My site has been online for twelve years, enjoying very high Google page ranks (as if that matters anymore) and being ranked number one in its category for sites of this type (ranking.com).  I have tens of thousands of high-quality inbound links from reputable and scholarly sites that consider my site a worthy source of original, unique and valuable content.  It has a noble mission, where its purpose is to enlighten, educate and inspire young people to take an active interest in science.  

Some examples of sites that link to mine: National Geographic, Discovery, BBC, NASA, NOAA, NSF, the Smithsonian, Lawrence Livermore Laboratories, National Science Teacher Association, thousands of schools, universities and libraries from all over the world.  Shouldn't that count SIGNIFICANTLY in the rating of the value of the site contents???

Since the Panda update my organic site traffic from the US has dropped 50% and I've experienced a corresponding drop in revenues.   Why the penalty, Google?  Does the presence of your adsense ad blocks high on the page, as you highly recommend, now make my site a 'lower quality site', I wonder?

My only source of revenue is from ads on the site, mostly Google adsense.  I've been earning consistent revenues from adsense for seven years and have come to depend on that income.   I've had another side business to supplement the advertising revenues from Extreme Science and that business has dropped significantly because of reduced demand during this 'Great-Recession-that's-not-a-depression.'  My husband's employer has demanded 'give-backs' to make concessions during this economy and he's lost ground.  This drop in revenue is the 'straw that's breaking this camel's back.'  I've got kids to feed, for crying out loud.

And now this from Google.  What have I done to deserve this?  I can't fathom it.