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Magnetic caches on high voltage electrical cabinets


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Came across a cache the other day that was a magnetic container attached to the underside of one of those big green electrical cabinets you see outside some retail establishments. On the side of the cabinet there is a big sign that says "Danger - Shock Hazard" or something to that effect. I'm assuming this is bad cache placement as those cabinets could become charged if there is some sort of failure of the internal circuitry? Should this be reported and archived?

 

This is sort of the type of chassis I'm talking about

 

outdoor-electrical-enclosure.jpg

Edited by Clayshooter
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Came across a cache the other day that was a magnetic container attached to the underside of one of those big green electrical cabinets you see outside some retail establishments. On the side of the cabinet there is a big sign that says "Danger - Shock Hazard" or something to that effect. I'm assuming this is bad cache placement as those cabinets could become charged if there is some sort of failure of the internal circuitry? Should this be reported and archived?

 

This is sort of the type of chasis I'm talking about

 

outdoor-electrical-enclosure.jpg

 

Some will say that it's dangerous and bad. I say that it might be dangerous, but it's more important to mind my own business. Besides, if it were a shock hazard, the hider would have already discovered that. :blink:

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My take is that it is not a good idea to desensitize kids to the dangers of electrical shock. That is what you're essentially doing by encouraging people to put their hands on and under electrical equipment. And geocaching is supposed to be family friendly, so a hider should always assume that kids might be along for the hunt.

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It is of course hard to imagine getting permission to place a cache on one of these. And people wandering around electrical boxes can make others nervous. But so far I have felt I have been in more danger from spiders on these cabinets than electric shocks. Or in some urban environments, there is the added danger of having to step around someone's toilet. I suppose anything could happen . . . . but as long as you do not open the box it may be less dangerous than the caches placed near live wires.

Edited by geodarts
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If the owner of the host object would want the cache removed if they knew about it, it's not a good idea. Violating people's property rights isn't in the interest of this game.

 

Do you think the owner of that piece of equipment wants a cache on it? I don't.

 

I don't urban or suburban cache much, but I'm not shy at all about logging NA on caches where I think that the property owner would be unhappy about a cache if they knew about it. I'd doubt seriously that any electrical company ever granted permission for a cache on any piece of electrical equipment, ever. Not one time.

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Those kinds of caches are right on top of my list of huge waste of time. You can be sure permission was not granted to put it there. I would not even look for it, and would be extremely disappointed if I were caching with just a waypoint in my GPS, which is how I usually cache, and I drove up to find a horrible location like that. My log would not be very complimentary, if I even wasted time to write a note, and there would be no smiley with it. There us definitely danger, if not from shock, then the danger if being detained, or arrested.

Makes you wonder what in the world was the CO thinking?

When I hide a cache, I try to put myself in the seekers shoes, and imagine how they would feel looking for it. If I have to ask myself if this cache makes my butt look fat, it's not a good hide.

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Those kinds of caches are right on top of my list of huge waste of time. You can be sure permission was not granted to put it there. I would not even look for it, and would be extremely disappointed if I were caching with just a waypoint in my GPS, which is how I usually cache, and I drove up to find a horrible location like that. My log would not be very complimentary, if I even wasted time to write a note, and there would be no smiley with it. There us definitely danger, if not from shock, then the danger if being detained, or arrested.

Makes you wonder what in the world was the CO thinking?

When I hide a cache, I try to put myself in the seekers shoes, and imagine how they would feel looking for it. If I have to ask myself if this cache makes my butt look fat, it's not a good hide.

YAAGT! Yet another ambiguous geocaching term: permission. There would be few geocaches left if all CO's actively sought permission, including my own. I've located caches in newspaper boxes, LPC's, guardrails, shopping mall doorways, sewer grates, etc, etc. All of those locations are "owned" by cities, corporations or businesses of some kind but I think where geocachers place their caches (in most cases) are relatively harmless and cause no damage to the property. A magnetic utility plate on a hydro box is a common find and no more dangerous than any kid with a magnet goofing around the outside of those boxes. Parents need to teach their kids about the dangers within.

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Came across a cache the other day that was a magnetic container attached to the underside of one of those big green electrical cabinets you see outside some retail establishments. On the side of the cabinet there is a big sign that says "Danger - Shock Hazard" or something to that effect. I'm assuming this is bad cache placement as those cabinets could become charged if there is some sort of failure of the internal circuitry? Should this be reported and archived?

 

This is sort of the type of chassis I'm talking about

 

outdoor-electrical-enclosure.jpg

 

Notice the chain link fence completely surrounding that box to keep kids, drunks, and fools out? Me neither.

