Pet peeves of a "salty and seasoned contributor"

[RiverAux]

Okay, I haven't been on this board for as long as many people, but I feel that I have done more than my fair share in contributing to existing discussions and have even started quite a few that generated significant interest.  I know I'm not a perfect board member.  I know that I've occassionally participated in helping move a thread off topic and then complained when it happens to a thread that Iv'e started.  Every once ina while I might even have been wrong about something.  So, I don't feel bad about posting these thoughts:

Pet peeves:
1.  Someone who posts "this is a stupid discussion, shouldn't we talk about something important?"  Hey, if you don't think it is important, no one is forcing you to read it.  Just ignore the thread.  It won't run up your electric bill.  Those who think the topic is worth discussing will continue to do so until it dies its own natural death. 

2.  People who are so thin-skinned that they think any criticism of CAP or the actions of some of its members here bring disrespect on the organization.  This is America and we have the right to say what we want.  Pretty much all of the people who regularly contribute to the discussion here love CAP and want to make it better.  To do so, you have to talk about what things don't work.  I'm not always happy about some of the personal comments, but the moderators keep fairly firm control of those.  None of the armed services have collapsed because of talk on discussion boards devoted to them, so I'm not too worried about the potential impact of CAP-talk. 

3.  Newbies who have never started a thread or posted anything that actually moved a discussion forward who complain about what topics are being discussed or how we're doing it.  Heck, anyone who signs up has a right to speak.  But until you've been around a while, how about working to build a little credibility by saying something worthwhile about the topics being discussed.  If someone with 10 posts makes a great point about the topic, I've got no problem with that at all-- thats super.  Or, if you don't like the topics, start your own and see if people want to join in.  But, someone with 10 posts who has been here a week  or two shouldn't start giving advice to the rest of us on what we do here. 

The vast majority of people who are members of this board hardly ever make a post.  Thats great.  Maybe they just like observing the debate, maybe they're just keeping an ear out for the "word on the street".  If they want to only make a comment once a year, thats fine with me.  But, this board runs on content provided by its members and until you've provided some of your own, don't harangue the rest of us about what we're doing.

[pixelwonk]

this is a stupid discussion, shouldn't we talk about something important?

[DNall]

I can't believe you posted that kind of personal attack. I hope the moderators zonk you! 

Pet peeves? Don't take it so seriously.

[RiverAux]

4.  Anyone who breaks into a discussion to say that we need to stop beating that poor dead horse.  Refer to peeve #1 -- just stop reading the thread.  Evidently at least two people have a penchant for animal abuse and want that horse beat to a pulp -- let them. 

DNALL -- if I was super serious about these, I would have labeled the thread -- Horrible Outrages Against the CAP-TALK Community!!!!

[MIKE]

Pet peeve, n00bs. 

[pixelwonk]

Pet Peeves:
Mods
N00bs
Seasoned members
Salty and seasoned members
Long walks on the beach

[MIKE]

Pet Peeves:
Mods
...

Hey, what gives?

[pixelwonk]

just spreading the love around

[JohnKachenmeister]

I think that the NB should authorize a new patch on the BDU for service as a CAP website moderator.

[Pylon]

Okay, I haven't been on this board for as long as many people, but I feel that I have done more than my fair share in contributing to existing discussions and have even started quite a few that generated significant interest.  I know I'm not a perfect board member.  I know that I've occassionally participated in helping move a thread off topic and then complained when it happens to a thread that Iv'e started.  Every once ina while I might even have been wrong about something.  So, I don't feel bad about posting these thoughts:

Pet peeves:
1.  Someone who posts "this is a stupid discussion, shouldn't we talk about something important?"  Hey, if you don't think it is important, no one is forcing you to read it.  Just ignore the thread.  It won't run up your electric bill.  Those who think the topic is worth discussing will continue to do so until it dies its own natural death. 

2.  People who are so thin-skinned that they think any criticism of CAP or the actions of some of its members here bring disrespect on the organization.  This is America and we have the right to say what we want.  Pretty much all of the people who regularly contribute to the discussion here love CAP and want to make it better.  To do so, you have to talk about what things don't work.  I'm not always happy about some of the personal comments, but the moderators keep fairly firm control of those.  None of the armed services have collapsed because of talk on discussion boards devoted to them, so I'm not too worried about the potential impact of CAP-talk. 

3.  Newbies who have never started a thread or posted anything that actually moved a discussion forward who complain about what topics are being discussed or how we're doing it.  Heck, anyone who signs up has a right to speak.  But until you've been around a while, how about working to build a little credibility by saying something worthwhile about the topics being discussed.  If someone with 10 posts makes a great point about the topic, I've got no problem with that at all-- thats super.  Or, if you don't like the topics, start your own and see if people want to join in.  But, someone with 10 posts who has been here a week  or two shouldn't start giving advice to the rest of us on what we do here. 

The vast majority of people who are members of this board hardly ever make a post.  Thats great.  Maybe they just like observing the debate, maybe they're just keeping an ear out for the "word on the street".  If they want to only make a comment once a year, thats fine with me.  But, this board runs on content provided by its members and until you've provided some of your own, don't harangue the rest of us about what we're doing.

Nota Bene:

A person's post count, however, should not be the sole judge of the worth of their comments.  Just be aware that there are a number of people here who, while they may not have a large "post count" next to their username, in the real world they may be very experienced leaders (both CAP and otherwise) - they may be current or former commanders of upper echelons, staffers at all levels, and those with many, many years of experience.   People contribute when they feel compelled to do so, not always out of a necessity to comment on every possible discussion.

