petition to bring back trainlove

[+fegan]

So... Yes Bring him back

 

Or No?

 

The way I see it...if you only got two Yes votes I think you have your answer. No?

[+flask]

So... Yes Bring him back

 

Or No?

 

no.

 

not only was his comment disgraceful and worthy of bannination until the end of time, but now he's made you his patsy.

 

a person of integrity wouldn't have suckered anyone into a belldinger.

[+the_bell_dingers]

what was his comment anyway?

[+flask]

what was his comment anyway?

 

you're supporting reinstatement and you didn't bother to do your homework?

 

bellding!

[+the_bell_dingers]

its more guilt from the "strange message" post.

[Keystone]

As has been noted above, it typically takes far more than one inappropriate forum post to earn a permanent ban from the Groundspeak Forums. There is a whole system of escalating warnings and discipline before that remedy is applied as a last resort. The moderating team would much prefer that posters learn to curb their inappropriate behavior and contribute in a productive way. Sometimes, this process of warnings and education does not work.

 

I mention this so that the discussion does not become overly focused on a single event. Rather, it is a long history of separate incidents that is involved here. Since we do not discuss the details pursuant to Groundspeak's privacy principles, you will not hear a complete official listing.

[+Ockette]

Shouldn't this thread be in the offtopic forum?

[+TEAM HARTSOCK]

Shouldn't this thread be in the offtopic forum?

 

How about the "LOCKED AND FORGOTTEN" forum?

[+Knight2000]

I suspect that any petition is counter productive especially if as in this case it appears that he (Trainlove) was instrumental in starting or encouraging it.

Team Taran

I don't think that is true at all. I wish you would have had more proof before suggesting something like that. Belldinger?

[+Team Taran]

I never suggested that I had proof. I was going strictly by appearance as I said. Bellringer receives a message from Trainlove and then starts a petition to remove the forum ban. Bellringer was not a participant in the forums when Trainlove was active and does not cache in an area where he's likely to have met him. He does inform us that Trainlove wants to come back. No other explanation than that Trainlove played some roll in suggesting or encouraged this thread comes to mind.

Team Taran

[+Knight2000]

Except that wasn't what the OP's PM was about. Plus, belldinger doesn't need an excuse to start a topic.

[+the_bell_dingers]

this is a message from trainlove for my benchmark topic

 

Caches are at a minimum some kind of container with a log book. That's why Virtual Caches are disappearing, that category stopped allowing new additions in or around Dec 2005. Waymarking was invented some time later to serve that niche. Earth Caches went away too but as they are educational they came back last year. Web Cam caches are also disappearing slowly. Benchmarks have no owner other than some government, state, city or private organization.

 

You can make a map of all the benchmarks you want. It will take some work on your part though.

Go to www.ngs.noaa.org then click on Datasheets and then click on either Datasheets or Archived Datasheets. You can get a file of all the benchmarks in a county of a state all at once or a zip file of a whole archived state at once. The 2 formats are slightly different. They are both text files. You can import them into Excel, do Text To Column processing, and convert DDMMSS to DD MM.mmm coordinate format.

 

Magellan MapSend Topo allows you to import files that are text CSV formatted. For Garmin MapSource Topo you probably have to use something like GPSBabel to convert that to a GPX file that you can import. Or you could write a program to do all this for you. I have such a program that I wrote on a dead laptop of mine, been sitting for 3 years waiting to try to recover all from that hard drive.

 

When it comes to benchmarks, there is a difference between Scaled and Adjusted, read the FAQ on the benchmark link of www.geocaching.com

And not all benchmarks are disks.

And some listed benchmarks are a station and there are actually several reference mark disks all around it within a few hundred feet.

All the disks listed on www.ngs.noaa.gov (not necessarily the archived ones) are on www.geocaching.com but not all disks you might find in the field are on either site. There is a www.Waymarking.com category called USA Benchmarks that one can add to. I have about a dozen listed in there. There are other Waymarking categories like Water Monitoring Stations, which usually have a disk. Check the site http://www.weather.gov/oh/hads/states/NH_dcps.htm with your own state abbreviation for those near you.

P.S. The coordinates for benchmarks are mostly in NAD27 not WGS84 format, so they can be something like a few hundred feet off, and are Degrees Minutes and whole Seconds without a fractional part so that's also about +/-100 feet of error.

 

Yes most benchmarks are on private property. I'm planning on recovering all the benchmarks (40 or more) on the grounds of the Haystack Hill, Millstone Hill, NEROC (New England Regional Operations Center). A large radio telescope site belonging to the government and MIT about 15 miles from me.

