August 8 in Scientology history

Apparently the CSN is short of content to put on the air. If you have ever tried to watch it, you will know this is true. They have about 24 hours of total programming that they repeat over and over. It's almost entirely the same stuff on today as was airing the day it launched. I know many cable stations repeat some programming, usually their hit/important shows. Not everything they broadcast. CSN should have a tag line — "Groundhog Day brought to life." So, they are asking people to send them free stuff they can air. Sort of like a "Writers of the Future" for film and documentary makers who don't mind being associated with scientology (either that, or their work will be unattributed...) That narrows the field to scientologists only. There are few of those, and mostly they already work for Gold or SuMP. So good luck with this.

Tags: Quicky, Scientology Media Productions, Scientology Network, Writers of the Future

Our thanks to the tipster who sent us pages from the newest copy of Impact magazine, the publication of the International Association of Scientologists. There are a few things of note in this issue, but one that really jumped out at us was a report from this year's Maiden Voyage celebration aboard the cruise ship Freewinds that took place in the Caribbean. A bit of controversy was kicked up about that celebration recently when it turned out that Scientology leader David Miscavige accepted a medal from a retired Colombian police general who wasn't authorized to give it to him. But something else pretty distasteful took place during the celebration. Here, take a look...

Tags: 1952, 2001, 2008, African-American, California, Caribbean, CCHR, Christopher King, Colombia, David Miscavige, Facebook, Fake, Fred Shaw, Freewinds, International Association of Scientologists, James Barbour, Los Angeles, Maiden Voyage, Mike Rinder, NAACP, New York Times, Quicky, Sunny Pereira, United for Human Rights

Tags: David Miscavige, Marc Headley, Quicky, Tom Cruise

Janis Grady was born into the Church of Scientology. She joined the Sea Org at age 11 and was one of the first four original messengers in L. Ron Hubbard's Commodore's Messenger's Organization (CMO). Janis' mother was Yvonne Gillham Jentzsch who founded the Scientology Celebrity Centre.

Tags: Celebrity Centre, Commodore's Messenger Organization, Janis Gillham, Quicky, Sea Org, Yvonne Jentzsch

While Scientology's phony STAND group screams about discrimination, Scientologist and OSA operative John Alex Wood skipped the religion angle and went straight for the jugular on Twitter when he candidly and publicly admitted the true purpose of Scientology's Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR): This tweet is important to expose as it shows Scientology's naked fascist aggression and actual intent to destroy psychiatry on a global basis. There are law enforcement agencies that distribute literature from Scientology's front group Foundation for a Drug Free World. These agencies need to be informed that whenever they distribute this literature they are, unwittingly, aiding and abetting Scientology's goal to annihilate to psychiatry on a global basis.

Tags: CCHR, Foundation for a Drug-Free World, John Wood, Narconon, Office of Special Affairs, Police, Quicky, STAND, Twitter

Oh my, what an appearance Leah Remini made last night on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to promote next week's premiere of A&E's 'Scientology and the Aftermath' season two. We thought you'd want to go through it with a fine-tooth comb, so we've put together a transcript for you to comment on today. If you remember the character Colbert played on his Comedy Central show, he had a great ability to pretend that he had a particular point of view in order to make a larger point. Keep that in mind as you watch this interview. If you know Colbert's history with Scientology, you know that he's doing his best to pretend that he has to have Leah convince him that Scientology is not just like other "religions." She does a pretty good job handling it, particularly when she compares Scientology to George Orwell's "1984." Colbert: My next guest starred for nine years on 'King of Queens,' she's now created a documentary series covering her fallout with the Church of Scientology. Please welcome Leah Remini.

Tags: 1984, A&E, Catholic, Celebrity Centre, Comedy Central, Dianetics, George Orwell, Guardian's Office, Hollywood, Janis Gillham, Jeffrey Augustine, Keep Scientology Working, Kevin James, King of Queens, L. Ron Hubbard, Leah Remini, OT, Quicky, Rehabilitation Project Force, Scientology and the Aftermath, Sec Check, Stephen Colbert, Yvonne Jentzsch

Guillaume Lesevre — scientology's vanished "Executive Director International" A lot of scientologists remember Guillaume Lesevre, though the COB has done his best to ensure he is forgotten. Guillaume is the "Executive Director International" or ED Int. This is the position L. Ron Hubbard specifically created to "wear my hat" running scientology. In fact, Hubbard did an analysis of his inability to "turn over his hat" and wrote a policy about it which created this position.

