Dear Ferret Folks- Cindy is absolutely right. Being the Governor of California would just be beyond me, I am afraid. California is an economy as big as that of many foreign nations and I am a sometimes fragile Manic-Depressive. I have good days and bad days, and that's not helpful when you really *need* the Governor to show up at the three day long Governor's Conferences to drink cocktails, eat rubber chicken, and look perky for all the group photos. And Wolfy? Ha. Wolfy would fill the Governor's Mansion with aquaria and kinkajous and lizards and just never come out, unless it was to tear up the lawn with her ATV. Gordon and Jeep? Sounds good to me. I second the motion. Still...I think that I could serve the great State of California in one particular capacity. Yes, I think there is a place where they could use a Manic-Depressive Russian All-Around Lunatic. Oh, yes. I speak, of course, of the Department of Fish and Game. Gordon could appoint me to run it. And the first thing I would do...(wait for it...) would be to legalize spayed and neutered Ferrets and African Pigmy Hedgehogs. Thus, ENDING the argument about whether or not they could go feral. Anyone within the California borders found breeding up fertile Ferrets or Hedgies and selling them that way? Would lose the animals, the equipment associated with breeding and raising the animals, and would spend 150 hours assisting the nearest animal shelter. If that is not done on time, the fines get steep fast. Very fast. The exception of course would be the breeding program for Black Footed Ferrets. I bet there are parts of California where the little critters could thrive. All it takes is space, and Prairie Dogs. That could be arranged. Poachers? Well, if you drove to your hunting spot in a vehicle, you lose the vehicle, and whatever you killed an animal with, or planned to kill an animal with. That all gets sold at auction to benefit California Wildlife Initiatives. Guns, bows, fishing rods, night vision technology, whatever you were using. Say goodbye. Fancy camouflage gear and new boots? Gone. Hunting/Fishing without a *license?* Same thing. Say goodbye to the vehicle that brought you there, and all of your shiny toys. Hunting/Fishing *out of season?* You know the drill. Endangered species? Dude, I will make you pay to replace it, live. And God help you if you are found hunting while intoxicated, or in possession of an open container, six-pack, etc. You will *never* get a permit to hunt in California again, ever, not that you will still have your gun. It will be taken away and sold to support California Wildlife Initiatives.You want to sit on a frozen lake, drink, and fish through a little hole in the ice? Fine. Just don't pull a gun on the fish while drinking, and I'm OK with it. I would go down in history as the Vlad the Impaler of California Fish and Game. And that 's not such a bad thing. Alexandra in MA (Heck, I bet Black Footed Ferrets could live in those nice dry canyons in L.A. !) [Posted in FML 7431]