Alt.religion.scientology
Week in Review Volume 6, Issue 34
12/16/2001
by Rod Keller [rkeller@...]
copyright 2001

Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review summarizes the most significant
postings from the Usenet group Alt.religion.scientology for the preceding
week for the benefit of those who can't follow the group as closely as
they'd like. Out of thousands of postings, I attempt to include news of
significant events, new affidavits, court rulings, new contributors,
whatever. I hope you find it useful. Like many readers of a.r.s, I have a
kill file. So please take into consideration that I may not have seen some
of the most significant postings.

The articles in A.r.s Week in Review are brief summaries of articles
posted to the newsgroup. They include message IDs for the original
articles, and many have a URL to get more information. You may be able to
find the original article, depending on how long your site stores articles
in the newsgroup before expiring them.

Free A.r.s Week in Review subscriptions are available. Subscriptions are
also available on Yahoo. Email weekinreview-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or
see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/weekinreview. PDA channel available at
http://avantgo.com/channels/_add_channel.pl?cha_id=2900

Week in Review is archived at:
http://www.xenu.net/archive/WIR/
http://wpxx02.toxi.uni-wuerzburg.de/~krasel/CoS/ars-summary.html
http://www.uni-bonn.de/~uzs1dc/scientology/wir.html
http://www.religio.de/publik/arsfaq.html

#####

> Austin

The Austin American-Statesman published a profile of the local Scientology
org on December 15th.

"The staff at the Church of Scientology exudes optimistic attitudes. If
someone is not happy about something in his life, 'something can be done
about it,' minister Jeff Fischer said. One way a person can find out more
about themselves is by taking the church's personality test, which has 200
questions and measures a variety of characteristics such as certainty and
carelessness.

"'The reason for the test is that we are all coping with life,' Fischer
said. 'This is, I think, an objective view of what a person is like, and
then they can say 'Gee, I don't like that, I want to change.' There's no
training manual for life -- on how to raise your children, and such.
Scientology gives you techniques to do these things successfully. We want
people to win more in life and be successful.'

"Scientology ministers develop techniques or a 'doingness' to help others.
More than 800 Scientology ministers have visited ground zero since Sept.
11 to utilize their techniques on grieving police officers, firefighters
and families. The local staff has also been on hand to assist those who
are afraid to fly or open their mail."

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#####

> Lisa McPherson

Efforts to prevent Scientology from harassing Bob Minton in the Lisa
McPherson case were posted to a.r.s this week. Scientology claims Bob is
controlling the case, and wants the court to order bank records to be
produced.

"AFFIDAVIT OF KENNAN G. DANDAR.

"Affiant is the attorney for the ESTATE OF LISA MCPHERSON, as counsel in
probate and in the wrongful death suit against the CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY
FLAG SERVICE ORGANIZATION, INC. pending in Pinellas County, Florida.

"At no time has ROBERT MINTON ever controlled in any manner the wrongful
death suit. At all times from the commencement to the present and into the
future, all litigation involving the ESTATE OF LISA McPHERSON is in the
absolute control of the Personal Representative, Dell Liebreich, the
maternal aunt of Lisa McPherson appointed by Fannie McPherson, Lisa's
mother. Any money provided by ROBERT MINTON has been provided only as a
nonrecourse, interest free loan. Mr. Minton has no 'investment' in any
litigation involving the ESTATE OF LISA McPHERSON. Repayment to Mr. Minton
is at the sole discretion of the ESTATE."

"REPLY MEMORANDUM OF ROBERT S. MINTON IN FURTHER SUPPORT OF HIS MOTION TO
QUASH.

"Scientology focuses its efforts on attacking Mr. Minton and spinning its
fictional web of a Minton-led conspiracy. Scientology's continuing efforts
to gain access to Mr. Minton's banking records are a transparent attempt
to harass, embarrass, and annoy him. Mr. Minton respectfully requests that
this Court quash the subpoenas directed at FleetBoston and Fidelity.