Tags: Chairman of the Board, Church of Spiritual Technology, CMO Int, David Miscavige, Europe, Guillaume Lesevre, Heber Jentzsch, International Association of Scientologists, Italy, Janet Light, L. Ron Hubbard, Marc Yager, Mark Ingber, Mission, Norman Starkey, Quicky, Ray Mithoff, Russ Bellin, Sea Org, Sec Check, Suppressive Person, The Hole, Watchdog Committee

Another in the ever-growing series of essays by Terra Cognita. See earlier posts here: The Reg, The Horrors of Wordclearing, Why Scientologists Don't FSM, Respect, The Survival Rundown - The Latest Scam, Communication in Scientology... Or Not, Am I Still A Thetan?, To Be Or Not To Be, An Evaluation of Scientology, Fear: That Which Drives Scientology and Justification and Rationalization. The Almighty Stat To a Scientologist, nothing is more important than statistics—or "stats" for short. LRH was all about measuring production, and all production can be measured with one stat or another. Having his stats up or down for the week, determines whether a staff member gets a pass or finds himself in deep shit.

Tags: Clear, David Miscavige, Field Staff Member, International Association of Scientologists, L. Ron Hubbard, Master at Arms, OT, Quicky, Scam, Survival Rundown, Terra Cognita

Our thanks to Artoo45, who procured the newest Impact magazine and let us know what was in it. We love Impact, the official publication of the International Association of Scientologists, because it reveals who has been lavished with praise for increasing their donations and propping up Scientology in its latter days. Now, normally we're most interested in the issue of Impact that comes out early in the year, because it shows us who was celebrated at the IAS Patrons Ball held in October, usually at Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead, England. This is the year's really big party for Scientology's whales (our word for the biggest donors) and even Tom Cruise is known to show up wearing his Freedom Medal of Valor as a special prize for the wealthy folks who turn over truly prodigious sums. But there's also an IAS Patron's Ball held in honor of Maiden Voyage, the set of summer events that commemorate the 1988 launching of Scientology's private cruise ship, the Freewinds. So this most recent issue of Impact shows us the richies who made the scene on the Freewinds somewhere in the Caribbean.

Tags: 1980, 1988, ANZO, Austin, Australia, Bavaria, Beatrice Guignard, Benjamin Carlson, Bryan Seymour, CCHR, CNN, Connie Saunders, David Miscavige, Dennis Romeiser, Diamond Meritorious, East Grinstead, Elizabeth Doria, Elizabeth Gonzalez, England, Eric Berg, Facebook, Frank Suarez, Freedom Medal of Valor, Freewinds, Gerhard Lidl, Germany, Ghledis Carli, Gold Meritorious, Hamburg, Ideal Org, International Association of Scientologists, Karen Berg, Leslie Brock, London, Los Angeles, Louis Theroux, Louisa Chaubert, LRH Hall, Lucia Kuo, Maiden Voyage, Margaret Mercado, Marlies Thuermer, Marty Rathbun, Maurizio Polverini, Mission, Monika Lidl, Munich, My Scientology Movie, New Civilization Builder, OT Committee, Patron with Honors, Patrons Ball, Paul Seymour, Purple Heart, Quicky, Rome, Saint Hill Manor, Salila Travers, Scientology award, Scientology Media Productions, Sheridan Cyrus, Shun Min Wang, Silver Meritorious, Simone Hafenmayer, Simone Lorenzen, Steve Wu, Stuart Guy, Taipei, Taiwan, Texas, The Way to Happiness, Tom Cruise, UK, Vietnam, Vincenzo Aloe, Volunteer Ministers, Wendy Patten, Whale, WISE, Yu Mei Lu

Normally I would have simply included a couple of these in the Thursday Funnies and been done with it. But this week it hit saturation level and I felt it deserves a single post that gathers together a sample of one week of pitches from the most OT org on earth. The top of the bridge. It doesn't get any better than this, what every scientologist is striving for. The Moneywinds no longer seems to operate on any pretense about "delivering service" — they are ONLY about helping people make money so they might extract it from them. What is that saying about money being the lowest motivating drive there is?

