Advertising leaving bullswag.

[+mchaos]

I found this vid on youtube, I am sure a lot of you have already seen it, but I don't like is that in this video they are basically advertising leaving bullswag. Just a wooden token.

 

Now it doesn't say if they were trading with it, but they had a bunch of kids, so I am sure they took something and just left a silly wooden token.

 

[+Raenne]

I'm not a veteran by any stretch of the imagination, but it is my understanding that those wooden tokens serve as signature items for some cachers, and there are some folks who do indeed want them.

[+SharpShin']

I'm not a veteran by any stretch of the imagination, but it is my understanding that those wooden tokens serve as signature items for some cachers, and there are some folks who do indeed want them.

 

You got it right!

 

Many cachers, including myself, have personalized "Wooden Nickles". These are not considered trade items, but are left in caches as "Signature Items".

Edited August 13, 2009 by SharpShin'

[+BlueDeuce]

...so I am sure they took something and just left a silly wooden token...

 

I think you are focusing on one small part. News Stations are notorious for labeling geocaching as a treasure hunt, as this one did, but fortunately the cacher hit the nail on the head by mentioning, "The thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of the find".

 

At least the news anchor didn't tell people to Get a Life.

 

I wouldn't call out the cachers because the news station's on-air log listed one little wooden nickel as the trade. I bet those cachers covered far more than you saw in that one report.

 

Edit: clarification.

Edited August 13, 2009 by BlueDeuce

[+mchaos]

I'm not a veteran by any stretch of the imagination, but it is my understanding that those wooden tokens serve as signature items for some cachers, and there are some folks who do indeed want them.

 

I'm not a veteran by any stretch of the imagination, but it is my understanding that those wooden tokens serve as signature items for some cachers, and there are some folks who do indeed want them.

 

You got it right!

 

Several Maryland cachers, including myself, have personalized "Wooden Nickles". These are not considered trade items, but are left in caches as "Signature Items".

 

That is what I am saying. They are not trade items. Now, possibly they left a toy or trinket or two, but the report showed them only leaving a token.

 

I have nothing wrong with leaving a token, but it would have been good of reporters to mention that if you take something, you should leave something of equal value.

 

If some one takes something cool like lets say a pack of glow in the dark ceiling stars, a wooden nickle to me would not be a good trade.

 

If you want to trade, and are going to leave a wooden token, you should take a wooden token.

 

I have no problem with took nothing left token.

[+bittsen]

The worst thing that news story could have done is tell people that geocaching is a "treasure hunt".

 

It is more like a scavenger hunt than a treasure hunt but even that is a misnomer.

[+Raenne]

That is what I am saying. They are not trade items. Now, possibly they left a toy or trinket or two, but the report showed them only leaving a token.

 

I have nothing wrong with leaving a token, but it would have been good of reporters to mention that if you take something, you should leave something of equal value.

 

If some one takes something cool like lets say a pack of glow in the dark ceiling stars, a wooden nickle to me would not be a good trade.

 

If you want to trade, and are going to leave a wooden token, you should take a wooden token.

 

I have no problem with took nothing left token.

 

I'm not sure it is a good idea, nor fair, to draw conclusions about the intentions of or the actions of a cacher when the only information you have is from a flavor story reporter for a local newscast, who edit things down to easy, 30 second feel-good story bits.

 

You don't truly know what the cachers left and/or took, so I don't really think it is fair to assume. You are correct in saying that it would have been good of the reporters to mention some of the various "rules" about trading fairness and the hunt being about thrills, and not toys. However, to expect such detail from a non-caching news reporter who is told to distill the story down for the public isn't fair to the newscaster, nor the cachers in question.

[+mchaos]

That is what I am saying. They are not trade items. Now, possibly they left a toy or trinket or two, but the report showed them only leaving a token.

 

I have nothing wrong with leaving a token, but it would have been good of reporters to mention that if you take something, you should leave something of equal value.

 

If some one takes something cool like lets say a pack of glow in the dark ceiling stars, a wooden nickle to me would not be a good trade.

 

If you want to trade, and are going to leave a wooden token, you should take a wooden token.

 

I have no problem with took nothing left token.

 

I'm not sure it is a good idea, nor fair, to draw conclusions about the intentions of or the actions of a cacher when the only information you have is from a flavor story reporter for a local newscast, who edit things down to easy, 30 second feel-good story bits.

