The Scientology ship Freewinds was released from quarantine in Willemstad in Curaçao and arrived on Friday at the port of Oranjestad, Aruba. The scare when a passenger was diagnosed with measles is over, and Scientology is anxious to get the ship back to normal. The ship is the only place Scientology delivers the ultimate processing level – OT8, but that’s a very small part of the members who visit. We have details on some upcoming events.
The Black Scientologists convention is over, and Slovak members under quarantine have now left also. While the ship was in quarantine the call went out for people to attend a convention of Field Staff Members, or FSMs. They sell Scientology services to other members, and receive a commission based on the total donations. It starts on Wednesday and there’s no reason it shouldn’t go ahead because of the measles.
The one patient has certainly left the ship, and the measles virus can only live for two hours outside of its host. There’s no danger of infection unless another measles case comes aboard. It might be years before we learn if vaccination is now required to board the ship, but if not visitors from one country might be the biggest threat. There have been over 34,000 verified cases of measles this year in Ukraine, a country that has seen a rise in Scientology activity in recent years. In any case unvaccinated Scientologists now have a difficult choice to visit the ship or not, to vaccinate themselves and their families or not, in order to go to the ship.
After that is a special Competence and Leadership course for young Scientologists, July 13 – 27. It’s a crash course in seamanship during which participants learn how to use inflatable rafts and the Freewinds’ lifeboats. There are beach races, they hang off the side and pretend to paint the hull, it’s an attractive summer camp for parents to send their children. The Freewinds provides them the best of the best in Scientology, Sea Org Tech plus OT Tech.
We recently found this photo of gas mask practice as part of the course. It only makes sense given L. Ron Hubbard’s obsession with radiation that these participants are practicing to survive fallout in case there is a nuclear war. The course will provide kids from 14 to 18 a taste of the Sea Org life, and it presents an opportunity for Scientology to study the next generation to see which they should try to recruit as Sea Org members. We suspect many will be prepared to sign the billion year contract when they return home.
— Rod Keller
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HowdyCon 2019 in Los Angeles
THURSDAY NIGHT OPPORTUNITY: This year’s HowdyCon is in Los Angeles. People tend to come in starting on Thursday, and that evening we will have a casual get-together at a watering hole. But we also want to point out that Cathy Schenkelberg’s “Squeeze My Cans” will be running at the Hollywood Fringe, and we encourage HowdyCon attendees to see her show on Thursday night, June 20. Tickets and more dates available here.
Friday night June 21 we will be having an event in a theater (like we did on Saturday night last year in Chicago). There will not be a charge to attend this event, but if you want to attend, you need to RSVP with your proprietor at tonyo94 AT gmail.
On Saturday, we are joining forces with Janis Gillham Grady, who is having a reunion in honor of the late Bill Franks. Originally, we thought this event might take place in Riverside, but instead it’s in the Los Angeles area. If you wish to attend the reunion, you will need to RSVP with Janis (janisgrady AT gmail), and there will be a small contribution she’s asking for in order to help cover her costs.
HOTEL: Janis tells us she’s worked out a deal with Hampton Inn and Suites, at 7501 North Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank, (818) 768-1106. We have a $159 nightly rate for June 19 to 22. Note: You need to ask for the “family reunion” special rate.
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!
We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.
Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!
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 our weekly series. How many have you read?
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] When Scientology leader David Miscavige targets you for a beatdown: A Jefferson Hawkins classic
[TWO years ago] Elisabeth Moss in this week’s ‘Handmaid’ sure sounded like FBI testimony about Scientology
[THREE years ago] Here are the instructions Scientologists are getting for the May 28 media center opening!
[FOUR years ago] Leah Remini helps us celebrate our book in Los Angeles with a gang of Scientology ‘SPs’
[FIVE years ago] Scientology’s drug rehab network sued for conspiring to misuse counseling credentials
[SIX years ago] How Not to Protest Scientology
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology Deathwatch: Kenickie Edition
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,451 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,580 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,084 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,604 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 624 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 515 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,822 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,690 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,464 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,238 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,584 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,150 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,070 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,237 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,818 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,079 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,118 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,830 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,356 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,445 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,585 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,905 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,761 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,880 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,236 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,538 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,644 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,046 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,918 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,501 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,996 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,250 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,359 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on May 19, 2019 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, 1995-2018 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2018), 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, ten 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
