headybrew

All of my recently placed caches have my name, email and *cell* phone number, and the web site url, clearly visible on the outside. I use a p-touch or dymo label maker with the plasticized label tape. It works great, and is impossible to miss. Hand written lables with permanent markers are harder to see/read at a distance. Unless the cache is in the middle of nowhere, I use a see-thru container now. I think the important thing is to avoid having the bomb-squad called in the first place. Nip it in the bud at the time the muggle sees it, before the call is ever made. The see-thru container goes a long way toward that, don't you think? Just don't duct-tape it to a bridge support!

What's that on Jack's collar? a Dog-Cache? Seriously, sounds like a great idea. I'm gonna buy a bunch for swag next chance I get.

I'm with Criminal on this one. If they haven't outlawed it, then why the heck should I go stick it in their face that I'm doing it and tempt them? Do you suppose people ask permission to go barefoot in the park? Of course not. There isn't any rule against it, so you just do it.

It is really insulting to the people who are interested in the thread, to tell them that their discussion is invalid because the can just go read some stale old thread where other (smarter?) people have pre-discussed the subject for them and pre-thought all the thoughts that are necessary to be thought. Some people would like to have and participate in a live discussion, rather than read sombody else's thoughts from months ago. It's a natural human urge to want to express ourselves. When hyou try to supress a thread because it's been discussed before, you are trying to supress the freedom of expression of the individuals who have a genuine interest in the new thread. Besides, isn't it just *SLIGHTLY* possible that someone might have a new thought that adds something valuable to the topic? Do you really think that all those old threads are somehow complete, sacrosanct and un-improvable?

One thing that would make this problem go away pretty quickly is if the reviewers would just enforce the rules about getting permission for private property hides. I think it's pretty clear that 99.9%-ish of all micros are NOT placed with permission in parking lots and such. Why not ask the hider for a phone number of the business and give them a call to ask if permission was granted? This wouldn't get rid of micros. It would only limit quick hides with little thought put into them.

Then stop reading it. Duh!

He he! I don't actually feel this way... I'd make a "no lameness" gif instead if there were a good icon for it... But I thought some of you might enjoy this silly icon I made.

Some caching sites already have a rating system. And while not perfect, it seems to do it's job. Micros over there tend to have redeeming qualities. If not they get voted poorly, which hurts the hider's stats and encourages the hider to archive them. Micros aren't killing the sport. Lame micros are killing gc.com.

Very fresh cream and fresh, perfectly ripe fruit. We could morph it into something that stays on topic. How? I suggest this: when you hide a cache, ask yourself, "would I enjoy finding this cache?" If the answer is anything other than "yes", then you're probably getting carried away with the fun of hiding the cache, rather than the fun of creating a good experience for the seeker. If you're hiding it for the fun of hiding it, then you are being selfish and very possibly hiding a "lame" cache. And you might not even realize you are committing an act of lameness. You're just caught up with the fun of hiding. I'm not saying the cache is lame because I don't like that *type* of cache/hide. I'm saying that all types can be lame or not, and different people will have different opinions. But if you're motive in hiding it is focused on the hiding, rather than the experience you are creating for the finders, then it's likely to be high on the lameness scale even for those who *do* like that kind of cache.

Very fresh cream and fresh, perfectly ripe fruit. We could morph it into something that stays on topic.

Good answer! I only want to add: Do you go to parties and walk around the room telling people they should change their topic because you already discussed that topic on the other side of the room?

Fascinating. The OP tried so hard to create a thread about what makes a quality cache. ie: avoiding lameness. The OP stated clearly that the intent was not to start another thread about micros. And it instantly gets derailed into a thread about threads about lame micros, morphs into a thread about lame threads and then morphs into a thread about... lame micros. Is it even possible to have a discussion in these forums about quality?

That ROCKS! It looks like a capable little vehicle that could fit in some really tight spots and go just about anywhere with those lockers. I wish I had a diesel in my Ranger. I'd love to try the bio-diesel option.

To be clear, I'm not saying *all* christians act this way. But many do, and they do call *themselves* christians even if you don't. I fully understand that there are many christians who do not evangelize so aggressively. Of course these debates won't reach a conclusion, but that doesn't mean it's not healthy to have the debate. To those who are uncomfortable with a spirited argument, just stop reading the thread. I think it is remarkable that we've gotten this far without blatant flames. Nobody wil "win" these arguments, but in the process of understanding each side better, we all win.

