South Texas

One Year Ago Today: Did the Squirrel Busters Mark the Beginning of the End of Scientology?

On April 18 last year, a man named Marty Rathbun opened his door at the sound of knocking and was presented with the sight you see here. Three men on his porch holding video cameras, and with backup cameras strapped to their foreheads. They were each wearing sky blue T-shirts that featured the same ... More >>

Scientology Admits Connection to Slimy Anonymous Attack Websites

We've pointed out in the past that Karin Pouw, the Church of Scientology's spokeswoman, appears to be struggling, having been thrust into the role of chief mouthpiece since Tommy Davis vanished sometime last year. But her latest gaffe is more than simply an embarrassing moment for her and the churc ... More >>

Marty Rathbun is Big in the U.K., Still Waiting for Major U.S. Treatment

This weekend's lengthy profile of Marty Rathbun by The Independent's Guy Adams really brought back a lot of memories for us. Last year, we brought you frequent coverage of the bizarre "Squirrel Busters" siege at Rathbun's house near Corpus Christi, Texas. For some five months, a strange spiritual s ... More >>

Scientology on the High Seas: Hubbard Welcomes the New Meat!

In November we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from late 1968 through 1971, and this time we'r ... More >>

More Scientology Miracles! And L. Ron Hubbard Tells You How to Make a Slave

Fellow Scientology watchers, we're working on several big stories for you. In fact, we went out of town this weekend on a fact-finding mission, and we are planning to tell you about that soon. But for now, those stories aren't quite ready. In the meantime, we were so happy to see how popular was Mo ... More >>

Scientology Campout: Commenters of the Week!

It never seems to be a quiet week here in the underground bunker where we keep an eye on all things Scientology related. The cats had barely settled down from our brief trip to Texas when the bat signal on the Antipodean circuits went off, alerting us to an imminent bombshell. But let's not get ahe ... More >>

Scientology's Secret Vaults: A Rare Interview With a Former Member of Hush-Hush "CST"

Over the years, we've talked to a lot of former Scientologists, many of whom worked at the church's secretive desert headquarters in Southern California, "Int Base." They were cut off from their families and the outside world, and became accustomed to living in secrecy. But even these people adopt ... More >>

Scientology Jurisprudence: Commenters of the Week!

The underground bunker might need some new paneling after the way we were bouncing off the walls this week. I mean seriously, how are we going to keep up with all of this Scientology news? It's like this is turning into a real job or something. We started off the week with our regular feature, Sund ... More >>

Scientology on the High Seas: Squirrel Cookery!

​In November we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from late 1968 through 1971, and this ti ... More >>

Scientology vs Marty Rathbun: An Unfair Fight?

Last summer, we brought you extensive coverage of Scientology's bizarre siege of a South Texas home. A goon squad calling itself the "Squirrel Busters" claimed to be a documentary crew making a film about former high-ranking church executive Marty Rathbun. The intimidation squad even managed to get ... More >>

Scientology, Winning! We Hear from the Church's #1 Student

On Thursdays, Scientology's staff members race to get their statistics turned in by 2 pm, the end of their week. Here at the Voice, we do the same thing, rounding up the world's media on Scientology each Thursday and deciding whether the church has had an "upstat" or "downstat" week. [Go here for ou ... More >>

Scientology on the High Seas: Ringing in 20 A.D. with the Commodore!

On November 18, we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from late 1968 through 1971, and this time ... More >>

Scientology Spectacular: Commenters of the Year!

"M-A-R-C-O-T-A-I. They'll never figure out it's me with this fake Italian accent!"​Here on this final day of 2011, we're replacing our usual Saturday morning celebration of the week's best comments with a special announcement. Our IT department has done the math, we've run those numbers throu ... More >>

Scientology in the Village Voice: 2011 in Review

Here at the Voice we wrote 234 stories on Scientology this year. They generated more than a million pageviews and more than 20,000 comments from our loyal readers. Our first story of the year was posted in February, when we lauded Lawrence Wright's excellent, lengthy New Yorker profile of church de ... More >>

Scientology on the High Seas: Yuletide Cheer, Including Dickens Adapted with Evil Psychs

​On November 18, we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from 1968 to 1971, and this time we' ... More >>

SMERSH, Scientology Breakthroughs, and a Funeral: Sailing on the Apollo, Dec 4 - 10

​On November 18, we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from 1968 to 1971, and this time we' ... More >>

L. Ron Hubbard Schools Richard Nixon: Sailing on the Apollo Nov 27 - Dec 3

On November 18, we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from 1968 to 1971, and this time we're look ... More >>

Scientology Leftovers: Commenters of the Week!

