Many newspaper articles and editorials have been published about the TOMA (Texas Open Meetings Act) lawsuit, but little is known about what the citizenry of Texas believes.

A poll about TOMA was conducted by CBS7 Your Eye on West Texas .

The question posed was

“Do you believe that the state’s open meetings law violates public officials right of free speech?”

Results: Yes, 30%; No, 70%

Also see

“Open Meetings Act Lawsuit 12/15/09” The Reporters Committee by Miranda Fleschert, in CBS7 Webpage, December 14, 2009.

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Before I finish my Top 100 albums for the decade, I’ll take some time out to write about the best albums of 2009. Commercial radio again ignored good Australian music and as usual there were some great new Australian bands.

Well, here it goes, I hope you all enjoy reading…

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Top Albums of 2009

25. To Lose My Life… – White Lies

24. Rain Machine – Rain Machine

23. Julian Plenti Is… Skyscraper – Julian Plenti

22. Kid Sam – Kid Sam

21. Crack The Skye – Mastadon

20. The Sunspot Letters – Leader Cheetah

19. Veckatimest – Grizzly Bear

18. Smoking Gun – Lady of the Sunshine

17. Octahedron – The Mars Volta

16. The xx - The xx

15. It’s Blitz! - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

14. A Woman A Man Walked By – PJ Harvey & John Parish

13. Conditions – The Temper Trap

12. Zounds -Dappled Cities

11. Swoon – Silversun Pickups

10. Humbug – Arctic Monkeys

9. The Peaceful Atom Is A Bomb – Regular John

8. Lungs – Florence + The Machine

7. Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures

6. Manners – Passion Pit

5. Solar Gambling – Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

4. Tonight: Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand

3. Post-Nothing – Japandroids

2. Hospice – The Antlers

1. Travels With Myself & Another – Future of the Left

Honourable Mentions

The Parallels Amongst Ourselves – Sugar Army

Far – Regina Spektor

Hope Is For Hopers – Philadelphia Grand Jury

Escape From The Sun – Operahouse

Further Complications – Jarvis Cocker

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Top Tracks of 2009

25. While You Wait for the Others – Grizzly Bear

24. My Girls – Animal Collective

23. The Price – Dappled Cities

22. Escape From The Sun – Operahouse

21. Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) – Florence + The Machine

20. Lucid Dreams – Franz Ferdinand

19. New Moon Rising – Wolfmother

18. Down To The Cemetery – Kid Sam

17. Lapsed Catholics – Future of the Left

16. 11^th Dimension – Julian Casablancas

15. Fire – Kasabian

14. All Is Love – Karen O

13. This Is The End of Everything – Toma

12. I Quit Girls – Japandroids

11. Laughing With – Regina Spektor

10. Tongues In Cheeks – Sugar Army

9. There Are Listed Buildings – Los Campesinos!

8. Carol Brown – Flight of the Conchords

7. Arrow – Tegan & Sara

6. The Royal We – Silversun Pickups

5. Here It Comes – I Heart Hiroshima

4. Cotopaxi –The Mars Volta

3. No One Loves Me & Neither Do I – Them Crooked Vultures

2. Blood – The Middle East

1. Crying Lightning – Arctic Monkeys

Honourable Mentions

Little Lion Man – Mumford & Sons

Exogenesis: Symphony - Muse

Useful Chambers – Dirty Projectors

Magnetic Arrest – Bridezilla

Dominoes – The Big Pink

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Top EP’s of 2009

5. The Food Chain – Dragging Pianos

4. Ayrton Senna – Delorean

3. Art Vs. Science – Art Vs. Science

2. Blood Bank – Bon Iver

1. No One’s First And You’re Next – Modest Mouse

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Best Gig of 2009

Mammal @ Moonee Valley Youth Festival – April 5^th

The reforms that the Texas Legislature enacted into law after the Sharpstown Bank scandal (1971-1972) included a strengthened Open Meetings Act.

Now a lawsuit has been filed on December 14 that if successful would weaken the Texas Open Meetings Act. This lawsuit was joined by Pflugerville. Before taking this important step that might begin to undo legislation designed to help prevent corruption in government, would it not have been prudent for the City Council to procure input from the citizens of Pflugerville through means such as a town hall meeting?

Before a vote was taken on whether to join the TOMA lawsuit, what was actually done by the Pflugerville City Council was to discuss the matter in a closed executive session.

A Wikipedia article and the accompanying references cited have information about the Sharpstown Bank scandal.

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For entering your name with your comment, use a pseudonym if you wish. Please keep the discussion polite with no personal attacks, foul language, racial slurs, etc.

See

“Don’t weaken Open Meetings Act” in The Beaumont Enterprise, December 15, 2009.

Also see

“Lawsuit address Open Meetings Act.” by Dan Wallach, The Beaumont Enterprise, December 8, 2009.