 

In 21st century America, that means it's a dead certainty that for all practical purposes it's impossible for the exterior of the box to become a hazard (short of someone attacking it with a backhoe, or leaning on it during a lightning storm). The parts that can be dangerous will be locked up securely.

 

This is not to say it's a good idea to put a cache there, but it's not an electrical hazard.

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Violating people's property rights isn't in the interest of this game.

That's the way I feel about parking lot hides.

1.1. Fundamental Placement Guidelines

Obtain the landowner's permission before you hide any geocache on private property. If you are given permission to place a cache on private property, indicate this on the cache page for the benefit of the reviewer and those seeking the cache. <_<

Probably the most ignored guideline...

Second place probably goes to;

Please don't hide a cache every 600 feet just because you can. <_<

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Came across a cache the other day that was a magnetic container attached to the underside of one of those big green electrical cabinets you see outside some retail establishments. On the side of the cabinet there is a big sign that says "Danger - Shock Hazard" or something to that effect. I'm assuming this is bad cache placement as those cabinets could become charged if there is some sort of failure of the internal circuitry? Should this be reported and archived?

 

This is sort of the type of chassis I'm talking about

 

outdoor-electrical-enclosure.jpg

 

Notice the chain link fence completely surrounding that box to keep kids, drunks, and fools out? Me neither.

 

In 21st century America, that means it's a dead certainty that for all practical purposes it's impossible for the exterior of the box to become a hazard (short of someone attacking it with a backhoe, or leaning on it during a lightning storm). The parts that can be dangerous will be locked up securely.

 

This is not to say it's a good idea to put a cache there, but it's not an electrical hazard.

 

Correct, not an electrical hazard. However, there is a transformer at a town golf driving range about 1.5 miles from my home coordinates that has concrete posts all around it. To me, that says yeah, it's not dangerous, but the general public has no business walking around the thing in circles and fondling it like a nutjob. :blink:

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Those kinds of caches are right on top of my list of huge waste of time. You can be sure permission was not granted to put it there. I would not even look for it, and would be extremely disappointed if I were caching with just a waypoint in my GPS, which is how I usually cache, and I drove up to find a horrible location like that. My log would not be very complimentary, if I even wasted time to write a note, and there would be no smiley with it. There us definitely danger, if not from shock, then the danger if being detained, or arrested.

Makes you wonder what in the world was the CO thinking?

When I hide a cache, I try to put myself in the seekers shoes, and imagine how they would feel looking for it. If I have to ask myself if this cache makes my butt look fat, it's not a good hide.

YAAGT! Yet another ambiguous geocaching term: permission. There would be few geocaches left if all CO's actively sought permission, including my own. I've located caches in newspaper boxes, LPC's, guardrails, shopping mall doorways, sewer grates, etc, etc. All of those locations are "owned" by cities, corporations or businesses of some kind but I think where geocachers place their caches (in most cases) are relatively harmless and cause no damage to the property. A magnetic utility plate on a hydro box is a common find and no more dangerous than any kid with a magnet goofing around the outside of those boxes. Parents need to teach their kids about the dangers within.

 

Canada, right? What the heck is a "hydro box"? :laughing:

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Been waiting for this to come up again so I can say there is a daycare center a couple of blocks from my house, with a similar cabinet in the toddler's play area.

No, it isn't separately fenced or anything.

Anyone for toasted toddler?

 

do they serve them with pickles?

 

Those kinds of caches are right on top of my list of huge waste of time. You can be sure permission was not granted to put it there. I would not even look for it, and would be extremely disappointed if I were caching with just a waypoint in my GPS, which is how I usually cache, and I drove up to find a horrible location like that. My log would not be very complimentary, if I even wasted time to write a note, and there would be no smiley with it. There us definitely danger, if not from shock, then the danger if being detained, or arrested.

Makes you wonder what in the world was the CO thinking?

When I hide a cache, I try to put myself in the seekers shoes, and imagine how they would feel looking for it. If I have to ask myself if this cache makes my butt look fat, it's not a good hide.

YAAGT! Yet another ambiguous geocaching term: permission. There would be few geocaches left if all CO's actively sought permission, including my own. I've located caches in newspaper boxes, LPC's, guardrails, shopping mall doorways, sewer grates, etc, etc. All of those locations are "owned" by cities, corporations or businesses of some kind but I think where geocachers place their caches (in most cases) are relatively harmless and cause no damage to the property. A magnetic utility plate on a hydro box is a common find and no more dangerous than any kid with a magnet goofing around the outside of those boxes. Parents need to teach their kids about the dangers within.

