The Corps of Engineers is reconsidering their policy regarding Geocaching. Top brass has been reviewing the logs of several inflammatory geocachers posts. They typically flame the Corps and their water policies. They feel that these logs are inappropriate and do not put our hobby and Lake Lanier in a good light. They have warned that if the posts continue they will change their policy allowing Geocaching on Corps property. I just read another such log posted today. I understand peoples frustration with this crisis, but agree that cache logs are not a appropriate forum to discuss them. Please try and discourage others from posting such rants as a lot is at stake here.

I agree it is silly to shoot ourselves in the foot, so to speak. Typically we try to make friends with the Corps of Engineers and such progress has been made that it would be a shame to take such a back-step.

My question is this: Is it the cache owners, or rather the finders that are complaining? and for what reasons? It sounds from your post the complaints are non-geocaching related rather that a hiderance created in finding a cache. In that case, I agree this type of log is completely inappropriate and belongs in a forum.

Do you wish to share which caches have received such logs? If not, I'm sure interested parties can figure it out well enough. Thanks for the update.

Did you email the guy and ask him to tone down his post? I suspect he would if he understood the situation. I agree that we should not use geocaching.com as a vent, especially when the target is a supporting organization like the USACE. But we all have a bad day now and then.

Here is an example...

Deleted log as the enough has been said regarding this and the person in question has apologized to the geocaching community.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Trez,

If it were mine, I'd delete the log.

GC13N3N

Originally posted by St.Michael:
The Corps of Engineers is reconsidering their policy regarding Geocaching. Top brass has been reviewing the logs of several inflammatory geocachers posts. They typically flame the Corps and their water policies. They feel that these logs are inappropriate and do not put our hobby and Lake Lanier in a good light. They have warned that if the posts continue they will change their policy allowing Geocaching on Corps property...QUOTE]

How is it you know this? Was there a meeting with this on the agenda or just one officer making a comment?

Regardless, our comments ARE read ocassionally by the land managers and those comments may impact our 'privilege' to hide and seek. Logs entries that state the cache was found outside of operating hours or "I climbed the locked fence", etc., should be discouraged and those logs modified or deleted. I've only ever ask one finder to modify their log entry and gave the reasons of land management monitoring.

Whatever the 'rumor', I'd like to believe that the USCE is above letting a couple of isolated comments negatively influence the good relationship between Geocachers and the USCE.

quote:

Originally posted by phat.bak:
If it were mine, I'd delete the log.

GC13N3N

I totally agree. So much so that I left a note on the cache page.

It is the responsibility of the cache owner to monitor the content of their cache page and censor where those with no sense write idiotic crap.

As you all probably know, the log in question is on one of my caches. I don't agree with said log, but I also really don't like to delete logs either. I feel that comments can only reflect on the person who made them and I generally choose to ignore those who say things like that. That being said, I will explain the situation about USACE and ask the cacher to voluntarily edit their log, but I do not plan on deleting it. Please don't hold this against me.

I agree that complaining about the Corp's water management policies and practices do not belong on cache page logs. Cache logs are not opinion polls or public forums for civil change. They are to log the adventures of the hunt and find.

It really sounds to me like the Corp has gotten pretty thin skinned over the whole lake level issue. It really surprises me that a few (how many, maybe 5?) logs on cache pages could upset a government organization like the Corps. They certainly have larger problems (like lake levels, and bureaucratic fighting) to worry about than a few random logs on some obscure WEB pages that 99% of the population will never see.

To be honest I don't really get their concern over caching logs. They have bigger fish to fry than us.

Unfortunately it is no rumor as some of the others members have been made aware. I have been present when this matter has been discussed. They feel the caches ar "not an avenue of political communication for the public". If the communications continue they will notify the cache owners that the policy of allowing this "sport" on Corps. property will be banned.

TOLD YA!!!!!!!

Maybe not in those exact words, but in this topic called Breaking the Rules

Sorry Krazy Kay just called and distracted me...

