Another bizarre cow pie just landed splat in my inbox….
And as with everything else in scientology, the goalposts area moving target. Today’s news may or may not be completely at odds with what was said yesterday, but the sheeple never seem to notice.
The last announcement about the world’s largest ideal org was that LA Org held that distinction. Guess not. At least not for this week.
So, now you know, the “world’s largest ideal org on the planet” is Milano. As announced by the redundancy department of redundancy.
And then the next oddity — they’re holding one HUGE showing – Valley, Pasadena, CC – everyone in LA. Oops, they didn’t invite Inglewood. They’re the second class citizens of Los Angeles I guess. Integration has never been a scientology strong suit.
But wait for it, OMG, it is the FULL presentation. Featuring the FULL speech drivel of Dear Leader. Of course you could just go back and look at any of the dozens of past ribbon yankings he has graced with His Presence and you would have the same words, just in a different word salad arrangement. Nothing new to see here. Blah blah de blah de blah blah.
Then the second bullet point shoots straight into grammatical hell. I wonder if Dan Sherman hisself penned this sentence of unlimited magnificence?
And following that you are invited to “take part” in the event (?) along with 8,000 “exuberant” Italian scientologists. You couldn’t scrape together 8,000 Italian scientologists if you had the full force of the Gestapo on the job for a year. They simply don’t exist. There were not 8,000 people total in attendance — but at least half the audience was imported from other parts of Europe and even the US. It’s the way things are done in scientology when Dear Leader is going to be present. The pressure is on for everyone from anywhere to show up to “make a good video” so it can be shown at events like this in order to collect more money. What is so amazing about this is that by now everyone has participated in one of these staged “shows” and they all know what really goes on. One would imagine it would sow seeds of doubt, but too often it seems to reaffirm their dedication to the lies because the sheeple are co-conspirators. When you participate in some discreditable conduct you are less likely to complain about it.
These pieces are becoming more and more laughable. And predicatble.
Bryan Seymour: I had written this little note last night and though I read Ton Ortega’s far more extensive and well constructed piece on the same subject on his blog this morning, I am leaving this here as I think it bears repeating.
One of a handful of the most courageous and important journalists who have covered the subject of scientology, Bryan Seymour is a hell of a guy. He has done numerous stories in Australia that have broken ground and exposed the abuses and lies of scientology. Bryan never backs down. Never gives up. And I was reminded of this again today when I saw his latest Facebook posting. I thought it worth sharing here. And while I think about it, everyone I have come to know in the media who has had the courage to take on scientology is, to a one, tremendously kind, good and intelligent. Despite the propaganda one is inculcated with when in scientology, these people are the sort of friends anyone would like to have. A tip of my hat this morning to John Sweeney (and his producer Sarah Mole), Joe Childs, Larry Wright, Alex Gibney, Tony Ortega and Steve Cannane. There’s nothing quite like a “Merchant of Chaos” in your list of FB (and real life) friends to make life interesting and a little more enjoyable.
“When you participate in some discreditable conduct you are less likely to complain about it.”
Don’t touch shit. Even with gloves on.
“The world’s largest ideal org on the planet.”
Boy, that line is straight outta the Department of Redundancy Department.
I don’t get why everyone has to go and watch videos of things that have already happened over and over again. I realize they’re just trying to get people in the door so they can lock them in and suck money out of them, but at least they should show something original. they have a huge movie studio, make movies! I truly cannot get my head around the idea that anyone, even the most kool-aid filled scientologist, wants to listen to DM talk about anything for 3 HOURS. I’d rather eat glass.
Also, I can never look at that picture without feeling like that “building” is just a facade, another Potemkin structure. aside from the number of people there – who hardly look like representatives of the “mecca of fashion” btw – the building itself looks totally fake.
I don’t get why everyone has to go and watch videos of things that have already happened over and over again.
It keeps the image of Dear Leader fresh for all the sheeple. You can be sure that there are NO events that are replayed that do not feature him. I guarantee you couldn’t find a copy of the “grand opening” of Pretoria being replayed anywhere if you tried.
