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A Plea For Coolness

Eckington

By Eckington
in United Kingdom and Ireland

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Eckington

+Eckington

Posted
Posted

I am very distressed and angry that a moderator from outside the UK has seen fit to interfere with discussion of UK matters on a UK forum.

 

I am afraid some of you good folk may have irritated this person a little with many of your light hearted and amusing comments about the way that censorship has been imposed on a people that have effectively enjoyed the right of free speech since the time of Magna Carta, June 19th 1215 I believe. I also thought those ideals were enshrined in a much more recent document dated 4th July 1776, but I may be mistaken here.

 

However, to try to ensure that OUR forum returns to its former relatively peaceful status can we try to avoid, for the time being at least, subjects that may upset TPTB, and try not to deliberatly irritate.

 

Thanyou for your co-operation.

 

Dave

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Slytherin

+Slytherin

Posted
Posted
However, to try to ensure that OUR forum returns to its former relatively peaceful status can we try to avoid, for the time being at least, subjects that may upset TPTB, and try not to deliberatly irritate.

Irritate? Moi ?? Some mistake surely. But in deference to those sensitive folks out in the colonies, I shall try to be a bit less flippant for the rest of the day.

 

I'm sure Chris and Maria will be doing the same as they have had their forum account restricted for 48 hours (as has my SlytherinAlex account been similarly restricted)

 

I told you mentioning the Dingle's would cause nothing but trouble. :blink:

 

-

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Chris n Maria

+Chris n Maria

Posted
Posted

I don't know if this will ever get through but here goes...

 

Dave, I too was "very distressed and angry that a moderator from outside the UK has seen fit to interfere with discussion of UK matters on a UK forum" but that is beside the point. We were only indulging in some harmless leg pulling but as it is a UK MODERATOR asking I will decist.

Chris

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Slytherin

+Slytherin

Posted
Posted
Hmmm something is askew here. Please explain why "Volunteer Cache Reviewer for Central/Eastern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, and West Virginia" overules our Volunteer Cache Reviewer for UK & Ireland?

Jeremy and his Groundspeak mates were in bed (not together I haten to add). It was 5am on the West Coast.

 

One can only assume that Keystone Disapprover thought he was doing the right thing by closing all the threads. However, all it did was open a larger can of worms.

 

Ever seen the film Dr. Strangelove???

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paul.blitz

+paul.blitz

Posted
Posted

OK, I plead illness.... but I don't read the forums for 24 / 48 hours, and all hell breaks loose!!!!

 

I haven't bothered looking at any of the "worldwide" forums.... from what I've read on the UK ones, sounds like there was a loght of fire going on!

 

Anyway, a happy 2005 to you all, and remember .....

 

** its only a hunt for a lunchbox! **

 

Paul

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Ben Pid

Ben Pid

Posted
Posted (edited)

Shocking.

 

Well I dont think it needs to be blown this much out of proportion to be honest- its been Archived....

 

Get Over It people.

 

 

Such is life....

 

I say just put money in a designated cache we all choose, not one that has blurb all over the page.....and person who lives nearest to it collects the money.

 

Might make it only avaliable to Forum members but its a start. And its legal!

Edited by Ben Pid
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mongoose39uk

+mongoose39uk

Posted
Posted
Shocking.

 

Well I dont think it needs to be blown this much out of proportion to be honest- its been Archived....

 

Get Over It people.

 

 

Such is life....

 

I say just put money in a designated cache we all choose, not one that has blurb all over the page.....and person who lives nearest to it collects the money.

 

Might make it only avaliable to Forum members but its a start. And its legal!

Not the archiving of the cache but the interfeerance with a bit of banter thats the issue.

 

Can cool down but till I recieve a proper explanation then I may not.

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mongoose39uk

+mongoose39uk

Posted
Posted (edited)

Commercial Caches / Caches that Solicit

 

Commercial caches attempt to use the Geocaching.com web site cache reporting tool directly or indirectly (intentionally or non-intentionally) to solicit customers through a Geocaching.com listing. These are NOT permitted. Examples include for-profit locations that require an entrance fee, or locations that sell products or services.

