Scott wrote:
>Despite what the researchers may claim to the contrary -- the ferrets will
>be sacrificed.  Anti-personnel mines are triggered through a variety of
>methods -- pressure plates being only one of the methods.  They are also
>routinely triggered by trip wires, which even a ferret could easily trigger
>resulting in the mine exploding and sacrificing the ferret.  And it is the
>anti-personnel mines which are the most concern for safety of civilian
>populations -- since they are so easily triggered.  The truth is that it
>would prove fatal to almost any animal to be used to locate such mines
 
Thanks, Scott.  So the landmine people are full of it and even our light,
little fur balls would set them off and die.  Arrggghhhhh!  (Guess I
shouldn't be surprised; last I read the U.S. is still the world's largest
manufacturer of landmines and to keep such companies going they got the
U.S. to not join the ban treaty.  Maybe this is their idea of a way to
"make up" for the owners getting rich on others' suffering.)
 
Hoping Meeteetse's blood tests come back showing an easily treated problem.
Meeteetse is the little beggar who just plain WORSHIPS the voice of Richard
Harris, science reporter with NPR whose work you can hear on All Things
Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition.  When she was young she
would first dance at the sound of his voice, then climb up the bookcase to
get to the speaker and would KISS and rub the speakers whenever he spoke.
Now, at 7, she is too old to do that, but she still loves to hear him and
will respond with as much adoration if held up to the speakers.  We told
them about this in a letter years ago and it led to the States hearing over
the radio about Meeteetse, then a listener writing in about envisioning
Meeteetse each time she listened to Richard Harris, to them saying
sometimes in their letters section that letters on any topic including
ferrets were welcome, and to a later follow-up on how Meeteetse was doing
which also made it to the air.  For someone who is more famous than either
of us could ever possibly be she sure is modest, though she acted amazed
when her name was said over the speakers.  (Know something funny?  I'm not
sure anymore if I am spelling her name right.  Will have to go look in a
BFF Wyoming info source.  If you have seen the old and often used photo of
the BFF kit looking so happy that it seemed to be smiling, that's so much
the very expression she'd use as a kit that she took the name of the town.)
 
Sukie
(Hoping to get more and better sleep after they decide today what to do for
Dad's carotids, after Meeteetse's test results, and after another surgical
consultation for a human family member in mid-week.  Steve's dad is
recovering well from his triple by-pass, slow but faster than expected.
Aunt Fran hasn't had any more strokes and appears to have no lasting damage
since she actually sought medical help as opposed to Dad who tries to tough
them out, and everyone else is stable at this point.  Sorry I've been so
blotto and writing poorly, too.)
[Posted in FML issue 2853]