...someone has created an ad with a dog-like creature with eyes on either side of its head, causing all the beings there to go FLURPSNORD! (their version of GAAH!)

I can think of one advantage of having vertical eyes, especially if you are an aquatic creature: In the water, it allows you to look above and below the water's surface. On land, you can peer over the top of a ledge or hill looking for game or enemies while making sure no one has taken your wallet.

The reaction from the blogger and the readers here so far also make me wonder if we are truly ready to deal with alien beings, as we are still so biologically hardwired. If we can't get along with humans who happen to look just a little different from ourselves and worship different deities and prefer soccer over baseball, what hope is there for us getting along with beings with vertical eyes, to say nothing of even stranger configurations?