 

Solicitations are also off-limits. For example, caches perceived to be posted for religious, political, or social agendas may not be listed. Geocaching is supposed to be a light, fun activity, not a platform for an agenda.

 

Some exceptions can be made. In these rare situations, permission can be given by the Geocaching.com web site. However, permission should be asked first before posting. If you are in doubt, ask first.

 

Hmm permission can be given

 

Some exceptions can be made. In these rare situations, permission can be given by the Geocaching.com web site. However, permission should be asked first before posting. If you are in doubt, ask first.

 

Then why not I still do not understand

 

Surely this means you cannot have an event meet in anywhere that sells so much as a cup of coffee.

 

Happy New Year

Edited by mongoose39uk
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davester

davester

Posted
Posted
It has been fun hasn't it?

 

I for one accept the slap on the knuckles we've had for being naughty boys and girls. I shall be emailing an American at random to thank them for letting us little UK people borrow their satellites and game.

 

:blink:

already been doing that but not random and I still want my money back

I'm in the fortunate position of not having paid for premium membership. I was going to do so this very week but it's not going to happen now.

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mickledore

mickledore

Posted
Posted

I got a ban the first time I posted on the forum. Made the mistake of using the US site (hadn't seen the UK bit) My "crime" - I asked what a tadpole was. Got a load of abuse from some Yank who basically said "don't ask questions about things you don't know". Told him what I thought of his attitude to helping newbies. Not allowed to criticise Uncle Sam.

Won't pay for premium membership if all I get is abuse from Yankee Doodle Dandies.

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kewfriend

+kewfriend

Posted
Posted

stay cool

 

I think our reviewers deserve our praise and support - well done.

 

What we have discovered yet again is the nature of a common heritage divided by language. We in the Uk have never separated functions in any of our institutions - we are woolly - past masters of the 'Let it be' culture. The US culture has always worked within defined functional boundaries. Much of Europe also has the Napoleonic culture.

 

The grerat thing about geocaching is that we enjoy each other's caches - and we are ( I believe ) a great example of national and international tolerance.

 

so:

 

stay cool

 

I think our reviewers deserve our praise and support - well done.

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minstrelcat

+minstrelcat

Posted
Posted

Wow! I'm shocked that anyone has been objecting to the placing of caches in aid of, erm, the subject that we have been discussing. :blink:

 

On another forum I frequent, which belongs to a small company, the owner is not only letting us, erm, promote raising funds in aid of recent events - he is actually going to to match the amount raised out of his own pocket.

 

What a difference.

Lisa

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Simply Paul

+Simply Paul

Posted
Posted (edited)

I nip out for a sandwich and all this **** (might be hell, might not) breaks lose, lol! I think the subject of charity caches (be they physical or event) is going to be high on the 'to talk about' list at GC HQ for a while and my personal opinion on the matter is actually quite irrelevant. It's their/our (not my) game and they/we (not I) get to make the rules. One rather has to wonder how many people need to die before a cause is deemed 'good enough' to have leniency applied to it, but that's not a can of worms I wish to kick over and dance about in the resulting 'worm shower' right now.

 

The subject of thread closures is quite another matter and one I see has upset the few of us not on 48 hour sin-bin duty. I have every faith in and respect for our approvers and I'm sure they're using the words 'over zealous' in the reviewers forums. But it was just the actions of one individual who I have no doubt felt they were acting in the best interests of...etc. Remember, my fellow UKians, one loose-cannon doesn't make an invasion. God Bless America - Home of the free.

 

SP

 

Edit: Any newbies reading this, it's not usually like this! :blink:

Edited by Simply Paul
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wildlifewriter

+wildlifewriter

Posted
Posted
(snip)...censorship has been imposed on a people that have effectively enjoyed the right of free speech since the time of Magna Carta, June 19th 1215 I believe. (etc)

Bad news here, Ecks - there isn't anything in Magna Carta about 'free speech' as such. There IS a lot of stuff about maintaining your fishponds in good order, so perhaps that's where the problem lies... :blink:

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Icenians

+Icenians

Posted
Posted
Why do I have this feeling  that its time  to "go alone "    Teasel et al have the technical ability ......  and I'm sure the funds could be redirected.

