The same question over and over...

[ZigZag911]

The threads that don't interest me or concern me, i don't read.

I imagined everyone else did the same thing.

I wouldn't feel that I was fulfilling my responsibilities here if I didn't at least look at every post.  That's why I'm on here all the time... So I can keep up with all the new posts.

Ah, the burdens of command!

All I can say is I regret that you find it dull & repetitive....many of us feel it is important to discuss these matters to try to have some influence on CAP's future.

And I feel that it is MY duty as a member for over 35 years, a former group commander, former Earhart cadet, current IC, to speak up and speak out about the things I see going wrong.

[Eclipse]

You might as well just open your front door and yell at the trees.

[ZigZag911]

You might as well just open your front door and yell at the trees.

Perhaps it is "tilting at windmills"....but, in the immortal (and oft quoted) words of the British political philosopher Edmund Burke, "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is that good men should do nothing!"

So I take a two-prong approach:

1) serve locally, do my job, share my experience
2) speak my mind when and where I can

[Eclipse]

A10: Run over to Cadetstuff, Military.com, NOTF, etc., and ask the exact same question AGAIN, so the same 50 people who frequent these same boards can answer the same question the same way.

[Eclipse]

1) serve locally, do my job, share my experience
2) speak my mind when and where I can

Hey, more power to 'ya, man.  But some people view the First Amendment the same way they view a Chinese Buffet:

"All you can eat" is not a challenge.

[ZigZag911]

1) serve locally, do my job, share my experience
2) speak my mind when and where I can

Hey, more power to 'ya, man.  But some people view the First Amendment the same way they view a Chinese Buffet:

"All you can eat" is not a challenge.

Granting your point, unlike Capt Johnson, I don't note you identified as a moderator....so I can only assume you are either actually interested in the discussions (which you deny), or are somehow irresistibly drawn to reading them in spite of your indifference (like a moth to a flame? a rubber-necking driver
to a traffic accident? an ES 'junkie' to a SAREX?)

[Eclipse]

...like someone who appreciated this board before all the chaff weighed in.

It was bad enough before, but now...

This used to be a nice place where people could get some gossip, fight over insignia placement, and occasionally actually learn something.

Now, its just a bunch of trolls and non-members who apparently haven't paid their cable bills and have nothing better to do than lob gas on a fire.

To my detriment, I got involved in these boards last year when I was between jobs, they LITERALLY were all I had to do all day, so I got into a habit.

One I probably need to kick.  And I fully realize no one will miss me, blah, blah.

My single biggest failing is believing I am going to "fix" anybody's opinion here, when we all know arguing opinion is fruitless.  Like I'm going to wade into the waters and spread my wisdom to the masses.
When the reality is I have no idea what I am talking about either. 

I admit to the "moth to the flame weakness". When I see a thread that starts with "What's wrong with…?", or "The answer…?"  I just can't help myself from checking the latest half-baked idea to "fix" CAP.  Its especially entertaining to hear from non-members, or former members.  Neither of which anyone cares about.

Oh, well, if I want some real intellectual discussion, there's always MYSPACE.

Now where can I find some sweet glitter letters?

HOLLA BACK AT CHA DOODES LOL ROLFLMAO!!!!! SA-WEEETT! 

DON'T BE A HAYTAR!

[shorning]

Bob, I don't see eye-to-eye with you all the time, but I agree with you here.  In fact, I just made that comment to someone the other day.

Oh, well, if I want some real intellectual discussion, there's always MYSPACE.

Dang, that's good stuff right there!

[RiverAux]

Anybody who takes an internet discussion board too seriously is nuts. 

Changing people's minds?  Hardly ever happens in "real" life either.  You aren't going to talk a Republican into becoming a Democrat. 

The thing is that there is so little room for member involvement in any decisions that matter in CAP that boards such as this are the only real outlet that anyone has for putting ideas on the table.  If somebody doesn't like an idea, you probably aren't going to change their mind on it here but it just having people give some consideration to the idea is a good outlet for some stress. 

And, there is the remote chance that somebody with some actual authority in CAP might get wind of an idea expressed here and run with it.  Its very unlikely, but an idea expressed here has a better chance of being seen by somebody at national than does something brought up at your local squdron meeting.

[sandman]

And, there is the remote chance that somebody with some actual authority in CAP might get wind of an idea expressed here and run with it.  Its very unlikely, but an idea expressed here has a better chance of being seen by somebody at national than does something brought up at your local squadron meeting.

Well, we are the largest squadron in CAP, albeit a virtual squadron. Maybe NHQ will grant a charter for us? Anyone interested in running for (virtual) squadron commander?

[DNall]

You know how many people in much more powerful position than myself have approached me at events & said how much the agree with the general position I take on most issues but that they don't like to post much? Well it's a lot. I thought when I started that even using my real name that it's a big world & I'd never meet anyone of you guys. That's turned out to be far from the case. And, a lot of people in positions that matter have been reading this stuff with interest. Is it going to up & change to what I want it to be, no not really, that'd be a 20 year plan. BUT, over time it might just move down that road a good bit. Personally, I think there are outside challenges coming in the next 2-3 years. I won't be in a position to help then, but someone's going to have to be johnny on the spot with a hell of a plan. That starts now.

Plus if you don't like it, skim & skip. Ain't nobody makin you read nothin - get a triple negative in there, how's that. 

[fyrfitrmedic]

 There are far more lurkers from hither and yon than perhaps we realize.

There are also a lot of folks who are aware of this board and other venues but who choose to steer far clear because of their perceptions [some of which aren't necessarily inaccurate].

