a few years ago

i had a friend at work who just 'disappeared'. she disappeared on purpose. she took some money and some clothing and left. she left her job, she left her husband, she left her home. everyone in her life was SHOCKED. no one saw it coming. (she left with another woman. no one had ANY indication that was happening or going to happen. i tell you NO ONE). anyway, the police (or whomever) contacted our office. they wanted any emails she sent or had on her pc. they were ALL deleted. however, in a matter of less than a day, our it dudes (they happened to be dudes that time) had ALL of her emails (which were 'deleted') off of that computer.

if a small company (we were small at that time. since then we've been bought out by a HUGE international company. which, by the way, is decent enough) can retrieve those emails, well than.......

White House told to provide e-mail info
Federal Magistrate Orders White House to Say Whether Missing E-Mail Is on Backup Tapes
PETE YOST AP News
A federal magistrate ordered the White House on Tuesday to reveal whether copies of possibly millions of missing e-mails are stored on computer backup tapes. The order by U.S. Magistrate Judge John Facciola comes amid an effort by the White House to scuttle two lawsuits that could force the Executive Office of the President to recover any e-mail that has disappeared from computer servers where electronic documents are automatically archived.
Two federal laws require the White House to preserve all records including e-mail.
Facciola gave the White House five business days to report whether computer backup tapes contain e-mails written between 2003 and 2005.
The time period covers the Valerie Plame affair in which at least three presidential aides were found to have leaked Plame's CIA identity to the news media.........