Google, Content Neutrality, and 2000 Miles in 8 Days

by Robert Wilkinson

If you’ve noticed I’ve been absent for a few days, well…. There are times in life when things crunch together, whether we want them to or not. I’ve lamented that my life sometimes seems to “interfere” with my work, which of course is a universal human situation. The past 3 weeks have required that I shelve writing while dealing with something disturbing which you need to know about. I’ll be composing articles on Mercury retrograde over the next few days, but for now, here’s the story of an odyssey.

The good news is I’ve finally finished the last phase of my move which has consumed much more time than I could’ve imagined. It involved driving 180 miles r/t to get a van, then drive 800 miles to LA, giving 3 talks in 2 days with another 180 r/t drive to Ojai, then load up what’s left in storage in the middle of the blinding rainstorms racking Southern California along with doing 4 chart readings, then driving 800 miles back, then another 180 to return the van. I told you I had moved to the middle of nowhere, and when you have to go almost 100 miles just to rent a vehicle, you know you’re not in LA any more!

Now the disturbing revelation I alluded to recently in a comment stream which consumed a lot of my time these past 3 weeks. On January 4 or 5, I TOTALLY disappeared from google. Every single page on aquariuspapers.com had vanished from display on google. For 3 weeks, no one could find me via google except through my old Salon blog site or links from other websites. What could this mean?

I tried every search vector and nothing was displayed. At first I thought it had to be either a radical programming error on their part or someone inside of google had monkeywrenched my site. This latter possibility isn’t so far out when you remember that there are many in our world who hate astrology and metaphysics, or any belief system that doesn’t agree with their own.

Through my research tools I found that my site pages were still being displayed via search engines like Yahoo, Dogpile, Ask.com and others, so it could be assumed it isn’t the government taking issue with my political views, though they have been known to muzzle or shut down certain political sites unfriendly to this administration through the use of security letters. This is an established fact, and they have done it before. When they issue a site (or search engine) such a letter, the contents of that letter cannot be divulged even to an attorney under threat of jail. That’s how fascist our country has become. Given that I have a large global clientelle and receive many international calls and we know such calls are monitored by our government, I don’t think it was an unreasonable assumption to check out such a possibility.

I tried to call or email google customer relations, but found no such thing can be done. I was able to email google security, but got an autoresponder email stating they may or may not investigate, and may or may not email me, offering no contact. I waited another week, watching my traffic drop between 1/3 and ½ of previous hits, then decided to snail mail google customer relations with my concerns. Can you believe the largest search engine in cyberspace makes it impossible to contact them except through snail mail? BIG problem there!

In the letter to google, I noted that using my research tools I had determined they hadn’t de-indexed my pages due to a perceived violation of their rules of use. In fact, their search engine was still crawling my site almost every day, and they had over 700 of my pages indexed, but none were being displayed. This led me to believe that someone inside of google is not “content neutral,” since it would take the ability to go inside their program and short circuit the display of pages already indexed.

I sent it to them priority, and noted delivery was on Friday, Jan 18. I haven’t heard from them since, but lo and behold, I got somebody’s attention. This past Friday I was magically reinstated in their display, including about 100 more pages they somehow got error messages on when trying to index them, which is also very strange, since neither I nor my blog software company have made any changes which would prevent any search engine from indexing my content.

Google still hasn’t offered me an answer to why something could disrupt the display of pages already indexed by their engine. I do not believe it’s random, nor an “honest mistake,” since there would seem to be no way for pages already indexed to be masked from view without someone going into the code and deliberately veiling certain sites and their contents.

It is an established fact that google does track where we go using their engine, and will turn those results over to whomever they deem fit. That’s why Scroogle was founded, so that using that site we can google wherever but no tracks are left as a record of where we go.

So I’m happy that I again am being displayed on google pages so that people around the world can find me. I’m unhappy that they haven’t offered even the slightest explanation for what I believe was a deliberate attempt by someone in google to mask my site and deny people the ability to find me directly. I’m also unhappy that there is no way to contact them except through snail mail. However, their behavior leads me to assume that google may have people inside their company that can deny websites the ability to be displayed.

