Houston, this is a joke. And I laughed: Google Content Blocker

Google’s mission is to organize the world’s advertising for maximum exposure to Web users. Unfortunately, annoying Web content often overwhelms the page, causing many users to become distracted and overlook the ads.

This reminds me of MAD magazine. That was my favorite magazine as a kid. Just checked their official website out for the very first time. I can’t believe I haven’t been here before. The site itself has not come into the internet age very well (not using Zinio for digital subscriptions? Just imagine being able to print out the full color foldable back page, now that would be cool!), but I did get a nostalgic MAD-like chuckle out of some of the messageboard posts like this one from somebody calling himself “Mediocre Man” who thinks his nickname being used in a recent MAD magazine was a violation of his copyright. Fans can subscribe to 14 issues for $16 USD. Nice price, at least.

MAD magazine could appeal to an older and younger audience if it simply started embracing the internet — c’mon Warner Brothers. Currently, they seem like they are trying to stubbornly hold onto an old print magazine model. Not every magazine is good to go digital, but definitely MAD could move forward and do so many cool things with a print and digital edition. Imagine a cool MAD members area (paid) with access to tons of past issue stuff? They could even make money some specialized MAD content to webmasters.

The missed opportunities!

• B12: Zinio to offer Wayport customers sample digital magazines
• HP to create digital magazines of Time Magazine’s entire archive
• Paper-thin TV screens from Siemens available in 2007
• Playboy via Zinio digital magazine in October
• Zinio annoyances include new Microsoft video ads
• How PC Magazine uses RSS