"As demonstrated by Scientology's past conduct in this very action in
Florida, Mr. Minton's fear that Scientology will seek retribution against
him through the misuse of his banking records is real. Scientology does
not deny that as recently as October 2001 it obtained Mr. Minton's banking
records as third-party discovery from Bank of America in the Florida
action, made hundreds of photocopies of a personal check written by Mr.
Minton in July 2001 that was contained within those records, and posted
the photocopies of the check along with a harassing 'Profile of Robert
Minton' throughout a hotel in Cleveland where Mr. Minton was receiving an
award at a CULTinfo conference from the Leo J. Ryan Educational
Foundation.

"Requiring FleetBoston and Fidelity to respond to the subpoenas at issue
will serve only to further Scientology's efforts by providing it with
another opportunity to harass Mr. Minton, and Mr. Minton implores the
Court not to permit such discovery abuses to be repeated."

"NON-PARTY ROBERT S. MINTON'S MOTION TO QUASH SUBPOENAS DIRECTED TO
FLEETBOSTON AND FIDELITY OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, FOR A PROTECTIVE ORDER

"Mr. Minton moves to quash the subpoenas directed to FleetBoston and
Fidelity on the following grounds: Right to financial privacy. Compliance
with the subpoenas would violate Mr. Minton's right to financial privacy.
Improper purpose. The discovery is sought for an improper purpose, that
is, to harass and intimidate Mr. Minton, as evidenced by the pattern of
similar acts by Scientology. Overbroad subpoenas. The subpoenas are
overbroad, reaching well beyond the discovery held to be relevant by the
Florida court. Most of the records sought by Scientology implicate
individuals who do not appear on the parties' witness lists. Moreover, to
the extent that such individuals are reflected on the parties' witness
lists, many of these individuals have nothing to do with the facts of the
underlying Florida case and have been identified by Scientology only for
the purpose of obtaining discovery of Mr. Minton's financial records.
Compliance with the subpoenas implicates the privacy rights of the other
individuals who were parties to the financial transactions in issue.

"Scientology is relentless in its efforts. Time and again, Scientology has
demonstrated that it cannot be trusted and that its true motive in the
pursuit of discovery against the person of Robert Minton is nothing more
than an attempt to seek 'revenge' on a man it abhors for supporting its
harshest critics. As evidenced below, there can be no doubt but that the
instant subpoenas are merely the latest attempt by Scientology to harass
and intimidate Mr. Minton as 'punishment' for providing financial support
to certain critics of Scientology.

"Scientology has dispatched private detectives to try to 'dig up dirt' on
Mr. Minton from his relatives and former business associates. It has had
Mr. Minton's two young daughters followed on two occasions. One
representative of Scientology has threatened to attack Mr. Minton through
his family, former business associates, and tax authorities. On many
occasions, Scientology has had its members blanket Mr. Minton's
neighborhood with leaflets containing false and highly inflammatory
statements about him. In February 2000, two men who identified themselves
as working for the law firm of Moxon & Kobrin (which represents
Scientology) approached Mr. Minton's seventy-seven-year old mother, two
aunts, and two brothers at their homes in Nashville, Tennessee. Warning
Mr. Minton's family that 'someone is going to get hurt,' these individuals
went so far as to say that they would be willing to pay the cost for his
family to have Mr. Minton committed to a mental institution and to help
them set up a conservatorship to manage his money. A 'private
investigator' named Mr. Hirsch, from an organization apparently known as
International Inquiries, contacted Mr. Minton's personal accountant and
asserted that a foreign government had filed formal criminal charges
against Mr. Minton and that a foreign bank account allegedly belonging to
him had been frozen. These statements were totally false.

"In sum, Scientology's present subpoenas are nothing more than its most
recent intimidation technique conveniently 'dressed up' as a subpoena. For
the foregoing reasons, Mr. Minton respectfully requests that his motion to
quash the subpoenas directed to FleetBoston and Fidelity be granted."