An online editorial dated November 26, 2009, in the Port Aransas South Jetty Newspaper conveys the thought that the citizens of Pflugerville should be “up in arms” about the decision of the city council to join the lawsuit about the Texas Open Meetings Act. Also, one can conclude from the editorial that the TOMA lawsuit issue should be remembered at election time.

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For entering your name with your comment, use a pseudonym if you wish. Please keep the discussion polite with no personal attacks, foul language, racial slurs, etc.

The city council in Wichita Falls voted to join the lawsuit about the Texas Open Meetings Act on December 15 according to an AP report. See, for example, “Wichita Falls joins in Open Meetings Act” in The Houston Chronicle, December 16, 2009.

This action by the Wichita Falls City Council was also reported in an article entitled “City: No Plans to join Open Meetings suit” by Chris Cobb, Herald Zeitung, December 19, 2009. In the Herald-Zeitung article, there are statements from some city officials in New Braunfels that indicate support for the Texas Open Meetings Act.

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An online article in the Community Impact Newspaper includes a link, “Read the Lawsuit [PDF],” to the text of the lawsuit filed on Monday about the Texas Open Meetings Act.

See

“Pflugerville sues state, challenges Open Meeting Act” by Rob Hendrick, Community Impact Newspaper Round Rock | Pflugerville, December 17, 2009.

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There was apparently no support given in a recent Statesman editorial for the decision of the Pflugerville City Council to join the lawsuit about the Texas Open Meetings Act.

“Texas Open Meetings Act must be defended.” Austin American-Statesman, December 15, 2009.

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See

“Flash!” The Nimby News, December 14, 2009.

And

“Pflugerville joins challenge to open meetings law.” by Suzannah Gonzales, Austin American-Statesman, December 15, 2009.

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Saturday, December  12, began the first of many shows for Winter Fashion Week.  Top Models Katherine Comet and Chloe Constantine are the organizers of this spectacular event.  Twenty-two shows in 9 days is a great feat.  With the help of other managers and models, this week will be one that we hope is written about for weeks to come.

This show was originally planned by The Other Modeling Agency (TOMA). But both Amanda Hinchcliffe, CEO and  Leah Osker, COO, have not been seen in Second Life for some time.  Thus, leaving the responsibility to continue with the production of the show to Kat and Chloe.

After many bumps along the way, the first day of shows has finally arrived.  I am in 6 shows for clothing lines like TORN, DeeTalez, Tres Beau and more.  On the first day of shows, Amanda did finally show up and after a bit of drama, we are all continuing to focus on putting on great shows for the rest of the week.

Final 3 shows will be held on December 20.  So far, we’ve had a great showing of support and this has been a real team effort by everyone taking part in this event. The show is located on the Other Fashion Island with a beautiful set created by our very own Katherine Comet.

“Opening meetings: Mayor favors changing law.” by Enrique Rangel, Morris News Service, posted in amarillo.com, December 6, 2009.

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For entering your name with your comment, use a pseudonym if you wish. Please keep the discussion polite with no personal attacks, foul language, racial slurs, etc.

Here is another editorial opposing those attempting to weaken the Texas Open Meetings Act:

“Open government opponents trying to soften penalties for breaking law.” Lubbock Avalanche Journal, December 11, 2009.

Also see

“Open-meeting changes short-change public.” The Dallas Morning News, November 24, 2009.

And

“Citizens deserve open meetings.” San Antonio Express-News, November 22, 2009.

And

“Commentary: Texas officials shouldn’t fear transparency.” The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, December 3, 2009.

This last commentary mentions Pflugerville in the third paragraph.

And

“Using our money to erode our law” by Heber Taylor, The Galveston County Daily News, November 29, 2009.

Pflugerville is mentioned in this article and the one following.

“Group seeks to ease punishment for elected officials’ violations of Open Meetings Act.” by Mike Copeland, Waco Tribune-Herald, December 1, 2009.

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“Behind closed doors: Municipal organization wants to defang Texas Open Meetings Act.” by Jerry Jordan appeared in The Examiner on December 6, 2009. 

This article was accompanied on the same web page by an editorial entitled “Keep it open.” There is information in this editorial about the origin of the Texas Open Meetings Act.

Here are more articles critical of the lawsuit to be directed toward weakening the Texas Open Meetings Act.

“Open meetings: Frivolous lawsuit tries to take the teeth out of the law.” Longview News-Journal, November 29, 2009.

“Open Meetings laws challenged” by Phil Riddle, Weatherford Democrat, November 20, 2009.

Will Pflugerville’s participation in the lawsuit really have a positive effect on the image of the city??

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The opinion article by Bill Hobby that appeared in The Pflugerville Pflag this week under the headline, ”State’s Open Meetings laws being challenged”  also appeared in the Austin American-Statesman in an online edition and in the print edition on November 28, 2009, under the headline, “Open Government – with no  strings attached  - should remain state law.”