 

Groundspeak will never have maps for benchmarks (I'm just guessing). Do you know how many benchmarks there are? Thousands of times more than there are geocaches. That would just be a great big drain on the many hamster powered servers at Groundspeak.

 

 

this was very helpful info. many topics could be answered, and EVERYONE could see it, not just one person if he comes back. also, that would mean my questions would be answered faster so there would be less Belldinger topics!

 

P.S. I know you are all going to say "we don't care about your PM's" well, its the only way he can answer questions, so... bring him back?

[+fegan]

P.S. I know you are all going to say "we don't care about your PM's" well, its the only way he can answer questions, so... bring him back?

You're right, I don't think anyone wants to read your PMs. And regardless of the content, it's certainly not a reason to bring a banned member back.

 

I didn't read the entire message...but I did notice mention of how to see Benchmarks on a map:

http://benchmarks.scaredycatfilms.com/index.html

[+Renegade Knight]

Shouldn't this thread be in the offtopic forum?

 

It involves a cacher and both directly and indirectly the process by which you become banned and unbanned. Both happen. Even if TPTB won't discuss specifics, we are subject to the onoing policy tweaks that result.

[+BlueDeuce]

P.S. I know you are all going to say "we don't care about your PM's" well, its the only way he can answer questions, so... bring him back?

 

Actually I was wondering if channeling a banned member was a good idea.

[+ArcherDragoon]

Shall we coin the phrase...

 

Sock-Marionette

 

(BTW...that was meant as a joke...no more no less...)

 

But, I would agree with BlueDeuce...go ahead and speak with trainlove all you want in PM...but posting things (regardless of intent) that are shared with you in PM may not be the best of ideas...

[+Knight2000]

Things are touchy here. I think sometimes people could look the other way considering the situation.

 

As I have done many times when I find a sweet deal I post to help other cachers. I used to keep an eye on eBay and when I found a good deal with a "buy it now" price I would post it. (I did not use any type of referral links.) Multiple times cachers snatched these up and then posted a thank you. Either way, these items sold quickly as they were such good deals.

 

I have done the same thing with other caching related items. My last one was busted and all of the links removed. It was a very helpful caching item that was being sold at a great discount. If it bothered a mod they could have looked the other way for the benefit of the community. Besides the info not being able to help others it gave me a black eye for trying to help.

 

This is a very unforgiving place. A good majority of posts are negative. A newbie comes along and asks a typical newb question and they get a barrage of replies that aren't so kind noting a list of the same topics that have been used over the years. Maybe someone doesn't know how to use the search. Maybe this is their first time on the forums. Instead of a polite post mentioning how they have found the search feature helpful a fair amount are a bit nasty.

 

The decision has been made and I doubt it will change. Of course, we don't know the situation. We can all just hope that all who made it had a clear mind without any agendas.

 

I think it says a lot for a person to PM people with answers like that. That takes a bit of effort and it seems that one isn't simply trying to pass the time but actually help people.

 

Commence firing.

Edited September 21, 2009 by Knight2000

[+BlueDeuce]

I have seen banned members come back as a sock puppet. At least bell_dinger doesn't hide behind bad spelling.

[+ArcherDragoon]

Things are touchy here.

 

Not really...seems to me folks are just having some good fun...heck, BellDinger has even enjoyed a couple of the posts...heck...has a couple dingers himself (um...no pun intended)...

 

Besides...a thread about someone that was banned (regardless of what was said over time)...there are bound to be those that agree and those that disagree...

[+ArcherDragoon]

I have seen banned members come back as a sock puppet. At least bell_dinger doesn't hide behind bad spelling.

Ok...that is just funny!!!

 

(almost had to clean the keyboard and screen)

[+Knight2000]

Things are touchy here.

 

Not really...seems to me folks are just having some good fun...heck, BellDinger has even enjoyed a couple of the posts...heck...has a couple dingers himself (um...no pun intended)...

Not this thread. These forums.

Edited September 21, 2009 by Knight2000

[+Wadcutter]

Instead of a petition to bring trainlove back how about something useful like a petition to permanently ban belldinger?

Edited September 22, 2009 by Wadcutter

[+the_bell_dingers]

Instead of a petition to bring trainlove back how about something useful like a petition to permanently ban belldinger?

 

For what?

[GOF and Bacall]

Instead of a petition to bring trainlove back how about something useful like a petition to permanently ban belldinger?

 

I was going to point out to K2k that often the new cachers take things personal that they shouldn't. Nothing wrong with pointing to previous threads that answer a new members questions.

