I was on the NYTimes website earlier, and noticed a banner ad:

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The opening lines of this advertisement said, “Seek Wisdom, Seek Balance” then came up with the image you see above. A click on the image takes you to the website http://seekyourbalance.com, through a fancy animation of Asian looking landscapes, then ultimately lands on the top of the mountain in a Zen inspired garden.

picturexAs if some bank is going to give me peace, balance, and wisdom? And moreover, is this not a cheap attempt to exploit interest in Eastern mysticism to make a quick buck? I had to laugh.

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After you click “Begin” you are taken to a mini Flash game to stack stones.

Stack a few stones, and you are given little messages. Depending on what stones you pick, you are given options, like opening a Visa account or a checking account with a minimum balance.

It is so trite. Beautiful, but trite.

picture-7I suppose they are linking martial arts with the “very good, grasshopper!” message? Still wouldn’t get me to start a checking account or get a Visa card. Perhaps the funniest bit is the daily fortune, where a large fortune cookie appears, then is hit with some hands mimicing Kung-fu or Karate moves, then reveals the fortune after you click it.

picture-8I suppose this little aphorism is to help you not take it seriously, giving some tongue-in-cheek “wisdom.”