Well, I guess the great social experiment of bringing scientology to the “African American cultural epicenter” has failed.
Problem is that virtually everyone they could persuade to take services in this place are imports from other orgs and they repeatedly show their graduations and completions featuring a host of clearly non-locals from CC Int and elsewhere (see latest example below).
The strategy of opening Harlem and Inglewood took a HUGE hit with the death of Isaac Hayes. He was the impetus for these orgs even exiting in the first place as he repeatedly harangued Miscavige about the “all-white” ethos of scientology. Has Isaac still been around. there is a chance he might have interested this community in scientology because of HIS credibility. But with his passing, they are fresh out of any sort of credibility. What can they do, bring in Michael Roberts? Chill EB? They have as much credibility in African American circles as Kirstie Alley does in middle America these days. Only those over 50 who might recall her on Cheers may have any sort of favorable impression of her, though most have now seen her subsequent antics and write her off as a buffoon.
They could not manage to attract any locals, and probably have become tired of me ridiculing them for trying to pretend they have an expanding org in the “cultural epicenter” when everyone they show comes from somewhere else. So, what do they do?
Try and turn their $20 million white elephant sitting in the middle of South Central LA into the org that is supposed to service Santa Monica, the Beaches, Beverly Hills. Hahahaha
It is now being rebranded as the “South Bay’s Ideal Org.” Never mentioned this until now… Think back to the pitch about this place and how it was bringing scientology to the heart of where cultural trends are created in society blah blah blah. Sorry Old Surfer Dude, but that was not referring to Hermosa Beach….
Do they think anyone is buying this?
If this org was intended to serve those communities it should have been located in those communities. Nobody from Santa Monica or Beverly Hills who is not already a dedicated KoolAid drinker is going to make the trip to South Central to participate in scientology. And CC Int is closer to Beverly Hills anyway.
These people need to get out of their bubble and wake up to the real world.
And really, when you think about it, if this massive international expansion is really going on and this is the largest concentration of scientologists on the planet, why ARENT there more orgs in this urban sprawl? Why nothing in Santa Monica and the “celebrity mission” that was opened there then closed down? Why no org in Long Beach? Manhattan Beach.
Can you imagine if there were 5 catholic churches in all of LA and they were claiming to be “turning the planet catholic.” The LDS Church has about 500 in the LA area (though I didnt count them all, just looked on their website at the map).
Once again, the fastest growing religion in the 21st century seems to be growing only one thing — its wooden nose.
And, just to make the cheese more binding, here is another one, same pitch but from a different angle.
And note, this is the “second fastest expanding org on earth” – OMG!!! About on a par with Flag saying all the AO’s cannot produce 20 OT level completions in a week combined.
Squirrel Busters LAX 2010: Scientology OT Izzie Chait reminds one and all that he started Inglewood Org. Izzie says, “there were no fucking Black people in Scientology” and that he brought them in. Izzie donated so the “Schwartzes” could have their Ideal Org in Inglewood. Go to 3:30 and watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVaboggKZi4
I don’t think Miscavige is going to go over well in Harlem if this video is any indication of the level of rage against white incursion in general, and Scientology incursion in particular, into the neighborhood. This young man gets a lot about Hubbard wrong except for the fact that he was a racist. At the risk of being perceived as whitesplaining, I sent him some links to help sharpen his arguments in the future.
D’oh! Video attached here . . . http://youtu.be/F4I9RRrarIs
For a limited time only we in RTC are offering a special Inglewood Ideal Org Ultra Mark VIII Planetary Dissemination Meter for only $29,995.
Lily white in color just like COB and 97.5% of Scientology, this new meter is black only if you close your eyes and pretend you have soul.
🙂
But by saying South Bay is very misleading. South Bay refers to an area in Northern California, San Jose. San Jose is considered South Bay.
LOL!
The average age for a person living in Inglewood is about 35 years old. The average home value today is roughly 425K. The average family income is roughly 45K. It is not full of criminals and illiterates. Most white people south of the Mason Dixon are not living in such affluent conditions. Let’s try to keep it real folks. It is a residential neighborhood. They don’t go near the Org (Honkey Chateau) because they aren’t dumb enough to think someone is going to wave a can in front of their face and turn them into superman.
Affluence conditions? LMAO. “Family income” means when you total everyone living in a household. Also, for those who are inclined to math. Do the ratio between cost of shelter there vs. income. There’s no affluence there.
