December 2015 Arbitration Committee Elections

[Anthonyhcole]

Strike Risker from my list. I forgot how incapable she is of admitting she's wrong. I just read the DHeyward block appeal. No reflection at all.

[Vigilant]

Say what you will about Bernstein, he is possessed of an admirable sense of humour.

The two of you should never be in any position of authority.

[PeterIV]

Say what you will about Bernstein, he is possessed of an admirable sense of humour.

The two of you should never be in any position of authority.

I agree with you regards me, at least.

[Kumioko]

Strike Risker from my list. I forgot how incapable she is of admitting she's wrong. I just read the DHeyward block appeal. No reflection at all.

This is really a problem with a lot of the admins who pursue careers on Wiki in positions like Arbcom. They start thinking that they are never wrong and everyone else has to change to their way of thinking.

[The Joy]

I see a lot of complaints about admin and Arbs here, some more useful than others, but seldom real solutions. With that in mind, I'm curious as to who you think should (or shouldn't) run for Arb this go around. Arb has managed to grab a good deal of power since it's creation, and has demonstrated it can be a force for positive change or it can screw up life for a good number of editors. Without question, it isn't going away or going to be changed anytime soon, so all we can do is elect who we think will represent the community, and cross our fingers.

Who do you trust enough that you wish they would run? Why?

I don't blame ArbCom as much as I blame the community. The dispute resolution process should be dealing with most of the problems before they end up at ArbCom. I imagine when it was conceived, no one thought ArbCom would have to deal with problems like pedophiles and death threats.

To be honest, I really don't know of anyone who could fix ArbCom. Jimbo appointed arbs, the community wanted elections. The community elected old guards, got mad at the old guards, and wanted Featured Article writers et al. to be arbs. The community elected the FA writers and all, got mad at them, and voted for mediocre new guards. The community now doesn't like the new guards and who knows who they will vote for this go round?

You and Newyorkbrad are the only ones I can think of at the moment to make any sort of common sense reform of ArbCom.

[Ross McPherson]

...community...community...community...community...community...

Have you got an exact number for this fig leaf?

[Ihatemyusername]

We should convince Mark Bernstein to run for Arbcom.

You, sir, are a prophet.

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?ti ... =689699997

I actually quite liked his candidate statement and was kind of tempted to vote for him. But then I read his answers to questions...

In general this seems like a completely different slate of candidates to previous years. We have three who have been desysopped by Arbcom two who are under discretionary sanctions, and one who seems to have committed copyright violations under a previous account and then failed to disclose that account in his statement.

[Zironic]

I'd love for Mark if I was eligible to vote, which I'm not.

[turnedworm]

We should convince Mark Bernstein to run for Arbcom.

You, sir, are a prophet.

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?ti ... =689699997

I actually quite liked his candidate statement and was kind of tempted to vote for him. But then I read his answers to questions...

In general this seems like a completely different slate of candidates to previous years. We have three who have been desysopped by Arbcom two who are under discretionary sanctions, and one who seems to have committed copyright violations under a previous account and then failed to disclose that account in his statement.

After 8 days last year, this is what the candidate list looked like - Not one successful candidate and a fair number of... inappropriate ones...

I don't expect any of the first 4 to get in, I'm afraid. Kirill, well that will depend on who else shows up.

[Zoloft]

I get to be a voter this year instead of a candidate. I suspect that will be more fun.

[thekohser]

Smallbones
Coretheapple

[Anthonyhcole]

I get to be a voter this year instead of a candidate. I suspect that will be more fun.

Could you be persuaded to run again? Didn't you do quite well last time? I sense this place is less scary to your average Wikipedian than it was a year ago. (It's an ugly, onerous job, though, and your role here would suffer.)

[Moral Hazard]

Smallbones (T-C-L)
Coretheapple (T-C-L)

Inspired selections.
With Mark Bernstein (T-C-L) and (as predicted above, based on his surfacing to block Eric Corbett) Kirill Lokshin (T-C-L) already declared, I really feel the burn

[Zironic]

I get to be a voter this year instead of a candidate. I suspect that will be more fun.

Could you be persuaded to run again? Didn't you do quite well last time? I sense this place is less scary to your average Wikipedian than it was a year ago. (It's an ugly, onerous job, though, and your role here would suffer.)

Your thoughts in parenthesis is why I don't think it's a good idea for anyone involved with WO to run. Even if the best possible person gets elected, what good can they actually do in arbcom? How much personal harm will they suffer? How much of their contributions elsewhere will we lose?

[Jim]

I get to be a voter this year instead of a candidate. I suspect that will be more fun.

Could you be persuaded to run again?

I've said this already. It has to be you who runs, Anthony. Seriously. We need you on that "candidates" page now.

[Casliber]

Bishonen
Liz
Keilana
Risker
Alison
Andreas

Anthonyhcole

Wait, Risker? Minus 10 points at least.

