>From:    Richard Beveridge <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Obscure Ferret References
>Now....let's see someone top that one.
 
Sorry this one is pretty easy.  We used to use Quantum Networking for our
ISP.  They decided to sell out East coast operations to a comapny called
Monumental Network Systems.
 
We found out when I got a letter from the Vice-president of MNS Inc.
His name is Bernard Ferret.
 
>From:    "J. Wolfe" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ferret Chat on IRC
>And...to make it public...**I** am for the FML badges.  As I have said in a
>private msg to another FML'er, I would like to see some nice metal pins with
>enameled surfaces... Also, I suggest that the pins be dated yearly, so that
>the purchase of pins would be an on-going happening.  Why?  Well, the idea
>of the pins is another way to raise money for the shelters...with people
>such as myself buying each year, it would be insured that a continual flow
>of money for the shelter/rescue operations would occur.
 
You've hit upon what we had done to try to raise money for our shelter.  We
launched Z-Pins with three pins not involving the FML.  We licensed images
and names from the AFA for one pin.  Used our images on a second.  LAFF did
not seem interested in really doing something for our third so we dropped
their images and used our own similarly themed images.  We've approached
BIG - LONG before this current interest about doing something for the FML
or especially for this anniversary.
 
We fully agree about the quality enamel versus cheap plastic.  Unfortunately
it costs more.  Because of arrangements we've been able to make through
sympathetic companies we get ours at a reduced rate.
 
We chose to go for a collector limitted edition market with our first pins.
Limitting the quantity to 100 pins increased the cost per pin.  Larger
quantities mean smaller cost per pin which the FML might support a larger
quantity.  We are not trying for a large profit per pin.
 
As for supporting shelters, this is an interesting topic.  Most of the
better shelters have made their own arrangements.  Some are financed by
clubs.  Some are financed through specific products they've made themselves
(Warm Fuzzy with its harnesses, bags and leads), some through a more generic
sales presence - mail order or at shows (Ferret Paws and Ferret Gallery) We
chose to go a different direction and not compete with the other shelters.
The more different approaches the less we'll cannabalize each others
potentials.  Several communal financing arrangements have been attempted
off-line.  Another is just starting up.
 
We've chosen to not do an FML pin without BIG's permission.  Unlike the
contents of the digests which are copyrighted to both the individual writers
and as a unit to the publisher and editor the terms "ferret mailing list"
and "FML" are not copyrighted.  We could do our own pins with no legal
recourse on anyone's part.  But we don't operate that way.  We want to
co-operate with all ferret groups and ferret owners.
 
We are still willing and desire to do collectors pins commemorating the FML.
But like most folks I've met in the ferret world we do not want to give up
our control.  We've been contacted by folks trying to put something
together.  They might succeed; they might not.  Committees have their
strengths and weaknesses.  Artistic design in our opinion is not a good
committee activity.  We use professional artists - having several in the
family has its benefits occaisionally.  But they don't work on the committee
approach.  We propose an idea.  They go off and design and submit it for
approval.  We say yes or no.  The artist gets paid regardless.  There are
limitations to the media - the artists know this and get paid for knowing
this.  We send of the design to a manufacturing company.  One of the three
ferret pins we've done so far came back the wrong colors.  We ate the costs -
part of the price of doing business - even as a profitless shelter.  We
gambled our money that we would sell enough pins not to lose money.  This
was several hundred dollars per design.  We risked our money, to make more
money to pay for ferret shelter supplies.  So far I wouldn't say we are
raking in the bucks.  We certainly haven't made enough to be worth spreading
around to other shelters.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
 
[Moderator's note: While the terms "FML" or "Ferret Mailing List" do not
enjoy copyright protection (such protection does not apply to short
phrases), they *ARE* governed under Trademark/Service Mark statutes.  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 1684]