>We couldn't believe that this was the best deal obtainable for venture funding of the company, and we were inclined to ask around to see if this was reasonable. But, our Distinguished Financial Advisor informed us that this would constitute ``shopping the deal'' when ``a deal was on the table'' which was right out by the genteel standards of the venture community, and that he could not countenance such unrefined behaviour (notwithstanding the fact that in the real world this kind of collusion is called ``conspiracy in restraint of trade'' and people go to jail for it).

Fun read!