I'm not suggesting any of them is perfect but Risker has the corporate memory and, notwithstanding Vigilant's characterisations, she's smart and sharp and organised. Yes she's sometimes wrong, but the others will be able to handle her.

Dude.
Did you read her advice to the rest of ARBCOM when they found they had a leaker?
Is it opposite day?

Enlighten us please (as to what you'd have said/done were it you). I don't even recall and I was on the list at the time....

[Jim]

Enlighten us please (as to what you'd have said/done were it you). I don't even recall and I was on the list at the time....

Hi Cas. I'd get if I were you.
Risker was very silly at that time, but I'm sure won't be shy here, and I'd hate to rumble before the thunder.

[Casliber]

Enlighten us please (as to what you'd have said/done were it you). I don't even recall and I was on the list at the time....

Hi Cas. I'd get if I were you.
Risker was very silly at that time, but I'm sure won't be shy here, and I'd hate to rumble before the thunder.

I am supposed to be doing tax but any excuse to procrastinate...just deciding whether to go make a coffee or vodka....or both.

[Anthonyhcole]

Enlighten us please (as to what you'd have said/done were it you). I don't even recall and I was on the list at the time....

I vaguely recall "reboot your modems", or something similar. But, does she pretend to know anything about tech stuff? Anyway, since she's not a candidate, perhaps another time or thread?

[Dennis Brown]

I get to be a voter this year instead of a candidate. I suspect that will be more fun.

I think you may be overestimating the joy. It's kind of like getting a free ticket to an all you can eat buffet, and you get there and find they only serve whipping cream. You can get your fill, but it's not very satisfying and you just end up with sick feeling in your stomach.

[Jim]

Enlighten us please (as to what you'd have said/done were it you). I don't even recall and I was on the list at the time....

Hi Cas. I'd get if I were you.
Risker was very silly at that time, but I'm sure won't be shy here, and I'd hate to rumble before the thunder.

I am supposed to be doing tax but any excuse to procrastinate...just deciding whether to go make a coffee or vodka....or both.

Yeah, I just went through 27 hoops today trying to link my.gov to ATO, including a phone call where the "helper" told me, after I'd proved my identity through several ridiculously excessive means, that they couldn't tell me the previous bank account, on my own account, for "privacy reasons".

In case I was keeping it a secret from myself, I guess. God speed.

Vodka sounds good.

[Casliber]

Enlighten us please (as to what you'd have said/done were it you). I don't even recall and I was on the list at the time....

Hi Cas. I'd get if I were you.
Risker was very silly at that time, but I'm sure won't be shy here, and I'd hate to rumble before the thunder.

I am supposed to be doing tax but any excuse to procrastinate...just deciding whether to go make a coffee or vodka....or both.

Yeah, I just went through 27 hoops today trying to link my.gov to ATO, including a phone call where the "helper" told me, after I'd proved my identity through several ridiculously excessive means, that they couldn't tell me the previous bank account, on my own account, for "privacy reasons".

In case I was keeping it a secret from myself, I guess. God speed.

Vodka sounds good.

mygov is getting a bit easier....last year you had to remember when and where you last went to a doctor to link the medicare to it (fuck!!!)...now it's just regular GP.

[Dennis Brown]

I don't blame ArbCom as much as I blame the community. The dispute resolution process should be dealing with most of the problems before they end up at ArbCom. I imagine when it was conceived, no one thought ArbCom would have to deal with problems like pedophiles and death threats.

To be honest, I really don't know of anyone who could fix ArbCom. Jimbo appointed arbs, the community wanted elections. The community elected old guards, got mad at the old guards, and wanted Featured Article writers et al. to be arbs. The community elected the FA writers and all, got mad at them, and voted for mediocre new guards. The community now doesn't like the new guards and who knows who they will vote for this go round?

You and Newyorkbrad are the only ones I can think of at the moment to make any sort of common sense reform of ArbCom.

I don't blame the members as much as the structure, which is impossible to change and can't bend in the wind. As for Brad, I'm pretty sure he doesn't care for me, although we both are professional enough that we can work together and have participated in several threads. We're both pragmatic, but I'm a bit more blunt and less reserved, and he is infinitely more qualified as an Arb anyway. I'm afraid I would be too impatient and get swallowed up by the bureaucracy, get frustrated and leave. I'm flattered that you think I could make a difference, however. Maybe in the future I will make a run, maybe, but my judgement is a bit compromised due to an exceptionally brutal divorce, after discovering she blew 20 years of savings and equity, secretly gambling. So yes, I'm preoccupied, which is why I've been a bit scarce. To make a difference, I would need to be settled, focused and eager. I'm none of those things just yet.

[Jim]

Enlighten us please (as to what you'd have said/done were it you). I don't even recall and I was on the list at the time....

Hi Cas. I'd get if I were you.
Risker was very silly at that time, but I'm sure won't be shy here, and I'd hate to rumble before the thunder.

