Transferred from Operation Clambake Forum: International PIcket Australia

venusian traindriver (Choochooman) Sunday, December 15, 2002 - 11:54 pm

December 15 Canberra Entheta!

Yup. The clams SURE do monitor this messageboard!

My Clam-ohmeter(nartm)started snapping and I left home at 3:00 am for another day in Canberra.

(For the Non-Aussies, Canberra is connected to Sydney by a four lane 110km speed highway, about 330 Kms to the south. The same highway links it to Albury on the Victorian boarder, and other large towns like Junee, Cootamundra, Wagga Wagga, Goulbourn, are all within easy reach by enthusuastic suppressives!) Arrived at the Woden Markets, located the conspicuous bananamobile, but no clam activity. Cheekily I personally left a XSNOTS card under their rear window wiper - right where it would be seen when they unloaded their vehicle (XSNOTS = a credit-card info sheet, which says on the back "Xenu tells me to Say NO To Scientology(tm)" -read the capitals!)

Several Local stallholders looked at the card, smiled and gave me the thumbs up! Then we retired to a snackbar for a cappuchino and to infest our bodies with BT's - (breakfast thetans)

We arrived back after opening time and the clams were only just getting out of their shells. Smarmy-Smile (SS) was setting up with probably his 2D "Oriental Girl" (OG) and baby clam in tow.

Considering that the temerature in Canberra was to reach around 33 degrees Celsius - and hotter in a bitumen paved open area, I, and many other observers considered the wisdom of bringing a small child into such a temperature hostile environment, with so little shade. But after all, what do clams think of children, let alone have wisdom?)

Noticed a neighbouring stallholder having a "stress test" - I spoke to him a few hours later about the experience, and he said that he told them a load of "bunkum", and watched the e-meter needle reactions in total amusement. He was not fooled. Neither were the other neighbouring stallholders.

Of all the stallholders, 50% wanted nothing to do with Scientology, and refused to talk about them. Of the remainder, 30% knew of scientology, and wanted nothing to do with them, but wanted more information and took a XSNOTS card. The following 20% were more receptive, taking multiple XSNOTS cards and distributing them randomly throughout the morning -why, I was even offered one!

Clams knew we were there and were looking for us. Throughout the morning they would take turns in going "plainclothes" and do a circuit of the venue, looking for the source of the XSNOTS cards. They were obviously suspicious of several locals at the venue, but the interstate venusian crew managed to avoid them like aliens would to a bottle of glycol.

Again using mOT powers, most of the people spoken to by the clams were given the opportunity to read the "other side" after they left the venue and intercepted by a crewmember, well out of clam vision. But what was most heartening is that some of the local stallhoders were very proactive. One even approached the clam-booth and handed each one a XSNOTS card! - they became very perplexed and they huddled around reading them They drew little or confusing responses from the locals as to who was distributing them. By now other clams had arrived, the newspapergal, and grey-power Granny Clampette.

There was a young girl who spent some time apparently being interviewed at the clam booth, and then proceeded to tour the venue. An alert was sent around not to approach her, as it was suspected that she was a "plant". After a while of drawing blanks she eventually returned to the clam booth. Yup! a clam. Distinctive by her T-shirt with a dark band of stripes across the front, she was obviously assigned the code "CB" (Chesty-Blonde ).

There was a local stallholder who put himself in considerable danger by handing out XSNOTS cards right in front of the booth. He also approached two ladies leaving the venue and got to them before the train crew could move in. I eavesdropped in on the conversation, and boy, was he full bottle! - he has visited OC, done the research, and is obviously lurking on this message board. I dips my fedora to you, mate, you did a grand job!

These two red-haired ladies (Sisters?) had purchased a "Diarettix" book each, and complained that they paid more than what was shown on the back cover. This fellow simply handed them our XSNOTS card telling them that the books were one side of the story, and check out the website and references on the card for the other side, and then make your own decision.

What happened was an interesting discussion, where he finally challenged the two ladies to look at this web site, and if they think he was wrong, then leave a comment on this message board. If they believe that he is spreading the truth, then post a message accordingly and join in spreading the truth. After some deliberation they agreed between themselves to look up the website for themselves this day at an internet-cafe.

And then the coup-de-grace..... Not only did they take extra XSNOTS cards, but they went back to the clam-booth, handed the books back and both demanded a refund! - and they Got it!

When they flashed their XSNOTS card at the clams, they got a mumbled comment that someone was handing them around. Actually, my clam-friends, NOT someone, but many someones!

We also noted a young fellow wandering around with a digital camera "casually" taking pictures of stallhoders and people - As we are not locals, we surmise that he is probably a scieno capturing info on possible marcabs. We can report that no member of the venusian train was spotted in his viewfinder, however the abovementioned "local-passenger" was targeted by him a couple of times, which reinforces our suspicions.

I approached several people who had a "Freedom" magazine and informed them that as they had a scientology newspaper, would they also like to read the truth. They were horrified to know it was a scieno mag, most promptly dumped them, the others said they would compare it with the XSNOTS references on ths website.

The traincrew received many thanks for their work, and got many thumbs up.

As the markets were closing, "SS" was observed patrolling the perimeter of the venue with a mobile phone, either filing a KR or ordering take-away fresh beans and rice. Yes, my clam-friend, I watched you walking along the Hindmarsh drive footpath. And also the PR stunt of strolloing around with the baby on the shoulders did not wash with many stallholders. You should cuddle your child more often, and not be so quick to put her down and leave her when someone flashes money near your booth.

Only down side of the day was that my other half was loose most of the day in the Woden Plaza shopping centre, surrounded by "Christmas sales" signs and department store "special" hype .... Eeek! - Credit card now drooping at all corners, but she bought back some mysterious parcels to put under our Christmas tree...

I handed out at least 50 XSNOTS cards, and other stallholders had handed out up to 10 cards each, many choosing to keep their spares to hand around to friends etc during the holidays.

Long day, Long drive, but happines is a smoking(fuming) clam. . and a Merry Christmas to clams "SS and OG", - and I bet that plum you each ate tasted good. But it and everything else tastes better in the free world. Enjoy your Christmas as best as you are allowed.

the venusian traindriver and crew - with thanks to the local rascals who took risks but enjoyed the fun of enturbulation.

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