This is a report sent in from a Special Correspondent that was originally in response to an earlier posting about the New Years video. It deserves its own posting as by the time we ironed out the difficulties getting the shots, there was a new posting up and this would have been lost. A lot of specifics about the state of this “Ideal Org” confirm everything else that is being reported about orgs around the world. Remember, this is the org that is so heavily hyped in the “We Are Clearing The UK” idiocy that routinely emanates from inside the bubble. This is also an org that cost 10 million POUNDS to purchase, let alone renovate to the opulent standards of Dear Leader. Not one thin dime of that investment has been returned in terms of increased production.
Thanks for posting this summary and link Mike. As I was neither willing or able to stomach any more than I absolutely needed to, I skipped straight to the items closer to home and saved myself from the restimulation of bygone events and from the further agony of listening to our great tongue being relentlessly cannibalised. You have my eternal admiration for actually sitting through this stuff, especially when, these days, you really don’t have to! (As an aside, I’ve always wondered about/pitied the poor souls who have to translate this garbage into something intelligible for their respective non-English-speaking audiences. How long does that actually take? The mind boggles with the potential linguistic gymnastics involved. What side checks are in place for final approval? And can any suicides be traced back to here? It’s truly enough to make one shudder.)
My primary interest was the segment on London, but before I give you my 2 cents worth, here’s the current state of London Org at Queen Victoria Street and the LI/Test Centre at Tottenham Court Road (with some comparisons to yesteryear where known).
This data was gleaned from reliable inside sources over the last couple of weeks and from direct observations and visual counts done no more than 5-6 weeks after the New Years Gold shoot was done there in December.
KNOWN STATS
Day staff currently number around 30. It was at least double that in 2007. I believe it even hit around 90 at one point. Fdn is now apparently between 40-50, which would be an improvement from around 30 in 2009, but around the same number it was during 2006-7. Bear in mind that these figures would also include the 10 or so CC staff who were absorbed into the ranks when the orgs were merged last year.
Day staff, at least, haven’t been paid since xmas. Their xmas bonus was good but aside from that the regularity of a paysum up until then has been once or twice a month and even then it’s been pitiful. Don’t know exactly how that compares with earlier periods in terms of amounts but I believe a paysum was at least a more regular occurrence between 2006-8.
NBS RAW [Number of Books Sold to Raw public] for Day is in the range of 10-15 per week. This equates to a pretty average weekend day for Fdn during the nineties and noughties. And Day’s NBSR was generally in a higher range by comparison during those times. (Come to think of it, with all things considered, it probably still is.) This stat is propped up about once a month by a bookathon.
Day FIRST SERVICE STARTS are around 2-3 per week. During 2006-7 the average range was around 10. At one point they were peaking at between 15- 20.
Purif is doing pretty well in both orgs but that’s mainly due to all the retreads (sic), which consequently seem to be reflected in the WDAH which are evidently up.
New Years event was full in terms of bums on seats, but there was no standing and no spill-over spaces as there have been in the past.
I wasn’t able to ascertain anything more definitive with regards other stats.
SPACES
Between December 2007 and May 2008 the entire first floor at QVS [Queen Victoria St where the main org building is, the old org building on Tottenham Court Rd – TCR – was converted into a “Test Center”) turned into a building site because someone had changed their mind about how they wanted the Div 6A Intro spaces to look. (Carpets not good enough – marble/granite much better….and colder of course.)
So for 5 solid months there was absolutely no 6A presence whatsoever at QVS.
The flooring was completely replaced, the two Div 6 film rooms relocated to the other side, the Div 6 offices ripped out and replaced with expensively glass-partitioned STCC & LI course rooms, testing and reg spaces (all with elaborate signage) and, of course, the video enlightenment space was upgraded to include all the videos that weren’t there before. Embedded into the new granite/marble floor at the intro space entrance is a 4 foot bronze scientology symbol. No expense was spared here on the essentials.
However, these swanky new course rooms (the very same ones featured in the New Years video packed full of ‘students’ only a few short weeks ago) are actually now serving as CC’s folder project space and are in fact full of bankers boxes, as opposed to students.
PASSING FOOT TRAFFIC
Based upon two separate 10-minute sample counts during the evening rush hour period (4-7pm) on a typical working day and assuming a 12-hour opening period (9am – 9pm), the daily foot traffic passing by QVS equates to no more than around 2,200. This flow drops off dramatically later in the evenings and especially over the weekends, when it’s pretty dead. And this volume hasn’t changed over the last 7 years.
(None of those counted entered the org nor showed any inclination of doing so btw.)
Compare this to the 6,000 ‘boasted’ in the event coverage. Quite a difference/mistake/lie about a meaningless ‘stat’ that measures no production anyway.