Affluence is a relative thing. I compared it to people south of the Mason Dixon Line. Have you been in the backwoods of West Virginia?
Some reading material:
http://mic.com/articles/59829/what-white-poverty-really-looks-like-in-america
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2013/12/most_poor_people_in_america_are_white.html
http://www.reportagebygettyimages.com/features/hidden-minority/
http://www.alternet.org/hard-times-usa/why-elites-want-mask-suffering-poor-whites
Word on the street..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkjCIoiUOmU
Would really like to have a close look to thise 9x stats….
Well since they just opened the doors with in the last year or two they probably only had one or two PC’s and a year they have 5 PCs at the Ideal Org (because they ordered some PCs from the LA Org to go there). In CoS fuzzy math that’s means 9x stats. So they might be telling some vague truth there, as opposed to the usual practice of telling gigantic, hilarious lies about their member stats.
Tampa Org is the same way. No one on course there is from Tampa or lives in Tampa. They are all people who live in Clearwater but don’t want to be harassed by Sea Org recruiters at Flag, or be harassed about being on a standard schedule.
More preaching to the choir. Only whose choir? No soul at the Inglewood mOrg, no R & B. Just Lroon and ‘thank you for listening’. Only the O’jays “Money” tells the real tune the clampire is trying to spread.
Why more than 1 Executive Director? To spread the blame for bad stats around?
How long is the NOI going to want to be associated with $cientology?
Possibly until they can figure out a way to take over some of that real estate and turn it into their “mosques.” Farrakhan is into the money/power trip too. I don’t think he cares about the bad stats (except Gross Income) or the bad PR, as long as he gets his money. His PR (outside of his little bubble) has never been that great anyway.
Arrrrrrgggg, LFC! I’m with you there! He’s even mentioned that if they don’t embrace scientology, they’ll be kicked out NOI. He MUST be getting kickbacks from DLHDM.
Great post as usual Mike. A few minor points from someone who lived in Los Angeles for many years. Inglewood is not really in South Central. Central runs north-south north of the 110 freeway, and Inglewood is well to the West, just East of the 405. The org is just off Manchester. It’s a mixed area over there. Doesn’t look good, but the insurance guy I use still works there. While south Central is still pretty bleak, Central in DTLA is starting to take off. I had dinner on Central last night. I’m pretty sure I saw Inglewood Org sold in part to service the South Bay, although people who hang out in Manhattan and Hermosa Beach don’t generally drive through Inglewood for many reasons. Manhattan Beach and down Sepulveda to LAX is the last part of LA that I still see Scientology car badges, so there are still some active members out there. Not at all like 15 years ago when I would drive by Delphi in La Canada and see many of them. Putting the org in Redondo Beach would have been a much more rational move for them. The Inglewood Org sits on a sad side street with closed shops, second hand stores, and a third tier sports chain store. Only nice feature is the Belizian resteurant around the corner.
I think a lot of people here are underestimating the Inglewood community. I spent time there maybe 10 or 12 years ago when I was involved in a network marketing company — we were, ironically enough, “launching” Inglewood. I went to some building for opportunity meetings, and to private homes to lead home events, and enjoyed a bbq. I walked the streets, at least during the day, and felt no animosity, only friendly people. I was the one of very few white faces there, I had my guard up, and I knew the statistics, but it was not at all a bad experience. That being said, there’s still probably less opportunity for growth there than in other cities for $CN, which means… very little opportunity.
Yes, Inglewood looks very much like Glendale.
Really? How so, Lynn?
There are quite a few nice residential neighborhoods. It has a civic center with police station and “governmental” looking buildings and a main library nearby that I used to frequent, before I knew about the internet. There are some neighborhood shopping places, restaurants, etc. Some of the real estate values are in the $3-400,000 range, etc. It’s not all poor people. When I used to work in real estate (Merrill Lynch / Prudential), Inglewood was one of the places they had listings in. Inglewood and Culver City were on the low end. Beverly Hills / Belair / Pacific Palisades were on the high end. But the fact that Inglewood made the cut at all gives you some idea of where the “smart money” was investing.
Since I rarely leave the OC, let along, Huntington Beach, I wasn’t aware of that. I was an insurance 25 years ago and had quite a few clients in Compton.
Thanks for the update!
I looked at those flyers… how eerie and spooky are those? Those 1000 yd stares and staged photos gives me the creeps.
No wonder they are empty and hey, I commented the other day that every scientology completion should show a copy of the driver’s licence and date the course was done to see where they’re from and when they actually did it. Rigging stats is their specialty.