I spoke about the importance of the cache Owner managing (censoring if you will) their cache page and log entries. After the the whole cemetary issue in south carolina and the bullit we (geocachers) dodged there... it is ever important to do what's right. I give people the opportunity to change their logs and keep their finds... But I will absolutely not tolerate anyone jeopardizing what relationships we do have or are trying to have with land managers, rangers, city officials, NPS or THE ARMY CORE OF ENGINEERS!

I don't believe in censorship or book burnings... but I do believe in responsible behavior even if some don't. If I can help them see the error of their ways WAHOOO! that's great. If not... DELETE.

Just like a parent would or should.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Slayerette,

We all need to turn it down a notch here. Give the guy a chance to modify the post. Slayerette, your post is not likely to be conducive to that end. I have had posts on my caches which I felt were problematic, and I asked them to modify the post, and they did. If they had not modified the post at my request, THEN I would have deleted it. We all say/do stupid things now and then - except me of course.

Hey charlie,

I am not saying burn this guy at the stake, I am just saying it is the cache owners responsibility to monitor whats on their cache pages.

and I also took the opportunity to say TOLD YA!!!.


We all know what a pain I am, but I think it is awfully funny that exactly 5 years ago I called it. And now we possibly may find ourselves in the position I so warned about.

I feel like nostradomus... Or is that nordstradomus?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Slayerette,

Hey charlie what post are you talking about?

the one on the cache page or the one here?

quote:

Originally posted by Slayerette:
Hey charlie what post are you talking about?

the one on the cache page or the one here?

The cache page ... it seemed a bit ... harsh? But I know you were holding back.

Edit: I see that you changed that post, and that the post the USACE found offensive has also been modified. So you may want to delete your post since it refers to something that is no longer there.

I already did.

My intentions were this... It is obvious that the USACE is watching all caches that are one their property. They were automatically notified of the find and got the nice little rant in their email... Which they did not take to kindly too. When you edit a post they are not notified of that change. what they are notified of is a note to the page that does point out that we (or just me) are not happy with the aforementioned rant. Hopefully now they will go back to see what I am all about and find that it's all gone and fixed. Not that I had anything to do with the fixing... but that they now see that it has been removed.

It's just to bring their attention back to the page to see the change otherwise, unless someone sends them a note, they will just think it's still there.

I know talk2azs and he asked me to post this for him.

Dear fellow Geocachers,

I realize that my comment about the Corps has angered
many of you. My comments have been stripped out of the
log in question. At the same time, I am contacting
personnel at the Army Corps to send them my deepest
apology for the comment. Yes I have gone way to
overboard on my comment. My father was an Army Corps
Engineer back in the 50's.

Also I send my deepest apology towards the Geocaching
community. I promise that this will never happen
again. I agree bad opinions should be kept out of this
game we all love.

talk2azs

I, for one, think that this apology shows an incredible amount of character. It is a very hard thing for some of us to do. I know the cacher through e-mails, etc and have hunted many of his creative and thoughtful caches. I hope that we are big enough in this community to accept his apology and move on. I think he has appropriately corrected the situation.

I emailed Talk2azs after I adjusted my log entry on the cache page.

I filled him in on some histoy and apologized if I was a bit harsh. (WHO ME?? )


I agree with robin this shows a lot of character. I am very impressed. I look forward to meeting him on the trail or at an event in the future.

quote:

Originally posted by geomuse:
I, for one, think that this apology shows an incredible amount of character. It is a very hard thing for some of us to do. I know the cacher through e-mails, etc and have hunted many of his creative and thoughtful caches. I hope that we are big enough in this community to accept his apology and move on. I think he has appropriately corrected the situation.

I had communicated with this gentleman and he had agreed to change the log, which he did.. It wasn't really my intention to "call him out" on this. It was more of a heads up that the Corps is watching these logs and that we need to police ourselves when necessary. I had every bit of trust that he would edit the log. I'm glad this incident is cleared up for now. I hope it is a renewed lesson that our words are not simply our own, but often reflect upon us as a whole. Which is why this is an all to familiar quote "The views expressed here are those of the poster and not necessarily those of the GGA or the Geocaching community at large. Any opinions presented are solely those of the author."