A motion by attorney Ken Dandar in the Lisa McPherson civil case
summarized the medical evidence about whether or not Lisa was dehydrated
at the time of her death, and if that was the true cause of death.

"Dr. Zumwalt, the Past President of the National Association of Medical
Examiners, stated in his attached letter of November 19, 2001: Post mortem
vitreous levels of urea nitrogen and creatinine are reliable for assessing
pre-mortem dehydration. These tests have been accepted as scientifically
valid for more than 20 years by forensic pathologists around the country.

"Dr. Coe's research is recognized internationally on diagnosing
dehydration by the use of vitreous electrolytes. Dr. Derrick J Pounder, MB
ChB, forensic pathologist and professor of forensic medicine at the
University of Dundee, Scotland, UK, writes that 'the analysis of vitreous
humour from the eye taken at autopsy is an established method for the
diagnosis of dehydration. The leading international authority in this
field of post mortem biochemistry is Dr. John Coe. Post mortem blood is
never used. Ketones are not necessarily found in dehydration.'

"The defense had one expert with similar expertise of John Coe, M.D. and
Calvin Bandt, M.D., William Sturner, M.D., who co-authored a peer-reviewed
article with Dr. Coe. The defense has withdrawn him. The Estate suspects
that since his research is closely aligned with that of Dr. Coe and Dr.
Bandt, he would never participate in denigrating his colleagues or his own
noted research. The defense challenges the research of Drs. Coe, Bandt and
Sturner with 'experts' who have never published on the use of post mortem
vitreous as the best reflection of antemortem serum conditions. The
experts for the defense attack the validity and reliability of post-mortem
chemistry analysis with statements such as 'I don't do it and it doesn't
make sense to me.'

"Incredibly, the defense argues that there is no physical evidence of
Lisa's dehydration. All of the evidence of dehydration comes from FLAG
staff and records, as well as the physical autopsy. Contrary to the
defense position, the ESTATE's experts do not rely exclusively upon the
vitreous tests.

"The first indication of Lisa's dehydration came from MLO nurse, Judy
Goldsberry-Weber, who testified that another Lisa attendant, librarian
Alice von Grundelle, came to the MLO office asking about dehydration.
'Dehydration was what she specifically asked me about, gave her that and
let her evaluate. She asked me if - in my nursing if I had ever taken care
of people that had a dehydration problem and how they behaved, and I gave
her an affirmative, yes, I had. And it was not uncommon for them to behave
irrational for a short period of - give them enough fluids or whatever,
you know, you get help and turn - you can turn it around in a matter of
hours was what I - in my previous experience it had happened."

"On a log written by Lisa attendant Rita Boykin, dated November 30, 1995,
there is an entry timed at 1 a.m., which states that Janice Johnson had
just visited and stated that Lisa needed a 'quart of fluid.' Later on
December 1, 1995, at 11:00 a.m., Janice Johnson comes back to see Lisa and
writes that Lisa needs 'Needs 2L fluids when awake and attempt to feed.'
The attendants never got 2 liters of fluids down Lisa after that.
Petzold noticed also that Lisa's mouth was dry. The last several days
Petzold said it was 'alarming', Heather was 'frantic.' In addition to
these particular indicators of dehydration, it is also undisputed that all
guards were called off beginning December 1, 1995, because Lisa was no
longer a threat, she had quieted down.

"All of this is evidence of dehydration written or testified about by FLAG
staff neatly fits in the time frame dictated by the objective postmortem
chemistry levels which indicate Lisa would be in an 'uremic coma,' not
unconscious, but very somnolent, obtunded, and moribund around December 1,
1995, per Dr. John Coe and Dr. Calvin Bandt.

"Then on December 5, 1995 Janice Johnson finally returns to see Lisa in
the early evening. She described Lisa's skin looking like a child's skin
when it is dehydrated. In her police statement of, she said that Lisa was
'very dehydrated at that point ... ummm, very thin.' She further states
that Lisa was 'majorly dehydrated, everything really dry, mucous membranes
get real, real dry. There's just this sunken dehydrated look.'

