Is Associated Content Getting Stricter?

I have recently started submitting articles here and at Associated Content after a few months away, and I just had an article rejected for upfront payment there (at AC) because it was already published here (on Gather).  In the past, I had successfully published here and received payment for the same article there.  Has anyone else run into this reason for not paying at AC?

Incidentally, I also just had an article rejected for upfront payment because the material was "too readily available on the Internet."  Does that sound absurd to anyone else? Isn't almost anything readily available on the Internet?

Are any other AC writers finding that they're standards are getting stricter?  Are there other reasons you've had articles rejected that I should watch out for?

Thanks for any feedback.