The Ozzies were talking of breaking away in the thread that shall not be named. Can't see it of being to anyone's advantage really to fragment a global game.

Oh I don't know. I'm sure most people cache in their own country anyway. Would it actually make that much difference. TB's would be effected most. Mind if every country had their own they could link up on TB's and then you would have a joined up system controlled by no one company.

 

Guess this s where I get blocked now. :blink:

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klaus23

+klaus23

Posted
Posted

Coming into this a little late, I'm also disgusted at what has happened here.

 

I was always happy with the UK forums (a nod to the fact that me and others are welcome guests) and their moderation. There are a few individuals who get on my nerves :blink: but there are many others who are really nice and friendly people.

 

The moderation has, in my mind, been lighthearted, often tongue-in-cheek, but always fair and with immense consideration to the people taking the time to express their opinion here.

 

Occasionally, and I dare say occasionally, a little bit of a row breaks out, but I think there is enough common sense between the members here that moderation is rarely necessary, and when it is, it is never ill-received.

 

To me, what has happened is exactly how people on the US forums often behave. I often read threads there, but never post as most of the threads are taken up by senseless flame wars. Good moderation is essential to ensure good forums. And suspending people's accounts just for gently expressing their opinion is beyond comprehension.

 

So, in summary... very, very disappointing.

 

Imagine that geocaching.com was a US-based business, which it is. Imagine if it had a UK office, and the two admins here were the line managers. Imagine if one day, one of the head men from the US came over and bawled everyone out of it, including the two managers in our office. You wouldn't see it in the business world, so why on these forums?

 

It's been a further drop in the confidence I used to, but no longer have in gc.com.

 

The plea for calm has been noted, although I dare say that people's confidence in the site and their feelings towards TPTB will take a lot longer to be restored to what they were.

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Lactodorum

Lactodorum

Posted
Posted

I am mortified that what started out as a genuine wish to help others has turned into the mess we have now. The business of the legitimacy or otherwise of a single geocache has turned our quiet and friendly little game into something much less appealing.

 

Whatever your feelings over the cache and the subsequent happenings I would urge you not to consider witholding your premium member contributions. At the end of the day this is about hunting plastic boxes in the woods (something I have been doing all day) and for around £20 a year your life can be made so much easier with PQ's alone.

 

If you enjoy geocaching, pay your money, leave the forums for a short while, download a PQ or two, load up the GPS and get out into the country :)

 

There's a real world out there you know :blink:

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CuplaKiwis

+CuplaKiwis

Posted
Posted
<snip>The moderation has, in my mind, been lighthearted, often tongue-in-cheek</snip>

You've hit the nail on the head here. The tongue-in-cheek banter (posts too, not just mods) is one of the best features of our particular corner of the GC forums. Long may it live!!

 

It's a hell of a shame how blown out of proportion the threads have gotten in the last few days (in the general forums, I hasten to add :blink: ), and I'm glad that even with the thread-carnage here, senses of humour were maintained.

 

Well Done All... Especially our Mods.

 

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programmes...

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Stuey

+Stuey

Posted
Posted (edited)
If you enjoy geocaching, pay your money, leave the forums for a short while, download a PQ or two, load up the GPS and get out into the country

Wise words :blink:

 

Incidentally, I have never managed to work out what TPTB stood for, so I was going to ask , but I googled for it and found "The Powers That Be". Makes sense now!

 

I'm assuming it isn't "The Place To Blog" or "The Place To Be"

Edited by Stuey
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Slytherin

+Slytherin

Posted
Posted
If you enjoy geocaching, pay your money, leave the forums for a short while, download a PQ or two, load up the GPS and get out into the country :)

Opps.. I almost got my ticket bought before I noticed that you were advising people to get INTO the country, not OUT of the country. Jacksonville and my 2000th cache will have to wait a little longer. :blink::)

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mongoose39uk

+mongoose39uk

Posted
Posted
I am mortified that what started out as a genuine wish to help others has turned into the mess we have now. The business of the legitimacy or otherwise of a single geocache has turned our quiet and friendly little game into something much less appealing.