Tags: Aruba, Curaçao, Freewinds, OT, OT VIII, Quicky, San Jose, Tamas Kasza, Thursday Funnies

We're very happy to see a small publication like the Santa Clarita Express in Southern California expose a Scientology front group for what it is. Reporter Melissa Lampert revealed in her Thursday story that the local branch of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Office will be offering a class put on by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World for teens in September. We hope that kind of pressure makes the Sheriff's Office think about whether it really wants to get into bed with Scientology. But we felt for Lampert as we saw her strain to make the case that there is some kind of connection between Foundation for a Drug-Free World and Scientology... Called the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, the organization has repeatedly been linked with the drug rehabilitation center Narconon International, which was created based on the beliefs of the Church of Scientology's founder, L. Ron Hubbard.

Tags: Alex Chudnovsky, California, Center for Inquiry, Claire Headley, Clearwater, Combatting Cult Mind Control, David Miscavige, Dissemination, Foundation for a Drug-Free World, Hollywood Boulevard, Ideal Org, International Association of Scientologists, Jaffa, Japan, Jaquie Salmon, Jim Underdown, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Sheriff, Marc Headley, Meghan Fialkoff, Melbourne, Melissa Lampert, Mike Rinder, Narconon, Narconon International, New York, Paulette Cooper, Quicky, Santa Clarita, Scientology executive, Sefi Fischer, Steve Allen Theater, Steven Hassan, Tokyo, Tom Cruise, Truth About Drugs

I take to heart the comments to my last post accusing me of casting too wide a net on the issue of whether one should trust a person wearing the scientology banner. To the extent I offended some folks, I apologize. So as to avoid such offense in the future I also provide here fair warning. If the last post offended you, the next several probably will too. If you want positive reinforcement for your faith, you will not find it here; but for possibly in the comments section where scientologists are free to provide their views with everyone else. There is an evolution afoot that perhaps ought be shared with readers here. Of late I have been asked by a number of journalists, documentarians and religious experts to explain any legitimate aspects of scientology. Since the church responded to the revelations of the Truth Rundown series – and its progeny – by bunkering down and going incommunicado with such folks, I have sort of inherited some of their public affairs function by default. In the course of that odd twist of fate one repeated question became increasingly difficult for me to answer: whether I recommend scientology to the public at large. My answer has evolved with my own experience and thoughts. Ultimately, my answer is that I would not recommend to anyone that they get involved in scientology. That is because having thoroughly deconstructed the subject I came to realize that its control and exploitation elements are so thoroughly embedded within the teachings of Hubbard as to make the journey more likely to be on-the-whole negative than positive.

Tags: David Miscavige, Quicky, Religious Technology Center, Truth Rundown

This time, she's opposing Scientology's appeal of Comal County Judge Dib Waldrip's denial of the church's "anti-SLAPP" motion. And if the appeals court sides against Monique this time, the lawsuit is over. So there's a lot on the line, and Monique's attorney Leslie Hyman rises to the challenge. We've been telling you that it's really amazing to see Scientology try to use a law - the anti-SLAPP statute - which was intended to help protect the free speech rights of resource-poor individuals from being overwhelmed by the deep pockets of a litigious foe. In fact, Scientology's long history of litigious bullying and scorched-earth tactics was one of the inspirations for anti-SLAPP legislation in its early history.

Tags: 2011, Church of Scientology International, Comal County, David Miscavige, Fair Game, First Amendment, Judge Dib Waldrip, Leslie Hyman, Marty Rathbun, Monique Rathbun, Rathbun v. Scientology, SLAPP, Squirrel Busters, Texas, Texas Citizens Participation Act, Texas Third Court of Appeals

Two Special Correspondents separately sent me information about the Jonestown tragedy in the last few days. And looking over what they sent, it seems there is a point to be made. First, I have long felt that there is no mass suicide in the future of scientology and I haven't changed that view. But I believe there are other fates that are the scientology equivalent of suicide (bankruptcy, destroyed families, despair at ever 'getting up the Bridge') and that the end story of scientology will be when everyone has been reduced to one or all of those states.

