Geocaches - NOT Appropriate Platform For Scottish Referendum Posturing

[fallen121]

If you want to find out what I wrote, go look at the quoted posts in the replies. They've been repeated enough.

 

I own up to having read cache guidelines and misinterpreted them. I thought that the guidelines which stated that caches should not be an platform for an agenda or have links to political agendas applied to SWAG as well. I removed some political badges I found in a cache because I felt that filling up caches with political badges was wrong, did not provide useful swaps and contributed very little to the hobby, especially for children.

 

I admit to misinterpretating cache guidelines relating to SWAG

I admit to getting upset about something which would not have bothered most people

I recognise that some people collect political badges

 

However

 

I never remove items from caches without leaving something in their place

I don't consider it adds anything to a discussion to keep repeating something other members have already said

Edited August 10, 2014 by fallen121

[+Panther&Pine]

The guidelines for swag don't mention political or religious matters as being appropriate or inappropriate. While it may annoy you, it is not against the guidelines.

[fallen121]

As this thread has evolved into a session where other members continually remind me of how I misinterpreted the guidelines which I have now admitted, there seems little point in me trotting them out here, particularly as I was refering to GAGB Guidelines without realising that these would not apply to Geocachers who were not members of GAGB.

Edited August 10, 2014 by fallen121

[+Panther&Pine]

My interpretation of the guideline "Geocaching is intended to be an enjoyable, family-friendly hobby, not a platform for an agenda" is obviously different to yours, then!

 

If you go here:

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20130729020115/http://www.gagb.co.uk/gagb/guidelines/guidelines.php

 

Guideline #11 states, "No caches should be of a commercial nature, either in location or content.

 

If you go here:

 

https://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

 

It defines "commercial" as follows:

 

A commercial cache has one or more of the following characteristics:

 

It has overtones of advertising, marketing or promotion.

It suggests or requires that the finder go inside a business, interact with employees and/or purchase a product or service.

It contains links to businesses, agencies, commercial advertisers, charities, or political or social agendas.

It contains the logo of a business or organization, including non-profit organizations.

It contains the name of a business or commercial product.

 

My understanding is that refers to the cache page content not the cache contents.

[+Panther&Pine]

Also, I'd be willing to trade for them if they are real badges or pins, I've got tons of old political pins and some newer ones as well.

[+Bear and Ragged]

The guidelines for swag don't mention political or religious matters as being appropriate or inappropriate. While it may annoy you, it is not against the guidelines.

 

Have to say I agree with the above.

 

You can't place a cache that has an agenda. (Or could be taken as having an agenda)

There is nothing about swag (or TB's) being part of an agenda.

[fallen121]

MartyBartfast and Bear and Ragged have repeated my post in full below so no point in repeating it here.

Edited August 10, 2014 by fallen121

[+MartyBartfast]

If you go here:

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20130729020115/http://www.gagb.co.uk/gagb/guidelines/guidelines.php

 

Guideline #11 states, "No caches should be of a commercial nature, either in location or content.

That is a GAGB guideline, and Groundspeak won't be bound by it, neither will any geocachers who are not a member of the GAGB. Irrespective of that this guideline is takling about the cache listing itself, not the swag.

 

If you go here:

 

https://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

 

It defines "commercial" as follows:

 

A commercial cache has one or more of the following characteristics:

 

It has overtones of advertising, marketing or promotion.

It suggests or requires that the finder go inside a business, interact with employees and/or purchase a product or service.

It contains links to businesses, agencies, commercial advertisers, charities, or political or social agendas.

It contains the logo of a business or organization, including non-profit organizations.

It contains the name of a business or commercial product.

Again this relates to the cache itself and the cache listing, not swag.

 

The only guidelines for swag say you shouldn't place food, or anthing which is not child friendly (knives, matches, etc), there's a list somewhere in the guidelines but I can't be bothered to look for it. If you were to apply that "commercial" guideline to swag then all the McDonalds toys are out, anything depicting any Disney/TV/Film characters are out, Pokemon cards, etc., and there would be no swag left - think of the children

 

I think you're getting all steamed up over nothing, and if you took a load of swag from the cache I hope you replaced it with something of equal value

[+Bear and Ragged]

 

There is nothing about swag (or TB's) being part of an agenda.

 

I don't want Geocaching spoilt by endless and pointless rules anymore than the next person. Plus rules are nigh-on impossible to enforce. But surely it is only a matter of time before large companies and political parties hijack Geocaching for their own commercial ends and start sponsoring the contents of caches to promote their own commercial/political ends?

 

Where will this end?

 

We've had Jeep TB's and Diabetes TB's and Geocoins.

Seems the latest one is a 'Wimpy Kid' trackable....

[fallen121]

 

I think you're getting all steamed up over nothing, and if you took a load of swag from the cache I hope you replaced it with something of equal value

 

I was re-visiting the cache to drop off a load of Geocaching badges. That would be in addition to the stuff I dropped on my first visit.

 

You couldn't be bothered to lookup the prohibited SWAG list so you probably didn't read my original post either! Anyway, I've deleted the original post now as no-one who commented read much past the first line anyway. You'll probably just come back and say it was all meant as a joke and I'm taking things too seriously. Ok, I'm taking things too seriously.

