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The Marc
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The Marc
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In 1976 there was a movie called Network in which a major network news anchor takes a look at the world around him and declares that life is "Bullshit". His statement of "I'm mad a hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" becomes a rallying cry for those who believed as he did. Well folks, recent events have led me to look at Geocaching and declare that it is becoming "Bullshit". And I'm mad as hell and I won't take it anymore!
I am a firm believer and advocate in eliminating caches hidden on private property. When I see one, I mention it in the log and ask the owner if they have permission to hide the cache and quote the guidelines from Geocaching. By the way, when was the last time you read them?! Do you even know what the most recent change date is?! I doubt it! (February 17, 2010) Do you know that you're supposed to check the rules for changes every time you hide a cache?! Doubt that too! You should be doing it once a month!
I have received responses ranging from "It's OK. Don't worry." to "There's one in every bunch!" to "Mind your own 'friggin'' business!" to the always original "Who died and made you Prime Approver?!" Through it all, I have never responded in a likewise narcissistic and juvenile manner as these people have. To those that made those comments, thank you for showing me your true side and your maturity level. And these are popular cachers who have been at it awhile. If you only knew!
One of these caches tells you to park at a telephone pole and walk across a field to the cache. Funny thing; there's a No Trespassing sign hanging on the phone pole! But "It's OK. Don't worry. It's not for that property." Well, it is for that property and I've met that guy and you better worry about crossing his field! Another is on an exit stair of a building in an industrial complex. You should have read the comments from that group of "first graders"! I'm sure you all have seen my shirt that says "There no Crying in Geocaching". The response is usually, "Boy that's a lie"! That was certainly the case here! Waa! Waa! Waa!
Then there's the noobs! Have we finally degraded to "common idiots"?! I told a noob (no finds/first hide) that his cache was on private property in violation of the guidelines. It's in the bushes of an apartment pool area because he lives there. Apartments are specifically mentioned in the guidelines. In fact, the very first line of his cache said "The cache is on private property." I couldn't believe Prime actually approved it. What the Hell was HE thinking?! So the owner comes back and changes the write up and says that you don't have to be on private property to reach the cache. Even the first to find posted a note saying the same thing. (Don't you just love that everyone thinks they're a friggin' lawyer?!) I sent him an email saying that didn't matter, the fact that it was on private property was what counted, and that there were many people out there to help him start out caching and pointed him directly to the guidelines. He removed the reference to the cache being on private property all together. I still haven't heard from him. Whatever happened to cachers being a bunch of intelligent geeks and nerds and technical people instead of narcissistic first graders?! "It's my cache and you can't tell me what to do! Besides, being sneaky and hiding a cache that no one knows about, especially on private property, makes me feel like some kind-of secret super spy! Aren't I cool?!" Well that little noob is fixin' to get his because I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more.
Then there's the "Lack of Common Sensers"! One cache made many references. "Daylight only. Take a buddy. Not the best part of town. Has a reputation." Again, what the Hell was Prime thinking?! So I asked what he was thinking hiding a cache if that's the situation at ground zero. He responded that he had sat there for an hour and observed the neighborhood. During his observation, he said he "saw three drug deals go down across the street". That's why he made the comments. WHAT?! Jesus Christ man! Where's the friggin' common sense?! You hid a cache across the street from drug dealers?! In all fairness though, I must disclose that this cache was 1.5 miles from my house so I was also pissed about him calling my neighborhood bad. It's not! Still, it's the lack of common sense that pissed me off the most. He archived the cache.
Then there's the "Utopian Polyannas"! They feel like everyone should just live and let live. Everyone plays the game their own way and no one should tell others how to do it. You should never say anything derogatory about a cache or cacher. If you have a problem you should email them. All your logs should be politically correct. What a load of commie, tree-hugger crap! We are a society that is built on rules and following those rules! A lack of rules leads to chaos. And chaos leads to "Bullshit"! Why do you think logs are there in the first place? Why do you think 2 of the picks say "Needs Archiving" and "Needs Maintenance"? You're supposed to say something! It's in the guidelines! Being "cryptic" doesn't do anything. People do not understand sarcasm or tone in text. And some are too dense anyway. You have to spell it out for them.
This leads back to the "Crybabies". "Waa! Waa! Waa! Zeke's Uncle is picking on my cache!" Oh, shut the Hell up you overly sensitive wimp! It's not your cache anyway! It's ours! Yeah, you hid it and you might go back and check on it once a year, but it's we that find it! It's we that really maintain it by replacing logs and baggies and cleaning it out if it's wet. You may have placed it, but it's ours! And we have a DUTY AND A RESPOSIBILITY to other cachers to comment on the cache! Good or bad!
These are only a few of the examples I have. I am not singling anyone out. It is merely a representation. We, as a Geocaching community, have a DUTY AND A RESPONSIBILITY to report caches and cachers that are illegal and/or dangerous. It is a self-policing activity that is only as strong as its police force. As is any other society! And all I hear is lip service! I bet 99% of you will stand up and swear on a stack of Bibles that you read and follow the guidelines and everyone else should too. What a bunch of hypocrites! By doing nothing you're just as complacent! You go out and you still claim a find even though it's on private property or in a hazardous location. And you never report it! You never give a warning to other cachers that may walk into a drug deal or get shot by an overzealous security guard or land owner! All you're thinking about is getting that all-Holy smiley!
And now, for the second time in 6 months, the city of Cleburne is on our ass for caches being on private property! Do you want caching to go away?! They'll do it! It's a whole lot easier to ban it than it is to regulate it. And with the fact that terror attacks are being seen more now, it won't be long before one of our "well-trained finest" acts first and thinks second.
Wise up people! Geocaching is turning to "Bullshit"! Become pro-active in your caching! Grow up! Get over yourselves! Quit acting like a spoiled, narcissistic first grader and start acting like an adult! Have some pride and show some responsibility! If you see an illegal or hazardous cache, REPORT IT! If you own one, archive it, move it or get permission and state it on your cache page! And learn to spell! Again, show some pride!
In 2005, someone asked a sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania what he thought about the "new activity, Geocaching". He said he thought that it was a great idea based on the exercise, sociological aspects, ecology, blah, blah, blah. However, as the activity would become more popular, as with all other social experiments, it would "degrade to its lowest common denominator." Is that what's happening now? Are we slipping to our lowest common denominator?
So, then why don't I just get out of it? Because I love it! I love the people in it! Some of them have literally changed my life! I have devoted 7 years to it and I'm not ready to just give up. And I have worked hard to promote Geocaching the right way during those 7 years. But now, I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore. I'm not going to take your immature snide remarks! I'm not going to take your childish actions! I'm going to continue to support the guidelines; especially when it comes to illegal and hazardous caches! I will report you! And I don't care what you or any of your "posse" says! And others should do the same too!
I'm sure this is going to generate a little bit of a response. Bring it on! I'm not in this world to win any popularity contest! All my friends who really know me have labeled me an asshole. Even my wife agrees. And it's a badge I wear proudly! Just ask them! Just remember, the cat is out of the bag and he is clawing up the furniture! And by the way, I've been in real estate law in Dallas County since 1983, so if you try to get all legal on me you better be a friggin' genius!
Now get your acts together and start acting like the mature, responsible adult cachers you're supposed to be!
Marc Moore
Zeke's Uncle
To see the "Cache Listing Requirements", go here:
http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx
To see the "Hiding Requirements", go here:
http://www.geocaching.com/about/hiding.aspx
To see the "Guide to Hiding Caches in North Texas", go here:
http://www.zekesuncle.com/geocache/ntxguide.htm