What beats the crap out of me is when guys see some of what he did and lambaste him for it and decry the "con" of it all - like the talking to plants stuff he did at St Hill, hooking tomato plants up to an e-meter and seeing their responses to verbal statements, Life magazine panned the guy for it. So did many other people and writers. But then during the early 70's some other guys came up with the same stuff and now suddenly Oh Wow, what a breakthrough in science, wow.
Listen to this interview which George Noori has with a guy on Coast to Coast:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=h_EMRBS8E_U
I mean that's just plain old Dianetics packaged up in a different form. And he asserts the reality of the past lives because - get this - fantasy would never result in conditions disappearing from the guys case. Only reality would bring that about.
I haven't yet heard all of it but Christ, I have heard plenty.
I also heard that Coast to Coast program.
I tend to agree with you on this point. Hubbard was not recognized,as he should have been,for his tremendous contribution in the field of auditing tomatoes. I do believe that, had he pursued this line, and continued auditing fruits, eventually his name would have become well known beyond his dreams; his affirmation to stamp his name across... (I forget the rest) would have come true;undoubtedly,in a more acceptable and positive light. He would have been adored by all, fruits and botanist worldwide and, I am very sure, that by laypersons as well.
Think about Leon, this could have been his seminal work! But, instead of us having, even now, to furiously and devotedly work at wiping clean Ronnie's bodily fluids from our faces, it would have been the the 8,000,000 plus, tomatoes/fruits and highly trained botanist that would have had to have dealt with that matter.
So, bow now Ron's friends, and orally praise him!
I was going to say more, but I better not push it.
TP