Although it is not my usual practice to delete posts from this blog (in fact, it is only the second time I have ever done it; the first being the deletion of a blog post consisting exclusively of a picture, the file of which became irredeemably corrupted), I am replacing the original post that appeared here with this message.

The original post was, as some of you will recall, a letter containing — I believe it is fair to say — rather intemperate remarks from a young man who, writing from his office, or, at the very least, from his office account, had a different point of view than I on the merits (or lack thereof) of Mr. Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

The young man has since written me not once, but twice, to express what appear to be his most sincere apologies for the words he used. He certainly could not have written a nicer apology, nor one seemed more heartfelt. In that spirit, I certainly do accept his apology, and am taking his original note off this website, so that he and his employer will not see it attached to their names for howeverlong this website might last.