Radio Paul's 'Radio Rants' Podcast Debuts 6/18 [update]

Fairfax County, VA ~ Tonight [June 18 2012] Radio Paul, of protesting Scientology in DC fame, debuts his podcast talk-show "Radio Rants" on WEBR radio (community access) on Channel 37, scheduled for every Monday night, 10-11pm (EST).

His first scheduled guest: David Love, known for exposing the exploitation, extortion, and coercive abuses within Scientology-Narconon drug rehab program.

More information available at radio-paul.com or on thier Facebook page.

Archived Podcast: June 18 2012 / Guest: David Love

What is Scientology? ADHD Version [video]

wwp: Want to know what Scientology is all about? Have a short attention span? Like watching things that are constantly moving? Only have a minute and a half to spare? Brother, you're in the right place at the right time...

CBS News Experiments w/ Parody to Regain Ratings? [video]

Since the US is having such a hard time reporting breaking news (because essentially, in the long-run, much is about themselves or corporations that they are owned by) so are they jumping on the Comedy Central bandwagon, and moving into the parody realm? Move over NBC's SNL, here comes Katie.

Al Jazerra shaming US media
hotair.com "...In a defense of the State Department budget, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says “we are in an information war and we’re losing that war”.

Further, Clinton claimed that the private media isn’t up to the task of winning it saying, “Our private media cannot fill that gap”....True, Al Jazeera is kicking butt in the coverage of the Middle East and N. Africa.

On Funny or Die, Katie Couric investigates the sillies
washingtonpost.com "...In a Funny or Die clip that will likely cause intense debate in newsrooms and Journalism 101 classes across the country, Katie Couric launches an investigation into whether or not it's possible to "shake your sillies out."

She goes deep into the hallways of an elementary school in search of answers. And reporters will probably look deeply into their souls as a result, asking questions like: is it OK for a respected newswoman to appear in a Funny or Die clip? Is it appropriate for CBS News to use its branding on what is clearly a satirical viral video? Is CBS attempting to be both a beacon of journalistic integrity and The Onion?..."

Katie Couric Investigates the Sillies from Katie Couric

'Officer Bubbles' Doesn't Understand 'Streisand Effect' [video]

thestar.com ~ The YouTube user, who uses the alias “theforcebewithme,” can’t even remember writing the specific comment that now has him defending a $1.2 million defamation lawsuit launched by Toronto’s now notorious “Officer Bubbles.”

Const. Adam Josephs seeks to compel the Google-owned YouTube to reveal the identity of the person who created and posted the videos as well as any information it has on the 24 other users who made allegedly defamatory remarks.

The case highlights a collision between two worlds: The wild-west of social media, where people under aliases throw insults without pause versus the laws of the old media world, where people are held accountable for everything they write.

'Officer Bubbles': How he met Ms. Streisand



Bubbles Bathing In Media Attention (Part2)

Well. Officer Bubbles. It seems you just can't get enough of that internet notoriety. You not only focused the world's (short-spanned) attention to the G20 demonstrations last summer by acting like a pompous idiot, but by suing YouTube, you've managed to conger up a second Streisand Effect for you and your fellow police officers in Toronto. ATTABOY! Way to stay off the radar. MEMEs are forming in basment-dwelling imaginations as we speak, I'm sure. Enjoy your fail, Bubbles.

The Whole "Officer Bubbles" Story:
Toronto Neighborhood Responds to G20 Policing
Funny thing about Streisand Effects. They bring in the attention of others who were too busy with their own life, like me. I must have been buried in some other project, because I totally missed this happening last summer. But thanks to Officer Bubbles, the world has a reason to go back and watch everything that went on at the G20 Summit. Thanks Const. Adam Josephs. Without you, I, and others, might have missed all these other police videos.


G20: SBU / Special Bubble Unit



ThanX DeathHampster and all the Officer Bubbles cartoons at YouTube.

Scientology Releases 21st Century Retaliation Machine on CNN

Anti-Anderson Cooper Magazine/DVD Handed It Out At CNN Hdqrs
Business Insider ~ The Church of Scientology doesn't like it when the media gives it less-than-positive coverage (which is pretty much the only type of coverage the media gives it), and its members tend to get rather aggro with the journalists who produce such features.

In retaliation against these types of pieces, sometimes Scientologists get stalkey. Sometimes they make threatening phone calls. And sometimes they produce 95-page magazines attacking a journalist and then hand out copies in front of his place of work. [continued >>>]

David Miscavige Says:'Look At Me, World, I'm An Idiot!'
From what I understand, AC360's ratings really weren't that great when the Scientology expose originally aired, but in full footbullet fashion, Scientology never fails to make an ass of itself in the media's eyes.
And just when the report was going to drift off the reading/watching public's radar, David Miscavige makes himself the next shiney thing on the intertubes by pulling this stunt.