Tags: 1971, 1977, 1978, California, CIA, Conditions, Int Base, IRS, Jesus Christ, Jim Jones, Jonestown, OT, Quicky, Reverend, San Diego, San Francisco, Suicide

A quick posting before a more important one this afternoon. A couple of comments about this particular piece: 1. It is a further indicator of the increasingly prevalent pattern noticeable in the "successes" that are published by the church where they expound the "party line". "Acceptable" success stories include statements that are known to be what the church wants. Either parroting the promo for the service ("I have a clear mind now" after the Purif or "my OT perceptions are amazing now I can sense the salinity of my blood" after Super Power) or it's something like this "I went 'to hell with it' and just did my Patron/Humanitarian/Champion etc etc."

Tags: End Phenomena, Humanitarian, International Association of Scientologists, OT, Purification Rundown, Quicky, Super Power

Things heating up again in Oklahoma Scientology's various entities are firing back now at the National Assocation of Forensic Counselors (NAFC), which filed a lawsuit against 82 defendants it claimed were misusing its logos and trademarks in order to make Scientology's drug rehab network, Narconon, appear more legitimate than it really is. We'll let our legal types pore over these documents and let us know what they think about Scientology's salvos…

Tags: 1954, 2000, 2005, Amends, Andy Lenarcic, Axioms, Bridge Publications, Bridge to Total Freedom, Charles Johnson, Church of Scientology International, Commodore's Messenger Organization, David Miscavige, Fransisco Sener, Freewinds, Heather Lenarcic, Hollywood, Hollywood Guaranty Building, Int Base, Jeff Porter, Jenny Butler, Judy Paransky, Kent McGregor, Kevin McEnery, Lane Porter, Los Angeles, Marc Headley, Martin Habschied, Master at Arms, Matt Butler, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, Narconon Eastern US, Narconon Georgia, Narconon International, Narconon South Texas, National Association of Forensic Counselors, Office of Special Affairs, Oklahoma, Paul Sarkany, Phoenix Lectures, Pinucio Tisi, Premazon, Raphael Zingel, Rehabilitation Project Force, Religious Technology Center, Ryan Fear, Sea Org, Spring Hill, Suncoast Rehabilitation Center, The Creation of Human Ability, Tom Cruise, Tony DeCrescenzo, Winston Mellor

To answer a question that many had — who is that unidentified man in this photo with Nora? Doubt: The Church of Scientology vs the Independents This isn't my entire Doubt write-up. This is just my announcement to both sides, having done the other steps and arrived at a decision.

Tags: Independent, Quicky

Don was a senior Executive of the Church of Scientology at the Flag Land Base. This is a Tampa Bay Times video of his breathtaking escape. A repeating story in the "Church" is that people held against will FLEE. In their arrogance the "Church" believes they have the power of Federal Marshalls to pursue you like prey and take you into custody. There is a paranoia that you will reveal their dirty little secrets to the outside world. Other fleeing staff have had to call Riverside Sheriffs or Los Angeles Police Department to get help in escaping. Exited staff have Years of nightmares in their sleep of pursuit by the posses the "church" sends out.

Tags: Don Jason, Flag Land Base, Los Angeles, Police, Quicky, Riverside, Tampa Bay Times

Don was a senior Executive of the Church of Scientology at the Flag Land Base. This is a Tampa Bay Times video of his breathtaking escape. A repeating story in the "Church" is that people held against will FLEE. In their arrogance the "Church" believes they have the power of Federal Marshalls to pursue you like prey and take you into custody. There is a paranoia that you will reveal their dirty little secrets to the outside world. Other fleeing staff have had to call Riverside Sheriffs or Los Angeles Police Department to get help in escaping. Exited staff have Years of nightmares in their sleep of pursuit by the posses the "church" sends out.

Tags: Don Jason, Flag Land Base, Los Angeles, Police, Quicky, Riverside, Tampa Bay Times

"The investigation has been closed and we consider the report to be unfounded," Los Angeles Police Detective Gus Villanueva said. He declined to elaborate on the details in the report and why it was closed. Shelly Miscavige's whereabouts have been a focus of church critics, who claim she has not appeared in public in six years.

