By William R. Toler

Last week on Coast to Coast A.M., host George Noory informed the audience that Art Bell’s wife Airyn was granted her permanent visa.

While broadcasting from Manila, Bell, creator of the overnight radio show, had told listeners of his plight and encouraged them to flood President Barack Obama with emails to try and fix the debacle. He had also written a letter to Sen. Harry Reid for assistance, before being informed that his bride’s visa application had been terminated.

Bell’s problem caught the attention of millions of listeners and the alternative press, including the Independent Register.

Congratulations Art and Airyn. I hope to hear your broadcast again from the high desert.

By William R. Toler

Darren Hunt, a reporter from KVIA, the local ABC affiliate in El Paso, Texas and photographer Ric DuPont were arrested by a police officer for trying to get interviews after a wreck .

The video speaks for itself.

Hunt and DuPont were charged with “interference with public duties” but were released based on “validty of the charge not being sound,” according to the El Paso Times.

The Times also reports that Chief Greg Allen said that Sgt. Raul Ramirez  overreacted and has been placed on desk duty while an investigation is conducted.

Yet another case of overzealous, gestapo-like officers abusing their power and attacking the innocent.

By William R. Toler

Farmers could face an extra tax for flautulence. Not theirs of course…but that of their animals.

The Associated Press reported last month that farm groups across the nation are worried that the government will levy a tax on livestock  based on a 2007 Supreme Court ruling animals are emitting greenhouse gasses that are causing “Global Warming.”

Farmers could pay $175 per dairy cow,  $87.50 each for beef cattle and $20 a head per hog, based on federal ag department figures according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

By those figures, my grandfather would have to fork over more than $4,800 in addtional taxes. Pardon the pun, but I belive he would say, “Bullshit.” And I would agree.

Although the Environmental Protection Agency denies proposing such a tax, it doesn’t seem to far fetched considering the current congress. As one caller to a local radio show said today, if they’re going to tax cows, why not tax themselves and all the hot air they release into the atomosphere.

Some opponents of the tax are worried it could be placed on other animals and lead to the end of American self-suffience.

“It seems there is an ulterior motive, to destroy livestock farms,” said Perry Mobley, director of the Alabama Farmers Federation’s beef division.” This would certainly put them out of business.”

Ron Sparks, the state’s agriculture commissioner cynically agrees. “”We’ll let other countries put food on our tables like they are putting gas in our cars.”

By William R. Toler

One week has passed since Craven County deputies under the command of Sheriff Jerry Monette seized — without a warrant — a coffin owned by Bill Harper from a polling site east of New Bern.

It still hasn’t been returned.

As you may have read in previous posts, it is being held as evidence for a pending federal investigation of Harper brought on by the NAACP.

On Monday, Nov. 3, the Rev. William A. Barber II filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice accusing Harper of voter intimidation. Barber, president of the North Carolina chapter of the civil rights organization, also claimed the coffin — which bore an “‘O’ No!” bumper sticker with a picture of Barack Obama with a “non” sign over his face — was a “direct threat” to the now president-elect. The NAACP wants the Secret Service to investigate Harper for the supposed threat.

Barber told Newschannel 12, “We don’t know how many people were turned away…we don’t know how many people chose not to vote.”

Harper fired back saying the coffin was ”not meant to intimidate anybody about death.” Harper, a conservative activist, has been using the casket as a political speech tool since 1992 and said it was meant as a joke. “This is just intimidation by the NAACP,” Harper said. “I don’t take that lightly.”

Harper believes his civil rights are being violated…ironically, by a civil rights group. The Independent Register agrees that both his First and Fourth Amendment rights have been violated in this incident.

If the NAACP is supposed to stand up for the rights of African-Americans done wrong, where were they when Adrian Solomon was arrested at West Craven High School and charged with disorderly conduct for booing?

I’m not sure…but Solomon was supported here, because free speech should be for everyone.

Another question, this one for Sheriff Jerry Monette…make that two:

Why was Harper’s casket seized without a warrant?
Why was it not returned Saturday morning, as promised?

It is not yet known if the Craven County Republican Party is going to stand by Bill Harper during this attempted abortion of justice. If not, rest assured the Independent Register will.

By William R. Toler

With the current global economic crisis and the heated, upcoming presidential election, one may wonder: is one a distraction for the other, or are they both distractions for something more sinister?

Once we’ve forgotten how the U.S. Congress and Wall Street have flushed the economy down the tubes because a McCain supporter called Obama a terrorist, our attention is again diverted back to the doom and gloom of the economic enigma.