 

The "think of the children" sideswipe was a bit low. I don't have a problem with McDonalds toys. I DO have a problem with dozens of identical badges. I can't see anyone, even the most avid collector seeing a value in these and kids are certainly not going to want them. You might as well fill a cache with sand.

Edited August 10, 2014 by fallen121

[+Bear and Ragged]

 

And then NASTY vindictive stuff like this:

 

 

Seems the latest one is a 'Wimpy Kid' trackable....

 

Think I'll take a break from Geocaching for a while. You achieved your objective, guys. You drove someone else away who didn't belong and whose face didn't fit. Congratulate yourselves on a job well done.

 

Latest trackable, promoted on Groundspeak, for Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

http://www.geocaching.com/wimpykid/

 

Commercial Sponsorship.

[+Panther&Pine]

I'm sorry you're in a tough spot.

I'm actually very up to date on the issue, very interesting actually even if it doesn't effect me.

 

I don't think anyone has been harsh with you, but text has no inflections.

[fallen121]

 

I'm actually very up to date on the issue, very interesting actually even if it doesn't effect me.

 

Everything you have said has been factual and to the point. I don't have a problem with anything you've written.

 

You are probably fairly unique in even knowing where Scotland IS (many Americans don't) let alone having looked into the intricacies of Scottish independence. Many Scots can't be bothered and will probably vote with their hearts and only begin to moan if and when the outcome begins to affect their pockets/jobs/lifestyle. A load of badges isn't going to make much difference to the vote. Maybe someone was using the cache just to dump them because no-one would take them?!!

 

I am intrigued as to why someone from Colorado would hang out on a UK forum. British heritage?

Edited August 10, 2014 by fallen121

[fallen121]

 

Latest trackable, promoted on Groundspeak, for Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

http://www.geocaching.com/wimpykid/

 

Commercial Sponsorship.

 

Ok I apologise. You weren't taking a pop at me, I see that now. But MoosejawSpruce makes a good point with the comment "text has no inflections". You put a spin on what people write based on what you're expecting. But if you'd written your comment as above, then I'd have had no reason to misinterpret and think you were calling ME a Wimpy Kid.

 

It works both ways.

[+Panther&Pine]

 

I'm actually very up to date on the issue, very interesting actually even if it doesn't effect me.

 

Everything you have said has been factual and to the point. I don't have a problem with anything you've written.

 

You are probably fairly unique in even knowing where Scotland IS (many Americans don't) let alone having looked into the intricacies of Scottish independence. Many Scots can't be bothered and will probably vote with their hearts and only begin to moan if and when the outcome begins to affect their pockets/jobs/lifestyle. A load of badges isn't going to make much difference to the vote. Maybe someone was using the cache just to dump them because no-one would take them?!!

 

I am intrigued as to why someone from Colorado would hang out on a UK forum. British heritage?

 

I use the new posts filter to follow the forums, so that it how I ended up in here.

And an interest in global economics led me to learn about the political issue.

 

Also know that if someone uses the little ninja guy they usually mean for it to be a bit of a funny.

[+colleda]

 

I'm actually very up to date on the issue, very interesting actually even if it doesn't effect me.

 

Everything you have said has been factual and to the point. I don't have a problem with anything you've written.

 

You are probably fairly unique in even knowing where Scotland IS (many Americans don't) let alone having looked into the intricacies of Scottish independence. Many Scots can't be bothered and will probably vote with their hearts and only begin to moan if and when the outcome begins to affect their pockets/jobs/lifestyle. A load of badges isn't going to make much difference to the vote. Maybe someone was using the cache just to dump them because no-one would take them?!!

 

I am intrigued as to why someone from Colorado would hang out on a UK forum. British heritage?

 

I have Scottish heritage (grandfather) and regularly visit here. Was also in Scotland a couple of months back as we have a little piece of the country in Glencoe. I followed a bit of the newspaper commentary while we were there and I honestly would not know which way to vote if I lived there. A hard voting choice, heart or head.

Edited August 11, 2014 by colleda

[+MartyBartfast]

I was re-visiting the cache to drop off a load of Geocaching badges. That would be in addition to the stuff I dropped on my first visit.

...

The "think of the children" sideswipe was a bit low.

I think you missed the subtleties of the two emoticons - hey ho....

 

]

[+Wild-Skye]

Geocaching should be fun and educational - it shouldn't be a platform for religious or political propaganda If I found a YES badge or a BETTER Together badge(are there any?) in my own caches - I'd probably leave them there - If I find V V short religious texts - I leave them - If I find anything longer and more boring politically or religiously - I remove and throw away

[+Wild-Skye]

Getting thoroughly bored with the referendum propaganda from both sides. All I want to know is....is the YES vote wins - how long before Scotland gets its own country souvenir for my profile? and of course - then what happens to the UK one - will they changed it to a DUK ie disunited UK or should that be un-united?

[+Simply Paul]

Untied Kingdom, but there's no need for that now. No Souvenir coming either.

Regarding the OP, if you're taking items from a cache but leaving something of equal or higher value, you've broken no rules. If you was your own cache, you could remove whatever you wanted to, and leave nothing in the badges' place. A great reason for hiding your own caches