Although Bill did not create the FML... (That was Chris Lewis with Pat
Paley doing more than I had realized at the time.) Bill HAS moderated
the FML for the vast majority of its lifetime. How long have you been
doing this to help others, Bill? I think it must be something like
twenty years or more, right? Did your 20th anniversary go past w us
missing it? I hope not! (Yippee! I found the answer and it is later
in this post.)

The FML began Dec 21, 1987 after being rec.pets.ferrets, also extended
by Chris Lewis (Steve thinks), from rec.pets which we also got. (After
the FML rec.pets.ferrets began again but as a different list, so was
not continuous.)

Bill joined not terribly long after (a year or two?) and soon provided
the anonymous option for people in what were then quite a few FFZs
(ferret-free zones where ferrets were banned, most of which went away,
some after IMRAB 3 used yearly was shown to be an effective rabies
vaccine for ferrets and most after the CDC's later studies of rabies
and ferrets which showed them to be at least as safe as cats and dogs,
and led to the changes in the NASPHV's rabies prevention compendia).

Then, I guess after Chris had been the FML moderator for five? six?
maybe seven? years you became the moderator, Bill.

Maybe the info i am seeking is in here:

<http://www.smallanimalchannel.com/critter-news/2012/12/18/the-ferret-mailing-list-sees-silver.aspx>

Hmmm, notice this, quoted from Marylou Zarbock's 2012 article, as a
cute bit of info:
>This silver anniversary means that the Ferret Mailing List is older
>than Yahoo (founded in 1994) and Google (founded in 1998). So what
>exactly is the Ferret Mailing List and how did it all begin?

FOUND IT! Thank goodness for Marylou! THIS COMING NOVEMBER Bill will
have his TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY AS FML MODERATOR:
>At the end of November 1994, with issue 1027, Lewis handed over all
>moderating to Bill Gruber, also known as BIG, who had joined the
>Ferret Mailing List on issue 138 and been filling in as moderator
>on occasion when Lewis was away or busy.

In about three months Bill will have his 20th anniversary as the FML
Moderator!

And Bill did MORE then, too, besides providing the anonymous feature to
protect ferrets and their people! See:

<http://www.smallanimalchannel.com/critter-news/2012/12/18/the-ferret-mailing-list-sees-silver.aspx>

Sukie (not a vet)  Ferrets make the world a game.

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html

"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)

A nation is as free as the least within it.

[Posted in FML 8174]