I am supposed to be doing tax but any excuse to procrastinate...just deciding whether to go make a coffee or vodka....or both.

Yeah, I just went through 27 hoops today trying to link my.gov to ATO, including a phone call where the "helper" told me, after I'd proved my identity through several ridiculously excessive means, that they couldn't tell me the previous bank account, on my own account, for "privacy reasons".

In case I was keeping it a secret from myself, I guess. God speed.

Vodka sounds good.

mygov is getting a bit easier....last year you had to remember when and where you last went to a doctor to link the medicare to it (fuck!!!)...now it's just regular GP.

Yeah, I guess my main niggle was:

"Ok, you've jumped through these 27 hoops to identify yourself"
"Yes, we now believe you are who you say you are"
""Certainly, you may now transfer control of this account to anywhere or anyone at all you like, since we are totally sure that you are you"

"No, we can't tell you any stuff about the account, even though we know it's yours, for "privacy" reasons.

I'm over it now, but really, whose "privacy"? It's a crock.

[Casliber]

I don't blame ArbCom as much as I blame the community. The dispute resolution process should be dealing with most of the problems before they end up at ArbCom. I imagine when it was conceived, no one thought ArbCom would have to deal with problems like pedophiles and death threats.

To be honest, I really don't know of anyone who could fix ArbCom. Jimbo appointed arbs, the community wanted elections. The community elected old guards, got mad at the old guards, and wanted Featured Article writers et al. to be arbs. The community elected the FA writers and all, got mad at them, and voted for mediocre new guards. The community now doesn't like the new guards and who knows who they will vote for this go round?

You and Newyorkbrad are the only ones I can think of at the moment to make any sort of common sense reform of ArbCom.

I don't blame the members as much as the structure, which is impossible to change and can't bend in the wind. As for Brad, I'm pretty sure he doesn't care for me, although we both are professional enough that we can work together and have participated in several threads. We're both pragmatic, but I'm a bit more blunt and less reserved, and he is infinitely more qualified as an Arb anyway. I'm afraid I would be too impatient and get swallowed up by the bureaucracy, get frustrated and leave. I'm flattered that you think I could make a difference, however. Maybe in the future I will make a run, maybe, but my judgement is a bit compromised due to an exceptionally brutal divorce, after discovering she blew 20 years of savings and equity, secretly gambling. So yes, I'm preoccupied, which is why I've been a bit scarce. To make a difference, I would need to be settled, focused and eager. I'm none of those things just yet.

Oh I dunno. If you're interested, you'll be interested (in any given case). It isn't rocket science.

[Vigilant]

I get to be a voter this year instead of a candidate. I suspect that will be more fun.

Could you be persuaded to run again? Didn't you do quite well last time? I sense this place is less scary to your average Wikipedian than it was a year ago. (It's an ugly, onerous job, though, and your role here would suffer.)

Your thoughts in parenthesis is why I don't think it's a good idea for anyone involved with WO to run. Even if the best possible person gets elected, what good can they actually do in arbcom? How much personal harm will they suffer? How much of their contributions elsewhere will we lose?

You don't have to do anything you don't want to.

Sit on the 'committee' and throw bombs all day.
Vote only when there's a tie to be broken and vote in the manner which will piss off the largest number of en.wp basement dwellers.
Offer motions at every case to def(l)ounder Jimbo.
Direct the clerks to only accept 'evidence' in iambic pentameter.
Offer all of your opinions in ig-pay atin-lay.
Make new comical nicknames to refer to victims involved parties in the case. Add nicknames for all ARBCOM 'members'.
Refer to every other person on ARBCOM as Comrade ARBCOMMER.
Refer all cases to WMF legal and insist they respond.
Add random people to each case and call upon them to provide 'evidence'.

ARBCOM could be very fun if you approach it with the right mindset.

[Zoloft]

I get to be a voter this year instead of a candidate. I suspect that will be more fun.

Could you be persuaded to run again? Didn't you do quite well last time? I sense this place is less scary to your average Wikipedian than it was a year ago. (It's an ugly, onerous job, though, and your role here would suffer.)

Your thoughts in parenthesis is why I don't think it's a good idea for anyone involved with WO to run. Even if the best possible person gets elected, what good can they actually do in arbcom? How much personal harm will they suffer? How much of their contributions elsewhere will we lose?

You don't have to do anything you don't want to.

Sit on the 'committee' and throw bombs all day.
Vote only when there's a tie to be broken and vote in the manner which will piss off the largest number of en.wp basement dwellers.
Offer motions at every case to def(l)ounder Jimbo.
Direct the clerks to only accept 'evidence' in iambic pentameter.
Offer all of your opinions in ig-pay atin-lay.
Make new comical nicknames to refer to victims involved parties in the case. Add nicknames for all ARBCOM 'members'.
Refer to every other person on ARBCOM as Comrade ARBCOMMER.
Refer all cases to WMF legal and insist they respond.
Add random people to each case and call upon them to provide 'evidence'.

