Clearwater moves to dismiss piano bar’s lawsuit over gift of road to Scientology

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: There are now TWO lawsuits regarding Clearwater’s gift of a street to Scientology. Save the Garden is suing for ignoring its petition, and The Nash Keys piano bar is suing for making it harder to find. We have the city’s argument for dismissing the latter. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

 
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Technology Cocktail

“Nearly everyone has done some manner of observing of the material universe, and there is surely no one in Dianetics who has not done some small amount of observation of organisms. No one has seen all there is to see about an organism, but there is certainly no dearth of organisms available for further study. There is no valid reason for accepting the opinion of Professor Blotz of the Blitz University who said in 1933 that schizophrenics were schizophrenics, and that made them schizophrenics for all time. If you are interested in the manifestation of insanity there is any and every form of insanity that you could hope to see in a lifetime in almost any part of the world.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1951

 
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Source Code

“I myself had a rig worked out in order to take care of witch doctors down in Africa. Ran this way: I was going to get an asbestos glove, you know, and — it doesn’t matter whether something is supercold or superhot, you know? They both burn and there is sensation, so the practitioner should be careful when he’s doing something like this. I was going to take an asbestos glove and I was going to put a metal disc, preferably a lead disc, in the palm of the glove, you see? And there’d be a little snap in there so that it could be taken out and put in easily. And get this little disc supercold, totally supercold, you see? Get it down there to maybe -200 or something like that — way down, you know — and then snap that quickly in the glove and go out and shake hands with the witch doctor. Well, the dampness of a palm is quite adequate there, and it would of course brainwash him. Be very, very effective. As a matter of fact, one could probably take over the entirety of witch-doctoring throughout Africa with the greatest of ease, particularly if you shook hands with all of the witch doctors in front of the tribe, and they instantly went down on their knees and went “gaggo bulla,” and you said, “Bark,” and they would thereafter bark. You see, they hold all the natives in that sort of a thrall. And so if you held them in that sort of a thrall, why, then the natives would of course do what you said twice as good as they would do what the witch doctor says; and this is already perfect.” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 13, 1956

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“ENEMY ACTION: We have discovered exactly who has been shooting at Scientology for 18 years and know all the names. They are a small group with international ambitions founded by a madman, taken over by a politically ambitious few. This is turning out to be a bitter and fundamental war. The forces which seek to bring light and freedom to the world — us — have run squarely into the No. 1 engram of the planet, kept alive by a dark and secret enemy of Mankind. These insist on torturing or killing the insane. It is the age old battle of truth and light against the powers of darkness. But, with the enemy active in legislatures and the press, we haven’t much choice but to fight. And we hav begun to fight. We have already hurt his morale and finances enough to make him move his HQ. Our forces are closing in on it again in the new location. This one we’ve got to win. We may not have another chance.” — The Commodore, November 13, 1968

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“I can’t say enough good about Solo NOTs. It is my magic wand in life. What Ron gave us is beyond anything that could’ve been imagined. Just on a daily living aspect, my ruds are IN!! My body is doing great!! 3rd and 4th dynamically, I have handled so much charge!! Anyone out here who feels betrayed and f**ed up from the Church, needs to get into session and get up to Solo NOTs ASAP. As-isness is the real weapon!! Remember, an SP’s only power is to restimulate. Spiritually, it is amazing!! The MEST universe is going from infinity to zero and myself as a thetan is going from zero to infinity. I used to want certain valences and would lament, why can’t I be like that person? Not anymore! postulates are working more and more.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1999: International Scientology News published an account of a talk by Mike Rinder on the 11th anniversary of the Freewinds’ maiden voyage. “As Mr. Mike Rinder talked about our wins in past months he said, ‘While others look on and dodge the suppressives who are striving for domination and control, we look them in the eye, knowing full well that SPs cannot tolerate the voice that confronts them with their own crimes and then says ‘no.’ He then spoke of our untiring efforts to protect our technology on the internet from SPs who think that they can steal our material and then ‘hide behind the anarchy of the internet.’ He reported of the five cases which were brought before the American federal court to set precedents and create protection and had the following results, ‘Every case was settled successfully. Every wrongdoer has been contained, and there are a series of federal court orders which protect the purity of Scientology.’ ‘In May, two Scientologists appeared in court in Switzerland. The proceedings had started with a family quarrel in 1993. The relatives had already resolved the problem a long time before, however, an SP state attorney absolutely wanted to bring Scientology to court. The state attorney received his first surprise, though, from his only witness, and she was the sister of one of the Scientologists and the alleged victim in this case. She said that she did not want to have a bad conscience and she had decided to tell the truth. She said that the Scientologists, and especially her brother, had much helped her. The state attorney practically fainted. The only other witnesses were Scientologists. They gave the judge a copy of ‘What is Scientology?’ and testified as to the importance of religious freedom. Three days later, all charges were dropped. The court stated that it felt honored to exonerate the Scientologists, and that the state would pay the court costs.’ Besides that the astonishing reaction to the publication of the book ‘Scientology: theory and practice of a current religion’ – from Sweden to South Africa and all the way to Moscow – was mentioned. A delegation from the Venezuelan Justice Department came to Los Angeles for guidance from our Church. That happened after the announcement of the March 15 event of how this book had helped to achieve religious acknowledgment in Venezuela.”

 
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Random Howdy

“Shit, I was under the gun for suggesting there were mucho socks on board…which was later proven to be true thanks to help from Robert, StillGrace and Andrew…and I was a big meanie for ragging on the noobs for over-commenting…and then I had the audacity to merely hint that the beloved Knickers was anything less than the Virgin Mary. I wasn’t saying shit to anyone at that point.”

 
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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 heard and submitted, waiting for ruling. 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. Scientology’s attempt to gut the case failed, and appeals court upheld. Back to trial court in December.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ 17 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. Case returning 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. Hearing on arbitration motion set for March, 2027.

 
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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] Why it was Scientology leader David Miscavige who declared Lisa McPherson ‘Clear’
[TWO years ago] Mike Rinder posts remarkable series of videos amid serious cancer treatment
[THREE years ago] PHOTO: Jenna Elfman emceeing Scientology’s concert, and more IAS fallout
[FOUR years ago] Leah Remini remembers when Mackenzie Phillips was rooting against Scientology
[FIVE years ago] Betrayed by L. Ron Hubbard, and stuck in a desert prison: A Scientology horror story
[SIX years ago] Afraid to leave Scientology? Ex-members describe their lives after David Miscavige
[SEVEN years ago] Hubbard family member: Mary Sue griped about Scientology leader’s ‘Napoleon complex’
[EIGHT years ago] Shifting gears: Leah Remini talks about tonight’s two-hour special on Jehovah’s Witnesses
[NINE years ago] Sexual harassment allegations strike a blow against a Scientology political ally in Florida
[TEN years ago] Scientology saw a tempting target in a Tampa pastor gaining fame for her compassion
[ELEVEN years ago] Why it was Scientology leader David Miscavige who declared Lisa McPherson ‘Clear’
[TWELVE years ago] Scientology Photoshopping, Part 2: A mystery disappearance on the yacht Apollo
[THIRTEEN years ago] LISA MARIE PRESLEY ON SCIENTOLOGY: “CRAZY CRIMINAL PEOPLE”

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on November 13, 2026 at 07:00

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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.

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