Just an interesting side note:
 
I have seen illustrations in a dictionary showing ferrets being used to
help run wires through underground conduits.  They start by putting a rat
into the conduit and giving it a head start.  They then put a muzzled
ferret in after it, with a string attached to it.  At the other end of
the conduit waits a person with two cages.  The rat runs into the first,
he closes it, and places the second over the conduit to await the arrival
of the ferret with the string.  After they have the ferret, they use the
string to pull a chord, the chord to pull a rope, and the rope to pull a
the heavy cables they need to run.  It's crude but effective. :o)
 
Gary
 
 
P.S. As an alarm installer, I have often wished I had some kind of
trained animal to run wires across an attic (but ferrets would NOT
work for that!).
[Posted in FML issue 4301]