Just to clarify, because Sandi mentioned having sent me some private
mails:
 
First off, neither of those mails dealt with the incident under
discussion.
 
Second, I can *not* attest to their integrity.
 
Third, while the mails indicated some confusion on the part of their
alleged author who Sandi said to be Dr. Delaney there were also personal
sections within them, one of these seeming to me to be an apology on the
alleged author's (J-D) part for not being able to do work then because
that same alleged author was facing surgery after she got past a case of
bronchitis which might have worsened to pneumonia.
 
Fourth, while at least one post contains what is said to be statement at
that time of the ferret being active it also contained in the part Sandi
alleged was from *herself * statements which indicated his disease state
to be an advanced one.
 
The letters did NOT cause me to draw any conclusions in EITHER direction,
as I privately expressed to Sandi a day before her post in Thursday's FML
appeared.  Because her post seemed to indicate that she took this as an
indication that I shared her conclusions I need to clarify that while i
certainly sympathize with her pain and her frustration I have NOT drawn
conclusions, nor have I encountered anything which would cause me to draw
firm conclusions, though I do now again suggest -- even stress -- that
others try doing an archives search as mentioned in my other post today.
In fact, then extend outward in searching in relation to ALL parties
involved.
 
In relation to the website idea: yesterday I also reminded Sandi that
publicly sharing the statements of non-public figures (and also at times
of public figures) can get a person into legal trouble when permission
has not been given so I again caution Sandi to remember that she needs to
follow the letter of the law or could get herself into a lot of hot water
which I suspect she'd rather avoid.  It's always wise to remember one's
limitations and one's legal limitations as well as options.  I'd hate to
see her jump before thinking, or otherwise accidently create a situation
for herself in which she can be accused of copyright infringement,
violation of privacy, libel, slander, or of causing a situation that
hurts the ferret community in general -- especially when a bit of care
and a bit of preparation beforehand could avoid such a serious accidental
error.
 
(That caution goes for others, too: when making a website or sharing
mails remember to take into account not only what you own but the risks
of sharing what you do not - especially without attribution and even more
especially with unapproved changes made.  I know it's an easy error to
make and I'll bet everyone here -- including me -- has accidently done
it at times.  (I know that I accidently sent something on part of my
family's 16th and 17th century history to a wrong party recently without
permission to share it with that person, but luckily it worked out okay.)
Still, it can create a LOT of woe for the individual doing the sharing
and that person then has only herself or himself to blame, whether the
cause is accident, intentional misuse, malign use, or simply not thinking
things through and taking responsibility.)
 
I am sending this post as an addition to the post I sent earlier today.
 
[Moderator's note: Typically I reject anything more than a brief excerpt
from a webste or e-mail, but I miss things too at times!  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 4331]