"Dr. Werner Spitz, Estate's expert forensic pathologist, has opined that
based on the testimony of an attendant, Laura Arrunada, Lisa was likely
dead in the bath tub in the hotel around 4 p.m. according to Arrunada's
observing a relaxed sphincter muscle, evidence of neurological compromise.

"Confirming the deposition testimony of Robert Davis, M.D., the written
autopsy protocol reports signs of dehydration: Hippocratic facies is
present; Crusted blood is present at the nares; Crusted brown dried
material is present within the mouth, on the lips; Crusted (dried)
material is present on the eyelids; Right and left pleural cavities are
free of fluid; The pericardial cavity has 2 cc of pale clear fluid; The
peritoneal cavity is free of fluid.

"The foremost expert in the world on post mortem chemistries is John I.
Coe, M.D. He has been recognized as 'a universally acknowledged expert on
the body's chemistry following death.' His C.V. lists 42 articles and 8
textbooks. A full professor of pathology and medical examiner for 30
years, Dr. Coe has no equal. 'The autopsy report indicated dehydration in
certain aspects of it, the description, and then the postmortem
chemistries were an ancillary, an important ancillary, I will admit, in
making me think that dehydration was a significant factor. There was a
discussion of a formation of a thrombus in the popliteal vein and a
pulmonary embolus, and I can only say that when we had the chance to
examine the microscopic, but I'm not going to say that it wasn't truly
pulmonary embolus. I would say is that the pulmonary embolus indicates a
total obstruction of that, but at least no more than that. And on that
basis, in the absence of dehydration or some other factor, I would not
expect that to be fatal. It was therefore my ultimate conclusion that
dehydration was the underlying cause.

"Calvin Bandt, M.D. ran the clinical laboratory at the Hennepin County
Medical Center in Minneapolis, where he collected over 6,000 vitreous
samples used by Dr. Coe in his research and peer reviewed articles. It is
his opinion from day one, along with Dr Coe, that Lisa was severely
dehydrated, which dehydration caused her to be in an 'uremic coma.' 'I
think at least in the last two days, that she would have been in the last
stages of uremic coma, that she would have probably been responsive, she
could have moved around, that she would have been extremely weak, that she
would have been very confused, that she would have been very somnolent,
she would not be very active, she would not be very verbal. She would have
looked very much like she looks in that one autopsy picture where she has
the endotracheal tube in her mouth, and one of the things in there that
fits very well with that is the condition of her mouth. You can see
crusted material on her teeth. This is very common in people who are in a
very obtunded state, that they aren't able to swallow very well, and they
get a lot of bacterial growth and dried mucus and so on in their mouth,
and it's a very typical picture of poor oral hygiene.'

"Lawrence Repsher, M.D., pulmonologist and board certified in critical
care, opined that there is no physical evidence in the written autopsy,
pictures, or slides that Lisa died from a pulmonary embolism. It is
inconceivable that the bruise on Lisa's left lower thigh, only 2-7 days
old, could cause trauma to the popliteal vein. 'You don't die from
pulmonary embolism without having a dilated right heart chambers and
increased lung weight.'"

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> Blackbird

Blackbird, a new book by Janet Lauck describes her life, including
childhood experiences with Scientology. From a review on Salon.com:

"Jennifer was 7 when her mother died. Her family then went from living a
middle-class life in Huntington Beach, Calif., to a disjointed existence
in Downtown Los Angeles. Her father married 'Deb,' a member of the
'Freedom Community' church, a pseudonym Lauck uses for what was in
actuality the Church of Scientology, and then had a fatal heart attack. At
age 10, Lauck and her brother, Bryan, were orphans and left in the care of
their cold, authoritarian stepmother who attempted to break the little
girl's will. Lauck writes of being mistreated by 'Deb,' sexually molested
by a counselor at a church-run summer camp and, finally, abandoned by the
awful stepmother, sent at age 10 to live by herself in one of the church's
group homes and to earn her keep by working as a janitor's assistant at a
local school. Years later her brother committed suicide."

