Tony Ortega's Blog, page 343
March 2, 2021
Q patriots debate Flat Earth and whether it’s part of ‘the plan’
Some links to Q-related items today…
Q patriots debate the shape of the world. And on a side note, we’ll just mention the only Flat Earthers who have actually showed up in our own social media feeds were all QAnoners and ex-members of the Church of Scientology. Go figure.
New report on the riot…
New @gwupoe report:
“This is Our House!”: A Preliminary Assessment of the Capitol Hill Siege Participants https://t.co/1FjT6BNVCo pic.twitter.com/mgBkVKVJ4Z
— Amarnath Amarasingam (@AmarAmarasingam) March 2, 2021
Repeat it enough times…
QAnon influencers Jordan Sather, IET and Kate Awakening ran a YouTube livestream after Trump's CPAC speech last night.
All three reinforced the notion that Biden is a fake president based on no Air Force One, fake signature, body double, fake Oval Office conspiracies. pic.twitter.com/Tpl18pY77Z
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) March 2, 2021
Cash money!
NEW: Majorie Taylor Greene, who screams about the evils of the 'Silicon Valley cartel,' just sold off up to $210,000 in Facebook, Google, Apple, and Amazon stock. https://t.co/vFQgen4hUk
— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) March 2, 2021
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent recent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
————-
THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you’re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on March 2, 2021 at 9:05
Save the date: Special ‘Cult City’ tour with Marc Headley for L. Ron Hubbard’s birthday
We recently introduced you to Ted Reinhard and his new “Cult City Tours” in Clearwater, an idea which didn’t go over well with local Scientologists.
Well, with Marc Headley joining Leah Remini and Mike Rinder on this week’s podcast, we thought we’d check in with him for the latest, and we’re glad we did. Here’s what he told us…
As you well know, L Ron Hubbard’s Birthday is coming up. Never wanting to pass up an excuse to party, I thought we’d make an event of it.
I have to zip down to Florida for a few days in March, and I thought I’d stop in and see how Clearwater is doing. As long as I was making the trip, I thought it might be a great idea to give a Cult City Tour now that it is a thing. And because it is LRH’s Birthday on March 13, let’s give out some gifts! We will be giving out BFG books, Mike Rinder Bobbleheads, and SP bracelets to those that attend the tour. Folks might not get all three depending on how many people show up, but you will at least one of the three!
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Aaron Smith-Levin will be there as well, and between the two of us, I am sure it will be a fun-fact-filled tour with all sorts of excitement. The Super fan Tour with Aaron and me is at 4PM.
Sounds like a lot of fun.
We go way back with Headley. We wrote about the publication of his excellent Scientology escape narrative, Blown For Good, when it came out in 2009, and he’s been entertaining us with his amazing anecdotes of life in Scientology ever since. You don’t want to miss out on a tour with him if you can help it!
And here’s Marc on this week’s podcast…
——————–
“It’s the inability of the Catholic Church, and the inability of the Methodist and Angelican and other faiths, to unravel the why that lay behind human-emotion-and-reaction that convinced them utterly that man was a sinful being and that was born in sin, and he was conceived in sin and born in sin and would die in sin, and that he was evil. You can see them now on the rostrum, on the platform shaking their fingers at their congregations and how they were evil sinners, and they were all sinners. That’s just all, they didn’t have the right why. So, your own future morale pursuing a line as an Establishment Officer actually is greatly dependent on your ability to penetrate a situation and discover a correct why.” — L. Ron Hubbard, March 2, 1972
——————–
“Al Bornstein is ordered to thorough daily 2 hour study on his post hat. I have already sent Org Officer FAO a full checksheet on promotion for use in his hat.” — Lt. Cmdr. Diana Hubbard, Distribution Aide, March 2, 1971
“An ‘engram’ is a ‘quantum field’ of attention units, theta quanta of awareness, created by a being, and existing as stored (not in the brain), re-creatable mirrors of a physical universe event. They are not ‘located’ until called up again and recreated by the being, whereupon they can and do impinge on the body its glandular system, its nervous system, its communications and the cells and structures. There are parts of these that are continuously created as ‘automaticities.’ All of them are composed of postulated particles in space, ‘energy.’ DNA isn’t so much the blueprint as the list of materials available. The actual plans exist as memories of the theta, the life that animates the cell. They aren’t traces on cells, until put there, as memory, by life itself, manipulating the MEST. MIT won’t ever find a location, general or specific, in the brain for any engram, except when it is in restimulation. And if it involved the brain in the first place. The repository for engrams as stored re-creatable potentials of energy, is the being. It is life. Theta. With the ability to either recall and recreate, or keep in continuous creation. And, since there is no limit on how many mental energy pictures a being can make, you can ‘store’ an infinity of them, with nary a brain in sight. Consideration takes rank over mechanics. And today, in the study of physics, and now cellular biology, the functions of theta described thoroughly in Dianetics and Scientology has had the structure study just about catch up to it. Physical science and the humanities are coming together. It’s happening on numerous fronts. With a workable technology of the mind, and a means to rehabilitation of the spirit existing in Dianetics and Scientology, we have in our hands the means to a true enlightened age.”
