New Virtual cache.. TSUNAMI..

Team Piggy · Post by **Team Piggy** » 07 January 05 1:08 am

NO, So please lets all calm down. remember one thing:

I am the one that lost a cache

, but can understand the reasons.

We need to not make any rash decisons that piss the .com site off, it impacts a lot more than just us individually.

Team Piggy · Post by **Team Piggy** » 07 January 05 1:09 am

OMG, Did I say rash ? as in rasher, Nooooooo... I meant hasty

ToolkiT · Post by **ToolkiT** » 07 January 05 1:22 am

Team Piggy wrote:NO, So please lets all calm down. remember one thing:

I am the one that lost a cache , but can understand the reasons.

I can understand the reasoning too, even agree to it mostly, they could have handled it a lot better though..

But have to say was impressed by the note of the person who archived it..

TEAM 360 · Post by **TEAM 360** » 07 January 05 3:43 am

I was one of those Damn Yanks that questioned this cache, but only because GC.com hasn't allowed charity caches. They are trying to remain neutral and not endorse one charity over another, or validate one disaster over another.

Yes, I know the world hates Americans. We can come off as arrogant to alot of cultures, all over the world. Having been overseas I have experienced that type of hatred firsthand, even got beat up once, just for being an American. So many Americans haven't even gone outside of their own country, and haven't seen the rest of the world. Over the last few years, the hatred of Americans has grown, and now many of us don't even want to leave the country, they just don't feel safe. You might get kidnapped and have your head cut off on Jihad TV. I guess I have the current administration to blame for the world hating me these days. Hey, don't blame me, I voted for the other guy in November!

Yes, I was shocked to see another cacher so casually dismiss 150,000 lives, that was totally uncalled for. The loss of ONE life is devastating to someone, somewhere.

I was also disheartened to see it turn into a U.S. vs Australia thing. That type of bickering, about "Who is helping more?", or "Who is sending the most money?", will only cause a rift in the geocaching community.

Many people have suggested a link for contributions on the GC.com homepage, or even better yet, a link to charities at the top of EVERY SINGLE CACHE PAGE on the GC.com database.

Although I didn't think the cache was necessary, because we already know where to donate, I was glad to see it was able to motivate some people while it was still active. Every dollar counts.

So yes, thanks for helping out the Tsunami disaster. Thank you, from this Yank in Arizona.

Bronze · Post by **Bronze** » 07 January 05 4:06 am

My point exactly - not all yanks are bad.

See I knew that.

So there is 360 and Michael Moore. Surely there has to be more.

Just kidding. Your comments are welcome and true. Your sociey up to this point I can see has been driven by fear. Your administration has a lot to answer to and until your poblic can stop it from changing it own rules whenever it please then it's not going to get any better i fear.

Welcome to our forum. I think you will find it very comfortable. Much unlike the fray we witnessed in yours last tonight.

Bronze.

Post by **CraigRat** » 07 January 05 7:29 am

TEAM 360 wrote: Yes, I was shocked to see another cacher so casually dismiss 150,000 lives, that was totally uncalled for. The loss of ONE life is devastating to someone, somewhere.

This is what got me started...

I was already unhappy that the cache was archived, but the attitudes expressed by certain members on the forums were like a red rag to a bull for me I'm afraid...

The 'no further comments will be allowed about this cache' comments on the other forum do nothing to try and resolve things either... that kind of stonewalling does not help...

I applaud i! for making this cache the first gc.com.au cache! and I was happy to participate.

Thanks to Piggy, who must be feeling a little roasted after that flame war!!

mmm..roast piggy.......
[edit]
oh... and welcome to our Forums, 360!! We are a friendly bunch normally...really!!!

swampgecko · Post by **swampgecko** » 07 January 05 7:35 am

Stephen,

I appreciate your passion through all of this. We have made a change to the front page of the site, our intention was not to reduce the support being offered to the victims it was to do it in the right way.

The main page of the gc.com site now has the following text:

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 <http://www.google.com/tsunami_relief.html>. We sincerely encourage everyone to help support the victims of this tragedy.

Please know that we had no intention of offending you, or anyone else; we were looking for a good solution. I apologize for any hard feelings this may have caused. I cannot move the prorated amount over, but I would be happy to personally donate on your behalf if you wish.

Thanks,

Heidi

_____________________________________________

Heidi,

By now you will be well aware of how some of the aussies feel about the archiving of the Appeal cache submitted by Team Piggy.
This has had a very negative effect. So much to the point that there are various forms of protest occuring. I am so disappointed by this action carried out by geocaching.com. I now wish to resign my premium membership effect now. I request that the unused portion of my membership payment be forwarded to the charity of your choice, for the Tsunami victems. My membership is paid up until 17 Oct 05. My membership number is 37328.

Swampgecko

leek · Post by **leek** » 07 January 05 7:48 am

All of my Australian caches have been disabled on the gc.com site... They will be archived in a week's time...

Don't want to play on the secondary site any more!!!

swampgecko · Post by **swampgecko** » 07 January 05 7:55 am

leek wrote:All of my Australian caches have been disabled on the gc.com site... They will be archived in a week's time...

Don't want to play on the secondary site any more!!!