This “to hell with the rules and get the show on the road” has bottomed out to criminality for their greatest good for nothing – yuck!
+1!
So the second flyer they mention that they have 15 auditors; are they that busy? Or does this include part timers who work only when there’s something to do, or is it just a made-up number? Do they really have that many people sitting around all day waiting for business?
They’re probably counting anybody who has any tech training at all but are actually posted to some other job in the org.
Or…they’re counting people just walking by…….
They are probably counting people who have auditor training who live in the area and are “On Call” to “Help” the org.
Good exposure Mike, thank you.
Pasadena confirms your words – las saturday, around 7pm it had only 3 students listening to tapes. No receptionist, no body routing, no public jamming at the doors. Empty, completely empty. A total fiasco for Pompadour.
Silvia, if I had known you’d be in my home town, I’d have come up to see it too!
I’ve seen a couple of SO girls standing in the doorway “trying” to hand out tickets to the latest intro video. But, they never seem to want to go to Colorado Bl. (Pasadena’s main street) & Raymond St (where the cult is). Silvia, help me out here. It’s what, maybe two blocks to that corner? With massive amounts of people walking by? All the time? Must be their lack of confront.
I think when they get to 7pm, they figure nobody is going to come in so they really don’t need a receptionist. I’ve gone in there to get water and it’s ALL staff.
Did you go upstairs to see those students?
OSD, I frequent Old Town and it’s really sad to see the kids trying to pass out tickets to see the Dianetics film/into video. People brush them off or just keep walking like they don’t even exist. You can see disappointment in their faces. It must be really tough.
Of course you’re right, Pepper. It’s very sad! And these gals looked very, very young. Maybe second generation. They have no idea what’s really going on. They’re just told, over & over & over again that they’re expanding like never before!
I feel bad for these kids too. I can relate. Before I was on the Internet about the cult I didn’t know I was in, I used to sell books, or rather, I would try to, doing Miscavige’s stress tests. I used to wonder why so many people streaming by our table would look away, deliberately ignoring us, OR, worse, kind of slit their eyes at us – a hate flow. I used to sort of congeal inside. I was mostly uneasy and kind of depressed about it, although we all had to pretend to be uptone and happy. But mostly I couldn’t wait to pack up and get out of there. “Why do they hate us so?”, I used to wonder to myself. Well, now I know.
The thing is, people of color, in this country, are usually deeply religious to begin with. They have their churches they grew up in. They have their ministers too. And those people are the pillars of the community.
This is where converting Scientology into a “religion” to avoid a tax debt, backfires. Now you have Scientologists out of the halls of Washington (keeping Church and state separate), And you have a situation where there are now walls between Scientologists and other religions. Where will you ever see a CofS in Muslim countries? The Bible belt? Surprised they have one in Salt lake City, Mormon country. That place is REALLY dead.
If you are from New York, you know the one in “Harlem” isn’t even in an area people consider Harlem. It’s called “The upper East side”. People in these neighborhoods are not going to leave a Church they grew up in and their parents and grandparents grew up in. They will not go near the front door of the Church of Scientology. That Miscavige has to import whites into the area to keep the doors open at all is hysterical!!
But hey, think of the money the C of S is NOT paying taxes on, on the NO MONEY they are NOT making in these neighborhoods steeped in religion!!!!!!!!!!!
Bible belt…well, there’s Nashville, CC Nashville, Dallas, Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa, and let’s be honest, Cincinnati (the org’s in Kentucky, and once you get out of Cincinnati proper…the exit signs should read “Please turn your clocks back to the 17th Century”).
For an org in a Muslim country, wait until tomorrow. Mike usually posts some Funnies from Birmingham Org. That’s about as close as you’re going to get, and given the demographic progression of Brummieham, it’s a lot closer than you might think.
Not that this makes any difference, of course. Like Mike said, Inglewood was opened to make Chef happy, and Harlem’s going Ideal in order to keep the alliance with Calypso Louie alive (I can verify Chee’s statement earlier about that nickname for him here in Chicago). It’s just more real estate investments with ulterior motives, just like Bogota going Ideal recently to make the Toxic Midget’s bitch Tommy a happy camper.
Espi, as someone who was very familiar with org “stats”, other than around FSO area, the orgs in liberal areas of the country were MUCH more “successful” overall than in Bible best areas. “New Age” religion movement is probably to blame there.
