No checking for absence of _legitimate_ addresses

[StR]

I really feel for you, but have to make decisions based on "what others (note the plural) might think".

A philosopher, historian and engineer are caught by the Inquisition that decided to execute them.
The philosopher is on the guillotine, the Chief-Executioner/Inquisitor gives the sign, the blade comes down but gets stuck. The philosopher is let go.
The executioners check the guillotine and make sure it's working.
Now is the historian's turn. And the same happens again: the guillotine blade gets stuck. The historian is let go.
The executioners check the guillotine again, and it's working.
So, the engineer is put on the guillotine. The Chief-Executioner gives a sign, and the engineer yells: "Hold on, I know what's wrong with it and why it is not working!..."
( http://www.aqua-mail.com/forum/index.php?topic=4402.msg24303#msg24303 )
 

[Kostya Vasilyev]

I heard a different version about 25-30 years ago.

Three people sentences to death are allowed to choose the execution method for themselves (individually).

The first one chooses the guillotine, it gets stuck, they let him go.

As he walks towards freedom, he passes the other two and manages to whisper -- "the guillotine is broken"

With the second one, the guillotine gets stuck again, they let him go too.

Now it's the third one's turn.

And he says "well, if the guillotine is broken, letsssee, something else then".