If you have a site, please take note. I wouldn’t have found out except that I have multiple ways to check my hits, and eventually jumped through enough hoops to get inside my google tools to find that I was still being indexed but not displayed. If I hadn’t found that critical piece of information, they would have checked, seen that I was indexed, and dismissed my concerns. The problem was in the display, and they could not have known that through a simple investigation.

So for those who have wondered where I’ve been or why you couldn’t find me through google, there you have it. If I ever hear from them, I’ll give you their official explanation of how the seemingly impossible happened, but don’t hold your breath. There seems to be no public accountability in google. And if I ever disappear from google again, you'll know the reason why.

© Copyright 2008 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Jan]

Missed you, and actually prayed for your good health and safety on the road... Corporations (Gov't) rule the world and many people do not even use computers anymore. Shocking stuff. It's my hope that this Capricorn influence will soon reveal all the hidden malpractices! Welcome home, I'm glad you can park the car and return to your writings to us, and please finish your books now... in stillness.

[Jilly]

If you sign up at Google Webmaster Tools you can have access to helpful tools that can show you crawl errors, stats, and a form that will let you be reincluded if you are dropped from Google's index.

[Sue]

I wondered why you didn't come up when I googled certain topics! But, I'd just go to aquarius papers and type it in there. Had no idea there was anything strange going on. Maybe it's part of the Mercury Rx shadow casting?
Glad you're back!

[Lorna]

Thrilled to see you back,Robert. I hadn't missed you on Google because I have you bookmarked and on RSS feed. I know where to come for the good stuff :)

[Deborah]

Interesting article. I follow your blog on my RSS. I have had the same thing happen to my blog. Can't figure it out either-still looking into it. I was concerned that scrapers may have affected my rating-that is just one theory that I cannot prove or disprove. I enjoy reading your blog-great stuff! Thanks.

[donna notmany]

Funny for several days I couldnt get your web-site to come up at all..I typed in the address and used my browser setting..Not on firefox or internet Explorer...Anyway glad you are back up.....PTL..Now What in the heavens is going on?

Daughters house burned to ground new years day she and my 2 grand children barely escaped...(mars Retro), lost 1000S in bad ivestment (loan) bad judgement..I dont even want to answer the phone or leave the house and been dreaming like motion pictures for several weeks...have to say dont think Ive ever felt so depressed..I can say it is getting better tho....

Thank the goodness I can find you now..time for a reading tho as soon as you have the time....

Peace be with ya'll!

[Henry]

Robert:

You've got all my support and it's all I can tell & feel right now.
But you know, we're approaching difficult times, back to the 30's, as you said in your interview with Michele.
Truth is a threat...then...are all we humans a fake?. Perhaps we're only entering a critical point in human evolution with some toxic elements. Lots of blogs and interesting sites are "under siege" worldwide.

We must arise in consciousness, as irrationality powers try to smash it down (in the US and in Europe and everywhere).

Lots of blessings and fraternal love.

[Stevo]

And I thought the largest banks in the U.S. were the root of all evil.....lol. Stay cool my friend.

[Felita]

Hi Robert . Glad your safe and home. A blizzard of controversy over the blocking of alternative site links has hit our political web pages, here in Australia. I directed quite a few people here at new year and none got through. Figured you where sorting it. Yes Pluto Capricorn,Structures crumbling and reiterating to a new order.can feel the shifting, I agree with Henry, Must stay in Higher Self as constantly as possible. Rest well. look forward to new writings, Aum Shanti Felita

[DEBORAH]

WOW!!! All I noticed was that your Jan.22 article stayed up for awhile. I use you as my start page to bring up my internet connection, and you have been there everyday. I understand what you are saying and agree. Glad you are back, and SO FEEL FOR YOUR ODYSSEY-felt like the twilight zone, huh? SENDING LOTS OF LOVE & LIGHT OF SPIRIT--AND ADDING SOME FEARY MAGICK TO BOOT TO YOU!!Love, Deb

[Juliet]

Hello Robert,

I had no idea about all this; I've got you bookmarked.

One thing I have noticed since last week is that everytime I open your site I get my auto-protect pulling up a Risk called Adware.Badaz with the need to add filename adbaaz_com{1}.htm (should be square brackets but I did not want to put those in case it is a virus). It goes to quarantine on my system so I never have to worry about it.

In any case I thought you should know...it's only your site that is doing it and I wonder if there is any connection with the google issue if it is a pesky problem...