Cialdini calls it “social proof.” One could call it “herd instinct.” Check out “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert B. Cialdini
Jens – Well “herd instinct” can also happen on this blog, speaking for myself. At the “Super Bowl Hype Deflated” post on Jan 23, I read down negative comments about handing out drug booklets at the Super Bowl. As I read down I thought yes, yes, yes . . .
A still-in or Indie named Eamonn Gosney posted counter arguments and IMO he won the “debate”. I realized how easily I had suspended my own critical thinking (If I ever had any – lol)
Hi Richard
R: A still-in or Indie named Eamonn Gosney posted counter arguments and IMO he won the “debate”.
E: Thank you, Richard — that’s very kind of you to award me (a still-in) that win.
R: I realized how easily I had suspended my own critical thinking (If I ever had any – lol)
E: I’ll tell you the secret of my sanity: Not allowing myself to receive any particular flow for too long. For instance, I appreciate receiving multi-POV (points of view) on subjects, including Scientology. I like to hear what L. Ron Hubbard has to say, what David Miscavige has to say, what Mike Rinder has to say, what Marty Rathbun has to say, what Tony Ortega has to say, what Bryan Seymour has to say, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc. I appreciate hearing ALL the POV. And anytime I begin feeling a little crazy, I know it’s time for me to get more POV.
Thanks
Eamonn – I learn much about philosophy and logic (and recently “critical thinking” – lol) by reading the blogs. I don’t get mired in the satire. As you mentioned earlier and I agree, animosity is unhealthy. Best, Richard
At one event I went to they made us sit through at least 3 of these “grand openings” one after the other, surely I can’t have been the only one there to have found this beyond tedious? It is literally the same crap rehashed by different people each time, like everything else in scn it is designed to bore you into apathy so you are more easy to extract money from at the end.
According to an Italian website, http://www.cesnur.com, a site that studies religions in Italy, the number of Italian residents who declare themselves as being a scientologist are 10,000 circa. I personally think the number is inflated, nevertheless, I doubt that just about every single scientologist in Italy made their way to Milano for the opening.
Italy has 59,83 million residents, 57.5 million of which are catholic.
$cientology, with 10,000 members (plus or minus 47% for false stats) is a statistical zero. Less than one fifth the attendance of an average football game.
They may have reached 10,000 when Paderni was magically reeling them in, but I don’t see any way that all of Europe has that many any more. Just doesn’t add up.
If anyone in the Co$ PR machine was as sane and honest as Bryan Seymour they would…ummmm…gee… I guess they would LEAVE like Mike did.
All that Ideal Orgs do is use Dianetics & Scientology to unustly harm innocent people. Nothing more and nothing less. And this is done at a PREMIUM $$$ cost. INT Management then steps in. Once the members believe they are under good control they are threatened that they have to pay and/or be expelled for their mistake of not following L. Ron Hubbard scriptures. Church members can’t follow any correct policy that has not been written into church scriptures yet to be followed to an end result now can they? 🙂 So, what is going on in this church besides it’s members knocking each others brains out of each others head behind each others backs for fun and to stay on policy. I was disabused of the idea that this church could possibly be serious about doing business with me when I was 18 and completely convinced by the time I was 26. I have been out since. I cannot imagine ever going back to what I already know is a confused mess. Confused without taking into account their cases (i.e. engrams and implants). 🙂
I apolgize for the typo: the word should be UNJUSTLY in the first sentence:
All that Ideal Orgs do is use Dianetics & Scientology to UNJUSTLY harm innocent people.
I guess I wanted to emphasize that particular point on this “religion” if it can be considered that.
If 8000 scientologists can be assembled in Italy (without the benefit of Photoshop), this raises an interesting question: Why can’t they get 6,300 into the Shrine for the event of the year–in the scientology mecca of LA?
If the Way to Happiness has practically eliminated crime in Colombia, why has crime (including violent crime!) suffered an annual rise of 20% (TWENTY) in that same global scientology hub of LA?