A review of Freedom magazine's spread from an ex-scientologist:
"... I think I get what this is, mostly. It is a puff piece authored by OSA [Office of Special Affairs] for DM [David Miscavige] as the main single audience/reader. It is made to fit in with what DM would approve of, so OSA gets back in his good books. It is amazingly stupid when applied to the real world outside DM's tight orbit...."

Anderson Cooper 360 / Scientology: a history of violence
Six minute segment of CNN's AC360 that aired last month on the violent internal history of David Miscavige's (so called) 'religious' empire.



On Your Toes Award goes to OCMB. THanX.

TPM: Sharron Angle Streisand's Herself

TPM ~ Sharron Angle has resorted to an unusual maneuver to counter Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's attacks on her past quotes and positions, the Reid campaign has announced: A cease-and-desist letter, demanding that Reid no longer republish Angle's previous campaign website.


The short version of the story is as follows:

After the former state Rep won Nevada's Republican Senate primary, Angle's campaign took down most of its website, and later replaced it with a relaunched version that in some ways toned down her right-wing rhetoric. But Internet pages are rarely ever forgotten -- the Reid campaign saved the old version, and put up a website called "The Real Sharron Angle," reproducing the old content.

Then, they say, the Angle campaign sent them a cease-and-desist letter, claiming misuse of copyrighted materials in the reposting of the old website -- which was, of course, being posted for the purposes of ridiculing Angle. The Reid campaign has in fact taken down the site, rerouting visitors to another website that goes after Angle's positions, "Sharron's Underground Bunker."

Sharron Angle Takes Legal Action to Silence, well..., Sharron Angle

The day after Angle won the Republican primary, she scrubbed her campaign website, leaving only a page for online contributions and limited descriptions of where she stands on certain issues. Then, just last week, Angle launched her new site, but 75% of the language she had on her original issues page was missing. In an effort to make sure Nevadans know where Angle actually stands on the issues, the Reid campaign launched www.therealsharronangle.com, which displays the original content from Angle’s previous website.

That must have been more than the self-proclaimed Oath Keeper could handle, because she sent the Reid campaign a cease and desist letter, calling for www.therealsharronangle.com to be pulled off the Web. Despite her threat of a frivolous lawsuit, Nevada voters can still learn about her long-held policy positions at www.sharronsundergroundbunker.com.

“These are Sharron Angle’s positions in Sharron’s own words from Sharron’s own website. What was good enough for Nevada voters to read during the primary should be good enough for them now,” said Reid campaign spokesman Jon Summers. “Sharron has long believed in killing Social Security, eliminating the Departments of Education and Energy and shipping nuclear waste to Nevada. We’ve always heard that Sharron Angle is an unapologetic conservative. It has to be embarrassing for her to have her handlers trying to hide who she really is.”

Angle's PR Machine Mirrors Scientology's Internet Strategy
harryreid.com ~ Ever since Angle's ties to Scientology's Second Chance Program [more on Second Chance] surfaced, it's odd they follow the same playbook that Scientology uses to sanitize the internet, with the same result.

Props 2 WWP.

OZ:FWO Investigating Scientology Labor Practices [archive video]

Fair Work Ombudsman Looks Into Church of Scientology Employment Practices
news.com.au ~ The industrial inspectorate has confirmed it is investigating the employment practices of the Church of Scientology.

Nicholas Wilson of Fair Work Ombudsman, who ensures compliance with Commonwealth workplace laws, told a Senate estimates hearing it had looked into the controversial religious group but declined to give details.

The inspectorate has subsequently interviewed Scientology members along the east coast of Australia to establish whether they are being properly compensated for their church work.

Asked by independent Senator Nick Xenophon if children were working within the organization, the Fair Work Ombudsman was annoyingly unwilling to make a firm statement. "We don't confirm or deny whether that is likely what they're doing," Mr Wilson told the Senate hearing. "As a matter of policy, the assertion that ... children are underpaid in and of itself means nothing to the investigation."

The Senate economics committee is expected to hear evidence from former Scientology members in late June. It's receiving submissions into a possible public benefits test for charitable and religious groups after Senator Xenophon moved a private senator's bill in May.

ATT: Ex-Scientologists (worldwide):
SENATOR XENOPHON NEEDS YOUR INPUT FOR THE OZ TAX INQUIRY.

