A former scientologist has sued the church for $250 million, alleging that it is a criminal enterprise. Peter Letterese also sued Tom Cruise, who he claims is effectively the right-hand man of Scientology head David Miscavage.
The lawsuit seems rather weak and may be designed to simply make it into discovery in the hopes of beefing up its case or confirming details on the church. Letterese’s complaint accuses the church of harassment, including an incident where a private detective, Paul Barresi, allegedly called Letterese’s lawyer’s wife and said that he was the lawyer’s homosexual lover. Barresi has worked for Cruise.
Letterese also includes an intellectal property claim over the church’s use of a business book, “Effective Sales Closing Techniques,” which he claims to own.
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The Sea Org needs to get this gig!
From the BBC
Tonga crowns king in lavish rite
George Tupou V has been crowned king of Tonga in the capital Nuku’alofa, marking the South Pacific state’s first coronation in more than 40 years.
He was anointed with oil and had a gold crown placed on his head in the Christian ceremony, performed in a church before 1,000 guests.
Thousands of people had lined the route to the church and cheered when the new monarch emerged.
Sitting on a golden throne on Friday in the capital’s Centenary Free Wesleyan Church, George Tupou V was “anointed, blessed and consecrated” by the Archbishop of Polynesia, Jabez Bryce.
***The king wore silk knee breeches, a medal-decked jacket and a maroon-coloured cape trimmed with white ermine fur.*** (how very stylish!)
His three-metre-long (10-foot) train was carried by child pages.
A 21-cannon salute and the tolling of church bells marked the coronation.
The ceremony was followed by an extravagant lunch, and then traditional dancing, a fireworks display and an open-air royal charity concert.
There were three separate coronation balls – one for guests listed as “VVIPs” (very, very important persons), one for “VIPs” and a third for regular guests, reported AP.
very nice i was intresting