For the record, Birmingham is approximately 13% Muslim, despite some idiot claiming it was a Muslim city that non-Muslims don’t go to any more. Don’t believe everything you hear on Fox News.
I’m sorry, Graham, but, “Don’t believe ANYTHING you hear from Fixed News aka Fox Noise. Just a reminder…….
As a gay Democrat, I don’t watch Fox News in case cooties can be transmitted by television. It’s more of a Citizen Khan reference: “Sparkhill, Birmingham! The capital of British Pakistan!”
Don’t believe anything you hear on a news station without your own research. That’s been pretty much the way it is for a few decades now.
Graham what ARE you talking about? There is no large town in Alabama that is even 5% muslim.
The Bible Belt is an informal term for a region in the south-eastern and south-central United States in which socially conservative evangelical Protestantism plays a strong role in society and politics, and Christian church attendance across the denominations is generally higher than the nation’s average. (Wiki)
The Bible Belt is the part of the United States where strict fundamentalist Protestant (particularly Baptist) Christianity dominates life. (rationalwiki)
I’m talking West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio, Alabama, and Georgia.
Right now Scientology does not play a strong role in ANY society, even Los Angeles!!!!!!!!! Even Clearwater!!!!!! Bullying the town about a freakin disabled dolphin and it’s habitat, does not equate playing a strong role in society there!
Great comment, Oracle. A cousin of mine lives in one of these Bible Belt states and votes in all elections nation/state/county/city wide. Candidates for office get her vote based on one issue: abortion. She is anti-abortion, strictly. Even though she believes in financial safety nets for those who need them, even though she is a fiscal moderate, if any candidate for ANY office be it President of the US or County Clerk is ok with abortion then that candidate will not get her vote, period. What this boils down to is that by default she votes straight conservative, because for her abortion is the issue for which all other issues can be, if necessary, sacrificed. She’s a highly educated super computer brain with a well paying job, well traveled, and very interested in and accepting of other cultures, races, etc , but her vote is based purely on her emotions and convictions about abortion. I could be wrong but I’m of the opinion that Northeasterners and West Coasters vote mostly their pocketbooks, and Bible Belters and Mid Westerners vote more mostly on thier societal and personal moral convictions. I’m probably saying this wrong and its a huge generalization but you get the concept and I believe its true.
Yes I do get the concept. I was never political about any one subject, but voted according to what I thought the results would be of the politician after eight years in office. After I had two sons and I had to consider who would be willing to send them off to war, I became fanatical about elections and becoming involved with elections with large responsibilities in the last two. I have strictly worked to help those people into office who I thought would be the best diplomats, and who were not war mongers. And made preparations for dual citizenship for my sons, and alternate plans for living elsewhere should a potential war monger enter the white house. I guess different people have their own priorities. Always nice chatting with you. XXOO
Thus, Zelinsky defined the Bible Belt as a region stretching from West Virginia and southern Virginia to southern Missouri in the north to Texas and northern Florida in the south .
http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/fl/The-Bible-Belt.htm
Inglewood has a large number of court ordered fly by night drug counseling centers
which are the go to places to score drugs at bargain prices.
Crime rate of 300 percent higher than anyplace else is conservative, it’s much higher.
Do a ride along with Inglewood P.D. especially the night shift.
(wear a bulletproof vest)
Here in South Africa, the RCS always promoted that black Africans are “cannon fodder” for scientology. They’re “very spiritual” (as in witchdoctor black magic shit) and haven’t been brainwashed by psychs yet. A mission was opened in South Africa’s premier slum, Soweto, and failed after less than a year. They may be spiritual (as in witchdoctor…) but they sure ain’t scientologists. The silly bastards apparently are quote happy to receive free services (thinking initially it would look good on their CVs for job seeking purposes) but fuck this paying for it!
Anyone know what happen to Robin Sherurchefsky,OT8, who was ED for a while at Inglewood org?She called me numerous times to get me to go down there to “help”.
She goes by a different last name now, so she must have gotten divorced because I noticed she was using a different last name in several of the promos I saw her put out or be in. I can’t remember her new last name though.
One thing I’ve noticed in Sci-watching is that women change their names A LOT, perhaps more frequently than they change husbands. Is there something to that?
Robin had a marriage of long duration. She got divorced at least 6 or more years ago, and she continued to use her married name for quite a while. A close friend told me hush-hush that she and her husband parted ways over Scientology. He didn’t want anything more to do with it after they both finished OTVIII, so they got a divorce. Robin did not tell me this, so it may not be true. It came from a good friend within her social circle, who is also a faithful adherent to the CoS. I had seen Robin after her divorce and she was dating but I didn’t want ask her about her personal life. She was still at Inglewood Org as of early this year, I knew for a fact.