But time is short. Closing date for submissions is 18 June 2010. The Committee is seeking written submissions which address, and are relevant to, the introduction of a public benefits test, from interested stakeholders.

Complete instructions on how this can be accomplished are available at WWP, OCMB and less detailed, for this particular cause, at GOV.au.

TodayTonight: Scandal Exposed Pt 1
Scientology's child labor abuses exposed in a Australian news investigation that aired Monday, July.7.08.


TodayTonight: Scandal Exposed Pt 2
Scientology's child labor abuses exposed in a Australian news investigation that aired Monday, July.7.08.


ThanX to DeliciousCake150308, WWP & OCMB

Xenophon's Win Kick-Starts "Operation Sheila" [video]

After yesterday's announcement of Senator Xenophon's legislation on the need for charities and religious organizations to meet a Public Benefit Test before receiving tax exempt status, it didn't take Anonymous long at all to kick-start an information project to aid in Xenophon's quest.

"Operation Sheila", just forming as of this printing, shows once again how fast and what a leaderless group can accomplish in such short notice via the internet these days.

Here's a sneak-peek at the trailer:

Operation Sheila

1. Purpose: The purpose of Operation Sheila shall be to influence the upcoming inquiry in a favorable manner and thus ultimately end the tax exempt status of the so-called "Church of Scientology" in Australia and the United Kingdom.


2. Means: As this is a political operation, political measures apply. This is threefold:
   
   
   1. Contribute favorable information. Collect and organize information on disconnection, child labor, RPF, financial exploitation, abuse, long hours, bad staff,sea org conditions and pay.
      Focus, but do not restrict info on Australia and New Zealand. Put overview infomation in EASILY READABLE printed form, have single cases listed on dedicated website.
   
   
   2. Anticipate counterinformation (disinformation) and prepare counter-counterinformation to be readily available when the opposite side enters it into the discussion.
      It is likely that the "Church of Scientology" will outline NARCONON, CRIMINON, CCHR, applied scholastics and personal success stories of celebrities and public scientologists as their positive contribution to society. Form a task-force for each respective field to gather and organize debunking information.
   
   
   3. Lobbying. Anonymous does not have financial resources for binding lobbyism, so lobbying must take form in positive feedback. Have a support rally commence in front of House of Parliament on the day the inquiry opens. Repeat monthly. Support mails to all members of the commission are a must, extend support to their constituency offices.
   
   
3. Start: Immediate, May 2010


4. End: August 2010


5. Resources: WWP sub-forum (yet to be formed), ex-scientologists, ozfags, anony-geeks (for website), donations (for printing)

We are Anonymous.
We do not forgive.
We do not forget.
Expect us.

Xenophon Gets His Way. Scientology, Not So Much.

update: The aussie press finally got around to publishing a blurb (that was picked up by google) this afternoon.

Tax status of charities, religions under review
abc.net.au ~ Well the Senate has agreed to hold inquiries in the laws regarding the tax exempt status of religions and charities. Independent Senator Nick Xenophon has proposed a test which asks groups to demonstrate whether their activities are of public benefit or cause harm before being granted tax exempt status.

The inquiry was sparked by allegations of serious abuses within the Church of Scientology. And we obviously have a problem with that piece, but Senator Nick Xenophon, in any case, says the Senate inquiry will not focus on a single group. He says any religious or charitable organizations found to have harmed individuals should lose their tax exempt status.



Xenophon Secures Inquiry Into Public Benefit Test For Charities and Religions

WWP(tinydancer) ~ Independent Senator for South Australia Nick Xenophon has welcomed a Senate Committee Inquiry announced today into legislation on the need for charities and religious organizations to meet a Public Benefit Test before receiving tax exempt status.

The Inquiry, to be conducted by the Senate Economics Committee, results from a Private Senator’s Bill which would require religious and charitable institutions to demonstrate public benefit through their aims and activities before being granted tax exempt status.

The Private Senator’s Bill was sparked by allegations of serious abuses within the Church of Scientology in Australia and overseas.

"This proposed amendment is no threat to charities or religions acting in the public good," Nick said. "It is simply designed to ensure that people who derive benefit from the Australian taxpayer actually provide benefit to the Australian people through good works."

A similar public benefit test has operated in the UK since 2006, and crucially under the UK model, any identifiable benefit is balanced against any detriment or harm.

"For more than six months we have heard devastating allegations of abuse within the Church of Scientology. We have heard allegations of coerced abortions, false imprisonment, stalking, harassment, extortion, obstruction of justice, and serious labour violations," Nick said. "This test would ensure that these harms would have to be taken into account when deciding whether an organisation receives tax exempt status."

