ok - I'm getting embarrassed by this sitting around unanswered on top of the list for so long. If there is something offputting about what I wrote I hope someone will let me know as I am clueless!

I think you made them do something worse LOL Now when I click the box to go away it grows bigger and opens another one!!! It's making me crazy, and I will NEVER eat a HBO if it's the last food on earth. (Ok I might make an exception then, but at no other time!)

I don't think I use that browser, but I think I'll try to figure out a way to kill the oats myself :) Thanks for the idea!

honey, Don't be embarrassed. I've been there and had to bump my own threads just to make them go away. You are not alone on this forum and the stupid ad.

But have definitely been thinking of you because as igloo mentioned the darn ad has gotten worse. Now I can't get rid of it even if the close button is clicked...darn thing opens up. Or it follows me trying to "go back" a page. I hate the thing. Obviously a complaint won't work.

HBO is out anyhow, I get the store brand and it is just as good, cheaper even with a coupon. Their Marketing people should be fired for this irritating ad.

OK - thanks a lot for your replies. So really, if anyone wants to start using Firefox, I can walk you through it. It's very easy, safe, free. You don't have to get rid of Explorer, you just have another icon sitting on your desktop that you click on instead of explorer when you want to have an ad-free web experience.

Here is a link that might be useful: the first step...

I use Firefox too, it is the best!!! After installing, go to their 'Firefox Add Ons' page and download No Script, Adblock Plus, and Flashblock.

Do NOT uninstall Internet Explorer - there are some websites that only work with IE, and once you uninstall it, you will have a curiously challenging time finding the download on the Microsoft website. (Not sure if they fixed that or not.)

I don't want to be a problem, even though the ad is still driving me nuts...but is this spam? Considering your user name and date of signup, then sending us to Firefox? There are other options which have been discussed on here for resolution. I should have posted them, but will let this ride for now.

I have firefox and its adblock but I got the da*m add yesterday every time I tried to read a post or turn the page. I wrote to someone, (webmaster??) and today I don't get it at all, not that I've been on for long. But so far, so good. Do let IVillage know how annoyed you are and how the add is backfiring!!

emagineer - Did you mean me? Were you asking if I was spamming? I've been an active member of the forum for over a year, so I don't really understand what you meant by referring to my date of sign up. My screen name comes from the Hebrew for my real name (deborah), not from a cereal box. Geez, I feel like I should ask my fellow forum members for character references! Anyway, I'm not the the most computer savvy person in the world and Firefox is the only alternative browser I know of. I put the link there because I know there are members who are even less savvy than me. Please feel free to suggest other options! Also, once we (hopefully) agree that I'm not a spammer, in terms of forum rules or etiquette, do you it's inappropriate to post a link to a free product that I think will be useful to other forum members? I don't see how it's different from linking to a product like tile or a range hood or whatever.

sjerin - there should be a no-ad toolbar showing on the bottom of your screen that says what scripts you have allowed to run and which ones are forbidden. Maybe you should check that and see how it is set. And I have complained to iVillage about these ads making the site unnavigable, and they did not respond. But I'm sure the more people complain, the more likely it is that they will start to listen.

I had hesitated writing the spam thing. There were two that showed up recently and a few of us got caught by it. I really want to apologize, it just seemed a bit connected with the other experiences. No problem with the link either. As I said, the ad is still bugging me so options are welcome. And, actually, maybe this is a bit humerous considering your user name. Anyhow, forgive me for going a bit overboard and OT.

emagineer - no problem, apology accepted. Re: the name. I've actually wondered if part of the reason that the drop down ads bother me so much is they are sullying my sweet little honeyb name. After consideration, I decided no, they're just d*mn annoying!

Thanks, honeyb. (I like your name too!) I have to admit to technology idiocy, and ask my husband to check the toolbar. I see lots of scritps listed, but I don't quite know how to disallow the adds. I must say, after I wrote to iVillage, I haven't seen that da*n add again.

Now there's a talking suitcase that won't go away!

hey honyb,
I can vouch for you! You are a real kitchen renovater and no spammer. I haven't actually seen the pop up adds you are complainng about, the worst ones I've seen on this site were the peanut ones that included sound. I could not get them to go away. But they seem to have vanished on their own.

abfab

Thanks abfab. Y'know I'm fascinated by the idea that these drop down ads only afflict some of us and not others. What's up with that? Are there folks who use Microsoft Internet Explorer and yet are immune to the scourge of the honeybunch woman in a hardhat screaming at you? Do you have some kind of ad blocker? Just wondering....

Tis interesting that I haven't seen this ad for a week. Thankful beyond.....hope this doesn't jinx me.

Help! I have Firefox and Adblock but I'm still getting the South Beach thing! Every time I go back and forth between messages and the list. What am I doing wrong?

Amy

Amy - you should have a little no-ad bar at the bottom of your screen and a little icon on the bottom right. Clicking on that will show you what scripts you have permitted to run. Block them all and only unblock ones that you need to run on whatever site you're viewing. Does that help?

Hmmm, I think I get lost in all this talk of "scripts." Anyway, I went to the Adblock site and added some stuff they showed and now the ads have disappeared.

I have heard the argument that we shouldn't block ads, that they make free sites like this one possible. But ads like that, for me, are not effective. They are so frustrating that I project a negative feeling on the product.

Amy