​We're still recovering here in the underground bunker from this week's big feast. The leftover turkey is still holding out as we look back on the past week of Scientology watching here at Runnin' Scared. We started things off Sunday morning with a look at Part 3 of "The Money Machine," the g ... More >>

Scientology vs. Pollution, a Lisbon Cocktail Party, and More: Sailing on the Apollo Nov. 20-26

Last week, we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from 1968 to 1971. In this installment, we're lo ... More >>

Scientology Chillaxin': Commenters of the Week!

This disturbing image blatantly ripped off from WhyWeProtest.net​Was this a week for Scientology watchers, or what? Things started off just after midnight on Sunday morning as we scrambled to alert our readers that what we've been waiting for had finally arrived: the launch of the new investi ... More >>

L. Ron Hubbard Christens the Apollo 43 Years Ago Today: For The First Time, His "Orders of the Day"

​ For you Scientology watchers and Scientology history buffs, we think we have something very special for you today. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard sailed around the Mediterranean in a small armada of vessels, going from port to port. Each day, he issued ... More >>

Laredoans Speak: Voices of a South Texas Border City

Scientology in Israel: Arson, Attempted Murder, Foreclosure, General Paranoia -- And a Visit by the Voice!

Scientology's unopened building in Jaffa​Here at the Voice we've reported this year on some pretty hard to believe worldwide developments in the ongoing Scientology saga -- from allegations of lying about child molestation in Australia, to splitting up families in California, to a months long ... More >>

Scientology Seasickness: Commenters of the Week!

I'm OT VIII, I'm king of the world!​It's been a light posting week, but our commenters did not let us down. We've had so much fun with singing on the Scientology ship Freewinds and other madcap adventures, even as we ventured outside the underground bunker. We started things off this week wit ... More >>

Scientology Dyspepsia: Commenters of the Week!

Cheezburger.com​We're feeling a bit woozy after this week of Scientology watching here in the underground bunker. Not sure if it was something we ate, or just the thought of Tom Cruise hurling at Gold Base that has us a bit dizzy. Anyway, Mr. Cruise was very much on our minds this week, as h ... More >>

Scientology Dumpster-Dive: Commenters of the Week!

Clearing the planet, one dumpster at a time​For our longtime, loyal readers and commenters (of all persuasions), I just want to say how much I appreciate your continued interest in things we're doing here at the underground bunker. This week, we got a huge influx of new folks as our stories we ... More >>

Scientology Targeted South Park's Parker and Stone in Investigation

Stone (left) and Parker​Another interesting revelation at Marty Rathbun's blog this morning: Rathbun released what he said was an internal Scientology document which suggests that the church targeted Trey Parker and Matt Stone for a classic OSA investigation in retaliation for the infamous Sou ... More >>

Scientology Transfusion: Commenters of the Week!

Eternal soul? Works all night? Exteriorizes? Hmmm.​It was a frantic week here at the underground bunker, where we keep an eye on all things Scientology-related. While we gathered material for some big stories, we managed to post several quick observations, some of which featured a medical the ... More >>

Scientology Mocked at the South Pole: Now That's Cold

​ We continue to work very hard on some upcoming stories; in the meantime, we have this interesting image from the bottom of the world. I found it here. I have no information on it -- it might be months or years old, for all I know. I only know this: I want to hear from this person, so that ... More >>

Scientology Effervescence: Commenters of the Week!

​Here in the underground bunker, this was something of a strange week. While enduring a middling but annoying cold, we tried to get back in the swing of things after a week out of town. And while things started a bit slow, by Friday this had turned into one slammin' sevenday. Things kicked of ... More >>

Scientology Officially Probing the Village Voice!