——————–
1996: An anonymous poster provided a list of minors in the Sea Org in Clearwater, Florida in 1992. “In the Sea Org minors are expected to work long hours like the adults. At the Flag Land Base one can easily find several children and minors doing administrative, ‘technical’ and even executive duties. If you are in the SO you shouldn’t be surprised if you get a visit by a ten-year old ‘messenger’ late at night, who gives you an order, which you better reply with a snappy ‘Yes, Sir!’, if you don`t want to get a ‘Court of Ethics’. These were some minors, who worked in the Sea Org at the FLB in 1992 (Name, Age, Post, Org):
Ginger Aguilar, 16, Receptionist, Flag Crew.
Elyssa Alexander, 16, Continental Justice Chief East US, Flag Land Base.
Melanie Burness, 15, Boom Project Staff, Flag Land Base.
Matt Butler, 16, Body Registrar Service Officer, Flag Service Org.
Crystal Campbell, 15, Letter Registrar, Flag Service Org.
Amber Dunham, 15, Body Registrar Service Officer, Flag Service Org.
Eugenie Francoeur, 15, ?, Flag Service Org.
Simon Fuchs, 16, Waiter, Flag Crew.
Cyril Helnwein, 16, Deputy Supercargo, Flag Service Org.
Alex Inzel, 15, ?, Scientology Mission Expansion Office.
Daron Leitchfield, 16, Director of Personnel, Flag Service Org.
Desiree Matlock, 15, Letter Registrar, Flag Service Org.
Nico Roth, 16, Cook, Flag Crew.
Samuel Scelza, 17, Director of Communications, Flag Service Org.
Jo Struthers daughter, 16, Address File Clerk, Flag Service Org.
Monique van der Linde, 17, Master At Arms, Flag Service Org.
Martina Weissenburger, 15, Division 6 A Establishment Officer, Flag.”
——————–
“Even after all this time I’m still shocked at how this ‘religion’ is able to turn people into the biggest bunch of liars, bullies and amoral a-holes I’ve ever come across. I’m use to associating with junkies, prostitutes, and various other sundry shady types, but generally speaking, those people have more of a moral compass than your militant Scientologist.”
——————–
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Masterson arraigned Jan 20. Next conf to set prelim, March 24.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing delayed to April 13.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Charged in Brooklyn federal court on Feb 4. Arraigned on Feb 9. Pretrial conference set for Apr 29.
Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. March 8: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 24.
Concluded litigation:
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
——————–
SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks
The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] DRONE FLYOVER: The Gold Country mine where Scientology stores its scriptures
[TWO years ago] Mike Rinder on Scientology’s smears, Miscavige’s fears, and waiting for ‘Aftermath’ news
[THREE years ago] Scientology TV is now installed at the Ideal Orgs — when do the rest of us get to see it?
[FOUR years ago] Leah Remini’s ‘Troublemaker’ finally gets a UK publisher — and you can probably guess who!
[FIVE years ago] APPEALS COURT STRIKES SCIENTOLOGY’S $1 MILLION JUDGMENT AGAINST KEN DANDAR
[SIX years ago] NEW TODAY: Memoir with shocking claims by notorious Scientology spy, Merrell Vannier
[SEVEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology nuttiness on Oscar Day!
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology Mythbusting with Jon Atack: That L. Ron Hubbard TV Ad!
[NINE years ago] Scientology on the High Seas: Three Major Enemies Scalped!
——————–
Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 2,228 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,732 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,252 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,272 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,163 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,470 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,338 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,112 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,916 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,232 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,798 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,717 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,885 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,466 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,727 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,765 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,478 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,003 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 358 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,533 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,084 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,233 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,553 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,408 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,527 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,883 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,186 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,292 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,694 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,566 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,149 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,644 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,898 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,007 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on March 2, 2021 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
March 1, 2021
How Q patriots reacted to Trump’s CPAC speech: Down on the vaccine, thumbs up to ‘Joe Biden’
Some links to Q-related items today…
We had a feeling that Q patriots would be kind of disappointed with Trump’s speech yesterday at CPAC. A couple of times, when Donny said, “When we left office a few weeks ago…” we could feel them flinch.
And it really bothered them that Trump kept crowing about the vaccines and taking credit for them.
If the 45th president is about to reassert his authority on March 4, it really didn’t seem to show in that speech yesterday.
Anyway, onward Christian soldiers!
Good story in USAToday taking a look at the ways political extremists often weaponize Christianity to recruit, shield, and propagandize.
Via @TrevorHugheshttps://t.co/bBE36s0Sse
— Jared Holt (@jaredlholt) March 1, 2021
Following up on yesterday’s news, here’s our old friend Emma Best…
NEW: Far-Right Platform Gab Has Been Hacked—Including Private Data https://t.co/FaeQDfQTgI
The transparency group #DDoSecrets will make the 70GB of passwords, private posts, and more available to researchers, journalists, and social scientists.
— Emma Best 🏳️🌈🏴 Demon Hacker (@NatSecGeek) March 1, 2021
Trump and the vaccine…
QAnon believers are so disappointed with Trump encouraging people to take the Covid vaccines during his CPAC speech.
Some suggest he only mentioned vaccines for "optics", others think vaccines were code for "arrests" and "executions". pic.twitter.com/eS0Uirq2IG
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) February 28, 2021
But some patriots were encouraged by what they heard in the speech…
QAnon followers were predictably emboldened by Trump’s CPAC speech, which was filled with baseless claims the election was “rigged” and he “won”
Some are particularly latching onto Trump saying “Joe Biden” and not “President Biden” throughout the speech https://t.co/94hQVgWJBF pic.twitter.com/SKOkqQIMXm
— Will Steakin (@wsteaks) March 1, 2021
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent recent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
————-
THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you’re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on March 1, 2021 at 8:55
Hidden microphone: Scientology staffer shows how far they’ll go for $50
We mentioned on Saturday that former Scientologist Trevor Heasley has been making some good videos. And on that day he premiered a new podcast and with Ross Blocher as his guest.
