Someone on Ortega’s blog this morning put up a picture of the Hasbro Easy Bake oven and compared it to the Warehouse VIII.
Striking similarity. And worth a laugh.
But believe me, in the world of Miscavige, when he becomes aware of this, heads will roll.
Russ Bellin and Tom Vorm in CST were the primary movers on the design of the Warehouse VIII. Miscavige announced to everyone in International Management (when it actually existed) that these guys had found the top design firm in the world — “the people that help design Apple” products. At the time, CST honchos were held up as examples of how all staff should be (later, Russ Bellin and Tom Vorm and about 8 other CST staff were all put in the Hole, Bellin subsequently tried to blow but was caught and returned).
Little did Miscavige know that apparently this firm ALSO designed a child’s oven. Something that has been on the market since 2011. I guess they figured the work they did on the Warehouse VIII was never going to see the light of day….
Someone is in trouble for failing to ensure that the look of the Warehouse VIII was not going to be “stolen” for a kiddie oven….
I can’t stop laughing at that title! I may have to shoop it!
They are both so ugly.
Ten years ahead of Microsoft’s Xbox One, but VERY similar to it (Xbox One was released on November 22) in terms of its content rights management and privacy practices.
By the way, I think all the emphasis on what the E Meter looks like is quite sad , and misses the point of the device. …like every other practice of the corporate “church” of $cientology.
M. Nitzche, you mean the OnSource job of SCOHB?
Couldn’t resist.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h233/RogerRamdrive/Mark8EZBake_zps4786fe1d.jpg~original
At least we know what the left-handed meter looks like……..
And for the upgrades……I want the coffee-maker, GPM analyzer, and the copper rod holders (or is that for OT-9 only?).
I also would like the digital / laser distance from PC to ceiling (if the the PC goes exterior I can establish if he is still in session).
And racing stripes (for faster sessions).
On the other hand, I could buy the Hasbro Easy Bake oven, gut the insides, install my Mark V, and I am good to go.
It sucks to be Davie.
Interesting. I wonder why smarty paints himself didn’t think of it!! Very good post. I like this blog.
The fact that he waited so long to release the new model is really biting the genius Miscavige in the ass. It’s a bit like HP making a new computer and then warehousing it to sell in a several years. The non-existent OT 9 and above Lie has Miscavige driving the tech with one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake.
This black model looks even more like a Mark VIII Ultra Bake:
http://www.gq.com/images/slideshows/registry/easy-bake-628.jpg
What do the Easy Bake Oven and the Warehouse VIII have in common? You stick a fork to tell when it’s done.
Great now I want mini cakes…or as COBsucker calls them…Extra large desserts.
Does anyone know how much it costs to manufacture these things? Aren’t they made or assembled in Taiwan? It would be so lulzy if someone leaked that connection. I would love to know the factory workers salaries and their working conditions, and finally, the actual retail mark-up amount.
Mike, what can I say; I live for your blog.
Money scam, what did the first E-meter cost back in the day ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMxX-QOV9tI#t=48
The Easy Bake Oven doesn’t have 24MB installer for its update program. The Mark VIII now does. It’ll probably throw 50MB of stuff on your drive. I’d think twice about running it.
As a software developer, who’s also designed devices as complex (ha!) as that meter, I can’t think of what that updater program could do that could possibly require that much software.
So what else is in there eh? I don’t have the time or a spare PC to run it and find out, but I bet the people who do run it are going to get more surprises than just the one year self-destruct countdown on the meter when they’re no longer in good standing.
Good point Rick.
Your secretly declared SP and the only way you find out is they instal a killer virus when you go to their sight to “update” the software.
🙂
Also, likely a built-in NetNanny so they can’t access critical sites. In addition, an algorithm that logs whether or not they’ve searched for same.
After all, critical thoughts are only a Google search away.
Log in to the server and then receive your Declare in the mail…Or at least be called in for a Sec Check.
Jeff,
Yeah I forgot about the malware and spyware that could be added by the lil’ squirrels.
You plug your meter into your MBP or Laptop and the next thing you see is an 401 error message when you go to Mike’s Blog.
Me I wouldn’t trust any software the Church puts out these days.
Oh shit. Good point. Wow. People are probably downloading spyware that watches every website they log on to… tonyortega.org and mikerindersblog.org and possiblehelpfuladvice.com… hmmm… and whatever else. Big Brother. Good point. It’s adding a sucker punch to the insult and injury.
