So I called my accountant today, to ask if he could sign a form for me so 
I could become a CACert assurer - no biggie, right? All I needed was to 
find two notaries, bank managers, or accountants to vouch that I am who
I say I am. And I got a simple, reasonable answer.

Well, okay. I didn't call, I emailed. You think that if I had called, I
would have gotten a lengthy diatribe about who the call was intended for, 
and what the potential tax implications were, and instructions to destroy
the record of the call if I wasn't who I said I was?? 

Sheesh! Where I come from, having an email signature greater than 4 lines
is sacrilege. I don't think I've ever clocked in more than 3, and I'm 
pretty gosh-darned important, aren't I? Aren't I? :) 

The sig. clocks in at *42 lines*, versus 4 lines for the actual message.
The phone call would have involved some friendly chit-chat, but the email
had me hit over the head with legal bullshit. No wonder Mother Earth is 
in danger: we keep wasting bytes like this and we'll drown in rising sea 
levels of our own making! (Note to lawyers and accountants: I'm *joking*. 
Lighten up, will you?)

Not to mention the public ip address from the Windows workstation, and 
the choice of email client. Outlook Express? Wasn't that banned by 
Homeland Security back in 2002? :)

Check it out, Sid (names obfuscated to protect the innocent):
"""
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Message-ID: <000e01c798eb$24b70860$1a65a8c0@C26>
From: "______ _. ______" <_______@blhhcpa.com>
To: "Paul McNett" 
References: <464CF8B1.8060500@ulmcnett.com>
Subject: Re: Notary service
Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 18:23:30 -0700
Organization: Bianchi, Lorincz, Huey, Hudson & Co., LLP
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Hi Paul,

Both Barbara S & Christine are Notaries, so you can come in anytime and have
one of them notarize your papers at no charge.




______ _.______, Managing Partner
CTEC Registered Tax Preparer (CRTP)
_______@blhhcpa.com

(831) 638-2111 - Hollister
(831) 373-1697 - Monterey
(408) 778-2112 - Morgan Hill

Bianchi, Lorincz, Huey, Hudson & Company CPA's
A Business Consulting Firm
"a member of the Moss Adams LLP Network of Independent CPA firms"

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----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul McNett" 
To: <_______@pcs-blc.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2007 5:52 PM
Subject: Notary service


> Hi _______,
>
> I have a form that needs a notary or accountant's signature that you
> affirm I am who I say I am... would you mind signing it? The whole
> procedure will take a couple minutes... just let me know when to show up
> at your office.
>
> Thanks in advance!
> Paul
>
> --
> pkm ~ http://paulmcnett.com


"""

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