The Best of Email feature is not one that gets a lot of traffic these days, but this particular submission couldn’t fit anywhere else. It started when Justus got a ticket: “customer spam filters are blocking our emails”. How on earth was he going to fix customer spam filters? He almost replied as much to the ticket, when he noticed that the end user had helpfully attached a sample email.

This was the “to” line… and I present it here in its entirety, exactly as supplied by Justus. I apologize to mobile users in advance: 

"'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "Griffon, Peter" <[email protected]>, "Simpson, Homer" <[email protected]>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>&someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>qsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>usomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>osomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>tsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>;someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>&someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>#someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>0someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>3someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>9someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>;someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>msomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>asomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>rsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>ksomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>tsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>ksomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>osomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>msomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>msomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>usomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>nsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>isomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>ksomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>asomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>tsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>isomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>osomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>nsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>@someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>nsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>asomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>tsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>usomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>rsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>esomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>nsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>esomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>rsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>gsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>isomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>esomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>psomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>lsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>usomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>ssomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>-someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>ssomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>esomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>rsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>vsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>isomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>csomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>esomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>.someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>dsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>esomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>&someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>#someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>0someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>3someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>9someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>;someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>&someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>qsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>usomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>osomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>tsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>;someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'> someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>&someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>lsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>tsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>;someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>&someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>#someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>0someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>3someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>9someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>;someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>msomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>asomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>rsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>ksomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>tsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>ksomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>osomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>msomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>msomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>usomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>nsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>isomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>ksomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>asomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>tsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>isomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>osomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>nsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>@someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>nsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>asomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>tsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>usomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>rsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>esomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>nsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>esomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>rsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>gsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>isomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>esomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>psomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>lsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>usomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>ssomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>-someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>ssomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>esomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>rsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>vsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>isomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>csomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>esomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>.someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>dsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>esomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>&someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>#someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>0someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>3someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>9someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>;someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>&someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>gsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>tsomeenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>;someenergysupllier-service.de'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>&stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>qstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>ustadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>ostadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>tstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>;stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>&stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>#stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>0stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>3stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>9stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>;stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>lstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>istadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>fstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>rstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>astadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>nstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>tstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>nstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>wstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>cstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>hstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>sstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>lstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>@stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>sstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>tstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>astadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>dstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>tstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>wstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>rstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>kstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>-stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>fstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>lstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>nstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>sstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>bstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>ustadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>rstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>gstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>.stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>dstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>&stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>#stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>0stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>3stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>9stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>;stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>&stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>qstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>ustadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>ostadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>tstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>;stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'> stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>&stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>lstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>tstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>;stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>&stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>#stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>0stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>3stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>9stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>;stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>lstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>istadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>fstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>rstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>astadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>nstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>tstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>nstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>wstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>cstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>hstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>sstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>lstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>@stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>sstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>tstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>astadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>dstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>tstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>wstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>rstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>kstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>-stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>fstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>lstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>nstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>sstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>bstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>ustadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>rstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>gstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>.stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>dstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>estadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>&stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>#stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>0stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>3stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>9stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>;stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>&stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>gstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>tstadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>;stadtwerke-somecity.de'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>, "'[email protected]'" <'[email protected]'>

Are you still with us? Did you get past that wall of text? Congratulations.

Justus had a relatively obvious question at this point: “How on Earth is this getting generated?”

“Oh, it’s an automated system,” was the reply.

Further investigation revealed that said “automated system” was an Excel sheet with a macro written by an IT person over a decade ago, and stored on a network share. After a great deal of discussion and management escalation, the Excel sheet was retired and the user was forced to use the company’s CRM and bulk-email solution, which had been acquired to replace the spreadsheet nearly eight years ago.

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