I think it would be cool to have an e-meter that consisted of a pocketable hardware kit to be used in tandem with a smartphone app. That way you’d have access to real computing power to act as a sort of smart assistant to the auditor. Plus it would be kind of awesome to whip it out and go right into session wherever you happened to be.
Really the emeter needs to be an app with USB connection and have a capable recording history of 1 minute…wait there’s one like that already on the market.
Ahh…BoC, I mean KAWB goes off the rails again.
It’s the EBT oven/E-meter.
Easy Bake Thetan, that is.
Crispy and Golden Agey goodness…..
Screw Visa, this is PRICELESS!!!
Bwhahahahaha.
Hilarious!!
enjoy
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/scientologys-worst-nightmare-why-they-made-author-lawrence-wright-look-like-a-demon/story-fnixwvgh-1226765972006
Oh, and by the way. All of the last 35 years of these pieces of plastic junk being sold to Scientologists was a COMPLETE scam from the beginning. Ron HIMSELF said the old meters in the 60s were PERFECT ….. THEY FREAKING WERE NEVER WRONG!!!!! (you can look up LRH’s statements on the meter in the 60s if you should so choose and you’ll see I’m telling it straight here). And Ron was NEVER WRONG as we know – and if you think he was, I order you immediately to first M8 the materials, then get M4,M7,M9. crashing m/u handling, false data stripping, disagreement handling, ethics and whatever else is necessary until you start thinking correctly …. I mean cogniting about the truth.
*and now I find out that the old/new Mark8’s don’t even have a phone or music storage capability!!!! Hey, what’s up with that” I thought an Apple designer helped out! I’m just gonna hook my pc up to an ipad and audit. Probably work better.
We could definitely use an App for that…Meter leads on USB with an on-line Mark V. Screw the Quantum and EBT.
OK, so who’s up for some Squirrel-based web design?
Hey Joe I agree.
Probably the iPad would work better than that Hasbro Toy.
Back in the day you could still buy a Mk V if ya didn’t dig the VI and nobody beat ya up if ya didn’t want one.
The thing that sold me on the VI over the V was that my V wouldn’t charge one day so a friend let me test drive his VI while another friend of mine was putting a new battery in my V and it was love at first sight.
Can’t say the same about the Stupid VII or that piece of shit they forced everybody to buy for the Golden Age of Crap called the Quantum.
I can only assume under Dave’s careful “supervision” that the meters have only gotten worse.
You know the old saying that would praise a salesman’s abilities? – “He could sell snow to an Eskimo.” Soon it’s gonna be …..He could sell a new E-Meter to a Scientologist. Can you imagine how unbelievably stupid and brainwashed you would have to be to fork out FIVE THOUAND BUCKS for this piece of junk? And then to have to buy TWO of them? Miscavige was one of those guys in a past life who used to roam the countryside selling the hicks the magic elixir. Now, he’s got the hypnotized 8,000 – the remaining public morons still on line who are willing to max out their credit cards on “COB’s command.” That number does not include the befuddled and mind controlled staff who work all day and night for no money while Dave keeps pulling in the cash on the “Ideal” scam.
Golden Age of Easy Baking Technology II
The digital display on the E-meter is really early 90ties cheap
Too funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
some days you are too much, mr. rinder. that headline made me burst out laughing! please keep it up! cheers!
If you add bells and buzzers to the needle movements the blind could use it to audit. Non-confront needle rise burrp-burrp. Also, bzzzz-bzzzz could tell auditors the proper floating needle of the new tech. Lastly, it could entertain children. Check it out
So you are saying the Church is selling the UltraVIII Easy bake oven? Or Hasbro is selling the emeter? Maybe Hasbro should put out an emeter.
Is there a picture of the connectors on this thing?
USB, Ethernet, etc.
Somewhere, a while ago, I read that the warehouse meters had serial ports???
That’s a great point. It will really date the technology and will help the loyal Scientologists who are brave enough to figure out that Mike’s telling the truth about the the insanity of warehousing the meters for so long. I can see it now… please attach your 2400 baud modem to the meter to transmit your data through AOL. Yesterday’s technology today.
I read that as well. I’m curious to know if they changed them all or if they really all have serial ports. Does anybody know? Can anyone find out?