We thought we’d also highlight another video he posted recently that makes use of a secretly recorded audiotape and catches a Scientology staffer giving some pretty stunning instructions to a fellow worker at the org.
As the video explains, the male worker you hear is so desperate to “body route” someone, anyone, into the org he brings in a homeless person off the street, and he hears abuse from the other staffers about it.
But then a female staffer gives him a strategy for how to get the homeless target to give up $50 for a course.
The homeless man had taken the free Oxford Capacity Analysis, the “personality test” that Scientology uses to rope people in. As many Scientologists have told us over the years, no matter how you answer the test the result will be that you’ll be told you have many different problems and that Scientology can take care of it.
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});In this case, knowing that the subject will probably balk about paying money for a course (he’s homeless after all), the woman recommends a hard sell: Tell him, she says, that based on his test results if he doesn’t get Scientology’s help soon, he’s going to end up committing suicide.
Well, isn’t that pleasant.
Give it a listen and let us know what you think. And we’d be curious to hear from former church members how this compares to your own experiences with body routing.
——————–
Bonus items from our tipsters
A reader sent in this Scientology promotional shot of the air bridge between the Fort Harrison Hotel and the Flag Building, with a happy family wearing Cause Resurgence Rundown gear. They’re on their way to the huge domed room on the seventh floor of the Flag Building so they can run around a lighted pole until they have epiphanies, or what Scientologists call “cognitions.”
Yes, Scientologists, in church promos, go on and on about what a revelation it is to do the Rundown, and the wins they get from it, but they are careful never to mention that it simply entails running and running until exhaustion brings on hallucinations. But hey, why ruin the surprise.
Here’s a rendition of the huge domed room that we first published in the Village Voice nine years ago, before the building was even opened…
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 
——————–
WISE strikes again
Another Daily Beast expose on Scientology from reporter Tarpley Hitt today, this time on the business media company e.Republic, which is run by Scientologists, and what a hellish experience it is to work in a company run like a Scientology org.
——————–
“A radio ad in the Los Angeles area in 1950 was pulling in 125 new people a night. They came in, they were given a very bright lecture, they were very interested, they were given these cards to fill out as to whether or not they wanted training and processing, and what was their home address and phone number. The organization left them on the chairs, they fell off the chairs and on the floor, and eventually an old showman, the janitor, sort of got the idea maybe he shouldn’t be burning up all this trash and started turning them into me directly…That was the operating line of PE, 1950. The organization was making a fortune, until it all just went bong bang crash thud bong on just too much Dev-T, out-ethics, dishonesty, various things. Somebody decided he’d like to cut himself a whole piece of the organization, things of this character. But the organization could be put back together again to run at that high rate of speed anytime, any minute. We have found out it doesn’t matter what the papers say, it doesn’t matter what Time Magazine says, it doesn’t matter what the psychiatrists say, the word of mouth in the streets, it doesn’t matter one bit at all. It doesn’t matter how many football matches, it doesn’t matter how many this, how many that and so forth. An effective, efficient organization which is viably running and so forth, makes a mint.” — L. Ron Hubbard, March 1, 1972
——————–
“We sail at 1700 today. Have all readiness reports in by 1500 and all bills paid please. Cond I will take her out of harbour and Condition VI with A2 up first will handle at sea. A VIP reception will be given in the next port on the 3rd of March. The ship will be cleaned, scrubbed and painted up for this event.” — Capt W.B. Robertson, Flag Ship Org, March 1, 1971
——————–
“My purpose years ago was to become a free spirit and I had totally given up all considerations on MEST and really didn’t need it. I used it as it was required and had no need or inclination to acquire more of it as I considered it baggage. Money and or the exchange of goods and services got me where I needed to be and I was happy. My current wife is totally MEST-driven and has gotten me trapped in the acquisition of more and more of it to a point where I have a house with five bedrooms of which three are empty. Whaaaat? This is a huge trap for me. I am a free spirit not this MEST-accumulating humanoid. I have become what I didn’t want and used to look at others in the same position and see their trap. I need to revitalize my purpose.”
——————–
2002: Caroline Letkeman reported that she received her Suppressive Person declare. “Caroline Letkeman, of Chilliwack, British Columbia, is hereby declared a Suppressive Person. Caroline Letkeman, in November 2001, formally resigned from the Church of Scientology by means of a public declaration. In addition to this, she demanded full refund of all funds donated to the Church. In the year 2000, Caroline wrote an essay against Scientology which contained defamatory statements and black propaganda; this was written for a known suppressive group and was published through a broad communication medium….Caroline has committed the following suppressive acts: VIOLATION OR NEGLECT OF ANY OF THE TEN POINTS OF KEEPING SCIENTOLOGY WORKING. PUBLIC DISAVOWAL OF SCIENTOLOGY OR SCIENTOLOGISTS IN GOOD STANDING WITH SCIENTOLOGY ORGANIZATIONS. PUBLIC STATEMENTS AGAINST SCIENTOLOGY OR SCIENTOLOGISTS BUT NOT TO COMMITTEES OF EVIDENCE DULY CONVENED. DEMANDING THE RETURN OF ANY OR ALL FEES PAID FOR STANDARD TRAINING OR PROCESSING ACTUALLY RECEIVED OR RECEIVED IN PART AND STILL AVAILABLE BUT UNDELIVERED ONLY BECAUSE OF DEPARTURE OF THE PERSON DEMANDING. It is hoped that Caroline comes to her senses and recants.”