By comparison a similar count at TCR on the same day reveals in excess of 30,000 per day. For those who are unfamiliar with this area, the flow throughout the day here is pretty constant, regardless of rush hour. And as this is the busy West End with Sunday opening, this volume is not too dissimilar over the weekends too.
Yet no bodyrouting occurred and no one came in during the hour or so I was in the area. In fact at one point the doors were actually closed. Aside from the 3 observable staff inside (who didn’t appear to be doing an awful lot), the place was completely empty. From the 1st floor up through to the 5th at the top, the lights were all off. This has been the typical scene since late 2008.
There are apparently 3 or 4 staff posted here on Day and 2 or 3 on Fdn.
Upon it’s opening in October 2006 after a £¼m refit (it was the previous org building), and throughout 2007, the staff complements then were around 7-8 on Fdn and 10-12 on Day. There were also course rooms running in each org on the 1st or 2nd floors.
Today, it’s a completely unutilized, wasted space as clearly demonstrated by the stats.
NEW VISITORS
We are also told that there have been ‘nearly 100,000 new public into the org’ – the precise figure exploding onto the screen, as if to add some credibility to it, is 98,268.
This translates to 40 people EVERY day since the org opened.
This immediately begs several questions.
Firstly, as there’s no such stat anyway, how exactly was this worked out? As any staff or ex-staff are aware, public inflow is a Div 6A activity and the key stats that record new public inflow are Bodies Routed (BR) and Number of People to Intro Services (NPITOINTRO). I never came across another stat which specifically measured new public into the org aside from these.
What may not be more broadly known also is that the only place these stats were ever actively monitored in London was at Tottenham Court Road.
They were never kept at the new building in Queen Victoria Street as a) there wasn’t enough foot traffic to warrant any bodyrouting (as shown earlier) and b) neither were there ever any Div 6A staff posted there or provision made to monitor the trickle that did venture through the door.
The only record of new visitors at QVS was the Visitors Log at reception, and the pages of this are only ever turned over once or twice every few weeks or even months, if that, such is the lack of activity.
Even lumping this ‘stat’ together with the Bodies Routed and NPITOINTRO from the LI Centre at TCR, you’d still be seriously struggling to find 40 each and every day since Oct 2006. (Unless those multi-faith conferences at QVS every few months were better attended than I imagined….)
Again, it’s another meaningless made up ‘stat’ that has no other purpose than to somehow impress a captive audience at an event.
As was the proclamation in closing that the org was 8x.
8x what exactly? Certainly not the LI Centre and certainly not the staff. That closing shot looks like mainly the Fdn crew and there are no more than around 40 people here, which correlates to the figures above.
The only recognized and meaningful stat alluded to was the STP (which was only 2x HE by comparison and which no doubt has been bolstered by the Basics delivery, as was 5x HE training starts most likely. Wonder how many of these were Levels starts….) Note that no actual figures or time scales were mentioned though.
2455 public through intro services equates to around 6 or 7 per week between both orgs, which is a paltry range for any org, let alone an ‘ideal’ one, but that doesn’t sound so good, of course.
Perhaps it’s the omission of any mention of the other key stats of an 8x org (that aren’t being influenced significantly by the Basics or retreads) which is even more telling….. BIS, VSD, GI, GBS, FIRSTSTARTS, NBSR, QSH, CASH/BILLS?
The staged footage speaks for itself these days. Few people are fooled by it anymore and most are aware of how far removed from reality it actually is – not least the staff of London org and all the others ever visited by a Gold crew.
The attached images are for those who may still doubt it – at least with regards to the passing foot traffic and unutilized spaces.
London Ideal Org – rush hour
Tottenham Court Rd Test Center — rush hour
This is the reality that will never be promoted. And for good reason.
Hard to know quite what to say. I guess it’s possible to feel many ways about a report like this, but I was surprised to experience a wave of great sadness. Something about that image of empty classrooms, clad in expensive marble flooring, stacked with storage boxes. So many dreams, over so many decades, so much personal sacrifice, all to come down this final scene of treachery, bad faith, and desperation.
Like Dave Fagan, I would be curious also to hear what’s happening in Washington DC. I imagine the scene there is even bleaker. As great cities go, DC is little more than an insular Southern town, and the 16th St. org must get exceedingly little foot traffic.
I feel the same way. Thanks to this Special Correspondent and to Mike for making this info known, but it was very sad. For me too, anything I ever worked for is long gone, 33 years of my participation annihilated. Same goes for hundreds,maybe thousands, of other dedicated, very well-intentioned staff who wanted to see people improve their lives physically, mentally and spiritually. 180 degree reversal of…everything.
Anyway…couldn’t help but think that the Tottenham Court Rd Test Center looks more like a pub than a church…? But I’ve never been over there so maybe that’s wrong. But it’s wierd.