Reports of those who CAREFULLY downloaded the instruction manual in a safe manner (also reported tha manual download does link back to Cos in install process), it comes with a cable to convert from serial connection to USB. LOL Definitely 10 year old warehoused tech as Mike has repeatedly reported. Photo of serial connector cable and ongoing software exploration is here:
https://whyweprotest.net/community/threads/dissecting-the-new-mark-8-e-meter-updater-software.115310/
Co$’s reg: “We have a new e-meter so modern, that you’ll say goodbye to the old fashion e-meter.”
Public: “$5000 for a lease? It looks like the Easy Bake Oven! There are non-lease, cheaper and better in the FZ!”
Co$’s reg: “You are insane!”
1:18: Salesman: “I have a new toy [owen] so modern and fun, that you’ll say goodbye to that old fashion toy oven”
3:19: Girl: “I don’t think it fits very well”. Salesman: “You are insane!”
http://www.youtube.com/embed/8xP-6xhauf4
I’m getting my Ultra OT 8 meter on E bay
see if it can make donuts as good as the Easy Bake.
Yum, Yum, burp !
This oven sells for 54.00 or even 35.00….uahu…no comparison with the Ultra VIII whatever.
Those numbers are about the building costs of the E-meter
Surely the spin will be that Scientology design has influenced some of the largest corporations in the United States of America. Just checked and much to my surprise found that the domain “RonTheIndistrualDesigner.com” has not yet been registered. (Incidentally, “RonTheBullshitArtist.com” and “DaveTheSheepleBeater.com” are also available.)
Typical of the coup going to “experts”. Even with thousands of words written by the Ol’man about Marketing, Promotion and PR. They signed up with H&K and spooky Bob Gray CIA who suggested that Scientology should remake themselves in the image of Micky Ds.
(Funny he never gave that advice to his other account the Moonies but anyhoo..)
Now they got some company who “helped design Apple”.
To quote one of those idiotic emails ….
“Wow, wow wow” or whatever.
Anyone who worked even on the fringes of the tech world like me knows that anything ever designed by Apple was either personally designed or approved by Jobs till his death and that anything Apple designs is done in shop at Cupertino.
Meaning these guys are full ‘o shit.
Sheeesh
What a buncha schmucks!
And these are the guys that were it seems in charge of CST!
No wonder its an ineffective paper tiger!
We’d have been better off if Mead had really taken over.
Anyhoo…
I betcha that the oven works better than the new Mk Ultra (sorry still can’t get over the name) “emeter” and it probably only costs 29.95 plus shipping.
Such a deal!
And with the pervasive blindness that is pervading the organization these days. Some auditor could probably use one of those and nobody would notice. That is until it dinged or something with a nice hot muffin in the oven.
The big question is do they have those ovens with the dials on the right hand side?
“Anyone who worked even on the fringes of the tech world like me knows that anything ever designed by Apple was either personally designed or approved by Jobs till his death and that anything Apple designs is done in shop at Cupertino.”
Yep, that’s why that iPhone with external, multi-frequency antenna that got shorted by holding it got produced. A mistake not even a 1st year H.S. electronics student would make. Steve was NOT a technical guy. Great eye candy product manager though. The best.
Exactly Ilbye.
That’s why I gotta a laugh when whoever was running this mysterious design firm said they designed anything for Apple .
Yeah riiiiight.
Though ya gotta admit. It does look a little like one of those old 90’s iMacs if you squint a little 😉
Probably where they got the design idea which they claim they sold to Apple.
Uh huh.
Anyhoo…
If CST has a buncha rubes like those. Being in the hole is too good for ’em.
1) For allowing dear Dave to fuck up the Tech beyond all recognition.
2) For falling for that typical Madman bullshit and not checking it out for themselves what we both know or anyone could know if they picked up any of the dozens of HiTech rags or surfed the internet.
What a buncha maroons.
“A mistake not even a 1st year H.S. electronics student would make.”
That fallacy was debunked years ago.
Anyway, this $5,000.00 hoax, though, is another story. Jeezus, look at what kind of modern electronics you can get with $5K – you could get a top-of-the-line 27″ iMac, plus a top-of-the-line 15″ MacBook Pro, and an iPad Air, all brand-new, latest models, for exactly $5,000.00. You could record and mix a hit record, edit the videos for it, design all the artwork, and then run the whole media campaign from your tour bus with that stuff. This stupid meter is supposed to be as high-end as all that? Horseshit. There’s probably more advanced technology in an old Atari console than there is in Little Davey’s stupid meter.