It appears, there is some kind of statistical formula that postulates a strong positive correlation between scientology’s accomplishments and their multiplication in proportion to an event’s distance from scientology headquarters. If I may be so bold, I propose calling this the “the less you can check it, the more it is happening” principle.
For the less mathematically inclined, “a lie travels half-way around the world before truth puts its boots on.”
Hi Todd Cray. Really enjoy your posts. Classic ” a lie travels half way around the world…..I love that sentiment.As for dm, truth’s boots were made for stomping.Laughter,Ann
Hi Ann,
Thanks! Always good to hear from you.
I counted 50×50=2500 visitors
50 x 50. That must be one of the standard Photoshop settings. All of the good Photoshoppers have apparently blown or been declared–most likely, both.
Dave,
Soon you should be able to count attendance with the fingers on one hand (think exile).
Mike, I take exception to your ‘redundancy department of redundancy’ sentence. As a 32 year veteran of New York State Government, I well know the vaunted ‘Agency of Redundancy, Division of Redundancy, Bureau of Tiny Little Electrical Plugs that Plug Things Together’, where I spent 32 years plugging things together and then unplugging them. You don’t know the history of little plugs, I do.
I don’t think you could cull 8 thousand clams in all of Europe, and that includes the UK {different ‘continent’ in $cieno lore}, so yes a lot of US clams had to fly in to just get the 1 thousand to 1500 clams who the local papers said actually attended.
So what will be the Reg theme of the epic showing of the Italian mOrg opening? Does it matter? No, the theme doesn’t matter, it is all about raising money for whatever the COB wants, just like it ever was. Same as it ever was.
Laughter!
I’m going to do some simple wog math! Watch out I might get riveted to my tiny meat body! 8,000 Scientologist for 12 Churches listed on Scientology.com in Italy! That’s a little over 666 Scientologist per building assuming even distribution 😉 Let’s 1/3 of them are on course and 1/3 those go after work 111 Scientologists on course given time in each building! They better get going on building more parking I’m only estimating around 160ish parking spaces at the huge Milano org! Whales get your check books out unless you want to see Italians fighting over a parking spots!
The numbers don’t add up.
What are crimes??? Oops, I meant to type 1/2 and not 1/3 for the number that show up after work. Also, probably not a good idea to post without sleep! Well, back to the RPF for me!
Just what is the definition of “Ideal Org” these days? I think a random spot check would reveal that the COS suffers from one big group MU. But then I doubt that Scios ever get checked out on their PR materials. I suspect that in any Qual check scenario the correct answer is often “whatever DM says it is.” It would appear that the tech has been streamlined after all.
the correct answer is often “whatever DM says it is.”
Whatever DM says it is —[this week (or today).]”
“When you participate in some discreditable conduct you are less likely to complain about it.” Truest words I’ve heard to describe a corporate scio, and Brian Seymour – hell of a nice guy!
The only way that Scientology would draw any crowd to that white elephant is if they had a high-class coffee bar and a Prada retail store in the lobby. This is Milan. All people there care about is drinking coffee and looking fabulous while doing so.
And how stupid are the people at Freedumb? They sent a free copy of their asswipe to Seven News, knowing that everyone there would immediately forward anything that came from Scientology to Brian Seymour. They must have been under orders to do so. Wonder if the Australian Broadcasting Company got a copy as well? If so, Steve Cannane probably got it within ten seconds of opening the envelope.
From what I understand, being a never-in and all, Freedumb takes its marching orders directly from OSA, since OSA is where Public Affairs is parked on the Org Board (correct me if I’m wrong, Mike, since you were The Man in that regard). Could this full-court press for public acknowledgement have anything to do with OSA’s activist stance on “squirrels” that was exposed here last week? Warren McShane seems to be aroused from his coma, most probably courtesy of a Severe Reality Adjustment from DM, so he’s woken up the rest of the Orifice of Stupid Assholes and screamed out demands to reverse the negative press from Going Clear and Leah Remini by any means necessary. Hence, squirrel-busting and attempts to control the Merchants of Chaos. Since OSA is strictly reactive and hasn’t done anything pro-active since Snow White, it makes sense to me.
