4 Corners ABC: James Packer

[steveadl]

But the significant difference, to my thinking, is that there doesn't even seem to be a reasonable core in Scientology. From the get-go, it's about e-meters, aliens, and stuff like that! So what is it about Scientology that attracts people?

Didn't the founder of Scientology admit that he made it all up, then become ostracised by the group?

 

[Perp]

Didn't the founder of Scientology admit that he made it all up, then become ostracised by the group?

I've heard that rumour, too, but can't find any substantiation. In any case, Hubbard's own letters are... let's say "illuminating".

 

[our obsession]

Smashed and Fixed:

OO spare a thought for those countless people who's lives and fictional stories about them were published in the PBL media channels.

Do not fear for finite thoughts....love and compassion are my infinite realms, I honed my skill on the common foot soldier.

 

[our obsession]

...and:

Mr Cousins said yesterday he disagreed with many of the unattributed comments in the book as being "wrong", and warning: "No one should give too much weight to unattributed comment, and this book has a fair bit of it.

"The point ... is what weight do you give to unattributed comment?" he said. "And I would say not much, because the reader can't test it.

"They don't know who has said it, they don't know what the motives of that person might be in saying it, they don't know whether it's malicious, they don't even know in fact whether the remarks that were reported by some people were ever made."

from:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,24897,26202108-7582,00.html

 

[evand]

There is a lot of criticism of JP at the moment regarding his foray into casinos, and no, it isnt going great at the moment. But i have the feeling if/when this play of his life turns around and comes good he will outdo his fathers fortune easily. A lot of people in the media will be eating their words.

And i think it just might turn around given time.

 

[our obsession]

...yes, it would be nice to just hear James's story, the reasoning he was using.

PAUL BARRY: Mistakes in Las Vegas apart, Daniel Petre believes his friend is way ahead in the decisions he's made over the years. And Peter Yates who was managing director of Packer's PBL until 2004 and helped steer the company into offshore casinos agrees even more forcibly.

PETER YATES: James is a brilliant strategist. An absolutely brilliant strategist and the strategy he put in place at PBL, the new media strategy, the gaming strategy - I mean how much money has that made? $5 billion plus.

Foxtel, Fox Sports, Seek, Car Sales, Ninemsn. I reckon he's probably made about 2.5 billion. And then the casino strategy, well I mean Crown and Burswood alone have made 3.5 billion. So James is a strategist.

PAUL BARRY: How can you call someone a brilliant strategist when they take a decision to go into Vegas and buy four or five different assets and each of them is worthless two years later.

PETER YATES: Well the thing about being…

PAUL BARRY: That's not great strategy surely.

PETER YATES: No, no what, look all investors, no investor gets it right all the time. Now obviously the Vegas investment is a big loss but compared to the whole strategy, it's just an unfortunate loss.

 

[Big Tone]

no need to worry about JP, he was trained by the best! (or one of anyway)

Big Tone