Is something wrong with ths picture?

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Waiting for the new website.... http://www.geocaching.google.com

 

And how many people tried to click on that just to check..... hehehe

Heh, who knows, that may not be a joke for long! I have been expecting Google to list caches for years, it just seems like a natural fit.

[Keystone]

I actually think that I prefer to know that new geocaches are being reviewed by those who do it purely out of a love for the game, not by someone who has to be paid to care.

Bingo. Very well put.

[+WRASTRO]

I actually think that I prefer to know that new geocaches are being reviewed by those who do it purely out of a love for the game, not by someone who has to be paid to care.

Bingo. Very well put.

One of the best posts and replies I have ever seen.

 

It would be cool if there could be a spot in the forums where this could be pinned and highlighted in such a way that anyone who wants to post a rant about how this game of ours works is re-directed to the post and MUST read all prior rants before they can actually post their own.

 

On second thought that would take away a lot of the entertainment value of the forums, so never mind.

[+CaptRussell]

Bingo. Very well put.

One of the best posts and replies I have ever seen.

Hey stop that!

 

Don’t go saying nice things about KBI’s posts out loud – you’ll only encourage him.

 

Better to simply ignore him, and maybe he’ll go away.

[+briansnat]

Jeremy is not the real Jeremy. His name is Cummerbund. He inherited the job from the previous Jeremy, who was not the real Jeremy either. The real Jeremy has been retired for twenty years, and living like a king in Patagonia.

 

I heard the original Jeremy was recently seen sipping wine in a Paris cafe with the original BrianSnat.

[+WRASTRO]

Bingo. Very well put.

One of the best posts and replies I have ever seen.

Hey stop that!

 

Don’t go saying nice things about KBI’s posts out loud – you’ll only encourage him.

 

Better to simply ignore him, and maybe he’ll go away.

When I agree with it I like to acknowledge it. When I disagree with it I usually bite my tongue and sit on my hands. This was such a rare happening that I just couldn't help myself.

[+TotemLake]

Me thinnks the OP was merely

[+WRASTRO]

Me thinnks the OP was merely

Well of course, and I had a little fun adding a couple of ingredients that I hoped would taste good to a few folks. Better to cook up some Frito Pies.

[tttedzeins]

.

 

Some observations …

 

 

DILLIGAF.

 

I pay my $30 (gladly) as well as place vouchers for others to become Premies 'cos this site costs money to run.

I have never contacted GC, so have never been treated rudely by them. If i start not to like the way things are going I'll stop geocaching.

[Skippermark]

Just like if you subscribe to a newspaper and write an editorial for publication (could be compared to submitting a cache), we have no right to go to the newspaper and inquire about how they run their business.

Aha!!!! Freedom of Speech grants everyone the right to ask people how they run their business. BUT by the same right, those businesses have the right NOT to tell you if they so wish.

True, you are correct. When I said "no right," I meant "none of your business," which would fall into the second part of your reply.

Edited July 11, 2008 by Skippermark

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Aha!!!! Freedom of Speech grants everyone the right to ask people how they run their business. BUT by the same right, those businesses have the right NOT to tell you if they so wish.

True, you are correct. When I said "no right," I meant "none of your business," which would fall into the second part of your reply.

Not correct. The right to free speech deals with restriction of speech by the GOVERNMENT, not a business.

 

Businesses can regulate speech, that's why you can't cuss or do many other socially unacceptable things at work.

 

Groundspeak doesn't have to tell you squat, and they can control speech in cache listings and this forum as they wish.

[Skippermark]

I realize that companies can control what people say, but that has nothing to do with my reply to the OP. I was referring to the general population and saying that it's none of their business how a private company wants to operate itself.

[+tozainamboku]

I realize that companies can control what people say, but that has nothing to do with my reply to the OP. I was referring to the general population and saying that it's none of their business how a private company wants to operate itself.

If some oil company is going to dump chemicals and pollute my ground water supply, it's going to be my business. If some retailer is going to use sweatshop labor in a third world country to produce cheaper goods, I'm going to let them know what I think of this practice. If some chain decides to no longer allow geocaches in front of their restaurants, it can have an impact on my decision to eat there. If some company that I have to deal with treated me unfairly, I'm likely to complain and if I suffered damages I might even sue. How a private company wants to operate itself is everybody's business.

 

Fortunately, Groundspeak appears to operate within the laws of the state of Washington and with high ethical standards. Unfortunately, there may be occasions when a Groundspeak employee treated an individual rudely but perhaps the person wasn't treating the Groundspeak employee with proper respect as well. Some policies of Groundspeak are difficult to explain to individuals who may prefer this is just a game where they can do whatever they want. This can sometimes cause a person to feel that they are getting unfair treatment. The Groundspeak forums are one of the ways to provide feedback to Groundspeak on how to better serve both paying and non-paying members. Rants like the OPs don't accomplish much, but I would hope that people will continue to use the forums to express their opinions freely and not simply decide that TPTB can do whatever they like.

[+WebChimp]

If some oil company is going to dump chemicals and pollute my ground water supply, it's going to be my business. If some retailer is going to use sweatshop labor in a third world country to produce cheaper goods, I'm going to let them know what I think of this practice.

 

These are practices that most likely violate environmental or trade laws, and are outside the domain of "operating any way they wish", to paraphrase the issue.

 

This would be apples.