I’ve never been to Inglewood, but I believe it is not an affluent area (correct me of I am wrong Californians!).
I know that, with 4 kids, tuition, food, clothes, sports, gas from driving all over town, there is no way I could afford to go up the Bridge.
These days you’re either a whale or chum. I wonder what the Co$ is trolling for in Inglewood?
What Mike refers to as South Central L.A., with Inglewood being the center, is a very poor area with a higher rate of unemployment and poverty than the surrounding cities that he mentions above. As a native Californian, I might add that it would make more sense to target places like Glendale and Burbank. An Org on Brand Blvd in the former city would make a lot more sense, as it is in a very affluent part of town and would attract the public they need who would have the income to spend on “services”.
There has been a Mission on Brand Blvd for about 40 years. Used to be big and relatively prosperous. Last I heard it was barely open. Maybe someone out in LA area knows. The mighty Valley Org is supposed to cover those areas. But they cannot of course do anything until they raise enough money to get into a new building they don’t need.
Mike, I lived near the Brand Blvd. Mission in the mid-late 90’s. It was pretty dead at that time. Don’t know when it died though.
OT VIII, Mitch Talevi, is the Mission Holder of the Brand Blvd Mission and it has never done well, although did more in the past than now.
“…although did more in the past than now.” That must have been awhile back as they been free falling for a decade now.
Now there is a name from the past. Good old Mitch Talevi and Charmaine McBasketcase had me locked in a room at the Fart Harrison back in the early 90s doing a pay before you can go cycle. It was a wierd one but I refused to cough up the dough and they sure did their best to make me feel like a total loser.
I wonder why it took me another 20 years to wake up?
I too, wonder why, Coop. You’re just not the type of person to be pushed around. At all. However, way to go not giving in to those fucks. Pay to go, indeed! The entire staff there needs to be bitch slapped over and over again.
Mike, numerous posts and comments talk about the times when things were ‘booming’. Is there any correlation between the level of the courses or training and the numbers of people? For example, were they ‘booming’ on low level introductory courses and tapering off on higher levels or ‘booming’ equally over the chart? Was attrition as a function of ‘progress’ up the ‘bridge’ ever measured or noticed? Is that even the case?
I seem to recall some anecdotal comments about people being enticed in the door after the big volcano push in the 80s, doing a few courses then leaving.
Probably true about the 80’s.
I think scientlogy’s heyday was the 70’s, probably more so in the first half of the decade than the second. I think the why was generally a cultural thing — Going Clear captures some of this idea.
The Brand Mission in Glendale CA is permanently closed. It has been for a while now.
The Brand Bl. Mission closed and moved, and is now the Burbank Mission. Talevi still runs it. Their schtick, in Burbank as on Brand, is having music nights with jam sessions and such. Talevi plays guitar (one of those awful Parker Fly models) and everybody would have to sign in at the front desk, of course.
The “Brand Blvd Jam” as it was called seemed to be 1 or 2 Saturdays a month IIRC, but I haven’t been hearing anything about them for a long time. I just checked the mission’s website and it’s down. So maybe Burbank finally shut down, ending the Talevi Mission Dynasty at last.
Thinking about this made me wonder: Whatever happened to another guitar player, Neil Kunen? He was an LA guy and I remember when he joined the SO in like the ’80s or something. He ended up on the Flea-Winds, not playing guitar (I’m sure he was promised he could be a musician in the SO – of course!). He was a nice guy back then. Talevi not so much.
Hi Gus, hope you pop back to read this sometime. Pretty off-topic but to answer your question:
I knew Neil Kunen when he was at Gold, from the late 80s to at least 2004. Here is a picture of him playing “second fiddle” to the famous Peter Schless. http://www.latimes.com/news/la-scientology17_iquhdjkn-photo.html That is most of what he did at Gold, the administrative duties to get the keyboard work of Peter out to the world. Peter would perform all the parts of the music for an event video and Neil would do the “run-off” and final recordings.
Ron Miscavige Senior, Neil and another whose name I can’t recall would do the music scores, Peter would perform them on the big Synclavier synthesizer and then it would go in the studio for possibly a live drum track or maybe a guitar solo overdub and final mixdown. But Peter would play every instrument on the keyboard and most of what you heard at events in the 90s and early 2000s was all Peter. If you’re trying to recall Peter’s name, check out “On the Wings of Love”. Peter is on the list of those “in the Hole” so I don’t know how it is today, especially with Ron Sr. gone.