Also see the November 28, 2009, entry in this blog.

It may be too late to follow the advice offered in the article to “Contact your city leaders and encourage them not to join in an effort that could weaken open meetings laws.” A vote by the Pflugerville City Council at the October 13, 2009, meeting has already been taken to join the lawsuit challenging the Texas Open Meetings Act. This took place after a closed executive session. The residents of Pflugerville were not permitted to hear the discussion that preceded the vote.

It may not be too late to ask City Council members to reconsider the action taken to join the lawsuit. It seems likely that a majority of Pflugerville residents would support such reconsideration.  This time, however, it should be insisted that any discussion preceding another vote not take place in a closed executive session.

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There does not appear to be anything on the agenda for the December 3, 2009, meeting of the Abilene City Council about the Texas Open Meetings Act.

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Photo by Wicca Merlin
Models Katherine Comet & Aspen Parx
wearing Blaze formalwear

TOMA presents Frosty Formals!

Saturday, Dec. 5
at 1PM SLT (PST)

Designers include: Rebel Hope, Bliss Couture, Exclusiva (VictoriaV), Blaze, Gems & Kisses, FineSmith Jewelry, Kastle Rock Couture, Sun Eskimos, RH Engel Jewels, Moxie Polano, AND MORE!

slurl.com/secondlife/Viana%20Plush/66/223/2143

Giusto per smentire il titolo del blog il primo posto di cui voglio parlare è lontano da Milano, ma frequentato da milanesi.

Il post come da titoloè dedicato al formaggiaro di Gressoney. Formaggiaro che a dirla tutta non è nemmeno a Gressoney ma nella valle che vi porta. Per la precisione il paese è Issime, e il posto si trova subito passato il paese prima della curva a sinistra (se state scendendo).

“Texas statute shouldn’t infringe on elected officials’ free speech rights.” by Jack D. McNamara, Austin American-Statesman, November 25, 2009.

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Esta película romantica será interpretada por Ikuta Toma y la actriz Yui Aragaki.

Sae(Aragaki),es  una estudiante de preparatoria de Hokkaido, preparándose para presentar el examen de la universidad de Tokyo, ella conoce a kyohei (Ikuta), quien asiste a una escuela de pesca para seguir los pasos de su padre.

Ellos tienen una larga relación y un rompimiento, pero un milagro sucede 10 años después.

Yui esta asistiendo en la actualidad a unas clases de idioma ya que en su papel debe decir algunas líneas en ingles!

“Hanamizuki,” es una canción que fue escrita por la compositora Yo Hitoto y será usada para la base de la película.

La película reúne de nuevo al director Nobuhiro Dou y a la escritora Noriko Yoshida, quienes trabajaron juntos en el 2006 para ´”Nada Sousou”.

Otros miembros del reparto incluyen a Misako Renbutsu, ARATA, Yuichi Kimura, Yutaka Matsushige, Osamu Mukai, y Hiroko Yakushimaru.

La filmación empezó a finales de septiembre en Hokkaido, pero también se espera que sea grabada en Canada y New York; y que se estrene el próximo verano.

Fuente: Ikemen Paradise!

Trei indivizi care au redus instituţia societăţii civile la nivelul de celulă de partid bolşevic, Cristian Pârvulescu, Mircea Toma şi Victor Alistar – adică un mic dictator care a modificat statutul “Pro Democraţia” pentru a se putea realege şef, un interesat care a şovăit să se pronunţe în legătură cu cazul Roşca Stănescu & Bogdan Chirieac şi un cercetat de către ANI– au inventat, înaintea primului tur al alegerilor prezidenţiale, noţiunea de… PREFRAUDARE.

Mişcarea lor subersivă îndreptată spre suspendarea democraţiei în România a fost, din fericire, anihilată de justiţie. Tribunalul le-a respins obraznicia, iar Curtea Constituţională a validat referendumul. Pârvulescu, Toma şi Alistar au fost puşi între parantezele absurdului şi în boxa nesimţirii. Unul dintre ei – sinistrul Pârvulescu – mai cerea şi “reglementarea” internetului, după un model neomaoist.

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Televiziunile isterizante – “Realitatea TV” şi “Antena 3″ – şi-au umplut programele de duminica trecută (între comunicatele BEC), în ţipete de matracuci stătute şi zbierete de papagali solemni, cu ficţiuni şi cu mistificări privind… FRAUDAREA alegerilor prezidenţiale.

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A trecut o săptămână de atunci. Am aşteptat-o cu sufletul la gură. Ca de obicei n-a mai venit. Nici de la pulifricii care au scornit PREFRAUDAREA, nici de la cei cu FRAUDAREA.

Aşteptam de la ei, naiv… POSTFRAUDAREA!

De fapt, îi postdoare-n cur!

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© Alexandru Dan Mitache • 2009