26 April 2012

.....to tell me a story


If you have read today’s edition of the Western Gazette, you will see that M&B has asked a number of questions about the conduct of the Etsome Terrace/Unit 8 Cary Court transaction. The documents relating to those questions are available on the sidebar to the right. M&B has also invited anyone with documented answers to those questions to send them to M&B for publication. But that’s not the only invitation that M&B has made.

In last week’s Western Gazette Tony Canvin placed what he described as a sarcastic apology where he said that his explanations were being ignored. He also claimed to possess documents which explain the Etsome/Cary Court transaction. So, yesterday, I wrote to Tony and invited him to meet with me in order that I can listen to his explanations and see the documents that he possesses. I also provided Tony with a list of questions which I hope he will be able to answer, with documentation.

M&B will publish Tony’s explanations and the documents that Tony claims to possess. Obviously, M&B expects that the documents that Tony refers to will be contemporaneous documents, not post rationalisations.

Over to you, Tony.

Till next time, I’m still Niall Connolly


20 April 2012

What the paper didn't say....

The Western Gazette contacted me and asked if I had any response to Ms Tina Raybould's suggestion that M&B shut up shop. Although the Western didn't publish my comment, here it is:


"I regret that Ms Raybould has associated herself with what I view as the vicious hate campaign currently being waged by members of the discredited Keenan/Canvin administration and their supporters against the current Chair of Somerton Town Council. This is a clear and undisguised effort to undermine the local democratic process by intimidation, harassment and threat.

Ms Raybould demands that Somerton Town Council and its members disassociate themselves from Muck&Brass. I have no problem with that because there is no association. In making her demands, Ms Raybould simply repeats the same fictitious information circulated in anonymous leaflets distributed in Somerton over the last two years by ex-Cllr Martyn Smith and others, and also within the anonymous Somerton Sanity website. 

Ms Raybould and her associates continue to project their delusions upon anyone who will not agree with them. They would have the public believe that Muck&Brass is at the nexus of a conspiracy to control and guide: Avon & Somerset Police; the Audit Commission; Somerton Town Council; the External Auditor and anyone else who dares to question the activities of the Keenan/Canvin administration. Whilst I am flattered to have such 'super-powers' attributed to me, the attribution is pure fantasy.

What Ms Raybould and her associates, particularly ex-Local and ex-District Cllr Mountain, have made abundantly clear is that, in their view, the law in this country can be applied, selectively, by them. The parts of legislation that they don't like, they seek to ignore. The hypocrisy of this view is breathtaking. Individuals like Mountain, Keenan, Canvin etc sought the legitimacy of elected office through Parliament's legislation but when the External Auditor, Parliament's representative, finds the Keenan/Canvin administration seriously deficient, all of a sudden, those awkward parts of legislation don't apply.

Ms Raybould wants everyone to disassociate themselves from Muck&Brass as if that will remove the blot on the democratic landscape that was the Keenan/Canvin administration in Somerton. Ms Raybould wants Muck&Brass to disappear only because it reminds her and her associates of their mistakes.

If Ms Raybould wants 'healing' then she should look to the South African experience in their 'Truth and Reconciliation' process. For the process to work, the 'wrong-doers' need to admit their guilt and failings and make amends. Ms Raybould's suggestions simply draw attention to the state of denial that surrounds the Keenan/Canvin administration and their supporters."

19 April 2012

Sarcasm gets in the way.....


This week's Western Gazette carries three pieces on the on-going Somerton Saga (see 'Press Coverage' on the side bar to the right) and Tony Canvin's contribution confuses more than it clarifies. Setting the sarcasm to one side, he makes claims that are quite incredible. He claims that he and Keenan 'saved Somerton £700,000'. How? Where? When?

Tony focusses on the Tin Dunny, continually seeking to justify it and completely ignores what was offered by the whole of the Etsome Terrace site had that potential been exploited. That is explained in the section titled Etsome Terrace 2002 - 2008 on the sidebar to the right. That explanation, based upon public documents, shows that Etsome Terrace had far greater potential to address Somerton's needs than simply  being carved up, in a kack-handed manner, and sold off to a local builder.

Etsome Terrace was originally envisaged as providing a community hall and housing, both on the same site (See the Paul Dadson plans). It wouldn't have taken much imagination to replace the housing with a health centre and Somerton would have achieved both ambitions close to the centre of town and probably with very little controversy. But that never happened and it is possible, based upon his claims in the Western Gazette, that Tony can explain the process, something that I intend to give him the chance to do.

Till next time, I'm still Niall Connolly

17 April 2012

A state of denial........


The unfolding story in Somerton is the state of denial that Somerton's 'Old Guard' have adopted about what has happened since October 2009 (and probably how things had been in Somerton Town Council for years before that). Like generations of flat-earthers, creationists and holocaust deniers before them, Somerton's 'Old Guard' cannot face the facts and prefer a world where they tailor their reality to suit their prejudice.

