I remember a time when “truth in advertising” actually meant something. Ads weren't lies, claims had to be provable, and the fine print couldn’t contradict the big print. The FTC even chased violators. It wasn’t perfect, but there was at least a cultural expectation that ads had to resemble reality.
Somewhere along the way, that expectation evaporated.
Ads are just lies now.
I play a city‑building game called Elvenar. I enjoy it. It’s strategic, cooperative, and visually polished. But the ads for it are nothing like the game.
The ads show tiny villagers you can drag around, little elves picking up lumber, and chests that drop out of the sky. None of that exists in the real game. Not one pixel of it.
All I do in Elvenar is build structures, manage resources, and work with my fellowship. We have a weekly tournament that isn't against one another but against the game itself, and you can auto-fight that if you want to and never see a movement of a bow. There are no wandering villagers to interact with. No puzzles. Just city planning, resource checks, and "events" that are simply doing the things one needs to do play the game anyway.
My biggest city in Elvenar. Mostly all you do is move buildings around. No people to play with. No chests dropping from the sky. Just a city-building game.
Elvenar is run by InnoGames, the same company behind Forge of Empires, and they use the same advertising strategy for both: show a completely fictional version of the game because it gets more clicks. Real gameplay footage doesn’t convert well. City builders look slow and thoughtful, which is great for players like me, but terrible for marketing. So, the ads show a fantasy instead of the product.
Legally, companies defend this as “creative representation.” Regulators treat game ads as harmless exaggeration. As long as the ad doesn’t promise a specific feature you pay extra for, they get away with it. The fine print says “not actual gameplay,” and that’s apparently enough.
The irony is that Elvenar and Forge of Empires are actually good games. Deep, strategic, and well‑designed. But I wonder how many people sign up only to be disappointed when the games are nothing like the advertisements.
So what happened? Why can't cigarette companies still not advertise on TV but video game promoters can flat-out lie about their product?
I think a few things happened:
The internet blew the doors off regulation.
The FTC was built for TV, radio, and print. It was not built for millions of micro‑ads, influencers, sponsored posts, and algorithmic targeting.
“Puffery” became a legal shield.
Companies can now say things like “best,” “fastest,” “most trusted,” “America’s favorite,” without proving a thing. Courts treat it as harmless exaggeration.
Influencers blurred the line between opinion and advertising.
Half the time you don’t even know you’re looking at an ad.
Fine print became microscopic.
Legally, the disclosure is there. Practically, nobody can read it.
Enforcement budgets shrank.
The FTC can’t chase every misleading claim across social media, YouTube, TikTok, and a thousand ad networks.
Algorithms reward exaggeration.
The more dramatic the claim, the more clicks. The more clicks, the more money. Honesty doesn’t trend.
So “truth in advertising” technically still exists. The laws are still on the books. But in practice, the guardrails have rusted. Companies learned how to skirt the rules, regulators haven’t kept up, and the internet rewards exaggeration far more than honesty.
And that’s how we ended up with Elvenar ads that advertise a game nobody can actually play.
This little one was by the driveway when we came home the other evening. Its momma was not far away. They don't run far when they see the car. The deer are used to us driving in and out. Sometimes we come home and they are resting in the yard. We open the garage and pull in and they never move.
We don't feed them or anything. We are simply part of their lives now.
6. Seen the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. (I haven't seen this in person but I've watched in online. Does that count?)
7. Been to Disneyland or Disney World. (We went to the one in Florida in 1993 to celebrate my college graduation. It was SO hot.)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Been to the Louvre
11. Had food poisoning
12. Eaten vegetables you grew yourself
13. Slept overnight on a train. (This happened on a trip from Spain to France. We had to take the passenger trains that stopped constantly because we needed to get out of Spain because there was something political going on. I was in high school and there with a group of students.)
14. Built a snow fort
15. Held a lamb
16. Gone skinny dipping
17. Been on a cruise (day cruises and dinner cruises count)
18. Seen Niagara Falls
19. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
20. Sung karaoke
21. Sat for a portrait
22. Walked on a beach by moonlight
23. Been transported in an ambulance
24. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
25. Kissed in the rain
26. Played in the mud
27. Gone to a drive-in theater
28. Changed your vehicle's oil yourself
29. Taken a martial arts class
30. Visited the Vatican
31. Volunteered at a soup kitchen or food pantry
32. Sold Girl Scout cookies
33. Bought a used car
34. Sat on a jury
35. Ridden an elephant
Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.
