What's considered inappropriate swag?

[+Nutty Squirrel]

After a weekend of newbie geocache hunting, I've given away all my keychain microlights. I've ordered more of them since I think they're great, but am also pondering what other items might be good.

 

One idea I had was keychain pill holders (no, not to make my own micro cache, but to actually put in another cache as the swag), and I can buy them cheap in bulk. I think these things are cool and they're great to carry some emergency aspirin. Although, someone told me (much to my surprise!) that some teenagers use these to hide drugs in. Should I not leave them for that reason?

 

Also, is it OK to leave swag that's made of bullet casings? e.g. bullet whistle or keychain, stuff like that. They'd be useless as reloading equipment, but would probably get a kid expelled if he brought it to a zero-tolerance BS public school, and would also get someone arrested while crossing the Canadian border with one. I like things like this but don't want to get someone in trouble for an idiotic reason.

 

Do people like various animal figurines? I can get them pretty cheap. Many are breakable, is it sufficient to wrap in a bit of bubble wrap and put in cache?

 

How about home-made data CDs with pictures of my cats or mountain scenery or something? They should be quite water resistant.

[+briansnat]

I think all your ideas are fine and in many cases are a cut above the junk we usually find. If you have any questions regarding what is inappropriate, read the guidelines.

[+Torry]

Oh, Briansnat, I've got it bad for you.

 

 

Oh, sorry. Just try to remember that beyond the specific geocaching.com guidelines there are some items that tend to tick people off. ... usually due to their own personal biases. For example, some folks might resent your bullet items due to the association with firearms. Some folks go ape-spit over religious items.

 

Your pill-case idea sounds great and you can even add your own little note inside to make it a signature item. The figurines are always fun, just remember that the real nice porcelain types tend to break easily. The CD's may not go over so well as many would be afraid to pop a strange item into their computer for fear of catching a nasty bug.

 

Some exciting ideas there! Welcome aboard. ... You got anything to eat?

[CinemaBoxers]

I would think no porn, no explosives, no roadkill, body parts, or Englebert Humperdink CD's. Otherwise, good to go?

 

[+Nutty Squirrel]

Eat? Food's not allowed in the cache. You're trying to trick me, right?

 

Most of the swag that I've seen so far has been rather lame so I'm hoping to do my part to improve the level of swag in the caches. I've actually seen an old movie ticket stub in one of them.

[+Bad_CRC]

I'd love to find any of those items... except pictures of your cats.

[+Nutty Squirrel]

you obviously haven't seen my cats then... they are SOOOOO cute!!!

[+Torry]

 

Hey Torry! Torry's on the computer! Lemme help! kdfmiaijwiqoqwekafn That was fun! Can I type? xcvmfdlkgjreiuwqpoioiw WHEEEEEE! I pooped in your cache bag. Hi Torry! Whatcha doin'? Feed me! Pet me. Wanna see my butt? Hi Torry! Fluffy farted. Did not. Did too. No, it was Frisky. Yup, That's one of mine. Hi Torry!

[+gof1]

Don't get suckerd in!

I know I seen a rool sumplace what sez "DON"T FEED THE PIG!"

Not real sure what that's all about but I wouldn't take any chances.

[+EraSeek]

Don't sweat it about other peoples actions. That's all based on their own common sense or lack of it. All those sound fine to me. What not to leave? Let see: Food, explosives, booze, smokes, porn, anything filthy or broken, You get the idea. I would also include anything "in your face". Anything commercial, religious, or political is frowned upon if it is promotional or anti-promotional. If it is a reflection of who you are it is fine.

[terrible2u]

i'm a pornstar. cant i leave a signature card? :D:D

[+PAWSitraction]

After a weekend of newbie geocache hunting, I've given away all my keychain microlights. I've ordered more of them since I think they're great, but am also pondering what other items might be good.

 

One idea I had was keychain pill holders (no, not to make my own micro cache, but to actually put in another cache as the swag), and I can buy them cheap in bulk. I think these things are cool and they're great to carry some emergency aspirin. Although, someone told me (much to my surprise!) that some teenagers use these to hide drugs in. Should I not leave them for that reason?

 

Also, is it OK to leave swag that's made of bullet casings? e.g. bullet whistle or keychain, stuff like that. They'd be useless as reloading equipment, but would probably get a kid expelled if he brought it to a zero-tolerance BS public school, and would also get someone arrested while crossing the Canadian border with one. I like things like this but don't want to get someone in trouble for an idiotic reason.

 

Do people like various animal figurines? I can get them pretty cheap. Many are breakable, is it sufficient to wrap in a bit of bubble wrap and put in cache?

 

How about home-made data CDs with pictures of my cats or mountain scenery or something? They should be quite water resistant.

Those are all really cool ideas. I especially like the bullet-casing idea. However, since you live in Massachusetts, and I live in Indiana, my odds of actually finding any of your cool swag in a cache is vanishingly small. Therefore, I hate your ideas.

 

IMO, if people are going to carry their cool-swag with them in places they know they shouldn't (such as ZT schools, on planes, and across the Canadian Border) then it's their own dang fault if they get in trouble.