 

Canada, right? What the heck is a "hydro box"? :laughing:

 

power is generated from water=hydro ..no? :blink:

 

:laughing:

Edited by t4e
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However, there is a transformer at a town golf driving range about 1.5 miles from my home coordinates that has concrete posts all around it. To me, that says yeah, it's not dangerous, but the general public has no business walking around the thing in circles and fondling it like a nutjob. :blink:

To me it says the electric company doesn't want to have to replace the box when an automobile attempts to occupy that same space. Had they wanted a static barrier to keep Joe Public away, they would've used something that Joe Public can't simply walk through.

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This is sort of the type of chassis I'm talking about

outdoor-electrical-enclosure.jpg

Considering that that particular cabinet is all aluminum, and a traffic control cabinet, how would a magnet stick to it? :unsure:

 

BTW... those are the cabinet types that I used to work on. For the most part, you're only going to find normal 110 volts in them.

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Violating people's property rights isn't in the interest of this game.

That's the way I feel about parking lot hides.

1.1. Fundamental Placement Guidelines

Obtain the landowner's permission before you hide any geocache on private property. If you are given permission to place a cache on private property, indicate this on the cache page for the benefit of the reviewer and those seeking the cache. <_<

Probably the most ignored guideline...

Second place probably goes to;

Please don't hide a cache every 600 feet just because you can. <_<

These are my favorites to be ignored. But are done anyway.

This one I still laugh at and when a cacher says they have permission. Not talking about private property but Park property...

1.1.3. Geocaches are never buried. If a shovel, trowel or other pointy object is used to dig or break ground, whether in order to hide or to find the cache, then it is not permitted.

 

Drilling holes in Telephone poles, fences, trees..come on..

1.1.4. Geocache placements do not deface or destroy public or private property. Geocaches are placed so that the surrounding environment is safe from both intentional or unintentional harm. Keep both natural and human-made objects safe. No object or property may be altered to provide a hiding place, clue, or means of logging a find.

 

I had mine archived when it was 300ft from a school with a water filled canal, 3 sets of fences and on a well traveled trail, and yet I have seen some within 50 or less from school property getting approved. Two I've seen on school property and I'm talking about High School and lower.

1.1.5. Geocaches are not placed on school property or military bases. Many primary, middle and secondary schools, as well as most military bases do not allow geocaching within their borders. Further, it is inadvisable to place geocaches near schools or military bases as the borders shown on a map may be inaccurate. Geocachers who are actively searching for a cache are likely to arouse suspicion in such environments, and we want to avoid this situation.

Edited by jellis
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Canada, right? What the heck is a "hydro box"? :laughing:

 

Tell me about it. You would think that "hydro" has something to do with water, right? But nooooo, not at all.... :rolleyes:

 

We use hydroelectric power here. Keeps us nice and clean.

 

Better than burning...coal... :blink:

 

Yeah. Like you say. The word hydro means water. Water Poles? Water Boxes? Just another word you Canadiens probably didn't realize is unique to yourselves, like when that guy started the "Parkade" thread. :lol: <== C'mon, just kidding. Look at me, I'm covered in soot.

 

OK, I'd better say something on topic. That does indeed look like an aluminum Hydro box. The OP probably just pulled one off the interwebs, especially since he referred to a green one in the OP.

Edited by Keystone
Modified objectionable reference
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This is sort of the type of chassis I'm talking about

outdoor-electrical-enclosure.jpg

Considering that that particular cabinet is all aluminum, and a traffic control cabinet, how would a magnet stick to it? :unsure:

 

BTW... those are the cabinet types that I used to work on. For the most part, you're only going to find normal 110 volts in them.

110 volts will still get your attention if its energized!

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This is sort of the type of chassis I'm talking about

outdoor-electrical-enclosure.jpg

Considering that that particular cabinet is all aluminum, and a traffic control cabinet, how would a magnet stick to it? :unsure:

 

BTW... those are the cabinet types that I used to work on. For the most part, you're only going to find normal 110 volts in them.

110 volts will still get your attention if its energized!

 

Could be Stainless Steel (which also is not magnetic), but dang, that would be one expensive box.

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Canada, right? What the heck is a "hydro box"? :laughing:

 

Tell me about it. You would think that "hydro" has something to do with water, right? But nooooo, not at all.... :rolleyes:

 

We use hydroelectric power here. Keeps us nice and clean.

 

Better than burning...coal... :blink:

 

Yeah. Like you say. The word hydro means water. Water Poles? Water Boxes? Just another word you hosers probably didn't realize is unique to yourselves, like when that guy started the "Parkade" thread. :lol: <== C'mon, just kidding. Look at me, I'm covered in soot.