Ah, yes, the other cop-out evangelists use so often. "I won't tell you you are wrong. I let jesus do that for me." Even if you let your god do the judging, you are still judging. You've really exposed your true colors in this thread. You've basically admitted, even reveled in the idea that your tracts are offensive, claiming that it's a sign that they're working. You've openly said you don't care, and you've openly said you plan to keep pushing your views on others even if they don't want them. What more needs to be said? Bottom line for me, If I find your trash in a cache, I'll use it for toilet paper or fire tinder or something. No trade items necessary.

You are making my point. I find it offensive for you to tell me that I am a sinner. Youre Bible claims that I was born a sinner and always will be. If you want to tell your children that, then go for it. But I'd rather build self esteem than break the poor kids down. Doesn't anyone understand that? The "glad tidings" are only glad if you first are convinced that you are a base and nasty creature in the first place. Breaking you down is the first thin any cult must do before they can get you vulnerable enough to fall for the next step, which is the susposedly glad tidings of salvation from their broken state. Stop putting that filth in caches that children could see. These kind of "under the radar" messages are bad for us. Put them in your own cache and let your kids find it. Don't put them in a cach I might be subjected to.

Not the same. With your hypothetical store, it's not *in* the farbucks, and your not passing me a tract along with my venti nowhipped extra cafe mocha latte. Now here's a what if question that is obvious to ask, and has been asked, but is usually ignored as a rhetorical comment. But how about somebody actually takes it seriously and answers it... What if someone put literature promoting a homo-sexual lifestyle in a cache, and your kid found it before you did and started looking at the cute little cartoons? How would you feel?

Yup. Just to be clear, I'm not painting all christians with the same brush. Just the ones who evangelize to me.

That also depends... Was the land posted "No tresspassing" ?

I guess that depends on why they were dead. Were they shot by poachers out of season? Report it to the fish&game department. Were they birds? Could be west nile virus. Report that to... ??? there must be someone... It is not common to find more than one or so dead animals in a given area. Multiple dead animals could be suspicious of something.

Which bible have you been reading? Well, thank you for being egallitarian. That's a step in the right direction. Perhaps that is partly what I'm trying to articulate with my comment about the PC cops being on their side. It's about the idea that they have a right to feel offended, but I do not. I won't tell them that they can't practice their religion, untill such time as they poke me in the face with it and tell me that I am worthy of burning in hell at the behest of their angry god. That's when I get offended. I feel no lack of "stellar"ness in that stance.

Tracts are not a simple expression of a viewpoint. They are an attempt to recruit people. Children should not be exposed to that, any more than they should be exposed to porn. By the PC reference, I guess what I mean is that most people would give religion the default assumption that it has the moral high ground. Most people will assume that I'm simply trying to be inflamatory by stating that their litarature offends me, while assuming they have good grounds to be offended by me. Don't get me wrong, I don't think most christians have malevolent intent when they place tracts in caches. But I do feel that they are un-aware of the offensive side of their message. I feel that it is completely valid to be personally offended when somebody tells me that I'm an evil sinner. I'm sorry that they have such poor self esteem that they've allowed themselves to be duped by that. But when they tell me I need to be saved, I first have to ask, "from what"? I don't consider myself to be such a base and vile creature that I need saving. That's the message that tracts give under the radar. Overtly they say "we love you and have good news". But subvertly they say "you are a lowly shameful person". That's a statement that I shouldn't have to be exposed to simply because I'm trying to have a fun day of caching.

Tracts. Tread Lightly makes laminated plastic 'tracts' that are pretty cool. There are a truckload of joke tracts. Cupons for a free soda. Travel Guides from the Visitors Center. Tracts are mass produced inexpensive items that people get for free at church. Thus anything that is mass produced for giving away free is a fair trade item. Fair enough. But in my opinion I'm increasing the quality of the cache, simply be trashing the tracts out. Then I can trade, (even, up or not) for non-trash items. I see no problem with removing offensive materials from caches.

I agree with all of that, except the "lighten up!" part. That makes light of my feelings. I know that christians have the PC cops on their side, but I feel that my feelings are equally valid here. There tracts directly tell me that I am evil and in need of salvation. I don't like being told that I am a bad person. I shouldn't have to see that in caches, and I don't like the idea of children being told that either.

If I find food, porn, fireworks or religious tracts in a cache, I'll trash it out. It's not a trade item. It's trash. You can best use your enthusiasm by treating these as trade items and leaving something else in exchange. This way, you are showing more respect to the cache than the people who placed the tracts, a "high road" way of making your statement. What would you consider an even trade for tracts?