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#####

> Celebrity Center

Celebrity Center International in Hollywood will be hosting an event
starring David Carradine.

"David Carradine and the Cosmic Rescue Team in concert. Celebrity Centre
International, Wednesday, December 19 7:30 pm. Lounge at the Espresso Bar
Dance -- if you Dare! Laugh at it All!"

Message-ID: <3C1983D4.1957@...>

#####

> ECT

An article in the Sunday Times on December 9th described the battle over
electoconvulsive therapy (ECT), including the role of Scientology and the
Citizens Commission on Human Rights.

"Campaigning bodies such as the Citizens Commission on Human Rights
(CCHR), an offshoot of the Church of Scientology (which is opposed to most
aspects of psychiatry) wants ECT to be banned. Brian Daniels from CCHR
will tell you that ECT has been used in Nazi concentration camps and other
heinous institutions. This may be true, but it misses the point. The
answer to misuse is not non-use but correct use. Opponents also used to
point to the broken bones resulting from ECT convulsions. Nowadays,
however, thanks to the muscle relaxant, the only sign of the electricity
passing across their brain is the patient's toes twitching. But this does
mean that a higher dose of electricity is needed to obtain a seizure.

"Daniels is adamant that ECT has no positive effect. 'All they've done is
numbed the person to the point where whatever was troubling them has been
completely masked. If you were bashed over the head with a sledgehammer
and then told to walk off down the street, you'd walk off going, 'Ow, my
head hurts,' but you wouldn't think about your problem.'

"He points to people like Diana Turner, 55, who was in her 20s when she
had six 'doses' of ECT at a clinic in Worthing, West Sussex. 'Some of the
other patients must have had far more than me; they were like zombies,'
she recalls. Turner had gone to her GP complaining of headaches. Looking
back, she says, they resulted from the tension of running a home; she had
three children under the age of four. But she was diagnosed as suffering
from depression and referred to a psychiatrist. 'On my second visit, he
said, 'If you don't want to take tablets, I've got another treatment that
might make you feel better.' So I said I'd try it.' She doesn't remember
being told what it was. She was taken to a clinic once a week.

"A recent study by Dundee and Aberdeen universities had some surprising
results: 150 patients who had received ECT two weeks earlier were asked:
'Did ECT help you?' Of these, 110 said yes. Of the 11 among them who had
not consented, nine also said yes. It is possible that some try to give
the 'right' answers to health-care professionals, and that two weeks after
treatment they may be too confused to give a true answer. But it is hard
to dismiss these findings. Think of the alternatives, and the desperate
need of those to whom ECT is given."

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#####

> Dallas

The Dallas News reported on December 9th that the Scientology org there
would like to receive the donation of a computer for the holidays.

"Dallas-area nonprofit organizations have shared their hearts' desires
with us, responding to the Texas Living section's call to publish their
groups' needs in our 15th annual Holiday Wish List. Whether the requests
be for books and computers to challenge the mind, for food to nourish the
body, or for volunteers to rekindle the spirit, our hope is to bring
people together in this season of giving.

"Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Dallas, 1850 N. Buckner Blvd.,
Dallas 75228, 214-572-6600, wants a video projector (1200+ lumens), a
big-screen TV (about 50-55 in.), and 10 laptops (with active matrix
screen, 3.4+GB, 64 mgb ram)."

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#####

> Germany

Taz reported on December 12th that Scientology has lost an attempt to have
Ursula Caberta, of the Hamburg Working Group on Scientology, fired.

"Yesterday the Scientology organization failed in its attempt before the
Hamburg administrative court to have Ursula Caberta, the sect commissioner
of the Interior Ministry, relieved of her duties. Scientology's
application was rejected as impermissible. Because the decision concerned
homeland security, the Scientologists have no right to appeal."

The German government announced on December 13th that it will support Ms.
Caberta in a lawsuit brought by Scientologists in Florida.