Tags: David Miscavige, Fringe of the Internet, Gus Villanueva, LAPD, Leah Remini, Shelly Miscavige

(Shelly Miscavige at the Hollywood Celebrity Centre gala, circa 2005) UPDATE: LAPD CLOSES CASE WITHOUT BRIEFING LEAH REMINI ON HER MISSING-PERSON REPORT (See update below) Leah Remini has taken a surprising new step, the Underground Bunker has learned.

Tags: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, Angry Gay Pope, Author Services Inc, Barbara Ruiz, California, Celebrity Centre, Church of Spiritual Technology, David Miscavige, Detox, Disconnection, Facebook, Gary Smith, Gregory Baek, Hemet, Hollywood, Int Base, J. Swift, Javier Ruiz, Jeanne LeFlore, Jefferson Hawkins, Karen de la Carriere, Katie Holmes, Lake Arrowhead, LAPD, Leah Remini, Lee Baca, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Sheriff, Lucas Catton, McAlester, McAlester News-Capital, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, New York Daily News, Oklahoma, Police, PZ Myers, Quicky, Riverside County, Scientology executive, Scott Campbell, Sea Org, Shelly Miscavige, Stacy Murphy, Suppressive Person, The Hole, Tom Cruise, Tommy Davis, Writers of the Future

Narconon Arrowhead's medical detox facility in McAlester is no longer state certified. The McAlester News-Capital reports that the temporary certification issued to the site for medical detox has expired. Meanwhile, the main non-medical drug rehab center in Canadian remains open.

Tags: 1930, 1986, 2011, McAlester, McAlester News-Capital, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Narconon Arrowhead's medical detox facility in McAlester has lost its state certification, officials say. "Their temporary permit has expired and Arrowhead Medical Detox is not certified for medical detox," said Jeff Dismukes of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health Substance Abuse Services. The permit expired after Narconon Arrowhead failed to correct deficiencies found by the state during earlier inspections, according to Desmukes.

Tags: Arrowhead Medical Detox, Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor, Farley Ward, Gabriel Graves, Gary Richardson, Gary Smith, Hillary Holten, Jason Murphey, Jeffrey Dismukes, Kaysie Werninck, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, National Association of Forensic Counselors, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Stacy Murphy, Stacy's Law, Tom Ivester

There was a sound snafu and we could not handle it. We have left the video here because of the valuable input in the comments, however, a version with sound can be found here: http://youtu.be/zSi0zmiP8Cc Scott Campbell Finale. He lived to tell. Scott was an engineer on the Prison Ship "the Freewinds". A ship chose to be the head office and corporation address of "International Association of Scientologists" as a tax haven. The Freewinds is not beholden to any government and on the high seas is away from the prying eyes of the FBI. Unspeakable punishments are carried out here. Senior Executives (my ex-husband Heber Jentzsch included) have to clean the BILGES 12 to 14 hours a day. Scott endured sleep deprivation for months before he had a mental breakdown. The 4 earlier videos in these stories tell you more of his story. This is the finale and happy ending. Radio Podcasts

Tags: FBI, Freewinds, Heber Jentzsch, International Association of Scientologists, Mental breakdown, New Mexico, Quicky, Scott Campbell, Sleep deprivation

Gerhard Waterkamp and his family are living testament to the power of the Code of Honor. They stood up to the German government and now they are standing up to its latest alter ego - corporate Scientology. The Waterkamps I was born and raised in Germany in a roman catholic family. At age 14 I cognited that the Roman Catholic church was in the majority not a spiritual organization concerned with the advancement of the spiritual aspects of humanity, but an organization with the purpose of controlling populations. There were a lot of good Christian people in the church and I loved some of the monks in the Dominican order I where I served as an Altar boy and ran youth groups for the church. But really, the church was just there as a control operation. So I forfeited my life in heaven and exchanged it for an eternity in hell - at least that is what my priest told me when I told him I was quitting his operation. I hurt my mother as she was a strong believer in catholic doctrines and I am sorry for that. But it was more important to me to act on my principles and convictions than to take heed of other's feelings, not to mention threats of eternal fire and other scary stuff. As a young kid in postwar Germany you were still very directly confronted with the horrors of war and the holocaust. And there was one question on my mind: How in the world could good and decent people stand by when their jewish neighbors were put on a transport and killed? The answer eluded me for more than 40 years.