 

If some chain decides to no longer allow geocaches in front of their restaurants, it can have an impact on my decision to eat there. .....

 

This is a matter of personal preference, and not equitable to practices that violate the law or trade treaties.

 

This would be oranges. Can't be fairly compared to apples.

 

How a private company wants to operate itself is everybody's business.

 

Unless a private company is violating the law or endangering the greater public good, how they choose to operate is nobody else's business.

 

Private business, as long as it operates within the law, may do whatever they wish. They don't have to tell you how they operate, they don't have to tell you their secret formulas, they don't have to publish their P/L statements, etc. Whether that sits well with someone outside the company is of no relevance. They just plain, simply, can do whatever they wish as long as it's within the law.

 

And if they are within the law, it's not anyone else's business, although there are always people who think that they should be involved in everyone else's business regardless.

 

As far as suing someone goes, of course you can sue a company. Filing a suit doesn't give your complaint merit, though. You may legally sue a company for any reason you so desire, as long as you're willing to pay the legal fees. You may sue them for not having the color green in their company logo. You may sue them for not being open between the hours of 3 and 4 AM in your time zone. Neither of these suits would have merit, but of course you'd be welcome to file them.

[+sbell111]

They way I look at it is a private company is a legal entity, not terribly unlike a person. No one has a say in how I run my life as long as I follow the law. Why should you have a say in how a company runs itself?

Edited July 11, 2008 by sbell111

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

They way I look at it is a private company is a legal entity, not terribly unlike a person. No one has a say in how I run my life as long as I follow the law. Why should you have a say in how a company runs itself?

The rather obvious answer regarding why the bizarre nexus of issues was even raised is that the troll was trolling!

[+Renegade Knight]

If some oil company is going to dump chemicals and pollute my ground water supply, it's going to be my business. If some retailer is going to use sweatshop labor in a third world country to produce cheaper goods, I'm going to let them know what I think of this practice.

 

These are practices that most likely violate environmental or trade laws, and are outside the domain of "operating any way they wish", to paraphrase the issue....

 

It's not apples. Before those laws were ever created folks had a right (and perhaps an obligation) to speak up. Every single member has a right to request what service they get for their money. They may have litttle to no luck with the negotiation but it's fundamental to how business works.

[+Renegade Knight]

They way I look at it is a private company is a legal entity, not terribly unlike a person. No one has a say in how I run my life as long as I follow the law. Why should you have a say in how a company runs itself?

 

You don't have direct say, You do however get to request how they can best meet your needs so that you are willing to part with your money.

[+sbell111]

They way I look at it is a private company is a legal entity, not terribly unlike a person. No one has a say in how I run my life as long as I follow the law. Why should you have a say in how a company runs itself?

 

You don't have direct say, You do however get to request how they can best meet your needs so that you are willing to part with your money.

Sure. You get to make that request because they allow you to. This forum exists for our whiny pleasure because TPTB allow it to.

[Skippermark]

Private business, as long as it operates within the law, may do whatever they wish. They don't have to tell you how they operate, they don't have to tell you their secret formulas, they don't have to publish their P/L statements, etc. Whether that sits well with someone outside the company is of no relevance. They just plain, simply, can do whatever they wish as long as it's within the law.

That's exactly what I'm saying. Thanks for explaining it better than I did, WebChimp.

 

With that, everyone, it's the weekend, and I'm off to play and have some fun. I hope everyone does the same...

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Without trying to sound like a toady for the Frog Palace, let me say that I have played the game for a while, been an occasional poster to and an avid reader of these forums, been thanked for some posts, been banned for others, worked for Groundspeak as a Volunteer Reviewer, been fired by them, agreed with some of their practices, vocally disagreed with others, been attacked online by cachers and the occasional Reviewer, sometimes Groundspeak defended me, sometimes not, I've had legal caches and been busted for illegal caches, you name it... but through it all I have never once been treated rudely by anyone at Groundspeak!

 

I know for fact that they DO read these forums, they DO respond to geocachers wishes, when it suits their business plan. As far as I can tell they've pretty much built this site around what we cachers have asked for over the years.

 

Sorry for the rant, but these threads about how terrible and non-responsive Groundspeak is sometimes get under my skin.

Edited July 11, 2008 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+infiniteMPG]

Not correct. The right to free speech deals with restriction of speech by the GOVERNMENT, not a business. Businesses can regulate speech, that's why you can't cuss or do many other socially unacceptable things at work.

Businesses can only regulate people directly employeed by them or people on property they own, but they cannot regulate the general public if they are not on the business's property. And many socially unacceptable things are regulated by the government, try using tons of profanity walking some downtown sidewalk sometime. I think public nuisance would come in to play which would be anything impeding the life, health, property, morals, or comfort of the public. Guess that could be viewed as being "regulated".

 

Groundspeak doesn't have to tell you squat, and they can control speech in cache listings and this forum as they wish.

We can always complain to supportdesk@geocaching.google.com

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Reviewers aren't paid?

 

At Geowoodstock, MissJenn gave me a big hug. That's pay enough for me.

 

Hey, I got one of those too!! And a Cool Coin as well!!

[Clan Riffster]

Sorry for the rant, but these threads about how terrible and non-responsive Groundspeak is sometimes get under my skin.

Jeremy didn't give me a little red wagon when I was 3. Ergo, he is responsible for all of my woes.