ARBCOM could be very fun if you approach it with the right mindset.

I don't know if there is an internal procedure to remove an ARBCOM member, but I suspect there would be one created swiftly.

[Randy from Boise]

You don't have to do anything you don't want to.

Sit on the 'committee' and throw bombs all day.
Vote only when there's a tie to be broken and vote in the manner which will piss off the largest number of en.wp basement dwellers.
Offer motions at every case to def(l)ounder Jimbo.
Direct the clerks to only accept 'evidence' in iambic pentameter.
Offer all of your opinions in ig-pay atin-lay.
Make new comical nicknames to refer to victims involved parties in the case. Add nicknames for all ARBCOM 'members'.
Refer to every other person on ARBCOM as Comrade ARBCOMMER.
Refer all cases to WMF legal and insist they respond.
Add random people to each case and call upon them to provide 'evidence'.

ARBCOM could be very fun if you approach it with the right mindset.

I like this guy!!!

RfB

[Dennis Brown]

I get to be a voter this year instead of a candidate. I suspect that will be more fun.

Could you be persuaded to run again? Didn't you do quite well last time? I sense this place is less scary to your average Wikipedian than it was a year ago. (It's an ugly, onerous job, though, and your role here would suffer.)

Your thoughts in parenthesis is why I don't think it's a good idea for anyone involved with WO to run. Even if the best possible person gets elected, what good can they actually do in arbcom? How much personal harm will they suffer? How much of their contributions elsewhere will we lose?

You don't have to do anything you don't want to.

Sit on the 'committee' and throw bombs all day.
Vote only when there's a tie to be broken and vote in the manner which will piss off the largest number of en.wp basement dwellers.
Offer motions at every case to def(l)ounder Jimbo.
Direct the clerks to only accept 'evidence' in iambic pentameter.
Offer all of your opinions in ig-pay atin-lay.
Make new comical nicknames to refer to victims involved parties in the case. Add nicknames for all ARBCOM 'members'.
Refer to every other person on ARBCOM as Comrade ARBCOMMER.
Refer all cases to WMF legal and insist they respond.
Add random people to each case and call upon them to provide 'evidence'.

ARBCOM could be very fun if you approach it with the right mindset.

I don't know if there is an internal procedure to remove an ARBCOM member, but I suspect there would be one created swiftly.

It would never happen but let's take it to an absurd conclusion that policy seems to support: Someone could be voted in then do the above (not malicious, just defiant things), then end up desysopped, de-CU'ed, de-OSed (all under Level I or maybe Level II Removal of Privileges procedures), blocked with no talk page access, removed from the mailing list, and still be considered a sitting Arb. I don't think Arb can make their own rules about "de-Arbing" someone, this would be a dangerous attempt to put themselves truly over and beyond the community. Or Jimbo could declare someone "de-Arb'ed", I'm sure that would go over well.

[Kelly Martin]

The ArbCom has, at times, contemplated the need to declare seats on the ArbCom vacant, with regard to arbitrators who have disappeared. (Remember Filiocht?) It would not be a far stretch to declare the seat of an obviously misbehaving arbitrator to be vacant, especially if they'd already banned the dude.

The ArbCom only lets itself be constrained by technicalities when it wants to be.

[tarantino]

Say what you will about Bernstein, he is possessed of an admirable sense of humour.

lol

Are you registered on Wikipediocracy or any other site that contains ongoing discussion about Wikipedia? If so, which, and what is your username on each site? Either way, would you pledge to refrain from participation on such sites during your term of office?

I'm registered on Wikipediocracy as MarkBernstein in order to read discussion about Wikiedia. I'm registered in lots of other places, including Reddit, usually as MarkBernstein. I'm an internet professional; I have accounts that have forgotten the accounts I have forgotten. I don't participate at Wikipediocracy because the discussions there are banal, and I don’t participate (for example) at WikiInAction because they hate my guts. Literally. You could look it up. I don't think it likely that I’d participate at Wikipediocracy, if only because there are so many better place to publish. I write and speak frequently about hypertext research and related areas, and expect to continue to do so. Which reminds me -- thank you for asking! -- my next book will be "Getting Started With Hypertext Narrative", a topic of limited utility here but which perhaps will interest some viewers at home.

[Ross McPherson]

Maybe in the future I will make a run, maybe, but my judgement is a bit compromised due to an exceptionally brutal divorce, after discovering she blew 20 years of savings and equity, secretly gambling.

I see you at one computer at one end of the house, living the life of a Wikipedia admin, and your wife at another computer at the other end of the house, living the life of a high roller. The age we live in! I am writing a novel. That is just as addictive. I come here for a change of scenery but it doesn’t change all that much. You added a bit of colour so thanks for that.

[Jim]

I don't participate at Wikipediocracy because the discussions there are banal,

Oh, Mark. Don't you see? You are what we are missing. Your unbanality would surely raise our bar. Please come and talk with us, and make us better.