Maybe it should be renamed the Warehouse VIII Cash Cow.
Moo.
‘fraid not Gus. I took apart one of those phones. It is true. TOTAL C-F on Apple’s part. When you get YOUR E.E. and look at that phone giver me a call. Not until then.
Mead?
From what I’ve heard it was all styrofoam cups and pretty colors to fool everybody.
Bait and switch, as it were. As in, which cup is your fiver under?
I’d be interested to here your take on what Mead’s influence/role actually was.
There’s so little useful info on the whole CST thing, that I’m willing to listen to either
a) the truth
or
b) kooky conspiracy theories that may or may not involve the Feds releasing Xenu from his eternal prison in a super-soldier/anti-Christ kind of role.
Danke in advance.
Hi Jeff,
Now your asking for a topic near and dear to my heart…
er …. just give me a minute to adjust my tin foil hat…. 😉
About Mead well there is was a site devoted to him which is now mirrored here:
http://rundbrief.org/kd0044/archiv/sc-i-r-s-ology/
that is based on an earlier website called Veritas which is mirrored on the above website which is here:
http://rundbrief.org/kd0044/archiv/sc-i-r-s-ology/veritas/index.htm
Which itself is based on a series posts that were first posted by real cyber sexy babe calling herself or maybe himself (i net drag) the ARSCC (for Alt. Religion Scientology Central Committee) Librarian giving a series of post posted in the late 90’s and the early 00’s on ARS that were carefully preserved here:
http://english.freiescientologen.de/archiv/arscc/index.html
They in my opinion make interesting reading and support many of their assertions with actual documents while at times making leaps into the great beyond.
Like the “two Rons theory” which I find as believable as the “lone Miscavige theory’ even though the former contradicts the latter.
This is the problem with conspiracy theories going back to the mother of all conspiracy theories alluded to the Kennedy Assassination. Appropriate since we just passed the 50th anniversary of that fateful day in Dallas with the whole as murky as it was back then.
Was it the KGB? The CIA? The Cuban DGI? the MIC, the Mafia? Or was it that Oswald got lucky with a Italian Mannlicher Carcano ?
A weapon so inaccurate it couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn at point blank range.
The above gives reason why some of us aren’t happy with the Warren commissions report for the above reason among others.
But does it mean any of the other five did the dastardly deed because the Oswald acting alone narrative doesn’t seem plausible or even possible?
Who knows?
It could have been a rogue operation as this book entitled “The Third Bullet” by Stephen Hunter (a historical fiction based on facts) seems to suggest.
After a while doing any research in this area is like walking through a room full of mirrors or going through some looking glass.
The solution to all of this is form a narrative of any kind that will contradict the Government approved or the accepted narrative which they do on the website but by doing so like the many of Kennedy researchers they jump to conclusions like the crazy two Rons theory which for them fills in the blanks.
In my opinion Mead Emory founding the Church of Spiritual Technology is another one of those.
First it simply contradicts historical fact. Being that beginning in the early ’50’s the Ol’man had been trying to establish another entity to assume control of his subject in the event the other one failed or was no longer “coterminal” to the Religion going back to the Church of Spiritual Engineering and American Science moving on to HCO and Library and Research Ltd and eventually the Guardian.
He in my opinion was working on a fail safe of some kind which would allow the subject to survive even if the Organization was taken over by a hostile force.
Regarding Mead. I personally think he was just another unimaginative bureaucrat who was simply hired for his expertise in Tax law at best or at worst a mole keeping certain hostile interests informed about the Church’s restructuring.
Not the founder of CST.
Aside from the historical record I’ve mentioned is the fact that Ron obviously wrote the articles and signed the incorporating instruments for the CST and made it clear in his last will and testament AKA as Trust B that all his copyrights be transferred to this entity.
Yet there are those who believe it wasn’t really Ron who signed these documents and that he was in fact an impostor.
One can see how they would reach this conclusion simply due the fact that the Ol’man spent the last few years of his life in almost total seclusion and was rarely seen.
Yet this doesn’t mean that you form some wacky narrative that someone had craftily placed a ringer in place which allegedly even fooled Mary Sue or Diana or Arthur or Suzette.
I mean look at the case of Howard Hughs.
The fact is that even though Ron was in seclusion or hiding as some would say. He still wandered the streets of San Luis Obispo and even came down to LA every once in a while.
Hughes never left The Sands.
