It always amuses me when sites use targeted geographic advertising. Since I live in a somewhat rural location, the only high speed access option outside of Pentagon level satellite service (requiring a Pentagon level budget to finance) is cable. Our provider has a few hubs that we get routed through, depending on general volume. I won’t go into level of service (or lack thereof) at this point, but what I find interesting is the ads that certain sites serve me based on the hub. I can meet lonely singles or find a barbershop or check movie times or browse menus for all sorts of distant towns. And that wouldn’t be such a big deal if the ads weren’t so poorly written as to make assumptions about my proximity to these services. And since I’m not in the mood to drive 50 or 60 miles to get my dog groomed (not mention that I don’t have a dog) it makes the advertiser seem like a bit of a doofus.

When I VPN to work it gets even better because I may be connecting through the network hub of any one of several offices we have around the country. So I get so-called targeted messages like great barbecue in San Antonio, local house cleaning services Cary NC or best babysitters in Norfolk. Technology – ain’t it grand.