[Vigilant]

I don't participate at Wikipediocracy because the discussions there are banal,

Oh, Mark. Don't you see? You are what we are missing. Your unbanality would surely raise our bar. Please come and talk with us, and make us better.

I cannot wait to be enlightened.

[CoffeeCrumbs]

What really entertains me about Bernstein is how he feels he's in charge of some societal uprising against Wikipedia. When in fact the number of non-Wikipedia people that have ever given one thought as to Wikipedia governance is probably 0.01% or so the number of people arguing whether a hot dog is a sandwich. I mean really, Wikipedia has to change before society does it for them? Society has more shits to not give about Wikipedia than there are atoms in the universe.

[Dennis Brown]

Maybe in the future I will make a run, maybe, but my judgement is a bit compromised due to an exceptionally brutal divorce, after discovering she blew 20 years of savings and equity, secretly gambling.

I see you at one computer at one end of the house, living the life of a Wikipedia admin, and your wife at another computer at the other end of the house, living the life of a high roller. The age we live in! I am writing a novel. That is just as addictive. I come here for a change of scenery but it doesn’t change all that much. You added a bit of colour so thanks for that.

It is always more complicated in real life, but the simple version makes for a better read. I've averaged around 20 edits a day over the last 3.5 years, so not sure that qualifies as an addiction as much as mild obsession. I also had a music studio and a full life outside enwp. No, she has a real addiction, which was news to me since we actually DID spend lots of quality time together daily for two decades. I worked 50 hours a week, she didn't work at all, so she had lots of time. And I'm very open about the whole experience, which might strike some as odd, but I think it is healthier that way, and might help someone else dealing with worse problems, and reminds them that yes, I am a real human. Wikipedians sometimes forget that there are real people on the other side of those signatures. Plus, it could be a lot worse. The doctor could have told me I have pancreatic cancer, for instance. So I count my blessings.

[Ross McPherson]

Maybe in the future I will make a run, maybe, but my judgement is a bit compromised due to an exceptionally brutal divorce, after discovering she blew 20 years of savings and equity, secretly gambling.

I see you at one computer at one end of the house, living the life of a Wikipedia admin, and your wife at another computer at the other end of the house, living the life of a high roller. The age we live in! I am writing a novel. That is just as addictive. I come here for a change of scenery but it doesn’t change all that much. You added a bit of colour so thanks for that.

It is always more complicated in real life, but the simple version makes for a better read. I've averaged around 20 edits a day over the last 3.5 years, so not sure that qualifies as an addiction as much as mild obsession. I also had a music studio and a full life outside enwp. No, she has a real addiction, which was news to me since we actually DID spend lots of quality time together daily for two decades. I worked 50 hours a week, she didn't work at all, so she had lots of time. And I'm very open about the whole experience, which might strike some as odd, but I think it is healthier that way, and might help someone else dealing with worse problems, and reminds them that yes, I am a real human. Wikipedians sometimes forget that there are real people on the other side of those signatures. Plus, it could be a lot worse. The doctor could have told me I have pancreatic cancer, for instance. So I count my blessings.

Thanks for setting the record straight. I don't mind you at all now.( :})

[Moral Hazard]

the number of people arguing whether a hot dog is a sandwich.

A hot dog is a sandwich, just as an open-faced sandwich is a sandwich and an open-faced sandwich's bread has the shape of a one-piece hot-dog bun.

[Poetlister]

I don't participate at Wikipediocracy because the discussions there are banal,

Oh, Mark. Don't you see? You are what we are missing. Your unbanality would surely raise our bar. Please come and talk with us, and make us better.

We need to proclaim WO:SOFIXIT as one of our pillars.

[Jim]

What really entertains me about Bernstein is how he feels he's in charge of some societal uprising against Wikipedia. When in fact the number of non-Wikipedia people that have ever given one thought as to Wikipedia governance is probably 0.01% or so the number of people arguing whether a hot dog is a sandwich. I mean really, Wikipedia has to change before society does it for them? Society has more shits to not give about Wikipedia than there are atoms in the universe.

Aww, bless him, though. He's a force for change. (typos are sic.)

[The Joy]

I don't blame ArbCom as much as I blame the community. The dispute resolution process should be dealing with most of the problems before they end up at ArbCom. I imagine when it was conceived, no one thought ArbCom would have to deal with problems like pedophiles and death threats.

To be honest, I really don't know of anyone who could fix ArbCom. Jimbo appointed arbs, the community wanted elections. The community elected old guards, got mad at the old guards, and wanted Featured Article writers et al. to be arbs. The community elected the FA writers and all, got mad at them, and voted for mediocre new guards. The community now doesn't like the new guards and who knows who they will vote for this go round?

You and Newyorkbrad are the only ones I can think of at the moment to make any sort of common sense reform of ArbCom.

