I have received the following from Ward to post on the list. Unfortunately, this will probably be the last we hear from Ward for a while as he continues his hiatus from public forums. >To those of you on the Veg-Raw list, I wanted to relay this second >apology via Peter regarding the Bob Avery death hoax incident that I >had a role in earlier this month. I know I already apologized once >before, and that Peter has set a date for Doug's and my suspensions to >expire. However, in talking with a few of the individuals afterwards >who had been the most seriously affected emotionally by the event, I >have realized my first apology did not acknowledge the extent to which >some people were shocked and felt deceived and humiliated. >So for those of you whom I don't know personally who may also have >been just as deeply impacted, I want to say I now fully understand >what I must have put you through. What pains me the most in having >talked with the individuals I do know personally is the betrayal of >trust they felt. For me, as much as the emotional shock people felt at >Bob Avery's supposed death, this goes to the heart of the matter, >because everything we do is built on trust, and it's something I put a >high premium on myself, which is why it is all the more embarrassing. >To have erred on such a fundamental point of human relationships in a >misfired attempt at humor is something I can only ask your forgiveness >for. Hopefully I can eventually live this one down, although I realize >it will take some time. >We all make mistakes, and I just hope that people can realize that >that's what this was for me, even though it was truly a big whopper >(may I be allowed a bit of repentant humor here? :-\ ) and something >I've learned a lot from. Anyway, I plan for my next mistake to be in >an area that won't have the potential for the kind of widespread >personal consequences this one had. Take care everyone, and I will try >to make sure I do as well. >--Ward Nicholson <[log in to unmask]> Wichita, KS