The first time I witnessed how comfortable our industry was telling stories in public based on half-truths was at the iMedia Summit in Arizona in 2002. During one session Joe Apprendi, who is now the accomplished CEO of Collective Media and the owner of a great smile, took the stage in front of hundreds of sellers and buyers to show off his company's wares at the time -- a rich-media company aptly named Eyeblaster. He claimed his company's rich-media ads were more effective than other display ads that didn't make him rich.

The Unabomber delivered an anti-technology manifesto as he terrorized the U.S. for nearly two decades. Technology and its impact terrified him. He's not alone. Technology stalks the halls of the executive suites of America's corporations, and while most executives won't admit it, it scares the hell out of them.

Last week I stopped in Chicago to speak to a conference of local-media publishers. If you too have traveled through the United hub in O'Hare recently, you have also seen advertising for a hotel chain printed on the handrails of the moving walkway and escalators. It's just one more example of the targeted media that is assaulting your market. The "escalator media" sales team -- or its moral equivalent in your market -- is calling on your advertising customers, distracting them from buying from you.

Question from a media seller: I'm hearing mixed things about the ad business in 4th quarter. Now that we're here, should I be bullish, bearish or in between?