They’ve done it again! Billboard goes up adjacent to Scientology HQ in Los Angeles

It was April 2016 when we first launched our ‘Call Me’ billboards. The first one we did was in Los Angeles. From there we did a billboard in Clearwater, Florida and another in Los Angeles near the Scientology Media Productions site. There was lots of press that resulted which went on for some months afterwards. I think we were able to effectively bring increased awareness of Scientology’s disconnection practice.

Then, last December I was asked by the Aftermath Foundation if I’d considered doing a billboard for them. They wanted it to be a clean and direct message. Without hesitation, I agreed to do it.

After tossing around a few ideas I went to the graphic artist who did our original Call Me billboard, Kernan Coleman. Probably one of the few, maybe the only graphic artist I know who had previously had international press on his billboard artwork. He’s a true pro.

While the artwork was being created I went to work finding a location. We had some great on-the-ground help in scoping out some possible locations. One that came up I was familiar with and it turned out that it was the same company who did our Clearwater Call Me billboard. And it was available for March 2024.

We worked out pricing and availability with the billboard advertising agency and then settled on when to launch.

In the meantime, Kernan had come up with a brilliant design for the billboard. And it was perfect for the location we’d chosen. Things were coming together nicely.

The last few weeks before launch were nerve-racking. I knew that if Scientology got wind of it they’d do anything they could to shut us down.

I booked a flight to LA and readied for launch day.

The new billboard has a message aimed directly at Scientology staff and Sea Org personnel, giving them an easy-to-remember phone number they can call if they want to leave Scientology.

This new Aftermath Foundation billboard is within spitting distance of Scientology’s LA headquarters, Big Blue. It can actually be seen through the windows of the AO (Advanced Org), and from the corner of L. Ron Hubbard Way and Fountain Ave.

I’ve always known how difficult it is to leave Scientology, especially for staff and most certainly for Sea Org staff. So many staff have little or no money, possibly decades of disconnection from family and friends, and if they are a foreigner Scientology might have taken their passport to hold.

And, if a staff member tries to leave, where do they go when they first step out the door? Do they turn left or right? Where is their next meal coming from? Where will they sleep that night? And these are just immediate needs. There could be months and months of someone starting from scratch and I’m sure that some who left have ended up homeless, at least for a while.

The Aftermath Foundation provides a landing for those Scientology staff wanting (and in some cases needing) to leave.

I experienced much of the madness of Scientology as staff and public for nearly 40 years. Our own kids are trapped in the Sea Org through conditioning and other coercive means.

I believe it’s a worthwhile purpose to help others break free of Scientology’s grip. It’s a meaningful activity that I can support, and hopefully this Aftermath Foundation billboard will help those who need to walk out the door of Scientology forever.

We’d like to keep this billboard going as long as we can. Any help would be appreciated.

— Phil Jones

 
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Technology Cocktail

“Dianetics, like any other true treatment, like aspirin or penicillin, was originally designed to handle the apparent basic cause of psychosomatic illness. The first research was intended to help allied prisoners of war degraded by the Japanese and Chinese prison camps and who after VJ day were transferred to Oak Knoll Naval Hospital.
Later, in 1954, in a much more advanced state of development, Dianetics was successfully employed to eradicate the results of allied prisoners of the Korean war who had been subjected to Russian brainwashing. The subject has been improved, made easier to teach and apply and its results bettered continually over a total period of 29 years. It has in 1969 been fully updated as Standard Dianetics. It is very successful and is in very broad use over the world.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1969

 
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THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON

We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.

 
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THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?

[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH

— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see

[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf

— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond

[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman

 
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Source Code

“I might as well tell you why the foundation at 211 West Douglas just went out of the processing business entirely and is teaching as few students as possible and at this late date is going into research. I’m not quite sure what they’re going to research, but they’re just going into research and so I, this leaves as official entities in the field the HDAs in the field, the affiliates, that is to say the college associates, a professional school in Wichita, and whatever unit is here as far as the lineups are concerned, and of course this foundation. OK? This by the way is a big load off my mind because I’ve been wondering which way those people were going to jump, and sometimes suicides jump the wrong way. And all they seem to have gotten me for so far is to tell the income tax people that I’m vastly out of order on my income tax, so the income tax people are coming down. Do we have anybody around town who’s awfully good on income tax? Well, they wouldn’t let me look at any of the ’51 books, so I don’t know what income they’ve got written down. And they wiped out all my income just before income tax time, so I don’t know, I mean, I wrote the collector of internal revenue about a year ago and I said, ‘God, I’m confused.’ And he never replied, so I guess he is too….What do you know? Well we’ve got to make a couple of theta clears quick and wreck these income tax people right quick.” — L. Ron Hubbard, March 11, 1952