I don't blame the members as much as the structure, which is impossible to change and can't bend in the wind. As for Brad, I'm pretty sure he doesn't care for me, although we both are professional enough that we can work together and have participated in several threads. We're both pragmatic, but I'm a bit more blunt and less reserved, and he is infinitely more qualified as an Arb anyway. I'm afraid I would be too impatient and get swallowed up by the bureaucracy, get frustrated and leave. I'm flattered that you think I could make a difference, however. Maybe in the future I will make a run, maybe, but my judgement is a bit compromised due to an exceptionally brutal divorce, after discovering she blew 20 years of savings and equity, secretly gambling. So yes, I'm preoccupied, which is why I've been a bit scarce. To make a difference, I would need to be settled, focused and eager. I'm none of those things just yet.

At a non-profit I volunteer at, one board member was the most blunt, vulgar, pissed, Vigilant-oriented person I've ever met... and the non-profit's board needed her. She would make statements such as "Let me tell you something. We've gotten away with a lot of shit for years, but the shit has to STOP NOW! (bangs fist on table) Our days our numbered if we don't get our shit together! The day is coming when the shit will hit the fan and the shit will spread FAR AND WIDE!" People didn't always like what she had to say, but she was right. She spoke the truth. Maybe she didn't do it in a "professional" manner, but the board itself was unprofessional in some respects and it needed someone to shock them into reality. They'd forget to pay employees and spend more money on fundraisers than what the fundraisers would raise! The place was out of compliance with local ordinances and the board felt they could "get away with it since they've gotten away with it before." She had to take a stand. Slowly, but surely, things are getting on the up and up and its partly because of her persistence. On an individual level, the board members are wonderful, but something happens when they get together that all the bad decisions and proverbial knives come out. The aforementioned board member was one of the few that had any influence in getting them to work together for the good of the non-profit. ArbCom, and even the doggone Foundation, needs at least one board member I just described.

I certainly won't pressure you to consider a run since you are still recovering from a devastating blow, but if you think having a brusque personality is an immediate disqualifier for a leadership position like ArbCom, I think you are mistaken. You may not be loved for your decisions, but an Arbcom member's responsibility is to keep the English Wikipedia from collapsing further into bickering anarchy, not to make friends.

Maybe you could pledge to run for just one year and see how long you can survive before you defenestrate your monitor and keyboard? I lean more into the "Wikipedia is beyond hope" camp, but I am curious to see if someone... anyone... can prove me wrong. I think you might have the highest chance of being that person. No pressure. It's your choice.

[Vigilant]

:sigh:

[Kumioko]

I don't blame ArbCom as much as I blame the community. The dispute resolution process should be dealing with most of the problems before they end up at ArbCom. I imagine when it was conceived, no one thought ArbCom would have to deal with problems like pedophiles and death threats.

To be honest, I really don't know of anyone who could fix ArbCom. Jimbo appointed arbs, the community wanted elections. The community elected old guards, got mad at the old guards, and wanted Featured Article writers et al. to be arbs. The community elected the FA writers and all, got mad at them, and voted for mediocre new guards. The community now doesn't like the new guards and who knows who they will vote for this go round?

You and Newyorkbrad are the only ones I can think of at the moment to make any sort of common sense reform of ArbCom.

I don't blame the members as much as the structure, which is impossible to change and can't bend in the wind. As for Brad, I'm pretty sure he doesn't care for me, although we both are professional enough that we can work together and have participated in several threads. We're both pragmatic, but I'm a bit more blunt and less reserved, and he is infinitely more qualified as an Arb anyway. I'm afraid I would be too impatient and get swallowed up by the bureaucracy, get frustrated and leave. I'm flattered that you think I could make a difference, however. Maybe in the future I will make a run, maybe, but my judgement is a bit compromised due to an exceptionally brutal divorce, after discovering she blew 20 years of savings and equity, secretly gambling. So yes, I'm preoccupied, which is why I've been a bit scarce. To make a difference, I would need to be settled, focused and eager. I'm none of those things just yet.

If it makes you feel any better Brad doesn't care for me either and given that he was one of the people who advocated outing me to my employer, I take that as a compliment. I would rather someone like that not like me. I try to surround myself with people with a higher morale center than that and besides showing an incredible disregard of policy, it was immoral and a damn lousy thing to do. But he is a lawyer after all so I guess a certain morale flexibility is to be expected.

In regards to your other comment about the current candidates list, I think Hawkeye might have a chance and as much as I would like to say no to Kirill, his previous experience as an Arb and current membership in the Wikichapter DC thing is probably going to mean he'll get in. That's still only one of the seats and no one else to fill them yet. I don't personally see many in the site with the right skillset. The arbcom and the project will be better off without most of the ones leaving the Arbcom on it, so just having them not in the Arbcom anymore will be a benefit to the project. I think we might see a few more former arbs step up though.

[Hex]

I'd vote for Salvidrim but I worry that arbitrating would take too much time away from his busy schedule.

