I Can't Hardly Take It

There are some twisted misters out there.

I just got done firing off an email to the Google News staff about my latest frustrations trying to find good Burma information on the Net. Here's what I typed:

I'd like to know why a few recent stories on this site are included in Google News listings, but most have not been. For example, the following new stories are missing from your archive:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=9471
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=9474

but this one is included:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=9475

Your listings are here:
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=site:irrawaddy.org&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tab=wn&scoring=n

Here is their immediate acknowledgement:

Thank you
Thanks for contacting us. Again, we'll follow up with you only if we require more information or if we have any information to share.

So I won't expect a response, though they have been good in the past in this respect.

What I don't understand is how exactly they could arrange to have some but not all stories off a particular site show up in their listings. Lately, it seems that every story I actually care about is missing. And in all cases, the site in question appears to be indexed.

In fact, I've been wondering if some unseen level of censorship is going on at many different sites. The thing is, I tend to be interested in very touchy topics that don't generally make it onto the pages of the mainstream media. This would include organ harvesting, Burma, and depleted uranium specifically.

Just yesterday I sent an email to CBS5 in San Francisco:

I want to bring something to your attention. This story about Burma seems to be missing from your site though it shows in your search. I am wondering why. Also, I cannot seem to view the 2 video versions that appear in the search (2nd link below) though I can view other videos. Puzzling.

A reply would be much appreciated.

-Peter Dearman

http://cbs5.com/national/Myanmar.Burma.underground.2.596405.html

http://search.cbs5.com/Default.aspx?SearchString=burma&TabId=0

No reply so far. Draw your own conclusions.