I went apeshit this morning because I was trying to search specific terms related to this blog, and nothing was coming up. I couldn't even search the site with the on-site Google search tool in the sidebar. The only hits I got were references to "beautyandtherobeast.blogspot.com" on other sites and links by my blogmigos.
I immediately started asking around on Twitter to see if anyone was having the same problem, but everything worked fine for everybody except me. I frantically started typing a question on the Google Help Forum, but wanted to gather some more research first. I went into GChat and grabbed the first person on the list to run a search for me. Alan from NegativePop had no issues with his search results and then suggested that maybe it was a search filter problem on my end. I checked my settings and that was exactly it.
But...
...my "Do not filter" circle is clearly checked off. So what gives?I went to Bing and this website didn't show up until the 2nd page of search results. It at least showed up this time, but I was still stuck on the Strict level of their Safesearch. Yahoo's got me defaulted at the middle level of Safesearch:
There, beautyandtherobeast.blogspot.com comes up first, but I still can't change the filter settings to what I really want! Why can't I change it?Turns out that my computer isn't the only computer in the building stuck on this setting (I'm at work, I should've mentioned that earlier. I'm, uh, writing this on my lunch break, obviously). For years, IT has banned us from viewing image hosting sites, personal storage sites, dating sites, adult sites, and any site that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Exposions would be interested in (though strangely, I can go to their site), but now it seems that they would like to limit our searches as well. And of course I understand why--they're trying to protect their computers from harmful badstuffs. Talk about a killjoy though. Is my site really so subversive to corporate culture that someone wearing a tie shouldn't be able to accidentally stumble on my ideas via the Google Search engine? Pffft, Braaaap, & Thwick.
These highly entertaining sound effects beg another question: Why is this blog being filed under Explicit or Adult? Gio's blog is showing on the first page of search results on Google, and a huge portion of his content is devoted to porn reviews. Jay's Sexy Armpit (which I will now refer to as Sex-Pit for short) isn't explicit at all, but it does have the word "Sex" in the title. That is able to pass through the Safesearch filter with no problem, but mine isn't. (Don't worry boys, I'm not trying to throw you under the bus... just giving you some free plugs!) Maybe naked girls being posted is Adult Content, but drawing Nintendo tattoos on them definitely makes it kewl for the kiddies, right? No? Ok, well then I blame teh Beauty's centaur porn posts (which coincidentally makes up 99.23987% of the traffic here). As a fan of things that come with warning labels, I will wear this as a badge of honor.
Here's something I just discovered: my computer isn't the only computer in the building stuck on this setting (I'm at work, I should've mentioned that earlier. I'm, uh, writing this on my lunch break, obviously). For years, IT has banned us from viewing image hosting sites, personal storage sites, dating sites, adult sites, and any site that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Exposions would be interested in (though strangely, I can go to their site), but now it seems that they would like to limit our searches as well. And of course I understand why--they're trying to protect their computers from harmful badstuffs. Talk about a killjoy though. Is my site really so subversive to corporate culture that someone wearing a tie shouldn't be able to accidentally stumble on my ideas via the Google Search engine? Pffft, Braaaap, & Thwick.
Obviously, I'll find a way around my search problem (I'm having no problems with unfiltered searches on Dogpile, Altavista, Ask, etc.), but I think it is incredibly lame to now know that anyone with a strict filter, whether it be self-imposed, accidental, or mandated, won't find this entry. I have no intentions of playing the game and cleaning things up to get my PG-13 rating, so your dirty, hairy, foul-mouthed RoBeast lives on.
Take that Mr. Poopy Pants.
