GRANDMASTER CACHE

TeamJiffy - Well said. I agree wholeheartedly and I do believe that everyone signed on with the space mission does as well. There will always be accidents. We are human, and what we create is imperfect. To scrap this and go for "something safer" would be a disgrace to those that have shuttled and lived as well as those that paid the ultimate price. The shuttle is extremely safe - Consider what it has done for the United States! It was a pioneer and it is still one helluva design. Something fell off and hit one of the wings on takeoff. Some of the tiles can be damaged (as we've seen on the rear of previous shuttles) upon re-entry with out being mission-critical. Some tiles would cause catastrophic failure if damaged/lost. The heat is such a big concern. There was something mentioned about the tire pressure. Heat would cause it to be too high. It might be mere speculative propositions that NASA comes up with, but one thing remains: These have been some incredibly successful birds. I hope they are able to isolate the cause with pinpoint accuracy. With the remnants - we may never know. But those involved today would want this mission to go on. This was not a "test flight"; this was an accident. Accidents will always happen. That said, may we also extend a prayer to the three astronauts still in space, aboard the space station. Two Americans, one Soviet. May they not lose confidence that we will return them home safely. This has got to be terrible news especially for them - I pray for them to have as much peace of mind as possible. God bless those that pave the way for others to follow. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

Jacksons - no they wouldn't. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

Hi Scott - No, I'm not feeling deprived. There's hundreds of caches in the same radius around here. I'll never find them all. Placing them is far more fulfilling than finding them. And I know most members don't think their $3 "entitles" them. There are those that do, however, think they are "better" than non-chartered members as has been demonstrated. Happy caching, and my caches will always be welcome to anybody - whether or not I wish to buy pocket queries or not. I've stated my opinion in enough redundancy - and hope people continue to enjoy my caches. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

quote: just so you cheapskates can play as well I rest my case. Nobody that "hides" isn't entitled to "play" without being called a cheapskate. If you represent the "charter member" then I'm glad I'm not one in your "group." Happy caching. Those that make it possible for you to have something to find accept your rudeness nonetheless. Without the cheapskates you have precious little to support with your whopping $3. I understand that this "person" (Jackson) is not indicative of the regular charter member. Most people who geocache give far more than they "take" which is why the hobby continues to grow. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

Untimely death due to accident is always so tragic - in a weird sort of way I'm glad these folks got to go after a trip into space - and not on their commute to work like so many hundreds die each day. My heart goes out to the children who lost their parents - no amount of compensation is worth that loss. God bless these brave folk who risked this danger to make our lives down here a little better and safer. I hope they launch another bird ASAP - but hopefully are able to learn what mistake was made on this one, first. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

Bassoon Pilot: I'm totally in agreement with that. I think the extra services and features not available to me are an absolute perk for those wishing to generate revenue. I don't view "finding" a cache as a perk. That's something everybody that finds a cache should share with others. This thinking that $3 "protects" caching from "non-paying" members is an insult to those of us that spend two months "dues" on a single cache container - contents not included. Scott, I'd agree with most of what you say except for every charter member I know runs the queries and pocket downloads. That's what causes someone to open their wallets - take away all the perks and see how many people are so willing to pony up their "show of support" dollars. Ask Jeremy how many people threw dollars at him BP (before perks). Our UBB doesn't charge - and we do offer a great service of free help/mentoring in the marine/reef hobby. The only way we'd get dollars is if we offered perks... Despite how often people tell us "how great we are" and "how much they appreciate us." Geocaching is a far less expensive hobby - so the marine folks can hardly be called "cheap." Also, quote: Charter members don't hold anything against those that choose not to be charter members. I disagree. Not with all charter members, but certainly you do have those cheapskates who'd rather pay $3 a month to have "unlimited finds" yet who spend far less a month hiding caches than non-charter members do. And you are holding something against non-charter members when you seek their caches, yet keep yours hidden from them. I think some of the points I'm making are being equally missed. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON [This message was edited by GRANDMASTER CACHE on February 01, 2003 at 09:25 AM.]

quote: Banner advertising is dead, so thinking you contribute in that round-about way is laughable. No, it most certainly is not. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

If you feel so "member exclusive" then it's ironic that you continue to log "non member" caches. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