 

 

so it follows that the hydrants should supply electricity :anibad:

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Considering that that particular cabinet is all aluminum, and a traffic control cabinet, how would a magnet stick to it?
Thats when you use a dollars worth of velcro :anibad:
Or a few cents worth of double-sided mounting tape (the foam kind that removes cleanly) and a steel washer...
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110 volts will still get your attention if its energized!

 

I've felt 120v AC at 1 amp before. Twice. It tingled but didn't hurt. (Metal light switch plate in contact with one of it's wires, and once accidentally touched both prongs of a plug while plugging something into a power strip I couldn't really see.)

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I've felt 120v AC at 1 amp before. Twice. It tingled but didn't hurt. (Metal light switch plate in contact with one of it's wires, and once accidentally touched both prongs of a plug while plugging something into a power strip I couldn't really see.)

 

That's because, in those particular incidents, your body did not provide an efficient path to ground through your heart or brain.

 

A former, and still living, neighbor of mine once decided to throw a snapped 6900 volt, uninsulated wire off his wood fence because he thought it might start a fire. He figured that because he was wearing tennis shoes he would be safe... the wire stayed on the fence and he got flung across the yard. He was very lucky. (PG&E installed a new 45' high power pole within a week to move the high-voltage overhead wires only 5 feet so any future line-break would not fall on that guy's property.)

 

But, it only takes around .01 to .02 of an amp to kill you if conditions are right. Your GFCIs in your kitchen and bathroom trip before the current gets that high.

 

Check this out:

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I've felt 120v AC at 1 amp before. Twice. It tingled but didn't hurt. (Metal light switch plate in contact with one of it's wires, and once accidentally touched both prongs of a plug while plugging something into a power strip I couldn't really see.)

 

That's because, in those particular incidents, your body did not provide an efficient path to ground through your heart or brain.

 

A former, and still living, neighbor of mine once decided to throw a snapped 6900 volt, uninsulated wire off his wood fence because he thought it might start a fire. He figured that because he was wearing tennis shoes he would be safe... the wire stayed on the fence and he got flung across the yard. He was very lucky. (PG&E installed a new 45' high power pole within a week to move the high-voltage overhead wires only 5 feet so any future line-break would not fall on that guy's property.)

 

But, it only takes around .01 to .02 of an amp to kill you if conditions are right. Your GFCIs in your kitchen and bathroom trip before the current gets that high.

 

Check this out:

Your neighbor was very lucky, as an industrial maintenance electrician I have seen first hand what high voltage can do. Our high voltage coming into the plant was about 7200 volts on one leg to ground. We had a painter get tangled up in that. He was standing on a ladder leaning against the enclosure with his waist just even with the top of the enclosure. When he got into the high voltage it burnt his hand so bad they ended up amputating it, then it went through him as far as his waist and jumped to ground. It took a 100 amp high voltage fuse out and when I went to find out what happened I found him about 30 feet from the enclosure with his chest still smoking. It amazed me that he was still alive. The shame of the thing is the whole incident would never have happened if we wouldn't have had an incompetent plant engineer on the project.

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like when that guy started the "Parkade" thread.

"that guy" say: get learned in teh Canadiunese, eh? We has gud words for stuff and things up here! :antenna:

 

I figured I was going to get flamed for teasing Canadians about calling electricity "hydro". I guess not. Of course I probably opened myself up to that one again.
This post has been edited by Keystone: 20 October 2011 - 11:39 AM

Reason for edit: Modified objectionable reference

/me wonders whut teh reference was. On secund thought, no /me duzn't. We Canadiuns has gud grammars and are nice and are keeeeute! Avoids teh trubbles. And teh tribbles :anicute:

 

OT: I have a cache like this, and it's a pretty difficult one, but it's out the way of a lot of traffic (foot and vehicle). It gets a fairly even spread of Finds and DNFs, many returning 3 or 4 times until they find it. Had no troubles with it yet, though it is the one I'm keeping an eye on the most, for the very reasons raised in this thread. I don't think these hides are "unsafe", but they're certainly not as 'innocent' as a film tube in a tree. IMO, owners should only place them, if they really want to, after being confident it's not a risky location.

Edited by thebruce0
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like when that guy started the "Parkade" thread.

