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Mi News Segment Ends W/ Message For Cachers...


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It's truly amazing how hyper-sensitive and needy you people are. Why on earth does everyone have to endorse and understand all the activities that you are interested in? Jeez, grow a thicker skin. Enjoy life with a modicum of irony. You know, I can fully appreciate that geocaching is not a mainstream activity. GPS receivers are a geeky, techno gadget. So is my laptop. So are wireless routers. So are good stereo components. A majority of the people in this world are intimidated in one way or another by technology. Is there anything in his innocuous comment that you don't experience day-to-day by the blinking 12:00 VCR public? Instead of being hypersensitive taking event the most harmless comment as a personal attack, just shrug it off and live your life. Even in the most desperate lives, there is something to enjoy. Perhaps Mr. Turner was right in suggesting someone could get a life afterall.

....or you could get a life. :o

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It's truly amazing how hyper-sensitive and needy you people are. Why on earth does everyone have to endorse and understand all the activities that you are interested in? Jeez, grow a thicker skin. Enjoy life with a modicum of irony. You know, I can fully appreciate that geocaching is not a mainstream activity. GPS receivers are a geeky, techno gadget. So is my laptop. So are wireless routers. So are good stereo components. A majority of the people in this world are intimidated in one way or another by technology. Is there anything in his innocuous comment that you don't experience day-to-day by the blinking 12:00 VCR public? Instead of being hypersensitive taking event the most harmless comment as a personal attack, just shrug it off and live your life. Even in the most desperate lives, there is something to enjoy. Perhaps Mr. Turner was right in suggesting someone could get a life afterall.

Frank, is that YOU? It's alright, you don't have to hide behind a fake name....

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It's truly amazing how hyper-sensitive and needy you people are.  Why on earth does everyone have to endorse and understand all the activities that you are interested in?  Jeez, grow a thicker skin.  Enjoy life with a modicum of irony.  You know, I can fully appreciate that geocaching is not a mainstream activity.  GPS receivers are a geeky, techno gadget.  So is my laptop.  So are wireless routers.  So are good stereo components.  A majority of the people in this world are intimidated in one way or another by technology.  Is there anything in his innocuous comment that you don't experience day-to-day by the blinking 12:00 VCR public?  Instead of being hypersensitive taking event the most harmless comment as a personal attack, just shrug it off and live your life.  Even in the most desperate lives, there is something to enjoy.  Perhaps Mr. Turner was right in suggesting someone could get a life afterall.

I don't particularly connect being annoyed by an insensitive comment and politely complaining about it with being hyper-sensitive and needy. There is nothing wrong with a person asserting their opinion, especially to a public news figure. For example, my concern is that if a news anchor is likely to make an insensitive comment once, he or she is likely to repeat it and offend someone else in the future. It can't hurt to point that out. If the anchor or station pays attention it could actually help them. I also don't think the expectation is to force people to endorse or understand caching. Instead the expectation is professional behavior from a public figure. I couldn't care less if Mr. Turner endorses or understands caching. But I tend to have an expectation that public news figures will behave professionally, and when they don't, I don't have a problem politely pointing out my distaste for their behavior.

 

I would, however, question someone who had an overly angry reply. Obviously at some point, a person could become hyper-sensitive, and I agree that would not be a good thing. But I haven't really seen that much here. There is quite a difference between expressing an opinion and hyper-sensitive remarks or whining. I also agree that perhaps for some people, shrugging it off would be a good thing. For example, anyone who might be just sitting and obsessively fuming over the incident. That isn't healthy, but I also don't think is really the case with people here.

 

So basically, I think it merits a calm complaint, but is not worth getting all upset over.

 

edited for many spelling errors (posted too quickly)! And edited again to make this long post longer. :o

Edited by carleenp
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Ben, you seem to be getting your panties all bunched up just because a few people don't agree with you or told you to "get a life".

Perhaps you need to grow a thicker skin?

What clever repartee! Allow me to respond in kind:

 

I know you are but what am I?