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“MATA HARI: LISA O’KRACKEL, ‘the Mata Hari of our times,’ came aboard as the wife of Bill O’Krackel, made trouble, blew, was seen ashore hanging around for a week in Corfu, got $1,600 from her mother and left the area. Turns out she was married before to a Greek in Greece, was not divorced before she ‘married’ Bill. In the meantime she worked as a ‘pros’ in Las Vegas. She has six aliases (different names) and possibly 3 passports, one in her maiden name, one as the Greek’s wife and one as Bill’s ‘wife.’ We guess that Bill found out about her former marriage and no divorce and possibly that’s why she blew. We don’t know that she was here for info but for sure some wild left wing characters in the press are trying to talk about a disappeared ‘girl’ and had the crust to ask the Deputy Prime Minister of Greece about the ‘disappeared girl’ and ‘that ship in Corfu.’ The DPM said our ship was OK and he’d ‘look into the girl matter.’ Well, we’re also looking into it. We mean her no harm. But her blow is causing Dev T. Looks like another ‘Linda Smith’ plant.” — The Commodore, March 11, 1969

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“For all practical intents and purposes, we are the only Creator there is to be found in any known space or non-space. I take pride to know that we, collectively and individually, are our own known working masters and it is we that are learning to exert positive control over all of life and matter, and otherwise, I don’t see anything else happening any time soon if ever….You want a new planet, build it. You want a new star, build one. You want peace on Earth, make it happen.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1996: Scientology has lost the case against Netherlands Internet providers and Karin Spaink. They have been ordered to pay the defendant’s attorney’s fees. From the ruling: “It is a fact that defendant sub 23 until a short time ago had a number of passages from above mentioned works on her Internet home page. Also it is a fact that defendant, when the plaintiffs – with pression by the defendants – had put their copyright claims on a better basis, has modified her home page drastically. That she still violates the copyright of any of the plaintiffs has not been made plausible. Insofar as she still has literal passages from protected works they are nothing more than quotations that, considering the context in which they are used, fall under the exempt ruling of art. 15A of the law on copyright. Plaintiffs submitted that with respect to the works OT II and OT III there is no case of lawful publication, but this is rejected. It is a fact that (important parts of) these works as part of the Fishman Affidavit where publicly available during a long time as part of a judicial procedure in the United States. There is no way to see why such a publication is not a publication in the sense of art 15A of the law on copyright. Whether art. 11 of the law on copyright is applicable and whether the Fishman Affidavit is part of a judicial ruling does not need an answer. With respect to defendants sub 1 up to and including 22 it is to be assumed that they do nothing more than to give place for publication and that, in principle, they have no influence on or even knowledge of what the person who has gotten access to Internet through them will supply. So there is in principle no reason to hold them responsible for wrongful – for instance violating copyrights of third parties – doings of users. The foregoing leads to the conclusion that the claims should be rejected. Plaintiffs will, as wrong party, be condemned to pay the costs of this suit. Ruled as such by Mr. A.H. van Delden and pronounced in the public seating of March 12, 1996, in presence of the recorder. In the wake of this ruling, the Fishman materials are being restored on home pages throughout The Netherlands.”

 
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Random Howdy

“You people’s humanity is rubbing off on me and it’s making me unstable.”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Found guilty on two counts on May 31, remanded to custody. Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Next pretrial hearing March 26, 2024.

Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Complaint filed August 2, motion to strike/anti-SLAPP motions by Scientology to be heard January 9, 2024.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration. Plaintiffs allowed interlocutory appeal to Eleventh Circuit.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: motion to file new complaint, hearing on March 20.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, hearing on March 26.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Ordered to mediation.

 
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SCIENTOLOGY: FAIR GAME

After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.

LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH

An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.

SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z

Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Other links: SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] PODCAST: HBO ‘Q Into the Storm’ star Fredrick Brennan on Scientology and QAnon
[TWO years ago] Confused by Scientology’s latest moves? L. Ron Hubbard can explain everything
[THREE years ago] New Scientology magazine boasts that David Miscavige is now a Florida fixture
[FOUR years ago] What it’s like to discover your employer is pushing Scientology on his office
[FIVE years ago] New government docs show Scientology trying to snow the Justice Dept after Snow White
[SIX years ago] Scientology TV goes live tomorrow at 8 pm Eastern on app, DirecTV
[SEVEN years ago] Source: Scientology made Danny Masterson’s Victim B search past lives to explain being raped
[EIGHT years ago] Verdict day in Brussels: What you need to know about Scientology on trial
[NINE years ago] The ‘Going Clear’ screening in Austin, featuring Marty Rathbun and other familiar faces
[TEN years ago] Judge in Laura DeCrescenzo’s case retires, Scientology objects to his replacement
[ELEVEN years ago] LEAKED: Scripts Spell Out How Scientology Directs the Unsuspecting to Its Rehab Network

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on March 11, 2024 at 07:00

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Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.

The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2022 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2022), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | 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 | Shelly Miscavige, 15 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 | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ

Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…

Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.

Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele

 

Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone