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hope this letter finds you and your dear wife healthy and in good spirits. Barely a few minutes ago I had the pleasure of speaking with your daughter. She returned to the United States, the day before yesterday. We spoke briefly about her trip throughout Venezuela which was intended to perform a cursory survey of all the changes and achievements that have occurred during the current government's administration. I hope to get a chance to talk some more about her trip because I will be travelling soon to Caracas to visit relatives.

Allow me go straight to the point. But first, I apologize because this letter is long. However, if we take into account that you and I have not spoken for quite a number of years then you could say that this letter seeks to regain lost ground.

If my memory serves me well, on November 23rd 2006, I had the opportunity to meet you and your beloved wife and daughters to celebrate Thanksgiving dinner at Maria Eugenia's. I recall such day quite vividly because it was by coincidence or fate that that my life changed and this change still continues to this day. I know this may sound all too strange: I will explain.

Throughout the evening you and I had an invigorating conversation that seemed to flow effortlessly for hours on end. One in which a great number of topics were introduced ever more rapidly. We spoke about international and local politics, economics, philosophy, history, personal experiences and more. What made it all the more pleasant, is that we seemed to agree on many of the ideas discussed.

Perhaps upon seeing that we were so engrossed in conversation to the detriment of other guests, your daughters tried in vain to steer the conversation towards mundane topics but, to no avail. At the end of the evening, when Hannah and I had already remained in your company longer than that which is indicated by good protocol, we had to leave; but not without expressing our wish to meet again soon to resume our delightful conversation.

This was the moment when that idea, like a meme, jumped from your brain to mine, irreparably infecting it.

I must say that the need to satiate the thirst for an intelligent conversation is comparable to the satisfaction that Bedouins must feel upon discovering a waterhole or better yet, upon finding an oasis. I am referring to the intellectual barren land marked by the overwhelming mercantilist emphasis which permeates almost all aspects of modern life and does nothing to stimulate ones intellect. So it was surprising, that even though your family already made plans to go shopping the next day, before your imminent return trip to Venezuela; we met once more, the following evening.

But the most puzzling question you brought up, without any intent other than to share your experiences, had a bewitching effect on me. In fact, it was not until much later date that I realized that this was the moment when that idea, like a meme, jumped from your brain to mine, irreparably infecting it. I am referring to the problem of the small-sleepy-town called The Trap which is located in the state of Merida on the Venezuelan Andes.

It is uncanny that the name of such town was indicative of the problem at hand. In other words the question posed, was an intellectual trap. After more than three years of research I believed I have found an answer. This research took me from the advanced technological developments of industrialized nations to the heart of Ancient Greece.