>outlawdook's" constructive comment: "I don't know what dark hole you
>came out of, but you can crawl back in."
 
fieldstone22, you can join ferts and cover the hole.
 
Ferrets magazine is out to make life miserable for its California readers,
and that the magazine goes out of its way to report them.
 
Yes it makes life miserable and very uncomfortable for Californians who
possess ferrets and their name and city they live in, is printed for the
world to see.  It doesn't take a brain surgeon to know, the state you
publish your mags in considers ferrets wild animals and is illegal to
possess.  The editors are either real stupid or they do not care whether
you lose your ferret and go to jail.  That is blatant disregard for the
life of a cherished pet and to its readers in California.
 
>I noticed that there was, indeed, a photo in Ferrets USA that identified
>the pictured ferret's owner as a California resident.  Does anyone really
>believe, asoutlawdooks appears to, that anything malicious was meant by
>this, and that it was anything other than an oversight?
 
There's actually 3 instances in their publications just this year, where
they list the name and city in which the person lives, but whose counting,
when it takes only once to lose your ferret.  Yes I find it malicious when
a ferrets' life is put in jeopardy.  You call 3 times an oversight, ferret
poo.
 
>Outlawdooks appears to have been personally insulted by Ferrets; I would be
>curious to know what the magazine did to that person to warrant such venom.
 
That appears to be an oversight on your part.  Go back and read my post.
No that's alright, I'll tell you...I had to disperse my beloved babies
recently.  I can only hope to have them returned to me after the ban is
changed, why you ask...because the ignorant arses put my name, address,
phone in their rag-mag for all the world to SEE.  I did not give permission
in no way, shape or form.  Since the rag-mag has done this to me, I get
20 - 30 calls at my home from people who want to buy ferrets because they
found me in the rag-mag.  I tell them ferrets are banned and then ask if
they would like to get involved with the legalization, I barely get the
words out of my mouth and they hang up.  So, who was calling... a friend...
or foe... could it just be the nice people over at the DFG.
 
>Here are two excerpts from two of the responses "ferts" received, the first
>from F. Scott Giarrocco and the second from Mary Shefferman:
>
>>1. ...write a well reasoned, rational letter of complaint to the
>>publishers that explains your concerns politely and without the use (or
>>overuse) of all caps.  After all, no one likes to be shouted at...
>>Most messages carry farther and are better received when delivered in a
>>soft tone.
 
I'm not most people, thank god.  I've dealt first hand with Animal Control
and the Dept. of smelly fish and gastapo.  If I wasn't the person that I
am, I would have cowered back in the shadows of my door way and my
fuzzbutts would most likely be DEAD today.  But, being who I am, I am not
easily intimidated by anyone.  I'm a 5'6", 130 lbs of female TNT.  I'll but
heads with the best of them.  You talk the talk and hide behind hotmail,
can you walk the walk, if so I have a spare room to rent.  I had a reason
to be anonymous once, why the hotmail addy fieldstone22.
 
>2. ...It's important for our readers to direct comments and concerns
>*directly to us* (posting stuff on the internet doesn't change anything if
>Eric or I don't happen to see it).  That's a real problem for us (and, it's
>my understanding, for every other business out there).  But if you don't
>tell Eric or me what you like/dislike in Modern Ferret, how will we
>know?Believe me, we're perfectly willing to take readers' suggestions on
>how to make Modern Ferret a more useful and enjoyable magazine.
 
I have made my concerns known to Mary and Eric on occasion.  But not in the
form of malice of any kind.  They are two of the most wonderful people to
know.  I have endearing respect for Mary and Eric.  They took an idea and a
financial chance, to make a dream happen.  Something Fancy Publications
can't fathom.  Cha-ching is all FP can fathom and they don't care how or
who they hurt to get it.
 
Continued  [posts combined.  BIG]
 
>I agree wholeheartedly with these statements.  But what I can't help
>wondering is have any of you who criticize Ferrets and Ferrets USA
>magazines ever sent a letter of complaint to them?  If so, was it, as
>suggested above, polite?  Or do you simply prefer to complain about them
>in your cliques?  I have found that this is most often the case when it
>comes to on-line criticism.
 
Yes I agree with those statements also.  Why complain when the damage is
already DONE.  Try to get a retraction from these publications is like
pulling an asses tooth.  Clique, I don't need a clique to post my opinion.
Hey, anybody out there in cyber-space, cliqueing with me?  Well when you
crawl out of a crevice to spew criticism on-line, expect an answer of
opinion.
 
>I like ALL THREE ferret magazines.  I find Modern Ferret fun and
>informative, the same as I do Ferrets and Ferrets USA.  Maybe the latter
>have made some mistakes in the past.  They have not been involved in the
>ferret world for very long, and I chalk these errors up to growing pains.
 
Good for you and your likes, we have 1 in common.  Mistakes...growing
pains...are we talking about a toddler?  I don't think so.  I guess since I
don't know a wit about brain surgery, I can go publish a medical journal
on brain surgery and it's ok.
 
>Can anybody report with certainty that ferrets have been affected adversely
>because of something these magazines have printed?  Do any of these
>supposedly grievous mistakes render all the worthwhile information they
>have published (and I think there's been quite a bit) null and void?  Has
>Modern Ferret NEVER made a mistake?
 
Yes- yes and no.
 
>I think some people look at the Ferrets/Modern Ferret scenario as a Davy
>and Goliath situation, and simply resent a large publisher intruding upon
>Modern Ferret's territory.  I'm sure the Shefferman's resent it.
 
No, it's about being informed, lived it, been there...done that.  The only
resentment from Maryand Eric, I will speculate on, is your bawdy attitude
and your not ever been there...done that.These are my speculations, not
theirs...in no way, shape or form.
 
>It has been stated that Ferrets cares only about the mighty dollar, and
>doesn't care about ferrets.  This is again, ludicrous.  Face it: these
>magazines have contained plenty of useful, sensible information.  And do
>the Shefferman's not publish Modern Ferret for the money?  Does financial
>gain not influence them at all?  Do they pay their bills with back issues?
>Believe me, one of the paramount reasons magazines are published is to
>make money for the publishers, even in the case of Modern Ferret.
 
Ferrets do only care about the almighty dollar, if they cared about ferrets
and California readers, my babies wouldn't be scattered here and yonder,
for their safety.  You might need brain surgery if you can actually sit
and compare the 2.  A staff of 2, compared to a staff of 20.
 
One would think there is no room for mistakes or growing pains.  A staff of
2 and one error, hummm, sounds like a better publication to me.
 
I agree with F. Scott Giarrocco.  If there's something you don't like
about a magazine, write the magazine a letter.  If the magazine continues
to irritate you, DON'T BUY IT.  DON'T have a problem there.
 
>[Moderator's note: ... archives have some more info if anyone wants to
>do some digging to help decide how they should feel. BIG]
 
Hi BIG, I guess I don't need to dig to help me decide. ;-)
 
Now I think I'll take another nap and dream of my fuzzies...and the life
we could have together if it wasn't for the deliberate uncaring - Fancy
Pubs.
 
Dooks and Dances,
OutlawDook and the 20 scattered Dookmeisters
[Posted in FML issue 2641]