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	<title>Somerville Voices &#187; @BarryRafkind</title>
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	<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org</link>
	<description>An independent, open forum for reports and opinions about life in our city.</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 20:58:36 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>City Silences the Human Rights Commission with Obsolete Quorum Rule Instead of Fixing It</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/17/civil-and-human-rights/city-silences-the-human-rights-commission-with-obsolete-quorum-rule-instead-of-fixing-it/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/17/civil-and-human-rights/city-silences-the-human-rights-commission-with-obsolete-quorum-rule-instead-of-fixing-it/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 20:58:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Civic Action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil and Human Rights]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=11979</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Given the City's clear interest in having a functioning HRC to protect the civil and human rights of Somerville residents, and given the difficulty with growing our membership, it makes little sense to have an out-dated quorum rule so high that it prevents us from meeting.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/17/civil-and-human-rights/city-silences-the-human-rights-commission-with-obsolete-quorum-rule-instead-of-fixing-it/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Local Hacktivists Organize for Government Transparency</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/05/government-reform/local-hacktivists-organize-for-government-transparency/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/05/government-reform/local-hacktivists-organize-for-government-transparency/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 May 2012 19:44:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Civic Action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Reform]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=11727</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My friend and Somerville hacktivist, Adam Friedman, recently alerted me to two new local transparency groups which both seem to have a strong Somerville focus and include another Somerville hacktivist Michael @Morisy (from the FOIA-made-easy site MuckRock).
Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/SunlightFoundation/Boston-MA/

Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/open_gov_boston

Personally, I&#8217;d like to see more transparency around city finances in terms of the city budget and how our [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/05/government-reform/local-hacktivists-organize-for-government-transparency/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mayor Curtatone&#8217;s ACE Webpage for Responsiveness Data Late Again</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/05/government-reform/mayor-curtatones-ace-webpage-for-responsiveness-data-late-again/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/05/government-reform/mayor-curtatones-ace-webpage-for-responsiveness-data-late-again/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 May 2012 19:15:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Civic Action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Reform]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=11730</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The City&#8217;s transparency initiative has again fallen into neglect. The last data was posted in January (that&#8217;s when I first noticed the site was neglected), but the six-week lag time requested in the site&#8217;s disclaimer (highlighted in red in the following screen shot) would indicate that data should have already been posted for February. Data for [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/05/government-reform/mayor-curtatones-ace-webpage-for-responsiveness-data-late-again/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>4/9: HRC Agenda, 6:30pm @ TAB</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/04/06/events/49-hrc-agenda-630pm-tab/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/04/06/events/49-hrc-agenda-630pm-tab/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Apr 2012 02:07:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Accessibility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Announcements]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil and Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=11565</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[[ April 9, 2012; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. ] The monthly public meeting of the Human Rights Commission will be at 6:30pm on 4/9 at SCALE
in the TAB at 167 Holland Street (2nd floor, top of stair, straight ahead, small conference room). This is an accessible location.

The agenda is:


	Director’s Report on Cases and Incidents

	Handout is the monthly Office of Somerville Commissions report

	Immigrant Police Dialogue Session Updates

	Meeting [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
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		<title>@SomervilleCity&#8217;s Retaliation Against Accessibility Whistleblower Casts Chilling Effect</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/04/06/arts-and-culture/somervillecitys-retaliation-against-accessibility-whistleblower-casts-chilling-effect/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/04/06/arts-and-culture/somervillecitys-retaliation-against-accessibility-whistleblower-casts-chilling-effect/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Apr 2012 01:09:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Accessibility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arts and Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civic Action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil and Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ward 5]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=11558</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last week, Mayor @JoeCurtatone retaliated against Somerville accessibility rights advocate Eileen Feldman after she blew the whistle on the City’s attempt to have the U.S. Surgeon General’s March 23rd health grant event held at the then-inaccessible Armory on Highland Ave. The mayor’s reprisal took the form of an op-ed by his Health Dept. Director, Paulette [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/04/06/arts-and-culture/somervillecitys-retaliation-against-accessibility-whistleblower-casts-chilling-effect/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why @311Somerville Does Not Track Loose Utility Wire Calls</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/03/25/government-reform/why-311somerville-does-not-track-loose-utility-wire-calls/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/03/25/government-reform/why-311somerville-does-not-track-loose-utility-wire-calls/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Mar 2012 03:24:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[311 Requests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Reform]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Health & Safety]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=11453</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here&#8217;s what I&#8217;ve learned so far via the following Twitter conversation (in chronological order):

#bbpBox_180716719038402560 a { text-decoration:none; color:#0084B4; }#bbpBox_180716719038402560 a:hover { text-decoration:underline; }

@311Somerville I just called in a loose utility wire to 311 then was transferred to the fire dept w/o a 311 work order, so no way 2 track it
March 16, 2012 10:06 am [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/03/25/government-reform/why-311somerville-does-not-track-loose-utility-wire-calls/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Rep. Capuano to Address Democratic City Caucus Feb 13th</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/01/08/events/rep-capuano-to-address-democratic-city-caucus-feb-13th/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/01/08/events/rep-capuano-to-address-democratic-city-caucus-feb-13th/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:35:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Announcements]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=10989</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[[ February 13, 2012; 6:15 pm; ] Mayor Curtatone will introduce Candidate for US Congress in the newly created 7th (yes seventh) Congressional District, Congressman Michael Capuano. Candidates for US Senate have been invited to address the meeting.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/01/08/events/rep-capuano-to-address-democratic-city-caucus-feb-13th/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>City&#8217;s ACE Webpage for Responsiveness Data Now 3 Months Stale</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/01/04/government-reform/citys-ace-webpage-for-responsiveness-data-now-3-months-stale/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/01/04/government-reform/citys-ace-webpage-for-responsiveness-data-now-3-months-stale/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:02:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Civic Action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Reform]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=10974</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;We should not have to tell you we are doing well. We should be able to show we are doing well. And if we are falling short in some areas, then you should be able to see that too. &#8221; &#8211; Mayor Curtatone, in his 7/15/2011 op-ed to the Somerville News announcing his new ACE program and stating a customer [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/01/04/government-reform/citys-ace-webpage-for-responsiveness-data-now-3-months-stale/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Young Democrats of MA Endorse Ballantyne, Barber for Alderman</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2011/11/04/politics/young-democrats-of-ma-endorse-ballantyne-barber-for-alderman/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2011/11/04/politics/young-democrats-of-ma-endorse-ballantyne-barber-for-alderman/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 Nov 2011 02:40:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Announcements]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Release]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ward 4]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ward 7]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=10669</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Young Democrats of Massachusetts (YDM) and Greater Boston Young Democrats (GBYD) have endorsed Katjana Ballantyne and Christine Barber in their races for Somerville Alderman seats.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2011/11/04/politics/young-democrats-of-ma-endorse-ballantyne-barber-for-alderman/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Somerville Journal Endorses Neither Candidate in Ward 7</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2011/11/04/politics/somerville-journal-endorses-neither-candidate-in-ward-7/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2011/11/04/politics/somerville-journal-endorses-neither-candidate-in-ward-7/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Nov 2011 22:34:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Announcements]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ward 7]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=10665</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yesterday, the Somerville Journal announced (see quote below) it would not endorse in the race for Ward 7 Alderman. They rightly refrained from endorsing incumbent Bob Trane because of his lack of independence from the mayor. However, while they praised Katjana Ballantyne for her commitment to responsiveness and mixed-use development, they stopped short of endorsing [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2011/11/04/politics/somerville-journal-endorses-neither-candidate-in-ward-7/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
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