The Weekly Feed: Experimentation Edition
Morning Roundup: Change Edition
Former Blade Staffers Launch 'DC Agenda'
D.C. Unemployment Rate Reaches 11.9 Percent
D.C. Insurance Dept. Denies Birth Control Coverage Meddling
The Church of Scientology Religious Trust's building at 16th and P Streets NW is the site of a barricaded celebration of some sort today -- one which is blocking a sizable section of one of the District's major arteries. (Obviously, I wasn't invited behind the curtain. I mean, you should have seen my last audit: whew!) Police are out in full force around the humongous 50,000-square foot building, and security is tight -- a ten-foot tall white temporary barricade is blocking off 16th Street; there are huge draping banners reading "SCIENTOLOGY" and "DIANETICS", though, in case those walking by on their Saturday jaunts to the 14th and P retail corridor were wondering what the hell was going on with this big white thing in the middle of the street.
By the time yours truly wandered over, protesters had filtered down to but a scant few people -- a couple members of Anonymous were loitering around -- but police outnumbered protesters by a ratio of at least three to one. So while formal protests are pretty much done, the closure of 16th Street could certainly be problematic for those driving to parties tonight. The line to turn for those going southbound on 16th at R Street was fifteen-deep as we moved on by. It might be common sense, but between this and the closures in Georgetown, you're better off walking or Metroing to your Halloween celebrations today.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
Were they trying to replicate Christo's "Running Fence?"
Xenuween costume party?
I drove by on Friday afternoon on my way home from work, there was no barricade up - definitely saw a lot of lights, cameras, etc. Was wondering what it was at the time, didn't realize that was the Scientology building.
On Thursday they erected a massive wooden structure with their logo on it, on the facade of their building. It was almost two stories tall.
I hope they aren't intending to leave it up permanently and that it was just for this weekend's event.
oh great, just great. just what we need more of in this town—crazy folks gathering to masquerade as a "religion".
we already have harry jackson, why do we need more?
You gotta give L. Ron Hubbard credit....me thinks he played every member of Scientology like a fiddle--the greatest scam of the 20th Century! My theory is that he wrote Dianetics while on a five-day bender of benzadrine and tequila; then on a bet from one of his Navy cronies, attempted to turn his poorly concieved and written Sci-fi opus into some sort of religion for the attention-starved and self-absorbed (refer to: Mapothier, Thomas Cruise IV).