CAP Talk

I'm doing a stats project, and would like to use you nice people as data.  What I mean by an accurate representation is that do you believe that all of us on Captalk make up an accurate portrayal of CAP in general.  I will need at least 40 votes before I can do my numbers or else the data won't be as good of an estimator.

Quote from: RogueLeader on July 26, 2007, 10:33:14 PM
I'm doing a stats project, and would like to use you nice people as data.  What I mean by an accurate representation is that do you believe that all of us on Captalk make up an accurate portrayal of CAP in general.  I will need at least 40 votes before I can do my numbers or else the data won't be as good of an estimator.

I think that a forum like captalk would attract the more involved or interested member.

To me CAPTALK shows both the Pros and Cons of CAP.
I have learned a lot from this site.

Cap talk represents people with significant opinions who are vocal as well

I think you'll find more computer geeks here than at an average squadron meeting

Yes, many very operational folks that either 1) have have no computer or 2) would never come to a place like this are blatanly absent from these discussions.  And that is a huge number of CAP Officers.

Also, there is very little CADET presence here.

Quote from: Major Carrales on July 27, 2007, 03:13:31 AMAlso, there is very little CADET presence here.

I wonder why that is...  Back in the early days of CAP Talk there was more cadet activity here than we see today.

Quote from: MIKE on July 27, 2007, 03:24:17 AM

Quote from: Major Carrales on July 27, 2007, 03:13:31 AMAlso, there is very little CADET presence here.

I wonder why that is...  Back in the early days of CAP Talk there was more cadet activity here than we see today.

I used to encourage some of our cadets to visit here.  Now I send them to CadetStuff.org where the topics normally are geared toward their interests.  The topics here are mostly...CAP Officer Heavy.

We do have a few here, but they tend to get driven off.

I think that most of you guys might be surprised about the solution to this project is going to be, but that would be giving  ;). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

From my observation, I think we have a good cross section of ages, viewpoints, roles within CAP, even to some degree experience levels (wing, group, squadron).

I think we represent the minds of our peers far better than we realize.

After all, don't  most of us discuss many of these same topics with live CAP members, face to face or on the phone?

Looking at the poll numbers could suggest a "silent majority" in the general population of CAP?

At least the majority of us responders say we are not representative.

I am curious.

Ken

Why should a cadet stay on CAP Talk?  All he sees are Seniors talking about needing full size medals or other bling. Or "I wear a boonie hat for protection from the sun, so who cares if the regulation says no" . Or "we don't need children on ES missions, so we won't even tell them there is a mission". Or, Senior members are unqualified. Or lets get rid of the National Commander (or any other Commander you wish to name) because of _____________ (fill in the blank)
Does CAP Talk represent the average member? Hardly! To often you see a persons own views on how something affects them or some idea they have no matter what the impact is on CAP as a whole. Years ago CAP overflowed with team spirit. Now  reading the posts, it looks like people have the "I" complex. Not what is good for the entire program, but the part of the program I'm" involved in. And usually cadet programs or activities are downplayed. So to answer the question, No CAP Talk doesn't represent the average member.

He he he he he. You guys are great, I almost have all my data that I need.  You guys have really been coming through for me.  Uh Rah.

Quote from: RogueLeader on July 28, 2007, 01:16:54 AM
He he he he he. You guys are great, I almost have all my data that I need.  You guys have really been coming through for me.  Uh Rah.

Wow...that almost makes us sound like rubes...

No not at all.I just find that my results are coming along, and I am VERY grateful for your guyses help.

Quote from: MIKE on July 27, 2007, 03:24:17 AM

Quote from: Major Carrales on July 27, 2007, 03:13:31 AMAlso, there is very little CADET presence here.

I wonder why that is...  Back in the early days of CAP Talk there was more cadet activity here than we see today.

They just watch quietly, then make fun of us via other means

I have seen several cases where cadets were more or less slammed by seniors for voicing their opinions here. 

Quote from: RiverAux on July 30, 2007, 01:16:01 PM
I have seen several cases where cadets were more or less slammed by seniors for voicing their opinions here. 

Yep.  Though we want to encourage cadets along a path of development, constantly challenging them to learn and improve - we also should be doing that in the most tactful way possible.  Many of us are guilty, myself included, of being unusually harsh to new posters which inevitably leads to people not coming back.

In addition, if I were a cadet, there are probably few on-going topics here I'd want to participate in.  Senior professional development, senior grade structure, high-level organizational policitics and the like are topics most cadets are not interested in.  If we wanted to encourage that large cross-section of our membership to participate, there'd have to be more on-going conversations that relate to them.

Lastly, a large number of cadets are already on the CadetStuff Forums (http://forums.cadetstuff.org), where a much larger number of their colleagues already post regularly and discuss cadet matters.  Their forums are focused on cadet programs related matters, and though not a CAP-specific community by design, it is clearly dominated by CAP folks.

Those are probably the top three reasons, in my mind, why the cadet community of CAP is not so well represented on this discussion board.  Would I like to see that change?  Absolutely.  The more cadet participation, and the more participation from all CAP members, the better of a resource this community can become.