Ever thought of attempting to date online with a wingman, someone to break the ice, to vouch for you. That is the idea behind Engage. A new online dating site where a community helps you find that special someone.

What they say:

Computers are great, but when it comes to matchmaking, people are much better at doing the job.

Consider the happy relationships in your own life. Most met through some type of introduction. Engage.com members make introductions for other members, and even for non-members, not because a computer told them to, but because they just have a sense that magic might happen.

You can either sign up as a Dater or a Matchmaker. If you are the dater then find someone you trust to play matchmaker for you. If you are the Matchmaker then start using the site to find potential mates for your Dater. You can contact people directly as a Dater or through a Matchmaker.

Once a potential partner is found you introduce your Dater. They can ask the Dater or the Matchmaker questions about the Dater. This gives you as the person being contacted two or more people to get information from.

You can also ask the community as a whole who do they think might be good for you with a voting opinion system. You can also provide and share dating advice with the rest of the community.

So if you have been thinking about online dating but have not signed up anywhere then get a friend to do it for you. Or if you know someone who is great but has trouble meeting people sign up as a Matchmaker and help them Engage.

The eWooing Week In Review, some Internet dating articles that I found interesting or informative this past week. Some news and views you can use to help you in your search. We read a lot of them and post links to ones that are worth a read. Here are three articles for your perusal. Enjoy!

Legislator considers an online dating law

They are talking about a law in Illinois that would require all internet dating sites to perform background checks. This sounds like a good idea except that there is no central database for criminal background checks. Not to mention you can just pick a name out of a hat and sign up. I guess if you were caught you could be prosecuted like a guy is right now by True.com for saying he wasn’t a felon when he signed up for the service. Just seems like if you are going to use these dating services you should use common sense just as if you were meeting someone in any situation these days. Although sites like eHarmony, Match.com and Yahoo! Personals all have a contract for members that include stating that you are not a felon.

Dating game changes after 40

The rise in the number of singles over 40 who are now using internet dating has grown significantly in the last couple of years. This is one of the largest growing segments right now and internet dating sites like SilverSingles are filling the niche quite well. The article also mentions some books that may be of interest to someone in this age range looking for a little help before venturing out in the world of internet dating. They are:

• Single Woman of a Certain Age: 29 Women Writers on the Unmarried Midlife–Romantic Escapades, Empty Nests, Shifting Shapes, and Serene Independence
• Rescue Me, He’s Wearing a Moose Hat : And 40 Other Dates After 50
• Flings, Frolics And Forever Afters: A Single Woman’s Guide to Romance After Fifty
• Romancing The Web: A Therapist’s Guide To The Finer Points Of Online Dating

Faith in love

The article talks about the idea of knowing what your dealbreakers are. In this case the article mainly focuses on religion. The Q&A section where they asked many singles how religion played in their dating life was quite interesting. Most seem to be looking for someone that is of the same or similar background. A book mentioned in the article is Conscious Dating: Finding The Love of Your Life in Today’s World.