Yes, Freedom is a department of PR in OSA Int (and local OSA’s but nobody else does any editions).
“New renaissance” Comparing themselves to Europe’s 15th century cultural revolution makes me wanna hurl. Morons. They wouldn’t recognize cultural rebirth if it fell on their head.
or if it bit them on the ass
The confetti is added after the photo was taken and developed.
(Post Production)
The camera was probably European , the two lens ganged together
were Japanese. Camera Shade and solid tripod (wooden)
The confetti is the give away. Absolutely no media to cover the event
and horrors of horrors publish their own pictures of same event.
Great Cow pie . On the farm my German Shepard would go lick
a fresh one when I came home from school and then jump on me
licking my face with fresh green cow pie.
A Doctored photo.
I had a photo of a doctor once……
Jose, seriously? I’m not even done with my first pot of coffee! That image of the cow pie and your dog licking it and then you is….how do I put this….classic! However, the image will just not go away!
That was my best farm dog.
Hand him a can of beer and he would open it and drink it.
Ate Mice , cow pies and chased rabbits.
That’s one hellava doggie!
“Translations: Spanish, Chinese, Hungarian, Russian”
This either shows how caring and inclusive Scientology is, or indicates that most of their staff are now from Eastern Europe, Taiwan and South America. I wonder which it is?
I know this one, Graham! They’re caring and inclusive! (cough, cough). Bwahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, I went as far as I could go. OF COURSE, they’re getting their prey from ALL OVER Europe! BTW, did Going Clear show up there?
Unless the IRS 13909’s Co$ into it’s own steaming pile, I see their (Co$) embracing people of color, immigrants, even their R-1 visa temps as a breach in COB’s wall, you just can’t keep treating human beings as they do. COB the days are numbered, where is your bunker ?
Graham- I thought the same thing immediately when I read it, except the kind/considerate part didn’t hit my radar.
Well spotted.
Check out the top entrants on the list of applications vs countries of origin: http://tonyortega.org/2016/01/13/dox-government-disclosure-shows-extent-of-scientologys-reliance-on-cheap-foreign-labor/
Looks like 2 stages.
So….one stage will fall away just before entering space?
And, Jimmy Mathers as the Beaver.
Yeah, yeah. I know it’s Jerry Mathers, but, I claim artistic license.
By the way, Surfer Dude, did you know that Jerry Mothers does have a younger brother named Jimmy? I saw him guest star on an early episode of ‘Bewitched’ .
Wow! And i thought I knew that series! I never knew he had a brother! Thanks!
Bryan Seymour is a hero in my book and in my world of so few heroes. “The church is going to get a pass.” “My little ole heartache? – everybody hurts.” “There are so many injustices in the world.” “It’s such a small, insignificant church….” Then I read something like this from Bryan Seymour and I have faith in the world again. Today. I love Bryan Seymour.
Hi McCarran, I love Brian Seymour too! He has such an impish way of starting off his letter and then Fireworks! Love,Ann.
Yes. I wish I could write like he does.
Bryan Seymour kicks ass and takes names. He always has and always will. This is a guy with some real Super Powers that the cult will never have: Honesty & integrity. In abundance, I might add….
+1
Spot the Ideal Photoshops and win! Prize? Your eternity…
Yup … definitely. Aa number of folks have been added to the crowd, the confetti repeats itself, and the stage is too “clean” (a graphic design rather than a 3D stage).
Problem is that two largest other beliefs do fill the world in Milano: Rome’s Church, and maffia. How come one third bizarre thing could try to fill it? Just because the italian laws have beel done to avoid any control of the two other beliefs: belief in crime, for the maffia, and belief in controlling any soul (it that exists) for the other.
