Don’t think I got the full list, but this is enough to show what is happening.
They have overstocked the orgs with bookstore materials to try to boost sales from Bridge and thus royalty payments to ASI/CST. The royalties are paid on “sale” of books from Pubs to the orgs and the orgs are FORCED to buy way more books and lectures than they will ever sell. Then they have to try to unload them to recoup something. It might also be an indicator that there is a planned “new release” — perhaps Miscavige has discovered another SP typist who messed up all the books again…
This is just another indicator of the internal-facing bubble of scientology. Everything that is done is aimed at their existing public (even ads on tv), continuing to try and sell the dwindling numbers the latest “new thing.”
If Scientology were a real religion, Davey would give this away free to spread the word to as many people as possible. Why do you think that every hotel room has a Bible?
That’s easy: Gideons.
If I buy one book, do I get another one free?
No – that doesn’t fit a 42.5% discount – off policy
Why is the Philadelphia Doctorate Course so much more expensive. Is it written on platinum plates
No, Jeff. Miss Cabbage touch it with his hands thus making it Holy…
It’s considerably longer than most other lectures; 62 CDs, all in all.
Again with the randomness of Scn. 42.5%? Really? why not round up to 43 or down to 42%? nooo, they have to make it esoteric and weird.
I’m thinking the paper used to make this useless hogwash might better be used to make bathroom tissue for the homeless.
Or as a grill starter when folks might want to fire up some steaks on the Weber.
Or as confetti for the massive wing-ding when LRH returns to move around paperweights in one of his many unoccupied offices.
Has there ever been a better example of the wasted energy, wasted resources and wasted lives of the gullible than the ridiculous folly of scientology? I suppose it’s as valid as any other religion, I guess, just a bit harder for anybody with half a brain to swallow.
Another thought is a Ramp Up for May 3 erd
release of “RUTHLESS” to boast of book sales
and divert attention away from Dad’s Book.
No Chatter on GAT 3.
So, Books Make Booms, huh? And you’re trying to boom Kansas City Morgue by lowering prices, huh? As every Ex here said, the true value of those books has been shown in the marketplace. No one can sell them on eBay. No one can sell them on Craigslist. Libraries won’t take them. Second-hand bookshops won’t take them, not even for the lulz. The only value they have in is being repulped in order to save a tree or two. Certainly the contents have no value to anyone.
Mike’s speculating a new release is on the way. Nine years after the last one, with crowing from Despicable Me that everything’s now “on Source”? That well is dry. Not even he’s that insane. But if he’s going off of L. Fraud’s philosophy of repeating doing “what works”, he might just try it.
What would be the sales point for this one, after insisting that all of the transcription errors and semi-colons have been corrected? Electronic distribution, perhaps? At the prices they charge, the profit in that would be tremendous. Yeah, it would mean that their state-of-the-art printing facilities would lie fallow, but he had no compunction about disavowing already-owned technology with the SuMP. Besides, they can still print Way To Slappiness brochures. But then again, L. Fraud said it was Books that Make Booms, not password-protected PDF files, so how would they rationalize electronic copies as being “on Source”? Oh, my, Davey, your tits are certainly caught in the proverbial wringer regarding moving into the 21st Century.
I would love them to do electronic distribution. Within an hour, the whole set of Basics will be up on The Pirate Bay for anyone to download. The cult will go spaz instantly, and can’t do a damn thing about it.
My shelfs are full of books and lectures .. cannot sell it .. nobody there who wants it .. it is much cheaper for me to throw it in the waste .. it had cost me about 15.000 GBP .. so I have read that all .. it was funny to do that .. but at the end I learned that I read only about the mind of another .. renewing this books looks like a crazy work .. crazy in many directions .
I got a waste paper company to remove all my books, CDs, tapes, certificates, commendations, ethics files, every damn thing pertaining to scientology. They took the lot in one fell swoop!
Just throw them away. They are of no use to anyone including yourself. Let us know how you feel afterwards. I know how I felt!
I recall the tv interview with Leah Remini showing a roomful of scn books and junk. She would have the satisfaction of using a bit of her book royalties to rent a small dumpster and redecorate the room.
Dave,
New Birthday Game statistic for your Organizations: Number of Pounds of Pulp Recycled.
Actually this is a “complete your library” discount. They’ve had this discount for 20-some years. You only supposedly get it if you buy what’s needed to have a complete library. Thy probably have it split up: books are one thing and tapes another to make it easier to get the discount.
I took 14 unopened boxes of all this crap to the city garbage dump.
An unopened set of Basic’s went to Bridge Publications lobby
which I got a nasty phone call for.This was after Hitler incarnate killed
the Briefing Course.
At least Hitler never made his adjutants salute his German shepherd Blondi.
As for the Saint Hell Stupid Bullshit Course, taking that is a clear violation of the Eighth Amendment and probably the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
Laughter!
Trying to sell useless CO2 sinks. LOL
Really, CO2 sinks? How far down does it go. I thought that was an inert gas. So many things I need to learn…
The tangible assets that hold the tech of Scientology provide sales tax to the State in witch the Org is located.