"The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany communicated to the US
State Department its recommendations concerning the basis of the lawsuit
filed by Mr. Hubert Heller, against Mrs. Ursula Caberta, in the US Federal
District Court, district of central Florida. The Embassy directed
attention to the fact that Caberta, a member of the German state, holds a
position with the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, a state of the
Federal Republic of Germany.

"The subject of the complaint is devoted entirely to the activities of
Mrs. Caberta or her staff in Germany in their official capacities as staff
of the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

"Based on the fact that the complaint may only be validly directed to the
Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, the Federal Republic of Germany,
representing the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg in accordance with
international law, invokes state immunity and requests immediate
withdrawal of the complaint. A court in the United States does not have
jurisdiction in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg in the Federal
Republic of Germany, and is not in the position to institute court
proceedings there."

Berlin.de reported on December 13th that a court has decided that the
Office of Constitutional Security will no longer be allowed to recruit
Scientologists in Berlin in their surveillance of the organization.

"The 27th chamber of the Berlin administrative court today decided that
Berlin Constitutional Security must forego the recruitment and
implementation of members or staff of the Berlin Scientology Church as
paid 'undercover people' for its surveillance.

"The Berlin Scientology Church used the unsuccessful attempt of Berlin
Constitutional Security to recruit one of its staff as a so-called
'undercover person' as an excuse to file a complaint that would forbid
offering staff or members of the church money or financial advantages for
collecting data and information about the church or its members and
passing it on to Constitutional Security.

"The court was not able to determine that the use of undercover people
against the Berlin Scientology Church was currently called for. The state
of Berlin had made a plausible case, but it did not support this type of
surveillance. The court said it did not suffice to state in general that
results from constitutional security observations could be presented only
after a longer, undetermined time by reason of the object of surveillance
operating on a limited basis due to being aware of being observed. The
court said that evidence of actual anti-constitutional behavior or
activities by Scientology, or that related to their alleged endeavors to
infiltrate key positions of the state, had not been presented by the state
of Berlin."

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#####

> Honolulu

The Honolulu Advertiser published a profile on the local Scientology org
on December 1st.

"Our denomination: Pan-denominational: 'Anyone of any religious background
can come and practice,' said Sakura Thompson, church spokeswoman. Where we
are: 1148 Bethel St. Our numbers: Active, about 80-100, but thousands pick
up reading materials about Dianetics, 'the modern science of mental
health,' Thompson said. Lead pastoral counselor: Amy Suzuki.

"What we believe: According to the Scientology Handbook, based on the
works of L. Ron Hubbard, the essential tenets of Scientology are: You are
an immortal spiritual being. Your experience extends well beyond a single
lifetime. And your capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently
realized. Furthermore, man is basically good. He is seeking to survive.
And his survival depends upon himself and his fellows and his attainment
of brotherhood with the universe.

"What's special about us: Courses and services are offered in these areas:
interpersonal relations, overcoming the ups and downs of life, personal
values and integrity, understanding others, working more efficiently,
marriage and raising children. Some services are used by artists and
celebrities."

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#####

> Christmas Carols

The Los Angeles Times reported on December 15th that a group from
Scientology joined other performers at the Montrose Shopping Park.

"The Crescenta Valley High School Singers are among the strolling
musicians who will serenade shoppers today in the Montrose Shopping Park.
The high school group will perform from noon to 1 p.m. in the 2200 and
2300 blocks of Honolulu Avenue in Montrose. Other performers are the
Church of Scientology choir from 1 to 2 p.m.; the Valley Brass Quintet
from 2 to 4 p.m.; and the Wilson Middle School Singers from 4 to 5 p.m.
Singers will also perform in the shopping district Dec. 22."

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#####

> Sports Injuries

A press release from Scientology on December 11th publicized the use of
Scientology touch assists in treating sports injuries.