[+Criminal]

I think these things are cool and they're great to carry some emergency aspirin. Although, someone told me (much to my surprise!) that some teenagers use these to hide drugs in. Should I not leave them for that reason?

Teenagers and others use cars to transport drugs, can I have yours?

 

Also, is it OK to leave swag that's made of bullet casings? e.g. bullet whistle or keychain, stuff like that. They'd be useless as reloading equipment, but would probably get a kid expelled if he brought it to a zero-tolerance BS public school, and would also get someone arrested while crossing the Canadian border with one. I like things like this but don't want to get someone in trouble for an idiotic reason.

I think they would be great. I told my kid not to take stuff like that to school. You can always de-mil it by drilling a small hole in the bottom, that's how I've seen them when they are sold in a store.

[+AuntieWeasel]

Those are all really cool ideas. I especially like the bullet-casing idea. However, since you live in Massachusetts, and I live in Indiana, my odds of actually finding any of your cool swag in a cache is vanishingly small. Therefore, I hate your ideas.

 

Uh oh. The OP lives in Mass? It is illegal to be in posession of spent brass without a firearms ID in Mass. No fooling. There was a thread about it in the New England forums a year or so ago.

 

And I almost got frogmarched out of a Decathlon Sports store in Walpole, trying to buy BB's! You need a license for that, too.

 

Funny old state.

[+gailois]

you obviously haven't seen my cats then... they are SOOOOO cute!!!

 

I'd like to see them! (I was going to say "I'll show you mine, if you show me yours", but didn't want to get too far off topic here). I would pick up your CD!

[+Isonzo Karst]

I buy bunches of the pill containers about half way down this page. I guess some people actually use them for pills, but among geocachers they do tend to end up as caches. Hopefully stages of big fun hiker types - but whatever. Well received swag in any case.

 

ims supply

 

I found keychains with a very slightly larger pill bottle attached for $1 at a flea market - bought him out. They're gone, and that vendor hasn't returned to the market. They were gold tone - a really nice item.

I spent a while googling for them, couldn't come up with them.

[+TeamHarrison]

For example, some folks might resent your bullet items due to the association with firearms. Some folks go ape-spit over religious items.

 

Hmmm... ...I'm googling +"Religious Bullets" and looking for a deal on bulk!

 

LOL!

[+Colorado Cacher]

Oh, Briansnat, I've got it bad for you.

 

 

Oh, sorry. Just try to remember that beyond the specific geocaching.com guidelines there are some items that tend to tick people off. ... usually due to their own personal biases. For example, some folks might resent your bullet items due to the association with firearms. Some folks go ape-spit over religious items.

 

Your pill-case idea sounds great and you can even add your own little note inside to make it a signature item. The figurines are always fun, just remember that the real nice porcelain types tend to break easily. The CD's may not go over so well as many would be afraid to pop a strange item into their computer for fear of catching a nasty bug.

 

Some exciting ideas there! Welcome aboard. ... You got anything to eat?

 

Pork Rinds acceptable?

[+bish0p]

Oh, Briansnat, I've got it bad for you.

 

Some exciting ideas there! Welcome aboard. ... You got anything to eat?

 

No but if you go to the first two cache's I have found here in YYC you will find the Loaded Starbuck's cards I threw in for the lucky folks who find them next.

Edited September 20, 2006 by bish0p

[+the hermit crabs]

Uh oh. The OP lives in Mass? It is illegal to be in posession of spent brass without a firearms ID in Mass. No fooling. There was a thread about it in the New England forums a year or so ago.

 

I remember being stunned when I read it: link.

[+Nutty Squirrel]

Would ammo shells that's been converted to a product that can't be readily converted back to ammo still be counted as ammo? Drilling it or welding something to it pretty much ruins it. No one's going to take a shell worth a fraction of a penny and waste time trying to repair it so that it can contain a bullet, powder and primer again. But then, politicians are stupid. I mean really... a 1/4" pipe can be made into a really poor-quality gun if you know what you're doing, yet anyone can go buy 1/4" pipes at Home Depot.

 

I'm all set with my Class A LTC but don't want anyone else without one to get in trouble. I guess I'll have to forget about the cute little ammo keychain pill cases.

[JohnX]

Uh oh. The OP lives in Mass? It is illegal to be in posession of spent brass without a firearms ID in Mass. No fooling. There was a thread about it in the New England forums a year or so ago.

...

Funny old state.

One of the oldest.

 

And yes, it is true about the spent brass in MA.

 

And also, I have noticed that many cachers have extremely vivid imaginations. If they can conceive of even the slightest possible risk or rule infraction caused by a piece of swag, they will remove it.

[Clan Riffster]

It is illegal to be in posession of spent brass without a firearms ID in Mass.

Laws like that are the obvious consequences of voting for folks like Ted Kennedy.

 

Back on topic:

The best advice I've seen in one of these threads of a similar nature is to assume the next finder to come along is an improperly supervised youth. Don't leave anything that you might feel might result in harm to said youth. After leaping that mental hurdle, just don't leave junk, and you'll be fine.

[+Bad_CRC]

Laws like that are the obvious consequences of voting for folks like Ted Kennedy.

 

you mean the guy who had both of his brothers killed in front of huge numbers of people by being shot in the head with a gun?