Scientology Media Round Up 4/10

Unmasking Anonymous
ASU Web Devil - Unmasking Anonymous

by Christina Caldwell
published on Wednesday, April 9, 2008


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Members of the Internet-hacker group Anonymous are masking themselves to take down what they see as a corrupt organization: the Church of Scientology. This week, SPM meets some of the faces under the masks and uncovers what they are fighting against.

It's an ominous scene reminiscent of the film "V for Vendetta." On the night of March 5, a handful of people approach each other cautiously, making sure not to blow their cover. They have plans to band together, but remain on their guard.


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New York Mets become victims of Rick Astley

New York Mets become victims of Rick Astley online pranksters - Times Online


As upsets go, it ranks alongside the most extraordinary results in sporting history. When the New York Mets, one of America’s most revered baseball teams, asked their fans to select a new theme song, they could never have predicted that the winner would be a has-been Lancastrian pop star.

But five million people had apparently voted on the Mets’ website for Rick Astley and his 1987 classic, Never Gonna Give You Up. Organisers were, to put it mildly, puzzled.

They had offered fans solid American choices, such as Jon Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer. Yet that had only garnered a fraction of the Astley votes.
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People: NY Mets cheesed off by ‘rickrolling’ stunt | News | The First Post

Repression 2.0
How censorship of the web has evolved into the creation of fear

Repression 2.0 | News | TechRadar.com


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Online character assassination

When regimes find that their multi-layered attempts at stifling dissent fail to control the internet-using habits of some citizens, they are increasingly learning the subtle arts of online character assassination.

The Church of Scientology regularly uses this very method when dealing with its critics and refers to it as ‘fair game’. It appears that some governments looking to discredit the opinions of internal dissidents have now adopted this practice of spreading misinformation, usually about their character, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.

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The FundamentaList | The American Prospect

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4. Grassley Probe Still Making Waves.

With Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar still holding out against cooperating with the Senate Finance Committee's investigation of their church finances, their resistance is being supported by conservatives anxious that the probe would have a chilling effect on religious liberty. The Baptist Press reported last week that the pair's lawyers took aim at Sen. Charles Grassley's targeting of Word of Faith, or prosperity-gospel preachers, with Dollar's lawyer wondering in a letter to the committee whether Grassley was motivated by a "distaste for, or disagreement with, these churches' theology and religious practices." The American Spectator accused Grassley of violating the spirit of a law he co-sponsored, the Church Audit Procedures Act, which prohibits leaks of information from any government investigation of church finances.

What's next? For the scandal-mongering Spectator, the possibility of a congressional investigation of "the black liberation theology popularized by Barack Obama's controversial pastor, Jeremiah Wright" perhaps is not far behind. "Wright has retired to a $1.6 million home in a neighborhood on the south side of Chicago -- certainly a lavish lifestyle that seems equally ripe for such an investigation. Or what about the Hare Krishna temple in Grassley's home state of Iowa, or the wealthy sect of Scientology, which is supported by Hollywood stars like Tom Cruise and John Travolta?"
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not related to only scientology but....

Fake Blogs Now A Criminal Offence

Sony, Wal-Mart, McDonalds and others could soon find themselves subject to criminal prosecution under new legislation to be enacted in the UK. The “Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008” comes in to force May 28th and will cause some corporations to rethink their marketing techniques. Judith Lewis explains more.

In the world of online marketing, many tactics have been employed including the creation of fake blogs or ‘flogs’. A ‘flog’ is a fake blog created by a PR firm for the purpose of falsely representing themselves as a consumer, usually for the purposes of creating a buzz around a specific product or brand.

**Anything in the media mentioning scientology or relevent to the protests**



Divisions over war reflected in 'Hero'
http://www.mercurynews.com/eyeheadlines/ci_8874315

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No one is more at ease in this house than Hero's girlfriend Destiny (Denise Berumen), who wears heavy makeup and high heels no matter what the occasion. (Her mother, we learn, works as a stripper in the morning, buses tables at a diner in the afternoon and greets visitors at the Scientology center in the evening.) Destiny gets along so well with the entire household that her defection to Junior during his brother's absence isn't much of a surprise.
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GlossLip Is Amazon.com Censoring Negative Reviews Of Scientology Books? Sure Looks Like It

Is Amazon.com Censoring Negative Reviews Of Scientology Books? Sure Looks Like It

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When will they ever learn? You just can’t mess with the interbutts. First it was YouTube, who cowered in fear, when it suppressed free speech and fair use by pulling the leaked Tom Cruise Video, then it was Ebay allowing the Church of Scientology to yank post-consumer e-meters off its website, now it’s Amazon pulling negative reviews of Dianetics.