Tags: 1963, 1979, 1980, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1996, AOLA, Catholic, Chairman of the Board, Chick Corea, Christian, Clear, Code of Honor, Congress, David Miscavige, Debbie Cook, Delphi, Delphi Academy, Dianetics, Disconnection, Erich Fromm, Ethics, Facebook, Flag Land Base, Florida, Germany, Google, Green card, Hamburg, Heber Jentzsch, Holocaust, International Association of Scientologists, Isaac Hayes, John Travolta, Knowledge Report, L. Ron Hubbard, Leisa Goodman, Los Angeles, Maria Robb, Master at Arms, Mike Rinder, Mission, Muslim, Office of Special Affairs, Oregon, OT, OT V, Portland, Potential Trouble Source, Quicky, Rehabilitation Project Force, Scientology organization, Sea Org, Sec Check, Sleep deprivation, Super Power, Suppressive Person, Tommy Davis, Truth Rundown, Ursula Caberta, Verfassungsschutz, Wiebke Hansen

Last week, after we revealed the beginning of our "Top 25 People Crippling Scientology" countdown, we received an e-mail from Mark Miglio, who for weeks has been providing some of the best pro-Scientology material in our comments section. Mark has good-naturedly sparred with the many critics of the church who read and respond to our articles. But now he was reaching out to me directly with a lengthy appeal. I responded by asking him to give me permission to publish his manifesto. Better to have it reach as many people as possible, I figured. He added to it and agreed to have me post it here.

Tags: 1989, Anonymous, Clear, Clearing Course, Facebook, Mark Miglio, Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder, New York, OT, Purification, Rehabilitation Project Force, Scientology staff, Sea Org, Suppressive Person

They're notorious for shrouding their religion in secrecy. But members from the Church of Scientology invited the cameras behind the scenes for a rare glimpse into their lives on Saturday. A-list stars Juliette Lewis and John Travolta attended the Hollywood party, happily posing for photographs as if it was an ordinary red carpet event.

Tags: 2009, Bahamas, BBC, Celebrity Centre, Erika Christensen, Florida, Hollywood, Jason Lee, Jenna Elfman, John Travolta, Juliette Lewis, Kelly Preston, Kirstie Alley, L. Ron Hubbard, Mission, Paul Haggis, Peaches Geldof, Priscilla Presley, Quicky, Tom Cruise

Background reference: https://markrathbun.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/our-goal-is-to-martys-life-a-living-hell/

Tags: Bert Leahy, Quicky

Day six, June 8: Scientology's personality test is fixed to exaggerate people's weaknesses and Scientologists themselves are trained to lie to the court, former member Roger Gonnet told the Paris trial. Politician Jean-Pierre Brard's testimony against Scientology, however damning, had been that of an outsider. Roger Gonnet, the next witness for the plaintiffs, spoke as a former insider. Gonnet became an active member of Scientology in 1975, setting up the Lyon branch of Scientology's operations and running it until he was declared a Suppressive Person, an enemy of the movement, in 1983. Since then he has been one its leading critics, writing a book about his experiences and setting up a network of websites on the subject. 1

Tags: 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1983, 1989, 2002, 2008, Alain Rosenberg, Apostate, Australia, Ballo, Celebrity Centre, Didier Michaux, Dissemination, East Grinstead, E-meter, England, Eric Roux, Ethics, France, Hubbard Communications Office, Jean-François Valli, Jean-Pierre Brard, Lyon, Norway, Olav Gunnar Ballo, Paris, Personality test, Politician, Quicky, Religious worker, Roger Gonnet, Scientology practice, Scientology staff, Suppressive Person

EXPAND: download press release PDF: http://img1.anonbw.com/press/888.pdf digg it here:

Tags: Advanced Org, Anonymous, Australia, Bob Bledsoe, Colin Davie, Commodore's Messenger Organization, Continental Liaison Office, Dublin, Europe, France, Ireland, Janet Laveau, London, Office of Special Affairs, Quicky, Saint Hill, Scientology staff, UK

Senior politicians from Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition have rejected calls for a ban on the Scientology cult. A legal bid to outlaw it would fail because authorities haven't had time to build a proper case against the organization, they say.