"Right now, it is effectively open slather," Nick said. "If you call yourself a religion you can get tax exempt status. This situation should be unacceptable to all Australian taxpayers."

Under the Bill a Public Benefit Test would include the following principles:

• There must be an identifiable benefit arising from an organisations aims and activities

• The benefit must be balanced against any detriment or harm; and,

• The benefit must be to the public or a significant section of the public and not merely to individuals with a material connection to the entity.

This approach is also supported by the finding of the Henry Review into taxation. "This amendment will ensure taxpayer support goes only to groups and organisations that pass this basic and fair test," Nick said.

Also, the work has just begun for the anons over at WWP, as we can see from these two threads that started in the wee hours this morning:
• senate-says-yes-xenophon-inquiry
• xenophon-senate-next-step

Loose Lips Sink Scientology Celebration? [UPDATE]

It's more likely than you think...
Uh-oh. Scientology's super secret plans to celebrate the grand re-opening of their newly repaved Los Angeles Ideal parking lot has been leaked on to the intertubes. Just exactly where they didn't want it to go.
First, via email, 3 days ago:

the Grand re-opening of the Model Ideal Los Angeles Org Saturday, April 24th at 3:00 p.m.
We want the largest attendance ever.
Please bring your family & friends and be there by 2:30 p.m. Let us know you're attending and how many people you're bringing by clicking reply.
ML, Wendy & Joanne

Second, via Facebook, 1 day ago:

Rut-Roh, Raggy. According to the last reply on your entry: Hey, this data is not to be put out on the internet. So I was told. So much for trying to use Anonymous' backyard for communication. lol.

Too late. You know who, the group you were most likely trying to hide this from, will be there. With bells masks on.
An entry from WWP: As soon as I found out it was not supposed to be posted on the internet I posted it!:D Cannot wait to go to my very first raid!
Maybe some Scientoligists should take some lessons from their savior, Tom Cruise, as to how to, at least, act like a secret agent.

Hummm, that must be what that last line in Anonymous' credo means:

We are Anonymous.
We are Legion.
We do not forgive.
We do not forget.
Expect us.

Post Celebration UPDATE: 4/25
Apparently all went well at the Scientology's Los Angeles Super Secret Idle Parking Lot / Chinese Laundry Grand Re-Opening Extravaganza, for the exception of an assault on a female protester by a unknown individual.

The following statements gleaned from WWP:
A guy in this photo PUNCHED A FEMANON IN THE STOMACH AS HE WALKED BY. The abuser has long stringy blond/gray hair and was in a teal shirt. Jerk.
Here are the photos I got of a Scilon who hit a girl at the protest. The zoom on my video camera sucks, so this is as good as it gets...sorry! He is the one with the blond mullet:

Update from victim: "I am that protester who was sucker punched in the gut yesterday. Funny, I didn't think about the after match that fucker would create by assaulting me. That's right I am pissed....It is that blonde/grey mullet in the teal shirt who sucker punched me. ...".

"This was my first protest. I was with 6 other friends who I know and trust. When we got there, two of our group got a head of us. When we got to the corner of Sunset and hubbard Way, the police asked us to please cross the street and demonstrate on the opposite side of the street. While the officer was saying this to the group I was in, the two a head of us were already crossing to the other side of the street. I started noticing PAC security, OSA, one of the handlers - that dumb, short, brunette with the lousy scilon come backs...

I started getting nervous, my heart was pounding in my chest. I started to realize where I was and what I was doing. Trying to get my anxiety under control, I turned and started walking across the street to join the other Anons in what I thought would be a peaceful protest. What I didn't know was that the rest of my group hadn't turned with me to cross. Between the knocking knees and shaky hands and the fact that the mask and hooded cape really messed with my vision - I had wondered into the crossing alone.

So here I am heart pounding, legs weak - female, 5'4" girl walking across the street. All I could think to do was to hold my sign up. I held it across my chest and walked into what I didn't realize was a crowd of scientologists. (oh wow I just remembered one other thing.... ) first a tall early 30 something guy shouldered me as he walked by. I just thought to myself "oh well, it's not like I didn't move" hmmm... some of that old scientology 'expecting to be mistreated' feeling perhaps? but then..

I am in the crowd of scientologists and out of no where this teal shoulder is being brought down in front of me and when his shoulder starts to touch me he swung his balled up fist in a sort of upper cut to my gut. I don't know where the sign was or how he made contact with my body without destroying my sign, I really don't.