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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
This month Saturday 9 will be tasty, featuring songs with food in the title. (This song makes me think of the movie Practical Magic.)
1) This song is about a woman who complains of a belly ache. How's your tummy this morning?
A. My tummy is about like it always is. Thanks for asking.
2) She responds to this malady by calling the doctor. What if you chose to address the problem yourself? Are there currently any OTC digestive aids in your medicine chest?
A. I take medicine for my stomach every day. I have acid reflux. Sometimes I have to supplement that with a little OTC medicine. I have also found apple cider vinegar gummies helpful.
3) Coconut was once a popular ice cream flavor, but no more. It's not on the list of top sellers at Baskin Robbins or Cold Stone. When you last had ice cream, what flavor was it?
A. I don't eat ice cream.
4) Coconut remains popular in baking. It's easy to find recipes for coconut pie, coconut cheesecake, coconut cookies . . . . you get the idea. Have you recently tried a new recipe? If yes, how did it turn out?
A. The last recipe I made was a squash casserole. It wasn't exactly a new recipe to me, but I was using yellow zucchini instead of yellow summer squash. It was ok.
5) This week's featured artist, Harry Nilsson, was a well-known free spirit. He liked to party and had a reputation for not adhering to a schedule. Therefore, it's a little surprising that one of his first jobs was in the conservative atmosphere of a small bank. Do you prefer a more structured workplace?
A. I always did well with deadlines when I worked for the newspaper. I like a little structure, but I need a little freedom, too.
6) Harry met Micky Dolenz when The Monkees recorded his song, "Cuddly Toy" and they became fast and life-long friends. Can you think of someone you met and quickly "clicked" with?
A. Yes, one of my dearest friends today is someone I met and "clicked" with almost immediately.
7) In 1971, when this song was on the radio, detective shows were popular on TV. Mannix, Ironside and Cannon were all in the Top 20. Do you think you'd make a good private investigator?
A. I think I probably would make a good PI. Old, overweight dowdy housewife? Who'd think she was taking pictures of infidelity or insurance fraud?
8) England's Princess Anne turned 21 in 1971, and the occasion was commemorated with an official portrait taken by fashion photographer Norman Parkinson. Who took the most recent photo of you?
A. I have no idea. It was a probably a selfie with my husband.
9) Random question: You can redecorate any one room in your home, money is no object. But only one room. Which room do you pick?
A. I would pick the great room, which is really three rooms in one. That way I would get a new kitchen, a new dining area, and a new living room, because all three are in one large room. I think they call this open space living now but it was a great room 38 years ago.
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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
1. A rainbow came out Tuesday evening when we were on our way home. It was low on the horizon. Because of the way our house is positioned, I cannot usually see evening rainbows, only morning ones, and those are rather rare.
2. My physical therapist gives the best hugs. Some people just have that grounding energy.
3. Trying to get custom orthotics made right apparently is the equivalent of running a space program without any funding.
4. The drought continues even though we've had a little rain. The rain has made the grass grow a bit, but the pastures are thin and the hayfields sparse.
5. I love the taste of an A&W Root Beer. I hadn't had one for several years but recently broke down and drank one. Ah, the joy of the first taste! It was like memory washed up in a soda.
6. When people show you who they really are, believe them, and make decisions from there. Wishes are for beggars, suckers, and dreamers. And while I'm a dreamer, most days my feet are firmly on the ground.
7. Speaking of dreams, a Florida person won $800 million in the Mega Millions drawing Tuesday night. Can you imagine suddenly having that kind of money?
8. My husband planted yellow zucchini in the garden this year. I don't quite know what to do with it. It is like a yellow summer squash but not, and it's not zucchini, either. So far it's found its way into a squash casserole and been sauteed in butter, but I would rather have the regular ol' green zucchini.
9. Someone used my email to sign up for various things such as Warner Brothers Games and Sportsman Warehouse. They aren't accessing my account, just using my email. I guess they didn't want the spam. Interestingly, this means I can access their account by changing the password and sometimes that even means I could order something because they've left their charge card in there. But I am honest and don't do that.
10. My pharmacist calls to tell me my prescription is ready. They have a new automated message now that says, "Please move this to the top of your to-do list." I resent being told what "To do" by some company, and I will be out to pick up my medicine when it is convenient for me. They called 8 times before I picked it up.
11. The last pair of pants I bought has one leg shorter than the other. I didn't realize this until I brought them home and washed them in vinegar and then in baking soda to try to get the perfume stench off of them. They will have to be wear-around-the-house pants.