——————–
“Crowley adherents take the man at his word just like you-know-who do. They don’t understand he was a showman B.S.-artist and it was all about the sex and drugs. They believe in ‘magick’.”
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
——————–
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Masterson arraigned Jan 20. Next conf to set prelim, March 24.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing delayed to April 13.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Charged in Brooklyn federal court on Feb 4. Arraigned on Feb 9. Pretrial conference set for Apr 29.
Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. March 8: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 24.
Concluded litigation:
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
——————–
SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks
The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Videos capture Scientology’s bizarre ideas about Clearwater election and Mark Bunker
[TWO years ago] Adam Holland, Scientology whistle-blower who exposed Sea Org conditions, 1988-2019
[THREE years ago] Scientology bragging on how well its Super Bowl ad did is the best thing ever
[FOUR years ago] 15 of the strangest things Scientology’s two supreme leaders ever uttered
[FIVE years ago] What Scientology kids are really taught to believe about other religions and ‘God’
[SIX years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology going all-in with fundraising and fire fighters
[SEVEN years ago] Jon Atack: The harassment of independent Scientologists didn’t begin with David Miscavige
[EIGHT years ago] SMERSH Madness: Sowing the Seeds of World Domination!
[NINE years ago] When Scientologists Talk To Each Other About Scientology
——————–
Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 2,227 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,731 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,251 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,271 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,162 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,469 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,337 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,111 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,915 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,231 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,797 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,716 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,884 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,465 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,726 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,764 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,477 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,002 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 357 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,532 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,083 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,232 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,552 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,407 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,526 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,882 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,185 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,291 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,693 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,565 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,148 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,643 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,897 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,006 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on March 1, 2021 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
February 28, 2021
MTG’s celebrity is strong at CPAC, but today patriots will be watching Trump’s every word
Some links to Q-related items today…
“It’s the perfect plan.”
Your husband is a combat veteran and he’s not down with the plan? F him.
Trump speaks today at CPAC. Anything can happen!
Social media as accelerant.
The accelerationist propganda on Tik Tok is getting intense. pic.twitter.com/62cOZlS6ri
— Travis View (@travis_view) February 28, 2021
It’s all about celebrity.
CPAC attendees lining up to take pictures with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene pic.twitter.com/NtmlPUiDBl
— William Turton (@WilliamTurton) February 27, 2021
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent recent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
————-
THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you’re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on February 28, 2021 at 8:30
Scientology social media: Things really couldn’t be better in Miscavigeland
Our special source once again has let us in on what Scientologists are sharing with each other on social media, and we have a few items this week which prove that the church is charging ahead at full steam into a post-lockdown world!
We’ll start in San Francisco, where new staffers are needed at the old Transamerica building that houses the Ideal Org there.
Delphian School in Oregon wants your kids for summer camp!
Hey, Pinellas County people, if you don’t fill vacancies on local boards, Scientologists will!
The castle in South Africa has added more lodging. What’s your excuse for not going now, you lazy Scientologist!
Invest in your eternity!
Who needs college when you have Ron’s books?
The New York Ideal Org says it’s preparing a podcast about what now?
Well, hey, we certainly have a suggestion for that nifty new podcast. In 2017 we took a close look at some of the absolutely fucking nuts material that Hubbard included in Mission Earth, in particular the child sex he portrayed in volume nine, Villainy Victorious.
Here’s just a portion of our summary of that material, starring the character Teenie Whopper, a girl from Earth who was “fourteen or fifteen at the most.” Prepare to feel ill.
She tells the boys that she is going to teach them a “technical” lesson, then shows them illustrations of the human body marked, she says, with 172 erotic spots. To demonstrate how they work, she calls up a young virgin from the crowd.
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});She has him stripped, then she touches a spot near his spine, and he becomes erect. She then touches a spot on his right thigh, and he goes flaccid. “The audience groaned.”
She touches his lower lip, and he becomes erect again, then she touches the side of his neck and his erection stiffens further. Then she “touched a spot at the lower center of the boy’s pubic hair” and he ejaculates.
“Then there were cries of amazement and suddenly wild applause.”
She then touches a spot on his throat, and he becomes erect again, then touches his ear with her tongue, and he ejaculates again.
The boy vows to be her vassal forever.
To Madison’s surprise, a rock band then strikes up a Beatles song, and follows it with something that sounds like Elvis Presley. A male singer in a military shirt then sings a song, which includes these lyrics…
Oh, a soldier’s life is the life for me,
In camp and plain, I’m always free
No women ever spoil my view
They’re always wanting something new,
For it is the men that I enjoy
The best there is, I find, is boy!
The enemy I do not mind
Can go on in my behind
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});And if my bunkmates all are kind
Surrounded by ten thousand cocks
All passionate and hard as rocks
Eager to slide in my buttocks
So fuck, fuck, fuck, and fuck in me!
And let me fuck and fuck in thee
Oh, what a love-ul-lee Arm-ee!
OH! BOY!After stripping off most of her clothes, Teenie then has another lecture for the crowd. She explains that the sphincter muscle is the “muscle of life and death,” and that controlling the sphincter muscle is key.
