Time again for Rod Keller’s Scientology Social Media Review! Rod goes way back, having kept a meticulous eye on the church since 1992. He’s well known for his indispensable “ARS Week in Review,” which ran for nine years when ARS — the Usenet newsgroup alt.religion.scientology — was the most important daily source for Scientology news. More recently, Rod has made a specialty of hunting down the odd and wonderful things Scientologists post to social media. Rod is a chronicler who piece by piece builds a highly detailed assessment of what Scientology is doing around the world, and this is what he found for us this week…
Photos were made available this week of Valerii Kokura and Scientology Volunteer Ministers from the Kiev, Ukraine mission’s visit to the Main Military Hospital in December. They visted soldiers wounded in the war against Russian separatists and delivered Scientology Touch Assists to the patients.
The First Baltic Hubbard College of Administration in Riga, Latvia celebrated its 5th Anniversary this week. The event featured the demonstration of a rarely seen E-meter, the “Learning Machine.” The meter is used in WISE and some Applied Scholastics schools to assist the process of “word clearing,” the Scientology practice of defining all words in order to fully understand study materials. A similar model was once auctioned on eBay, and details were posted to the Operation Clambake website.
Former Scientologists I spoke to had never seen this model before, but speculated that the name is crafted to differentiate the device from the purely “religious” E-meter and made suitable for businesses and schools. The device operates identically to an E-meter with two cans, and dials for the Tone Arm, Trim, Sensitivity, Mode, and Sensitivity Booster (or Sensitivity Range). The name Learning Machine may come from devices featured in the book and movie Battlefield Earth, where the villain Terl uses them to teach Jonnie how to be a pilot.
WISE members also enjoyed an anniversary cake.
Marcus Coloma is the latest Scientology celebrity to hold a seminar for aspiring actors at Celebrity Center International in Hollywood. His resume also includes parts in the TV series One Tree Hill and CSI Miami.
The Way to Happiness campaign on the Venezuelan island of Margarita installed signs along the Playa Zaragoza this week, each featuring one of the precepts from the pamphlet by L. Ron Hubbard. The beach is on the North shore, away from popular tourist areas. Police on the island also received a copy of the pamphlet.
Police officers in training at the Carlos Restrepo police academy in La Estrella, Colombia participated in Scientology’s human rights training this week. The banner reads “What are human rights? Find out now.”
Patients at the Narconon Albatros facility in Santa Domenica Talao, Italy received mass this week from Catholic priest Father Ernest Majaliwa Kaombwe. It’s unclear if Fr. Kaombwe understands the facility is run by Scientology.
Taisekwa Dziruni of the Harare, Zimbabwe mission is offering $400 for people who complete auditing training. The cost of training is not mentioned, but could be substantial. Unemployment in the country is poorly tracked, but may be as high as 90 percent. $400 per year is twice the poverty level, and about half the mean annual salary, so the offer is very appealing to impoverished Zimbabweans.
The Foundation for a Drug-Free World operated an information tent in the Hirschenplatz in Zürich, Switzerland this week.
Total 890 booklets
1 DVD also went out
Positive reactions: 20– A positive response came from a man who had worked 20 years drug addicts. He commented on the drugs and how they are now getting worse and more and even over the drug business in the pharmaceutical industry.
– A young man confirmed our work as follows: What are you doing is very important and desirable. Especially for teenagers, because we know that more and more young people try drugs or are already dependent. I wish every success to you!
– A couple was interested in what we do and took material.
– A high school teacher wanted brochures because drugs now and in class discussions are an issue.
– A child, about 13 years old, which was very interesting and took a brochure and said enthusiastically, he would take another next time.
– 2 young people to take 2x the status returned by other brochures.
– 5 teenagers were very interested. We had an interesting discussion, especially about psychedelic drugs and LSD.
Ayodeji Fapohunda presented the program of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World at the Clervaux Montessori School at 2 Olatunbosun Street in Lagos, Nigeria this week.
The Colegio Instituto Tecnico Laureano Gomez in Bogota, Colombia was host to the Foundation for a Drug Free World presentation this week, which over 1,500 students and staff attended.
L. Ron Hubbard’s birthday is celebrated in Taipei, Taiwan. The cake says “106,” which is not an error. In Chinese culture, newborn babies are One, rather than Zero. In the Western world, LRH would be 105 years old, but to the Chinese, he’s 106.
A rose-themed cake from the Johannesburg Ideal Org, South Africa org.
An “LRH” cake from the Rome Ideal Org.
The Terl costume based on the book Battlefield Earth was unveiled at the San Jose Comic Convention.
— Rod Keller
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Posted by Tony Ortega on March 20, 2016 at 07:00
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Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information about the book, and our 2015 book tour, can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
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
Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten 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 | Scientology’s Private Dancer | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | Scientology boasts about assistance from Google | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield
