Given the hide and seek quality of geocaching, the early hiders and hunters set up some rules to help geocachers avoid being dangerous to themselves, other partipants and the public. The online geocaching websites have guidelines for setting up a cache. The guidelines vary among the groups; guidelines can be found at Geocaching.com and at Terracaching.com.
Diplomacy and savvy have to be used to avoid being noticed by the general public (muggles). An ethical hider will take this into account so the hider and later the hunters don’t cause alarm. On occasion, people have been approached by law enforcement and questioned.
While not specifically connected to all geocaching, the principles of Leave-No-Trace reflect how some hiders and hunters feel geocaching should be done.
Originally, geocaching was called GPS stashing and similar terms. On May 20, 2000, Matt Stum suggested changing the term ‘stash’ to ‘cache’ because of negative connotations connected to the word ‘stash’ and further suggested naming the activity ‘geocaching’. It has been working.
Today, literally hundreds of thousands of sites are located in numerous countries all over the planet and registered one of the various websites.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Geocaching Two - Variations on the Treasure Hunt
Variations of Geocaches:
The basic, traditional cache consists of a container with a log book and trade items.
Multiple caches, working like the old time treasure hunt wherein each set of coordinates contains directions to the next until the final location where the log book and treasure lie.
Offset: Similar to the multiple cache except for variations in the stops. The coordinates may lead to a sign with digits on it such as a date which match the coordinates for the next location
Mystery/puzzle: A puzzle must be solved which will give the cacher the necessary information to be able to set up the coordinates.
Letterbox Hybrid: Geo-caching was developed from Letterboxing an activity which has been in practice about 150 years. Letterboxing depends upon clues being deciphered to identify landmarks. Or the clues are hidden in a story to be found and compared for the coordinates. Devoted letterbox hunters carry their own rubberstamp to mark the logbook and keep a personal logbook.
Virtual: Coordinates for a spot that doesn’t lend itself to sheltering the treasure box. A photo of you at the site, plus an email to the cache hider with pertinent information such as the wording or date on a nearby sign. Benchmarking has the hunters locate a survey market set up by the U.S. UGS. Earthcaching doesn’t contain the traditional treasure, but is verified by naming geological information such as nearby fossils or the local environment.
Webcam: Again, no physical treasure box but the coordinates lead to a public webcam. In lieu of signing the log book, the hunter can be required to get their image from the webcam to verify the find.
Locationless/Reverse. This works more like an old timey scavenger hunt. The directions are to locate something such as an old barn (any old barn) The hunter records the coordinates for the find, take a picture if possible and logs the find. Usually, hunters are not allowed to log the same location as a legitimate find.
Moving/Traveling. As with the basic geocache, the coordinates lead to the treasure. The hunter logs the find, trades trinkets and hides the cache in a different location. Certain ‘traveling’ toys in caches could come under the ‘moving’ description
Event: A gathering attended by geocachers is ‘salted’ with temporary caches for the vent only. The term event cache can also be used to describe the event, such as Cache-In Trash-Out Events where the hunters gather to clean up trash in an area as a coordinated activity, either locating little hidden caches or recognizing the location of the event as a find. Geocaching.com or TerraCaching.com or Navicache.com are just a few of the websites that can help you find out more about geo-caching and having fun with some of your technology.
The basic, traditional cache consists of a container with a log book and trade items.
Multiple caches, working like the old time treasure hunt wherein each set of coordinates contains directions to the next until the final location where the log book and treasure lie.
Offset: Similar to the multiple cache except for variations in the stops. The coordinates may lead to a sign with digits on it such as a date which match the coordinates for the next location
Mystery/puzzle: A puzzle must be solved which will give the cacher the necessary information to be able to set up the coordinates.
Letterbox Hybrid: Geo-caching was developed from Letterboxing an activity which has been in practice about 150 years. Letterboxing depends upon clues being deciphered to identify landmarks. Or the clues are hidden in a story to be found and compared for the coordinates. Devoted letterbox hunters carry their own rubberstamp to mark the logbook and keep a personal logbook.
