TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: We enjoy hearing from Mitch Brisker, the recently-defected former Scientology film director, whose memoir we enjoyed very much. He sent us some thoughts about what he observed regarding L. Ron Hubbard’s ideas about acting, and where Tom Cruise learned his craft. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“The Purification Rundown is a BIOCHEMICAL handling. By this is meant ‘the interaction of life forms and chemical substances.’ It handles those factors which produce a constant restimulation or drugs and drug related pictures. Thus, when it is completed, gains from mental and spiritual processing can fully occur. The Survival RD is a BIOPHYSICAL handling. By biophysical we mean ‘the interaction and relationship of the being to the physical universe and the material things of the environment
or universe.’ BIO means: life, of living things. (From the Greek ‘BIOS’ which means life, or way of life.) PHYSICAL means: of or pertaining to the body or thing of a material nature, or to the material universe perceived by the senses; pertaining to or connected with matter; material. Thus, biophysical handling would be auditing the person on those processes which get him, as a thetan, better aware of his body and his physical surroundings, in better communication with these things and in better control of them.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1980
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“Take any given action. Let’s take kissing a girl, just take that as an action. I don’t know whether you’re familiar with this action or not, but — kissing a girl. All right. Now, let’s take a look at the various societies and their various regards of it. And you find out it’d be very interesting. The Marriage Counselors Society of Los Angeles. Of course, this is a very laudable action and therefore you are a very evil man if you don’t kiss a girl. If you’re not the type of man who kisses girls, then you’re an evil man. That’s according to the mores of the marriage counselors. Because of course the more girls that get kissed, the more business they have. Elementary. Elementary. All right. Now, let’s take the Sex Is Evil Society of New York City. The Sex Is Evil Society. All right. Every time you kiss a girl, you see, you are evil. So you’re an evil man because you kiss a girl. Now, you go down to Hollywood, for instance, and kiss a girl, they think you’re crazy. I didn’t mean it as a crack, and so forth. I didn’t mean it as a crack, a derogatory. In the first place, it couldn’t be derogatory because you can always explain cracks about Hollywood on the same basis, ‘It isn’t critical — it isn’t a critical thought because it’s true!’ You hear that?” — L. Ron Hubbard, January 16, 1962
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“The factor of income-outgo is that one must have more income than outgo for an org to live at all. This is the primary thing that EOs and staffs overlook. It is the only thing really that can wipe out an org. ASHO in November ran at less income than outgo (loss of $3,000) which is why there is an effort to combine ASHO and AOLA. In management this factor — the income-outgo ratio — is just something that can’t be ignored as it can destroy an org and is, by experience, the only thing which can. It is also the hardest thing to get across to ECs. One has to increase income to exceed outgo and also decrease outgo so it is less than income — both actions are usually necessary. I doubt there is a more important management datum than this. Or one which is more consistently ignored in orgs.” — The Commodore, January 16, 1970
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“I doubt LRH will be back. Probably doing exactly the same elsewhere. You don’t just sow one seed and hope it will grow. You gotta sow many. That’s what the Class XIIs were for, to ensure the technology is preserved and used. Even now many of them have strayed off course in one way or another. Gone off source, beholden to Miscaviage, caved in, gone 1st dynamic or hell bent on revenge. They were meant to continue the upward thrust. All I can do is try to ensure that a pocket of the tech does not get diluted or squirreled.”
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2000: The Tampa Tribune reported this week that Bob Minton will be charged with battery for an incident during a protest at the Fort Harrison Hotel in October. “An outspoken critic of the Church of Scientology was formally charged with misdemeanor battery late Friday. New Hampshire millionaire Robert S. Minton Jr. faces a maximum penalty of one year in the county jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted of striking Scientologist Richard W. Howd Jr. during a protest Oct. 31 outside the church’s spiritual headquarters in downtown Clearwater. State Attorney Bernie McCabe had the option of not prosecuting the case, and Minton had been waiting since his arrest the night of the incident for a determination. Neither could be reached for comment late Friday. In the battery incident, Minton was carrying a protest sign up and down the sidewalk outside the Fort Harrison Hotel on Halloween night while Howd filmed him at close range with a video camera. Minton testified that he struck Howd with his placard when Howd would not back away as Minton left the area.”
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“Steve Allen and Johnny Carson hated Scientology.”
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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, waiting for 2nd Appellate District court to set a hearing date. 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 (eligible for parole in two to three more years). Awaiting transfer to 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 Feb 2.
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. Leah’s respondent’s brief is due February 11.
— 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 is on appeal. Appeal fully briefed. Motion to replace Jane Does’ AI-tainted brief denied by court. Awaiting a court hearing date.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, gets ruling to depose Jane Doe 1. 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] Neil Gaiman’s Scientology upbringing, and how he mined it for content
[TWO years ago] We’re in LA for the hearing in Leah Remini’s lawsuit against Scientology
[THREE years ago] Grant Cardone at Flag: Again, Scientology turns to its professional ham hock to fill seats
[FOUR years ago] When Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard decided to get tough with squirrels
[FIVE years ago] More proof that governments are aware of how Scientology abuses its own members
[SIX years ago] Lawsuit filed in death of man shot by police at Scientology’s Inglewood ‘Ideal Org’
[SEVEN years ago] Another elderly victim gets soaked by Scientology, is talking to law enforcement
[EIGHT years ago] Leah Remini and Mike Rinder cite Scientology interrogations as they support Paul Haggis
[NINE years ago] What Scientology is telling its members: Things have never been better!
[TEN years ago] Atack: What I meant when I said Scientologists suffer from arrogance when they leave
[TWELVE years ago] Judge Waldrip grants Monique Rathbun’s discovery request, snubbing Scientology
[THIRTEEN years ago] TONIGHT: Nancy Many’s Story of Scientology Spying and Interrogation on ID at 10 PM
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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 3,510 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,014 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,520 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,070 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 3,060 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,446 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,941 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,245 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,896 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,114 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,668 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,009 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,580 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,496 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,663 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,245 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,504 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,256 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,821 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,136 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,311 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,993 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,330 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,183 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,299 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,661 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 4,072 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,460 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,344 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,909 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,420 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,680 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,784 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on January 16, 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, 1995-2024 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