I suggest that these States audit these sales and recover millions.
Willie, since the Orgs (that have been saddled with this crap) aren’t able to sell them, there is no sales tax revenue to pass along to the State Treasury… 😉
Hilarious. Still selling ’50’s era lectures on radiation from a college flunk-out who had, even then, a demonstrated non-understanding of the topic. How very cultic.
hgc, are you telling me that all the 50s lectures are now no longer relevant? Well shut my mouth! What are you going to tell me next, that Dianetics was written off of the top of Hubbard’s head and there really wasn’t 30 years of research done? Break it to me slowly, hgc, otherwise I might go type 3…
You know, OSD, it’s pretty much impossible to say anything about Hubbard that isn’t already blindingly obvious. His transgressions against reason and sense are a well-worn path.
For some really worthwhile 50’s lectures, let me point you toward Vladimir Nabakov’s Lectures on Literature. They have been a joy to me for many a year.
https://www.nytimes.com/books/98/07/26/specials/hardwick-nabokov.html
Some other favorite lectures of mine, though they come in the early 60’s, are RIchard Feynman’s Lectures on Physics. They’re kind of hard to grasp if you’re not already somewhat educated on the subject, and of course much knowledge has been added to the canon since, but they’re still things of beauty. There’s even a lecture on radiation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Feynman_Lectures_on_Physics
Thanks, hgc!
The Scn Bubble© has it’s own economic rules. As many will attest, LRH books and lectures are practically worthless in the Free World. It’s only in the Stasi-like bubble where one can manipulate the perception of value.
I’m surprised they are offering 42.5% discount on individual items, normally that is the package discount rate. Does this mean these items are worth 42.5% less than before? Or, parishioners were being overcharged?
Let’s face it, it’s crunch time, with ever dwindling numbers they no longer have a public to sell to. Then what?
One scam that has gone quiet is the Library Donations. Haven’t see anything for at least six months.
That’s because they’re sent out without notifying the library first. If my Central Branch Library gets unsolicited books or DVDs, they automatically go into the $1 bin. There are no Scientology books my library. Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
I remember the ordeal trying to figure out the pricing for the lectures on CD and DVDs. All the minute production information was taken into account, and then some ungodly amount was just tacked on to the final price for the scn public because this “data” was so invaluable you can’t even put a price on it. So here’s a nice high price for you, folks. This was probably done for the books too. Ridiculously high prices, so 42.5% off still gives everyone some profits.
“Fire Sale” hits the nail on the head – all that otherwise useless paper will make for a nice big fire “in honor of Dear Leader”.
The Idle Morgues are next New Age!
Yes, it’s becoming increasingly the religion that’s about nothing but big, empty, soulless buildings.
If you build it, they will run.
LMAO! Now that’s some funny shit, Philo! Great post! Wish I had thought of that!
Let’s see if we can find the big books, like the OEC volumes. Then we could have a bonfire! At the beach where we have fire pits.
We should not allow the burning of toxic waste. It needs to be hauled to Hemet and buried with Der Leader.
LOL
Indeed, Mike, and this is not new: DM has always poushed stats with wrong methods like he did most certainloy asd a dishonest staff before, that is, putting increased figures to appear great. By instance, when the old man got off from direct management, he and his friends imaghined to ask $ 25000 to “missions” and lots of books to be considered correct.
This happened near the end of 1982.
If you want to see the value of this timeless wisdom outside of the bubble go to ebay,l Ron Hubbard.You will usually see about 3000 individual items for sale or bid.
Last week there was not even 1 item sold or being bid on and 4 or so where people had clicked to see what it was.So I hauled of my whole collection to the recycling center.Everything,books,basics,pulps,old meters.basics.I kept the management series since I kinda like them and they make a good computer stand.As I threw the last one away it felt as if a stone was lifted from my back.
The party is over.
Scientologists come up to present time.
Sterling silver clear bracelets sell quite well.
Yes but those bracelets sell at a SMALL fraction of their original price. If you factor in inflation, even less than that.
What you say is not correct. I have sold several of them for considerably more than what was originally paid. The sterling silver bracelets with engraving on back can sell for several hundred dollars. Inflation has nothing to do with it.
Um, ok. 😉
Damn! I’d sure like to have the Management Series so I can have a really bitchin’ computer stand. I’ve got to keep my computer on an ordinary desk. You’ve got it made, Xenu’s son…
There is someone buying and selling meters and books on eBay. Looks likr they have sold quite a few Quantum VIi meters for aroud $395 each. Obviously they would pay less to buy them, and only a fraction of what was paid originally.
I felt lucky to get $25 for my full sealed set of basics books!
You were lucky, mine just got chucked.
Gus, you really got $25 for your unsealed set of basic books??? Dude! When’s the party and where?
I tried to sell all my Congresses (new in Binders w/celophane) $125 all; hard copy set of Basics (New)($50 all; 2 paperback sets of Basics (new) $50 all; The first 4 volumonous binders of ACC;’s; on Craigs List for months. No bites. Even when I was offering them at these ridiculous prices. Anyway, I finally thru them into my big blue Recycling Bin and my Gardener could barely pull/push it to the curb. It took three weeks to rid my garage storage area of these and now I have room for all my gardening dirt. Bad Dirt out; good dirt in. I’m so relieved they are gone. The last of Cult is now gone from my life.