12. When I play Wordle, a majority of times when I see what the "Wordlebot" thinks of my play, it tells me, "No one in our system of 1,587,000 players had this scenario." I am apparently an outlier in the Wordle world.
13. I bought a cheaply made copy of a Rubrik's Cube, I immediately remembered how to get one side completed, but I've forgotten how to go from there. It has instructions but I've not read them. I want to see if I can remember. If I can remember, maybe I'll get a real Rubrik's Cube, because this thing is really poorly made.
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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 970th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Premise: A philanthropist awards you $80,000 with the stipulation that you must spend half on yourself and half for the benefit of others.
1. Of the $40,000 you must spend on yourself:
a. First you throw yourself a lavish birthday party. Tell us about it.
A. My lavish birthday party would include a complete takeover of The Hotel Roanoke, and I'd invite all the Saturday 9ers and Sunday Stealers to come, because you know, why not, and I'd pay their expenses to get to me. I'd also invite all of my friends. We'd have a flowing chocolate bar and lots of cake.
b. Then you take off on a cruise. Where are you headed?
A. My cruise would be to Alaska.
2. Of the $40,000 you must spend for the benefit of others:
a. Who would be on your gift list? What would buy them?
A. I would give a little something to all of the Saturday 9 and Sunday Stealing players, I'd get my husband something nice, I'd buy something pretty for my friends. Maybe some local art.
b. Which charities would you support?
A. My alma mater, the local fire department, and the local food pantry. I've about given up on national charities, I swear they spend more money than I donate trying to get me to give them more money.
Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
1) In this song, Peggy sings that she feels good enough to climb a hill. Will you be doing anything athletic today?
A. I am not very athletic. I suspect stripping the bed and changing the linens might be the extent of my athletic prowess on this Saturday.
2) However, she was also tempted to climb back in bed. Is a nap in your plans for today?
A. I very seldom nap. My husband says I should nap, it would make me feel better.
3) She tells us that she looked in the mirror and told herself it was time to "lose the blues." Do you ever speak out loud to yourself?
A. I talk to myself all the time and always have. Only now I might utter something like "seriously" under my breath and have my cell phone perk up and go "Hmm?"
4) Peggy wrote this song for the 1953 remake of The Jazz Singer. She performs it in the movie, too. In the 1950s, female singer-songwriters were unusual, but not so today. Can you think of another woman who not only sings but writes her own material?
A. Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, Carole King.
5) Her co-star in the film was Danny Thomas. Today he is best remembered as a philanthropist and founder of St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, but he was quite a star in his day. He appeared in nightclubs and movie musicals and, from 1954 to 1963, had his own sitcom. Do you know the show?
A. I think it was called The Danny Thomas Show, wasn't it? But I don't recall watching it. And I'm not sure if that's right.
6) When Peggy Lee was trying to break into show business, she supported herself as a short order cook. She was required to turn orders around quickly. Are you fast and efficient in the kitchen?
A. I dislike cooking, but I can get a meal on the table in a hurry if I have to.
7) Just when her career started to take off, Peggy had to take a break when she had her tonsils removed. Do you still have your tonsils?
A. I had my tonsils removed in 1994, when I was 31 years old, and it was incredibly painful and a difficult recovery.
8) In 1953, when this record was released, Matchbox Cars were introduced and they remain popular today. Did you ever play with Matchbox Cars?
A. Yes, I played with Matchbox Cars, along with Hot Wheels.
9) Random question: You're walking past a filthy puddle. Floating on top you see a dead bug, a cigarette butt, and a $1 bill. Would you bend over and rescue the dollar?
A. If I can flip it out of the puddle with my foot and I have a tissue in my purse with which to pick it up, maybe.
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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Thursday 13: Songs I Loved (But Now Maybe Not So Much)
1. Muskrat Love, by Captain & Tennille. I once thought it was charming. Now I wonder what was in the water. Rats in love? Who sings about that? Besides Captain & Tennille, I mean.
2. You Light Up My Life, by Debby Boone. This was mandatory listening in the 70s. Like jury duty, but with strings. And it was also the first song I ever sang in public while accompanying myself on guitar. I was a freshman in high school.
3. Afternoon Delight, by Starland Vocal Band. In the 1970s, I sang along cheerfully. Then I learned what it meant. Then I discovered Sunday afternoons. ::: wink wink :::
4. Escape (The Piña Colada Song), by Rupert Holmes. A catchy tune about two people cheating on each other … with each other. It was kind of fun, but I do wonder if that couple would have made it.
