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Inappropriate Swag


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I gotta agree with Harry that I don't feel a toy cap gun is inappropriate (maybe we both grew up in the same different era or maybe it's just my NRA leanings that make me say that). The only thing inappropriate we have ever found was a pack of "raincoats" in a cache that was near an apparent gay hookup spot in the Keys (according to the note in the logbook). It appears somebody got bored waiting for a "new friend" to show up and started poking around (no pun intended), stumbled upon the cache and felt compelled to leave something with their profanity laced log.

 

Also found a knife in a cache but did not think it was inappropriate. The cache required a 3 mile hike (1 way) with a 1500 ft elevation change so believe me there was no danger of an innocent child accidentally finding this one

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I once found a Barnes & Noble gift card in a cache. I felt like it was sort of inappropriate because I thought "geez you can leave your trash somewhere else". I'm the curmudgeon of the family. My husband, however, thought "geez someone left a great treat!". I made fun of him. Until he checked and found out the card had $90 on it. So, not so inappropriate, after all. :blink:

 

As for a cap gun - I have no problem with that. I have been known to leave little plastic water squirt guns.

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Some people can find a way to be offended by anything...

 

Yeah but what can we do about it, change their mind?

 

Just tell'em to trade up, trade even or don't trade at all.

 

LOL! Gotta ask... what would be trading up from a cap gun?

:blink:

 

This usually is the issue when people complain about tracts. How hard would it be to trade up? You know what a cap gun is worth. It shouldn't be that hard to figure out.

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Seems to be a nice toy for the family that approves. I feel if the swag doesn't violate any of the guidelines then it's OK. I don't want to use caching as a way to impose my societal beliefs on anyone else. If I didn't want the cap gun for my kids the I'd TNLNSL.

 

However if you find it terribly objectionable then as others said, trade up or even and turn the cap gun in to Toy's R Us to be melted and made into cabbage patch kids.

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LOL! Gotta ask... what would be trading up from a cap gun?

:blink:

 

This usually is the issue when people complain about tracts. How hard would it be to trade up? You know what a cap gun is worth. It shouldn't be that hard to figure out.

 

BB gun?

 

Seriously... back to the OP...

 

The only thing dangerous about guns or play guns is lack of discipline and parental guidance. They have served a very useful purpose in humankind for centuries. They have also been abused for centuries, but that doesn't make the tool bad.

Edited by knowschad
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see, now, my bias against toy weapons appears to be intrinsic; i never remember playing childhood games involving even imaginary weapons. my little friends and i played "rescue the stranded lighthouse keeper from the devastating storm", "cure the mystery plague" and other such nonviolent and yet crisis-filled games.

 

i am still not upset by the presence of toy guns and i'm going to suggest that if you can't cope with seeing one in a cache, you and your little one need a more protected environment.

 

interestingly, there is much evidence that children (especially boys) when not permitted to use toy weapons, will press into service non-weapon items as toy weapons.

 

while it may be possible and perhaps even desirable to create a family attitude that violence is not acceptable, it will be very difficult indeed to purge entirely from most children the desire to have and use a weapon. it's just way too primal. weapons are among our first primitive survival tools, and our collective deep memory does not forget that.

 

while i don't like guns, i also don't like items that promote tobacco or alcohol use, "music" by miley cyrus, cheap sexual innuendoes, or anything from wal-mart. i understand that as long as these items do not rise to the level of discourtesy or violation of cache guidelines it is incumbent upon me to tolerate their presence.

 

had i any children under my care, it would be my responsibility to educate them in our familial responses to what we consider inappropriate cultural artifacts, and not the responsibility of other people in general. be very clear on this point as well: while geocaching is intended to be family-friendly, it is not a children's game. it is not designed FOR children, and that's an important distinction.

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see, now, my bias against toy weapons appears to be intrinsic; i never remember playing childhood games involving even imaginary weapons. my little friends and i played "rescue the stranded lighthouse keeper from the devastating storm", "cure the mystery plague" and other such nonviolent and yet crisis-filled games.

