A lot of offices still have fax machines. However, today’s “fax machine” is really just a scanner that takes a digital scan of the document(s), then sends it to the fax number at the destination. Most places have their fax numbers set up to go straight to their computer systems, so they just get a PDF or whatever. It’s still also really a fax machine, though, because it stills calls the fax number at the destination, and sends over the document via a phone connection.
Sending a fax is less fiddly than it used to be, though, because most people have their fax machines hooked up to a DSL line instead of a dial-up modem, and the process is pretty much fool-proof, unless someone has a really crappy internet connection.
As part of a business that deals with some government stuff, they require things to be faxed. They don’t accept it emailed, only faxed and by post. They for some reason gotta have a paper trail 10 miles long…
I hear some people think it’s because of security reasons. This is wrong – faxes are unencrypted and are easily tapped, e-mails are encrypted during transit.
Mostly, people don’t want to change their ways and some security auditors aren’t quite aware where security technology currently is, and faxes were grandfathered in.
It is security, but not the security of the data itself. As a government organization, all records get filed with the Library of Congress, and must be accessible through the Freedom of Information requests. This is why the courts have recently rules that people posting as goverment officials cannot delete tweets.
In many contexts, a faxed copy of a signed physical document is legally binding where an emailed .pdf is not. And that isn’t just a US practice; the UK at least is similar. Your belief that email is better than fax is one thing, professional assessments of email security are a second thing, and the actual law is a third thing. Only one of these things will bind A-Sig central, and Tip probably doesn’t have time to lobby Congress to change the law before they arrive.
What John said. Followed by a century of legal precedent and the word of government agencies’ legal counsel. I work in government, so I can tell you that precedent is all powerful and change is slow.
That’s a P-poor deal, Tip, and you know it. But in the subsequent rescue Tip will find out that many love him in spite of his irresistible charm and friendliness. Or they could release him and he’s been ‘Borg’d’ ,assimilated, and ‘turned’.
Don’t forget a robot replica designed to look just like him and remotely piloted to infiltrate Skin Horse being place in *just* the right place for rescuers to find it.
No, because the obvious liar isn’t actually trying to kill anyone. Shooting him at this point would be in cold blood. That would make the pacifist just as evil.
I’m sure Anasigma have a wide range of non-lethal weapons they could use to ensure that no-one else dies tonight. If nothing else, that sonic weapon Nick made should stop anyone from getting into too much trouble. It didn’t work as well on Tip, but that was probably just because Moustachio didn’t play it often enough.
From my experience with Civil Service, that form will probably have been generated by their Inspector General’s Office. If so, it may take “a while” for them to send copies. Then, the contents must be explained to all parties by the I.G., then reviewed by Legal. (It might take “a while” to get these parties on site…) Then it’ll have to be signed (in triplicate) in at least two places by all concerned parties (including the grandchildren Tip will have engendered with the willing A-Sig staff) and then notarized, so they may need to find a part of Unity that can write and operate her Notary’s Seal.
No, she just realized too late that she should have stopped with “you can’t trust them” instead of telling him which form was required. Her training from A-Sig kicked in before her brain did.
Of course, if Tip is using the few brain cells he has, he already knows that he can’t trust them, and he’s just trying to buy time.
Aaaahhh, gotta love that cartoony evil organization dark humor.
Dr. Lee: “Tip has always been a man of convictions…”
Unity’s Head: “He’s never been convicted in his life!”
(credit to The Bowery Boys)
He may have been indicted a few times, maybe summoned to testify in a divorce case or two, but never convicted.
Tip will use his mojo and win them all by giving everyone a makeover!
As long as he doesn’t use the puppets.
You’ve gotta have a carrot *and* a stick.
Fax? Oh dear. You would think A-Sig would be print-on demand or fillable .pdf.
Maybe it’s a US public service thing? If so, catch up dudes.
