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To The Editor: In its most recent edition, The Bridgton News provided extensive coverage of a meeting where Dr. Michael Coffman laid out his conspiracy thesis based on the United Nations’ Agenda 21 for a more sustainable planet. According to Coffman, and with the tacit approval of our governor who attended, Agenda 21 is nothing more than a mind-boggling plot by a nebulous group of arch conspirators (foreigners, leftwing politicians, intellectuals, educators, academics) to control not just the United States, but even the world, by
destroying God-given property rights. As a proponent of international conspiracy, Coffman places himself squarely in long tradition of American “exceptionalism,” the conviction that Americans are a chosen people, a “City on a Hill,” that evil forces constantly seek to destroy. In the 17th century New England, Puritans exiled or executed all who seemed to threaten this self-image. The American Revolution and independence nationalized this ideal as a God-favored nation, but enhanced the fear of evil forces plotting its destruction. This time the conspirators were known as the Bavarian Illuminati, an ill-defined collection of foreigners, “enlightened” atheists, rationalists, determined to destroy all religion and morality. Being credited with fomenting the French Revolution, they were now assumed to be seeking to undermine the new American nation. In the election of 1800, Federalists tried unsuccessfully to smear Jeffersonians with being sympathetic to the Illuminati. Skipping over several centuries of political/religious hysteria over the threats to the American ideal posed by Masons, Mormons, Catholics, especially the Irish, we come to the infamous Joe McCarthy of the Red Scare fame during the 1950s. To McCarthy, the real Communist threat to America did not come from China or Russia, but from within American society: liberal politicians (chiefly Democrats), writers, and intellectuals whom he vehemently denounced. Finally, even Republicans, notably Maine’s Margaret Chase Smith, realized the real threat to America was not Communism, but Joe McCarthy himself. In this long historical context, Dr. Michael Coffman illustrates the old saying that “History does repeat itself.” He represents the historical conviction Americans still
(Continued from Page D) That is why I will charge only a million dollars per student, and will even provide special discount rates for those who can silent-read. The smart ones shouldn’t be so difficult to teach and, in fact, with my faculty, most of whom are cartoon characters, a few of them students may end up doing some teaching themselves. But I guarantee everyone will get a diploma, and maybe a free t-shirt with the college’s name on it, at graduation. That’s more commitment than you’ll get from some of your so-called “better” universities (2). Since the point of a college education came to be to “get a good job,” the cost of a year at university has risen
steadily. The bargain has been “Pay us now, and somebody else will pay you even more later.” There used to be room in the middle class for middle management types, and even for people who wanted to use their educations in ways that actually helped people, and not corporations, which only the Supreme Court thinks are people. Recently, though, the world economy has caught up to the college-educated American and pinned him in a headlock, and so a worker in India now will undertake a decent-paying technical job for a salary far cheaper than any American worker would consider. In fact, for every good American job opening posted there are, on average, 3,186 applicants, some of
(Continued from Page D) fancy words really mean. How is this going to affect us and future generations? Citizens of every town should be going to planning board meetings, scrutinize every land ordinance being put forth and any land use ordinance being voted on. We must have a watchful eye on what is going on. Sure we need some land for recreational purposes to be set aside, but the question is how much? A good example of this is the Loon Echo Land Trust. How much land do they really need? Are they going overboard? So why are they grabbing so much land and putting it in a preserve? These and many other questions should be asked. If UN Agenda 21 gets a foothold, there is no stopping it. Just look how the Supreme Court modified the eminent domain laws over the years. So could UN Agenda 21 be instituted and modified over the years and become more powerful than ever. More powerful than the eminent domain law. Richard E. Cross Naples
Tradition of conspiracy
May 9, 2013, The Bridgton News, Page D