So I stumble and sorta keep walking across the street. I started re-playing what had just happened in my mind from beginning to end and something happened. I realized that guy did that on purpose. He PLANNED it ahead of time and quite frankly executed it beautifully. I suddenly SAW RED. I was PISSED. I stopped turned around and saw the guy and LOST IT. I screamed "THAT MAN JUST HIT ME!!! THAT MAN JUST PUNCHED ME IN THE STOMACH!!" No one seemed to get what I was saying and I just got more enraged.

I RAN over to the guy - this guy was over 6'1" and an easy 250 lbs, he was a big guy. I fucking grabbed that man by his arm (the arm of the same said shoulder by the way) and I literally shoved him over to the police. I said directly to the police officer, "This man just punched me in the stomach!"

His only response was "I didn't see it so there is nothing I can do." [WWP: Officer "Dudley Do Nothing" has been ID'd by victim] It was stupid but I was pissed so I asked the police officer "So, officer, Can *I* punch scientologists in the stomach? I mean I just have to make sure you don't see it right?" yeah dumb but I was pissed and I kinda have a mouth."

And what went on behind the Great Chinese Laundry Wall? Well video has been released that was taken from inside the event, including a Hooray for Hollywood dance number (guess Katie wasn't available, lol) and speeches by Tommy Davis, Sheriff Lee Baca and, briefly, David Miscavige.


And the 'battle of words' while waiting at the crosswalk, between scientolgists and anonymous protesters, just outside the entrance of the LA's 'freshly paved' Idle Morgue.

1000's Come Out Against Scientology (not including the Russians).

zimbabwestar.com ~ Some of Hubbard's Scientology books have been found by a Russian court to be extremist. Prosecutors in Russia had urged the court to ban the Hubbard material, saying it contained calls to commit crimes motivated by religious hatred; in particular against critics of Scientology.

So, who are some of these critics, you ask. Why, people who used to belong to this group , some for many years and from many levels within the organization.

From a pre-press release additional comment posted on WWP: "This list includes Oscar winning director and screen writer Paul Haggis, actors Christopher Reeve and Jason Beghe, author William S. Burroughs, Ron (Hubbard) DeWolfe (L. Ron Hubbard's son who changed his last name), Jenna Miscavige Hill (niece of current leader of Scientology, David Miscavige), and a whole host of L. Ron Hubbard confidants including his second wife, one of his girlfriends, his personal auditor, his biographer, and his personal physician."

To get a sneek-peek at the workings of Chanology (an off-shoot of the group Anonymous) massaging the wording of their List of 1000+ Former Church of Scientology Members Speak Out Against The Church announcement, click here. Or maybe even go here, and join the conversation.

As a side note, seems Chanology is on the fence about the above Russian ban. In a separate discussion you can follow their debate on the pros and cons.

AnonyNews: Global Roundup [videos]

Scientologists prominently dissed
scienceblogs.com ~ "...Once upon a time, newspapers and magazines hesitated to criticize scientology at all, because they'd immediately sic an army of lawyers on the publication, and any journalists involved face some fierce harassment. They probably still do that, but their triumphantly oppressive days are over...". Well, that was also before the days of Anonynews.

This week's installment of the Global Round Up was a little late, but I can understand how that could happen.

Keeping up with Scientology/Anonymous news can be quite hectic, and I'm just doing some text of it. They're adding voice-overs and graphics, assembling video and that dreaded up-load time.

AnonyNews 10.8 Part I
More information about any of the stories listed below is available in the info section at YouTube.

Scientology hires investigative reporters to investigate investigative reporters • Belgium Senator supports Co$ • The Official 'Scientology Sucks Prank Contest' Thread • Scientologists Win Rights Case in Russia • Scientology Twitter account suspended • Marty ready to die rather than deny con of Scientology to wifey • Cult Conference in Australia - XENOPHON • COS attack on ADD forum? • New organization Chart of the CoS • Flag World Tour 2010 • Anonymous' Open Letter to Ms. McKee-Stovall

AnonyNews 10.8 Part II
More information about any of the stories listed below is available in the info section at YouTube.

Hotchickswithguyfawkesmasks.com • London, Feb 20th - Post Game Report • Project Freeweb • France Falls Under Internet Censorship • Suppressive Person Declare Order for David Miscavige • Today Tonight - Scientology's Secrets • AnonSparrow - 1 Anon vs 4 handlers

Ex-Scientologist Larry Anderson on KSLG 94.1FM [video]

Larry Anderson is certainly making the rounds on radio talk-show circuit, dishing out all kinds of dirt to would-be future scientologists. And just think. If Scientology had just refunded the money owed to him, they could have avoided all of this negative publicity.