"that guy" say: get learned in teh Canadiunese, eh? We has gud words for stuff and things up here! :antenna:

 

I figured I was going to get flamed for teasing Canadians about calling electricity "hydro". I guess not. Of course I probably opened myself up to that one again.
This post has been edited by Keystone: 20 October 2011 - 11:39 AM

Reason for edit: Modified objectionable reference

/me wonders whut teh reference was. On secund thought, no /me duzn't. We Canadiuns has gud grammars and are nice and are keeeeute! Avoids teh trubbles. And teh tribbles :anicute:

 

OT: I have a cache like this, and it's a pretty difficult one, but it's out the way of a lot of traffic (foot and vehicle). It gets a fairly even spread of Finds and DNFs, many returning 3 or 4 times until they find it. Had no troubles with it yet, though it is the one I'm keeping an eye on the most, for the very reasons raised in this thread. I don't think these hides are "unsafe", but they're certainly not as 'innocent' as a film tube in a tree. IMO, owners should only place them, if they really want to, after being confident it's not a risky location.

I saw one of those "utility plate" caches placed near the bottom of a steel door. I looked at it a dozen times before realizing it couldn't be a real utility plate. Good hide.

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no idea how dangerous they are, but have done well over a few dozen of these and have thought they were lame with a capital R each and every time. I say letter R because they are so lame they are not even spelled right. Don't understand why anyone is so desperate to put a hide out they need to do one on a power box or electrical outlet of any kind.

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no idea how dangerous they are, but have done well over a few dozen of these and have thought they were lame with a capital R each and every time. I say letter R because they are so lame they are not even spelled right. Don't understand why anyone is so desperate to put a hide out they need to do one on a power box or electrical outlet of any kind.

 

Agree.. I think it is more of a "lameness" issue than a safety issue. Then there is the "Homeland Security" issue when people are sneaking around and messing with electrical equipment.

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no idea how dangerous they are, but have done well over a few dozen of these and have thought they were lame with a capital R each and every time. I say letter R because they are so lame they are not even spelled right. Don't understand why anyone is so desperate to put a hide out they need to do one on a power box or electrical outlet of any kind.

I think they're still fun for lesser experienced geocachers. I guess when you have the high numbers you and others have, almost every find becomes routine.

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no idea how dangerous they are, but have done well over a few dozen of these and have thought they were lame with a capital R each and every time. I say letter R because they are so lame they are not even spelled right. Don't understand why anyone is so desperate to put a hide out they need to do one on a power box or electrical outlet of any kind.

I think they're still fun for lesser experienced geocachers. I guess when you have the high numbers you and others have, almost every find becomes routine.

 

its not a question of routine. A newbie has their opinion and I have mine and when I was a newbie, I hated caches on power boxes back then, unless perhaps the ones where its a sticker where its obvious to see. Magnetic keyholders or any container where you have to fumble and feel around or look at the power box from weird angles and draw attention to yourself, I have never liked them from the days I had 100 finds to 6000 finds. I think people are entitled to their opinion on this type of hide whether they have 200 finds or 6000 finds.

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For the record, don't tar all Canadians with the same brush -- here in Alberta when we hear those central Canadians talk about "hydro" we think they are nuts too. :laughing: I mean I don't refer to my electrical utility company as "coal".

 

Anyway, to topic:

 

I think teaching people to mess around with electrical boxes is a bad idea for the same reason I don't like sprinkler heads or fake security camera caches too. Doesn't stop me from looking for them though.

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I guess when you have the high numbers you and others have, almost every find becomes routine.

Not sure I agree with that. I don't consider myself to be a high numbers cacher, and I find them pretty dull. When my numbers were much lower than they are now, I still considered them dull. On a similar note, one of my earliest finds was an ammo can back in a cypress swamp. I was fascinated! Now, some 1500 caches later, I am still every bit as fascinated by these as I was at the first one.

 

I think it's more a matter of what your personal preferences are, as opposed to how many times you've found something. Some folks like hide-a-keys on power boxes for the entire time they cache. Some folks hate them from the very first day. Many others find them neat at first, but mundane later.

 

Trying to fix someone with a particular preference simply because they've happened to find more caches than you is a sure road to failure.

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like when that guy started the "Parkade" thread.

"that guy" say: get learned in teh Canadiunese, eh? We has gud words for stuff and things up here! :antenna:

 

I figured I was going to get flamed for teasing Canadians about calling electricity "hydro". I guess not. Of course I probably opened myself up to that one again.
This post has been edited by Keystone: 20 October 2011 - 11:39 AM

Reason for edit: Modified objectionable reference

/me wonders whut teh reference was. On secund thought, no /me duzn't. We Canadiuns has gud grammars and are nice and are keeeeute! Avoids teh trubbles. And teh tribbles :anicute:

 

 

As best I remember my original post, he did not edit at all, and was just adding that to be funny. Moderators can be funny, you know. :blink:

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