It would be easy to say that the 'Old Guard' were lucky that Avon & Somerset Constabulary decided not to proceed with the fraud enquiry. Equally, it would be easy to say that they were less lucky when it came to the External Auditor's Report but who caused these enquiries in the first place? Would anything have happened if the conduct of the Keenan/Canvin administration hadn't been so .................... questionable?

The public meeting on 29th February saw Somerton's 'Old Guard' tackle a very real problem - how to deal with the fact that the External Auditor's Report was so damning. They are clearly working together to address this problem and the approach they have taken is to try and deflect attention from the Report and place the attention on the Police investigation. Its a pretty odd strategy to see the major players - Keenan, Canvin and Edgar - seeking to attack the current Chair of the Town Council over the Police investigation. You'd have thought that this group of local bigwigs would want to put the matter behind them but, from where I was sitting, they are a confused bunch. On the one hand, the arrests can only have been based on enough factual evidence to justify the Police action. So why would these three not want to put it behind them? On the other hand, the same people seem to be incandescently angry about having been arrested and they clearly want revenge.

But who created both the situation and the factual evidence for both the Police investigation and the External Auditor's enquiry? Those three individuals, plus the Town Clerk, of course. Yet today, they and their 'Old Guard' supporters simply cannot face that fundamental truth - that they were the architects of the situation. Had Keenan, Canvin and Calderwood conducted themselves in accordance with the rules and regulations, then this situation would never have arisen. Of course, had they conducted themselves properly, Somerton might well not be saddled with the Tin Dunny.

Today, in an a attempt to deny reality, the major players, with remarkable support from their friends, family and associates, are attempting to suggest that the situation that they created is somehow everyone else's fault. One of their supporters, Tina Raybould (related to Cllr Brian Raybould - one of the original 'suiciders' - and Michael Raybould - a rather noisy and, at times, intimidating figure) is pitching the latest 'Old Guard' idea which is that the entire problem, described by them as the schism that divides Somerton, is all the fault of M&B. (This isn't a new idea having first seen the light of day in the anonymous somertonsanity website and repeated in the 'anonymous' leaflets published by ex-Cllr Martyn Smith and others.)

In the parallel universe that is 'Old Guard' reality, nothing is their responsibility and, I guess, if they repeat it often enough, they might just begin to believe it. They might also manage to get others to believe it. But the facts will remain to haunt them and some of those facts have been recorded here, in the entries in M&B. (Have a look at a new section titled 'Interesting Documents'.) Which is probably why Tina Raybould wants M&B to go away. Its an embarrassment to Tina and her 'Old Guard' chums. Maybe she, and they, will just have to get over it.

Till next time, I'm still Niall Connolly

14 April 2012

Recall of M&B Bullshit Detector Mk1

MuckandBrass Products Inc have announced the urgent recall of all Bullshit Detector Mk1s produced between 28th November 2006 and the date of this announcement. This recall covers Bullshit Detectors with serial no's between #00001 and #00265 inclusively.
          MuckandBrass Products have long prided themselves in producing bullshit detectors to the highest engineering standards. However, a recent field test has indicated that, in specific circumstances, the bullshit override cut-out can malfunction causing a catastrophic failure.
          A purchaser drew the Company's attention to this possible weakness when they sent some written material to Muck&Brass Products for specialist analysis. The material in question was a photocopied document titled 'An Appeal to Reason' and found in Somerton, Somerset.
          MuckandBrass Products undertook a field test using their mobile laboratory to establish the level of bullshit in the written material. Using a specially constructed gantry, trained specialists lowered the Bullshit Detector Mk1 onto the written material and, when the probes made contact, the Bullshit Detector sounded its overload warning. Before the test could be stopped, the detector exploded, destroying both itself and the mobile laboratory facility (see image below).
          Extensive tests with other copies of the suspect material have confirmed that it has the highest bullshit content ever measured by Muck&Brass Products. The most serious concern that this raises regards Health & Safety should material like 'An Appeal to Reason' be stored in a confined space. The embodied methane contained within the bullshit itself can be highly dangerous and could spontaneously combust. (Muck&Brass Products advise any member of the public finding a copy of 'An Appeal to Reason' to place the material in a bucket of water and call the authorities.)
          Muck&Brass Products will replace all Bullshit Detector Mk1s with a newer version which has: a significantly strengthened bullshit overload circuit; a highly sensitive proximity warning sounder and includes a code 6 lead shield which, in the event that the proximity warning sounds, can be lowered over the receptor circuitry to protect against damage. This improved version, designated 'Old Guard', will be provided to all previous purchasers, free of charge.
          Muck&Brass Products apologises for any inconvenience that this recall may cause to its loyal customers and wishes to restate its commitment to continual product improvement. Please do not hesitate to forward any suspect material to Muck&Brass Products for analysis.