Forgive my lack of knowledge, but isn’t Tottenham Court Rd full of pubs? That org would be better used if converted to a pub!
Sorry, not ‘Org’, but ‘Test Center’…
The South Africa witch hunt massacre:
http://backincomm.wordpress.com/2013/11/06/the-golden-age-of-rod/
“This coincides with the arrival on Monday of a 7 man Sea Org command/management team. No doubt this will stamp their “authority” on the local scene.
This brings to mind certain legalities.
I doubt one person from the “7 man Sea Org command/management team” was a citizen of that country, a tax payer of the country, had ANY authority to do ANYTHING in that country except BE A TOURIST!
In Italy, for a while a MOST of the people coming into Scientology and arriving at the Flag Land Base were from Narconon Italy.
So, ABLE sends the E.D. of Narconon Int over there to raid and pillage the Narconons. Seriously, she sat in Italy draining their reserves and pocketing the commissions to stay on top of her mortgage in Eagle Rock. Extorting money from the drug rehabs and giving it the CofS and passing herself off as some kind of humanitarian.
The E.D. of Narconon Italy finally put his foot down, and FORBID a Sea Org Member or any of their staff, to enter ANY Narconon premises in Italy.
He was smart enough to stop people with tourist’s vise from coming in and extorting money and smacking people around like they had some right to be there other than as TOURISTS.
You do not need to permit Church Missionaries with tourist visas to terrorize you!
By the way, I haven’t heard much about Scientology in Italy lately.
So, if London is so dead perhaps the “command team” (people with tourist visas) are in London now.
“Making” an ideal org, even when the locals are gotten to empty out their bank accounts and accumulate impossible debts to fund the entire thing, still requires numerous SO personnel swarmed into the org to get it opened. The SO Projects include getting any local suckers they can to join staff and that usually small number is augmented any way possible including trying to recruit staff from other areas and ultimately it includes posting SO members in the org to try and get up to a staff complement that does not look like a joke. When the org opens there are SO Projects in the org whipping the staff to execute programs to try and spike the stats to make it look like the org is a success. None of it is sustainable for any length of time, the spike in the stat subsides, the org starts losing staff again, and then – here we are from ideal org to ideal morgue.
Lancaster Dodd is dead http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/03/movies/philip-seymour-hoffman-actor-dies-at-46.html?_r=0
He was easily in my “top ten” best actors list.
False reports and statistics are symptomatic of other hidden crimes.
If one follows Hubbard’s writings on the subject: behind each severe situation is a suppressive person.
Thus it follows: Who is THE Suppressive Person?
You have one guess – it’s easy!
I know! I know! Captain Tiny Boots is my guess!
^^^^(said like a know-it-all grade school kid squirming in his seat, and at the ready)^^^^^
Mike,
It’s worth noting the grand strategy for the new London Ideal Org, that being a showcase for the world’s movers and shakers and VIPs located in the City of London. What that bright idea was based on is anyone’s guess, certainly they have never worked in an org. There is no way a denizen of the City would be caught going into a Church of Scientology.
Regarding these stats…from my time working in Div6 in the late 80s, I can tell you this level of production is appalling. Myself as PSS, and a single hatted PCS would minimally sign up 10 First Starts (21 highest ever) per week, with absolutely no foot traffic and no audio/visual aids.
I believe the final cost of the London Ideal Org topped £20 million. What a waste, what a joke.
I don’t think that the actual Org matters, as long as DM’s necktie matched the back stage of the overly grandiose ribbon cutting ceremony – slaves well in-hand and cheering. Ribbon cutting is over in London, so London served its purpose. Die a slow death, London Co$. DM can ribbon cut and tie-match when they do yet another remodel/grand opening.
REQUEST: I would like to see a similar report about Washington, DC org. Is there anyone out there who can provide as many stats as possible about this org (both Day and Fdn), and the results of similar observations as were made here about London?
Dave, I did courses and auditing in the original DC org (19th street) before the FBI raid it had fallen in disrepair but for auditing it was fine. The church moved its staff structure to 2125 S street around 68-70′ I was to start my Class V internship in 74 and not wanting to go on staff I put distance between myself and the regging. Fast forward to last March I was in the vicinity of the new Ideal org and went by to look since I had no contact for almost 40 years though kept my reading and eye on the changes after Ron took off (for the last time).The org had one outside person at 11:00am offering IQ testing if I came inside, one girl at the reception desk who set me up to see the propaganda movie about Ron, she was in civvies and administered the test, one officer downstairs who explained the video offerings, one girl in the bookstore, no one in the course room but two people twinning on TRs in another room, a male officer and course supervisor. One person in the D of P area with a uniform. By this time I was found and told to please return to the testing area. This made a total of 7 apparent staff and 4 people doing TRs, no one with any type of course materials out or in the room marked course room. Plenty of parking and four vehicles in the lot not counting mine. When I started using scientology jargon they were amazed because my IQ test was well above the norm. I told them back in the 70s it was done right aside from quickie grades. Afterwards I left but before I asked if they still had my folder but they were not able to answer. I have not been back. The place was sterile and kind of depressing considering all the past wins I had. I have since contacted an Independent auditor and have had a super experience like those previously had back in the day. Don’t know if that helps. ARC Bill Dupree
Thanks Bill. Do you remember what day of the week and what part of the day it was? If you don’t remember what day of the week it was, do you remember whether it was a weekday or a weekend?