"Techniques used at Ground Zero to help workers deal with injury, upset
and fatigue have found use in dealing with sports injuries. They can
reduce healing time and focus a person's attention on the task at hand.
Licensed physical therapist, Ruth Agustin, who learned how to use the
Hubbard Dianetic Assist procedures during her volunteer work at Ground
Zero, has started using them in her practice where she treats
sports-related injuries.

"'I've been using these Hubbard Assists since September,' says Agustin, a
therapist at Mid-Hudson Comprehensive and Medical Diagnostic in Throgs
Neck, NY. 'It's so good to see people getting better -- even the chronic
cases, the ones where people were told it is hopeless.'

"Agustin points out that anyone can learn and administer the assists, but
points out first aid is applied when needed. She is pleased that now she
has effective tools that she can use to help a person to focus and handle
physical problems better. Agustin says, 'I got into the physical therapy
field to help people, and now with these assists I can deliver that
promise better.'"

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#####

> Protest Summary

Caroline Letkeman reported a protest at the Vancouver Scientology org on
December 8th.

"We brought hundreds if not thousands of people uptone with our very
positive picket signs and very positive presences. Dozens of people came
by to find out what we were picketing and to take one of our flyers.

"One woman came out of the building to hand out copies of a new scn
publication 'Voice of the Volunteer Minister: The Volunteer Minister's
Newspaper. Gerry charmed her out of a copy and contributed it to the
International Archives.

"We had some actual contact by a scientologist who spoke on the subject of
the picket. His name is Ty-bor or Ty-borg, we weren't sure which. I asked
Ty-borg his last name but he wouldn't say. Ty-borg confronted us with
some very unusual questions. He began with a series of questions such as,
'How many people die in hospitals a year?' and 'Why aren't you picketing
them?' 'How many people in Canada die from prescribed drugs?' Gerry gave
him his best estimates, and nope, he was wrong on all numbers. But Ty-Borg
had the numbers right at the tip of his analytical mind.

"Gerry told him that we were doing a Lisa McPherson Memorial Picket, and
Ty-borg responded that he had 'studied her case and she died of a blood
clot.' That's why it was so odd when Ty-borg seemed to want to impart
information of a medical nature about 'my daughter.' Later, I realized it
was simply that he had mistaken me for Lisa McPherson's mother. Obviously
he didn't know she was deceased.

"It was kind of a tense few minutes when I kept on demanding that he
explain what he meant by 'your daughter's medical information.' At first,
I thought he was being exceptionally cruel in his bullbaiting, but it was
just a case of mistaken identity. I gave Ty-borg a copy of our handout,
and pointed out which side of the handout had to do with my daughter, Ann.
As Ty-borg disappeared back into the scn building, he encouraged me to
study the Lisa McPherson case."

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> Boy Scouts

The Los Angeles Times congratulated two boy scouts on December 15th for
earning the rank of Eagle Scout at a Scientology-sponsored troop in
Tujunga.

"Two members of Boy Scout Troop 8 of Tujunga have earned the rank of Eagle
Scout. It was awarded in front of more than 100 friends, troop members
and Scouting officials at a ceremony at the Church of Scientology,
Celebrity Centre, in Hollywood, Troop 8's charter organization.

"Matt Fleming, 18, of Lake View Terrace had seven years of steady
advancement through the Scouting ranks. For his Eagle Scout Service
Project, Matt repaired a large section of trails in the Angeles National
Forest. This task, organized wholly by Matt, involved more than 350 hours
of work by parents and Scouts. Matt is a graduate of Verdugo Hills High
School. He works for the Church of Scientology in Hollywood.

"Adam Candler, 18, of Burbank joined the Scouts in 1994 and steadily moved
up the ranks to Eagle. For his Eagle Scout Service Project, Adam repaired
a large section of trails in the Angeles National Forest -- more than 500
hours of work by parents and Scouts. Matt is a graduate of Burbank High
School. He recently joined the U.S. Navy."

Message-ID: <9vfnlr$jh7@...>

#####

> Reed Slatkin

The Los Angeles Times published an update on December 15th on
Scientologist Reed Slatkin and his infamous Ponzi scheme.

