Make a new shortcut with the following target:
%windir%\SYSTEM32\notepad.exe %windir%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\etc\hosts

open the shortcut.

In notepad you will see a file that looks like this. This is known as your
hosts file. Whenever your computer makes a DNS lookup, it will search
through this file first, essentially mapping the hostname in question to a
specified IP.

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost

Now the cool part. Whenever you're browsing and a new bastard ad or pop up
comes up, right click on it and cut and paste the URL into your "hosts"
file. Chop off the "http://" bit as well as the directory and filename, and
you end up with this.

127.0.0.2 sbad.foxsports.lycos.com
127.0.0.2 www.celebritywonder.com
127.0.0.2 doubleclick.com
127.0.0.2 ads.x10.com
127.0.0.2 yimg.com
127.0.0.2 us.a1.yimg.com
127.0.0.2 www.timeinc.net
127.0.0.2 www.imglmb1.com
127.0.0.2 ad.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.2 www.zdmcirc.com
127.0.0.2 ar.atwola.com

No more bloody x10 popups anymore! Thank god. NOTE: for this to work, you
must NOT be using the autoconfigure option in IE lan settings.

Thanks to timothy kujawski