Well Brad I have to say I agree with you.
As Fuddsgirls mentioned one can always ignore these types of caches, but I feel that one problem with the proliferation of seed caches is that new cachers see these types of caches and tend to emulate them -- it seems to me that many cachers tend to put out caches of a similar type from what they have found.
In other words, if most caches that you do in a certain area are regular-sized ammo cans involving a 1/2 mile or less walk in an out-of-the-way park or greenspace then chances are when you place your own first cache that's the type of cache you'll put out as this seems to be the "normal" cache . . . conversely if you see a lot of micro caches or seed-type caches placed on guardrails and lampposts than chances are this will be the type of cache you will place as it seems more "normal."
And since you started this rant . . . I may as well rant as well.
I don't have an issue with a well-placed micro . . . I have seen some very clever micros that have been placed in some neat places . . . a trip to LA for example has brought me to some great, cleverly hidden micros in neat spots. In fact, I believe urban areas with muggles, smaller parks, etc. are good places for micros.
I also do not have an issue with a GRC or LPC providing it has some meaning . . . in other words a GRC along Rt. 1 with a particularly scenic view of Penobscot Bay is great . . . a GRC in a Home Depot Parking Lot is not so great.
This past weekend I did some fantastic "city" caches in St. Andrews, New Brunswick . . . this is a very, busy muggle-intensive tourist town and there were a ton of caches in the area . . . and of these I think there was only one 35 mm canister . . . which incidentally was hidden in the woods and after 15-25 minutes of searching I simply gave up as the reward of finding this cache to me wasn't worth the effort . . . whereas many of the other caches (small to regular-sized caches) were much more fun to find.
That said, while there are exceptions to the rule I have to say that I hate micros hidden in the woods. To me when you're in the woods and the chances of a cache being found by a muggle is relatively low than the cache should be a small-regular sized cache. As I said, there are some exceptions . . . the Sled Trail cache, the Cara"bean"er cache and HomeRun cache are a few recent ones that come to mind as appropriate micros . . . there is a twist to these . . . they're not just 35 mm film canisters hanging in a tree.
And I will confess . . . I have hidden some micros myself. My Fill 'er Up cache for example is a micro . . . because it is in an area where the town only owns a very small section of land and I could not place and hide a cache anywhere else without it being found easily by muggles. I also put up a 52 Card Pick-up cache on Rt. 9 on a guardrail . . . again, there is a scenic waterfall there and it was a case of putting up a cache in a good spot. Another micro was placed on my Brier Beach cache so cachers are forced to go out to a point so they can get a nice view of the pond before going to where I've hidden the main cache.
I guess maybe I'm a little odd (OK, no great surprise there), but I've always felt as though it's a much greater challenge to create a good hide involving a small to regular-sized container than it is to create a good hide for a micro. For example, it wasn't planned out, but my Behind the School Cache and Once a Year Cache are ammo cans that can give even experienced cachers some problems in finding them . . . another cache that I can think of that has been cleverly hidden (and this was mentioned by BrDad) is Brdad's Battleship cache.
I will continue to find and sign the micros . . . but I will also confess that when given a choice to go to an area with lots of micros or an area with a good number of regular-sized caches I will choose the area with regular-sized caches almost every time . . . even if it means not finding as many caches.
For me personally, hiding a micro seems to be a cheap way to hide a cache. You get a free 35 mm canister, put a slip of paper in it and you're all set . . . folks that buy an ammo can or Lock N' Lock container, put a log in it and some swag make a real investment in caching. Again, not everyone can do this due to financial issues or their location -- for example if you're living in a City you may not have or know a lot of good hiding spots for regular sized caches.
I also personally enjoy placing my signature items in caches . . . you can't do that with micros. I also try to help TBs along their journey . . . you can't stuff too many TBs or geocoins in micros. I also personally like jotting down a few notes about my search, the weather, the walk, etc. . . . you can't do this with a micro log (although you can do so on-line, but honestly after you've done 7 or 8 GRC or LPC there's not a lot to say.) Finally, I try to think of families with kids . . . I usually don't make a trade, but I often drop an item into a cache as I know kids enjoy the thrill of the hunt and making the trade . . . again you don't get this with micros.
So to wrap up my tirade . . .
-- I personally feel there is a time and place for micros, but there is also a time and place for regular sized caches and many folks seem to be taking the cheap and easy way out and hiding lots of micros . . . .
-- I think these seed caches may be a phase and they offer another type of cache hide -- remember when we were seeing a proliferation of puzzle caches a year or so ago and they do offer some cachers another type of experience which isn't always so bad providing cachers continue to put out other types of caches . . .
-- I think the final telling fact is something Brdad said . . . if someone was visiting you from another state and wanted to do some neat caches, how many of you would realistically recommend some of these micro seed caches placed in guard rails and lampposts???
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."
"Death is only one of many ways to die."