Virtual: Coordinates for a spot that doesn’t lend itself to sheltering the treasure box. A photo of you at the site, plus an email to the cache hider with pertinent information such as the wording or date on a nearby sign. Benchmarking has the hunters locate a survey market set up by the U.S. UGS. Earthcaching doesn’t contain the traditional treasure, but is verified by naming geological information such as nearby fossils or the local environment.
Webcam: Again, no physical treasure box but the coordinates lead to a public webcam. In lieu of signing the log book, the hunter can be required to get their image from the webcam to verify the find.
Locationless/Reverse. This works more like an old timey scavenger hunt. The directions are to locate something such as an old barn (any old barn) The hunter records the coordinates for the find, take a picture if possible and logs the find. Usually, hunters are not allowed to log the same location as a legitimate find.
Moving/Traveling. As with the basic geocache, the coordinates lead to the treasure. The hunter logs the find, trades trinkets and hides the cache in a different location. Certain ‘traveling’ toys in caches could come under the ‘moving’ description
Event: A gathering attended by geocachers is ‘salted’ with temporary caches for the vent only. The term event cache can also be used to describe the event, such as Cache-In Trash-Out Events where the hunters gather to clean up trash in an area as a coordinated activity, either locating little hidden caches or recognizing the location of the event as a find. Geocaching.com or TerraCaching.com or Navicache.com are just a few of the websites that can help you find out more about geo-caching and having fun with some of your technology.
Geocaching -- Fun with your GPS -- Tell your clients
Time to think about having some fun with your GPS. Listen and learn. About geocaching, an outdoor treasuring hunting game where your gps receive helps you natch coordinates to find friendly hidden caches anywhere in the world. Coordinates for the caches are posted online with clues about the location at websites such as Geocaching.com .
Typically, the treasure is a small plastic (keeping out water) container (the best ones come from the dollar store). Inside is a logbook, a pencil and some TREASURE, typically toys or trinkets or little $$$$ value. . When you find the cache, the deal is to sign the log book as directed, usually with the date; your name and city/state, and decide how to address the treasure. You can take a toy as a souvenir and leave a toy so the cache is supplied for the next hunter. Some people mark the log TN/LN when not taking or leaving a toy. That only works when you don’t have a five year old on the team who came for the toy swap. Then, you can note your find on the Internet. Treasure can contain ‘Travel Bugs’ or Geocoins, the travels of which are logged and tracked online.
Occasionally the treasure hiders go over the top and have a 5 gallon bucket or larger container. But, the ones we’ve hunted tend to be micro-caches. Some caches have been as small as film canisters.
Virtual geocaches are noted; finders take a photo (it is nice to have YOU in the picture) which is then posted online at a geocaching website.
Geocach-ers have to watch out for ‘muggles’, the uninformed and uncooperative. Muggle or ‘geo-muggles’ don’t appreciate the caching game. When you are finding, you need to keep a low profile and carefully replace the cache without ‘them’ seeing you. THEY have been known to vandalise or steal caches.
My daughter and her family have searched out caches in several states. The one hunt I was able to participate in was going to be a no-brainer. We almost didn’t find it because we thought it would be easy to find in a small area. Sometimes your mom’s and your grandma’s arrogance pays off. When we finally READ all of the clues and paid attention, then followed the right path, the five-year old got to see his FIRST box turtle and found some ‘lost’ Easter eggs.
Typically, the treasure is a small plastic (keeping out water) container (the best ones come from the dollar store). Inside is a logbook, a pencil and some TREASURE, typically toys or trinkets or little $$$$ value. . When you find the cache, the deal is to sign the log book as directed, usually with the date; your name and city/state, and decide how to address the treasure. You can take a toy as a souvenir and leave a toy so the cache is supplied for the next hunter. Some people mark the log TN/LN when not taking or leaving a toy. That only works when you don’t have a five year old on the team who came for the toy swap. Then, you can note your find on the Internet. Treasure can contain ‘Travel Bugs’ or Geocoins, the travels of which are logged and tracked online.
