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FCDC circa 1970

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chipgallo

Patron Meritorious
Patty - Ira Crowe. No, she is not on staff. Ira was Snr C/S for quite a while, he is no longer on staff either. Patty went out and did up to OT III and then came back and had some physical issues.....last I heard she was looking at NOTs as her salvation....but that has been a while ago. Saw a picture of her trying to blend in to the anon crowd at a raid earlier this year...obviously an infiltration attempt that did not fool anyone....

Guess who was interviewed on NPR today? (Saturday, Sept. 27) Patty Crowe, about the rising costs of health care. She and her self-employed carpenter husband have a teen aged child who had a brain tumor. They had to pay a $10K deductible before their catastrophic health care coverage kicked in. Then after two years, the tumor returned and they had to pay another $10K.

This kind of thing sucks to have happen to anyone. I'm not seeing how NOTS is going to help the kid, but I'd love to be wrong.

If you want to listen to Patty's comments on health care, government and pharmaceutical companies, here is the show:http://marketplace.publicradio.org/www_publicradio/tools/media_player/popup.php?name=marketplace/money/2008/09/26/marketplace_money_20080926_64&starttime=00:33:00.0&endtime=00:38:32.0
(her part starts around 35:55)
 
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murkobetz

New Member
FCDC days

I just discovered this site today and have read many of the posts with great interest, and I remember many of the names of people who have been mentioned in them. It was 30 years ago, but since I was there, I feel compelled now to post a few of my own thoughts as well.

I arrived at FCDC in the late fall of 1976 and left in the early spring of of 1978. It was a pivotal era, but oddly enough, I managed to miss some of the more significant events that occurred during that time.

I went to FLAG for some administrative training in late summer of 1977, along with Jon Mervine, Allen Blake, and Debbie Masters (there may have been some others along as well but I don't recall). Since we were there until the spring of '78, I missed the great snowstorm that blanketed the east coast during that winter. There was a tall charismatic black instructor at FLAG that we all liked; I think his name was Al Baker. While I was at FLAG I began to get an inkling of how insane everything was, but I wasn't sure how to deal with it. I remember hearing James Taylor's recording of Terra Nova, and feeling as if it were written for me.

I missed the FBI raid, too. A friend of mine had come to visit that day, and having secured a rare day off, I took him to see my adopted grandfather, who had a lovely farm out in Oakton, Virginia. My adopted grandfather's name was Arthur Raper (really!). He was a respected civil rights activist and writer, and was one of the finest individuals I have ever had the privilege of knowing:

http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-746

My grandfather's farm was a true sanctuary for me and I think it helped to keep me sane during my tenure on staff. Strangely, I never went out there with any of my Scientology friends, though we talked about it a lot. So when the time came, it became the perfect hideout and refuge.

Some names I remember:

Mike Rabin - We all called Sausage, because of his terrible case of acne. He was the Dir Com, and he took his job very seriously. We hung out a lot together. (Anybody know anything about this guy?)

I remember Bill Franks tearing Tim Mantis' shirt off.

I was not surprised to read that Tom Clapp went on to become ED. If its the same guy I'm thinking of - he was tall and curly headed and had been a talented baseball player before joining staff. He had tremendous reflexes - we used to play these hand-slapping reaction time games, and I would come away with my hands red and swollen, but I could never nail him. His girlfriend was Vonna Bonta (cool to read that she's now a SCi -Fi writer). From her pictures that I found through the link that was posted, its definitely her. She was hot then, and still is, apparently.

I remember Rick Green as a charismatic leader as well. The link for the picture that was posted on this thread definitely looks like him, though he does look awfully young. But he was always a handsome guy (with a big ego), and probably cares enough about his looks to do what it takes to keep looking that way.

I remember Steve Steele - Stainless, we called him. Huge guy, sweated a lot. He loved Bill and Jeanie Franks, and when they got busted, he blew staff.

I liked the guys in Estates. They all seemed like free spirits, and didn't ever seem to take things as seriously as everyone else seemed to. Tony I remember, and another guy whose name I can't recall, as well as a really nice black kid with a great smile, and an Irish guy named Mick.

I especially remember Ivanna Burke, with her porcelain skin, her deep brown eyes and the exotic air of mystery that she had about her. We had many late night talks together, and I swear if she had taken the slightest interest in me I might still be there (Anyone know what became of her?) Sigh...

I'll stop there for now and enjoy the memories (call them MIPs if you like, but its not nearly as romantic)

Mark
 
Welcome Murkobetz!

I don't think we have met because I was gone by the time you arrived. I do remember John Mervine. He is a good guy. I believe he is still around DC. Ivanna Burc was one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. She married a guy from Boston named Tim or Tom or something. I think she lives around Boston. I haven't seen her in 20 years though. I liked Steve Steele, even though he was one of Franks' goons. Rick Green was a chump. He was one of Franks' henchmen. Franks had goons as body guards and physical bullies and henchmen to do his dirty work like Green and Cowboy (Billy Nichols). It was Franks' own mafia.
I remember Mike Rabe. The last time I saw him, about 20 years ago, he was working for Greg Gloor.
Tom Clapp wasn't tall or athletic. I think you may mean a guy named Dave Keller, but I'm not sure. But you definitely don't mean Tom Clapp.
Tony Settons in estates was an especially good guy. He was a good friend of mine.
It is too bad you weren't there prior to Franks. The funny thing I noticed while writings this is that in the early seventies I don't think of any staff members as good or bad guys; but after Franks arrived I do. Franks pitted staff member against staff member, so there were factions.
Feel free to jump in any time and let others know about your experiences at old FCDC!