​We've just received confirmation that ace reporter Jim Lynch has been handed a new assignment, and that assignment is us! Today, he called a PR firm in San Francisco that we used to work with, asking about "the finances of the Village Voice." The finances of the Voice? Hey, Jim, when you fi ... More >>

Scientology Hates Clean Ice: The "Fair Game" Operation That Should Turn Your Stomach

Xenu hates sterile cubes, for some reason​One of the first things people ask me when they hear that I cover Scientology on a regular basis is whether I've been targeted for harassment by the church. Despite some evidence that the church does intend to "handle" me, I've been left alone for th ... More >>

Scientology Symposium: Commenters of the Week!

It was an unusual week here for us at our Scientology watching operation. We left the underground bunker for a trip to Southern California, but still managed to put together a few stories while on the road. And our commenters did not let us down, with some of them carrying over debates they were hav ... More >>

Scientology Apotheosis: Commenters of the Week!

Well, this was a week we've been looking forward to for some time here in the underground bunker. And now that we've finally finished our big countdown, there's a slight feeling of letdown here at Scientology-watching central. Even the cats are listless. But let's look back at a week that was. We s ... More >>

Scientology Internal E-Mails: Even More Depressing Than You Might Assume

For a few weeks now, we've been watching with some incredulity the material coming out of a particular Scientology "org," which is located in Birmingham, England. A Scientology-watcher who calls himself "CarltonBANKS" has been posting pretty amazing material from the Birmingham org's net servers wh ... More >>

Scientology Dropkick: Commenters of the Week!

DM's minions keep dropping the ball!​Before we look back at the week that was, we wanted to remind you of our upcoming schedule. Monday morning at 9 am we'll reveal #3 in our big countdown, and then at noon we'll close voting on our readers poll. So if you haven't yet put in your own ballot, ... More >>

The Top 25 People Crippling Scientology: The Readers Poll!

​You've watched us reveal all but the top five entries in our big countdown, The Top 25 People Crippling Scientology -- now it's your turn to vote for your own list! Here's the link you've been waiting for -- now go and tell us who you think is doing the most to contribute to the Church of Sc ... More >>

Scientology Oz-fest: Commenters of the Week!

This kangaroo is volunteering its time and no contract is implied​Every Saturday, we say "what a week." But this time -- What a week! Right? With Scientology news breaking Down Under, and the countdown getting to single digits, and wacky stuff leaking in the UK -- the underground bunker was ri ... More >>

VIDEO: Scientology Goes Hillbilly; Also, Broke in Ireland and Big in DC (UPDATE: We're Squirrel Buster Stars!)

For our fellow Scientology watchers, we thought we'd post just a few diverting items at the end of another day here at our underground bunker, where we keep an eye on all things Miscavidgey. From the ongoing Armageddon happening in South Texas, we bring you yet another example of the "documentary ... More >>

Scientology Blowout: Commenters of the Week!

A few more L-Rundowns, and this planet could be yours!​Yet another week has gone by, and this one did not disappoint. Just a few hours after we posted last week's best comments, we were caught up in the exciting story of Placido Domingo Jr., who talked to us Saturday night about Scientology's ... More >>

WT, Golf Channel, and L.I.E.S. Lead a Pack of Young Outer-Borough Dance-Music Labels

UNDER PRESSURE

Suzan-Lori Parks heats up the Public Theater

The Brunch Report: Brooklyn Star's Shrimp and Grits

Brooklyn Star's shrimp and grits​ Even those of us who generally object to brunch (long waits, mediocre eggs) are occasionally obliged to participate in the weekend ritual, and when we do, the food had better be good. This Sunday afternoon, Brooklyn Star warmed us up with its wood-burning oven ... More >>

The Films of Robert Mulligan at Walter Reade

Ask a Mexican: Render Unto César

Give the guy a street, already

Lyle Lovett's It's Not Big It's Large

Whatever this title is referencing, it's not his recent discography

Rove Doesn't Rhyme with Dove

Six Feet Under

Western tale of reburial knee deep in grimy detail, marred by Jones's simplistic persona

Hillary Clinton Strikes Gold in Bush Country

Texas ranks second only to New York in bucks for the senator

Getting Bizzy