I donated a bunch of my Sherrilyn’s to Professor Stephen Kent in Alberta, professor of comparative religion…A small fortune in customs fees but I’m glad her materials could be of use in trying to figure out these folks…
These prices are a joke, right? April 1st is right around the corner.
It is at least honest. The first column is the Fool Price.
^Those prices are outrageous for what amounts to bound toilet paper.
Since they can’t afford toilet paper, when do you think they’ll start using the basics as a replacement? They can read then wipe….
Buying these books will support the “bitty defrocked aPENIState in charge.
You beat me to my comment, LDW, so I’ll just agree and share that, back in the ’90s I paid $100 to the org for an Admin Dictionary. Never got it. Before I left for good I asked about it and was told it was being redone. Still being “redone” after 20 years! Two years ago I went on Amazon and paid about $30 for a used one including shipping. I probably could’ve gotten it cheaper but I had a reason for wanting it right away. I’m sure the new and improved Admin Dictionary will cost at least $500 when it comes down the pike.
My comment above ended up on the top but it was in reply to LDW’s a bit below.
Craig’s List is being swamped with these books in the For Sale section.
They are so desperate.
The prices vary quite a lot depending upon which city you search.
I have managed to track down full course packs with unmarked check sheets on Craig’s list in various statesover the years. The Church stopped letting students leave the building with check sheets some time ago, I think in the 1980’s. Many people selling them do not even really know what they are or how old they are. They find them in attics, trunks, all over the place. My biggest score was an unused original Dianetics Course pack with checksheet from the early 70’s. It looked like it had been stored in shrink wrap. Mint condition. If it wasn’t sent from New Hampshire I might have suspected Bridge was selling some old stock they ran across. The person selling it though thought it was worth 300.00, I paid it. I was just really curious about the differences and changes in the tech and how it effected people, events and history. Because the clients seemed to roll out with different results from different time periods. And the auditors changed too. It is strange that you can find things on the Internet that you can not find in the Church, (because it is deemed old or historical) and you can have things Scientology out here, that you can not have in the Church. When people were being ordered to burn their books it was hay day on Ebay.
$35 for Way to Happiness? It’s a tiny pamphlet they often give away.
And where is my all-time fave the History of Man, which I got new for one penny plus shipping? Had never been opened. Still had the promo inserts in it.
You got ‘History of Man???’ You scored, Jonathan! Now you can learn about Piltdown Man! According to the patriarch of my family, we’re related to Piltdown Man! I mean, how bitchin’ is that?
I read History of Man on the BC … and like he left out the whole thing about Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI … hey, ok, they were French … but they’re “man”, aren’t they? I mean, if your book is about the history of man, then like, include all of it, capisce?
Some of the things you find tucked in the old second hand books are amazing. I found a solo nots breifing by David Mayo in one.
It’s a New Release, I’m sure of it.
Then if you are caught reading from “OLD” materials
you are Declared on the spot !
unless you buy a ton of “NEW” release junk.
LMAO! Now that’s some funny shit, Jose! “…a ton of “NEW” release junk.” Still laughing….
OSD,
Like the Quantum E meter scam.
The OT 8 E meters sat in warehouses 20 years
to be fixed as Quantum E meters were sold at discount prices.
When the sales of Quantum’s stalled at give away prices they
were sold as scrap parts to electronic surplus outlets
some turned into crazy works of art , pots for plants and
hamster cages ( most appropriate).
The OT 8 meters were released and an SP Declare was issued
to anyone using a Quantum. I got two that came with their own Goldenrod’s
( just kidding) still in boxes. Then the Saint Hill Special Briefing Course was shot at sunrise with no blindfold, really.
It is true Jose, you can get declared for reading a book published by Hubbard instead of Miscavige. I really like the way you always blurt out the truth. Feels like I’m getting misted on a hot sidewalk!
Oracle,
Miscavige ordered all original works of LRH burned
including Dianetics books personally autographed by LRH.
E meters turned in to be broken done and sold for surplus
electronics parts. Surplus store in Sunland had bin fulls
of parts including dials. If you were hard core Kool Aid guzzeler
you complied, many sold everything on E Bay.
My lord with a printing facility as yuge as it is, o4 even half as big as they claim, it would be impossible to sell the output even if they were printing all the New York Times best sellers, I bet.
Still hanging inthere !
All of these items have been for sale! sale! sale! for as little as a dollar on amazon over the last several years. Geeeze these folks are gonna be startled outta their britches when they have the big wake-call that they are being ripped off.
Of course, if any of the party faithful order the real deal from Amazon, they’ll be sent to ethics for some sec checking (at their own expense). It’s just totally out ethics to buy from an “unauthorized” source. Hell, you might be supporting some bitter defrocked apostate on the fringes of the internet.
‘Hell, you might be supporting some bitter defrocked apostate on the fringes of the internet.”
Ummmm….like me?