5. Seasons in the Sun, by Terry Jacks. All the young girls cried over this song when I was in . . . I think elementary school? We thought it was profound. When I listen to it now, it's terribly depressing.
6. Honey, by Bobby Goldsboro. I remember my father singing this song. I once found it touching. Now I find it emotionally manipulative.
7. Feelings, by Morris Albert. Feelings… nothing more than . . . melodrama. My husband hates this song.
8. Sometimes When We Touch, by Dan Hill. The honesty was too much. And also somehow not enough. I loved the line about being "just another writer, still trapped within my truth," though.
9. You’re Having My Baby, by Paul Anka. I didn’t realize how cringe this was until I heard Howard Wolowitz sing it on The Big Bang Theory, aimed at Bernadette's tummy. Then it was like, oh yuck. I will never be able to hear this song again without seeing Howard's face.
10. The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, by Vicki Lawrence. I loved the drama. I loved the story. Now I hear it as a soap opera, but I confess I still like the song. I just don't love it like I once did.
11. Delta Dawn, by Helen Reddy. Still catchy, but the storyline feels different when you’re old enough to read between the lines. I mean, 40 years old and her daddy still called her Baby? What's up with that? However, this song hasn't anything on Reddy's Angie Baby for total weirdness. That's some freaky stuff right there.
12. Billy, Don’t Be a Hero, by Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods. I thought it was sad. I still think it's a sad song, but I also think it should be an anti-war song. Nobody should come home in a coffin.
13. Brand New Key, by Melanie. Cute, yes. But also . . . what exactly was happening here? I remember singing this song with my mother, who apparently did not make a connection between roller skates and keys and, well, sex. Because surely that's what they're talking about right? Right?
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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 969th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Answer these questions with anything from a single word to a paragraph or two. It's up to you.
A is for Age.
A. I am of an age when I am now old. Some might even call me elderly, although I prefer "older person," myself. I'm old enough to know better, and old enough not to care so much.
B is for your Booze of choice.
A. My beverage of choice would be an A&W root beer.
C is for Career.
A. I worked as a freelance news writer for about 40 years. Some of that time I was on staff, but most of it I worked freelance, writing as many as 30 articles a month. It was not great pay but I did, heard, and saw many things I'd not otherwise have.
D is for your Dog's name.
A. My last dog's name was Ginger. We had her for 17 years. We got her in 1984 and she died in 2001.
E is for Everyday Essentials.
A. I need lotion, powder, toothpaste, and mouthwash every day.
F is for your Favorite Food.
A. My favorite food is chocolate. I am a confirmed chocoholic.
G is for your favorite Game.
A. My favorite game is a video game called Skyrim, which I haven't played in years, but it is still my favorite video game of all time.
H is for your Hometown.
A. My hometown is the community in which I still live.
I is for an Instrument you play.
A. I play guitar.
J is for your favorite Jam or Jelly flavor.
A. My favorite jelly is Welch's Grape Jelly.
K is for Kids.
A. I do not have any kids.
L is for the Last show or movie your watched.
A. The last show I watched was an episode of JAG.
M is for your Most prized possession.
A. My most prized possession is my wedding band.
N is for the Name of your first crush.
A. My first crush's name was Jamie.
O is for what you Observe from your window.
A. From my window, I see oak trees in the pasture, a mock orange tree, grass that's a little greener than it has been because we had a small shot of rain, threatening skies, and a fence,
P is for Phobias.
A. I am not afraid of much, really. I will ask my husband to kill spiders and snakes if he's here, but if he's not, I'll do it myself. I'm not afraid of heights although at my age, they're not the smartest thing for me to indulge in.
Q is for your favorite Quote.
A. Not all those who wander are lost - J.R.R. Tolkien
R is for Regret.
A. Regrets, I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention.
S is for Sweets.
A. We'll just go with chocolate again here.
T is for the Time you wake up.
A. I am generally up by 6:30 though sometimes I sleep until 7 or so.
U is for Underwear.
A. I wear it.
V is for your favorite Vegetable.
A. Does anyone really have a favorite vegetable? I like peas, green beans, and broccoli.
W is for your Worst habit.
A. My worst habit is engaging mouth before brain sometimes.
X is for X-rays.
A. I just had some for my shoulder about a month ago.
Y is for your Yummiest recipe.
A. That would be for fudge.
Z is for your Zodiac sign.
A. I am a Gemini through and through.
Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.
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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
