Robert, I don't believe that Jimbo (or the Arbitration Committee) would ever give any single Wikipedian "the authority to ban". If you find access to Wikipedia blocked, please e-mail me privately, and I'll simply un-block you. (And if that results in me getting de-bureaucrated, de-sysopped, or even banned myself -- so be it.) Every mediation I've been involved in, has been successful. And as a member advocate, everyone who agreed to follow my advice has managed to avoid being banned. So if you want my help, you are welcome to it. Ed Poor