Tags: Germany

City Councilman Hiram Monserrate said he paid his own way Saturday to the glitzy Hollywood event celebrating the 38th anniversary of the Church of Scientology Celebrity Center.

Tags: Celebrity Centre, Detox, Hiram Monserrate, New York City, New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project, Peter Vallone

HAMBURG, Germany, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- The interior minister of Hamburg, Germany, sees Scientology as a threat to his state's security. Scientology is not a religious community but an "extremist grouping" that needs to be banned, said Udo Nagel, the interior minister of the northern German state of Hamburg. According to Nagel, Germany's Interior Ministry in Berlin is currently probing whether a ban of Scientology would hold up in court. Observers and virtually all political parties in Germany see Scientology as a cult; the country's Office for the Protection of the Constitution, a domestic intelligence service, is monitoring the church in Germany, where it has an estimated 6,000 followers.

Tags: Berlin, Germany, Hamburg, Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Quicky, Udo Nagel

The Hoboken garage is one of a handful of fully automated parking structures that make more efficient use of space by eliminating ramps and driving lanes, lifting and sliding automobiles into slots and shuffling them as needed. If the robot shuts down, there is no practical way to manually remove parked vehicles. In the days that followed, both sides dragged each other into court. Robotic accused Hoboken of violating its copyright. "This case is about them using software without a license," said Dennis Clarke, chief operating officer of Robotic Parking, in a telephone interview last week. At the same time, Hoboken accused Robotic of setting booby traps in the code, causing the garage to malfunction. Then Robotic accused Hoboken of endangering its business by allowing a competitor into the garage.

Tags: 2005, Dennis Clarke, Hoboken, New Jersey, Robotic Parking

Mystified by the new wonder drug LSD, the psychiatrist Louis Jolyon West and his colleague at the University of Oklahoma, Chester M Pierce, were looking for a new way to investigate the drug in 1962. They came up with an idea so outlandish it could only happen in the world of experimental psychology.

Tags: 1962, Louis Jolyon West

FRANKFURT, GERMANY FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) _ A youth organization appealed today for a boycott of Tom Cruise's movie "Mission Impossible," because the American actor is a Scientologist. The call came a day after a leading politician said German authorities should put the Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology under observation as an extremist group. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl's government says the organization has aims that threaten democracy and is not a church but a business enterprise with some traits of organized crime.

Tags: Christian, Europe, Franz Riedl, Germany, Hamburg, Helmut Kohl, Johannes Gerster, Los Angeles, Mission Impossible, Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Quicky, Renate Rennebach, Scientology organization, Tom Cruise

It is important in studying any subject that we are not distracted by the deliberately sensationalized accounts of "news." People who write these "controversial" stories are afraid that others will read and evaluate for themselves the actual material. For these people, nothing would be worse than having increasing numbers of people, free of the distraction of the noise and "controversy," evaluate openly and fairly.

Tags: Ben Kugler, Bent Corydon, Catholic, Chinese, Clearwater, Diane Steinle, Drama, Mormon, Tampa, USA Today

The Gray Moss Inn is across the street from the Fort Harrison Hotel, the headquarters of the Church of Scientology. Scientologists and senior citizens were among the residents evacuated when city inspectors found 138 violations of building and fire codes at the Gray Moss Inn in September 1985. Officials finally cleared the building for occupancy last December after violations were corrected. Seiflein said he is a Scientologist but is not buying the hotel for the church. In fact, he was unsuccessful in trying to rent rooms to the church, he said. "They said they only wanted a real nice place." Scientology spokesman Richard Haworth also said the Scientologists have no part in the purchase agreement.

Tags: 1985, Bob Snibbe, Clearwater, Fort Harrison, Gray Moss Inn, John Welch, Phil Seiflein, Richard Haworth, Super Power