 

i am still not upset by the presence of toy guns and i'm going to suggest that if you can't cope with seeing one in a cache, you and your little one need a more protected environment.

 

interestingly, there is much evidence that children (especially boys) when not permitted to use toy weapons, will press into service non-weapon items as toy weapons.

 

while it may be possible and perhaps even desirable to create a family attitude that violence is not acceptable, it will be very difficult indeed to purge entirely from most children the desire to have and use a weapon. it's just way too primal. weapons are among our first primitive survival tools, and our collective deep memory does not forget that.

 

while i don't like guns, i also don't like items that promote tobacco or alcohol use, "music" by miley cyrus, cheap sexual innuendoes, or anything from wal-mart. i understand that as long as these items do not rise to the level of discourtesy or violation of cache guidelines it is incumbent upon me to tolerate their presence.

 

had i any children under my care, it would be my responsibility to educate them in our familial responses to what we consider inappropriate cultural artifacts, and not the responsibility of other people in general. be very clear on this point as well: while geocaching is intended to be family-friendly, it is not a children's game. it is not designed FOR children, and that's an important distinction.

flask, this is something that almost every male knows to be true and doesn't question. In my family we refer to it as the gun gene. If you don't have a toy gun you use a stick. If you don't have a stick you use a banana. If you don't have a banana you use jello. I actually saw a cartoon years ago that showed this. Tried to find it online but failed.

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I've so far found two pocket knifes in caches. Urban caches... Both where kids might find them. I traded for both of them.

 

Also found a condom in a cache once. I left that one as I didn't have anything on me that would fit the theme.

 

Found a cracked acorn in a cache. Looks like someone found it on the ground and just stuck it in the cache. No idea why it was added... but I did take it out. I did trade for it.

Edited by Arrow42
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Found a cracked acorn in a cache. Looks like someone found it on the ground and just stuck it in the cache. No idea why it was added... but I did take it out. I did trade for it.

Then you're just like me. I hate some swag that people put in the cache. I found some plastic 1x1cm cubes once and a few cracked seashells and I took them out and replaced them with some decent swag. My GF doesn't like that though because I trow that junk away and she says that I don't have to put such good swag in the cache if other people put junk in it.
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I went to a cache which is just off a motorway and found quite a lot of Ikea pencils in it. Obviously from the big Ikea which is 20 miles down the same motorway - was quite disappointed and logged my disappointment. Seriously - wooden Ikea pencils - that's just lazy and/or stingy!

 

Was there anything in there to sign the log with?

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... If you don't have a toy gun you use a stick. If you don't have a stick you use a banana. If you don't have a banana you use jello. ...
Jello??? I would think that jello would make an awesome play hand grenade, but a poor play gun.

 

Not everything inside a cache is 'swag', sometimes it's just garbage. No need to 'trade' for it, just CITO it out and toss it.
In general, that's true. It's not true about the item being addressed in this thread, however.
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The most inappropriate swag I ever found was a a Penthouse centerfold of a really hot Asian girl. I still have it. B):blink:

 

Goodness. When I was six, I loved to play with toy cap guns! But that was a different era. I don't think you can leave caps in a cache. But a toy cap gun? I don't see a problem with that.

Inappropriate things that I have found: alcohol, condoms, food...

 

I used to leave cap bombs years ago and everyone loved 'em. :D

 

cap_bomb.jpg

 

As for all the concern over toy guns in caches, pa-lease. :( I get the concern over the caps setting a bomb sniffer off, but guess what, just about ANY ammo can will set a bomb sniffer off. I have a Homeland Security luggage check notice to prove that fact. :(

 

I played with toy guns as a child with absolutely no guidance... Was quite the imaginary mass murder in fact not to mention playing ultra violent video games and look, I turned out normal and well adjusted. :( Heck, one of my many hats at work is as a firearms instructor for my department. That said and given that this is a different era than when I grew up, my son won't have as many toy weapons as I had and I'll insist that he treat them like they're real. :( My wife and I like to shoot as often as we can and if he wants to participate when he's old enough, he'll have to demonstrate proper safety with his toy guns.