Occasionally the treasure hiders go over the top and have a 5 gallon bucket or larger container. But, the ones we’ve hunted tend to be micro-caches. Some caches have been as small as film canisters.
Virtual geocaches are noted; finders take a photo (it is nice to have YOU in the picture) which is then posted online at a geocaching website.
Geocach-ers have to watch out for ‘muggles’, the uninformed and uncooperative. Muggle or ‘geo-muggles’ don’t appreciate the caching game. When you are finding, you need to keep a low profile and carefully replace the cache without ‘them’ seeing you. THEY have been known to vandalise or steal caches.
My daughter and her family have searched out caches in several states. The one hunt I was able to participate in was going to be a no-brainer. We almost didn’t find it because we thought it would be easy to find in a small area. Sometimes your mom’s and your grandma’s arrogance pays off. When we finally READ all of the clues and paid attention, then followed the right path, the five-year old got to see his FIRST box turtle and found some ‘lost’ Easter eggs.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Missouri VAs -- your clients may benefit from this SBA training
Human resources have a viable and valuable place in the office and corporate environment. Maintaining a communication between employers and employees has business advantages when measured against the costs of training for new employees, the losses during the learning curve or during the time when an employee is getting ready to move on. There are legal issues to consider in the successful office as well. When these issues are avoided by employers the gain is more impressive. When all of the gears work together, the business benefits, thrives and can keep workers.
The Missouri Small Business is scheduling a series of seminars regarding some of the legal issues to be dealt with in human resources: HUMAN RESOURCES LEGAL ISSUES SERIES – Personnel Law – Hiring & Firing (Feb. 1, 2007); Establishing Essential HR and Record-keeping (Feb 8, 2007); Personnel Law – Common HR Mistakes and Hot Topics (Feb 15, 2007). .
The prices are reasonable at $99 a session or $267 for the entire series, a nice discount. You can learn more at the Missouri Small Business Development Center in Jefferson City. (http://www.sbdc.missouristate.edu/) or calling 1417-836-4639 View a FLYER with more information, particularly contact information.
The Missouri Small Business is scheduling a series of seminars regarding some of the legal issues to be dealt with in human resources: HUMAN RESOURCES LEGAL ISSUES SERIES – Personnel Law – Hiring & Firing (Feb. 1, 2007); Establishing Essential HR and Record-keeping (Feb 8, 2007); Personnel Law – Common HR Mistakes and Hot Topics (Feb 15, 2007). .
The prices are reasonable at $99 a session or $267 for the entire series, a nice discount. You can learn more at the Missouri Small Business Development Center in Jefferson City. (http://www.sbdc.missouristate.edu/) or calling 1417-836-4639 View a FLYER with more information, particularly contact information.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Virtual Assistant -- Can you hack it?
Virtual assistant, don't dare become complacent!
Learn new skills as often as you can. Stretch yourself to look for things that would help a client you have now or things that would appeal to a potential client.
Some wonder how long till that first client gets on the bus. So much depends upon the marketing you've done before you even hung out your shingle. I know some VAs who filled their roster in a month. But, they had been laying groundwork and networking with people who would need and who wanted their services much earlier.
While you wait, if you must, invest time and money (as you can) in your skills. Volunteer if you can because it does keep your hand in. When you have a chance to sit in on a session of an internet or computer skill that will help your target market, jump at it. Then, you won't be playing catch-up when the client calls.
You will be experienced and will be able to hack it.
Learn new skills as often as you can. Stretch yourself to look for things that would help a client you have now or things that would appeal to a potential client.
Some wonder how long till that first client gets on the bus. So much depends upon the marketing you've done before you even hung out your shingle. I know some VAs who filled their roster in a month. But, they had been laying groundwork and networking with people who would need and who wanted their services much earlier.
While you wait, if you must, invest time and money (as you can) in your skills. Volunteer if you can because it does keep your hand in. When you have a chance to sit in on a session of an internet or computer skill that will help your target market, jump at it. Then, you won't be playing catch-up when the client calls.
You will be experienced and will be able to hack it.
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