And so we have one more installation of "Why I Left Scientology", this time on KSLG 94.1 FM ~ Ferndale CA, with host John Matthews in a 40 minute radio interview with Larry Anderson.

If you're unfamilar with Anderson and his story, you can get up to speed at tampabay.com's Larry Anderson, star of Scientology's 'Orientation' film, wants his money back.

KSLG 94.1 FM ~ Ferndale CA John Matthews interviews Larry Anderson





Tip of the 'ol lollipop mike to XenuTV.

Anonynews World Round-Up Feb.19.10 [videos]

Part1: Anonynews Feb.19.10 [10.7]
More information about any of the following stories can be found in the video's info column:

LA press conference • Tommy Davis blasts Catholic Online due to conference report • Tommy Davis gets trolled IRL • German Verfassungsschutz warns against Scientology frontgroups • New EU Scientology HQ opened in Bruessel • Anti-Anonymous fliers in San Jose • San Jose meeting with Delorme Mckee-Stoval • Moxon vs Berry.. or rather Berry vs Moxon? • Ex-Sci Tommy Gorman's car gets vandalized after protest

Part2: Anonynews Feb.19.10 [10.7]
More information about any of the following stories can be found in the video's info column:

US Dep't of Labor Bibliography shows child labor in Scientology Australia • Chicago post game • Canada - policeman fired for posting Sci critical Ph.D. thesis online • German president signs access aggravation law • New Anon video "Scientology's Volunteer Ministers Exposed" • Scilons posting photos on RFW board

Once again, ThanX to AnnonyNews & WWP.

Today-Tonight:On The Attack/Scientology VS Xenophon [video]

In a follow-up to Monday's Today-Tonight report, Scientology's Secrets, Today-Tonight continues their interview with Scientology's spokesperson, Tommy Davis.

Unlike some reporters that can be bought here in the States, Aussie reporters don't flinch while going head-to-head with spin-doctors from the Scilon Ward.

Same can be said about the senator from down under. Nick Xenophon's can of whoop-ass, that has yet to be opened fully on the OZ church, certainly has Davis's panties in a bunch.

Today Tonight: Tommy Davis vs Nick Xenophon Feb.23.10



ThanX for the good-oil, WWP, providers of video and screencap.

Anonynews World Round-Up Feb.12.10 [videos]

Part1: Anonynews Feb.12.10•
More information about any of the following stories can be found in the video's info column:

AnonSF.ning.com has gone down • Operation TitStorm • Scientology: The Religion of the Stars • Celebrity Centre LA to hold Autism fundraiser • Today Tonight report on AVO against Aaron Saxton (vid) : so much win • Daily Telegraph: AVO for anti-Scientology crusader Aaron Saxton • Cardinal Ouellet warns catholics against Scientology, ask gov for clearer rules • Second wave of Volunteer Ministers being flown to Haiti + MSNBC covers Vulture Ministers in Haiti (vid) • Columbus Ideal Org - Scilons to build new 50,000 sq. ft "church" - NEED POONS • An alarming alliance between Scientology and San Jose local government has been exposed. • New AVO on Aaron Saxton, this time by Cyrus Brooks + legal fund • OSA's TO-DO point system • Australian Senator Nick Xenophon challenges the cult to inquiry

Part2: Anonynews Feb.12.10
More information about any of the following stories can be found in the video's info column:

Los Angeles Org (LA Org) Will Soon Be The Model Ideal Org Of The Planet? • Laura D. & other litigation - a little update • Boston Ideal Org - WIN a new 2010 Toyota by donating • How the cult tries to fair game german broadcaster • New old OSA trick: impersonate people on Twitter • Anonymous Berlin starts the Campaign "Where is Egy?" • Nevada Politicians Duped by Cult • Scientology Goodwill Tour Opening in Thailand • 850+ scientologists facebook names/links • Face Slashing Scientology Promoter Expelled From Senate • Internet Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize • Will Fry Speaks To Anons Again RE: LA Megaraid • Happy Birthday, Chanology! • Scientologists plan Aussie ad blitz • Critics: John Travolta's New Movie Sucks • John Travolta : From Paris with Love • John Travolta's hair/For Paris With Love • I want your singing!! • AnonOrange in the Examiner • Today in the senate - Vicki Dunstan submission • You Can Dive Off A Bridge

Scientology Marketer: Inside, A Stinking Horrible Mess

Example Of Miscavige Micromanagement In It's Full Glory
Bnet.com ~ [see link for complete interview] For 20 years, Steve Hall was a senior writer in the marketing department of the Church of Scientology. He wrote the tagline “Know Yourself; Know Life.” He left the church, which he now refers to as a “cult”, to start his own graphic design firm, Steve Hall Creative.

