If you type Maltastar into Google Search in the UK as of 10.26 on 15 March, this is what you get at the top of the first and vital page:

Results 110 of about 177,000 for maltastar. (0.11 seconds

Search Results

maltastar.com

  1. 15 Mar 2010 Crawford refuses to answer Maltastar questions. When contacted by Maltastar.com, the Prime Minister’s consultant Charles Crawford refused to
    www.maltastar.com/ – 38 minutes ago – CachedSimilar

    More results from maltastar.com »
  2. Local News – maltastar.com

    When contacted by Maltastar.com, the Prime Minister’s consultant Charles Crawford refused to answer any questions, stating that all he needed to say was
    www.maltastar.com/pages/ms09indx.asp?m=152 – CachedSimilar

In other words, their inaccurate claims about me are being propagated by Search Engine Optimisation deep into the Google system, for ever.

I this morning have attempted a Comment on the Maltastar site of the article in question, briefly rehearsing the facts and denying for the record that I met the Malta Prime Minister or any other Minister during my recent visit. But they have not (yet) posted it.

That Google Search page also gives this:

maltastar.com – Site Info from Alexa

maltastar.com is ranked number 481816 in the world according to the Alexa Traffic Rank.
www.alexa.com/siteinfo/www.maltastar.com – Cached
According to Alexa Daphne Galizia’s site is doing notably better than theirs in global rankings:

391,415

Alexa Traffic Rank

 

Alas, my own little effort is way behind:

1,628,497

Alexa Traffic Rank

 

Virtue is not always rewarded. But at least it is virtuous.

 

Update at 16.33 UK time today:

 

The Maltastar story is dropping fast from their actual website, but this still comes up when you search for Maltastar on Google (sigh). I am now unhappily embalmed in Maltese web amber:

  

Search Results

  1. maltastar.com

    15 Mar 2010 Set as Homepage Add to Favourites Contact Us · maltastar.com Crawford refuses to answer Maltastar questions Mystery surrounds gun hid by
    www.maltastar.com/ – 1 hour ago – CachedSimilar