 

You don't truly know what the cachers left and/or took, so I don't really think it is fair to assume. You are correct in saying that it would have been good of the reporters to mention some of the various "rules" about trading fairness and the hunt being about thrills, and not toys. However, to expect such detail from a non-caching news reporter who is told to distill the story down for the public isn't fair to the newscaster, nor the cachers in question.

 

Thats why the name of the thread is "advertising leaving bullswag." Because it basically says you can take things and only leave a wood token.

[+Raenne]

Now it doesn't say if they were trading with it, but they had a bunch of kids, so I am sure they took something and just left a silly wooden token

 

In your second sentence of the original post, you drew assumptions about the cacher's intentions based on information you admit you do not have. If they had kids, they must have taken a bunch of stuff and left nothing but a token. You don't know that.

 

Wooden tokens aren't bullswag either. Perhaps to you, but not to many.

[+hudsonfam]

Now it doesn't say if they were trading with it, but they had a bunch of kids, so I am sure they took something and just left a silly wooden token

 

In your second sentence of the original post, you drew assumptions about the cacher's intentions based on information you admit you do not have. If they had kids, they must have taken a bunch of stuff and left nothing but a token. You don't know that.

 

Wooden tokens aren't bullswag either. Perhaps to you, but not to many.

 

We are most excited when we find one of those wooden coins in a cache! I would much rather have that than a trinket I could go to the store and purchase myself. The handmade, original items are our favorites!

[+doingitoldschool]

Now it doesn't say if they were trading with it, but they had a bunch of kids, so I am sure they took something and just left a silly wooden token

 

In your second sentence of the original post, you drew assumptions about the cacher's intentions based on information you admit you do not have. If they had kids, they must have taken a bunch of stuff and left nothing but a token. You don't know that.

 

Wooden tokens aren't bullswag either. Perhaps to you, but not to many.

 

We are most excited when we find one of those wooden coins in a cache! I would much rather have that than a trinket I could go to the store and purchase myself. The handmade, original items are our favorites!

 

Total ditto here - mini-staplers, rusty matchbox cars and spare change holds no interest,

but a wooden token with someone's artwork/caching logo is certified cool.

I wouldn't trade a token for a nice whistle or mini-tool, but for a city pin or other siggy, coolio!

[+hydnsek]

Wooden tokens aren't bullswag either. Perhaps to you, but not to many.

We are most excited when we find one of those wooden coins in a cache! I would much rather have that than a trinket I could go to the store and purchase myself. The handmade, original items are our favorites!

Total ditto here - mini-staplers, rusty matchbox cars and spare change holds no interest,

but a wooden token with someone's artwork/caching logo is certified cool.

Triple ditto here. I'll take a personalized wooden nickel (or any sig item) over generic swag.

 

I guess mchaos would really hate my cache Your Signature Here, cos the contents consist entirely of sig items.

Edited August 13, 2009 by hydnsek

[+Casting Crowns]

The worst thing that news story could have done is tell people that geocaching is a "treasure hunt".

 

It is more like a scavenger hunt than a treasure hunt but even that is a misnomer.

 

"Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices." That's the first sentence you read when you go to the first page at geocaching.com Probably why they always tend to refer to it as "treasure hunting".

[+hudsonfam]

my simple 2 centablos. i think it was a good thing to down play what was left behind. we all know there are some very cool caches out there, some very interesting items, some very collectible items, and sometimes some pretty valuable items. my wife for instance has placed some handcrafted jewelry made from various semi precious stones, which have some real value.... but question.... do we want muggles everywhere of all ages and intentions, thinking that if they raid one of these they could wind up with some pretty cool schtuff? and if one has some cool schtuff what about the numerous others around it? do we really want them knowing they might snag an amethyst bracelet under a skirt in a parkinglot? or in an ammo can in the park there is a jade necklace?

 

also note that this cache was placed for this news cast. it was not an existing cache and the cachers with the news crew were probably the ones who hid it in the first place.

 

there are lots of things to think about. and when you view that news clip on youtube, its amazing how many geocaching videos pop up, from teens to adults to.... who let them have a camera....

 

via con queso and have a great chip

hudsonfam don