"The investment empire run by EarthLink Inc. co-founder Reed Slatkin was a
scam virtually from its inception in the mid-1980s, according to a report
filed Friday by a U.S. Bankruptcy Court trustee and Slatkin's creditors.
The report, which is the first detailed look at the inner workings of one
of the largest alleged Ponzi schemes in history, said Slatkin reported
about $700 million in bogus profits to investors from 1986 to 2001.

"The report, co-written by trustee R. Todd Neilson and the bankruptcy
case's creditors committee, alleges that Slatkin took in $593 million from
more than 800 investors over 15 years. Although he distributed hundreds of
millions in purported stock market profits to investors, the report
alleges, he made only about $65 million in actual gains. Most of the
payments were actually money taken in from other investors - a classic
Ponzi scheme.

"A 'select few' of Slatkin's investors profited from the scheme, the
report alleges. Seventy-five investors received $151 million more than
they originally invested, according to the report. One Slatkin associate,
convicted felon Ron Rakow, got back $2 million more than he paid in and
his family members were paid $6 million more than they invested, the
report alleges.

"The report claims Slatkin went to some lengths to deceive investors.
Among other moves, Slatkin allegedly doctored brokerage statements to
report phony earnings and set up a Swiss phone line - complete with a
'genuine European ring' - that forwarded calls back to one of his Santa
Barbara numbers as a way of convincing investors that their money was
safely ensconced in Swiss bank accounts, the report said. Investigators
have found no evidence that the accounts exist.

"Slatkin began his investment business with money from fellow
Scientologists in 1985, according to testimony he made two years ago. His
roster of clients eventually included actors, Hollywood producer Armyan
Bernstein, CNN commentator Greta Van Susteren and Internet mogul Sky
Dayton."

From the Santa Barbara News-Press on December 15th:

"The harshly worded accounting of the local man's alleged fraud was filed
Friday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Santa Barbara by Todd R. Neilson, the
trustee appointed by the court to investigate after Mr. Slatkin filed for
bankruptcy in May. Mr. Neilson will explain his report Monday in court to
Mr. Slatkin's investors, some of whom have lost millions.

"In simplest terms, the report claims, Mr. Slatkin's 'club' was a massive
Ponzi scheme, where money paid by later investors was used to pay
artificially high returns to the initial ones, with the goal of attracting
more investors' money. It provides details of Mr. Slatkin's assets,
liabilities and financial affairs uncovered during months of investigation
by Mr. Neilson's team and a committee of creditors.

"Mr. Slatkin's credibility with investors apparently was founded in large
part on his connections to Earthlink, whose stock value soared after its
creation in 1994. And many of his initial investors were members of the
Church of Scientology, in which he and his wife are ordained ministers.

"'Due to his newfound 'paper' wealth generated by the Earthlink
investment, Slatkin was seemingly propelled into a euphoric sense of
financial invincibility,' the trustee wrote. 'Investments were made in
highly speculative projects with the assumption that 'financial lightning'
would again strike for Slatkin. During the discussions the trustee has had
with Slatkin relative to various investments, Slatkin continued to cling
to the illusion that the 'dot.com wand' would somehow touch investments in
companies that had never generated profits and had no foreseeable hope of
doing so, and magically transform them into financial behemoths. In
fairness to Slatkin, he is not the only person in the United States so
afflicted.'"

Message-ID: <20011215141720.05835.00000316@...>
Message-ID: <FAS6ZHUD37241.6378703704@anonymous>

#####

> Terrorism Workshop

The New Haven Register reported on December 13th that the New Haven,
Connecticut Scientology org will host an anti-terrorism workshop.

"A free, anti-terrorism workshop, Solutions for a Dangerous Environment,
will be held 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Church of Scientology of Connecticut,
909 Whalley Ave."

Message-ID: <qukl1ucvb02ssfbo934eremlb0i0sv47kl@...>

-end-