My dear friend Janis Gillham Grady let me know that our mutual friend, Jim Dincalci, passed away this evening. I am publishing Janis' eulogy, but also wanted to add a few comments of my own. I became friends with Jim when we were both assigned to a short unit from the Apollo on the island of Madeira in 1974. We were the only two males out of the 7 members of the unit, so we shared an apartment. We also spent most of our work days together as the women were all off doing surveys of tourists as part of a plan Hubbard had to ingratiate ourselves to the Portuguese government. We became close … [Read more...]
Fernando Gamboa 1955 – 2021
Terri and Janis (daughters of Peter and Yvonne Gillham) asked me to post this tribute here. They are dear friends of nearly 50 years, and I mourn their loss. I knew Fernando, though not really well. But his smile was unforgettable, and so was his kind and gentle demeanor, something rare in the world of the Sea Org. And his dedication to and love for my friend Terri for so many years gives him a special place in my heart. FERNANDO GAMBOA: Aug 29, 1955 – February 18, 2021 Fernando was born and raised in the foothills of the Andes in Sogamoso, Colombia. When he was 10 years … [Read more...]
Episode 9: Steve Cannane
This week we talk to Australian investigative journalist, Steve Cannane. You can listen to the podcast here: Steve has reported extensively on scientology in Australia, breaking a number of stories of victims of abuse over the past decade: His reporting prompted him to write a book, very appropriately entitled Fair Game. This is the definitive history of scientology in Australia. But events in Australia have had a huge impact on scientology around the world. Much of the policies on dealing with enemies and attacks grew out of the Victorian … [Read more...]
In Memoriam: Amos Jessup
by Janis Gillham Grady (Sorry for the delay, as most of you know, I was out of touch on a cruise for the last week)... Sadly, we all get older and there is a time when each of us will decide it is time to go. With that said, it is time to say goodbye to someone many of us have known and loved – Amos Jessup who passed away today – March 14, 2019. Amos had been sick recently, which I had announced about a month ago to many of his friends. It was thought that he was recovering as he was getting his motor skills back along with his speech, however, after … [Read more...]
Janis Gillham-Grady
One of my oldest and dearest friends, Janis appeared on The Aftermath last week to help shed light on the life and disappearance of Shelly Miscavige. Her fantastic, almost photographic memory is a treasure that should not be taken for granted. And she has put her gift to excellent use in the two books she has published so far chronicling her life which also serve as the definitive history of the Sea Organization. If you want to know what life was like with L. Ron Hubbard in the formative years of the Sea Org, the first two volumes of Janis' story are the only place to go. Her extensive … [Read more...]
Janis Gillham Grady Making Waves
Janis Gillham Grady Talks About Her New Book
I have known Janis for more than 40 years. She is someone I will always hold dear. Janis was one of my first friends on the Apollo, a fellow Australian teenager like her sister Terri, we were a small contingent. In fact, it might well have been just the 3 of us in that exclusive club. Those are the sort of relationships that never die. Janis is truly a Sea Org historian. Someone with first-hand and unique experience and a desire to record the information for everyone else to share. She graciously wrote this piece to explain a bit about her new book. I finally did it! … [Read more...]