Well, I'm working with these basswood "skins" that are only 1/16" thick. No wonder, eh? I was still hoping a light touch might do the trick. I have brand new blades, and have in fact cut two nice "circles" out. But now I'm at a loss. I don't want to do a bunch of intricate wood working just to have the darn skin snap in half. I'd use two thicker blocks of wood to make a press, but still don't trust these cheesy disks I've made. I think I've the perfect solution. They had some nice "blank" wooden coins at the craft store - it sounds like those would work best. I might just toy around, tonight, though. Thanks so much. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

Thanks! I'm experimenting with woods. Yes, the basswood screamed splinters at me when I attacked it with my jigsaw! That's okay... I've got all night to play around with wood scraps. You know, we had one of those novelty erasers - that's going to be the hard part - just making the mold. By the way, if you have Print Shop Deluxe, there's an easy fix to getting the graphic - go to "Awards and Certificates" and choose a ready-made certificate. Start deleting all the info but the "seal." Once you have the seal, start modifiying it with text. I'm still playing with it, but that's the easiest I've found so far. Thanks! If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

Specifically - does anyone know which program I can do an "autoshape" like MS Word in (a circle) but then have it so that whatever I type follows the inside border of the circle? For example if you were to have a circle (like a dollar) and write "United States of America" how to type the text inside the circle? Thanks! If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

Arrrggghhhh.... We're sitting here, trying to make these polymer geocoins. The erasers I saw were too small to make a mold (we wanted silver-dollar sized coins) so I've been working with Basswood. So much for trying to do the printing by hand - I'm going to try and make something on word - but just cutting two discs to make the mold was hard enough. I'm not sure what kind of wood "basswood" is, but the sheet we have sure does like to splinter. I'll be real chapped if we get a good mold made and the darn things "splinter" when removing the clay. Any "hints" from you crafstmen/women as I go will not only be read tonight, but appreciated tonight! I'm going to be using a wood-burner to make my letter-mold depressions - and now I've got to go make the design. Thanks in advance for any wise info for this person that otherwise uses wood to make bookshelves and finds myself fumbling with dainty pieces of wood! If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

I can understand. Seems fair enough. We just might do the same thing - extend invitations with coords to people who participated in our caches and have not devalued them. Gee... That will help divide the game even further! IOC Invitation-only Caches. Oh, we'll throw a few micros out there so folks that pay $3 a year have something to find. I see caching like I do gambling - Don't play unless you can afford to lose it all. And when you do... Don't whine about it. Can you imagine a "winner's-only casino?" Hey, sign me up! You know, we did a couple caches that didn't break the bank at all... and people with kids have been trading in/out trinkets in the spirit of the game... If someone came tonight and bagged the whole cache I don't think I would "trust" anyone all the more because they dropped a piddly three dollars to get the "all-exclusive" on the "good" caches... Because for $3, they'll forget all about the "regular" caches, sign up to become a "charter" and go swipe all of yours. You see? If you are establishing $3 as the "means of honesty and integrity," it is futile. The only thing you people are going to do is paint yourself into your little "un-common" holier-than-thou ring of "above-average" cachers and then someone is going to zip Jeremy $3 and go on a wild night of plundering caches. The purpose of your $3 shouldn't be to have black-tie "members only" caches - it should be to help funnel a few grand a month into the Groundspeak Forums. We just took a guy two weeks ago (his first) and he left 5 ROOKIE YEAR trading cards, one being a Johnny Unitas. One of them went for a tiny bungee cord and the other for a plastic frog. Three went to some really cool games. Now, if this were a "member only" cache, he wouldn't have visited. I wouldn't have visited. You can see dated logs of these at the Ex-Christmas Tree cache and the Away From The Pond caches. Funny, I'll bet "member only" cachers have no problems going out looking for the caches non members place. If you want to be exclusive... STAY exclusive. Or at least do it in shameful silence and don't advertise or brag about it - because $3 isn't going to keep a thief a thief. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

Well, nobody knew what Speedy-Cut carving blocks were... So I guessed and went with some basswood sheets... I've no idea what I'm doing. I did get two erasers, but they are awful narrow (plenty thick, though). I got the clay, got the acrylic... And a good Exacto. I'm going to have to see how creative I can get! LOL Here goes to a late Friday night! If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

