Hello It’s Me- Todd Rundgren
My name, as the title of this post would tell you, is Mike Azariah. I am running for CSM 21, my last run and I have run in most elections in Eve since CSM 4. I Have served on quite a few CSM councils over the years and want to do it one more time.
Take a moment and google “Who is Mike in Eve Online” (Or ask some AI you are friends with.)
No I don’t use AI to make my campaign posts, form my opinions, or write for my show. Ah, that is the first thing I want to mention. I do a weekly Eve News show, I have done so since January of 2025. But before that? Well I did reports on what was happening in the CSM. (within the constraints of the NDA). A fair number of candidates MAY promise to talk to you once elected . . . I have a track record of doing so.
IRL? I am retired teacher on the West Coast of Canada, patient by trade and fairly decent at explaining things to people. That is key when talking to FC and players alike.
When We Were Young - Adele
So FC gave us a bit of a list of things to cover in our campaign post. but I encourage you to ask questions and let me expand on some topics if you want more info. The first thing they ask for is ‘your eve story’ which for me is more like a series of stories covering a fair amount of the game (But not all of it)
I started in 2008, ran missions, joined mining corp, played the game. I ran for CSM 4 and lost horribly. So the next year I ran again. See? I don’t take a loss as the end, just a step in the journey. Same goes for losing ships, watching friends leave the game, others arrive. I lived in a WH running cap escalations for 6 months, fought in a null war (on the losing side), kept running in elections, wrote a blog about the game and started getting involved in podcasts at the time, One of the podcasts lead to me starting up Operation Magic School Bus, a project intended to help new players get a decent start in the game. This year will mark 12 years of the Bus being in operation. Second thing you should take from this is that I am a consistent person in the game. I set a goal or a project and I run with it. I get involved in the CSM and I keep up with it, win or lose. (But I would like to win this time)
I have served on the CSM often enough to know the people on both sides of the table, to know who to ask for what. To remember proposals from years gone by and promises to ‘follow up’ that never came up again. I don’t have any ‘personal project’ that I want to spearhead or major changes that I promise I will make once in office. Those who do? Either are lying or have no idea of what they are getting into.
Back to game experience to tick another box in the format requirements.
**** Factional Warfare*** Yeah, no
**** Unstructured PvP*** roams with pirates, small gang stuff and getting ganked now and then, yup
** Ships, gameplay, and the HUD* I am hoping to have a lot to say about the HUD, from the perspective of an old guy with glasses and muscle memory of how I like my hud to work
**** Industry and markets*** Spent about a year making and selling modules, seemed to much like work for my style of play
**** Sovereignty management and logistics*** No. I have not been in a player corp or alliance for over a decade
** Highsec and the new-player experience* Absolutely. I am a regular in Rookie Help chat and talk to rookies very often while I am running the Bus.
** The connection between EVE Online and EVE Vanguard* IF I had a computer that could RUN Vanguard I would love to play that and see how the connections between the two can be managed (aside from orbital bombardment)
One Last Time- Ariana Grande
So why am I running and why is this the last race? I am running because I still want to help this game that we play. I think that I have something to offer and am willing to try. I Talk to a portion of the game that the null folks don’t. The new players, the casuals, the folks who play in hisec. I am active on the forums, not just during campaign season but all year round. The same goes for Reddit. I cannot emphasize this enough. If you vote for me you are voting for representative who will still be there to talk to, after being elected. Seriously, how much have you heard from other elected folks over the years?
Why is this the last? Health, mainly. I have had two bouts of Cancer (I won both) and one with heart surgery. I turn 67 just about the time we start voting. I promised myself one more run, one last chance and this is it.
With a Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker
So this is where you come in. I cannot serve unless I am elected and for that I need your votes. You will have a ballot that can take 10 names but i really need to be somewhere near the top of that list if not #1. If you want a representative? I am your man. If you want someone from your corp, your alliance who knows what is best for you and will let you know what that is? Well I am sure you will be told who to vote for by the people in charge.
Make your choice and I would appreciate it if that choice is me, Mike Azariah
Thank you - Dido Thank you- Led Zeppelin Thank you- Sly and the Family Stone
I am not quitting Eve but I do want to take a moment to thank all of you. FC, Players past present and yet to come. This is so much more than a game and you have all been a part of it with me. You have kept me sane in the hard times and driven me crazy at other times. I have had the pleasure of meeting some of you face to face and I count many of you as my friends. So thank you.
Likely I will be out there, on an interview or two during the campaign season. But if you want a real feel for who I am and what I think? Watch a few random episodes of my News show or Even THIS talk I gave way way back in 2017. (Ah I was younger and darker then)
So, questions? Endorsements? The inevitable attack?
Playlist for this post Spotify
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