Make sure you set your custom blocks content type to HTML?
or you may have set up your ads in google to show a solid color when there is no relevant ads to display.
<table cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tr>
<{if $xoops_showlblock == 1}>
<td id="leftcolumn" width="100%">
<!-- Start left blocks loop -->
<{foreach item=block from=$xoops_lblocks}>
<{include file="craig/theme_blockleft.html"}><br />
<{/foreach}>
<!-- End left blocks loop -->
</td>
<td width="8"> </td>
<{/if}>
<table cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tr>
<{if $xoops_dirname == 'newbb'}>
<td></td>
<{else}>
<{if $xoops_showlblock == 1}>
<td id="leftcolumn" width="100%">
<!-- Start left blocks loop -->
<{foreach item=block from=$xoops_lblocks}>
<{include file="craig/theme_blockleft.html"}><br />
<{/foreach}>
<!-- End left blocks loop -->
</td>
<td width="8"> </td>
<{/if}>
<{/if}>
$reg_form->addElement(new XoopsFormTextarea(_US_whyregast, "user_whyreg", "Hello", 5, 50, $myts->htmlSpecialChars($user_whyreg)), true);