An international airline with computer troubles was compelled one recent day to cancel hundreds of flights for thousands of passengers, but it apologized. Sort of. "We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience," the airline said. It didn't say, "We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience." The airline spokesman said, "for any inconvenience," suggesting the weasel-worded possibility that none of the thousands of passengers was inconvenienced by a tiny little matter like being delayed for hours before embarking on their journeys. You hear such wobbly, half-sincere apologies constantly in business and in politics. Especially in politics. It's usually something like, "If I have offended anyone by calling the senator a typical California nut job, I apologize"/Bill Hall, Lewiston Tribune. More here.

Question: Are you tired of half ap-hollow-gies?