[Dennis Brown]

In regards to your other comment about the current candidates list, I think Hawkeye might have a chance and as much as I would like to say no to Kirill, his previous experience as an Arb and current membership in the Wikichapter DC thing is probably going to mean he'll get in. That's still only one of the seats and no one else to fill them yet. I don't personally see many in the site with the right skillset. The arbcom and the project will be better off without most of the ones leaving the Arbcom on it, so just having them not in the Arbcom anymore will be a benefit to the project. I think we might see a few more former arbs step up though.

Casliber isn't overjoyed at the idea but hasn't ruled anything out if he felt like the field was short. See my talk page. Keep in mind, people jump in at the last minute. Arb elections are like ebay auctions, the snipers come in at the last second.

[Casliber]

I get to be a voter this year instead of a candidate. I suspect that will be more fun.

Could you be persuaded to run again? Didn't you do quite well last time? I sense this place is less scary to your average Wikipedian than it was a year ago. (It's an ugly, onerous job, though, and your role here would suffer.)

Your thoughts in parenthesis is why I don't think it's a good idea for anyone involved with WO to run. Even if the best possible person gets elected, what good can they actually do in arbcom? How much personal harm will they suffer? How much of their contributions elsewhere will we lose?

You don't have to do anything you don't want to.

Sit on the 'committee' and throw bombs all day.
Vote only when there's a tie to be broken and vote in the manner which will piss off the largest number of en.wp basement dwellers.
Offer motions at every case to def(l)ounder Jimbo.
Direct the clerks to only accept 'evidence' in iambic pentameter.
Offer all of your opinions in ig-pay atin-lay.
Make new comical nicknames to refer to victims involved parties in the case. Add nicknames for all ARBCOM 'members'.
Refer to every other person on ARBCOM as Comrade ARBCOMMER.
Refer all cases to WMF legal and insist they respond.
Add random people to each case and call upon them to provide 'evidence'.

ARBCOM could be very fun if you approach it with the right mindset.

I don't know if there is an internal procedure to remove an ARBCOM member, but I suspect there would be one created swiftly.

It's happened before. Not as a procedure per se though

[Kumioko]

In regards to your other comment about the current candidates list, I think Hawkeye might have a chance and as much as I would like to say no to Kirill, his previous experience as an Arb and current membership in the Wikichapter DC thing is probably going to mean he'll get in. That's still only one of the seats and no one else to fill them yet. I don't personally see many in the site with the right skillset. The arbcom and the project will be better off without most of the ones leaving the Arbcom on it, so just having them not in the Arbcom anymore will be a benefit to the project. I think we might see a few more former arbs step up though.

Casliber isn't overjoyed at the idea but hasn't ruled anything out if he felt like the field was short. See my talk page. Keep in mind, people jump in at the last minute. Arb elections are like ebay auctions, the snipers come in at the last second.

Oh yeah I know, historically the ones who come in at the end are the ones that get elected.

[Salvidrim]

I'd vote for Salvidrim but I worry that arbitrating would take too much time away from his busy schedule.

Dude, if you think this is something, you should see the shitty French vlogs I started pumping out ;D

[ats]

At a non-profit I volunteer at, one board member was the most blunt, vulgar, pissed, Vigilant-oriented person I've ever met... and the non-profit's board needed her. She would make statements such as "Let me tell you something. We've gotten away with a lot of shit for years, but the shit has to STOP NOW! (bangs fist on table) Our days our numbered if we don't get our shit together! The day is coming when the shit will hit the fan and the shit will spread FAR AND WIDE!" People didn't always like what she had to say, but she was right. She spoke the truth. Maybe she didn't do it in a "professional" manner, but the board itself was unprofessional in some respects and it needed someone to shock them into reality. They'd forget to pay employees and spend more money on fundraisers than what the fundraisers would raise! The place was out of compliance with local ordinances and the board felt they could "get away with it since they've gotten away with it before." She had to take a stand. Slowly, but surely, things are getting on the up and up and its partly because of her persistence. On an individual level, the board members are wonderful, but something happens when they get together that all the bad decisions and proverbial knives come out. The aforementioned board member was one of the few that had any influence in getting them to work together for the good of the non-profit. ArbCom, and even the doggone Foundation, needs at least one board member I just described.

This sounds like it boils down to: "every organization needs its designated asshole". It's the asshole's job to spew all the deep dark shit everyone normally wants to ignore.

Likewise pretty much every successful organization needs its designated BSD. The BSD's job is to make all the hard decisions that no one can agree on.

[Moral Hazard]

In my experience, Timtrent (T-C-L) / Fiddle Faddle (T-C-L) has been a good editor.

Long-time Arbcom clerk Callanecc (T-C-L) gained his office along with Ks0stm (T-C-L), Hahc21 (T-C-L), and other misfits.
Vigilant was especially thorough in his comments about Callanec, inspired by Callanec's clerking in the Arbcom case banning me for having discussed Ironholds (T-C-L)and Demiurge1000 (T-C-L) on Wikipedia:

Who is this officious little shit?