Perhap others may have a more technical explanation.

Juliet

[Lisa]

I noticed last week that your site wasn't showing up on aol either when I did a search. It was showing the Salon blog, and I knew to click through from there to your actual site. I was happy to see your site was back in the normal search list yesterday.
Rober, I emailed you about a reading. Of course, I pick your busiest time to request one! Sorry about that.

Lisa

[jude]

Hi Robert,

So glad you're back...
Wasn't sure if it was too serious -but now you've written this I guess I should let you know that I,like Juliet,have also been getting the message
(from Symantec/Norton anti-virus)flashing:
"Auto-Protect has blocked Adware.Badaz as a security risk"

-and it's only from your site.
I hope it's nothing serious!

Good luck, J.

[LB]

Robert -
Glad you are safe & sound. Welcome to your new home - May it bring peace and all good things from here forward. We missed you.
Take care,
LB

[Sue]

Hi Robert, Glad to know all is now ok. I'd been wondering what had happened to you too. I access your site from a book mark I've set up on Firefox so had no trouble getting through.

Here's a thought on the anti-virus flash on your site. A computer friend suggested that Corporations selling anti-virus
packages search the net and are automatically programmed to pick up on key words they regard as suspect. When a site containing those words is located the anti-virus software ad is activated to pop up on the site regardless of the context in which the words appear on the site. (Capitalism gone mad1)

Sounds like the universe has really been testing your resolve to live in a remote area. All that driving sound intense.

[Aditya]

Hi Robert, I hope you are aware that for the last few weeks there is an Adware which automatically infects my computer whenever I enter your site. Its name is Adware.Badaz.

I have Norton Antivirus to catch it and delete it.

Best regards

[Mary]

I was afraid for your personal safety or that of your family. I am glad that it was a computer crisis instead. Glad to have you back and looking forward to more fine reading. Thanks again.

[Joy]

Hi Robert,

That's a lot of stress you've been through! Hopefully nothing of that sort comes up again. Just glad to have you aboard once more and wish you the loveliest of days in your new home.

Namaste!

[Robert]

Hi Jan - I suspect that Saturn opposition Uranus will bring some serious polarizations between ineffective governments and progressives intent on finding urgently needed solutions to our dystopia. Don't think I'll finish books soon, since I'm trying to reorganize how I do what I do. Still, with less time on the road I can get more writing done over the next few months, and begin to set up a true publishing house for my work, which involves hundreds of hours of taped material and about a thousand pages covering hundreds of topics. Eventually I'll create on line classes and other things of interest.

Hi Jilly - It was only using those tools (after jumping through major hoops requiring a webmaster to insert code in an obscure part of my template!) that I found that I was in fact still being crawled and indexed! At first I thought they simply weren't indexing me, or had inadvertently dropped me somehow. But by using those tools I found that "somehow" there was a veil put up between the indexing and the display. They still haven't sent me an answer. I'll wait another week then send them another letter, this time to a veep and copy to customer relations.

Hi Sue - Probably more like Mars RX opposition Pluto, since it was fixed before Mercury RX. That said, since it's been fixed but never explained, I must AGAIN (Merc RX!) send another letter to google asking why it happened, only this time to someone higher up the food chain.

Hi Lorna - Yes, those who just go to the site weren't affected, since I AM on the web! However, there are hundreds all around the world each day who google either my site name or a topic, and it is they who couldn't find me except through the old site on salon (which I need to restore now that it's Mercury RX).

Hi Deborah - Don't know what a "scraper" is, but if they violate google's rules it could affect your site, but you can apply for reinstatement if you jump through hoops previously mentioned. Still, their webmaster tools can be helpful in troubleshooting what they are indexing, and you can learn how to boost your visibility using key words.

Hi donna not many - Well, I didn't have that problem, nor has anyone else reported it. I suspect it could have been something on your internet provider's filtering system. Maybe I'm attaining forbidden status in parts of repressive cyberspace! I mean, we have entities such as clear channel communications that wouldn't allow "Imagine" or "Leaving on a Jet Plane" to be played after 9-11, so maybe certain internet providers owned by crypto-fascists also do selective filtering without telling us. These days you just don't know... Sorry your daughter's home burned but glad everyone got out. I assume there was insurance, but money doesn't replace the hassle and losses. Feeling sad is appropriate, as is the sense of unreality when such things happen.