He talked to BNET about how Scientology markets and advertises itself, and discusses famous Scientologists such as Leo Burnett’s Cheryl Berman, Neopets.com’s Doug Dohring, and of course actor Tom Cruise.

Hall describes an “inept” organization that has historically failed to take advantage of the experience available to it, and which has become “a stinking horrible mess” as a result.

BNET: What did you actually do for the Church of Scientology?
Hall: ...Scientology, they recruited me. I was doing the courses. They provide counseling, auditing, which means “to listen.” I took a job and after about three years I heard they were forming a new organization of staff in Los Angeles that was going to handle advertising for the church. That was 1987.

So, I went to Los Angeles and my first job was as a product manager. I later became the director of marketing for Dianetics. It’s a book but it’s also a subject. We did direct mail. We did fliers, brochures, handouts and TV ads. I’ve done TV ads for Dianetics and a lot of TV ads for Scientology. There was a big campaign released in 1998, a series of ads on TV promoting several different books. I was pretty much the senior writer.

For most of my stuff I reported either to David Miscavige [the leader of the church] or one of his direct juniors. As a screenwriter I had 14 writers under me, plus a secretary. Not all of those people were full time. [continued below video]

What if Scientology actually made a truthful infomercial?
This is not Hall's work, rather, the effort of a protesting anon.

What if Scientology came out publicly as the money-making, soul-raping scam that it is? Their infomercial would probably look something like this:
Presenting "Make Money! Make More Money! Make Other People Make Money! The Scientology Way."

Inspired by the very words -- and policies -- of con-man and diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic founder L. Ron Hubbard. Edited using existing footage from Scientology's annual summit -- which, on its own already plays like an over-long infomercial.

BNET: Do they use ad agencies?
Hall: They do everything in-house. At one time they hired Trout & Ries. They wrote, “Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind.” It came out in the late 1970s. They were hired to do an advertising campaign for Scientology but David Muscavige didn’t like it so that killed it right there. That was the last time they hired an outside agency to do something.

BNET: A lot of executives would regard Scientology as an extremely difficult marketing challenge.
Hall: The challenge of trying to market Dianetics and Scientology is probably one of the most difficult assignments in the world. They are not thought of well. There’s a lot of suspicion and controversy. Most of that is generated from within because of the way the leader of the church has dealt with people, such as issues to do with internet copyright.

They do a lot of lawsuits. They run full-page ads in USA Today attacking Eli Lilly (LLY) [which makes antidepressants, which Scientology opposes]. It makes people stand back. Time magazine wrote them up as a “mafia-like” organization. How do you create a want for that? It’s an almost impossible challenge.

BNET: The main problem seems to be that Scientology is a secret organization. Most people have no idea what it stands for.
Hall: It’s not deliberate. It’s just inept marketing. I think they don’t have a clue what they are doing. I’ve worked at the top ranks of management, shoulder to shoulder. They all worry constantly about the big problem that nobody understands them.

But for other reasons they have not been effective at all at communicating what they do, what their beliefs are and so forth. They’re not deliberately keeping it a secret. It’s a more simple problem than that. A lot of organizations that do their own in-house marketing, they eat the product, breathe the product, 24/7, and they lose their objectivity and they don’t know how to connect with people outside.

Compounding that, [founder L. Ron] Hubbard wrote in the 1970s and ’80s a few policies on how the church was to do their marketing. There’s nothing wrong with what he wrote, but that marketing know-how is circa 1975. As any creative person knows, marketing has grown by light years since 1975. By today’s standards those methods are terrible. [continued below video]

'What Is Scientology?' Montage Ad
Borrowing from the ad barrage of '09, a commercial about nothing, another anon duplicates the montage style, but substitutes, what he believes, really goes on behind the facade known as Scientology.

BNET: Hold on — the church has access to people like Berman, Cruise and Dohring who all have lifetimes of marketing experience, and it doesn’t ask them for advice in any way?
Hall: I know, it doesn’t make any sense does it? That’s the point. It doesn’t make any sense! Scientology grew and grew all through the 1980s. In 1990 David Miscavige pulled the funding for all that advertising and it stopped. Since that time the church has been contracting. They’ve bought some buildings but that’s it. That’s not expanding, they have shrinking membership but they’ve got a bigger building.

