The Arbitration Committee needs new members. They are down to 6; 2 are on holiday, 3 have resigned, and 1 is permanently inactive. This means that majority decisions pass with only 4 votes, which is fine in a sense, but may not provide the needed level of detailed analysis that each case deserves.
The last vote was unbelievably rancorous and a huge pain in the neck for everyone, to no obviously good purpose, and yet I am committed in the long run to appointing people based on the results of community votes. But for an emergency, I don't think we need to go through that whole process.
Therefore, I am appointing some special members for the next 6 months (to cover the period until the next election), at the advice (and plea for help!) of the existing arbcom and (ultimately) my own judgment about who seems to be available and would do a good job.
JamesF Fennec JayJG
This is an absolutely horrible job, guaranteed to earn you general condemnation for being both a wimp and a tyrant, and I most sincerely apologize to the poor victims I am pulling into our service here.
There will be an additional appointment as soon as I confirm what appears to be the case, which is that Nohat is sadly leaving the position as well.
--Jimbo