In fact I saw Ron fly by me driving an Austin Healy while I was walking back from New York George’s.
Musta been doing 70 down Fountain 🙂
Anyway as I was saying Jeff. The 2 Rons theory doesn’t jive and therefore the idea that the evil Mead Emory founded the CST just doesn’t work for me.
I mean I suspect him of possibly being a plant but that’s another thing. Scientology for me has always had a certain level of intrigue.
Guess I hung out with too many GO members, demanded a need to know that was way above my pay grade and my wife’s an ex-GAS spy ( in fact she wants me to help her write a book entitled “I was a Spy for the Church of Scientology”) which could explain my active imagination at times. Aside from the fact of being a struggling spy novelist with a penchant for John LeCarre and Charles McCarry 😉
As far as Kooky. I try to stay at least with a terrestrial explanation and so do these guys despite the two Rons theory and their favorite Bette Noir which is obviously the IRS since I think the founders of those sites and the original author of the Librarian posts were also Tax Protesters which could explain their leaning toward Mead as Dr. No or Ernst Stavro Blofeld.
Not even a mention of the Illuminati here.
No if you want a wild kooky you gotta listen to Capt’n Wild Bill Robertson’s theory of what went down. I mean he starts off ok and then goes “to where no man has gone before” with his Marcabian Theory!
I mean to quote one of those emails.
“Wow, wow , wow”
But since ya asked here ya go:
http://galac-patra.org/english.html
Anyhoo I hope you enjoyed this comment as much as I enjoyed writing it.
And I apologize Mike for using up so many gigs on your WordPress blog.
I flitted around ARSE for years in the late ’90’s early 00’s (in fact, Mike’s former group was likely attempting to track me then, maybe still is even now), and so have read all the sites you listed many-a-time. All extremely interesting, but tending to leave more questions than answers.
I’ve never really bought into conspiracies, but this particular one has maintained my interest since those sites popped up in the early 90’s.
Having said that, I’ve always thought it very strange that CST even included a former AD of the IRS, long before attaining exemption. After all, this entity has been the ‘enemy’ since 1950 or thereabouts.
What if LRH really was a spook, and was given the MO of founding a multinational religion/corporation?
What better way for the IRS/FBI (or any other Fed agency for that matter) to move people and/or assorted items (not to mention cash) from country to country unhindered than under the guise of a religious entity?
Of course, the tax ‘war’ was a prearranged front. After a suitable amount of time, and under instruction, DM just ‘wanders in unannounced’ and 50+ years of litigation disappears.
Now, every church has a tax compliance officer and a direct line to the IRS.
Tried FOIAing the last 20 years of Church receipts?
Think they care how much was ‘donated’ for the SP building or what it actually cost or how much of it is currently off-shore?
When CST was founded, the lawyers not DM were running the show.
I’m also fairly certain that there are no Boards of Directors left standing, if in fact there ever even were.
The shell game doesn’t really interest me that much, what intrigues me is what’s under them….which I suspect is not much. But there may still be a few viable hinding places for really creepy goings-on/shenanigans.
Truly, the first and only US government approved religion.
And that says a lot about how screwy it all is.
DM may be an evil moron, but he’s somehow managed to get control of the reins – Government complicity notwithstanding.
Glad you got a chuckle from the Xenu thing. See, that was the hook and it worked!
Also, apologies to Mike for the Train GPMs sending me (once again) off the rails.
“Anyone who worked even on the fringes of the tech world like me knows that anything ever designed by Apple was either personally designed or approved by Jobs till his death and that anything Apple designs is done in shop at Cupertino.”
Not quite true. The period in question would be the 1980s. During that time, Apple did indeed go to industrial design companies for assistance. Ideo designed the Mac mouse. Frogdesign designed much of the mid-late 80s Apple product line: Laserwriter, Apple Iic, IIgs, Mac II, Mac Iicx, etc. Frogdesign also designed the Steve Jobs’ NeXT Computer, surely with lots of input and guidance from Jobs.
With the easy bake you get GUARANTEED results! About $30 vs. $5000+ all the other books, lectures, etc, uh, I’ll take the easy bake please!
you so crack me up sometimez!!! LMFAO
$54.99 for the oven. 🙂
http://www.hasbro.com/shop/details.cfm?R=8A47B412-5056-900B-10D3-1C924B872020:en_US
All I can say is: Oy Vey!