“You can make it go round and round,” she says, and then pairs off Two-lah with the young son of the nobleman Snor.
She then has Two-Lah bend over, then instructs two of her pages to get the son of Snor erect and inside Two-Lah’s anus.
She commands them to hold the son of Snor perfectly still as Two-lah works his sphincter muscle.
“Madison, staring, flinched at a scream of ecstasy from the son of Snor.”
So yeah, we’d love to hear the staffers at the New York Ideal Org talk about this stuff on their new podcast. That would be amazing!
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
——————–
“A man decides to smoke. He therefore becomes an identity known as a smoker. You’ve seen them in the ads. They look very placid. If they smoke cigarettes, they chase pretty girls. And if they smoke pipes they chase fireplaces. You know? And we’ve seen this. Whatever this identity was, he’s assumed this identity and then he gets married and his wife objects to his being a smoker; so now he has an opposition known as a wife. So he assumes a new identity which is ‘a dominating husband’ in order to handle the identity ‘wife.’ But now we have a new identity show up. We have something called the Ladies’ Aide Society, and his wife has joined that. And their combined forces are going to cause him to stop smoking. So now he has to become a wealthy self-determined individual. You see that? And the Ladies’ Aide Societies then get a bunch of quacks — members of the AMA — together and they say that if you smoke it produces cancer. They don’t know what produces cancer but they say that smoking does. They, you see that’s the ghost-shirt messianic thing. They have no solution to it, they can’t cure it so they pick on something and they say, ‘Well, everybody spits in the water so that’s what causes typhoid fever.’ They don’t know. You see? So now he has a counter-identity called the American Medical Association. You see? And that’s an identity. So, this fellow now in desperation to handle this situation becomes a political genius, you see. Because you have to be a political genius these days to handle the AMA. That’s the only place where they operate effectively. Don’t operate effectively in the operating room anymore, only in Congress. So here he is now a genius, you see, a political genius. Now, the political genius runs into an opposition party. So, you have an opposition party — the Democrats. You see, that’s the next oppterm. And that’s about the high tide of the whole thing.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 28, 1963
——————–
“The Sea Org flotilla is close to a fleet now with six vessels all (except Flag) in excellent operating condition. Only Apollo is slightly unready, needing completions on safety work and Lloyds Survey, and a bit below standard in appearance and training. Her divisional officers all say they need more men but as other vessels improved on less crew than over. I think the opinion should be revised.” — The Commodore, February 28, 1969
——————–
“Ron — in his not only infinite wisdom but also infinite selflessness — gives us ourselves. He has no desire to own us, as a charlatan would who won’t give us correct authorship in his overt or covert attempts to ‘take control’.”
——————–
2001: Dave Touretzky reported receiving a legal warning from Scientology lawyer Ava Paquette regarding his plans to discuss Scientology’s secret materials at a lecture at Carnegie Mellon University. “You have posted an announcement to the newsgroup, alt.religion.scientology about your intention to publicly display the entire text of NOTs 34 under the guise of ‘teaching’ activities. Labeling this activity as ‘teaching’ does not give rise to any exemption notwithstanding your views of the law. Given the context in which you are announcing your intentions, it is plain that your threatened display of the entire text of NOTs 34 as educational ‘fair use’ is a pretext. As you well know, Judge Whyte enjoined the unlawful reproduction of that work even when, according to Keith Henson, its reproduction was relevant to his purported purpose. For these reasons, we demand that your refrain from your announced display of NOTs 34, without prejudice to any of RTC’s rights or remedies, all of which are expressly reserved, as is RTC’s right to take action without further notice to you.”
——————–
“Who would have thunk back in the 90s that Tom Cruise and ‘batshit crazy’ would become synonymous thanks to a bunch of juvenile delinquents calling themselves ‘Anonymous.’ Thank Xenu I lived long enough to see it.”
——————–
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Masterson arraigned Jan 20. Next conf to set prelim, March 24.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing delayed to April 13.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Charged in Brooklyn federal court on Feb 4. Arraigned on Feb 9. Pretrial conference set for Apr 29.
Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. March 8: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 24.
Concluded litigation:
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
——————–
SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks
The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] What do billion-year-contracted Scientology Sea Org workers do all day?
[TWO years ago] Scientology’s founder L. Ron Hubbard on the ‘God trick,’ Christ implants, and Muslims
[THREE years ago] Scientologist ‘Dapper CEO’ Vick Tipnes wins victory against discrimination lawsuit in Tampa
[FOUR years ago] The most Scientology-involved movie ever made? Here comes Nancy’s baby!
[FIVE years ago] Erika Christensen goes psychbuster as we launch Rod Keller’s Scientology Social Media Review!
[SIX years ago] LEAK: Scientology celebrities are stepping up their involvement behind the scenes
[SEVEN years ago] AOLA’s grand re-opening — a look at the last time Scientology cut the ribbon at Big Blue!
[EIGHT years ago] Blogging Dianetics, Part 9: Hubbard and Perversion!