[LtCol White]

Okay, I haven't been on this board for as long as many people, but I feel that I have done more than my fair share in contributing to existing discussions and have even started quite a few that generated significant interest.  I know I'm not a perfect board member.  I know that I've occassionally participated in helping move a thread off topic and then complained when it happens to a thread that Iv'e started.  Every once ina while I might even have been wrong about something.  So, I don't feel bad about posting these thoughts:

Pet peeves:
1.  Someone who posts "this is a stupid discussion, shouldn't we talk about something important?"  Hey, if you don't think it is important, no one is forcing you to read it.  Just ignore the thread.  It won't run up your electric bill.  Those who think the topic is worth discussing will continue to do so until it dies its own natural death. 

2.  People who are so thin-skinned that they think any criticism of CAP or the actions of some of its members here bring disrespect on the organization.  This is America and we have the right to say what we want.  Pretty much all of the people who regularly contribute to the discussion here love CAP and want to make it better.  To do so, you have to talk about what things don't work.  I'm not always happy about some of the personal comments, but the moderators keep fairly firm control of those.  None of the armed services have collapsed because of talk on discussion boards devoted to them, so I'm not too worried about the potential impact of CAP-talk. 

3.  Newbies who have never started a thread or posted anything that actually moved a discussion forward who complain about what topics are being discussed or how we're doing it.  Heck, anyone who signs up has a right to speak.  But until you've been around a while, how about working to build a little credibility by saying something worthwhile about the topics being discussed.  If someone with 10 posts makes a great point about the topic, I've got no problem with that at all-- thats super.  Or, if you don't like the topics, start your own and see if people want to join in.  But, someone with 10 posts who has been here a week  or two shouldn't start giving advice to the rest of us on what we do here. 

The vast majority of people who are members of this board hardly ever make a post.  Thats great.  Maybe they just like observing the debate, maybe they're just keeping an ear out for the "word on the street".  If they want to only make a comment once a year, thats fine with me.  But, this board runs on content provided by its members and until you've provided some of your own, don't harangue the rest of us about what we're doing.

Nota Bene:

A person's post count, however, should not be the sole judge of the worth of their comments.  Just be aware that there are a number of people here who, while they may not have a large "post count" next to their username, in the real world they may be very experienced leaders (both CAP and otherwise) - they may be current or former commanders of upper echelons, staffers at all levels, and those with many, many years of experience.   People contribute when they feel compelled to do so, not always out of a necessity to comment on every possible discussion.

I have to agree strongly with this point.

Just because someone is new HERE doesn't mean they are new to CAP OR that they cannot/don't raise valid points or contribute good input.  To say that a newbie should sit back and shut up until he has valid input flies in the face of your free speech point and is, in fact, rather ignorant. Some of the best questions come from "newbies" BECAUSE they don't know any better. If their thinking is not clouded and limited by the myriad of rules and CHANGES to that myriad, sometimes their questions cause us to think on a clearer basis and reexamine our own thinking. Not to mention getting to the real root of some issues BECAUSE the question is so basic.


As far as beating the dead horse, yes, there are times when someone should stand up and say "enough" on this topic. Where is the productivity in this??? THERE ISN'T ANY.

[RiverAux]

If they make a comment about what we're discussing, its worth just as much as everyone elses.  Heck, I wish more people would comment.  So, if a person comes on and in their first post totally blows away an argument I've been developing for 5 pages, I'm fine with that.  

However, if they've only been on the board a couple of weeks, they don't have any standing to complain about how we do things.  

[LtCol White]

If they make a comment about what we're discussing, its worth just as much as everyone elses.  Heck, I wish more people would comment.  So, if a person comes on and in their first post totally blows away an argument I've been developing for 5 pages, I'm fine with that.  

However, if they've only been on the board a couple of weeks, they don't have any standing to complain about how we do things.  

But how do you know they haven't been reading or monitoring for a while before they actually joined and became a "listed" member?? Perhaps they just finally decided to join and contribute after a monitoring period.

[RiverAux]

Well, in some cases where this has happened I looked at their profile and saw that they hadn't been around very long. 

Again, newbies can make great posts and I highly encourage them to contribute.  Just wait a while before getting on your high horse about what topics are being discussed or how we're discussing them.

[LtCol White]

Well, in some cases where this has happened I looked at their profile and saw that they hadn't been around very long. 

Again, newbies can make great posts and I highly encourage them to contribute.  Just wait a while before getting on your high horse about what topics are being discussed or how we're discussing them.

But again, just because they are new here doesn't mean they are new to CAP.  But I have to agree that the High Horse attitude of ANYONE should be left at the door. No matter how long they have been in  CAP or on here.

[JC004]

I think that the NB should authorize a new patch on the BDU for service as a CAP website moderator.

And a specialty badge!!

[MIKE]

I think that the NB should authorize a new patch on the BDU for service as a CAP website moderator.

And a specialty badge!!

I was hoping for something like this in white on blue:

[pixelwonk]

I think that the NB should authorize a new patch on the BDU for service as a CAP website moderator.

And a specialty badge!!

I was hoping for something like this in white on blue:

how's this? 

[shorning]

how's this? 

"Mode" ranger? 

[pixelwonk]

how's this? 

"Mode" ranger? 

yeah, Steve.  That's it:  "Mode Ranger."