A while back I did a piece on Blingo, the paid-to-search search engine. The latest info I can share with you is that, so far this month, I have had one reader referred from Blingo, which means [sarcasm ][i] all the research I did for that article was worth it [/i] [/sarcasm].

As an eternal optimist, I think however that this glimmer of hope can only mean one thing - I am going to win one of the Blingo prizes one of these fine days. I am not a greedy person, so I am bracing myself for a couple of entry level fandango movie tickets. And with my luck, the choice of films that week will be so dire, I won't even use them.

To be honest I am scared of winning a major prize, because that would infer change. No word of a depressed lie, I am happy living in one room counting down time. Free yachts and luxury watches and a flotilla of dolly birds would just make life too complicated and fun. So, on current performance, I feel I am safe from any meaningful life-style disruption with Blingo as my preferred source of free prizes.

Blingo aren't the only guys luring you to search Google via a sexy prize-riddled front page. In the side bar to your right you will see several mammoths of the search world vying for attention in a looping display box. Check them out, make them your browser homepage. That is the end of this little hint to make search more edgy!