The Anabaptist Jacques
 

murkobetz

New Member
Thanks, Jacques!

OK, now I think I remember what Tom Clapp looked like, and it proabably was Dave Kellor I was thinking of. I thought Mike (Rabe or Rabin?) and I came in at the same time, so maybe there's some confusion about the dates as well.

Bill Franks was there from the time I started, so it was all I knew, and I never had the perspective that you had. I somehow managed to remain a neutral observer through it all though, and for the most part stayed friends with everybody.

Mark
 

uncle sam

Silver Meritorious Patron
To murkobetz

This old timer "welcomes" you to the home of 'FCDC" exes. It will be good to hear your stories.
 

uncle sam

Silver Meritorious Patron
Any news?

What happened to Jeannie Franks?
Any news from any time period would be appreciated?
And did you like her??
 

xwc

Patron with Honors
Welcome, Murkobetz. It's good to have another old FCDC'er here. We probably never met since I didn't last too long after Franks showed up. Any info on Dave Keller or Alan Blake? Hopefully neither is still in. And I'd be interested to know what became of Jeannie Franks, too.

Thanx for any info, and this thread is what got me hooked on the site, too.
 

Lynn Fountain Campbell

Silver Meritorious Patron
What happened to Jeannie Franks?
Any news from any time period would be appreciated?
And did you like her??

Nice to meet you, murkobetz. I was also already gone by the time you got there. Went to Flag mid-1975 and finished my contract there. After that experience, I didn't feel like re-upping. But that's a story for a different time.

I met up with Jeannie out here in LA. I was never on staff with her. She used to get her hair done at Shear Perfection and was always pleasant with me. I could even tolerate her trying to recruit me for staff. :eyeroll:

When I met her, she was Jeannie Bogvad. Her husband (Jens, I think his name was) had gotten sick and died. She "didn't want to talk about it." They used to travel around the world setting up new orgs. I think they had something to do with Tokyo. They were a team, so after he died, the operating basis changed. So when I first knew her, she was the ED of the LA Org (Day, I think). Got their stats up and got promoted to some post at the HGB.

Then she married David Sonenfild (a Reg at AOLA) and at the age of 48 got pregnant. The doctors said she had the body of a 25-year-old. (She was a runner.) Anyway, she got shipped out to a Class V org (Cincinnati), and as far as I know, that's where she still is.

Lynn
 

Long Gone

Patron with Honors
I was not surprised to read that Tom Clapp went on to become ED. If its the same guy I'm thinking of - he was tall and curly headed and had been a talented baseball player before joining staff. He had tremendous reflexes - we used to play these hand-slapping reaction time games, and I would come away with my hands red and swollen, but I could never nail him. His girlfriend was Vonna Bonta (cool to read that she's now a SCi -Fi writer). From her pictures that I found through the link that was posted, its definitely her. She was hot then, and still is, apparently.


I remember Steve Steele - Stainless, we called him. Huge guy, sweated a lot. He loved Bill and Jeanie Franks, and when they got busted, he blew staff.

Tom Clapp was probably a body router when you were there if that helps you remember him. His picture is among those captured during the several protests held at FCDC over the last several months.

The tall boy friend of Vanna Bonta was not Dave Kellor. I dont remember the bf's name, but know it was not Dave. Vanna has put some distance between herself and Scientology though you may get some Scientology-like vibes if you read her book "Flight". She's now involved in a cool-looking project called BonNova and can be seen here:

http://tinyurl.com/44k5ow

and here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYNP--c4w8w


Steve Steele got screwed by Franks (not in *that* way, you naughty boys) after his FCDC days and is currently living a scientology-free life on the east coast, but not in the DC area.
 

murkobetz

New Member
Allen Blake got married to a skiny redhead named Nancy Aronian while on staff. Don't know what became of either one of them.

I think I remember Tom Clapp now. He was a freckled faced smarty pants who always wore pinstriped suits - maybe it made him feel like a gangster in Bill Frank's universe.

Jeannie Franks was a sweetheart and I always felt sorry for her because it was obvious that she was under Bill Frank's thumb in what had to be a horribly abusive relationship.

I also liked Ford and Andrea Shwartz. I remember John Massey - I lived on his couch for almost a year. His girlfriend at the time I think was Susan Ellsworth.

Oh yeah, and Tony Jones - he was a strange one - had one wobbly eye.

Mark
 

Div6

Crusader
Nancy Aronian was on staff in the 80's....she wound up marrying a public.....Doug Legum, if I recall correctly.
 

Long Gone

Patron with Honors
names

you all have great memories. I remembered that Blake married the red-headed girl, but had totally forgotten her name. Blake was around the northern virginia area into the 80's, but no idea where he is now.

Here's a pic of Tom Clapp from one of the recent raids. He's bigger now than he was then, but the same basic body shape.

261m0ci.jpg
 

uncle sam

Silver Meritorious Patron
the here and now-

Any idea what's going on now at FCDC?
Who's in charge? #of staff and public? The GI?
Any current news?
 

uncle sam

Silver Meritorious Patron
a foolish idea

Are you ever tempted to go back to ole fcdc? Just walk right in the front door and ask "What's all this about?"
 
http://forums.whyweprotest.net/121-raids/anonymous-dc-10-11-fun-pressure-washing-29996/



AnonymousDC wanted to apologize to the Founding Org staff for all of the times they had to clean up after our chalk tech efforts over the past few months. And what better way to say "Sorry" then to wash those same sidewalks with a pressure washer.

A truck, 200 gallon water tank, and pressure washer were rented......

Hilarity ensues....

There's never an RPFer around when you really need one!

The Anabaptist Jacques
 
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