Hi Henry - Yes, times are not peaceful, nor will they be for awhile. That's why we find it when and where we can, getting centered for the next act in the larger human drama unfolding. Humans are not a fake, but our governments and economic systems are, since they are unsustainable under the current models, and don't TCB. Of course we're entering a brave new world in human evolution, and of course there will be regressives doing what they can actively and passively to monkeywrench what's evolving. Control systems usually work out of fear unless they're intelligently constructed, which is not what springs to mind when one thinks of governments. They have the power and want to keep it, and the internet blows the doors down on human ignorance and separateness. That's why "free speech" in cyberspace is THE frontier for human connectedness and evolution.

Hi Stevo - Never underestimate the power of international bankers to NOT be our friends. They're intent on making money and keeping it whether people live or die as a result of those decisions. Am staying as cool as possible, laughingcat that I am. Keep playing on....

Hi Felita - I have no doubt that some things are also playing out in Australia that have international implications. Blocking alternative sites would be the intention of those who want to control the flow of information. China certainly blocks sites not in line with its intentions. We the People all over the world must persevere in the exchanging flow, since we are stronger and more aware together than we are separately. Stay on top of what's being censored, and whenever it's appropriate, let us all know.

Hi Deb - Well, I was on the road, so didn't have time to compose, plus was trying to sort things out. Whenever there's not a new article, go back into previous ones, since people always get more after a second or even third and fourth reading. A lot of material that's still timely gets moved down the column with each new article I post. As for the Twilight Zone, I have had about 50 such experiences in my life, some more bizarre than others, so I've ceased to think that there is such a thing as "normal" reality. Thanks for the Love, Light, and "feary magick" since it's all offered for the greater good of All.

Hi Juliet, Jude, and Aditya - Have asked my Typepad troubleshooters to check it out and tell me where it is and how to delete it or at least filter it so it doesn't show up. I have a suspicion where it comes from, but want to make sure before I take measures.

Hi Lisa - Don't know about AOL search, but I was doing fine on many other search engines, including Yahoo and MSN. And yes, the trusty Salon site does deserve a facelift and new material! I haven't been able to access the software to post anything new since my old computer died and Radio Userland has not been very helpful even though I'm paying them each year to use software I no longer have. That's why I consider it something I need to do now that Mercury is RX! Will respond to your email re: a session today or tomorrow, whenever I can get back to answering emails.

Hi LB - Well, thanks. It's taken 6 months to complete the move, but I suppose that's common when you live to my age and manage to hold on to accumulations. And the air is fine!

Hi Sue - Well, sometimes I can post every day, and other times I can't. I used to have the time to queue reprints that would autopost while I was on the road, but the past several weeks have been an avalanche of stuff to do unrelated to the site, but absolutely necessary for me to take care of. Thanks for the heads up about antivirus packages that target generic words. That's a possibility, though this is of such recent vintage that I have a suspicion where it's coming from, and as noted earlier, have notified Typepad. I have no doubt they'll clue me in. As for remoteness, well, it's actually kind of nice after so many years of living in cities. I used to get out of the city every so often for a week or three - it's how I survived Manhattan in the early 80s. In Austin I had a greenbelt behind my home, so all I had to do was take a walk and it was like I was in the country. And I used to hike mountains in Colorado too, which was food for the Soul. But there's nowhere to go near LA that isn't impossible except for Ojai or parts of Malibu. The pressure of being a Malthusian rodent eventually must be dropped, and it's amazing to me how much less stress there is where I'm living now. The drive is actually nice from Tucson to NM. The pressure cooker is driving the LA basin!

Hi Mary - Personal safety was only in jeopardy when we were in LA or for a blinding moment Thanksgiving night. Other than that, it's just the usual afflictions of Mars RX!

Hi Joy - Thanks for the wishes. Am definitely enjoying being off the road.