Of course, Neil, Ron Sr., Peter and the whole Gold Musicians bunch would play with guest artists like Kate Ceberano live at the Maiden Voyage events or sometimes at March 13th, also at the IAS Patron’s Ball in the UK for the big IAS event in the tent.
Bruce
Inglewood is virtually walking distance from Venice Beach up and Manhatten Beach just beneath, Vista Del Mar only the other side of the airport. just further out into the Pacific is Santa Monica National Park, all this just a part of the mecca known as Los Angeles of sunny California.
It’s not exactly walking distance, but is very close to the west side. I think Westchester is between Inglewood and Playa del Rey / Marina del Rey / Venice Beach .
I exaggerated. You would not want to walk around the airport. But Hermosa, Redondo beach, man, will always be a sort of true paradise for me, Inglewood feels almost like the house next door. Wouldn’t want a Scn church goin gangbusters there, but a Scn cemetary would be tolerable. I can respect the dead of any religion, the death of one in particular.
483 square miles and 3.8 million population — As usual, pointless and nonsensical statistics. It’s a statement of unmet potential, if anything. What difference does it make if there are 3.8 million souls in their pretend zone of influence? They’ll never have more than a couple dozen befuddled customers come through the doors. I can guarantee you that the rotisserie chicken joint across the street, which serves a population of about 30,000 in a 5 square mile area, does quadruple the revenue on 75 times the number of customers as that silly soon-to-be Saint Hill Size Org. And at least the rotisserie customers get a belly full of chicken in the bargain.
In the 1970s I went with a friend to visit his father in Inglewood. It was obvious the moment we arrived in the neighborhood that I was “not in Kansas anymore.”
I wasn’t scared while I was there because I had the proper credentials, I had been brought by a friend. I had a marvelous time and went back to visit on numerous occasions, always as an invited guest.
Inglewood is a very insular community. Scientology is a pompous organization which assumes it is welcome anywhere it shows up.
I, for one, can’t imagine feeling safe attending the Inglewood Org if I were in the cos. I can imagine the community members are fairly resentful of the overblown edifice as well as the arrogance and sense of entitlement inherent in the staff members who contribute nothing to the local economy or culture.
IMHO Inglewood is a powder keg waiting for its moment.
With no insult intended to Sir Elton, I hereby dub Inglewood Org, for now and all time, Honky Chateau. Harlem Org, you are to officially become White Castle (mostly because I hate their food).
So, if you reside in any of the suburbs mentioned in the bumfs, are you going to be forced to transfer your services to Inglewood Org? I could see them implementing a zone scheme to make sure that a minimum time is spent in LA traffic (you know, the thing that wastes precious auditing and study time).
Hey, Inglewood Org OSA and OSA INT, here’s a special offer for you: I’ll be out in LA in a couple of weeks, and Inglewood Org is the closest org to where I’ll be. Do you want to be like OSA Flag and be too wussy to Confront and Shatter me? I’m even flying into and out of LAX; you can ask Jenny Linson for directions. I get in on the evening of the 7th and fly out the evening of the 9th. Don’t wimp out like the Florida crew. You’re better than Flag and you know it. In fact, most of you are from Flag. Do it.
Hey Espi, don’t go knocking White Castle. When I was young you could get 4 for 25¢. 😉
Along with gastric distress whose sound could restimulate Incident 2. My stomach is just too sensitive to cope with White Castle, whose initials are appropriate since that’s where you’re headed after you eat there.
LMBO!
Oh don’t be such a wus, Espi! Sometimes diarrhea can be good for you!
On the floor!!!! Laughter!!!!!!!!!! Honky Chateau!!!
Hey! Who you calling a Honky?
me.
talking about the ghetto as if it were paradise.
Hate White Castle! That’s unpossible.
Ok, first of all, I live here in Huntington Beach (aka Surf City USA) in the OC (Orange County), Espi. Let me know if you have some extra time. I’m just 33 miles from LAX. Tell Mike to give you my email.
Also, when they were mentioning beach cities, they never once mentioned Huntington Beach!!!! What are we, chopped liver? There is, though, a mission in Newport Beach which is currently the wealthiest city in America. Every so often, I try and drive down there (it’s just south of HB). They always stop me and say: “Boy? What are doing down here?” And I reply, “I just wanted to see how the seriously rich folks live.” And they say, “Boy! You crawl back into your little pickup, go back to your single wide and you leave the seriously rich folks alone!” And I say, “Ok.” It’s tough being po’ white trailer trash……..