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It's truly amazing how hyper-sensitive and needy you people are. Why on earth does everyone have to endorse and understand all the activities that you are interested in? Jeez, grow a thicker skin. Enjoy life with a modicum of irony. You know, I can fully appreciate that geocaching is not a mainstream activity. GPS receivers are a geeky, techno gadget. So is my laptop. So are wireless routers. So are good stereo components. A majority of the people in this world are intimidated in one way or another by technology. Is there anything in his innocuous comment that you don't experience day-to-day by the blinking 12:00 VCR public? Instead of being hypersensitive taking event the most harmless comment as a personal attack, just shrug it off and live your life. Even in the most desperate lives, there is something to enjoy. Perhaps Mr. Turner was right in suggesting someone could get a life afterall.

I'm hyper-sensitive, needy and have some driving urge to have everyone endorse and understand all the activities I'm insterested in, simply because I'm a geocacher?

 

I'm going to get the diamond island cache today, caching is good therapy. I hear caching is also good therapy for those who make insanely broad generalizations, wanna go?

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I don't particularly connect being annoyed by an insensitive comment and politely complaining about it with being hyper-sensitive and needy. There is nothing wrong with a person asserting their opinion, especially to a public news figure.

I agree, but to recruit minions to go on an email campaign? It's a big waste of time and it makes us all look like we need a life. Every complaining email to the station is just making the argument for them.

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I don't particularly connect being annoyed by an insensitive comment and politely complaining about it with being hyper-sensitive and needy. There is nothing wrong with a person asserting their opinion, especially to a public news figure.

I agree, but to recruit minions to go on an email campaign? It's a big waste of time and it makes us all look like we need a life. Every complaining email to the station is just making the argument for them.

Nobody HAD to recruit all the cachers who responded. The incident was posted here, and they all wrote emails and made phone calls because they WANTED to. No need to blast them for being passionate about something they feel is important.

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Thank you for helping me to make my argument. You seem to feel that you know the newscaster's job better than he does.

 

I seriously doubt anyone here seriously believes they know anyone’s job better than that person does, and to insinuate it, just shows that you lack the ability to knowledgeably engage in a discussion on this topic. This type of responses usually indicates a lack of understanding of the topic being debated. In English, it is a cop-out statement used when an educated statement cannot be found, and by people that like to argue, just for the sake of arguing.

 

I have worked in broadcasting and I can tell you that this is all going to be laughed off at the station. Anyone that claims to know any different is fooling themselves. It's all about the illusion of caring, that's why the email addresses are there, to create the illusion of accessibility.

 

I am not sure what Broadcasting Company you worked for, but the ones I have been employed by do take these things seriously. A station’s on air talent reflects not only on everyone at the station, but also on the community in which they operate. I have shown this clip to many friends in Broadcasting, Public Relations, and Advertising firms, they all had the same reaction as we did. To sum them all up and paraphrase, “ I can not believe this guy just insulted his viewers like that”.

 

Say what you will about viewers and their relationship to advertisers, you cannot make a difference.

 

Oh really, now you are truly showing your arrogant side. Ask the Dixie Chicks, CBS, Clear Channel, Pepsi, or Budweiser if the public can make a difference.

 

For God's sake people, grow up, all of this whining is telling me that you do need lives.

 

This one is my favorite, coming from the person that has had nothing constructive to add to this thread, but who takes plenty of time to criticize others. You might want to take a second a re-evaluate your use of time in your life.

 

Come to think of it. WHY am I wasting time out of my life to acknowledge such an argumentative, shortsighted, non-constructive post?

 

I probably need a life.

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I don't particularly connect being annoyed by an insensitive comment and politely complaining about it with being hyper-sensitive and needy. There is nothing wrong with a person asserting their opinion, especially to a public news figure.

I agree, but to recruit minions to go on an email campaign? It's a big waste of time and it makes us all look like we need a life. Every complaining email to the station is just making the argument for them.

Nobody HAD to recruit all the cachers who responded. The incident was posted here, and they all wrote emails and made phone calls because they WANTED to. No need to blast them for being passionate about something they feel is important.

Isn't this thread all about blasting Frank? Is his passion secondary? Is what he feels is important less deserving of our approval?

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Oh really, now you are truly showing your arrogant side. Ask the Dixie Chicks, CBS, Clear Channel, Pepsi, or Budweiser if the public can make a difference.

