• by George Simpson , Featured Contributor, October 25, 2004

Vandana: Ah Suman, a betty fine morning we have here in Dharmapuri, isn't it?

Suman: Oh yes, Mrs....a betty fine day indeed. So, what is it new with you? I haven't seen you since the pilgrimage to the Holy Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji.

Vandana: It has not been that long has it? I am having new job since then!

Suman: No!? You are no longer loading up the photos for the Times of India Photogallery Desktop Calendar? Such pretty girls...

Vandana: Too much work and such talk from Yuvraj. With his karma he is going to come back as a worm!

Suman: Will you stop be clicking on that mouse while we talk?!

Vandana: I cannot. This is my new job.

Suman: Doing what, you are just clicking away at advertisements you don't even read? What kind of job is that?

Vandana: Most excellent job. Yesterday, I made 450 rupees for just sitting and clicking.

Suman: Holy Anant-sukha!!! Who would pay you for that?

Vandana: American Web sites! Each time someone clicks on an advertisement from search engine companies, they get money. The more I click on the ads the more money they in something they call a revenue sharing.

Suman: That does not seem somehow right, Mrs.

Vandana: But it makes everybody happy. The advertiser thinks the ads are working betty well indeed and that makes them happy with the Web site and the search engine which both makes more money, which I get some of, so everyone has Nirvana.

Suman: But you are only one little Indian person... how much difference can you be making?

Vandana: Oh, I have lots of help from my entire neighborhood and thousands more people like me in China and Nigeria.

Suman: Can't the advertisers tell from your computer address that you are giving an ad 2,350 clicks an hour?

Vandana: Perhaps it is so, but my employers also are having scripts or software that will robotically click the ads, mimicking visitors.

Suman: So you are working for the Web sites, yes?

Vandana: Mostly, but some days I am hired by advertisers who want me to be helping devaluing the competitor's campaign and be depleting the rival's advertising accounts with clicks they have to pay for each time.

Suman: Surly Mrs. you have found The Three Keys To Happiness. And your son, Baichung, is he doing this clicking job too?

Vandana: No, no he is still working on the help desk for Dell computer.