We like good signature items. The Marwagsalot Whistle comes to mind as a nice treat to SV cachers. We just got the stuff to upgrade from our current sig item (Team BigM Prehistoric Cache Locator) to polymer geocoins. I know people here will like very much to get these personable coins. If they are anything like Mt. Mudbug's coins, they will without a doubt be rival to the Marwag's Just Whistle. I think JohnnyB leaves a cool keychain knife. I'd like to see more Geocoins, for sure! We are going to try our hand at these - there's hardly any to be found out here. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

quote: I've only been doing this for a couple of months but I found when there is something that you like and use a lot you should support it. If you like it and use it, help make it better. We found it. We like it. We support it. But we are not "charter" members. quote: I joined because I've got way more than $30 worth of fun because of this site and I want to pay my way and support the game. We like to think we "pay our way" and support the game. But we are not "charter" members. quote: Nobody can force anybody to get a membership if they are using the site, but I would not want to have to look in the mirror every day if all I did was take advantage of something and not feel the need to give back just a little. Yes, you may have "missed" this. I didn't. I look in the mirror every day and hardly feel like I am "taking advantage" of something and not giving back "just a little." But we are not "charter" members. quote: I believe I will also start putting out my new caches as a members only for the first couple of weekends. This is actually a great idea from the aspect of allowing other members a shot at first finds before opening it up to everyone. Gee, maybe everybody with a good cache should start "charging" for the first couple of weekends before opening it to "everyone." Gee... Maybe I'll send out the coords to people whom I've seen place quality caches - before I post them to those that feel their $3 entitles them to "preferential" treatment. Oh, that I could place caches for a piddly "$3" a month to make me an "insider" member. quote:A group of us have started making our new caches members only for the first weekend or two. I believe that it might help to support the site and it gives dedicated cachers a better chance at first finds. I'm sorry. We must not be "dedicated cachers." My last cache cost more than an entire year's "guilt-free" membership. quote: Geesh! I've only got seven finds and I think it's worth it to pay for a membership. $3 doesn't place a cache. We thought this "worth it" enough to spend 2.5 worth "membership" fees per ammo can and load 'em up. We're glad people think it is "worth it" to find. quote: The way I figure it, my price per cache found & placed is currently around $380 once you count the cost of gas, cache trinkets, ammo cans, and all the other items not mentioned in the above cache log. And worth every penny. Now THAT'S an expensive hobby. THREE HUNDRED and EIGHTY DOLLARS????? PER CACHE???? Gold plated ammo cans? I had to interrupt my response in re: dissing to give kudos to anyone that spends that much money PER cache. Wow. quote: In the first six months of our membership, we found over 500 caches. So six months of the fee is $15, divide that by 500 and you get 3 cents. Just 3 cents per cache! Now, if that's not a bargain, I don't know what is. Uh, Marky I know ya too well to think you only pay "3 cents" per cache." Marky and Joani do some of the nicer caches in this area - indeed it was their example of a generous cache that inspired us as to "how to play the game." People like Marky and Joani are what keeps this sport going - not $3 membership fees. Anyway - no point in boring anyone any further. If $3 a month "determines" a charter membership - then perhaps someone can direct me where to submit my receipts to? I spend a lot more than $3 a month to "help maintain this site." Now, off to make the GeoCoins (we just got back from buying the stuff to make them at "gasp" considerably more than one year's membership! It's not about the money. It's about giving back to future families and their kids who made "treasure hunting" so fun and fantastic for my three kids. And I'm sorry, but $3 isn't about to cut it. If all I was doing was "taking" from the hobby, I'd gladly pay $3 a month. But, (as we know from Aqualink) the cost of this UBB forum is more than adequately covered financially. I can do more for Jeremy and this site by placing good caches which keep people enthused and seeking. And that my friends, makes me more of a "charter" member than $3 would ever fool me into thinking. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

OOOoooohhhh.... Cindy (who works the job to earn the money to buy the stuff to stock the caches) came up with a great analogy: It's like paying money to the trout farm when we are the ones stocking it with fish. Administrative fees to run a UBB are easily recooped via merchandising and banner-advertising fees. And then some. Please understand we are not dissing Jeremy in any way. He's not here complaining about a financial drain and I wouldn't criticize him unless he were to do so. Plenty of folks spend money to make this hobby possible. And we're not "reserving" caches for those who send us "compensation" money, either. We are sure Jeremy is grateful to the thousands of people who invest money plopping nice ammo boxes filled with goodies that really make "this site possible." If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