A lot of offices still have fax machines. However, today’s “fax machine” is really just a scanner that takes a digital scan of the document(s), then sends it to the fax number at the destination. Most places have their fax numbers set up to go straight to their computer systems, so they just get a PDF or whatever. It’s still also really a fax machine, though, because it stills calls the fax number at the destination, and sends over the document via a phone connection.
Sending a fax is less fiddly than it used to be, though, because most people have their fax machines hooked up to a DSL line instead of a dial-up modem, and the process is pretty much fool-proof, unless someone has a really crappy internet connection.
As part of a business that deals with some government stuff, they require things to be faxed. They don’t accept it emailed, only faxed and by post. They for some reason gotta have a paper trail 10 miles long…
I hear some people think it’s because of security reasons. This is wrong – faxes are unencrypted and are easily tapped, e-mails are encrypted during transit.
Mostly, people don’t want to change their ways and some security auditors aren’t quite aware where security technology currently is, and faxes were grandfathered in.
It is security, but not the security of the data itself. As a government organization, all records get filed with the Library of Congress, and must be accessible through the Freedom of Information requests. This is why the courts have recently rules that people posting as goverment officials cannot delete tweets.
In many contexts, a faxed copy of a signed physical document is legally binding where an emailed .pdf is not. And that isn’t just a US practice; the UK at least is similar. Your belief that email is better than fax is one thing, professional assessments of email security are a second thing, and the actual law is a third thing. Only one of these things will bind A-Sig central, and Tip probably doesn’t have time to lobby Congress to change the law before they arrive.
What John said. Followed by a century of legal precedent and the word of government agencies’ legal counsel. I work in government, so I can tell you that precedent is all powerful and change is slow.
That’s a P-poor deal, Tip, and you know it. But in the subsequent rescue Tip will find out that many love him in spite of his irresistible charm and friendliness. Or they could release him and he’s been ‘Borg’d’ ,assimilated, and ‘turned’.
Don’t forget a robot replica designed to look just like him and remotely piloted to infiltrate Skin Horse being place in *just* the right place for rescuers to find it.
No lies. Just the fax, ma’am.
No one dies “tonight”. Ok… so they just kill em all in the morning…. *sigh*
Aye, all matter of ineffable harm
can be done tonight and
Asigma can just unplug what’s left in the morning.
You know what would be a great twist ending?
If the pacifist just shot the obvious liar who’s about to win in the head.
With his guns, which he has.
No, because the obvious liar isn’t actually trying to kill anyone. Shooting him at this point would be in cold blood. That would make the pacifist just as evil.
I’m sure Anasigma have a wide range of non-lethal weapons they could use to ensure that no-one else dies tonight. If nothing else, that sonic weapon Nick made should stop anyone from getting into too much trouble. It didn’t work as well on Tip, but that was probably just because Moustachio didn’t play it often enough.
Tip is well aware of the loophole he’s left – and a loophole by any other name is a noose!
Come morning Tip will have mojo’d away anyone willing to choose therapy puppets over excruciating death!
Wait…
18-B, kept right next to form 27B-6.
This is paperwork. We need Sweetheart.
From my experience with Civil Service, that form will probably have been generated by their Inspector General’s Office. If so, it may take “a while” for them to send copies. Then, the contents must be explained to all parties by the I.G., then reviewed by Legal. (It might take “a while” to get these parties on site…) Then it’ll have to be signed (in triplicate) in at least two places by all concerned parties (including the grandchildren Tip will have engendered with the willing A-Sig staff) and then notarized, so they may need to find a part of Unity that can write and operate her Notary’s Seal.
By the way, why would A-Sig want Tip alive?
Not sure myself, but the assertion may simply be a delaying tactic.
After all, nobody in Anasigma wants to cross the organization, even accidentally.
Would this be considered a Freudian slip on Dr. Lee’s part? Her heart demands that he comes with them, her head recognizes the need for sacrifice?
No, she just realized too late that she should have stopped with “you can’t trust them” instead of telling him which form was required. Her training from A-Sig kicked in before her brain did.
Of course, if Tip is using the few brain cells he has, he already knows that he can’t trust them, and he’s just trying to buy time.