 

Whatever your feelings over the cache and the subsequent happenings I would urge you not to consider witholding your premium member contributions. At the end of the day this is about hunting plastic boxes in the woods (something I have been doing all day) and for around £20 a year your life can be made so much easier with PQ's alone.

 

If you enjoy geocaching, pay your money, leave the forums for a short while, download a PQ or two, load up the GPS and get out into the country  :blink:

 

There's a real world out there you know  :)

Here what you are saying, been to the cinema and tried to cool off.

 

I'm afraid it has not worked.

 

Really don't give a stuff about the cache. There are still plenty of ways to give.

 

More the threat to future event caches such as the RNLI and CIN ones. Cave Troll and Joan, Team Slytherin put so much work into making things like this a slightly less selfish game.

 

Yet more, what I really offends me, is that someone came and closed the threads, it would seem without referance to the two people who put a hell of a lot of time into making this game fun on this side of the water.

 

Very few of our fellow game players from the US bother with the uk forums and had we been allowed to vent freely I am sure this would have been dead hours ago. Those from the US who read our UK based forums appear to do so because they enjoy our humour and banter.

 

I know of occassions of late where this has got out of hand and normally I would agree and say get out more. Thats what I did a few weeks ago when I seriously considered saying stuff this, permantly (Thanks Deego for putting that bit into perspective).

 

No I will not cool down for some time, free discussion would be far preferable to censorship. My lady friend is laughing at me for getting so heat up about being censored. I suppose, when because you have spoken out, you are given the choice of the next plane out of the country or the next bullet out of the gun it really does seem pathetic.

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Pharisee

+Pharisee

Posted
Posted
I hear what your saying Lacto, and klaus for that matter. It's all been blown out of proportion.

 

I'd be a lot more in agreement with you Lacto, if I'd actually GOT any of my scheduled PQs yesterday or today!

Hmmm.... I though it was just my system playing up. I never got any yesterday either :blink:

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Learned Gerbil

+Learned Gerbil

Posted
Posted

I am at one with Mongoose over this. I think that raising money for good causes is an important part of caching in the UK. I also would like to say that I have always been very impresed with how the UK reviewers operate, both in my private dealings, and in the very professional way they police this forum. Finally, and this is something that really gets my goat, a perfectly good micro, in a clever location in an interesting part of London has been archived just because it was associated with the T word. Having been the last to visit before it was archived, I can appreciate the location, which has nothing to do with fundraising. I won't be happy until that cache is restored, even if the "fundraising" aspect of the cache page is removed.

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klaus23

+klaus23

Posted
Posted (edited)
More the threat to future event caches such as the RNLI and CIN ones. Cave Troll and Joan, Team Slytherin put so much work into making things like this a slightly less selfish game.

 

And fair play to them, it takes a lot of input to make things like that work. :blink:

 

Yet more, what I really offends me, is that someone came and closed the threads, it would seem without referance to the two people who put a hell of a lot of time into making this game fun on this side of the water.

 

Couldn't agree more. Spot on, mongoose.

 

Those from the US who read our UK based forums appear to do so because they enjoy our humour and banter.

 

...or, I dare say, to have a go at people. (remember the 'carrying a gun while caching' thread

 

free discussion would be far preferable to censorship.

 

As one of my favourite quotes goes:

 

"Though I disagree with everything you say,

I will defend to the death your right to say it."

 

(before someone attributes it to Voltaire... it was actually written by a student studying Voltaire)

Edited by klaus23
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The Bridge Bandits

+The Bridge Bandits

Posted
Posted

This message is now on the GC.com main page. I suppose it's a step in the right direction and should go someway to calm things down.

 

Help Support Tsunami Relief Efforts

All of us at Groundspeak are deeply saddened by the recent Tsunami disaster. We are inspired by the support offered by the Geocaching community. Here is a list of charitable organizations and resources that Google put together where you can help out. We sincerely encourage everyone to help support the victims of this tragedy.

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