None of the people/firms you mentioned were showing ill-effects from a nerd email campaign. But feel free to expand your nerd email campaign to nerd email crusade status. Just don't count all geocachers as willing and like-minded combatants. Some of us have a sense of humor and the irony necessary to laugh at ourselves (or failing that, we could at least laugh at you and your ilk).

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I don't particularly connect being annoyed by an insensitive comment and politely complaining about it with being hyper-sensitive and needy. There is nothing wrong with a person asserting their opinion, especially to a public news figure.

I agree, but to recruit minions to go on an email campaign? It's a big waste of time and it makes us all look like we need a life. Every complaining email to the station is just making the argument for them.

People write to companies to complain all the time. Most companies listen to the criticism and try to use that to better their company. Whether it be a news station or a restaraunt, they all hope to better their product so they can make more money.

 

The people who are writing letters to the news station aren't minions being told what to do. They have their own free will to write to them or not. Jees, give it a rest and let people write their letters.

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People write to companies to complain all the time. Most companies listen to the criticism and try to use that to better their company. Whether it be a news station or a restaraunt, they all hope to better their product so they can make more money.

 

The people who are writing letters to the news station aren't minions being told what to do. They have their own free will to write to them or not. Jees, give it a rest and let people write their letters.

The people that write letters to companies like that are the same jackasses that write the letters to the editor voicing their opinions on things such as politics, their opinion on sexuality as they have deciphered (with copious quotes) to their various scripture studies and the like. In other words, cranks. Feel free to waste your time and be scoffed or ignored because that is exactly what you merit and will get.

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I don't particularly connect being annoyed by an insensitive comment and politely complaining about it with being hyper-sensitive and needy. There is nothing wrong with a person asserting their opinion, especially to a public news figure.

I agree, but to recruit minions to go on an email campaign? It's a big waste of time and it makes us all look like we need a life. Every complaining email to the station is just making the argument for them.

Nobody HAD to recruit all the cachers who responded. The incident was posted here, and they all wrote emails and made phone calls because they WANTED to. No need to blast them for being passionate about something they feel is important.

Isn't this thread all about blasting Frank? Is his passion secondary? Is what he feels is important less deserving of our approval?

What is important to Frank Turner? From the automated responses cachers have been getting, I would say his church activities take the lead in that department. (Well, it's a nice front to put out there to show you have cleaned up, at the very least, kinda like all the athletes kneeling in the end zone after a touchdown, then going out to an all-night strip club and getting women and drugs...the hypocrisy!) Now what if a reporter had done a story on Frank Turner going to church (his hobby) and then said "You can go to church and worship, or you can get a life". Can you IMAGINE the response? Do you think only Frank Turner would have the right to be offended? The simple fact of the matter is that he should not have dismissed the sport of geocaching, Trippy, and the work of the reporter who did the story. Trippy is a really nice guy, I have met him. Watching Franks comments, I feel like he got burned, along with the rest of anyone who likes geocaching. To end a story like that was really unprofessional and yes, the station should hear about it.

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People write to companies to complain all the time. Most companies listen to the criticism and try to use that to better their company. Whether it be a news station or a restaraunt, they all hope to better their product so they can make more money.

 

The people who are writing letters to the news station aren't minions being told what to do. They have their own free will to write to them or not. Jees, give it a rest and let people write their letters.

The people that write letters to companies like that are the same jackasses that write the letters to the editor voicing their opinions on things such as politics, their opinion on sexuality as they have deciphered (with copious quotes) to their various scripture studies and the like. In other words, cranks. Feel free to waste your time and be scoffed or ignored because that is exactly what you merit and will get.

What planet are you from? Now that you've taken to calling us all jackasses and cranks, your arguments have gone from poor to non-credible. If you can't argue your point intelligently, don't argue it at all, because comments like this do nothing to help your point get across.

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Over the last page or so, this topic has degenerated into a back and forth argument between the "you're too sensitive" group and the "subject worthy of complaints" group. When it hits the level of personal attacks, it is time for the referee to step in and say STOP THAT. Please feel free to continue the discussion of the news story itself, but let's not fight amongst ourselves. Thank you.