Sorry to say this, OSD, but I’m pretty much booked. My one free evening is going to be spent with a friend in the area. Maybe next time I get to town.
If this isn’t a snub to top all snobs … then hrrrrummmph 2 U 2!!
Oh……Ok. Maybe next time (big sigh). But, do contact me. I wanted to ask you something about the industry you’re in.
Keep in mind you’re always welcome in our home here at the beach.
OSD, Santa Cruz is the REAL Surf City on the mainland. 😉
NO IT’S NOT! John, I personally knew Jan & Dean. Jan used to come see perform when I was still an entertainer. And, I used to hang out at Dean’s home. When they sang, “We’re going to surf city”, they’re talking about Huntington Beach. Jan, of course, passed away many years ago. (There’s a back story here that I won’t get into). I went over to Dean’s home a few days after Jan died. We talked about all the great music that came out of Jan and Dean.
I remember this going back and forth with Santa Cruz, but, we are Surf City USA!
Sorry, John! You a great guy, but, Santa Cruz is NOT Surf City.
LOL. I know, we (in Santa Cruz) were too busy surfing when a bunch of suits from Huntington filed a ™ 😉
I have to admit that the water is a little warmer down there. But, the waves … eh, not quite what I’d call challenging compared to Steamer’s Lane.
You got me there. Steamer’s Lane can get very big. And you guys also have the men in the grey suits to contend with. We had an influx of adolescent Whites cruising up and down HB for awhile. But, they really don’t pose a threat. I’ve surfed 15 ft waves in Hawai’i, but, at this age, I don’t go out on anything over 6 ft. Glad you realize where the TRUE Surf City USA is!
Omg…I used to be HUGE J&D fan (both Jan and Dean and joking and degrading)!
Please tell me they were great (and that Dean still is)! They were before my time but there was a made for TV movie called Dead Man’s Curve (starring Richard Hatch, whom.I loved because he was in Battlestar Gallactica….) But I digress……
What was it like to hang out with them?
Well, Jan used to call me up around 2am when I’d be getting back home from putting on two shows. He would tell me how good I was and stuff like that. And I was say to him, “Jan, don’t you realize you and Dean are idols to us? That your music was part of the sound track to our lives?” He would reply, “Really?” And then he say, “Well, I still want to do hard drugs.” After we would get done talking to each other, it would be 4 or 5 in the morning.
Dead Man’s Curve was all about Jan crashing his corvette and getting brain damage. Dean kept him on tour for quite awhile, but, had to monitor him constantly because Jan was always looking for drugs. He actually couldn’t perform without them. It was very sad to see such a talented man waste away like that.
Chee Chalker, both of them were fantastic! Just like the Beach Boys. They truly were the sound track of our lives. And, like the Beach Boys, they had the same formula for their music: Surfing, Girls and Cars. To this day, their music is still my favorite. There’s no one to take their place anymore.
After Jan died, I went over to Dean’s home as he lives in HB too. I told Dean that I was thinking about him due to Jan’s death. He said, “Do you want to hear the whole story?” I had no idea what he meant, but said, “Ok.” Apparently, Jan’s drug habit was completely out of control. Dean said they had to purchase cocaine for him so he could function. Dean also said Jan’s parents never said “thank you” or anything for keeping Jan on tour. He was angry over that.
Both Jan & Dean and the Beach Boys sang about my life (and every surfer’s life). The music was very positive and upbeat. And it was wholesome too. I can remember listening to them on my 8 track!!!
I really miss both those bands! There’s still surf music around, but, not like those guys!
“there’s no one to take their place.”
You said it. I created a custom station on Panadora once upon a time. Had all the surf music on it from back then.
Loved cruising the PCH blasting my 8 tracks. Windows down watching the girls.
You and me both, my friend! Blasting Jan & Dean or the Beach Boys while cruising PCH. John, it didn’t get better than that. I guess we both have great memories of that. Hey, we might have driven by each other!
Santa Cruz is only the cosmic center of the Universe, ever since my 10th birthday.
What happened on your 10th birthday, Mark?
OSD,
There is no way any org promo material is going to mention Huntington Beach. There is a very obvious reason for this.
