TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: A longtime reader sent us photos from his trip to check on Scientology’s ‘Ideal Org’ project in Manchester, England. And he found that work is definitely underway! ALSO: David Miscavige has plenty of summer homework for the minions. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“The auditor who wishes to deal successfully with children must have, above all, the ability to establish affinity with the child. This is a problem of interesting the child in the incidents which have caused his difficulty. A child’s attention is badly scattered. He has not yet learned to focus his attention well, and it is the part of the auditor to pick up his attention and channel it back against the locks and grief engrams. A child has a great natural sense of dignity. Do not talk down to a child. Treat him with as much dignity as you can. You will find that the child has weird misconceptions about many everyday things around him. Trace these misconceptions to their source and you will usually find an adult who has not taken the trouble to give this child the right data. Never talk over a child’s head to his parents. It is better to talk over the heads of the parents to the child. Always work on a partnership basis with the child.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1950
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“You all dead today — I mean, all alive today? Twenty-third, huh? 23 August, AD 11. Well, I’m glad you made it. I didn’t think you’d ever get to August the 23rd. Back there in the Roman Empire I was damn sure you wouldn’t get here! And I remember one space-opera society when I didn’t think it was very probable that you’d make it. I remember standing there at the edge of the spaceport as the battle planes took off, and I said, ‘Well, they won’t make it.’ I knew, you see, I knew the high command hadn’t given you any ammunition.” — L. Ron Hubbard, August 23, 1961
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“Tech is the theta thrust into the society. All new civilizations progressed on new technology. In the main we face what is called a ‘cultural lag.’ The mental health field is stuck about 1450 AD. Dungeons, torture, illegal seizure, the ‘best’ people. We are rolling at about 2050 AD. This time gap makes it nearly impossible for the society’s witch doctors (untrained in logic or mathematics) to grasp what is going on. They lack even a purpose to make anyone well. Not even up to that. So we are impeded by a ‘cultural lag.’ By tying a bridge to medicine and healing we can overcome this to some degree. Therefore the Standard Dianetics Programme was an enormous advance for us, not just in tech but in social advance. So we are doing very well really.” — The Commodore, August 23, 1969
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“Scientology is a very exact thing. It has no room for different interpretations, it was researched based solely in its workability by a man with an incredible background in science, mathematics, history, philosophy, etc. A research route was followed that resulted in a workable technology that works 100 percent, all times. It has been tested time after time. Many Scientologists are looking for answers who have been overwhelmed by false data from ‘Authorities’ from the Church. By applying to them 100 percent on Source supervisor tech, their confusions will be handled. Long dissertations and ‘explanations’ on top of false data and M/Us just won’t do.”
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2001: The Field Staff Member statistics through August 2001 were posted to a.r.s this week. FSMs receive a percentage of the money they arrange to be paid to Scientology. “1. Marilyn Beck; 2. Timothy Corbo; 3. Floyd R. Sloat; 4. Frederich Golin; 5. Mike Hoy; 6. Nancy Dunham; 7. Tom Soracco; 8. Randy Weber; 9. Cindy Bamforth; 10. Wendy Ettricks. Missions: 1. Burbank; 2. Inglewood; 3. Beverly Hills; 4. Capitol; 5. Buenaventura. Class V Orgs. 1. CC Int.; 2. Las Vegas Foundation; 3. Los Angeles Foundation; 4. Orange County; 5. Mountain View. Groups: 1. Howson FSM Group; 2. Way to Happiness Int; 3. Narconon Int; 4.
Narconon N.B.; 5. Oh Tee Productions, Inc.”
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“Scientology is like doing acid minus the fun.”
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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] GOLD RUSH: Another Scientology youngster asks thousands for online course
[TWO years ago] Danny Masterson victims argue again for adding racketeering in Scientology lawsuit
[THREE years ago] We asked Mark Bunker about Scientology developer’s high rise plans for Clearwater
[FOUR years ago] Pete’s journey: The long, scary bus ride from active Scientologist to active protester
[FIVE years ago] What is it going to take for the LA Times to take the threat of Rizza Islam seriously?
[SIX years ago] Half-million dollar man: Scientology donor gives pep talk in leaked video
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology’s obsession with kids and sex? Nick Lister has the receipts.
[EIGHT years ago] Why Colombia’s military was fertile territory for Scientology — and one general’s stunning role
[NINE years ago] Scientology shows no sign of slowing down its use of religious visas for foreign labor
[TEN years ago] Maybe the worst thing about Scientology: It turns you into L. Ron Hubbard
[ELEVEN years ago] Chill EB joins the Sea Org — well, long enough to wish a happy birthday!
[TWELVE years ago] Jon Atack: How Scientology’s methods of manipulation stay with you after you leave
[THIRTEEN years ago] PR Director of Scientology’s Las Vegas Celebrity Center Arrested in Plot to Assassinate a Cop
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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 3,729 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,233 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,739 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,289 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,665 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,160 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,466 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,115 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,333 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,887 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,228 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,799 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,715 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,882 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,468 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,727 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,475 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 4,044 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,355 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,530 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,212 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,549 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,402 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,518 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,880 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,679 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,563 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,138 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,639 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,899 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 16,003 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 23, 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
