GERMANY SEEKS TO BAN SCIENTOLOGY

NOTE TO SELF: WONDER HOW THIS WILL AFFECT CELEBRITY BELIEVERS?



Germany's top security officials said Friday they consider the goals of the Church of Scientology to be in conflict with the principles of the nation's constitution and will seek to ban the organization.

The German government considers Scientology a commercial enterprise.

The interior ministers of the nation's 16 states plan to give the nation's domestic intelligence agency the task of preparing the necessary information to ban the organization, which has been under observation for a decade on allegations that it "threatens the peaceful democratic order" of the country.

The Church of Scientology, in a response sent to CNN, denounced the German proposal, calling it out of step with various international court rulings. Read the Church of Scientology response

The ministers, as well as federal Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, "consider Scientology to be an organization that is not compatible with the constitution," said Berlin Interior Minister Ehrhart Koerting, who presided over the officials' two-day conference.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY HERE:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/12/07/germany.scientology.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Church of Scientology's Response:

While failing to pursue the Hamburg Minister of Interior's motion, the Minister of Interior Conference has demonstrated that they are completely out of step with the rest of the world. Their statement and recommendation are a blatant attempt at justifying the ongoing and never-ending discrimination against the Church of Scientology and its members in Germany.

Ten years of OPC surveillance has uncovered absolutely no wrongdoing which could justify a ban, as conceded by Federal Minister of Interior Wolfgang Schauble in his interview with German Radio. There is no evidence of wrongdoing to uncover.

The suggestion that the OPC not only continue but expand its intrusive and illegal investigation represents a desperate attempt to concoct a justification for a never-ending investigation that wastes millions of taxpayer euros.

FULL RESPONSE:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/12/07/scientology.response/index.html

HILLARY CHOOSES CELINE FOR HER CAMPAIGN

NOTE TO MYSELF: HILLARY CLINTON HAS GOOD TASTE IN SINGERS


By now most Americans must have heard the news that presidential candidate/hopeful, Hillary Clinton, has selected Celine Dion's song, "You and I" as the official anthem for her 2008 campaign.

Recently, Clinton went to directly to the people asking them to help her in selecting a campaign song and when it was all over and the votes were counted, more than 225,000 people offered their opinion regarding the song to use.

Actually and as a Canadian Quebecer, it comes as quite a surprise - a pleasant one at that - given the plethora of talented U.S. songs and songwriters available at home that she chose a song by a Canadian singer. Other suggested songs were Shania Twain's (another Canuck btw), "Rock This Country" and U'2's, "Beautiful Day" but in the end it was Celine that won everyone over. Not surprising - we Canadians have always recognized her talent.

Be that as it may - we here in Kweebek are thrilled with the decision, Hilary! One thing for sure - you have good taste in songs and singers!

Here are some of the lyrics:

"High above the mountains
Far across the sea
I can hear your voice
Callin' out to me
Brighter than the sun
And darker than the night
I can see your love
Shinin' like a light
And on and on this earth spins like a carousel
If I could travel across the world
The secrets I would tell
You and I were meant to fly
Higher than the clouds
We'll sail across the sky
So come with me
And you will feel
That we're soaring
That we're floating up so high
'Cause you and I were meant to fly."

Indeed.

http://www.accesshollywood.com/news/ah5789.shtml

http://www.etonline.com/music/news/48655/

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/blog/view/?id=6495


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