[NINE years ago] How Scientology Drives Your Local Librarian Nuts
——————–
Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 2,226 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,730 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,250 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,270 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,161 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,468 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,336 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,110 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,914 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,230 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,796 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,715 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,883 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,464 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,725 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,763 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,476 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,001 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 356 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,531 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,082 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,231 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,551 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,406 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,525 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,881 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,184 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,290 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,692 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,564 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,147 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,642 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,896 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,005 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on February 28, 2021 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
February 27, 2021
QAnon patriots counting on March 4 for the return of their golden idol now have doubts
Some links to Q-related items today…
Reaction to the Trump’s Golden Big Boy at CPAC yesterday was a lot of fun, and we really enjoyed this clever combination with film narration…
When you know what you’re broadcasting is lies that could get you sued…
"Unfortunately, here at Right Side Broadcasting we must jump in here and put a small disclosure that we want you to do your own research and it's very important that we do that." https://t.co/KotxAImLnH
— Brad Heath (@bradheath) February 26, 2021
Nothing happens on March 4? No problem, just move the goal posts…
Donie: "Are you going to feel foolish on March 5th when Biden is still President?"
Woman: "Ummm, then Trump has a different plan in play." https://t.co/oQBNFc1LaC
— Amarnath Amarasingam (@AmarAmarasingam) February 27, 2021
Gab too? Say it isn’t so!
so it turns out Gab may have also had a giant leak that exposed a bunch of their (fascist) user's private data
it's almost like every "free speech" social network is a callow grift programmed by incompetent buffoons https://t.co/I6Wf3NtxT5
— Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@IwriteOK) February 27, 2021
Who says these people are gullible?
QAnon believers on Telegram are falling for obviously fake MAGA celebrity accounts, convinced that an account like "Lady Melania Trump" is Melania Trump. https://t.co/67rVFCShKw
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) February 26, 2021
With March 4 around the corner, more patriots are hedging their bets.
For weeks QAnon has hyped March 4 as the date of Trump's return to the White House.
Now, a coordinated effort is underway to dismiss the date as a fake media false flag designed to “make the whole movement look dumb.”https://t.co/eASeVroTgV
— David Gilbert (@daithaigilbert) February 26, 2021
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent recent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
————-
THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you’re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on February 27, 2021 at 9:05
Another Scientology OT jumps from a tall building
We hadn’t heard of him, but apparently Frank Suárez and his weight loss empire, known as “NaturalSlim” and “MetabolismoTV,” was very popular in Latin America, and had made inroads in the US as well. A quick tour of his websites shows us that he was not only selling magic pills to help speed up your metabolism and help you lose weight, but also such quackery as “detox pills,” anti-stress drinks, and “candida cleanse.”
So it might not surprise you to learn that Suárez, 71, was an OT 8 Scientologist and Patron Meritorious donor ($250,000) and was president of Scientology’s ‘The Way to Happiness’ Foundation in Puerto Rico.
In other words, Suárez was a major promoter of the idea that Scientology had given him the keys to a happy life and could do the same for anyone.
Also, he threw himself from the balcony of his ninth-floor San Juan apartment Thursday morning.
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Despite Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s assertion that gravity, like all laws of nature, is merely a matter of agreement, it proved all too real for Mr. Suárez, who was killed instantly.
We couldn’t help thinking about another Scientologist, Evgeny Zharkin, who fell out of the 8th floor of a Clearwater building in 2014 after he’d spent 30 hours traveling from Moscow to Scientology’s Flag Land Base. We published the police investigation of Zharkin’s death, which concluded that there was no foul play and suggested that, groggy from his flight, he’d simply fallen out of a window he thought led to a balcony. But the county medical examiner concluded it was a suicide.
Well, as shocking as it is that a Scientology OT like Frank Suárez might give up his life after attaining the superpowers that come with topping out on the Bridge to Total Freedom, keep in mind that Hubbardism also teaches that Frank will soon be jumping into a newborn baby to start a new lifetime. So he’s got that going for him.
——————–
Trevor Heasley with Ross Blocher takes on the definition of “cult”
One of the treats of the “Oh No, Ross and Carrie!” podcast and its investigation of Scientology five years ago was an episode with recent defector Trevor Heasley. Trevor has helped us out as well with some things, and he’s recently been putting together some very good videos. He let us know that he was starting up a new video series and had Ross Blocher on as his first guest. They take on that troublesome word we tend to avoid, “cult,” and do a very entertaining job trying to define it.
——————–
“Look at the laudable withholds of a lady. She withholds herself from drinking. She withholds herself from swearing. She withholds herself from rowdy companions. She withholds herself from dirt, you know, and getting dirty. Withholds herself from getting sweaty. See, all the things a lady withholds herself from. Withholds herself from sex, from pleasure, from pleasurable excitement. This starts to look like a very interesting series of withholds. And we finally find out that a lady’s primary mission was to hold herself from living. Not that that’s — things I have mentioned are the total composite of living.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 27, 1962
——————–
“The trick in books is the ‘stock book.’ Whenever a title in stock gets low through sales you reorder before you are out. You don’t just sell it all the way out of stock before reordering. Once youve let a title vanish off the shelves you’re in trouble as it takes a while to reprint. Meanwhile backorders and complaints swamp the comm lines and there goes the old ball game. A pubs activity can’t remain solvent on paperbacks or bulk discount sales! Theres a special skill to the mail order book business. The keynotes are promote, have them on hand, deliver within 24 hours and order receipt. It will take a lot of work by the SO to get this back in.” — The Commodore, February 27. 1971
——————–
“The curb you sometimes trip over on your way to work each day — you think that curb rings true simply because you skinned your knee on it? No, it is formed from lies. One day we will want to dispense with that curb. It has served its purpose. Now we want to move on to another universe or simply create a different kind of curb. On that day you want to dispense with that curb, you will need to track it back to its source. When you find the source you will have the complete truth about the curb and it will as-is. It’s the same with every piece of mest in this universe – including Scientology. The reason it is such a problem is that the individual pieces are not easily tracked back to source. So we are stuck with the mass and the garbage tips are getting bigger and bigger. The real truth is, at the end of the day the only thing we can take with us is our knowingness because it isn’t made out of mest.”
