At the top of the page, they were easily ignorable. If you aren't clicking now, you weren't gonna click when they were at the top either.

By the way, google prohibits me from reminding you to "help out the site" by clicking ads, so I wouldn't make such an announcemnt.

Seriously, I don't think it's that bad. But maybe I'm wrong. The bad news (for you guys) is that it seems more effective.