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... That said and given that this is a different era than when I grew up, my son won't have as many toy weapons as I had and I'll insist that he treat them like they're real. :blink: My wife and I like to shoot as often as we can and if he wants to participate when he's old enough, he'll have to demonstrate proper safety with his toy guns.
Somebody's never going to get to be 'robber'.
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... That said and given that this is a different era than when I grew up, my son won't have as many toy weapons as I had and I'll insist that he treat them like they're real. :( My wife and I like to shoot as often as we can and if he wants to participate when he's old enough, he'll have to demonstrate proper safety with his toy guns.
Somebody's never going to get to be 'robber'.

 

Ya fight like you train. Of course there will be scenario training.... :( He also won't hafta wait until he's 13 to match me at Halo. :blink:

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Not everything inside a cache is 'swag', sometimes it's just garbage. No need to 'trade' for it, just CITO it out and toss it.
In general, that's true. It's not true about the item being addressed in this thread, however.

I didn't say it was. There were comments about broken shells and other garbage and that is what I was referencing.

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I turned out normal and well adjusted. :(

 

After years of reading Snoogan post I have to wonder if this is a argument for or against toy guns in caches?

 

If you are deluded like S then I guess it would be an argument for, however if you are keen of mind you will realize this is an argument against. :blink:

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Some people can find a way to be offended by anything...

 

Yeah but what can we do about it, change their mind?

 

Just tell'em to trade up, trade even or don't trade at all.

 

DING DING.

 

What the swag was and why the OP felt it was inappropriate has nothing to do with how any questionable item should be handled. Trade up, or trade even.

 

The negative remarks about the OP's opinions are off-topic and unnecessary.

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I turned out normal and well adjusted. :anibad:

 

After years of reading Snoogan post I have to wonder if this is a argument for or against toy guns in caches?

 

If you are deluded like S then I guess it would be an argument for, however if you are keen of mind you will realize this is an argument against. :anitongue:

 

I'M SOOO CONFUSED!!! :anibad::anibad::laughing:

 

3606544310_e53df65b53.jpg

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Some people can find a way to be offended by anything...

 

I'm offended by that... J/K... :anitongue:

 

I really do agree, with you that is... We just had a big ole' heated debate on this in the office yesterday...

 

This country has gone way to PC and alot of people get way to offended about way to little of a thing....

 

Just my opinion... I'm sure its bound to offend someone... :laughing:

Edited by solo63137
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Some people can find a way to be offended by anything...

 

I'm offended by that... J/K... :anitongue:

 

I really do agree, with you that is... We just had a big ole' heated debate on this in the office yesterday...

 

This country has gone way to PC and alot of people get way to offended about way to little of a thing....

 

Just my opinion... I'm sure its bound to offend someone... :laughing:

 

Isn't it written in the Bill of Rights somewhere that we have the right to never be offended by anyone or anything?

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Some people can find a way to be offended by anything...

 

I'm offended by that... J/K... :anitongue:

 

I really do agree, with you that is... We just had a big ole' heated debate on this in the office yesterday...

 

This country has gone way to PC and alot of people get way to offended about way to little of a thing....

 

Just my opinion... I'm sure its bound to offend someone... :laughing:

 

Isn't it written in the Bill of Rights somewhere that we have the right to never be offended by anyone or anything?

Probably covered in the freedom of speech somehow.

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LOL! Gotta ask... what would be trading up from a cap gun?

:anibad:

 

Well, DUH. A toy canon, of course! :anitongue:

 

Back to OP. The most inappropriate swag that I have found are cigarettes. You know the logs for these - "took NASCAR DVD, left cigartte. TFTC." I've found several caches with cigarettes left as swag. :anibad:

 

Now that I think about it, the only swag in the cache content guidelines as not being "common sense" are drugs (yup, found explosives, food, fireworks, ammo, lighters, knives, alcohol or other illicit material). :laughing:

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Some people can find a way to be offended by anything...