It is because you own Huntington Beach and as far as the cult is concerned, if any kool aide consuming, planet saving do-gooder goes near your sector, they never return to the folds of the cult.
So that is what real Safe Pointing is all about! You get a VWD on that. And when I manage to drag my sorry derriere down to your safe area …………. the first round is on me. Nice work!
OMG! You’re damn right I am!!! Man, you are one intelligent dude! How did you know? HB IS my turf! And has been for many decades! And thanks for VWD, Coop! I appreciate it! Ain’t going to let no cult get a foothold here in HB! Not sure how they’re doing in Newport Beach. Saaaaaaayyyyy…maybe I should stop by their “mission” to see what they’re up to? I’ll go in with my usual tale: “I’ve never had to work a day in my life because of the family I was born into. I have more money than I’ll ever spend.” I wonder what will happen then…….
The “Scientology Mission of Newport Beach” is located inland in the city of Orange* (on Taft), at least if their website is to be believed. Nobody, but NOBODY in OC considers Orange to be “near” Newport Beach.
The other Scn mission in OC is in Foothill Ranch, within walking distance from my house.
* Yes, Orange County CA has a City named Orange.
Really! I thought the South Coast Mission was actually in Newport Beach! My bad! Guess I’ll have to go up to Orange and check them out and report back here. And…I didn’t know about Foothill Ranch either. Are you in the OC?
The two missions in OC that I can find:
South Coast Mission (Foothill Ranch) is http://www.south-coast.scientologymissions.org/
but they have rebranded themselves as: http://www.oclifeimprovementcenter.com/
The Newport Beach mission is listed in Orange as: http://www.newport-beach.scientologymissions.org/
I live in Foothill Ranch maybe a mile and a half from the SC mission (and I used to live within 1/2 mile of the OC org when it was in Tustin, but I didn’t know anything about Scn at the time).
So maybe this explains the NOI/Co$ unholy alliance…… With Issac on to Target 2 and Chill E.B. not having any influence outside of the Co$, maybe the thought was the only way to get African-Americans into the Co$ is by aligning with a black cult……
I don’t know though…..I don’t see these two groups together for the long run. This world is not big enough for the egos of COB and Calypso Louie (that’s what we call Farrakhan here in Chicago as he was once a Calypso singer (true story…he actually has a decent voice!)
Chill EB doesn’t have any influence IN the cult either. Last month or so on his FB page he was doing a fundraiser for his new song, (probably about how psychiatrists are out to get everyone) for $15,000 to promote it, get its played in every club in the country. So, here’s this fully indoctrinated guy, who has to beg for table scraps (in the scheme of the affluent organization he shills for) to get his record played. Something is amiss there. Quel suprise.
In light of what Scientology did to Isaac Hayes, I find ChillEB’s devotion to the cult particularly upsetting. We know how much LRH loved him some people of color. NOT
Also, glad to see Brother Polight stand up to the cult in Harlem. Like in many situations where Scientology is questioned, the little red shirt guy was unprepared for anything off script, like Hubbard’s known racist leanings. Of course they called the police, in typical fashion. As Polight said “Welcome to Harlem, Bi***ches”
Thanks again Mike. I enjoy your blog and attitude!
I love Brother Polight…..he really made them squirm. Hopefully he also made them THINK.
I saw the video of Brother Polight! Man, he NEVER backed down to the cultists. And, of course, if the conversation is not going their way, the call the police.
“Welcome to Harlen, Bitches!” Nice…….
He is a large presence in Harlem.. a real community activist. I can’t imagine Brother Polight not making his presence known often.
With a murder and robbery rate about 300% higher than the national average I don’t think that people from other areas (read safer) are going to go there.
I did some charity work (not scio connected) in that area about 15 years ago and the average adult cannot read above 3rd-4th grade level, so the “locals” are not the correct “public” for a Class V org anyway.
Gee, John, the crime rate and literacy rate isn’t something that Criminon and Study Tech can’t handle. Remember, Ron had the solution to everything…oh, wait, didn’t Ron also say that black people were pretty much unauditable? Gee, that must be why Honky Chateau is whiter than titanium dioxide.
Come on Espi! 1st you bag on White Castle now you’re pulling aside the curtain on “The Tek”? 😉
Espi, John’s got a point there. I mean, bagging on White Castle is bad enough, but, exposing the Tek? Blasphemy! This is so egregious, they’ll NEVER let you back in. Your Future of Eternity is now in jeopardy! JEOPARDY, I tell ya! I thought you were smarter than that!