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?ti ... =567727802

I didn't say it wasn't relevant to the case just not to a proposed decision which hasn't yet been posted. However I see where you are coming from and that it is (and was) a useful discussion to have; however the evidence and workshop pages are closed and if this is to be discussed it should be on one of those talk pages. Also, in case you aren't aware, actions undertaken by arbitration clerks on arbitration pages may not be be reversed or amended without prior approval from the clerk, clerks or Committee. Callanecc (T-C-L) 04:20, 9 August 2013 (UTC)

You're likely going to ban someone and you can't be inconvenienced enough to open a page when someone brings a relevant concern?

Jeez, what a cockholster.

Edit: Oh, good.
First edits...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia ... rce_Cadets

Requirements to join

The minimum requirements for enrolment in the Australian Air Force Cadets are as follows:

Must be at least 13 years of age,
Must be a person ordinarily resident in Australia,
Must have parents' or guardians' permission to enrol,
Be medically fit to the standards detailed in Chapter 10 of the AAFC Policy Manual, and capable of carrying out the normal duties and activities of a cadet in the Australian Air Force Cadets,
Not be a member of any other sub-component of the Australian Defence Force Cadets, or a member of any of the Defence Forces, either full-time or ADF Reserve, and
Have parents' or guardians' permission for a qualified medical practitioner to anaesthetise and operate in an emergency.

While the age limit for enrolment is 18, cadets can continue their cadet 'career' until the age of 20, when their enrolment is automatically terminated. Terminated cadets who have reached 21 years of age are entitled to re-apply as an Instructor of Cadets or Officer of Cadets (staff member) at a squadron.

Cadets and staff are civilians and are not automatically entitled to, or required to serve in the Australian Defence Forces.

Just what we need. Another teenage hat collector with their nose stuck firmly up the ass of the ARBCOM shitheels.

Scratch the surface of any of these obsequious vermin and what do we find?
If you said "COI editing", you win the prize.

John_Harvey_(RAAF_officer) (T-H-L)

Anyone wanna bet that

Service/branch Royal Australian Air Force
Years of service 1977 – 2011
Rank Air Marshal

Air Marshall Harvey was in this guy's chain of command?

Edit2: Now 27 years old.
An expert in some fields

http://www.funadvice.com/q/masturbation_1018
Question
Masturbation

Asked on May 16, 2009 by oceanh3ro (T-C-L) In Love & Relationships (T-H-L)

Okay last night I masterbated for an hour and everytime I was about to cum I stopped so I wudnt cum fast. But when I was done my penis was I guess like swoleen and it hurts to the touch. What caused this?

Luckily we've got the bright boy with the answer

it happens because your penis doesnt let any blood out, having more blood in there is how u get hard, so it gets swollen and then hurts. Nothing to worry about, its happenned to me a few times.
Answered by callanecc (T-C-L)· Male, 23

Good to know he's on the job!

Edit3:
Now just a doggone moment here.

Account created in 2009 with these rights?
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?ti ... =Callanecc
Callanecc (T-C-L) (account creator, file mover, reviewer, rollbacker) (Created on 30 August 2009 at 05:17)

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?ti ... =Callanecc

• * 19 edits for all of 2009
  * 10 edits for all of 2010

What account did this guy edit from before?

Subpages... Dear god.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:P ... Callanecc/

For each user there

Hello, welcome to your Counter Vandalism Unit Academy page!

What the fucking fuck?!

He's a shitty writer too
https://tools.wmflabs.org/xtools/pages/ ... oredirects

Jason_Glanville (T-H-L)

Jason Glanville is a member of the Wiradjuri people of central New South Wales and a leader in the indigenous community. Glanville holds senior positions in a number of organisations dedicated to Indigenous Australians, Glanville has also worked for the Commonwealth Government and Queensland State Government.[1][2]

In 2010, Glanville was named as one of Sydney's 100 Most Influential People,[3] and following this, in 2011 Glanville was named as one of Boss Magazine's True Leaders of 2011.[4]

Wow. I'll take run-on sentences for $500, Alex.

Reconciliation Australia

Prior to 2009 Jason Glanville was appointed the Director of Policy and Stategy for Reconciliation Australia.[5]

In 2009, Paul O'Callaghan was chosen over Jason Glanville as the Chief Executive Officer of Reconciliation Australia. Following the announcement, fellow staff members at Reconciliation Australia as well as indigenous activists across the country reacted in "shock and disbelief".[1]

It's hard to know what to say about this obvious fawning and slobbering article.

I'm going to look through the rest of his stuff, but I think he needs a thread of his own.

Not enough of a disaster to join the "Hasten the Day" slate, given the standards of MarkBernstein (T-C-L), but the lad has potential.