> >this list has been around a long time..is this just a phase?
>BIG...are the moods of your subscribers kinda cyclic?
 
Having been here from the start I also can say, "Yes and yes" to the
questions above; it's ALWAYS been the case.  Bill's more complete
description is more accurate, of course.  Oh, and this seems to be a norm
in any types of lists when they last long enough.  Asked Steve, who has
been on the Internet since before it was a unified internet and it's been
the norm as long as he can recall, though he noticed something that I
recall from the early FML days.  When we were a few dozen or fewer we knew
each other exceedingly well so we knew what to avoid or soften.  With the
list the size of a small town that's just not possible, and with anything
this size there are also going to be a few (RARE) people who try to start
hassles.  That's just life in small town; been there, know that.
 
Grace, I am very sorry to read of your bereavement.  Having lost two so
close together I hope that you know the causes of death.  It is hard enough
to lose one; know what it's like to lose ones close and it's very, very
hard.  I'm going to use your situation to once again remind people that it
makes sense to do post mortems and pathology if a cause of death is
unknown.  Sometimes there is something treatable which can be found in a
lost ferret and treated in the survivors, saving their lives.  Sometimes
there's an infection which might linger in the environment so it's
essential to know what it is.  I am sure you've already been careful on
this score, but maybe seeing this message might save another ferret and
that might help you deal with your loss.
 
Oh, gosh.  For how hammocks began read the back FMLs.  I know it's in there
and this place was the start or next to the start, but can't recall the
details; DO think they started HERE, though.  We used to all make our own
back then.  Our's were pillowcases folded and sewn shut with clothes line
to hang them with and cloth straps when we couldn't get clothes line.  Some
people used the hangers for shower curtains.  Fleece came much later.  For
the carry cages we made our's with washclothes.  Still have a few old
homemade ones.  Thanks for bringing back some memories.  It would be
interesting to try to figure how MANY things started on the FML.  Gads,
Steve and I have learned so very, very much since the early days, and our
learning curve accelerated so rapidly after the FML began.
 
Crush movies: contact humane groups which work on this sort of issue; call
them and ask if they work on this and if not who does, then go from there.
HSUS does work on movie issues, but don't know about ones that are
underground.  You can call them, or contact local groups to find out how to
locate the ones most likely to handle this issue.  Then volunteer time or
give a donation or whatever
[Posted in FML issue 2784]