superscript - 6:31 pm on Dec 13, 2003 (gmt 0)

The likelihood that Google would publicly admit it's unhappy with its results is only marginally greater than...

Precisely - the algo appears to be flawed. This argument is made on the dual bases that:

1) This is the only explanation that satisfies all concerns.

2) it is by far the simplest explanation.

And of course Google would not admit this - in much the same that any company will not admit a fundamental problem in the service it provides.