[Valerie]

As do many of the other contributors here, I have you bookmarked here and at home and have had no trouble accessing this site. But it's creepy that someone has been possibly trying to submarine you... what happened to freedom of speech? When I think of all the times I kept my HERETICAL NEW AGE BELIEFS AACK!! to myself for the sake of avoiding argument.... I've been reading alot of commentary about Pluto moving into Capricorn and I wonder if that has something to do with it. The government to come may be doing some sneaky things. Big Brother will be watching, I guess. Also maybe stationary Mercury is connected with the google thing. Isn't it right on top of Neptune as well? Hmm, food for thought. Anyway, glad you're back and I hope you are all settled in at last. Namaste, Valerie :)

[Shelley]

Robert,

Google was my favorite search engine until I found out while watching the end of a documentary on the Dalai Lama that they do selective filtering to appease the Chinese government:

"Cultural genocide is subtler than physical genocide -- its tools are less obvious. So now China can extend its dilution of Tibetan culture into cyberspace with expert assistance. Google has agreed to filter out every aspect of Tibetan life that the Chinese government finds offensive, leaving only propaganda, misrepresentations, and outright lies about Tibet and Tibetans. It's amazing. The Tibetan people spent thousands of years developing their history and culture, and Google managed to make it disappear in little more than a year with only a few algorithms." (excerpt from Cult of the Dead Cow website)

If you have anything positive on this site about H.H. Dalai Lama or Tibetan culture or people, you could be part of this appalling censorship? I wouldn't doubt there are other politial and/or religious groups that Google is trying to please, for financial gain of course, so it could be selective filtering for another huge corporate or national interest? I don't know, but it really bothers me, and I'm so very sorry that your site has been affected, but it really doesn't surprise me, after what I've been learning about Google. All that, plus several years ago they were working on being able to listen for 5-second snippets through our PC microphones to pick up our tv programming so they could identify what we were watching and the ads to be displayed for each user would be unique depending on the "fingerprint" of whatever tv program was identified through the eavesdropping. Sounds really, really fishy to me... I just don't trust Google anymore and really don't know what search engine to trust? Any ideas, all?

Anyway, glad you are back, and keep us posted on what response you get from Google, if they do end up getting back with you. Should be very interesting Many thanks again for all you share with us- you have been a source of illumination in my life and many, many others!

Aum Shanti,
Shelley

[Sue]

Hi Robert, nice to know so much about what it's like living in America (I'm in S.E. Aust). I live in the country too and am just about to move to a new property which is walking distance to the bush (the woods in American talk I think) I'm really looking forward too. Good luck with your all your internet problems. I think you misunderstood me - I definitely wasn't criticising you for not posting every day - I certainly don't go on line every day either - some days just need to spent out in nature don't they. Cheers

[B.]

Hi Robert,

It has happened to me as well. Usually, there is something to trigger it.

You might want to research if your articles are being reposted..Although, in this case it might be due to a manual/editor drop.

this article explains the top 9 or 10 causes of being deindexed.

http://www.seobook.com/archives/002367.shtml

B.

[B.]

Staying Ok with Google is an art. ;)

[Robert]

Hi all - I believe I found the problem with the supposed adware and it should be fixed. I believe it was due to Network Solutions pointing my Political Physics site, now on hiatus, to a page with a bunch of garbage ads that I never approved. So I redirected the pointer to a generic "under construction" page and it seems to have eliminated the Adbaaz link. I also bombed all spam comments from the archives that I had previously depublished but not deleted. PLEASE tell me if any of you get another notice from Norton or whoever, as I won't have you bugged by garbage one second longer than it takes to fix it.

Hi Valerie - Well, at least I know google has zero accountability and has stonewalled giving me any explanation whatsoever. I've never been off their first two or three pages for years, so I doubt it was an honest resetting of their search parameters. As for freedom of speech, well, google is cooperating with the fascist Chinese government in repressing any and all sites that don't follow the official party line. Ugh. Vichy google and all that.

Pluto in Cap will definitely bring many under the extremely heavy hand of their government, and once enough of us are determined to "just say no" and organize in non-violent non-cooperation with the fascists, then we'll see long term wide spread social change. It will definitely destroy certain governments while purifying others.

I can relate to my "HERETICAL NEW AGE BELIEFS" being unwelcome in various quarters and times in my life, but I learned that it makes absolutely no difference what "they" think. Being true to our Dharma path of Self realization is all that matters, since who among us would want to watch the movie of their life after we check out and realize that cowardice and untruth held sway over courage and truth? I tend not to argue with those who are prejudicial in their ignorance. Something about "Never try to teach a pig to sing - it'll just frustrate you and annoy the pig" comes to mind. That's different than my response to those few who have come here to throw rocks or try to impose their limitations on what I or the community here are discussing. Though some don't like my response, I cannot afford to care what those who repress our honest, gentle, caring, concerned dialogue think. In this classroom, there is respect, honesty, and mutual support in our troubled times. We are truly a Sangha.

