To celebrate 392 RSS readers, the highest recorded number so far on our xFruits Mega Feed, I asked visitors to write a 50 word post on any story featured in the RSS feed. The most amusing or engaging would win a $39 Kingston memory card suitable for a camera, GPS, MP3 player, or PDA.

Three cheers to the three entrants, Rob, OS9 User and Link and Earn, an almighty Thank you to the extra RSS feed readers



and a round of applause to those who didn't take part - you have convinced me that I need to try a lot harder to encourage / remind / cajole bloggers to participate in contests at The Pisstakers.

I think that more visitors view content via the RSS fed than via the homepage, so I should probably have paid more attention to the needs of the RSS format ie banged on about the contest on a daily basis so it constantly appeared as new material - and offered a new glitzy camera instead of a memory card. Just a thought.

Anyway, it all worked out.

The three finalists in no particular order were:

Rob from 2 Dolphins wrote a cool post, and also included a smashing graphic of yours truly in all his grinning glory. To further butter me up, (and make it almost impossible for me not to award him the prize) he inferred that it was better late than never to acknowledge his appearances on MyBlogLog Sunday. Hear hear! At this stage of deliberations, Rob is winning, but there is more competition on the way, so hang on for just a moment there, Rob, we don't want any premature e-celebrations...

OS9 User has been a recent fave find and his Breaking news Site has been featured on MyBlogLog Sunday a few times too. In return, he has been diligently promoting the event without being asked, which makes him the new xFruits RSS contest leader by a couple of brownie points.

He has also suggested I prepare an MBL Sunday promo banner for him to put on his site. This is a great idea, and almost single-handedly won him the memory card outright - but not quite. This request has put me under a great deal of self-imposed pressure, because I want to oblige, but it comes at a time when my creative juices are running dry - (no sympathy, please just throw money) - I lay awake at night stressing, but just can't think of a worthy design. I feel so inadequate. So, until the juices return, and until I have also reviewed entrant number 3, I will have to hold fire in crowning OS9 User as runaway victor...

Link and Earn, braggers supreme, wrote a creative post about the incentive to win this memory card competition. Firstly, their own fading peanut memories need a boost, and second, if they won, how cool to practice what they preach on their own site and brag about a contest victory of their own. See, they are hungry to win.

I admit that a memory card isn't exactly a scintillating prize, but better than a kick in the privates. And if you desperately need one, (which L&E clearly do) there is enough incentive in this contest to go beyond the call of duty (and the RSS feed) and dive into the archives. On their trip down my memory lane, they came up with a true story about my flight with Air india. Kudos. The final decision is still up in the air, but their insatiable diligence and determination may not go unrewarded.

The winner

Therefore, after much deliberation, double negatives and head-banging:

Comiserations to the losers who didn't participate

Well done to the participants who didn't win

I can proudly, loudly, gladly announce the winner as.... Link and Earn. Yeaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!! Send me a postal address and the memory card will be on its way shortly.

Till next time.