Here is the reality of an "ideal org". They bring in virtually all the staff from outside the area -- even from outside the COUNTRY. In fact, they circulate a bunch of these people around from one ideal org to the next to create the appearance that there is a bustling staff ready, willing and able to serve the floods of people who will begin arriving the minute the doors open. This has been reported plenty of times in the past. This is the first time I have seen a black and white, blatant admission that the staff are imported for an ideal org... … [Read more...]
The Scientology Staff Recruitment Pitch
Despite what they tell themselves about their expansion, this was found on "MeetUp" and I thought it fascinating. Scientology is back to trying to recruit "wogs". Melbourne presents itself as one of the more successful "ideal" orgs -- and yet they apparently don't have a flow of new people to sign up for staff to deal with the inevitable attrition of those who leave because they cannot take the hours/insane demands or cannot survive on "staff pay", or both. Note the typically terrible spelling and grammar. And how they carefully call this "volunteering" and are given a "stipend … [Read more...]
More Ribbon Yankings
Yanking those ribbons has become a staple of scientology internal propaganda. Of course, though this is their proudest moment demonstrating their massive international expansion, no outsiders are ever allowed to attend and there is massive security presence to ensure they cannot. These are often timed to coincide with events -- either a few weeks before in order to include in the upcoming event, or shortly afterwards for the convenience of the Chairman of the Bored (as in Amsterdam, Birmingham and Ireland most recently). Now, with the March 13th standing-ovation-athon done and dusted (one … [Read more...]
Thursday Funnies
7.5 Humanitarian statuses... Isn't necessarily someone with a lot of money. Unless you define not much money as a few hundred thousand. Guarantee you they won't give you a 9X Humanitarian poster WITHOUT any money. Quasi-Cincinnati... ...the new Flag. Poaching people from all over the world. Blazing a trail. Clearing the planet. In Florence Kentucky. Jeanie always had delusions of grandeur. See what I mean? Jeanie's out telling everyone else how to do it. Though she's been in Cincinnati for 20 years and it's STILL not SH Size … [Read more...]
Millions and Millions
They keep hyping the vital necessity of Orlando "ideal" org because there are so many tourists. They've apparently got no better reason to try and persuade people this is important. Of course, they don't mention that more people visit Los Angeles and New York each year, and they've had ideal orgs for decades. The result? Zip, nada and nothing. And even more on point, Las Vegas has almost as many vacationers, and arguably ones more susceptible to the scientology pitch than families on the way to Disney World (kids account for a good portion of that 68 million number -- there are … [Read more...]
Thursday Funnies
Not surprisingly, this week's funnies are dominated by an apparently endless stream of hype for the "milestone of milestones" - the HSN of cults. Scientology TV A spiritual awakening? They actually think canned Infomercial matter could awaken anyone spiritually? That's how out of touch they are. 150 "confirmeds" That means 50 will show up for the biggest, bestest and most important event EVER! In Chicago. Celebrate with "local non-profits" WTH Fdn, Narconon, CCHR, Youth for Human Rights and the other scientology front groups wanting your … [Read more...]
Where’s The Beef?
This post was prompted by some back and forth with one of our commenters. It got me thinking, and though I may not be the brightest bulb in the chandelier, sometimes I cast a bit of light onto the shadowy world of scientology. I recently posted about the ineffectiveness of the massive investment scientology made into TV advertising. It has resulted in no appreciable increase in interest, though it is somewhat debatable that this is what they even care about rather than providing the latest reason to collect money from their members to buy more ads. But that poses the question: what … [Read more...]
Tampa Fail
Tampa "ideal St Hill size" org -- the model, the org that raised the bar -- has put out a new video. This org is constantly touted as THE best Class V org on earth. Of course, it should be. It is propped up by Flag. Many of it's staff are children of scientologists that live in the area or scientologists trying to be eligible for OT VII but they don't have a lot of money to give to the IAS so they "contr9ibute" this way. Tampa is also where Flag sends all the people it refuses for service. Anyone with a medical condition or dubious history. Nobody tells them they will not be eligible … [Read more...]
New Ideal Orgs
Tony Ortega covered the recent openings of Salt Lake and "Silicon Valley" ideal orgs with some interesting on-the-ground reports from observers. I have, as is my wont, a few observations of my own. Salt Lake City: This is the official photo on the scientology.org website. If you had the time or inclination, you could actually count the heads present. My guess would be 350. (Update, a reader counted every head in this photo, the number is 242). But if you read their press release, the gathering consisted of "more than a thousand" in attendance. It's … [Read more...]
Thursday Funnies
WTF does this mean? A random chandelier has some significance? Oh I Get It It's time to put a stronghold on the MidWest (with one, still not ideal org, let alone St. Hill size, for 10 states)... Bubbles Branches Out She has made the transition from selling rugs to the "seminar" commissions business. They Got One A single recruit into the Sea Org in Canada is worth sending out a promotional flier about. Wow. The ChanMan is busy Delivering his "body talk"?? And his history lesson (clams on the seashore, Piltdown … [Read more...]