2 April 2012

This may be the answer - Pt 1


I have touched on this subject before but I am beginning to think that Xenophobia is the explanation of what has happened in Somerton, particularly with regard to the actions of Somerton Town Council between August 2008 and October 2009. The following is the Wikipedia entry for 'Xenophobia':

Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange."[1] It comes from the Greek words ξένος (xenos), meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος (phobos), meaning "fear."

Xenophobia can manifest itself in many ways involving the relations and perceptions of an ingroup towards an outgroup, including a fear of losing identity, suspicion of its activities, aggression, and desire to eliminate its presence to secure a presumed purity. Xenophobia can also be exhibited in the form of an "uncritical exaltation of another culture" in which a culture is ascribed "an unreal, stereotyped and exotic quality".

Dictionary definitions of xenophobia include: deep-rooted antipathy towards foreigners (Oxford English Dictionary; OED), unreasonable fear or hatred of the unfamiliar, especially people of other races (Webster's)

The Dictionary of Psychology defines it as "a fear of strangers". As defined by the OED, it can mean a fear of or aversion to, not only people from other countries, but other cultures, subcultures and subsets of belief systems; in short, anyone who meets any list of criteria about their origin, religion, personal beliefs, habits, language, orientations, or any other criteria. While some will state that the "target" group is a set of persons not accepted by the society, in reality only the phobic person need hold the belief that the target group is not (or should not be) accepted by society. While the phobic person is aware of the aversion (even hatred) of the target group, they may not identify it or accept it as a fear.

A clinical definition is: An irrational fear of members of a certain race foreign to one's own, often adjunct and secondary to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Also: One of the attitude groupings characteristic of The Authoritarian Personality.

A xenophobic person has to genuinely think or believe at some level that the target is in fact a foreigner. This arguably separates xenophobia from racism and ordinary prejudice in that someone of a different race does not necessarily have to be of a different nationality. In various contexts, the terms "xenophobia" and "racism" seem to be used interchangeably, though they can have wholly different meanings (xenophobia can be based on various aspects, racism being based solely on race, ethnicity, and ancestry). Xenophobia can also be directed simply to anyone outside a culture, not necessarily one particular race or people.

I hope to develop this thread in future entries.

Till next time, I'm still Niall Connolly

1 April 2012

The truth is out there............

I have decided to break my silence and explain my actions here in Somerton. I am a member of an international group of numerologists, the Numerology Collective, and we work to achieve political change through the use of a system known as 'numerical asymmetry'. We assess the ability of a community to achieve change by numerical analysis of the place and all its characteristics.
     
Because of the huge level of public cynicism, we have found, over the years, that it is far better not to mention numerology. As a result we disguise ourselves as ordinary people and enter into a community quietly in order to go about our work whilst attracting as little attention as possible. I decided that a more transparent strategy, that of political activist, would distract the community whilst offering me the chance, under the guise of Freedom of Information enquiries, to examine town records for further proof of our theories.
     
Somerton was chosen as a project site because initial research suggested that there was an underlying 'primal thread' within the community which might, if encouraged, lead to what we refer to as 'External Transmutation' or ET.
     
I ran into a huge and unplanned problem in Somerton (reduced to 2, characteristic - Receptive) on 27th October 2009 (reduced to 8, characteristic Power or Sacrifice), when 12 (reduced to 3, characteristic - Self expression) members of Somerton Town Council (reduced to 4, characteristic - Creation) resigned during a meeting at the Tin Dunny (reduced to 4, characteristic - Creation). This was the first and best confirmation that our numerical analysis of Somerton, its community and people, indicated that Somerton could be a 'seed' or 'prime' community.  Analysis of the names of those resigning, all 12 names reduce to 8 whose characteristic is Power or Sacrifice, shows that those individuals were guided by a higher power, acting upon their subconscious.
     
Wherever I looked in Somerton, the analysis was quite consistent. Somerton was absolutely bursting with what we refer to as 'Change Energy' or CE for short. Quite early on I recognised the Lady Smith Memorial Hall (reduced to 5, characteristic - Action) as a place of 'transition' or 'Change Initiation', a characteristic which was confirmed by the events that took place there.
     
The formal analysis and initiation project in Somerton is now coming to an end but it has also brought us to a beginning. Somerton has an important legacy which we hope will be the start of something far bigger.
     
Through analysis of the data collected here in Somerton, the Numerology Collective, hope to create a matrix against which other UK locations can be analysed to assess their suitability for change. What Somerton has shown is that by simple manipulation of the numerical data, unbelievable power can be released at a truly primal level where the actions of individuals represent their truest nature. Through that expression of truth, so comes change and that change is not temporary but ongoing.
     
We at the Numerology Collective believe that Somerton may become the very core of a revolution here in England, a mechanism which only needs to be wound up by the celestial clocksmith to tell us when our time has come.
     
Till next time, I'm still Niall Connolly (reduced to 5, characteristic - the constructive use of freedom)
Read more about the Numerology Collective here