CSM 11 Candidates, Part 1

The folks at CSM Watch (CapStable + friends) have been doing their excellent interview series with CSM 11 Candidates.  It sounds like we have an even longer list than usual this year, and they've been plowing through them.  My usual Eve writing time is lunch at work, but due to various work projects many lunches have not been open as usual, so I'm quite a bit behind on the interviews.  But I'm managed to get a big pile of the interviews in, so it's time to run through some summaries.  Consider this a way to get a quick review without listening the the hours of interviews.

Note that if you aren't going to listen to the interviews then you still may want to listen to just the analysis shows.  As of this writing there have been three analysis shows you may want to listen to, so here are your shortcuts:
* CSM Watch: Analysis Show 1
* CSM Watch: Analysis Show 2
* CSM Watch: Analysis Show 3

As in the past, I'm going to bucket the candidate into three groups:
* Top Notch Candidates: I recommend that you read up on these candidates and consider them for your ballot.  Note that this doesn't necessarily mean I full agree with them, but I think that if you're interested in the election you should hear what they have to say.
* Interesting Candidates: These candidates interviews (and whatever else I've learned about them) may not put them on the ballot-worthy list, but if you're looking for a particular niche they may be worthwhile for you.
* Not Worth Your Time: I can't recommend expending more time learning about them.  Note that many first-time candidates may fall here because they couldn't articulate a coherent position.  It's possible they got entirely rattled by the interview and are good candidates - I just didn't see enough evidence to make me want to continue with them.

Because of my more limited time I'm going to be saying a much about each candidate, and those in the "Not Worthy" category will get even less.

Top Notch Candidates:

Steve Ronuken: (interview) (analysis show) (forum thread)
There's a reason why Steve is the default answer to the dreaded "who else do you want to see on CSM alongside you."  Until recently he would have been listed as the person that everyone got along with, but then Sion apparently flipped out over him which seems to say more about Sion.  Steve is the exception to the rule that CSM candidates need to have a broad, natural constituency.

Interesting Candidates:

Kyle Aparthos: (interview) (analysis show) (forum thread)
Interviewed as a calm, even communicator with a theme of engaging with players across the playerbase though his experience is clearly focused in null. Listed as a TMC author, but hasn’t written anything looks like in three months at least.  Last article (Local Mobility in Nullsec) shows a heated exchange with Grath that doesn’t seem to fit the “work with anyone” theme, though Garth was insulting in his comments right out of the gate.

Bobmon: (interview) (analysis show) (forum thread)
EN24 leader, PL member, event organizer.  Notable quote on divisiveness within CSM: "if you were playing soccer and one of your team mates was constantly scoring in your own goal, you’d kick them too." He has a shadow on him from IWantIsk connection, which I'm not so sure about. Are we going to go back and ban everyone who promoted SomerBlink on their website or blog retroactively?  However, his strong support of IWantIsk in the interview if nothing else will raise questions about his judgment.

Not Worth Your Time:

Vic Jefferson: (interview) (analysis show) (forum thread)
His focus is on communication and working with others, but he says if you want to talk to him just drop him an eve-mail.  That's not going to scale and seems to show he's missing the point of his own main theme. Also opens up with “I really, really hate Goonswarm, I’ve seen it from the inside, it needs to go.” In CSM 10 I rated him in the mid-range.  Perhaps I’m being more critical now, but I think I’d put him (and more people in general) into the “No Thanks” range.

Commander Aze: (interview) (analysis show) (forum thread)
Overall he's got some good attitude, but just doesn't come across strong and knowledgable. I think it says a lot when you see he's copied quotes from the CSM Analysis show over to his campaign thread like "I wouldn't hate it if he ended up on CSM" (Lockefox) and "I think he's getting the hang of it" (Noizygamer). Third time's the charm for CSM 12?

Nikolai Agnon: (interview) (analysis show) (forum thread)
Now in theory I would be all over the idea of a FW lowsec candidate, particularly with Sugar Kyle stepping down.  I think Nikolai is just not that candidate right now.  He needs to work on forming and communicating what his platform is concisely and confidently.  He rambles a good bit and I expect this would result in him not be convincing to CCP and being run over by the other CSMs.  I was listening to this interview as I ate lunch and found it really hard not to have my attention wander away.

Aiwha: (interview) (analysis show) (forum thread)
His heart is in the right place, but he is not coherent, bouncing around. He doesn't seem to have a good grasp on what RMT is and has confused it with microtransactions (perhaps nervousness?). "Know and Regurgitate" has to be one of the more awkward phrases a CSM candidate could use to describe what they wanted to do in the role.