Banking institutions in both the U.S. and around the world are succumbing to nationalization by their governments and foreign acquisitions.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. is set to buy stakes in nine of the nation’s top banks including Goldman Sachs, Bank of America and Citigroup. On an ironic note, Sovereign Bancorp was purchased by Spain’s Banco Santander for $1.9 billion in stock, according to WSJ. Santander already owns a nearly 24 percent stake in Sovereign. Another American business finds itself in the pocket of a foreign corporation. (Anheuser-Busch accepted a $52 billion buyout from Belgian-based InBev in July.)

Adding to foreign financial interests is China’s holding of more than $1.4 trillion of the nation’s debt. An article circulating around the internet claims that a section of the highly contorversial Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 allows China to oversee and protect its interests citing:

“Designating financial institutions as financial agents of the Federal Government, and such institutions shall perform all such reasonable duties related to this Act as financial agents of the Federal Government as may be required.”
Section 101, Paragraph 7:3

The article postulates that statement, “will empower Chinese policing authorities the right to act as law enforcement officers in the United States including granting them the right to evict American citizens from homes whose mortgage debt is held by China.”

Most Americans opposed the “bailout bill” and breathed a sigh of relief when it was originally shot down in the House of Representatives. However, the Senate re-introduced the bill where it passed both houses and was immediately signed by President Bush.

Online conservative newspaper World Net Daily reported that some members of Congress signed on for the $700 billion “bailout” reluctantly.

 ”Many of us were told in private conversations, that if we didn’t pass this bill on Monday, the sky would fall, the market would drop two or three thousand points, another couple thousand the second day, and a few members were even told that there would be martial law in America if we voted no…”
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Oct. 2 on the House floor

 WND went on to suggest that the martial law threat added to suspicious fears following the homeland deployment of Army’s 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division. Two other divisions are included to form the Consequence Management Responce Force of NorthCom. The tactical team will be an “on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.”

The Army Times article featuring the story mentioned soldiers being trained on “crowd and traffic control equipment and nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them.” A correction was later added, and the story was annotated, to ensure readers: “The package is for use only in war-zone operations, not for any domestic purpose.”

Now for our main distraction: party politics and the presidential election.

Congressional Democrats, including presidential nominee Barack Obama, are pointing their crooked fingers of blame for the economic downturn toward the economic policies of the president. They are calling for tighter restrictions for Wall Street.

Meanwhile, Republicans claim they tried to instill more oversight for government-sponsored housing lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but Democrats wouldn’t have it.

Although dismissed or ignored by the mainstream media, conservative talk radio hosts have been questioning the questionable past of Obama. Radio and television host Sean Hannity even produced a special titled “Barack Obama and Friends” detailing his relationship with Bill Ayers and involvement with community group ACORN.

Many Americans are either fed up with party politics or religiosuly involved in it.

With all of these distractions, in addition to the “news” put out by the mainstream media, there’s no doubt Americans are blindsided to an evolving process of socialism and fascism that is wrapping its tentacles around the country.

By William R. Toler

As I continue reading George Orwell’s 1984, I observe more startling revelations.

WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

The above mantra is scattered thoughout the book and the statements are the “three slogans of the Party.” Let’s break it down, shall we?

War is Peace: The only way to achieve peace is through war. Which seems to be the consensus of most world leaders.

Freedom is Slavery: Look no further than the Patriot Act, and the belief that in order to be “safe and free” we must give up our fundamental rights as outlined in the Constitution and become slaves to the government. A pretty socialistic view.

Ignorance is Strength: The ignorance of the public is strength to the government. The less the people know what is going on, the more the government can do to further gain control. Through mass distractions in entertainment (televised Rock, Paper, Scissors?) and disinformation in the mainstream media, the public is kept unaware of what is happening. It eventually reaches the point where society is completely ignorant of the past and present with no hope of a future.

Also in the book, protaganist Winston Smith was employed in the Minsitry of Truth. His job was to re-write newspaper articles to make them relevant to the current time. If someone was “vaporized”, all previous information of them was erased, making it to where they don’t exist. All knowledge of the past, before the Revoloution, was forgotten and rewritten by the Party.

We have a system similar to that in the world today. As the saying goes, “History is written by the winners.” Our schools and government continue to perpetuate the lie the Christopher Colombus discovered America. History textbooks are filled with half-truths and misinformation.

The world of 1984 is a totallitarian socialist regime. “Ingsoc,” which is referenced many times, means English socialism in Newspeak. Are we heading toward Amsoc?

By William R. Toler

New Bern native Willam Redd is involved in some spooky cinema.

The filmmaker is now, also, a ghost hunter.

Redd is a member of Infinitus Paranormal, a ghost hunting team based in the port city, along with founder and fellow filmmaker Mike Roberts.

The Star News in recently feautred an article on the spectre specialists and their ecto-exploits around Wilmington landmarks including the Cotton Exchange and the battleship.