The Outfit in northern Italy? Not so much as in southern Italy, where they’re more powerful than the Church. You’re right, though, in saying that there are two gods in Milan: the Catholic Church and fashion. The Milanese are totally convinced that Christ wore a Fiorucci loincloth on the cross.
Oh yes Espiando, re Mafia in N. Italy. Universe Corps mission to Milano org in 1993:
1) We got robbed right at the airport on arrival = great start. Later on
2 more incidents of close encounters with Mafia goons. My, are they trigger happy!
The SO uniform in Italy is NOT the safest outfit to wear…..
Greta
Roger, isn’t Flag the largest Ideal Org on the planet or isn’t Flag supposed to be the largest top Ideal Org on the planet? All of a sudden Italy is taking the reigns? The Church of Scientology invalidates itself in front of the world and spends huge sums of money to make this point clear with these full color pin up posters of upcoming events. 🙂
“When you participate in some discreditable conduct you are less likely to complain about it.” This is the modus operandi of david miscavige and his church as far as getting His parishioners on board. This is what mutes parishioners, contributes to their cognitive dissonance and/or makes it hell for them to “come clean.”
I experienced this on a minor scale and woke up to it, when I told the OSA Rep (before I realized how evil they were) that it was wrong for me to “play the game” during the Basics Campaign because I disagreed with it so much, you would have thought after that that I was the CAUSE of so many public and SO members leaving during the Basics push.
Hi McCarran, Liked your post. Yes the spy world behind the curtain or cloak of cos is a bizarre landscape indeed! I am so happy you got out and I can read your posts here.Love,Ann.
☺️
I’m glad that you were able to find an escape pod and jettison away to safety. 🙂
It was definitely a scene.
Exuberant audience…the mecca of culture and fashion…
Oh boy, this bombastic terminology goes together with the delusion of grandeur this cult has instilled on the very few left inside.
As far as I know, the Milano Org is actually the largest, at least in size of the physical building itself. LA org is still the “biggest” in terms of business.
Of course, such clarifications don’t matter when you’re making mindless propaganda pieces for the COS; it just sounds better to say “Witness the opening of the largest class V org in the world!”
Photoshop at its worst. When the building looks like a 1950s film facade. David Miscavige could open ideal morgues a lot faster if he just built the facade and carried it from town to town and photographed it. No one is going to come in the building afterwards anyway.
Hi Valerie, Your post is brilliant! Thank you! Love,Ann.
Yes look at the guy with the red iPad and the picture on the screen–there is no way you get that picture that far back. It looks like they put several rows in the front.
I have just one question: How do you PREPARE to be INSPIRED? Do you put on high boots so that inspiration doesn’t slosh into your socks? Do you take extra krill oil so that blood doesn’t clot with too much inspiration? Do you slather on the Carmex so that your lips won’t crack in the inspirational gust? OK, that was more than one question, but I suddenly became inspired.
These nutters are nothing short of crazy. Yao Ming is nothing short of tall. The Great Wall of China is nothing short of long. Chris Christie is nothing short of wide. The Arabian desert is nothing short of dry. Rock candy is nothing short of sweet. David Miscavige is nothing short of … er … never mind.
There, I said it.
Hi hgc10, Great posts today. Yours is a keeper,thank you.Love,Ann
How to prepare for inspiration, of the kind forced on you by the criminal organisation known as the “church” of $cientology: Before leaving home, put down the chequebook and empty your wallet of cards and cash. Put back a small denomination bill to pay your way out of the room…
The sheeple are indeed co-conspirators in the lies. It’s time people stop feeling sorry for them or thinking they are being duped. They want to be lied to bc they have too much invested in the lie and don’t have the balls to wake up. If this was The Matrix, Scientologists would 1 for 1 take the blue pill and stay in ignorant bliss bc at the end of the day, they are cowards.
Kuato Lives : “The sheeple are indeed co-conspirators in the lies. It’s time people stop feeling sorry for them or thinking they are being duped. They want to be lied to bc they have too much invested in the lie and don’t have the balls to wake up. If this was The Matrix, Scientologists would 1 for 1 take the blue pill and stay in ignorant bliss bc at the end of the day, they are cowards.”
