Initial categories

January 20, 2003

The primary range of concentration is 1997-2001. A secondary range of pre-1997 may also be taken into account, but data from this period is much less complete, therefore greater caution must be exercised in generalizing.

After a preliminary scan of a survey sample (approx. 140 reports), a decision was made to form three divisions: material by source, material by special event, and material of only an incidental nature. An attempt is being made to divide non-incidental, non-special event data into the following sources: court, official/government, Scientology, and public response. These could be compared in the future to material from US State Department annual reports, for instance. It is expected the following initial categories will be further refined as the sample increases.

By source (approx. 60 / 140)

• Court Reports
• Public and government information
• Scientology creations
  • Letters, posts, press releases, personal contact
  • Rallies and exhibitions
  • Celebrities
    • Travolta
    • Cruise
  • Advertising
• Public response to either government or Scientology
  

Special Events (approx. 40 / 140)

• Technology Declaration a.k.a. Security Statement a.k.a. Sect filter
• Freedom of Information Law
• The UPS Connection
• Microsoft connection
• Police director falsely accused of being a Scientologist
• Dubious asylum
• Caught spying in Switzerland
  

In passing - reports of an incidental nature

• In the initial sample, the approximate ratio of incidental to non-incidental reports was 40 to 140. Therefore it is predicted that discarding the incidental reports will result in 20 percent less work.

Recommended Books:

Literary:
1984 by George Orwell
A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Classics:
Bare-Faced Messiah: The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard by Russell Miller