Jita Park Speakers Corner

from http://poeticstanziel.blogspot.ca/2013/02/the-xander-phoena-sessions.html

Who is Xander Phoena? He's a new breed of Scot, as comfortable sitting down with the ladies for a cup of tea and a scone smothered in clotted cream[1] as he is wandering the decks of an offshore oil rig asking the real men doing real jobs if they happen to have a copy of Pitch Perfect. He's that new breed of Scot more comfortable sipping on a light and airy white wine spritzer than a tumbler of 25 year old single malt Glenmorangie.

Xander Phoena is a spiky haired bastard who many affectionately refer to as The MacTani[3]. It has been said that Xander is equally the man-specimen to his Yank counterpart, The Mittani.

Xander Phoena is also the host of Crossing Zebras. The pre-eminent EVE Online podcast for people looking for more than just two hosts (and their assortment of guests) hitting the record button and then talking about whatever comes to mind. Xander does crazy, off-kilter things like having topics, remaining on topic, and something called critical analysis[4].

Xander intends to use his skills and gifts as an orator and interviewer to bring CSM candidates more intimately to the community. Every CSM8 candidate has a standing offer to a thirty minute interview[5] with Xander Phoena. This is the sort of interview neither candidates or voters should pass up on. Each promises to be an insightful reveal into the platforms and thinking of each and every candidate.

Although every single interview is going to be interesting and revealing unto itself, the two I'm most looking forward to at the moment are the Ripard Teg and Mynnna interviews. These two are definitely top-runners for CSM8 seats[6]. Both are slippery chaps. I've found it hard to nail down their opinions on specific topics, especially regarding highsec.

Ripard Teg is definitely someone that does not like to make clear and concise opinions known. He's maddeningly oblique anytime he writes about controversial topics. He gives himself an out if it transpires that he's come down on the wrong side of popular opinion. As an example, a commenter calls him on a particular point, and Ripard responds "[I'm] also exaggerating like crazy. [I] say so right in the post." Except what Ripard actually wrote was "Am I exaggerating to make a point? Maybe just a little. But... just maybe I'm not exaggerating at all." He gives himself the opportunity to step away from an expressed opinion, if necessary. This waffling can also be found in his Garth, alter-ego posts. He uses Garth for his most incendiary topics, stating that Garth may or may not reflect the opinions of Ripard Teg. Whether Garth is a reflection of Ripard depends on the level of agreement (or disagreement) to the point being made.

I certainly think Ripard will make a great CSM8 candidate, even when I don't agree with his positions. But he really needs to take a recognizable stance on particular issues. We have already spent an entire year with Hans Jagerblitzen, who became well-known for bending whichever way the winds of popular opinion were blowing. I don't think we need somebody to replace Hans in that regard.

My hope is that Xander can nail down some positions from Ripard. Not let him get away with evasiveness.

And then there is Mynnna. About all we know of him is that he's Goonswarm's candidate, and that he's particularly good at crunching numbers, to the point where he's able to find flaws in game mechanics and exploit the hell out of them[7]. Beyond that, it's hard to know exactly where he stands. He seems to come down easily on both sides of an argument. It's great that he can see issues from the position of the players and well as from the position of CCP as a business, but it hardly tells us which way he's likely to argue at the end of the day.

Given the latest CSM7 minutes and verbiage coming from CSM7 representatives in recent interviews, it is not looking like nullsec is going to get much love in 2013. Mynnna is looked upon as a nullsec candidate. so if nullsec is not going to be a focus for the next two expansions (things can change though, and Mynnna's role here will no doubt be crucial), it is important to know his stances on issues outside of nullsec.

Like Ripard, my hope is that Xander can pull more concrete ideas and positions from Mynnna during his session.

There are, of course, other important sessions. With Malcanis. Marc Scaurus. Mike Azariah, Roc Wieler, and Mangala.

So watch for The Xander Phoena Sessions coming February/March 2013. Or pay attention here, because I'll likely be blogging my reaction to each and every interview.

***

[1] What is clotted cream? I know what a blood clot is, which happens to be something the British also enjoy; see blood pudding.

[3] Perhaps only I refer to him as such. But this certainly needs to be a thing.

[4] This sort of discourse suggests that Xander may have been educated outside of Scotland. He certainly digresses from what usually accounts for Scottish debate: "Ach, McDonnall! If ye dinnae chaynge yer mynd, ah will batter yer heid in wi' this 'ere rock."

[5] Xander has stated that every interview will run 30 minutes. No more. No less. Hopefully he doesn't stick to this limit unnecessarily. If the questions and follow-ups push an interview to longer, then so be it. He should really give himself the time necessary to get the answers he wants from the interviewee, and not let time constraints hamper quality. Some candidates are going to be more wordy and evasive than other candidates.

[6] Well, Mynnna is all but guaranteed the top spot on the council. But Ripard is certainly a top-runner for one of the remaining Iceland Seven seats.

[7] Mynnna's role in breaking wide open the loyalty point payout system for faction warfare during the summer of 2012 is now legendary.

oh godddd...

So what are your predictions if he gets elected? another spoongate? cowardsgate maybe?

Well at least if they do change the voting system and he gets elected, it will really show the new system is a fail

So far, the following candidates have signed up:

Malcanis
Mangala Solaris
Marc Scaurus
Mike Azariah
Mynnna
Ripard Teg
Roc Wieler

The more, the merrier.

Full, up to date list of candidates is available here http://crossingzebras.com/CSM8

I am honestly interested in this opportunity and am trying to get signed up myself. It's nice to see a podcaster/interviewer for once that actually has plans and structure.

Awesome. The more the merrier. Listen to CZ episode 19 to get a feel for Xander's interview style.

http://crossingzebras.com/

I look forward to participating.

Second interview is up and it's WH candidate, Nathan Jameson

http://crossingzebras.com/post/42754938569/csm8nathanjameson

Heard that first one, and glad you kept it to 30-35 minutes and ya asked great questions as well.

I suppose we will all find out if Myanna is a puppet when he starts trying to remove ABC ores from Wormholes.

Fourth interview is live! This time round, Marc Scaurus takes the stage

http://c-z.me/csm8marcscaurus