Hi Shelley - As you can tell, I've noted the cowardly cooperation of many of our systems with the repressive regime of the Chinese (who are doing all they can to repress dissent so they can make the Olympics a sanitized PR event.) I have no doubt this site is filtered over there, given my obvious respect and affection for His Holiness, a man who has given the world a living example of a higher standard of human relations, awareness, and existence. The Chinese have destroyed so many temples and killed so many Tibetans while moving Chinese from the East to Tibet that we can agree they are in fact indulging in cultural genocide, regardless of their facile rationalizations. As for which search engines are trustworthy, I just don't know, but am open to others' experiences. Scroogle uses google, but masks the track so google cannot trace where we've been.

Hi Sue - I didn't think you were criticizing. Just thinking out loud that I've been run ragged between the 2000+ mile drives in and out of Lalaland, this google mess, the adware concerns, doing my chart taping, and petting the cat. Living in the 21st century is more hectic than it needs to be!

Hi B - Well, but I WAS being indexed, over 700 pages worth. It was the display that wasn't happening, which would seem impossible. I would think that indexing would automatically generate a display somewhere, if only on page 10 or whatever. And I'll check the article in case for some strange reason I drop off their radar screen in the future. For now, I still suspect they have a monkeywrencher in their organization.

[Valerie]

Hi Robert,

The platitude about teaching a pig to sing gave me a good laugh. And how true it is. I'm pleased to say that after all I've been through, I am certainly true to myself. My life and the lessons I have learned are pretty much between me and God anyway. One thing I learned when I was young was, there are many paths to God. Good thing my path crossed with you folks. (What is Sangha?)

As for the Chinese, whose history and culture I do admire... well, maybe Pluto in Capricorn will fix their asses sooner or later! :)

[Louisa]

Hi Robert
I love your site and am always amazed by your generosity in sharing knowledge. I have been travelling a lot in the past few months, from Australia to the US and Europe. Although i am completely into the esoterics, i found that my ability to know how to book things online, carry my laptop and investigate second and third options and not take 'face value' what i was told really didn't go down well in the US. Knowledge truly is power and the fact that you have such intricate knowledge of search engines, google and computer stuff teamed with your profound psychological and astrological knowledge is a force to reckon with! And you have taken your power back by going down all the avenues you needed to. Some people think that to be 'enlightened' means letting everything wash over you, but i truly believe Ghandi and Jesus and Krishna and all those enlightened beings were the most assertive and wise people we'd ever hope to encounter.
Enjoy your beautiful, beautiful space. Thank you for sharing about google, not so that we can all hate the world and or money-making corporations but so that people can realise you need to do your own investigation with everything and always to seek a second, third, fourth and fifth opinion...and be proactive.
Travelling wakes you up to how much in life is fluid and completely objective, and truth is stranger than fiction...
enjoy the desert...

[Juliet]

Hello Robert,

No more adware popup :-)

Juliet

[Robert]

Hi Valerie - It's an old Texas saying. Glad you liked it. Also glad you know everything is between us and God and there are many ways to get there. Sangha is "Community" in the Spiritual sense. It is said there are 3 "refuges" from the suffering of the world: the Buddha (the Wisdom), the Dharma (the Way), and the Sangha (the Community). As for China, to paraphrase Gandhi, authoritarians ALWAYS lose in the end, and the human Spirit triumphs.

Hi Louisa - I agree we must cultivate common sense and practical skills if we are to do well in our modern reality, regardless of what "esoteric" or "spiritual" knowledge we have or believe we have. Critical thinking always involves learning to examine things from multiple angles of analysis, and not take things at face value, or because someone else says whatever. We are all responsible for our choices, and that means the need to keep learning how to learn, and as you say, be proactive. We must study to know, know to understand, and understand to judge wisely.

Hi Juliet - Hooray! That means I learned something useful while struggling to find out the cause of the problem, and then used what I learned correctly to solve the problem. That's life, isn't it?