It was my mistake. (Button available from ThinkGeek. Only $4 each.)

No one elseis responsible.

I was in such a hurry to make a point that I didn’t double-check to see that the object of my attack was still on the job.

He wasn’t. And he immediately went after me on it.

So did many people who read him. Like this person, and this one, and this one. (You, too. And apologies to those I missed.)

It’s a fair cop. The criticism is richly-deserved.

But there is also a compliment there. (Not the obvious one about being able to put myself and Dan Rather into the same sentence.)

Corante has grown a lot since I joined it nearly two years ago. It has evolved from a few individual blogs into a virtual news network, with a host of vertical and geographic beats.

People depend on Corante to get it right. They’re surprised and upset when we don’t.

This is a good thing.

It means we’re not just a collection of blogs. We’re a news outlet. We’re doing real journalism. You, our audience, expect quality.

You will get it henceforth, from this reporter. I will double check everything I can. I will still hold strong opinions, and write on a variety of subjects. But I will make sure I’m certain of my ground in the future.

To all those who’ve dumped on me the last few words, I have but one word.

Thanks.