Pop-up Rant: Javascript pop-ups from an end user perspective

So, you're on a site, reading the contents of some tech news blog just because it's interesting. Eventually you get pulled away by something else that needs your attention (maybe it's going to switch tabs to one of the many idlers you're playing). No sooner have you de-focussed the page, or triggered some other event, do you get a nice little pop-up.:

hey! have you considered subscribing?
Don't miss out on any of our content.
Enter your email address here!
[a place for you to enter it]

Why? Why does have to be the need to do this? If I wanted to, I would have. But I'll be honest, I hate email.

And now the background is dimmed out, and now I can't read it without interacting with your site. You don't have to do this I'm obviously here because I found something interesting on your site.

Maybe I'm just a grumpy person who doesn't want to be bothered with pop-ups (I remember back when you could get pop-unders), or maybe I'm just tired of everything wanting my attention now, or just before I go.

They say, "be the change you want to see"¹, so here I am. Making the change that I want to see more of.