TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Traditionally it’s Labor Day when political campaigns kick off before a November election. So we asked Mark Bunker, who recently succeeded in a primary to qualify for a run-off against Sam Wilson for a seat on Clearwater’s city council, for his thoughts. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Wherever any trouble has been had with a student in training, One of the following factors has been present. 1. The student was run while tired or when lacking in proper food. 2. The auditing the student received was bad, extremely bad. 3. The student had in his environ, while in training, an individual who definitely and demonstrably sought the mental failure of the student. 4. Too many auditors worked on the student. 5. Dianetics, in the hands of some student, was crossed with an older therapy. Directors of Training and Team Captains should do all possible to obviate the occurrence in training of any of the above five factors.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1950
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“The most sorrowful engram I ever ran into was an AA [attempted abortion] on Christmas Eve. This was a brutal one. This person couldn’t even start to come near a Christmas tree without going to pieces. He didn’t want anything to do with Christmas or any part of it. He was very peculiar about presents. If anybody tried to give him a present, he would say the social amenities of ‘Thank you very much. Oh, yes, I enjoy it a great deal,’ and then hastily throw it into a trunk to get it out of sight so that he wouldn’t run into it again. This peculiar behavior was occasioned by the very sad engram of a mutual AA where Papa was being very brutal. He got drunk and decided that he didn’t want any children around. He did this AA against protest, at the same time talking about Christmas. And then he said, ‘I’ve got a present for him,’ and thrust a needle right straight through the embryo. One thrust, one phrase. It really messed up that person’s life. Mama went to the doctor shortly afterwards and got herself patched up and the baby came through.” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 7, 1950
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“To relieve the feeling it’s a totally nutty planet, there are several PLUS-POINTS. 1. Orgs are there. Last Oct. they would have gone bankrupt but hard work by MSH and Gdn Office using FP No. 1 and CS-3 and FBOs got their cash-bills graphs into a solvent situation. 2. We have a strong SO unit at UK and a competent SO C/O at WW who is getting in a CIC at WW. We have the UK SO member aboard in training to put the Liaison Bureaux into UK. 3. We have trained a new C/O for AOSHDK and he is reported by one of our officers just there to be making the fur fly.” — The Commodore, September 7, 1970
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“DM is just afraid. He is terrified of OTs just as space opera societies have been. Just as the asshole who put us here in this prison planet was. Get an actual OT made, you know, a NOTs completion followed by SOLO NOTs completion, taken standardly through original IV-VII to their FULL EPs. Then the original OT VIII, not the adultered quickied one on the Freewinds, and you’ll have, indeed, a extremely rehabilitated thetan who can exert a LOT of power and control on his environment. Enough, that just a few of them could revert the whole scene in the Church. DM KNOWS this. He really does.”
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1995: Larry Wollersheim reported more dirty tricks by Scientology this week. “Lawrence Wollersheim has just learned that the security of his Rocky
Mountain Internet email account has been breached by parties unknown. “Within hours of the seizure of his computer by US Marshals and the Church of Scientology on August 22nd, an unknown party broke into two email accounts — lawrence@rmii.com and lawrence@factnet.org — changed the passwords, read, and then deleted the email.” Scientology also has been pressuring the judge to force Larry to disclose his PGP passphrase, which would let them read more sensitive documents from his hard disk. “Tonight’s local news included an interesting blurb about this case. The judge refused to order Wollersheim to disclose his passphrase, since the encrypted material comprised names of Co$ critics who could then be targeted by the Church.” And a disturbing portion from a report by the Denver TV station KUSA. “Outside the courthouse, Scientology Director Kurt Weyland held up a pair of handcuffs which he said symbolized what the church intended to do to Wollersheim. “Like I told you this morning, I brought these handcuffs here to show what it is that we are driving for, which is to bring this man to justice. Another issue has arisen. Some of the computer files the Scientologists seized from Wollersheim’s home are encrypted. Scientology has asked Judge Kane to hold Wollersheim in contempt. Wollersheim says the encrypted files are lists of people he says are victims of Scientology and he says he’ll go to jail before turning over his passwords, which unlock his secret files.”
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“YouTube routinely takes down videos after DMCA complaints without any sort of review, especially if the complaint comes from a paying customer.”
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7, 2023. Appeal now fully briefed, oral arguments scheduled for June 25. Masterson has also submitted a habeas corpus petition.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Pleaded guilty on Nov 10 to a 17-year prison sentence. Now serving time in state prison.
— Aaron Matthes charged for SA of child under 12 years old: OT Scientologist facing multiple mandatory life sentences. Next pretrial court hearing set for June 19.
Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Some defamation claims were removed by Judge Hammock. Judge Hammock’s ruling is on appeal, which is now fully briefed. Oral arguments hearing set for July 23.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ 15 days of arbitration completed, Val waiting for further word from the IJC.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike upheld on appeal. Scientology expected to file additional petitions before case can return to Kalra’s court.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration. Trial has been set for January 10, 2028.
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Other links: The prosecution of Danny Masterson. Leah Remini’s Fair Game Podcast. Leah Remini’s A&E Series. Scientology’s Celebrities, from A to Z. Bryan Seymour’s suppressed series, 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] Presley family turmoil revealed in more lawsuit bombshells
[TWO years ago] One year ago: The sentencing hearing that put Scientology celeb Danny Masterson away
[THREE years ago] Danny Masterson’s attorneys ask for concurrent sentences to lessen his time
[FOUR years ago] The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see, Episode 5: Jamie DeWolf
[FIVE years ago] Why Scientology celebrity Elisabeth Moss is problematic as an icon of reproductive rights
[SIX years ago] Prosecutors: Judge isn’t getting the point about Dennis Nobbe’s post-arrest shenanigans
[SEVEN years ago] More filmmakers who are helping out Scientology with its TV network
[EIGHT years ago] Another life connected to Scientology ends in despair, as so many do
[NINE years ago] Forced to open its books, one overseas Scientology rehab shows that business is grim
[TEN years ago] Scientology’s secret sites: The Bunker premieres drone footage never before seen of ‘Int Base’
[ELEVEN years ago] TEN YEARS GONE: Shelly Miscavige, the wife Scientology’s leader wants us to forget
[TWELVE years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology is going down in style!
[THIRTEEN years ago] Scientology Heresy: Jon Atack on L. Ron Hubbard’s Debt to Psychiatry
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Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Joe Reaiche (1958-2024) did not see his daughter Alanna Masterson in his final 6,999 days.
Mike Rinder (1955-2025) did not see his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in his final 7,589 days.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 3,744 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,248 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,754 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,304 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,680 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,175 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,481 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,130 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,348 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,902 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,243 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,814 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,730 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,897 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,483 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,742 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,490 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 4,059 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,370 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,545 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,227 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,564 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,417 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,533 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,895 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,694 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,578 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,153 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,654 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,914 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 16,018 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on September 7, 2026 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter.
Our book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is 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, 1995-2025 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2024), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
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Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
