Using a Hosts File To Make The Internet Not Suck (as much)
Disclaimer: I have not used this hosts file myself. So please follow the information mentioned on the site at your own risk.

A snippet from the site:
"This is an easy and effective way to protect you from many types of spyware, reduces bandwidth use, blocks certain pop-up traps, prevents user tracking by way of "web bugs" embedded in spam, provides partial protection to IE from certain web-based exploits and blocks most advertising you would otherwise be subjected to on the internet. "