BLAINE HOUSE RECEPTION ATTENDEES — In recognition of National Nurses Week, Jill Rollins (left), RN, Acute Care director, and Ann Kurnick, RN, inpatient nurse, attended the Blaine House, Augusta, reception and tea for Maine’s nurses on Tuesday, May 7. An annual event sponsored by the governor during this special recognition week, Bridgton Hospital nominates one nurse each year to attend the day with their manager. The theme this year for the event was “Delivery Quality and Innovation in Patient Care” and it was sponsored by the Coalition of Maine Nursing Organizations. retain of being a God-favored people, a “City on a Hill,” against which are arrayed the forces of evil, now exemplified by the UN’s Agenda 21. In his view, we must be entirely free to do with our private property whatever we wish, even to the point of denuding the land and destroying the planet. Let’s hope that history really does repeat itself and that Dr. Michael Coffman will follow the path of the Illuminati, Joe McCarthy, and their ilk into historical oblivion. As a nation, we can then concentrate on the real threat to American democracy, corporate domination of our political system. Jim Leamon Casco
Calvin grows up…sort of (Continued from Page D) driveway, eagerly awaiting a small microscope (thank you, Captain Crunch) while the wipers played back and forth against a discouraging rain. I suppose I was a nerdy kid, and my wife will tell you that not much has changed. “Marry a nerd,” she says. “They make the best husbands.” I take that as a compliment, I guess. With spring finally here, my nerdy little mind recently turned once again to all things dirt. Suffering from nagging pH problems over
the last few years, I put the lime to the raised beds in our vegetable garden not long ago, but after kneeling and scooping up a soil sample and crumbling it in my hand and sniffing it, I determined that something was still missing. I was a man in much need of organic matter. After intense Googling, I found what I wanted: a government-approved, highlyengineered product made to exacting specifications from all-natural by-matter whose base material was…well, never mind. And so I called
and ordered. Instead of a stack of Choco-Asteroids box tops, I needed a wad of cash this time, but just like my little Calvin self of old, there I stood last Saturday morning, right in the middle of our little country road, staring south, jumping up and down while frantically awaiting the rumble of the truck that would signal the arrival of five yards of composted municipal bio-solids (with organic binder). Ohboyohboyohboy! All I needed was a striped beanie with a propeller on top.
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Superman to Spiderman. As you can see, with its mix of vocational and academic courses, our college will be well worth your time and money. Log on today (5)! Footnotes: (1) My estimate. (2) It’s true! (3) Ibid. (4) At Harvard, Pseudo-Science (5) Sucker!
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Learn to pursue and take down shoplifters by downloading a special Wii game, “Wal Mart/Halo4: Greeter’s Station.” Lit 216: Prof. S. Lee. TuTh, 11 a.m. Covers Superman to Spiderman. Drafting 407: Prof. S. Lee, TuTh, 12 noon. Covers
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(Continued from Page D) premium. During the coverage gap itself, however, the full price of her meds (not what she pays out-of-pocket) will count toward the $4,750. From that time on until Dec. 31, she will pay only about 5% of the regular price. The whole process recycles and starts again on Jan. 1. Stan Cohen, a Medicare Volunteer Counselor, is available for free, one-on-one consultations at Bridgton Hospital on Tuesdays from 8 to 11 a.m. No appointment is necessary. Alternatively, call the Southern Maine Agency on Aging (800427-7411) and ask for a Medicare advocate.
Students will learn how to recognize two-digit numbers and how to draw their figures, 0 to 9, by hand. Nuclear Operations: Prof. H. Simpson, OJT, 9 to 5, M-F. Learn how to handle plutonium without dropping any on the floor, or how to file the correct forms if you do. (Students must provide their own radiation suits.) Culinary 601: Prof. Frye, MWF, 7 a.m. Prepares students to pass the rigorous application process for jobs at Burger King and McDonald’s. (Students hoping for a job at Wendy’s should plan on taking Cu 602 as well.) Wal Mart 711: Prof. Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, open 24 hours. Students will prepare to stock, stack and sticker at America’s largest employer.
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them qualified (3). A lot of highly-technical jobs do go begging, however — and that’s because all Americans plan to earn lots of money, they just don’t want to have to learn anything to prepare to earn lots of money. That’s where the colleges come in. Around 1998 or so, institutions of higher education stopped teaching real courses and began setting aside their freshman years for Remedial Reading, Fifth Grade Math and Pretend Science (4). At the University of Notre Corrigan, we offer courses designed to train you for the world of work, and we make no bones about it. Selections from our syllabus: Math 202: Dr. Julius Hibbert, MWF 10 a.m.
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