 

I'm offended by that... J/K... :anitongue:

 

I really do agree, with you that is... We just had a big ole' heated debate on this in the office yesterday...

 

This country has gone way to PC and alot of people get way to offended about way to little of a thing....

 

Just my opinion... I'm sure its bound to offend someone... :laughing:

 

Isn't it written in the Bill of Rights somewhere that we have the right to never be offended by anyone or anything?

 

I'm guessing you are joking... :anibad: Sometimes its hard to tell the mood or exact frame of mind via typed text...

 

***Edit*** But just in case, http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am2

Edited by solo63137
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Some people can find a way to be offended by anything...

 

I'm offended by that... J/K... :anitongue:

 

I really do agree, with you that is... We just had a big ole' heated debate on this in the office yesterday...

 

This country has gone way to PC and alot of people get way to offended about way to little of a thing....

 

Just my opinion... I'm sure its bound to offend someone... :laughing:

 

Isn't it written in the Bill of Rights somewhere that we have the right to never be offended by anyone or anything?

 

I think that's right next to the amendment that says we can all by insensitive jerks and expect everybody else to get over it and adapt to our personal levels of comfort in a given situation. I'm paraphrasing, of course.

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I came across a cache today with my 6 year old step-son that contained a toy cap gun. I personally feel that caches shouldn't contain toy guns, but that is just me. What do you all think? ...

 

Personally I think that anything thats legal for kids to posess is ok in a cache. More restrictive than that is up to the parent. That was your opportunity to explain your philosopy (which apprently worked well enough for you to have a kid and thus further your own thoughts on how best to perpetuate the species).

 

After you get past the law. (which would rule out porn, cigarettes, real guns etc.) then you get into the common sense. No food and scented items (attracts animals) no obviously flamable (caps, gunpowder, gasoline, lighters (empty zipp's sure why not)), nothing that melts (candles would be on flammable but not ok on melting and sometimes scented).

 

Then you have "land manager" preference the key one here is pocket knifes which were great swag but for land manger fears.

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interestingly, there is much evidence that children (especially boys) when not permitted to use toy weapons, will press into service non-weapon items as toy weapons.

 

Exactly... when I was younger and got into trouble and had ALL my toys taken away... my FINGER gun ended up being the BEST toy I had!

 

Then again even as an adult seems my fingers & hands are still my best toy! LOL

 

TGC

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as for the acorn: is it possible that the cache was under an oak tree?

 

Well... to be honest, I wasn't exactly an acorn - but I'm just not sure what it was. Acorn was the closest nut I could think of without trying to distract from the point by describing a weird nodule thing. It might have actualy been one of those nodule that grow around the worms that some trees get. Maybe some day I'll ask a botanist.

 

Anyway - yes, it was from a tree near the cache. I think it's unlikely to have fallen from the tree into the cache - it had the look of something that has aged for a while in the damp.

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interestingly, there is much evidence that children (especially boys) when not permitted to use toy weapons, will press into service non-weapon items as toy weapons.

 

Exactly... when I was younger and got into trouble and had ALL my toys taken away... my FINGER gun ended up being the BEST toy I had!

 

Then again even as an adult seems my fingers & hands are still my best toy! LOL

TGC

 

:anitongue:

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as for the acorn: is it possible that the cache was under an oak tree?

 

Well... to be honest, I wasn't exactly an acorn - but I'm just not sure what it was. Acorn was the closest nut I could think of without trying to distract from the point by describing a weird nodule thing. It might have actualy been one of those nodule that grow around the worms that some trees get. Maybe some day I'll ask a botanist.

 

Anyway - yes, it was from a tree near the cache. I think it's unlikely to have fallen from the tree into the cache - it had the look of something that has aged for a while in the damp.

 

it's totally possible that one fell into the cache while someone had it open and then it aged while in there.

 

it isn't necessary for the tree to make a perfect shot; often these things are present in great numbers and they get into caches much the same as leaves and other forest detritus.

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