QUOTE(JoseClutch @ Fri 29th August 2008, 3:50pm)
QUOTE(Neil @ Fri 29th August 2008, 10:25am)
QUOTE(Ryan Postlethwaite @ Fri 29th August 2008, 3:06pm)
QUOTE(Neil @ Fri 29th August 2008, 11:08am)
Ryan Postlethwaite will be running, I believe.
Particularly after his RFB failed, Ryan has been getting more involved in the Mediation Committee, ramped up his attempts to be involved in making community proposals (such as the latest Betacommand one), and has been advocating various changes to how candidates are selected on the 2008 elections discussion page.
Actually Neil, I'm not even considering running. I don't think I'd be that good at it, and I don't think I'd be able to give it the time it requires. I haven't stepped up my participation in MedCom - I've been active in it since I joined last September.
Yes, that's what I said. More involved in MedCom. I thought you were a cert to run. That's too bad.
I also find this particularly surprising. Ryan's actions have all suggested he would do such a thing.
God knows why, but I enjoy getting involved with community proposals. I don't think I'm that far off the mark with the proposals I make, but if anyone expressed concern about them I'd happily step away from it. I also enjoy being part of MedCom - it can be quite fulfilling sitting down with a bunch of users who obviously have issues about each other and leading the discussion so they agree on a suitable compromise.
I don't really thing that activity in mediation is a good marker for someone wanting to be on ArbCom. Arbitrators and mediators need very different skills and whilst some are transferable, the key ones (arbitrators rule on conduct, mediatiors take neutral side throughout) are very much different. Some have made the change successfully, but I don't think it's easy for everyone.
In my opinion, the best arbitrators are the ones that have stayed out of the politics completely, and have instead shown good judgement in their article editing and background discussion work.