Unless they re-instate the cache in question, I'll be following Leek and Ideology's lead in a week's time as well. I just archived 6 caches that I was getting ready to put out.

dcr · Post by **dcr** » 07 January 05 8:03 am

http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index. ... opic=87978

QUOTE wrote: 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.

It's a start

TEAM 360 · Post by **TEAM 360** » 07 January 05 8:13 am

Just a dumb question here, but why doesn't Australia have their own site with cache listings

Team Piggy · Post by **Team Piggy** » 07 January 05 8:17 am

TEAM 360 wrote:I was one of those Damn Yanks that questioned this cache, <snip> Yes, I was shocked to see another cacher so casually dismiss 150,000 lives, that was totally uncalled for. <snip>
I was also disheartened to see it turn into a U.S. vs Australia thing. That type of bickering, about "Who is helping more?", or "Who is sending the most money?", will only cause a rift in the geocaching community.
<Correct>
Many people have suggested a link for contributions on the GC.com homepage, or even better yet, a link to charities at the top of EVERY SINGLE CACHE PAGE on the GC.com database. <All please go and check the front page NOW !>

Although I didn't think the cache was necessary, because we already know where to donate, I was glad to see it was able to motivate some people while it was still active. Every dollar counts.

So yes, thanks for helping out the Tsunami disaster. Thank you, from this Yank in Arizona.

And thanks you for a reply.

Now, I want everyone to go and have alook at: http://www.geocaching.com/.
There's the link, Groundepeak contacted me to let me know very early this morning that they had planned to do something like this, it just appears I beat them to it.

My cache broke the rules, I have been open about that the whole way thru, read the logs.
It broke the rules and got canned, (sorry to sound like a "heartless bastard" (In a certain yanks words) But what more did we expect?

In my views the site (Geo.com) is now doing something bigger than I could have to help out the effort for disaster funds.

I was very appalled, but understand in a moment of anger, that Aussie cachers where angry, but all sit back and read it, and then admit, there was some "silly" things said in those forums last night, by BOTH SIDES.

That is not the type of people we are here ! I for one am more upset now, at having to feel my charitable effort has now turned possibly into geocaching armmageddon.
Turning members and countries against each other. (So how crap do you think I feel ??) think about it...

I can understand that a lot of you are upset, and respect that.
Bottom line. WE CAN STILL HELP THESE VICTIMS......

Second bottom line, maybe Geo.com (Who I have forwarded this mail to) will be open for "discussion" of the rules, events in future.
I have found them (especially Heidi) to be very receiptful to email.
I could go on for ages in here, but I wont.
Hopefully we have all had a good sleep (Cause I didnt) and have clearer heads in the morning..

Thanks all,

Oh' Mr "yank" (Team 360). I did take great offence to be tried & hung in your forums by "certain" members who have openly slandered me. Maybe you need to tell them to have a look "who" is bashing who.
I am not Heartless and am certainly not a liar in these events.

TP.

TEAM 360 · Post by **TEAM 360** » 07 January 05 8:25 am

Team Piggy wrote:Oh' Mr "yank" (Team 360). I did take great offence to be tried & hung in your forums by "certain" members who have openly slandered me. Maybe you need to tell them to have a look "who" is bashing who.
I am not Heartless and am certainly not a liar in these events.

TP.

Oh, I know it went BOTH ways during a very heated discussion yesterday, and I am by no means calling you a liar or heartless....in fact...if you HADN'T listed the cache, and if there were NO controversey yesterday, GC.com might not have put up that link...you should not be angry that your cache got archived, but be glad that from your efforts, GC.com now has a link that will reach EVERYONE that logs onto the main page...isn't that bigger than a cache? You should feel pretty good right now, you haven't caused a "geocaching armageddon" by any means, you have really caused this link to appear on the main page, which will reach THOUSANDS more than a Virtual Cache located in Australia could do...not knockin Australia here, but I haven't ran a search for any caches over there lately and didn't even know the Tsunami Cache existed until yesterday...

ideology · Post by **ideology** » 07 January 05 9:03 am

we think the link on the secondary homepage is nice, but nowhere near as powerful as a link to the cache would have been

the cache provided a unique way for people to tell other people that they donated, thereby encouraging other people to vote. like it or not, it's straight psychology that people are more likely to do things when they see a social proof of other people doing them. groundspeak had the opportunity to do something really huge but actively stopped it because of their guidelines. well, if their guidelines stop people trying to raise money for this, we don't wanted to be guided by them

we don't buy the argument that they were going to do the link anyway. it took us a couple of minutes to put up a message on the home page of geocaching australia, so we don't see why it took them days

we also don't buy the constant shutting down of discussion on the secondary forums. if they don't want people discussing the guidelines then there is something dreadfully wrong

leek · Post by **leek** » 07 January 05 9:09 am

Team Piggy wrote:I for one am more upset now, at having to feel my charitable effort has now turned possibly into geocaching armmageddon.
Turning members and countries against each other. (So how crap do you think I feel ??) think about it...

TP... Don't feel bad... You haven't caused armageddon - others have...

Personally - a night's sleep didn't help much... I still think gc.com sucks!!!

The link on the frontpage is a token gesture... but frankly I can't remember the last time I looked at the main page on gc.com...
It won't be seen by many and will be acted on by even fewer...

Bye Bye geocaching.com