BNET: What kind of events does the church put on?
Hall: I put together 28 TV ads in 1998 that used the current tagline that they’re still using. Miscavige showed them at one of his events … Scientologists said “Wow, fantastic! Here’s money to run them.” The ads ran for a few months and then he totally just pulled the funding and never even showed the very best ads. Their PR was not nearly as bad back then as it as now. Now it’s just a stinking horrible mess. The purpose was to show the ads at the events that generated donations. The Scientologists don’t know any better. The ads only run for a short time. He spends a minimal amount of money.

BNET: So you made ads to generate donations to run them on TV, but they never ran, they just generate donations at meetings?
Hall: Exactly.

SCICO: avoiding them could save you $15,000 or more
Also, nothing to do with Hall, a parody using the GEICO "Kash Date" commercial as a backdrop, spoofing scientology as a money hungry corporation. Oh, wait. They are.

FB&HW: Scientologists = Brainwashed Lunatics [audio]

Free Beer & Hot Wings Show
It's not today's lunch menu (although it would make a nice one), but a syndicated talk radio show based out of WGRD-FM in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The show is hosted by Greg "Free Beer" Daniels and Chris "Hot Wings" Michels with Eric "Zane", "Producer" Joseph Gasmann, Jr and Assistant Producer Steve McKiernan.

And an anon caught some of it while it broadcast over the air in Nashville. It seems they had just caught wind of the Scientology Super Heal (or should that be heel?) story at AFP:

"... One hour ago he had no sensation in his left leg, so I explained the method to him, I touched him and after a while he said 'now I feel everything'," said Sylvie, "Otherwise they might have had to amputate his other leg. Now his sister knows the method and she can do it."

"... Some doctors at the hospital are skeptical. One US doctor, who asked not to be named, snorted: "I didn't know touching could heal gangrene." When asked what the Scientologists are doing here, another doctor said: "I don't know." Do you care? "Not really," she said, wheeling an unconscious patient out of the operating room to join hundreds of others in the hospital's sunny courtyard."

Free Beer & Hot Wings Show
on Scientologists 'heal' Haiti quake victims. Let's listen in on their commentary...


Tip of the 'ol radio antenna to Boxxy(lol) at WWP.

AnonyNews 01.16.10 Broadcast [poc video]

Well, it looks like Anonymous finally has their very own weekly recap magazine hosted on YouTube, or the proof of concept, anyway.

From the posting over at WWP:
"The plan is to collect and compile the highlights of all WWP sections, and other chanology boards, other projects like skynet, the chans and the insurgents, into one news-text for the news-section, blogs, and a tube news broadcast."

They go on to say, "...After the production process has been worked out, we´ve started a pilot to proof that the concept actually worked. To produce the newsbroadcast below, 3 newSfags, one voicefag, one actorfag and two videofags were needed, and 5 Days time."

But if this is going to succeed, it looks like they could use your help. See the thread or their wiki, Operation AnonyNews, for more information.

AnonyNews Week of 01.16.10 [part 1]



AnonyNews Week of 01.16.10 [part 2]

Nutter Sues XenuTV. Apparently Skipped Email 101

Crazy is as Crazy does
From Mark Bunker's blog @ XENUtv:

"John Bowen Brown II. He is the bright fellow who contacted me with allegations of being the leader on an international terrorist organization and hurling accusations against me that were baseless, ill formed and just plain wrong. He gave me permission to post our lengthy initial e-mail exchange on my website."

"Since that time he has periodically e-mailed some other baseless charges against me that usually result in him ending with “AND DON’T EVER CONTACT ME AGAIN!”.

"He never seems to realize that I don’t contact him. He contacts me and I respond. I never think of this guy until he sends me something in my email."

"I asked him why he was contacting me and he told me it was an automated invitation that sent an email to everyone in his mailbox. I asked him the simple question, “Why don’t you remove me from your mailbox?” That type of logic sends him to a tizzy of foot stomping and ended with him saying I should never contact him again."

"I get another email from him saying “Check out my photos on Facebook.” Another automated message showing that he didn’t take the simple step of removing my name from his frigging address book. Seems pretty simple. I never think of this nutcase until he contacts me and then he yells at me for contacting me. I wrote back to him a simple, “Really? You threaten me if I contact you and then you once again contact me to be your Facebook friend? You really are nutty.”

"Today, after a couple months of blissful Brown-free living, I got a letter from his attorney threatening me if I ever contact him again."

Scans of legal threat included on his blog.
Tip of the 'ol send button to WWP.

Jim Carrey: Crazy Man Ready For The Rubber Room