I don't get why you're so hung up about physical access. But at least I think I understand how we got there:

gsreenivas: Most cloud-based email services hold email in the clear

lvh: are you suggesting cloud e-mail services don't use FDE?

lolc: They may but they also hold the keys.

lvh: it's a lot easier to walk out with a box in my kitchen than it is to walk out with a drive from us-east-2a

lolc: How many people have access to drives in us-east-2a?

In that last quote I should have said "storage", because I didn't mean physical access only. So apologies if that set you on the wrong track.