Why did I just get redirected to an online gambling site?

“By this time tomorrow, it’ll be like browsing a whole new
CHUD.”

Yep, that’s the truth. I open up the CHUD front page, I
automatically get redirected to www.pacificpoker.com.
Not a pop up. Not a flash ad. It takes me away from CHUD and onto the gambling
site. That’s totally cool. It means Nick, Russ, Planet-Devin etc get their
money. Because before when we had the problem with…

“YOU’RE STEALING
FROM US.”

…it was the issue of people using pop up blockers to
annihilate flash ads. To solve the problem? Redirect them. Problem solved.

It doesn’t happen every single time. But it does happen. And
I’m not clicking on anything to direct me. As Nick has already screamed in his
head/started typing; ‘It’s only a few seconds of inconvenience that allows for
the site to keep running and for us to get paid!’

I can’t stop you from thinking that way. But I’d rather pop
ups or flash ads so long as they have a ‘x’ to close the thing- “THAT’S STEALING-”

(As I’m writing this I’ve received the following
message through MSN: “Oli says: Why does chud link me to pacific poker with no way of
getting to chud.”)

This post isn’t to start shit with the site admin, even
though I can see the logic forming already. (Nick- ‘you criticized our income
methods on our site, which we let you write on, thus you are stealin- hang on…you
were trying to start some shit.’) Rather I’d like to highlight one of the good
things that happened on CHUD recently.

Mr Beaks went back to AICN, where he is welcome to report that the Wolverine panel makes him feel “I’m twelve again!” Beaks, I don’t doubt that for a second, most
people on that site still feel that way. That’s why I like CHUD. The
people are more level headed, they aren’t so attached to properties that they
go on illiterate rants. There isn’t some guy who posts “DAMN YOU MICHAEL BAY”
in every single talkback.  I can kind of gauge people’s age by their
comments on CHUD. Not on AICN. They appear to be the thoughts of children, but
there’s always the chance that the person posting their anguish are twenty,
even thirty.

People who don’t remember that Transformers was a line of toys.
The show only existed to sell toys. If Optimus Prime’s flames were introduced
by a toy company, deal with it, because that’s they’re the only reason you had
x amount of hours of television to watch as a kid.

AICN writers are generally incapable of coming up with
constructive criticism. When CHUD did the tag team of Crystal Skull I genuinely learnt more about what was wrong with
that film. That’s why I read here.

A quote like Beak’s belongs on AICN because that’s what they
do best; refrain from growing up. And inaccurate reporting. They’ve now adopted
the word ‘Geekasm.’ Wow. It means you’re equating something in a film with
getting blown/whacked off/boned/anal. The feeling is not the same. It’s a
feeling of giddiness and you should use that word instead.

And whine. They whine and whine and then some more. But we
all know this. That’s why I go to CHUD. To avoid whining. No unjustified
whining on CHUD.

No whining at all…

And then Devin goes and blogs about how you should stop
going to see a movie you like. Devin tells you how you should spend your time
and money. Devin wishes to inform you that your choice is strangling independent
film industry. Yep, you have half a point here. Almost a full point.

Here’s what I do understand; you are sick of hearing about
The Dark Knight. As a film site writer I can see how you’ve been swamped by everything
TDK for a long time now. You like the film but you don’t think the response is
justified. Totally valid.

Here’s what I don’t understand; why pretend you’re the wise
man on the mountain and tell people to stop seeing a movie they like. I for one
agree that over-watching a film is not a good thing. I learnt my lesson by over-doing Fight Club. But as for people
over-exposing themselves to TDK, let them find out for themselves. It’s not as if they’re supporting a shitty film. And if they
think that watching it 100 times doesn’t detract from the experience, let them
find their own way over to AICN, the place where there is no such thing as too
much. Until you’re Harry and food intake and lack of exercise threatens you
with diabetes and you go for surgery, because diabetes can cause blindness, which would mean no movie watching. THAT’S when you take action. Fuck, Knowles is
an atrocious poster boy for his kind.

When you argue that TDK ticket money would be better off
spent on the indies, well they’re not showing everywhere. Certainly aren’t
where I am. What if they genuinely look unappealing to them? To go see indies
and prestige pics just to have seen them can lump you in with the type of
people who live to cite films and directors that people have never heard of. (Hi Adam!)

What if you shouldn’t be telling people what to do with
their money? Especially when you’re telling us what we should be doing to give
you yours.

Here’s my biggest beef with Devin’s piece. I really, really don’t
understand the mentality behind ‘Make sure you click on the two to three Dark
Knight ads on our site, but don’t go see the movie again.’

Why? Because we’ll be childish if we see it again? Because
we’ll be stealing? Because the adult thing to do is to see a film in
moderation, whilst clicking on links for THE DARK KNIGHT RINGTONES?

Or is it because the adult thing to do is to lecture your
readership on not just how they use your site, but also their spare time?

Nope. No it isn’t. Devin, you’re wrong. You’re trying to
achieve too much. Just write well and think
it through.

What would make more sense would be actively pursuing
companies like HDnet and 2929 for advertising. If they don’t want to place ads
here, ask again, or attempt to find something similar. Because it is these people who are
trying to bring smaller films to everyone when TDK is taking over cinemas. They
are trying to forge a new release model. They are the future of indie films. It
would make more sense than making my CHUD experience start with having to get
away from online gambling sites.*

*These break up the continuity of you’re writing, as well as
the reading experience. You know this.