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Ask the Dixie Chicks, CBS, Clear Channel, Pepsi, or Budweiser if the public can make a difference.

I'm referring to a local station, what are you referring to?

Local news stations are the same thing when it comes to the public's opinion, it's just on a smaller scale. If news anchors say something to mock or to make fun of a group, that could trigger an unhappy response from that group and get that person in trouble, and rightfully so.

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The people that write letters to companies like that are the same jackasses that write the letters to the editor voicing their opinions on things such as politics, their opinion on sexuality as they have deciphered (with copious quotes) to their various scripture studies and the like. In other words, cranks. Feel free to waste your time and be scoffed or ignored because that is exactly what you merit and will get.

 

You should feel lucky that you live in a country where "jackasses" can let their voices be heard. I write letters to the editor and to companies that have policies with which I do not agree. That is called Freedom of Speech and I choose to exercise my rights as often as possible. I vote with my words, my checkbook, my ballot, and my conscience and if that makes me a jackass then Hee Haw.

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Lets see....... go geocaching or get a life? And that life thing would be to sit and watch some pompous jerk on the tube? Get a life and watch normally mindless drivel on the one eyed monster or get outside and search for a tough cache in a place that I've never seen? Tough choice.........Where'd I leave my GPSr? Actually maybe we should take this guy along on a really nice cache hunt. Maybe we should be e-mailing him some pictures of the places we've been to and seen while not having a life during our caching adventures. Sounds like he needs educated.

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A word of clarfification, I don't mean to say everyone that writes a letter to the editor is a jackass. I mean, I can pretty honestly say about myself that I'm probably a jackass, but I don't mean to impugn everyone who has written in. Instead, I mean to say that this particular forum -- the op-ed page in its entirety really, is a vehicle for people to just bludgeon people with their opinions. I can't go a day in my local paper without seeing a Letter along the lines of "Bible Proves Honosexuality Is Evil" or "10 Reasons Why Bush Is Satan" or some other such topic where noone is being educated and noone's opinion is going to be influenced one whit. If you are using this milieu, you should be aware that people reading the responses aren't going to read it as totally unbiased, dispassionate testimony, but more chatter from the peanut gallery.

 

I realize that many of you are passionate on this issue because a friend has been slighted. I think that is noble, but your methods of righting the wrong are Quixotic at best.

 

Also, I am from Earth. As far as has been proven, there is no extraterrestial life (X-Files and Men in Black notwithstanding), so I don't think it really should be an issue.

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So we're off chasing windmills, eh? What methods would you suggest to right this wrong? Sullen silence? The soft muttering of curses to ones self? Perhaps they will not take us seriously and ignore our emails, but we will have exercised our right to voice our opinion, and that is always a good thing.

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Does he yell and scream it? Perhaps you are mistaken. The manner in which you present your opinion can be foolhardy and inappropriate at times, but voicing dissent or dissatisfaction in a reasonable, civilized manner is always acceptable. It is not the act, but the manner in which it is presented is that with which you have a problem.

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So anyway. I've gotten no responses today from either Frank or Glenn. Been in meetings all day so I haven't had a chance to call them back either. No update on this, but I do think a large measure of good has come out of this whole thing. It's re-inforced for a lot of us the positive things of geoaching. For Michigan, at least, we've had record attendance in our forums and our 'official' chat this week showing the closeness of our community and the other thread about getting a life through Geocaching is quite upbeat. Glad to see that so many people *are* willing to share their experience and glad to see that it's made positive impacts in many peoples lives, beyond having something to do on a Saturday.

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After a 24 hour "cooling off" period, I am reopening this closed topic. Please limit the discussion to the news anchor's comments, the news story itself, the letter writing campaign, and follow up information from the TV station. Absolutely no flaming of other geocachers will be tolerated in this thread. This topic SHOULD serve as a good example of how we can rally a large base of public opinion in support of geocaching when it is attacked or criticized. Let's not fight amongst ourselves. I have a full book of warning notices if my request is once again ignored.

 

We now return you to your regularly scheduled geocaching discussion.

