Once and for all: How to stop the iVillage ad onslaught. First we need to understand how it's done: iVillage doesn't bother to try and buy ads directly from all the various companies that show up on the pages of GW. Instead they use large ad-service agencies like doubleclick, akamai and pointroll. You can visit some of these sites if you'd like to see who's behind the ads. http://www.akamai.com http://www.doubleclick.com/us http://pointroll.com This makes it easy to block out all or almost all of the ads very easily, just block the originating sites. Right now all the ads on GW come from: http://amch.questionmarket.com http://a820.g.akamai.net http://iv.doubleclick.net http://i.ivillage.com http://m.2mdn.net http://tste.ivillage.com http://img-cdn.mediaplex.com http://ads.vmirror.com http://cmhtml.ivillage.overture.com http://ads.pointroll.com The Universal Solution.This will work on Windows systems for all browsers; IE, FireFox and Netscape. The Windows operating system provides a system-level method to block specific IP addresses before they even get to the browser. To effect this solution you need to edit a Windows system file called hosts. This file is located in the directory: Windows XP: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC Windows 2K: C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC Windows 98: C:\WINDOWS Open the file in Notepad. Cut the following from this post and paste it to the end of the file. 127.0.0.1 amch.questionmarket.com 127.0.0.1 a820.g.akamai.net 127.0.0.1 iv.doubleclick.net 127.0.0.1 i.ivillage.com 127.0.0.1 m.2mdn.net 127.0.0.1 tste.ivillage.com 127.0.0.1 img-cdn.mediaplex.com 127.0.0.1 ads.vmirror.com 127.0.0.1 cmhtml.ivillage.overture.com 127.0.0.1 ads.pointroll.com Edit each entry so that there is a tab between the IP address 127.0.0.1 and the URLs. Save the file and you're finished. Close and re-open your browser and all the ads will be gone. Unfortunately, iVillage may in the future buy ads from a new source. In this event the new ad source will have to be added to the list. The IE solution.Most of the ads are placed using Java$cript. You can remove the more offensive ads in IE with the browser settings. You can't however remove them all. To improve GW using IE do the following: From the menu select Tools -> Internet Options -> Security and click on Custom Level. Scroll down to the end of the list and you'll see an entry for Scripting. Disable all the sub-entries. Now select the tab labeled Privacy. In the bottom of the box that appears check on the option to block pop-ups. I recommend you also click on the button Advanced and select the option to block Third-party Cookies. NOTE: By disabling Scripting you will also effect the way other websites behave. You may need to get used to switching scripting on and off as desired. That's why this is the least desirable of these various options. The FireFox solutionThis is an excellent choice -- it's the fastest...

bronwynsmom...I am getting the pop ups also and they get in the way of my trying to change from one forum to another! Annoying YES...I even have a program that usually blocks pop-ups, but not here. I imagine it is sanctioned by GW as a form of money making advertisement. Just my guess, but I think they do have control over it and that they have choosen to have them. Good seeing you !

Open your FF extension list/click on Options under AdBlock Plus/Filters/Add Filter Subscription/View All Subscriptions At this point you can cancel out of the preference box. A page of subscriptions will show the various lists. The two that were recommended to me (USA) was EasyElement + EasyList. Click on the filters you want, a box will pop up to add the filter, hit OK. ABP is updated to include these filters. I think you have to restart FF for this to take effect. Monica

This has literally been the most annoying thing I've ever dealt with on the Internet. EVER. & I weathered prodigy as a teenage girl. I just signed up so I wouldn't have to deal with the horrid grey screen that pops up right when I'm finding the answer to a question. Every time. Then scroll back to the top try to click no thank you. Have to reload because that doesn't work only to have it happen again. I really didn't want to sign up I didn't want this awfully disgusting shameful advertising to work. But alas I love my garden too much to protest for longer than a week. Still. What a disgraceful way to suly such a beautifully wonderous source of communal knowledge. It burns me that it worked.