 

Then I saw this post. It seems like an uncalled for attack on TBD. Did I not understand the joke? What is the punchline? Or were you actually just being nasty?

[+Wadcutter]

Did I not understand the joke? What is the punchline?

I guess you didn't. It went WAY WAY over your head.

[+the_bell_dingers]

I saw no comedy...

[GOF and Bacall]

There was none.

[+flask]

 

I think it says a lot for a person to PM people with answers like that. That takes a bit of effort and it seems that one isn't simply trying to pass the time but actually help people.

 

 

yes, it does say a lot.

 

what it says is that we have a creepy stalker type who although banned lurks and then grooms patsies by sending helpful information before telling their sad, sad, tale of injustice and spark a reinstatement campaign.

[+the_bell_dingers]

this was not his idea, it was MINE!

[+flask]

this was not his idea, it was MINE!

 

yes; it's called "manipulation".

[+mfamilee]

And here I thought PMs stood for private messages.

[+Jumpin' Jack Cache]

Instead of a petition to bring trainlove back how about something useful like a petition to permanently ban belldinger?

 

For what?

 

noise pollution?

n00bness?

over-exuberance?

 

Seriously, every internet forum has a set of mores, it's usually better to start by reading more posts than you open in order to get a feel for the forum. Personally, I would have carefully read trainlove's posts and tried to figure out the reason for his bannination before starting a thread like this...(not that I have any opinion on the ban either way).

[+Wadcutter]

Instead of a petition to bring trainlove back how about something useful like a petition to permanently ban belldinger?

 

For what?

 

noise pollution?

n00bness?

over-exuberance?

 

Seriously, every internet forum has a set of mores, it's usually better to start by reading more posts than you open in order to get a feel for the forum. Personally, I would have carefully read trainlove's posts and tried to figure out the reason for his bannination before starting a thread like this...(not that I have any opinion on the ban either way).

 

See? Jumpin' Jack Cache is a guy who understands and is able to read between the lines.

Some people obviously are incapable of understanding subtle hints.

Edited September 22, 2009 by Wadcutter

[GOF and Bacall]

Instead of a petition to bring trainlove back how about something useful like a petition to permanently ban belldinger?

 

For what?

 

noise pollution?

n00bness?

over-exuberance?

 

Seriously, every internet forum has a set of mores, it's usually better to start by reading more posts than you open in order to get a feel for the forum. Personally, I would have carefully read trainlove's posts and tried to figure out the reason for his bannination before starting a thread like this...(not that I have any opinion on the ban either way).

 

See? Jumpin' Jack Cache is a guy who understands and is able to read between the lines.

Some people obviously are incapable of understanding subtle hints.

 

Go back to clown school. Your timing and presentation need work.

[+Wadcutter]

Go back to clown school. Your timing and presentation need work.

Sorry it went over your head. Some people are just incapable of understanding it.

Edited September 22, 2009 by Wadcutter

[+BlueDeuce]

I think this thread has a hole in it. It's like all the private messages are leaking into the forum through here.

[+Knight2000]

this was not his idea, it was MINE!

yes; it's called "manipulation".

So let's get this straight. If you PM someone to help them because you can't post you are secretly manipulating them?

 

C'mon flask, you can do better than that. I'm confused as to why you would even say something like that.

[+5 Caching Campers]

So let's get this straight. If you PM someone to help them because you can't post you are secretly manipulating them?

 

C'mon flask, you can do better than that. I'm confused as to why you would even say something like that.

 

Don't you get it? He's been sending private messages to people helping them out in the hopes that one of them would start a thread petitioning for his reinstatement.

 

PS. Like others, I'd like to know what the offense was before I supported any movement to bring him back... though from what few of his posts I read, he does seem to be a helpful person. Much moreso than many other forum posters... even a few on this thread!

[+Tequila]

Like others, I'd like to know what the offense was before I supported any movement to bring him back... though from what few of his posts I read, he does seem to be a helpful person. Much moreso than many other forum posters... even a few on this thread!

 

I am not aware of the entire history but the comment I found totally disgusting can be found in Post # 10 in this thread: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...=213482&hl=

[+ArcherDragoon]

Just in case some may have missed this from Keystone...

 

As has been noted above, it typically takes far more than one inappropriate forum post to earn a permanent ban from the Groundspeak Forums. There is a whole system of escalating warnings and discipline before that remedy is applied as a last resort. The moderating team would much prefer that posters learn to curb their inappropriate behavior and contribute in a productive way. Sometimes, this process of warnings and education does not work.