John P. or someone needs to start taking a CONTRARIAN viewpoint on this whole debacle: Scientology is ripe for the picking. Kind of like what Marissa Mayer is doing to Yahoo. And similar to HP, too.
Now that DM has built his MEST empire of empty garish buildings and cheap, behind-the-curve, E-meters, it is simply time for a talented entrepreneur to hijack the whole kit and kaboodle. Toss DM aside and take the devastated brand and make it work just for the game of it. Take it from Boarders to Amazon, in a sense. Even those not interested in taking over the show can participate just to fill the void and run off DM for good.
Deliver processing up to Clear on a franchise basis. Marty, for one, apparently validates processing to Clear.
As the pendulum swing of the legal environment goes the other way, DM will be taken as if with a wrecking ball. Just scoop everything up for a song with some investor allies and/or some creative “crowd funding”.
I didn’t think the resemblance was so striking till I realized that, while this is a right-handed e-meter, it’s a left-handed oven. When you compare them with this in mind, it becomes apparent that it can’t be an accident.
I wonder if they also make a right-handed oven?
I heard this meter can actually clean your auditoring room in between sessions. Turns into a robot carpet cleaner. And it can also perform the routine task of “setting up a session”. Well for that price you expect it to do that and more.
Stolen 2 years prior to the release! Oops.
My bet is that the Easy Bake Oven has the more advanced electronics of the two.
Ten year old design is about right though. If you let things sit around long enough they’re going to look old. (It sure doesn’t look like my easy bake oven did eons ago.
It has so many things going on on its front that you are distracted as the auditor as you glance down to see what the meter is doing. That big black stripe overpowers the time and TA numbers so your eyes can’t adjust to it quick enough, and the design elements seem to be more important than the numbers on the dials. But who cares if you can’t audit with it, right?
OMG, LMAO!
Slappy forgot to have the design patented like Apple does with this firm.
It is aesthetically unpleasant. I was somewhat repulsed by it’s odd design when I first saw it. It’s looks like some sort of cheap, made-in China cooking timer/calorie counter. It looks like some gadget that would have been sold at Sharper Image ten years ago for $29.95.
A controller for a “digital foot-warmer”. It’s a good design for a USB Toaster. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5088/5263988873_f54e535d3c_z.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.flickr.com/photos/ffacker/5263988873/&h=427&w=640&sz=215&tbnid=Wbr9fMhP2Ai1gM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=135&zoom=1&usg=__F5dyxVYZcqjYLtX8aUlG-Vxk1qs=&docid=_Mhv7ZBRidWLoM&sa=X&ei=r-uUUtixJOmtsATRp4GIDQ&ved=0CFcQ9QEwBA
Not to pile on for the sake of it but I agree, it’s ugly as hell and very distracting. It looks like someone put a Mark VII in an oven and melted it for about 10 minutes.
Here ya go Chris!
http://mobile.walmart.com/m/phoenix#ip/Back-to-Basics-Egg-Muffin-2-Slice-Toaster-TEM500/3999075
Doug (DC2), that thing is awesome. Would be perfect if it made coffee.
Be good Pal. Santa is coming soon! 🙂
I am actually going to disagree. I think there is a real possibility that the design was by Ideo, the legendary studio that did the original Mac, tons of other Apple stuff, and many other modern classic devices that people use every day. I don’t think it is the “A” team at Ideo that did it, but I do think it’s a real cut above the design used on the Mark VII. In any case, I don’t think it was done by local talent.
How do I know? They’re using a custom legend on the meter dial itself, with nice curved elements at either end that fit into the design. An off the shelf meter dial would have had squared ends to the reticle, as on the Mark VII.
The elliptical shape of the dial is reflected by a hint of an equal elliptical shape on the upper left, slanted in an interesting way, with one focus of the ellipse being the large knob (volume? tone arm?) on the upper left of the unit.
The black surrounding the LCD display that shows time, etc. forms the upper half of a vertical figure-8, and the lower half of the figure-8 is the divison between the two colors of gray in the plastic on the one side, and the left boundary of the smaller adjustment knob. As you know, that’s the “infinity” symbol turned vertically, much as Scientology 8008 used the same idea of the number “8” as a vertical infinity symbol in the book title. That’s a nice piece of subtle imagery that the cult probably wouldn’t be artistic enough to pick on their own. A designer who really worked to understand their client’s thinking would come up with something like that. And if Ideo charged the cult $250k for the design, cheap for Ideo, they would be that thorough.