Are you a Never-in who writes about Scientology thinking you know it all just because you read a few books or a few blogs , or do you have an ACTUAL personal track with Scientology , dear Kuato ? It seems to be the former. I am Peter Torres from Puerto Rico ; what is your name , to introduce ourselves properly ? I assume that you won’t have a problem stating your real name if you are calling others “cowards” , will you ? Cause that would make you a coward as well , wouldn’t it ? I am just saying.
Making those general white and black propositions about cult members isn’t going to help anyone, besides being misguided and faulty in the extreme. I thought you understood cult phenomena and mentality ? At least you frequently try to pose as an “expert” , here in this blog.
“They want to be lied to” ? Where did you learn that ? Certainly not from Margaret T Singer’s works, Hassan’s , Longone’s , Lifton’s, Lalich’s , or any other competent ones. You calling them “cowards” only shows a VERY poor understanding on your part of what “Undue Influence” and “Cult Mentality” are all about. If this is the way you are going to help others to recover from the INSIDIOUSLY destructive undue influence of a cult , then you better quit already.
By your assertions Mike, Rathbun, and many others ex SO executives , who spent DECADES inside (most of them, at least) , were “cowards” as well ? And many of us low profile ex-Scientologists who , who spent more than a decade (in my case, three) trapped into the cult mentality , not due to any “fear” , but due to “trust” and “believe”.
I suggest you start reading the works of the above mentioned individuals, specially Margaret’s, and REALLY learn about “Cult Mentality” before arriving at such totally biased opinions.
Best,
Peter Torres
Puerto Rico
Peter, you are totally correct. My father read Dianetics in 1953, just before I was born. He took me and my 2 sisters to the Apollo to join the Sea Org when I was 17 years old and not done with High School. My wife and I got out, thanks mostly to DM kicking us out in ’81 out of Int. Was I a co-conspirator at 17?
But, I now have had 2 of my kids that joined a local org. They aren’t co-conspirators in the lies, but they have been exposed to such mind-control that we couldn’t even speak to them about the atrocities of the church. And this is only after 2 years of being part of the org.
No, the mind-control that they have to contend with far exceeds any amount of being a part of the conspiracy. Especially for young men in their 20’s. It is a difficult task to change gears in their minds. I know, I have tried and I’m still trying….
Thanks for your reply, dear Clearlypissedoff ; please do keep trying, and never give up. Keep putting that mock-up up of being together again, and hold on to that.
As regards to guys like Kuato, it seems to me that most Never-ins always fail to really duplicate the cult phenomena of Scn no matter how much they read this blog or any books on the subject. The only Never-in that understand Scn even much better than many actual Scientologists or Ex(es) is dear Espiando. I think that he has been fooling us all , and did participated in Scn before, at least in the FZ ? :-)))
Anyway, a full command of the subject of “Undue Influence” and “Cult Mentality” is needed to REALLY being able to duplicate this madness called Scientology. W/out such a command one is lost in the fog of it all. Any ex-Scientologist or even an Indie ought to really get fully trained on cultic studies to either fully recover from the mental/spiritual effects brought about by the cultish aspect of Scn , or to avoid the same thing from happening again in the future with any other subject , if they already freed themselves of Scn. Most Indies I know, doesn’t understand much about cultism, and thus they still hold on to many weird ideas and faulty concepts. You see it every day in this and at other blogs. It is just incredible how Scn spoils everything it touches ; many are never the same.
The only route out of Scn is that route that leads to self-respect, self-confidence, compassion, forgiveness, and a recovery (in EVERY field of knowledge) of power of choice over data. That is frequently a very long road for us humans , but one worth pursuing. Once you’ve reached its end ; you will never ever be fooled again by any “authority” in ANY field, and would have truly achieved Self-mastery and a VERY strong love for Self. W/out that strong love for Self, the true love for others is never really accomplished.
Thanks for stopping by, and much success to you.