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After a 24 hour "cooling off" period, I am reopening this closed topic. Please limit the discussion to the news anchor's comments, the news story itself, the letter writing campaign, and follow up information from the TV station. Absolutely no flaming of other geocachers will be tolerated in this thread. This topic SHOULD serve as a good example of how we can rally a large base of public opinion in support of geocaching when it is attacked or criticized. Let's not fight amongst ourselves. I have a full book of warning notices if my request is once again ignored.

 

We now return you to your regularly scheduled geocaching discussion.

First off, thank you KA for opening the thread back up. I believe it was opened by Trippy in good faith, it did have a strong amount of emotions with it, and showed a great sense of loyalty and community among most who replied.

 

Second, thank you Trippy for bringing this to our attention, and thank you for the positive influence you had on our hobby by giving such a wonderful interview. Please keep us updated on any new developments.

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Ya know, pretty much any discussion I have with a geomuggle about this hobby ends with, "You do know you're a geek, right?" So I don't find the anchor's comment terribly offensive or even too off-base. What I do find extremely offensive is his rudeness in insulting someone who assisted him with the story and provided him with cooperation and material. That's just plain uncivil, and he should be up against the wall when the revolution starts.

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Ya know, pretty much any discussion I have with a geomuggle about this hobby ends with, "You do know you're a geek, right?" So I don't find the anchor's comment terribly offensive or even too off-base. What I do find extremely offensive is his rudeness in insulting someone who assisted him with the story and provided him with cooperation and material. That's just plain uncivil, and he should be up against the wall when the revolution starts.

you may be a geek, i guess we all are, but, you are a geek with a life, and from your avatar, i would say a baby. :)

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Ya know, pretty much any discussion I have with a geomuggle about this hobby ends with, "You do know you're a geek, right?"  So I don't find the anchor's comment terribly offensive or even too off-base.  What I do find extremely offensive is his rudeness in insulting someone who assisted him with the story and provided him with cooperation and material.  That's just plain uncivil, and he should be up against the wall when the revolution starts.

Well, it's one thing when a muggle calls us geeks and tells us to get a life, but it's totally different when a supposed "professional journalist" insults a worldwide community in front of countless viewers. That is just wrong, no matter how you look at it. It doesn't matter if his comment was a racial slur, a derogatory sexual comment about women, or an inconsiderate insult to geocachers. He is supposed to be a representative of his company, and a professional, so his comments were wrong any way you slice it.

Edited by Sparky-Watts
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I called and left another voicemail with Glenn the EP. About to call Frank again. His voicemail message is like 9 minutes long. It's amazing.

 

Getting his voicemail now. Leaving message #2 for Frank. Oh well.

 

For a laugh, call 810-225-4711

You can fax your letters to this number as well:

810-225-4501

 

That's his Frank Turner Communications fax.

 

If you have access to a fax, print off your email and send it in. Written letters would have more impact as well and the address is on the MiGO site.

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This topic SHOULD serve as a good example of how we can rally a large base of public opinion in support of geocaching when it is attacked or criticized.

This topic does absolutely nothing to serve as such an example. If you want to rally a large group of people to geocaching, you have to get them to know what geocaching is. I'm sure that the piece on the news with the cacher and the news reporter did this amply. Going off on a crying jag and sending off angry emails or letters to the editor tends to reflect an emotional response that is not listened to, let alone an effective tool for persuasion. Throw the book at me if you will. I really don't think that will be an effective way to support geocaching when it is attacked or criticized either. Implied threats and intimidation on internet message boards don't cause me any lost sleep.

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It's unfortunate that mine has not been a popular opinion here. Apparently if I disagree with the majority, I'm chastised.

 

I emailed Frank too, thanks for providing the address.

 

Mr. Turner,

 

I think it's terrible that some people don't have a sense of humor and can't laugh at themselves. I am a geocacher and am aware of the email barrage against you.

 

I saw a clip of your comment and it was hilarious. I am mature and well rounded enough to laugh at myself.

 

I am truly sorry that I am in league with a bunch of whiney babies that truly do need a life.

 

I wish the newscasters in my small market were as funny. I'm sure you're aware that there's no shortage of morons out there who think they're empowered to tell someone how to do their job. I wonder how they'd react to a phone call or email at their place of business from someone who thought they were in a position to instruct them. I'm sure they'd whine about that too.

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