.

 

That was brutal, Mrs. I. Did Roman hack your account and post that? :P I don't even get it. Who's whining? For me, someone mentioned ads (and cleavage), and I noted that I just recently started seeing IP address based ads that are "local" to me, and I posted one. And Millions of people all over the internets use ad blockers. I hardly think they need to be told to go outside and get fresh air. :)

 

Adsense ads are extremely intelligent and able to show ads based on the location and browsing habits of an individual. I do have a few theories why you are seeing "cleavage" ads, actually I only have one theory.

 

I have seen ads related to my web surfing come up on a few websites that i visited. For instance, after researching new automobiles, i would notice the banner below my aol email box flash car advertisements. I was trying to figure out the older women cleavage ad and the only thing i could come up with was that i had made a Sophia Loren search the other day. :o

 

No matter, i still don't think this should come up on the geocaching site.

 

I'm not judging, you should see the ads I see :lol:

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I find it more likely that Groundspeak has opted to place Google AdSense on specific pages as a revenue stream.

I doubt they are Google Ads (Adsense) as they basically are only pay per click. A large site like this likely can pull for rates based on impressions. High page rank and such being what it is for Geocaching.com URL,

 

Too many whiny threads on the forum. I think y'all should go out and find some caches.

The correlation between posting here and finding caches is not linked. Even the high number finders are posting here. Many post in off hours, between chores, etc. It takes only a couple minutes to get caught up versus going out and caching. Or, if like me, on the computer doing tasks (like exporting videos, etc.) and can post but can't leave the computer/office).

 

 

I realize that i don't have to click on them but i still dislike seeing these types of ads come up on the site. I may be wrong but i thought one of the benefits of being a premium member was to not be subjected the ads.

I guess it would be nice. Maybe. I just don't 'see' the ads. It's kinda' like walking the dog on garbage day. There are bags of garbage out but I just don't really pay attention.

 

[/whiny mode ON] Except that it is garbage day every day. [/whiny mode OFF]

This is one area where although it doesn't really bother me, I don't think it is unreasonable for premium members to expect no ads. I think there are more important things, but it's not unreasonable. Many apps are fully functional and you pay to get rid of the ads.

 

Maybe garbage day isn't the best analogy. How about the stink involved in cleaning up after my Golden Retiever? Don't like it, the dog seems to be able to manage something no matter how often we go out and there isn't anything i can do about it. So it becomes white noise.

I am fine with ads. I certainly think premium members having an expectation of no ads is reasonable too. That is how 90% of forums operate (in some level if not completely). Granted this isn't just a forum we're speaking of. Actually I think ads in the forum would be better than on the cache pages.

 

However, the problem with removing ads from premium members is that a majority of active members are premium members. Overall, the balance of removing ads for pms but increasing them for non-pms is that most non-pms are light users.

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After browsing this thread, I've just been on an ad hunt...

 

The only ads I see anywhere on geocaching.com are small ads (top right corner) for geocaching related stuff with links to Groundspeak shop.

 

Here on the forums, on Groundspeak.com, I haven't found one ad.

 

I feel I'm missing out... :unsure:

 

 

MrsB

 

(And MrB tells me that we haven't got any type of Ad blocker on this PC)

Edited by The Blorenges
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http://www.geocaching.com/about/advertising.aspx

 

I've searched, found plenty of ads, and according to the page above, they should be "related" to geocaching, but I've seen them stretch it.

 

Also note the stats they mention on the page. That is A LOT of page hits and 'uniques'.

 

I haven't (yet) seen ads on the YT channel, but that come down the pipeline before long. I haven't checked the other outlets (twitter, flickr, facebook)

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I find it more likely that Groundspeak has opted to place Google AdSense on specific pages as a revenue stream.

I doubt they are Google Ads (Adsense) as they basically are only pay per click. A large site like this likely can pull for rates based on impressions. High page rank and such being what it is for Geocaching.com URL,

 

A. The ads in question are only on the results page from a cache search.

B. If you are using an adblocker they will not show up.

C. They may only be in effect in the US

D. IF you see one and click on the little blue triangle on the upper right corner it will take you to the GOOGLE ADSENSE information page, that is why I assumed they were AdSense

E. I am not whining, only attempting to state what I think are facts.

F. Someone earlier said we might have a virus, I am only pointing out my feeling that these are placed here intentionally by Groundspeak. I have not yet expressed any opinion regarding these ads.

 

8dc642c4-d747-464c-b46e-f8d7fe5200e3.jpg?rnd=0.8007427

Edited by cheech gang
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Too many whiny threads on the forum. I think y'all should go out and find some caches.

 

That's the thing, the whiners are not the ones out there finding caches, just in here whining.

 

That was brutal, Mrs. I. Did Roman hack your account and post that? :P I don't even get it. Who's whining? For me, someone mentioned ads (and cleavage), and I noted that I just recently started seeing IP address based ads that are "local" to me, and I posted one. And Millions of people all over the internets use ad blockers. I hardly think they need to be told to go outside and get fresh air. :)

 

Adsense ads are extremely intelligent and able to show ads based on the location and browsing habits of an individual. I do have a few theories why you are seeing "cleavage" ads, actually I only have one theory.

 

Beer ads?

 

I seem to recall a photo that was posted here a few times that featured both beer and cleavage.

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In a nutshell I'd rather see an organization of cachers like the NSS manage cache listings, and work with landowners on this activity. It actually has very little to do with my opinion of Groundspeak since on the whole I think they do a pretty good job.

 

Hey I used to be a caver. Then I discovered geocaching, and really haven't been out in a cave too much since then.

 

But many of the caves I've done in my area seem to be on Amish farmland. The Amish farmers are friendly and don't have a problem with cavers entering their property as long as they know about it. I seriously doubt they, or many other land owners, want to have the NSS involved. I could be wrong though, especially if there is some legal protection that the NSS gives them.

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Too many whiny threads on the forum. I think y'all should go out and find some caches.

 

That's the thing, the whiners are not the ones out there finding caches, just in here whining.

 

That was brutal, Mrs. I. Did Roman hack your account and post that? :P I don't even get it. Who's whining? For me, someone mentioned ads (and cleavage), and I noted that I just recently started seeing IP address based ads that are "local" to me, and I posted one. And Millions of people all over the internets use ad blockers. I hardly think they need to be told to go outside and get fresh air. :)

 

Adsense ads are extremely intelligent and able to show ads based on the location and browsing habits of an individual. I do have a few theories why you are seeing "cleavage" ads, actually I only have one theory.

 

Beer ads?

 

I seem to recall a photo that was posted here a few times that featured both beer and cleavage.

 

I know it was a stretch. After all, so few beer ads feature cleavage. :rolleyes:

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A. The ads in question are only on the results page from a cache search.

B. If you are using an adblocker they will not show up.

C. They may only be in effect in the US

D. IF you see one and click on the little blue triangle on the upper right corner it will take you to the GOOGLE ADSENSE information page, that is why I assumed they were AdSense

E. I am not whining, only attempting to state what I think are facts.

F. Someone earlier said we might have a virus, I am only pointing out my feeling that these are placed here intentionally by Groundspeak. I have not yet expressed any opinion regarding these ads.

 

8dc642c4-d747-464c-b46e-f8d7fe5200e3.jpg?rnd=0.8007427

 

OK - Now you've explained where they are I've found them. Yes, I can see them on the cache search pages.

 

MrsB :)

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