You people "can do this for free" because people like us who place caches don't charge you for it. We just spent $100 in materials for the month of January. We aren't looking for reimbursement, but I chuckle when anybody else would say I'm a "non-paying" member. Charter member? No. But this is not a "free" hobby to my family by any stretch of the imagination. Would I be so fortunate that I could "make money" off this hobby. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

Oakland doesn't deserve a winning team in the Superbowl until the thousands of thugs who poured into the streets for the second weekend in a row learn how to act in a civilized society. They've got a serious image problem - especially when they wonder why there is such a problem "steroetyping" Oakland and the residents. Of course, "real fans" say that they aren't "real fans" doing the damage. That makes it okay. It's a hoot - the Raiders don't even give a dadgum about "partaking" in any local "Superbowl Party." That outta make the "real fans" feal "real special." If I were "trapped" in that jungle I'd turn my GPS on and project a way point miles away from that "GeoTrache Site." That would be my "goto" with the highest priority! If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

Awesome... Totally awesome. I only hope I can make something 1/2 as nice. You should figure out some sort of price to make a batch of those (seeing as you are skilled with the whole "molding" concept) and offer some for sale. Those are so unique, and each one is truly one of a kind. I'm going to try and make some, but if someone wants something truly unique and doesn't have the time/energy/desire to make their own - you should check these out - maybe you can commission Mt. Mudbug to make you a batch - I bet it would be cheaper than most coins - and a lot more personable. I imagine I'll screw up royally and go through a lot of erasers but I'm definitely excited to give these a shot! We're about out of our Team BigM's Prehistoric Cache Locators here, so maybe I can get some coins cooking this weekend! Thanks so much for sharing that with everybody. It would be so awesome to see the different teams out here leaving coins - and I can think of nothing more creative than such a great looking, handmade geocoin! Cheers! If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

I think there's a "note" sort of hinting at it in that thread. By the way, RK - yes the military is extremely big on law abiding soldiers. I served in the JAG office and I saw people brigged for using their military I.D. to write a check that bounced. Stealing would absolutely be prosecuted. However, if this came across our desk... I think we'd advise the person to prosecute civilly if they wish to contend there was real theft. I know that our office would have done precious little to prosecute someone when we know the defense would be along the lines of retrieving (finding) non-secured property. While I've seen lots of government cheese wasted on things I couldn't believe - this is one where the government would not waste time nor resources. A person would have to acknowledge they have someone else's property which they want returned, and there'd have to be proof of said acknowledgement - internet "screen names" are hard to pin to a person unless you get some pretty serious charges going. The key thing is, you'd have to have an actual legal name to prosecute. This being a team, there is not likely to be individual "ownership." This rap could be beat, and it's not serious enough to warrant any sort of "lawsuit." A person need simply say "Well, we put it back." There. Done. No further procedure - case dismissed. No, the military wouldn't touch this. Our best bet is to "encourage" this team to at least place the cache somewhere and email the coords. Clearly they must feel uncomfortable, and if the owner really wants the cache back, they should just tell 'em to tuck it out of the way someplace close, and give the owner the coords. Then, everybody can walk away with no harm done, and no further embarassment. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

how important it is to not remove caches, and if they do, to return them to the owners. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

Pardon given. I said a private geocache park... Not a "private park" like Magic Kingdom with a virtual cache hidden somewhere in it. There are lots of facilities/parks that charge admission with a cache hidden in them. I do believe I stand correct in saying a private geocache park (meaning just what it says) would never work. There's too much money to made in a general admission, such as State Parks already charge. BTW, I'd LOVE to go to that park, myself! Well, we've got Disneyland down south, and I'd be just as fine going there. Haven't been in too long - the magic of it all is such a good elixir. Cheers! If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

The top finder when we go out as a family has been Paige - 10 years old. She has an uncanny ability to "find where it's hidden." For the real tricky ones, I've got to give credit to Krissy. She found Optima, and although I was right on top of it, I would never have guessed. Our little guy, the sole passenger in the infamous "Mr. Bink's Buggy" goes, but at 2 years old he hasn't expressed a desire to. The girls want to go and either place or seek - every weekend. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

Geocaching will never cost money. Some caches are placed in parks that require admission - but that's at the discretion of the seeker. And for those stubborn about paying even for that - there are usually alternatives to seeking the cache. There's too much money generated from general access to a park. They'd be foolish to close it off and make it a "private geocache park." Especially since most people who place/seek a cache already are paying if there's an admission fee. A private geocache park would never work... What, are there going to be caches every 100'? If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache