|
Post by NorthWes on Feb 13, 2008 18:18:36 GMT -9
Podcacher.com's at it again, and has invited me to host another WWFM (worldwide flash mob) event again in conjunction with their coordinated series all over the world on May 10 2008 at the reasonable hour of 9am Anchorage time. I said 'yes' to their invite, so put it on your calendar. The event listing will go up soon on the geocaching.com website. Over 4400 cachers worldwide turned out for the WWFM event in November 2007 (ours was the northernmost & snowiest!).
We're well-acquainted with the 'form' of this event now (wasn't karma123 & momima's event FUN last Saturday?!?), so get yourself ready for a 'quick' visit to Anchorage Town Square on the tenth of May... at the fountain (ok - I liked the coordinates posted on the event page, but they're awfully close to the street on the south side of Town Square... just look for the ammocan!). I'm pretty sure it's on the average the fastest way to put a smiley on your personal 'finds' page at geocaching.com (let alone a smiley on your face!!!) SEE YOU THERE - RAIN OR SHINE!
|
|
|
Post by NorthWes on Feb 13, 2008 18:24:11 GMT -9
UH OH... just got a cache reviewer note that says groundspeak 'is reviewing' this type of cache... that's groundspeak (LOL) for 'hmmm - we may not allow this...' Stay tuned for further news...
|
|
|
Post by oleruns on Feb 13, 2008 18:49:58 GMT -9
They are getting to be a pain in the butt!
|
|
|
Post by oleruns on Feb 13, 2008 18:56:40 GMT -9
So what's next? If you find a cache in under 15 minutes, it will not count? I can understand no locationless and virtuals because they bog down the server... I think finds with no containers are the best anyway, they are clean.
|
|
|
Post by Malcore on Feb 13, 2008 20:07:22 GMT -9
I just looked up the WWFM on a search and it looks like they already approved 10 of them in various places on the May 10th day, so if they decide to not allow them they are going to have a lot of mad prople...
|
|
|
Post by FrostG1anT on Feb 13, 2008 20:58:04 GMT -9
I think finds with no containers are the best anyway, they are clean. In the States there is becoming more and more of an anti-caching legion. Websites are dedicated to stopping the game of "geo-littering". The Earth-Cache movement was a part of this albeit not by Groundspeak (there was a time when Earth-caches weren't available) now Earth caches are an educational part of the Groundspeak community and are being promoted by GC. I believe if a bit of forethought went into cache placement then the game will be able to continue for a long time to come. Without actually thinking about the repercussions of where or how a cache is placed will lead to other states following New Hampshire and making the innocent game of Geocaching a crime (unlike skateboarding, unfortunately in some places geocaching is a crime). Just think how it will look to someone who is not familiar with the sport and what sort of "suspicious" activity it take , especially for someone new to the game, to go through in order to find a hide. The flash Mobs I think may pose a different sort of threat as they have the potential of causing fear for people who are not in the know when several to hundreds of folks suddenly converge on a location and then disperse rapidly. GC may see this as their being responsible for "organized meetings" in places where permits are needed for that sort of thing. Sadly enough it appears that America gave away too many of it's freedoms after 9/11 and now with people talking about having to have permits for public meetings in our country is a very sad day indeed. On a lighter note, i hope the Flash Mob is approved as they are lots of fun. I just hope that all events don't become flash events. After having a few events shot down for what I consider ridiculous reasons I would like to see more events be approved and not just ones that last 15 minutes. With GC and one of our humble reviewers in particular it all comes down to how the event is worded. Sadly this means that say a birthday gathering for Dr Bleh might get approved, but a get together to meet and socialize with fellow cachers might not if it happens to coincide with any other sort of event or if an establishment is referred to by name. Some of that could be the reviewer in question as they seem to be trying overly hard to redeem themselves for past indiscretions. But I digress.... Cache On!
|
|
|
Post by FrostG1anT on Feb 13, 2008 22:45:18 GMT -9
I can understand no locationless and virtuals because they bog down the server... Has anyone noticed the time it takes to log TBs and coins lately? I wonder if GC is getting ready to upgrade the db behind TBs. Their web page has gotten so much better since the new server last summer, but logging TBs is painfully slow (especially if you have several to log).
|
|
|
Post by NorthWes on Feb 14, 2008 14:32:01 GMT -9
I think there's several issues at Groundspeak with the WWFM events: 1) Groundspeak didn't think of it first - Podcacher did (yes, there is competitiveness in the geocaching industry... sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle) 2) Some folks have issues with the length of the event (i.e. - an 'event' is to have more longevity... ) (?) Who 'some people' are, I don't know... and I do like the brevity of the event (even if some view it as a callow and shallow attempt to hide one of its purposes - which is to rally cachers for an all-day caching machine of their own making!) 3) The 'assembly issue' as referenced by FrostG1ant concerns a few folks (even - gasp - Americans!!!)... and from my perspective, one of the points of a Flash Mob Event (even for, or especially for geocaching) is to 'preserve and protect' the citizens' individual and collective right to peacable assembly as long as the assembly's not interfering with other public rights. Yes - even in the USA there's been erosion of the 'right' to have a public assembly - with or without permits. In Anchorage, a permit's needed to sell in a public area, to assemble and occupy for exclusive use in a public area, and so on. Due to the short length of the event (15 minutes) and its non-exclusive nature and lack of commercial sales, the WWFM event doesn't require a permit. Thank goodness we're not China (for example), where even talking about such an assembly without having permits first is a crime... Frankly, I think Groundspeak's trying to figure out how (in advance of it happening yet again) to 'license' events posted on its site which are organized by groups outside of Groundspeak's control which may have commercial properties associated with the group (so that, for example, WalMart doesn't cite the PodCacher-inspired WWFM event series as a precedent for WalMart putting up an event series of their own... perhaps called the Wally World Skirtlifter Olympics ) I'm trying to take the generous position that it's in everyone's best geocaching interests for the details to get worked out now... So, who's gonna host the next fun evening event (with lots of time for socialization etc) We've an experienced field out there (FG, LBK, Scobey, karma123, Momima, & a few more...)... the hardest part is deciding to do it!
|
|
|
Post by karma123 on Feb 17, 2008 8:13:57 GMT -9
I agree with Frost1Giant and Northwes. It appears that everything is being politicized at the expense of having pure, simple fun. At our Solstice event, after the games, the smiling, rosy faces were evidenct. The "adults" jumped right into the game and seemed to have as much fun as the kids. It's been my experience that we (adults) are lacking fun and frivolity in our lives. Geocaching has opened that door for me and has gotten me through a difficult time in my life. Be it a flash event or an evening at the pizza parlor, getting folks out and about and socializing is a good thing.
That being said, Momima and I are planning a summer solstice event.
|
|
momima
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 45
|
Post by momima on Feb 17, 2008 9:07:06 GMT -9
Wow...more censoring. Hmmmmm. Hopefully they will decide that Flash Events are not a threat to mankind as we know it and we can carry on with the fun.
Thanks Northwes for putting this one together and thanks Deafhunt for posting the pizza event. I'm looking forward to both!
And as Karma mentioned, mark your calendars for our June 21st Summer Solstice Event.
Cache On!
|
|
|
Post by troverover on Feb 17, 2008 23:53:04 GMT -9
Ditto what Karma said!
|
|
|
Post by NorthWes on Feb 18, 2008 11:58:25 GMT -9
The WWFM III event got approved - the hitch was making sure there were no links to PODCASTER's website directly from the cache page (although I mention them... ).
I'm delighted with all the events we have going on... it lets us get to know each other & makes the logs more fun to read when we realize who's making the wisecracks at our caches! That being said - I'm hoping for a chance to sit and listen to karma123 & momima & all at the next event (Thursday night! Can't wait!). A quick smilie for the log page, and a more enduring smile for the memories. Thanks to all who've hosted & helped at event caches in the past!
So... a summer solstice event... any notions where yet?
|
|
momima
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 45
|
Post by momima on Feb 21, 2008 15:18:42 GMT -9
We are thinking about having the Summer Solstice Event at Lake Eklutna with lots of games and caches for kids of all ages.
|
|
|
Post by li1gray on Feb 21, 2008 16:46:20 GMT -9
We are thinking about having the Summer Solstice Event at Lake Eklutna with lots of games and caches for kids of all ages. Momima, That sound like a nice event. We bike ride at Ekluntna and I've done a few Boy Scout service project for them out there also. I usually do a group bicycle night ride till midnight around town starting about 11pm to take us over to the new day! Solstice is on a Saturday this year so that will be nice. Isn't that the same day as the Mayors Marathon too?
|
|
|
Post by FrostG1anT on Feb 21, 2008 22:03:55 GMT -9
Isn't that the same day as the Mayors Marathon too? That's the day of the Mayor's Marathon, yep. I won't be able to make the event...I'll be trying to finish the marathon...at least half of it. It sounds like a fun event.
|
|
|
Post by ladybugkids on Feb 24, 2008 9:55:29 GMT -9
Isn't that the same day as the Mayors Marathon too? That's the day of the Mayor's Marathon, yep. I won't be able to make the event...I'll be trying to finish the marathon...at least half of it. It sounds like a fun event. Oooo...are you going to take your GPS and cache the course? Lots of caches to choose from starting with the caches around Bartlett High School, to Oleruns' bike path series to Arctic Valley Road, to Murkle, to the gasline, through Campbell Tract via Campbell Airstrip Road, and finishing up with some of the Tour of Anchorage caches along the Chester Creek Trail. Good luck FrostG1anT!
|
|
Luna B
Silver Cacher
Posts: 204
|
Post by Luna B on Mar 4, 2008 5:45:03 GMT -9
FrostG1ant, have fun on the (sounds like) half marathon. You will do great. The half does not go by Bartlett or the rocky road that is absolutely killer on the toes, mine still ache. Ole may have some comments on this, he is a veteran marathoner.
|
|
|
Post by oleruns on Mar 4, 2008 12:29:50 GMT -9
The half Starts at West and is an out-n-back to the Clithroe (sp) Center turn around. I think the last time I ran it was about 6 or 7 years ago it took about 1:26 and I wasn't happy at all with that time but would love to run it in that now ;D Good Luck Frosty and let me know if you need me to come out and cheer.
|
|
|
Post by FrostG1anT on Mar 4, 2008 18:03:31 GMT -9
The half Starts at West and is an out-n-back to the Clithroe (sp) Center turn around. I think the last time I ran it was about 6 or 7 years ago it took about 1:26 and I wasn't happy at all with that time but would love to run it in that now ;D Good Luck Frosty and let me know if you need me to come out and cheer. A cheering section would be nice, I don't think I will be finishing in that time, but I will definitely be stopping for some needed refreshment afterward. I may even know where a private concert is being held... If you feel like seeing a giant try to kill himself please come and watch. Who knows perhaps there are others among us who have been infected by Ole's lively energy and feel the need to do something they could never imagine themselves doing. Why not come join me in a nice brisk "hike". The sun is up all night, so we'll leave the light on for ya.
|
|