By having the “8” in the “infinity” symbol go through multiple colors and by using the black border of the LCD screen to suggest a ribbon shape, they actually got the infinity symbol to look like a Mobius strip, even more futuristic and interesting.
By comparison, the Mark VII, with its one color, cheap knobs and odd shape, looks like a washing machine control panel, and it looks far cheaper. It looks like something designed by Fisher-Price for kids.
Miscavige probably increased his build cost by $50 per unit with the amortization of the cost of an Ideo design and the extra cost of a couple of the custom shapes (dial reticle, custom LCD screen, and a few other things) but note that he increased the price by well over $1,000. So his margins are up even when he basically doubled the manufacturing cost of the unit.
I think this is a rare example of a good decision on the part of DM, choosing a fairly slick design like this. On the other hand, my saying that doesn’t mean that Miscavige wasn’t a complete moron for keeping this in a warehouse for a decade. And it certainly doesn’t mean that it doesn’t look like a kiddie toy. But if you’re going to be a fair and balanced observer of the cult or an effective activist succeeding to shut the thing down, you have to be able to give DM credit for stuff he gets right. Otherwise you risk concentrating your resources to attack in a place where he’s not as weak as you think.
Incidentally, I think the new look of the new Easy-Bake Oven is motivated by some consumers who complained that the original pink colors and flowery decals were increasingly seen as demeaning to girls and excluding boys from the toy. Here’s a story of a teenage girl who successfully lobbied Hasbro to change the color scheme so her brother wouldn’t be embarrassed to use it: http://abcnews.go.com/US/boy-friendly-easy-bake-oven-teen-girl-bat/story?id=18003828. It seems that the maker was smart to go to a first-class design firm to prolong the life of an iconic toy that’s been around for almost 50 years.
lighten up cappy boy, it’s just a joke:)
and it makes for a very nice metaphorical parallel.
on another note.
is it confirmed whether or not you’re actually buying the meter or just a license to use it?
Next issue of Freedom Magazine:
“WALL STREET WILDLY APPLAUDS DAVID MISCAVIGE FOR HIS GENIUS PRODUCT LAUNCH!”
I think it’s fairly attractive for a rather mundane item. To me, it looks like a well-designed bedside alarm clock/radio combo and I would pay $39.95 for it at my local Bed, Bath and Beyond.
JPC
The Mk Ultra is perfect example of form over substance, it’s all about packaging and built in obsolescence etc,etc, things that make Mad Avenue, Mad Avenue.
This is basically the “tech” that the current Church “management”currently apply.
So much so that they might as well make Eddy Benays “founder”.
You can defend this idiot’s marketing decision if you want but I’ll pass. Also I really don’t have as much interest in being an activist in shutting this thing down or whatever.
By being “balanced” or whatever.
I suggest if you want such “activists” may I suggest OCB or ARS or the ESMB.
I believe though I could be wrong that most of us here are not interested in shutting it down.
Might be worth $5K if it can bake chocolate cake like that oven can…but then maybe I should just buy the oven.
$5K for sure if it’s 50,000 times better chocolate cake!!!
OMG thats very funny. Maybe it was by design though. I mean all DM wants is to bake your noodle so you can no longer think.
check out Tony O’s commented earlier about the similarities between the 2. crazy it was an admirer of LRH who designed it! strange world sometimes….
Tony Ortega commented:
And the original EZ Bake Oven was invented by one of L. Ron Hubbard’s first and greatest admirers, a man named Ronald Howes. He wrote a self-published book about early Dianetics and passed away recently.
http://www.amazon.com/During-Dianetics-Scientology-Ronald-Howes-ebook/dp/B004VA4038
original link to tonys comment:
http://tonyortega.org/2013/11/26/bizarre-and-pricey-auditing-scientologys-operating-thetan-level-two-with-claire-and-bruce/#comment-1139404998
New photo and ad for the Hasbro Mark VIII Ea$y-Bake Ultrameter has been released:
http://tonyortega.org/2013/11/27/vivian-kubrick-surfaces-in-the-oddest-possible-way-at-an-alex-jones-rally/#comment-1141718434
How much for the oven? (The meter looks schizophrenic to me. Very distracting.) (Actually, they both look schizophrenic. Does the oven come with a mandatory renewable license that can be taken away if they decide they don’t like you?)
this whole blog is pure entheta and it does not help to get the job done.