 

I mention this so that the discussion does not become overly focused on a single event. Rather, it is a long history of separate incidents that is involved here. Since we do not discuss the details pursuant to Groundspeak's privacy principles, you will not hear a complete official listing.

[Skippermark]

A member can be banned from the forums without losing website privileges. Or, they can be banned entirely.

If someone has been banned, couldn't they just sign up for a new account?

[jholly]

A member can be banned from the forums without losing website privileges. Or, they can be banned entirely.

If someone has been banned, couldn't they just sign up for a new account?

 

You could, but if TPTB figured that out your probably not only banned from the forums but from the site.

 

Jim

[Andronicus]

Someone mentioned that if he appolagised and showed that he understood that what he did is not acceptable and that he wouldn't do it again, he may well be re-instated.

 

The problem is that, according to the OPs post, he is still refusing to accept any wrong doing. So far he has learnt nothing. Hopfully that will change, then he can return to helping people with his GPS knowledge.

[+Planet]

This whole thread is ridiculous enough to get me to post. I don't read the forums much, or post much these days, since I thought I'd read it all already.

Why would someone who has no idea who trainlove is, or what he did (it was a racist comment, and a bad one) come in an petition for his return? You weren't even around when the ban took place. He said himself he didn't think he did anything wrong. I beg to differ. It was a pretty insulting post.

I don't think the OP has read the forum guidelines, or the Terms of Use. You're not supposed to post private communications in here. That's between you and them, and we don't really want to know what you discussed with them in private, it was private, that's what private is supposed to mean.

I also gotta agree with flask, it's a verb. Could mean: being manipulated into posting for someone on their behalf, and risking your posting rights.

Or maybe being subjected to a pantload of meaningless posts, or posts that could easily be answered by reading the forums first, means you've been bell-dingered.

Maybe there's a Markwell for that

Why does my post say ringbone?

 

This is for Bell Dingers. You need this.

[+BlueDeuce]

Dang...you go girl!

[+Knight2000]

So let's get this straight. If you PM someone to help them because you can't post you are secretly manipulating them?

 

C'mon flask, you can do better than that. I'm confused as to why you would even say something like that.

 

Don't you get it? He's been sending private messages to people helping them out in the hopes that one of them would start a thread petitioning for his reinstatement.

That is completely asinine. You are just making a wild accusation. Saying something like that without any way to back it up is just wrong.

[knowschad]

This is one of the more bizarre posts I've seen in my time on these forums! I'm actually enjoying it. Why? Well, at least in part because Groundspeak doesn't operate on polls or petitions. They are also probably getting a kick out of this thread, if not outright ignoring it.

 

 

That said, I, too, have had recent PM communications from Trainlove. I'm not going to say what they were about, but I am interested in hearing from others that have also had this communication from beyond.

[Motorcycle_Mama]

This whole thread is ridiculous enough to get me to post. I don't read the forums much, or post much these days, since I thought I'd read it all already.

Why would someone who has no idea who trainlove is, or what he did (it was a racist comment, and a bad one) come in an petition for his return? You weren't even around when the ban took place. He said himself he didn't think he did anything wrong. I beg to differ. It was a pretty insulting post.

I don't think the OP has read the forum guidelines, or the Terms of Use. You're not supposed to post private communications in here. That's between you and them, and we don't really want to know what you discussed with them in private, it was private, that's what private is supposed to mean.

I also gotta agree with flask, it's a verb. Could mean: being manipulated into posting for someone on their behalf, and risking your posting rights.

Or maybe being subjected to a pantload of meaningless posts, or posts that could easily be answered by reading the forums first, means you've been bell-dingered.

Maybe there's a Markwell for that

Why does my post say ringbone?

 

This is for Bell Dingers. You need this.

 

Classic!

[jholly]

This is one of the more bizarre posts I've seen in my time on these forums! I'm actually enjoying it. Why? Well, at least in part because Groundspeak doesn't operate on polls or petitions. They are also probably getting a kick out of this thread, if not outright ignoring it.

 

 

That said, I, too, have had recent PM communications from Trainlove. I'm not going to say what they were about, but I am interested in hearing from others that have also had this communication from beyond.

 

Yep, here to. At the time I wondered why the PM on an forum topic. Guess I just don't read the headlines or don't pay attention to who is not around anymore, well, Vinny and his sock puppets excepted.

 

Jim

[+the_bell_dingers]

if I didn't say those PM's, I would have no reasons. and stop making those accusations without backup. they make you, and the people who agree with you look stupid.