Complete plans of the London Ideal Org are available on the City of London planning site (application number 05/00362/LBC). They timed the purchase well and they won’t be selling this one at a loss. It would make a great boutique five star hotel, or it could be divided into flats which would sell for multi-millions each.
Are building plans available on the internet in the US? In UK you can look at the plans of pretty much any building which has had work done to it since about 2000, apart from the Royal Palaces and military bases. The plans of blllionaires mansions are sometimes marked as secret, but the local council will upload them anyway. This includes mansions owned by foreign royals, e.g. the Emir of Qatar’s house at 100 Park Lane.
I used to walk past the Tottenham Court Road building twice a day, and I discovered what Scientology is by going home after being accosted by someone outside and reading the Operation Clambake website.
Yes, building plans and home plans are available in the U.S.. For most places. Doubt about Hillbilly Mountain country. You only need to go to the county recorder’s web site for the city.
I’ve just studied these and and none of them bear any resemblance whatsoever to the spaces as they were completed a year later. I mean none. Also, along with these drawings is a list of safety/legal structural requirements that were being directed by the planning officer. From my recall of the spaces, few of these, if any, appear to have been acted upon. That, in addition to the fact that the Local Authority appear not to have the final approved space plans of London’s Ideal Org may be an invitation for further investigation. If anyone has experience or knowledge of UK planning laws please get in touch.
I was on staff in London 1979 – 1982. At that time there were 60 FDN staff
around the same on course, and day staff around 35 with a similar amount on course.
A few months ago I went to see how many people came and left QVS between 5.30
and 6 45 pm. which IIRC covers the time FDN takes over from day. I observed 29
leave and 30 arrive. There certainly hasn’t been expansion since 1979. Someone who
left London staff in the last year told me that they could only man up day by getting people from East Grinstead.
Sad state of affairs unless you are a Marble floor salesman.
Great job on reporting the truth! Every Org on the Planet is just like London.
Vacant. Empty. Broken. (poking fun at the new way Scientologist’s are promoting their church – with one word statements and a period! LOL)
The “London Bridge” is not falling down – the Bridge in Scientology worldwide has collapsed!!
As a London Anon, I can attest to the observations made in this post. Empty Orgs is how the London cult rolls; QVS is a classic Idle Org boondoggle.
Nice to see some of the actual stats to confirm what we’ve suspected, though. VWD, Mr Correspondent! If I might make a request, though, the one stat I’ve always wanted to see is how much cash has to flow from uplines just to keep the lights on; QVS’ status as an “IAS-sponsored Ideal Org” screams ‘outpoint’ to me; What are the sheeple doing in a building that THIER OWN INTERNAL FLIERS say they can’t afford?
Peace, friends.
Thanks for this detailed report and the time consumed to it to forward us actual data.
Impressive by the absence of “life” in these buildings.
Poor staffs kept in the idea that only their own org is doing poorly, leading them to do more and more… until the day they will feel exhausted and let drop the effort!!!
for those who like me who have had the chance to be part of the old old CCL and to Saint-Hill when it was run by English and Common Wealth staffs who had been taught by Ron himself, it is a very very sad state of affairs. Makes me want to puke really…..
Mike thank you so much for being there along with all of us
Thank you for the comparative statistical reporting, Special Correspondent. 98,268 New Public in the Org might be accurate for how many people actually glance into the window as they are passing by.
There is a technique taught in Writing classes in schools that is called a “power statement.” A power statement is a sentence that uses precise numbers to give punch and authority to one’s writing. We can see that technique employed liberally by Miscavige and his speechwriter. What makes Miscavige’s speeches so disgusting is that so many power statements can be proven blatantly false if one can get the true data, yet so many keep believing the lies because they cannot get true data and are dazzled by the video images. An exaggeration IS a lie. Also, these are not white lies because the purpose is to obscure failure and avoid discovery.
I think one of the reasons David Miscavige has shelved the OEC and Data Series Evaluator Course and cleared Qual libraries of OEC sets (green vols) is because he doesn’t want staff to know what LRH really said start thinking and evaluating with real stats.