——————–
2000: Medical Examiner Joan Wood has changed her opinion of the manner of Lisa McPherson’s death. It has been changed from “undetermined” to “accidental.” From the St. Petersburg Times: “Scientology’s top executives, clearly pleased Tuesday, called the switch ‘extremely significant and a huge development that dramatically affects the state’s case.’ They said it supports their view that McPherson’s death while in the care of Scientology staffers in Clearwater was sudden, unpredictable, ‘undiagnosable’ and not the church’s fault. Wood’s decision came after church officials and their lawyers spent months plying the veteran medical examiner with expert information that revealed the lengths to which Scientology has gone to defend itself. There were scientific studies on a body substance known as ketone, an elaborate accident reconstruction, even a report by an ‘anthropometric’ specialist who studied McPherson’s physical stature. Gone from the new report is the original reference to the bed rest and dehydration. Wood still traces the death to a blood clot behind McPherson’s knee. But she lists McPherson’s psychosis and a minor auto accident as major factors.”
“The ‘church’ had to admit to TR-L in the Canadian trial when they questioned the veracity of the prosecution’s ex-Scientologist witnesses by stating to the judge their testimony couldn’t be trusted because they had been specifically trained to lie while in the church.”
——————–
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Masterson arraigned Jan 20. Next conf to set prelim, March 24.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing delayed to April 13.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Charged in Brooklyn federal court on Feb 4. Arraigned on Feb 9. Pretrial conference set for Apr 29.
Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. March 8: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 24.
Concluded litigation:
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
——————–
SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks
The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Balloons? Here’s what Scientology should really be apologizing for
[TWO years ago] A letter of surrender, written from the basement of Scientology’s ‘Big Blue’ HQ
[THREE years ago] New memoir ‘Flunk. Start.’ richly illuminates the appeal — and betrayal — of Scientology
[FOUR years ago] Keep your Oscars, we won a Scientology ‘bigot’ award!
[FIVE years ago] Augustine: How Scientology makes it so hard to get your money back
[SIX years ago] Gerry Armstrong’s full 1997 ‘Secret Lives’ interview about L. Ron Hubbard
[SEVEN years ago] Is Ukraine’s proposed new prime minister a Scientologist? Says his niece: ‘That’s crap’
[EIGHT years ago] Lori Hodgson Appeals to Scientology’s “Spin Doctor,” Michael Sitrick
[NINE years ago] Scientology’s Secret Behind “Ideal Orgs” Revealed At Last
——————–
Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 2,225 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,729 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,249 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,269 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,160 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,467 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,335 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,109 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,913 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,229 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,795 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,714 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,882 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,463 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,724 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,762 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,475 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,000 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 355 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,530 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,081 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,230 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,550 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,405 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,524 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,880 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,183 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,289 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,691 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,563 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,146 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,641 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,895 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,004 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on February 27, 2021 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
Another Scientology OT jumps from a tall building and proves gravity exists
We hadn’t heard of him, but apparently Frank Suárez and his weight loss empire, known as “NaturalSlim” and “MetabolismoTV,” was very popular in Latin America, and had made inroads in the US as well. A quick tour of his websites shows us that he was not only selling magic pills to help speed up your metabolism and help you lose weight, but also such quackery as “detox pills,” anti-stress drinks, and “candida cleanse.”
So it might not surprise you to learn that Suárez, 71, was an OT 8 Scientologist and Patron Meritorious donor ($250,000) and was president of Scientology’s ‘The Way to Happiness’ Foundation in Puerto Rico.
In other words, Suárez was a major promoter of the idea that Scientology had given him the keys to a happy life and could do the same for anyone.
Also, he threw himself from the balcony of his ninth-floor San Juan apartment Thursday morning.
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Despite Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s assertion that gravity, like all laws of nature, is merely a matter of agreement, it proved all too real for Mr. Suárez, who was killed instantly.
We couldn’t help thinking about another Scientologist, Evgeny Zharkin, who fell out of the 8th floor of a Clearwater building in 2014 after he’d spent 30 hours traveling from Moscow to Scientology’s Flag Land Base. We published the police investigation of Zharkin’s death, which concluded that there was no foul play and suggested that, groggy from his flight, he’d simply fallen out of a window he thought led to a balcony. But the county medical examiner concluded it was a suicide.
Well, as shocking as it is that a Scientology OT like Frank Suárez might give up his life after attaining the superpowers that come with topping out on the Bridge to Total Freedom, keep in mind that Hubbardism also teaches that Frank will soon be jumping into a newborn baby to start a new lifetime. So he’s got that going for him.
——————–
Trevor Heasley with Ross Blocher takes on the definition of “cult”
One of the treats of the “Oh No, Ross and Carrie!” podcast and its investigation of Scientology five years ago was an episode with recent defector Trevor Heasley. Trevor has helped us out as well with some things, and he’s recently been putting together some very good videos. He let us know that he was starting up a new video series and had Ross Blocher on as his first guest. They take on that troublesome word we tend to avoid, “cult,” and do a very entertaining job trying to define it.
