Jim, I double checked the Virgin Oil analysis reports at BITOG site and the 5w20 and the new 5w30 are indeed both synthetic blends. I don't think this was always the case however and the 5w30 you had such bad results from may have been the older, straight dino stock - it all depends when you bought it. Here is a quote from BITOG and the source is probably Ford but I'm not sure about that:
"This new oil (5w20) has been designed to provide the durability, cleanliness, and fuel economy expected of a Motorcraft product. Tests show it outperforms our own SAE 5w30 Super Premium Motor Oil. This oil has been thoroughly evaluated by Ford. It has performed flawlessly in over 300 dynamometer durability tests and has undergone vehicle testing, reaching as high as 250,000 miles in some cases. This is an oil you can trust. This new oil truly "exceeds the need". Refer to Owners Manual to determine which vehicles should be serviced with 5w20. Refer to TSB
01-4-7 for a listing of older vehicles which should be serviced with this oil".
Since then, it appears Motorcraft has introduced their 5w30 as a synthetic blend as well, however, a look at the Virgin Oil reports for both shows that they are a little different in their additive packs, most notably in factors such as zinc, iron and copper although moly content is nearly the same.
Synthetic blends such as these and others from the Phillips stall (TropArtic 5w30 and Kendall) are hard to define, as you point out, since there is no exact measure as to how much dino and how much synthetic must be in the mix before it qualifies as a "blend". Mobil Clean 7500 is rumored to contain a third synthetic but Mobil always keeps their formulas close to the vest.
I agree too that "blend" is a marketing tool but they are suppose to provide longer oil change intervals than straight dino which usually shows wear at, and should not exceed, about 5000 miles in normal driving conditions. Full synthetics are said to be able to go 10,000 miles so somewhere in between seems to make sense for the "blends". They are usually priced "in between" dino and full synthetic as well.
If you go to the BIOTG site and click on the forums you will find many different forum links, including Virgin Oil Analysis and Used Oil Analysis as well as general lubrication and gasoline engine oil forums. Try doing a search of "Motorcraft 5w20" at any of these and there will be many threads listed where you can read reviews of analysis reports and general comments about the Motorcraft oil (there are even some in which it was used in Honda engines). You will find that, like any oil, some are good and some not so good but, along with Havoline straight dino 5w20, you will see that most of the oil geeks there consider it among the best.
MARTY