Hi, This weekend I got to see (a) thetan beings trying to sign up raw meat, and (b) the lovely Gold base, neither of which I had seen before. Since I'm much more of a concerned citizen than an active critic, I'm not currently being sued, stalked or otherwise being (not) shuddered into silence, and I don't get to see Scienos very often. It was educational.

On Sunday I went to a large local swap meet which is held every weekend.

I've never before seen a Scientology booth there, and I wasn't prepared for how goofy the sales pitch looked in real life, or for how unimpressive it was. The banner said "SEE A THOUGHT", and there was a neat stack of L Ron books on the table, as well as an archaic looking device that I assume was an e meter. (I didn't see the Scn word anywhere.) When I came up one of the two Scienos had a woman on the emeter, surrounded by her family, who was loudly unimpressed that the Scieno couldn't read her mind with it. While I listened to him try to explain it again, I noted that the tarot reader down the row had a much more impressive set-up, as well as a line waiting to see her. Hmmnn.

No one else stopped during the twenty minutes I was there, and neither of them approached me, although I was showing more interest than anyone else. I think I'll be back next week to see if they're there, and to try the e meter out myself. (If it works, I may be back here in a few weeks posting "evil psych news" =:O ) On Monday, I got to see the lovely Gold base. Well, Ok, I'm lying. It isn't really all that lovely. I went up to Idyllwild, and since Gold was only a short detour, how could I pass up the opportunity? I don't know what I was expecting, even though I've seen the photos on the net, but it wasn't what I saw. Overall, the place does have that kind of fake, Disneyland feel to it. There are a number of barracks-like buildings built in a kind of 1970s faux-Tudor style with bright blue stucco -- tacky, but not overtly bizarre. The grounds were nicely manicured, of course. The big house on the hill (DM's?) was nice in that sort of big, bloated California stucco monstrosity way. The ship is odd, since the sign almost makes it look like a tourist attraction.

And the castle..... man. What the hell is THAT all about? I've seen strip mall architecture that's more attractive. I pulled off the road to have a closer look and saw a group of people walking by inside the compound. I waved at them, and my spouse yelled "Quick! Run and you can make it over the fence before the guards come!". One man laughed (!) and waved back, and the rest turned and trotted back towards the castle. Hee hee! Not being prepared for (or inclined to) further entheta, we continued on our way.

One question: what is that big chapel with the stained glass S being used for? My spouse thinks its for show, since it looks so much like a Christian church and has obviously been situated so that passing public can see it. "See, we really ARE a religion!!"

Az

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