——————–
“Look at the laudable withholds of a lady. She withholds herself from drinking. She withholds herself from swearing. She withholds herself from rowdy companions. She withholds herself from dirt, you know, and getting dirty. Withholds herself from getting sweaty. See, all the things a lady withholds herself from. Withholds herself from sex, from pleasure, from pleasurable excitement. This starts to look like a very interesting series of withholds. And we finally find out that a lady’s primary mission was to hold herself from living. Not that that’s — things I have mentioned are the total composite of living.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 27, 1962
——————–
“The trick in books is the ‘stock book.’ Whenever a title in stock gets low through sales you reorder before you are out. You don’t just sell it all the way out of stock before reordering. Once youve let a title vanish off the shelves you’re in trouble as it takes a while to reprint. Meanwhile backorders and complaints swamp the comm lines and there goes the old ball game. A pubs activity can’t remain solvent on paperbacks or bulk discount sales! Theres a special skill to the mail order book business. The keynotes are promote, have them on hand, deliver within 24 hours and order receipt. It will take a lot of work by the SO to get this back in.” — The Commodore, February 27. 1971
——————–
“The curb you sometimes trip over on your way to work each day — you think that curb rings true simply because you skinned your knee on it? No, it is formed from lies. One day we will want to dispense with that curb. It has served its purpose. Now we want to move on to another universe or simply create a different kind of curb. On that day you want to dispense with that curb, you will need to track it back to its source. When you find the source you will have the complete truth about the curb and it will as-is. It’s the same with every piece of mest in this universe – including Scientology. The reason it is such a problem is that the individual pieces are not easily tracked back to source. So we are stuck with the mass and the garbage tips are getting bigger and bigger. The real truth is, at the end of the day the only thing we can take with us is our knowingness because it isn’t made out of mest.”
——————–
2000: Medical Examiner Joan Wood has changed her opinion of the manner of Lisa McPherson’s death. It has been changed from “undetermined” to “accidental.” From the St. Petersburg Times: “Scientology’s top executives, clearly pleased Tuesday, called the switch ‘extremely significant and a huge development that dramatically affects the state’s case.’ They said it supports their view that McPherson’s death while in the care of Scientology staffers in Clearwater was sudden, unpredictable, ‘undiagnosable’ and not the church’s fault. Wood’s decision came after church officials and their lawyers spent months plying the veteran medical examiner with expert information that revealed the lengths to which Scientology has gone to defend itself. There were scientific studies on a body substance known as ketone, an elaborate accident reconstruction, even a report by an ‘anthropometric’ specialist who studied McPherson’s physical stature. Gone from the new report is the original reference to the bed rest and dehydration. Wood still traces the death to a blood clot behind McPherson’s knee. But she lists McPherson’s psychosis and a minor auto accident as major factors.”
“The ‘church’ had to admit to TR-L in the Canadian trial when they questioned the veracity of the prosecution’s ex-Scientologist witnesses by stating to the judge their testimony couldn’t be trusted because they had been specifically trained to lie while in the church.”
——————–
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Masterson arraigned Jan 20. Next conf to set prelim, March 24.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing delayed to April 13.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Charged in Brooklyn federal court on Feb 4. Arraigned on Feb 9. Pretrial conference set for Apr 29.
Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. March 8: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 24.
Concluded litigation:
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
——————–
SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks
The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Balloons? Here’s what Scientology should really be apologizing for
[TWO years ago] A letter of surrender, written from the basement of Scientology’s ‘Big Blue’ HQ
[THREE years ago] New memoir ‘Flunk. Start.’ richly illuminates the appeal — and betrayal — of Scientology
[FOUR years ago] Keep your Oscars, we won a Scientology ‘bigot’ award!
[FIVE years ago] Augustine: How Scientology makes it so hard to get your money back
[SIX years ago] Gerry Armstrong’s full 1997 ‘Secret Lives’ interview about L. Ron Hubbard
[SEVEN years ago] Is Ukraine’s proposed new prime minister a Scientologist? Says his niece: ‘That’s crap’
[EIGHT years ago] Lori Hodgson Appeals to Scientology’s “Spin Doctor,” Michael Sitrick
[NINE years ago] Scientology’s Secret Behind “Ideal Orgs” Revealed At Last
——————–
Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 2,225 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,729 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,249 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,269 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,160 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,467 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,335 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,109 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,913 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,229 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,795 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,714 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,882 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,463 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,724 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,762 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,475 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,000 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 355 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,530 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,081 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,230 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,550 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,405 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,524 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,880 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,183 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,289 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,691 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,563 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,146 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,641 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,895 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,004 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on February 27, 2021 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
February 26, 2021
Tucker Carlson can’t find QAnon? He receives some help from a concerned viewer
Some links to Q-related items today…
It was apparently too much work for patriots to look up, but presidents don’t give their first “State of the Union” address before a joint session of Congress until the beginning of their second year in office. But that didn’t keep them from hyperventilating, as they generally do.
Only the best people in Congress…
EXCLUSIVE: A pickup truck parked at the U.S. Capitol and bearing a Three Percenter militia sticker on the day of the Jan. 6 riot belongs to the husband of freshman U.S. Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois, who approvingly quoted Adolf Hitler a day earlier https://t.co/SWSQhuQDqL
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) February 26, 2021
OK, Tucker had this coming…
Give me Tucker’s show pic.twitter.com/wV276ld5fz
— Nick Lutsko (@NickLutsko) February 25, 2021
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent recent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
————-
THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you’re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on February 26, 2021 at 8:45
Tony Ortega's Blog
- Tony Ortega's profile
- 19 followers