These are enormous, multi-million dollar companies acquiescing to a so-called religion, which has the structure of a pyramid scheme with a rich history of illegal and collusive activities to defraud and manipulate its members and the public at large.





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(Create a new thread to discuss)

***Sci Propaganda***

New Reports Point Out Life-Threatening Dangers of Alcohol


New Reports Point Out Life-Threatening Dangers of Alcohol Use by Teens



***Sci Propaganda***

JG-TC.com > Opinion > LETTER: Bloggers hide behind anonymous speech



LETTER: Bloggers hide behind anonymous speech
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Experience has shown that persistent and purposefully violative speech, especially when anonymous, does not disappear if everyone just ignores it. Such speech serves no socially healthy purpose as a safety valve for letting off steam. Undebated by vigilant and skillful responders willing to identify themselves openly, such speech creates a community momentum antagonistic to open civil dialogue free from vigilante threats.

Committed citizens must hone their sharp shooting skills to take aim at the threats that pulse beneath anonymous and malicious speech. Clear, published laws and sunshine policies that encourage open, participatory democracy, not anonymous vigilante justice, have always served as the primary resources of safety and security for all citizens in a democracy.

RUTH LEIGH

Charleston

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Tucson Weekly : Currents : On Anonymous

PUBLISHED ON APRIL 10, 2008:

On Anonymous

The Internet generation gains a voice and takes on Scientology


By MARI HERRERAS

Want to understand why a group of college students and others call themselves Anonymous, wear V for Vendetta Guy Fawkes masks and stand outside Church of Scientology centers in protest? Then you may want to visit Internet userboards like 420chan.org--where you'll see that an Internet generation just might be gaining its voice.

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Recent movie releases | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

"Superhero Movie" *

Tiresome spoof of "Spider-Man," "The X-Men," "Batman" and "The Fantastic Four" that attempts to mine humor from having "Happy Days" mom Marion Ross break wind. Its lone hilarious moment -- actor Miles Fisher replicating Tom Cruise's Scientology recruiting video -- is available free all over the Internet. Rated PG-13; crude content, comic violence, language. 1 hour, 16 minutes. By Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel.

Star Community Newspapers

Amy Philo - Frisco mother fights to stop postpartum depression bill


**CCHR & Cult Propaganda**

Scientology targeted by protestors - Local News on Stuff.co.nz

Masked protesters who rallied outside Panmure’s Church of Scientology last month are expected back there tomorrow.

Scientology spokesman Mike Ferris says about 30 protesters gathered on March 15 across the road from the centre.

Mr Ferris has labelled them "nuts".

This Saturday’s protest will be the third organised by a group calling itself Anonymous, and Mr Ferris says the previous demonstrations have made him feel unsafe.

"I have received phone and email threats from people calling themselves Anonymous."


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But Mr Ferris says the campaign is "dangerous" and full of "religious intolerance and hate-speech".

"They have targeted me and my family.

"It’s a bit dangerous and I really don’t like it."

While Anonymous says allegations members want to harm anyone are untrue, Mr Ferris says the police have been informed.

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While Anonymous says allegations members want to harm anyone are untrue, Mr Ferris says the police have been informed.

It's over guys. We've lost. The fact that police have been informed is solid evidence against us. :( !!!

An article about Anonymous, Gregg's Fair Game and Scientology spokeshole Gerard Renna spouting off more crapola calling Gregg a "convicted felon"

Scientology vs. Anonymous: Local battle heats up | BostonNOW

Originally Posted by Oinkertron9000

An article about Anonymous, Gregg's Fair Game and Scientology Spokeswhore Gerard Renna spouting off more crapola calling Gregg a "convicted felon"

Scientology vs. Anonymous: Local battle heats up | BostonNOW

That would be Reverend Renna. Please get it right.

Originally Posted by bris.anon.ymous

That would be Reverend Renna. Please get it right.

I did. hehe. Gerard is his first name. I would lend him more respect with title but truthfully he is an ass (from past history/testimony of people)