While catching up on the last few FMLs, I noticed a rather interesting thread regarding Modern Ferret and Ferrets. Having an oportunity to opine rather than proffer my typical erudition (or is that eructation? ;-)), I jump at the chance. The difference between Modern Ferret and any of the Fancy Publications (Bowtie Press) stuff is the reason why I am no longer a photojournalist, but now engaged in the money-sucking pursuit of a higher degree. That difference is the pursual of profit compared to the pursual of truth. There is nothing wrong with profit, but not at the expense of truth. I feel Mary and Eric (Mary's the cuter of the two) at Modern Ferret do their best to publish the most accurate information possible, and they certainly publish retractions when they make mistakes. I'm not so convinced about Fancy Publications, simply because I have first-hand experiences with their refusal to fix mistakes, and their continuing practice of publishing misinformation of one sort or another. Now, want to hear a strange coincidence? I once worked for Scott McElhaney who is now an executive VP for Fancy Publications (publisher of Ferrets and Ferrets USA). Well, not really for him; he was the asst. city editor and I was a photojournalist on the same newspaper. I got to know him as well as Mary or Eric; maybe better. I used to tease him for always wearing a tie, and he would jump my butt when I slacked off in my photography. He even once offered me the chief photo job on a Texas newspaper (back in the stone age); an offer I refused because I had already committed to another paper. I was sorry I did, because Scott was a very good man to work for; he would fight for accuracy and photos, two things I highly respect. To be honest, there is no doubt in my mind that Scott only desires truth to be published in any media he is associated with. But, even if he was the editor (he's not), a major difference between Modern Ferret and Ferrets/Ferrets USA is that Mary and Eric dwell with ferrets, quite different from the editorial staff of Ferrets. Mary and Eric are well known, talk to vets, meet ferret people and live with the same heartaches and frustrations each of us do. Because of this, they can catch those silly mistakes, and better understand the issues, that go over the heads of a non-ferret owning editorial staff. Which brings up the point about authorship. The range of writers who publish in Ferrets is actually LESS than what you find in Modern Ferret over the last few years; count them up and see for yourself. This is amazing, since Ferrets pays a handsome bounty to writers and photographers, which Modern Ferret could do, but then Mary and Eric would have to do some serious dieting. Also, I see the same authors over and over in Ferrets, so I find the objection that Mary writes so much for Modern Ferret to be rather obtuse. Ferrets is published by a huge publishing corporation with 40-50 (?) magazine titles; they can afford to *LOSE* money on Ferrets over a long period of time in order to corner the market. Why do you think they pay so much? Or charge so little for their ads? Every person who takes that money, for any reason, is helping to nail the lid shut on Modern Ferret's coffin. They have the right, and some might need the money, but that won't change the result. The goal here is not hard to see--it isn't even hidden. Mary and Eric took the chance, put out the first ferrets-only magazine, took the financial sacrifice and proved it could be done. They were watched very closely by Fancy Publications, who then made every effort to undercut their ad rates, and offer heaps of money to siphon off the writers who were not getting paid much at Modern Ferret. Its cut throat, and maybe Mary and Eric will someday have to stop publishing, get some sleep, and have 9-5 jobs that pay well and have lots less stress. Modern Ferret will be gone, and Fancy Publications will still put out Ferrets. Only now, Ferrets will be expected to make a profit. What will happen to the pay scales, quality of work, or even quantity of work? And if the magazine doesn't turn a profit after the demise of Modern ferret, how long will it last? Normally, I send an article an issue to Modern Ferret free of charge. I have even asked Mary and Eric to save their watches for the other writers, and extra copies because I only need the one I pay for. In the last few months, I have been too busy to write both FML stuff (it actually takes a lot of time to research the crap, you know) AND Modern Ferret stuff, so I have put MF on the back burner. Other people have been seduced by the offer of quick bucks at Ferrets and have abandoned Mary and Eric. The result is, Mary now has to fill the pages of the magazine, and it is up to her to do it. Maybe those people who complain should get off their ass and send in contributions rather than boo-hoo about all of Mary's well researched and consistently accurate work. As for all the photos about Mary, well, it's one of my hobbies to see what color red her hair is from issue to issue. (Red is my favorite color). I challenge everyone on this list, including myself, to set your butt down and WRITE something about ferrets, and send it in--with photos--to Mary and Eric. Put your money where your mouth is, nay-sayers, and help fix those problems you are so quick to point out. Will you make hundreds of gilded corporate blood-money dollars, like offered at Ferrets? No. But you will be part of the best ferret magazine published on this planet. Poems, artwork, photos, letters, funny stories, articles; it all helps. Maybe they'll use it, maybe not; I wouldn't know, but at least they will have more to pick from. Sorry Mary and Eric; I'll be more consistent in sending stuff in from now on. Bob C and 19 Mo' Ferret Hemingways [Posted in FML issue 2640]