ML,
Peter
Hi clearlypissedoff, I want to thank you for a sensitive post.You are on the list of my heroes. If I had had children it would have been hell if I blew and they stayed.So tough.I appreciate your posts.I am still trying every day to be-able to walk 100% in the Sunshine and not fear the dark under belly of this cult.Love to you & yours.Ann.
The apparency at a local level is that people are winning and doing well with the GAG 2 stuff, getting any of them to look beyond this is like flogging a dead horse. I have friends who are still in and refuse to even look online. I didn’t use to believe in brain washing, but no matter what you call it scn exerts such undue influence on individuals that they would rather believe what the cult tells them than listen to a long term friend or close relation. It takes most people a long time to reach this level of receptiveness which is why there are so few scns and why virtually no new ones are sticking around. Every day I keep my fingers crossed that my friends will be treated as appallingly as I was by the cult, it is about the only way I can see of them being shocked into reality.
It seems that extreme abuse overcomes extreme programming for all but those unfortunate individuals in various syndromes, whatever they are called. Another approach is creating “doubt” if possible. A blogger suggested showing someone an LRH policy and asking that person if that policy was being followed. I think The Creed of a Scientologist was one suggestion.
Beautiful comments and observations by all the people above.
Wow! Cow pies. I used to try and avoid those when I was on the dairy farm. As I ran barefoot through the south pasture, I could see them coming and I would hop over or run around. However, I did hear that on a cold winter’s day one could step in a warm cow pie to keep your bare feet from freezing. Yeah, that’s it. Slappy steps in them to keep his feet from icing–up. Ok, going out to split some firewood now and step around the pies.
I used to jump in the cow pies like jumping into a puddle. I was always forced to sleep in the outhouse….
You’re the man, Dude! I whish I had met you back in the day.
Hey, Boggie…here’s lookin’ at you kid.
Is it just me or is that ribbon cutting picture a really bad photo-shopped shot? For starters the building is not 3 dimensional. The picture, like Scientology, looks really fake.
I thought Harlem was the mecca for culture and fashion…..or was that Inglewood that Chairman Mao-caviage cringingly pronounced as the epicenter of ‘cool’….….
You could run a ‘spot the join’ competition with that ridiculous Milan poster: where does the real crowd end and the photoshopped one begin?
It’s not necessarily photoshopped. Wide angle lens makes it look more impressive than it is. You could count all the heads in that shot. It’s not really that many. And you can be sure there aren’t many people outside that frame. By framing the camera as they did, the implication is that they couldn’t fit all the people in the shot, but be assured there weren’t that many outside the frame as shown. I mean Dave is pretty dumb, but probably not that dumb. Sure, he fancies himself a professional photographer and authority on film making, but he’s much better at inventing statistics. He’s gotten away with that for decades. Photoshop and Battlefield Earth not so much.
I agree they used a fish-eye lens, but that photo has definitely been tinkered with: apart from thickening up and stretching the crowd, the sky’s obviously been altered from the grey overcast that was actually overhead on the day 😉
I’ve found three so far. They’re clever, they never use the people in bright colors always the folks in black or dark coats.
Didn’t a local news site put the number somewhere between 1000-1500? I thought I saw an article around that time (that wasn’t a CoS news/ad but what appeared to be local news) saying that, though I could be off on the number a bit. Definitely was not 8000 though.
You are right. triple duplication of shot, lol. Scientology, you crack me up.
Hey, I’m not the brightest light in the drawer, but, I’m seeing duplicate heads all over the photo!
https://www.mikerindersblog.org/milano-grand-opening-photoshop-fail/
You mean the woman on the back row with the bald spot and the long curly hair with two red arms by her side and one arm holding a phone up in the air isn’t real?
well, this item in the picture is probably the funniest 😉
Now that’s funny!
“You couldn’t scrape together 8,000 Italian scientologists if you had the full force of the Gestapo on the job for a year.”
I think you would need the KGB on that one.
Why do I have the mental image of DM holding a fundraiser to pay for his departure to someplace without an extradition treaty in my head?