If we could get past some of the agendism, the conspiracy theories, and some of the other dross that keeps showing up we'd probably be far more constructive as an online community.

[sandman]

There are far more lurkers from hither and yon than perhaps we realize.

There are also a lot of folks who are aware of this board and other venues but who choose to steer far clear because of their perceptions [some of which aren't necessarily inaccurate].

If we could get past some of the agendism, the conspiracy theories, and some of the other dross that keeps showing up we'd probably be far more constructive as an online community.

It takes a lot of raw material (ore) and a lot of heat to refine a small amount of gold. Don't worry about the dross. A lot of this board is "tongue 'n cheek" in the diatribes presented. The nuggets of gold among the dross makes this board fun to participate in.

[lordmonar]

It takes a lot of raw material (ore) and a lot of heat to refine a small amount of gold. Don't worry about the dross. A lot of this board is "tongue 'n cheek" in the diatribes presented. The nuggets of gold among the dross makes this board fun to participate in.

You know...I used to work for a short time, before I joined the USAF, as a handyman for an exporitoy mining operation in Akansas.  One of my jobs was turning pick up truck loads of fist sized rocks into thumb sized pebles to be fed into the crusher to make it into about 3 55-gallon drums of dust.

Once the processed it......the ton and a half of rocks would yeald a speck of gold measured in the miligrams.

I like this board.  It allows you to vent...express opinions both serious and tonge in cheek.  It allows you to see what everyone else is doing and thinking.

I just think it is funny that someone comes on the board and bothers to post...a you are all just saying the same thing and wasteing my time...sort of post.

If the posts are wasting your time...walk away...that's what I did with CAPBLOG and that is what happened to CAP Portal.

[ZigZag911]

This used to be a nice place where people could get some gossip, fight over insignia placement, and occasionally actually learn something.

See, that's the great thing about free expression.

I happen to think that the threads debating insignia placement, what goes on a patch, or should CAP have a MAJCOM patch, are kind of pedestrian.

But you and some other folks enjoy them....so what's wrong with that?

This morning my dad & I discussed what teams we thought would get to the Super Bowl....in some ways, these threads are like that....mostly speculative discussions, sharing ideas and opinions.

Hopefully a little good can come out of this eventually.

[Pylon]

There are far more lurkers from hither and yon than perhaps we realize.

There are also a lot of folks who are aware of this board and other venues but who choose to steer far clear because of their perceptions [some of which aren't necessarily inaccurate].

If we could get past some of the agendism, the conspiracy theories, and some of the other dross that keeps showing up we'd probably be far more constructive as an online community.

You're not the only one who feels that way.   

[JAFO78]

Ok what kind of coffee is everyone drinking in the morning?

Some of us like me have been in CAP before. I like coming here it see what is going on, and to see options of others. I respect everyone here. It does not matter if you are a new cadet or a seasoned member. We all came to this web site because we all have a part in CAP.

This is a great place to talk about our squadron's and other squadron's. I can ask someone how does your squadron do this or how do you do that. I have meet some wonderful people here. Shorning transfered to my old squadron around the time I left. I never met him but we talk. Then there is Major Kack. We talk here, we email each other. I have never met him. But I will soon as I am moving to the Orlando area.

To me it does not matter who you are or what you do, or what you say. We all have our own ideas. 

All I can say is thank god in live in these UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. You can say what, you want, when you want to anyone. If you don't like whats being said then don't reply.

You could live in another country were the Govt. controls everything. I know some things have changed since 9/11, but then things changed after the Civil War, WW 1, WW 2 and so on and so on.

Life is hard. Babies are born, people die, but life goes on, until some nut pushes the button that causes the Nuke Bomb to go off and wipe everyone out.

You guys get worked up over dumb stuff. Lighten up, or your are going to have a heart attack, or a stroke. 

Yes CAP Talk has become the largest squadron in CAP, and maybe even the Air Force. But we need to respect each other.

I am sure there are people here who don't want to give there real name for fear of revenge. Could MG TP be here, yes, could the Sec AF be here, yes, hell the President could be here, so
could be some KGB or others. LOL. You get the drift.

OK guys I am stepping off my soap box, but remember I am armed, and I don't know what I'm doing. LOL

Take care everyone and have a good week.   

[sandman]

I am sure there are people here who don't want to give there real name for fear of revenge. Could MG TP be here, yes, could the Sec AF be here, yes, hell the President could be here, so
could be some KGB or others. LOL. You get the drift.

Some of us are active duty in "sensitive" areas or have previously worked in sensitive areas and don't need a name posted in cyberspace. I don't need Mr. Qaida (Al to his friends) having a headstart in googling my location, etc, etc.

[Eclipse]

Some of us like me have been in CAP before. I like coming here it see what is going on, and to see options of others. I respect everyone here. It does not matter if you are a new cadet or a seasoned member. We all came to this web site because we all have a part in CAP.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Another reason I love these forums is all the nonsesne about freedom of speech, whatever.

Also, the "silent majority" arguments are BS, too.  I love when people try and trot out all the "background action" spurred by "people in high places".

And if your life is that "double secret", you probably have better things to do than this nonsense.

I'm sorry. Non-members, ex or otherwise have no place here.  I personally don't care what you believe should be done about "X issue" if you're not a member, and I can't understand why you would care about it either.

Yes its an open forum, no I'm not a moderator.  Blah, blah.

[sandman]

And if your life is that "double secret", you probably have better things to do than this nonsense.

Um...not really.

This is how I'm spending your tax dollars today