1) agree the ad in the first box is HORRID. It makes the post very hard to read

2) I figure this is the pre-advertising for pushing us ALL to be willing to pay for our FT subscription. I for one was happy living with the ads at the top, bottom, sides and pop ups and had no intent of paying for them to go away. I understood why they needed to be there, to fund the site, but now that we are seeing them in the posts I would have to rethink that, so I guess it works for their intended purpose.

3) I assume shortly we will see ads in every post not just the first one, to close the deal on announcing the new paid subscription service.

This was defniitely a bad choice on FT's part!