Michael, a couple of years ago, I would have agreed with you, until I read Debbie Cooks email.(https://www.mikerindersblog.org/new-years-email-from-debbie-cook/) Debbie was Captain of Flag for 17yrs and did a great job and Flag was a pleasure to go to. Her email explained alot of outpoints, we just didnt talk about.
As regards to the job, I assume you are referring to Clearing the planet. Its not happening under David Miscavidge, his stats are lousy. You need to actually look, not listen to the hype. Go see how much co auditing is happening, how many new people are getting onto Div 4 services. Do what Ron says, Look, Dont Listen.
Then you might understand why he is such a joke on this blog!
In addition, I’ve found an enormous amount of theta available on this blog, much humour and not a small amount of terrific news and achievements. Mike does a terrific job of reporting and, I’ve noted, has also gained the readership of many Ortega devoteés.
Now about “getting the job done”…I long ago realized that “clearing the planet” was a lovely phrase, but meaningless in actuality and/or application. #1, no one asked for it, #2, no one cares much and #3, the burgeoning numbers of the world’s population mitigates against it. What CAN be done is the steady actions of auditing and training of individuals, each one becoming a bit saner as it occurs. Given the billions on the planet, at best it would take many centuries. Hubbard’s plan to get control of the politicians and leaders was doomed at the moment he thought of it. Simply the wrong kind of people, too many bloated egos (much like the Whales) and self indulgent attitudes built in. Such folks have utterly no interest in “freeing the underdogs”. Sad, parhaps, but a fact of life.
In Hubbard’s case…and currently that of Davey Misconceived…the oft repeated quote applies: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Hubbard shifted much of the monies offshore into Swiss accounts. I personally knew two of the individuals who literally traveled overseas repeatedly with millions in cash, back when that was possible. And they were only two of many.
I predict that the tech will continue, perhaps under another name. The organization, however, will die a well deserved death. It might have been a force for good at one time, but the two “leaders” certainly made sure it won’t happen. Misconceived will either get caught and jailed or (more likely) abscond with a lifelong pile tucked away. I suspect that little is salvageable in any case and the lawyers will take care of absorbing anything left of value. So be it. Taking its place will be a loose “confederation” of the various missions and independent auditors and trainers, often helping each other grow and fluorish. The current history of the dzerch will be held in memory for a long time and any “big” organization will be thought of with suspicion should endeavour to grow in any way mimicking the current debacle. Ethics will be mild and ways will be found to “given back” to the individual, as Hubbard first explained, then contradicted himself. More power to the Indies.
@Michael Nitzsche
what’s so scary about entheta? just use the tech to confront and shatter it.
maybe after you do the student hat again, twice, your confront level will be high enough to shatter this blog.
remember “it’s not how to run from an SP, it’s PTS/SP, how to confront and shatter suppression. you apply it and it’s like boom” -Big Being II
I would argue that exposing the truth about what’s going on in the Church Is the job. This can definitely be painful and feel like a bunch of entheta. But if you boil it down it’s better to know the truth than to live with huge lies. One of the biggest is that there is no developed bridge beyond OT VIII. Do a search for “Scientology + The bridge to nowhere.” Now lying like that to 1000’s of devout followers, that’s entheta!
To Michael Nitzsche
That’s quite a generalization Michael! Would you care to name anything specific as being entheta, or untrue?
Families being disconnected – is it entheta that this awful practice is being highlighted and discussed here? Or would you prefer it was just ignored? Would you be happy to lose contact with your loved ones as if they were dead?
Regging people to the point of bankruptcy – are you happy about this Michael, or should someone speak out?
Where’s Shelly Miscavige, Michael? Why was she not at the SuperPower opening? Where were all the other execs? Is it entheta to ask about this Michael?
I thought Scientology was supposed to free people Michael, but you’re not even allowed to look and ask questions? Are you free Michael? Are you free to read this blog, and comment on it and enter into a debate? We are free to do that Michael, are you?
And as for getting the job done…well…as Jason Beghe said, “you couldn’t clear Beverly Hills at those prices”.
You’re being lied to Michael – there are not millions of Scientologists, there are just a few thousand left. You are not clearing the planet, you are supporting terrible abuses of human rights.
I would love to hear your perspective on my comments, Michael, if you are free to do so.
Beautifully put if I may say so. I bow to you.
Crickets . . . I thought so.