What is up with that quote?

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Rejection letters are supposedly professional correspondence. So when I see things at the end of emails that shake me as odd, I wonder why they did it. This letter -- which wasn't a rejection notice per se, but more of a "thanks for the resume, here's a response, and we won't likely be calling" notice -- was one of those. 
The sender was Liz Monaghan, the HR director of the Association of Texas Professional Educators, and a senior professional in human resources (I love professional certifications that seem so random) and, in all probability, a nice person. But when one works for a teachers' union, you don't expect to see this in a signature block as I did back on Sept. 20, 2011: 
"It is not the strongest of species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." -- Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

Darwin? Really? And unions? I used to be in a union way back when and change was the thing it feared most. The only thing it took care of was those at the top of the pyramid and heaven forbid if you were at the bottom (which I was.) And having covered enough teacher union dealings, the one thing they don't want is change unless that change means more money for teachers. No Child Left Behind's largest flaw was that teachers' unions fought it at every single turn. 
But instead of going off on a rant against unions, I'll rant against signature blocks. In this email-centric world, is it really necessary to have a giant signature block? If I want to contact you, I can just hit the reply button and send a message right back to you. It's that easy. 
I've never used a signature block for just that reason. It's just silly. And throwing in a random tidbit such as a quote or the previously mentioned "We're hiring..." is downright ridiculous. It's not professional, and in the "We're hiring..." context it's insulting. 
If you do feel the need for a signature block, remember the KISS rule -- Keep It Simple, Stupid. Name, position, phone number, address, maybe website. That's all you need. Anything else is a waste -- like using six different fonts and three different colors. But that's for another day.



Thank you for your interest in the Copy Editor/Writer position with ATPE. Candidates who meet the required qualifications will be considered for an interview after a careful review of all resumes and writing samples received. Candidates being invited in for an interview will be contacted by phone and/or email.

Thanks and have a great day!Liz Monaghan, SPHRHR Director, ATPE512-467-0071 x.332512-467-2805 (fax)Supporting Your Freedom to Teach ^SM 
" It is not the strongest of the species that survives,  nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."
             ~   Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882) ~