James Choron August, 2011

The Face in the Window

Tatyana Andrevna is not a beautiful woman… she does not have the “face that launched a thousand ships”… in fact, it is safe to say, that on the “traditional” one to ten scale, that is crassly used, worldwide, to rate beauty in women and good looks in men, she would rate about a one. Getting a zero rating is impossible… Tatyans’s looks are legendary in Mamontovka… As a child, she was burned horribly when a kerosene heater in her parent’s flat exploded and showered her with the burning liquid. Ever after, she was undeniably the most recognizable person in the village. Her scars didn’t matter… Her late husband would simply smile when someone mentioned them… Then he would state a simple truth… Tatyana is beautiful… physical beauty is not everything… It is not Tatyana’s face that makes her beautiful… it is her soul. You see, everyone in Mamontovka loves Tatyana Andrevna… She has a beautiful spirit…

For years, she was the community “welcome wagon”. She took it upon herself to greet every new person and family moving into the Mamontovka area… armed with the traditional Russian offering of bread and salt… and the warm smile of an angel. In rain, snow or summer heat, Tatyana was always there.

Four generations of children played under her watchful eye as their parents went about their daily tasks… Since she did not work, it was “the least that she could do”. In times of sickness and times of mourning, Tatyana was there… always with a word of comfort and some small offerning… home baked bread… a bottle of home made wine… cakes… She was there… Tatyana with the beautiful soul…

In time, age, and artheritis… the fragile bones that come with eighty-odd years… took their toll, and Tatyana Andrevna could no longer carry out her self-appointed duties. Still, even now, when weather permits she sits in her wheelchair, on the balcony of her little third floor flat on Kuznetski Most Avenue, and watches the people pass, waving to each, and smiling brightly. When the weather is foul, as it often is in Russia in the fall and winter, she sits by her kitchen window and watches the street below. Everyone in knows her. Everyone waves and smiles when they see her face in the window…

But… no one ever goes to her flat… No one ever goes to see Tatyana… For her, there are no gifts of “bread and salt”… no cakes and wine… For her, there is only the balcony and the window… and the smiling faces below. She doesn’t seem to mind. The smiles of passersby seem to be enough for her.

Now, after all the years that Tatyana Andrevna spent making people welcome, after all the sleepless nights she spent sitting with the sick and watching over the bodies of the departed, you would think that those people would be kinder. She might not be a beauty, but she does, in fact, have a beautiful soul… The thing is, you see, the little flat is locked. If you look closely, when the light is just right, you will see that the wheelchair on the balcony is a rusting relic. Tatyana died almost ten years ago… The entire community mourned the passing of their “welcome wagon”. It was one of the largest funerals in the history of the village. Everyone turned out. They even let out school in her honor… It is Tatyana Andrevna’s beautiful soul… her spirit… that greets people from the window… with the warm smile of an angel…

Tags: ghosts, paranormal

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R. Wolf Baldassarro August, 2011

Environmental Factors of Ghost Hunting: The Sun

“Morning Glory” (photo taken by R. Wolf Baldassarro)

The Sun can provide several states which affect a paranormal investigation, and these must be taken into account when conducting a serious analysis of parapsychological case studies.

The Earth is not the only body in our solar system to create a magnetic field; the Sun creates its own magnetic field that is dynamic, and can change location and intensity over time. The Sun also emits X-Rays, which are relatively high-energy photons. A stream of these photons has a very effective penetrating power.

When looking for paranormal activity, we know that the relationship between magnetism and electricity is explored through the use of an EMF detector to look for unexplainable spikes in the fields surrounding an area.

The first step to how these relate to solar flares is to look at what a sunspot is.

A sunspot is an area of the Sun that is cooler than the surrounding area due to a stronger magnetic field which doesn’t allow for the transfer of heat. This magnetic field forms below the surface, and extends out to the corona of the Sun appearing as a darker colored spot on the surface of the Sun.

During a sunspot, a solar flare can occur when plasma interacts with the magnetic fields of the sunspot and bursts outward. During these flares energetic particles, x-rays, and magnetic fields affect Earth as a geomagnetic storm.

The Earth’s magnetic field, called the magnetosphere, acts as a protective shield for the planet from stray magnetic fields and energetic particles. During the solar flares, when the plasma that is emitted from the Sun comes into contact with the magnetosphere, the plasma disturbs it, and is displayed as auroras- such as the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Astralis; otherwise known as the Northern and Southern lights.

During the bombardment of these fields, radio transmissions and power grids may be affected- usually as surges in energy. The extra magnetic forces at the disposal of paranormal entities may now allow for increased activity.

Sunspots are also noted to run in a cycle of frequency of visibility increasing and decreasing over time. These cycles run an average 10.8 years.

This may have a relationship to places of paranormal activity that seem to fade. If these places were fueled by increased magnetic fields from sunspot activity, it is possible that as the cycle decreases, then the catalyst for the paranormal activity decreases as well. This would mean that an area of high paranormal activity may die off and then return at a later time.

Fortunately, most of these particles are blocked by the magnetosphere and filtered by the atmosphere. It is theorized that ghosts and spirits might be able to use this constant shower of high energy particles as an energy source to manifest themselves.

Solar activity isn’t constant. The Sun has periods of higher intensity emissions at certain times more than others. Scientists have determined the Sun goes through a 20-year period of generally high solar activity, and then 20 years of relatively lower activity, then the cycle starts again. The Earth is currently in the middle of a 20 year up-cycle in solar activity.

When solar X-rays are in flux it is referred to as an Active burst. Scientists classify these according to their x-ray brightness. There are 3 categories: C-class flares are small with few noticeable consequences here on Earth; M-class flares are medium-sized and can cause brief radio blackouts that affect Earth’s Polar Regions. Minor radiation storms sometimes follow an M-class flare; X-class flares are major events that can trigger planet-wide radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms. Each category has nine subdivisions ranging from C1 to C9, M1 to M9, and X1 to X9 respectively.

A Mega Flare describes when an unprecedented solar x-ray event has occurred.

Solar X-ray Status Monitor is the scientific monitoring of solar x-ray activities on the sun.

A Solar Terrestrial Activity Report is a graphed comparison chart documenting solar cycles. The report includes info on sunspot numbers, solar fluctuations, and indexing for Earth’s geomagnetic fields. Increases in paranormal phenomena can be checked against this report to confirm if geomagnetic fields have increased. The figure below shows a series of solar flares recorded by NOAA satellites in July 2000:

There is an awesome freeware program I use, called Ghost Weather Station, which easily and effectively collects a lot of this data for quick recording while on site; by Jonathan Moore, it is available for download at wvghosts.com- so don’t get tricked by sites that ask for payment! This tiny program provides (with a working internet connection) the current lunar and weather conditions including the Moon phases. It will present Moon angle, percent of lumination, Julian Days, and lunation number; as well as the current Solar X-Ray and Geomagnetic Field status of the area after inputting the zip code.

For a free program this can’t be beat. I strongly suggest making a donation and downloading the program.

So, to sum it up- by noting solar activity during investigations we can determine whether or not there is, in fact, a clear correlation between increases in paranormal activity and solar activity.

Combining all of this information, along with the previous two installments on the Moon and other factors, we can clearly see that there is a wealth of accepted mainstream scientific fact that can be applied to paranormal research. It isn’t all just smoke and mirrors, or capturing anomalies on film or audio.

By taking these factors into account when you conduct your investigations, you not only have a means of backing up your findings with irrefutable science, but you bring a level of respect and class to yourselves and the field, thus setting yourself apart from the thrill seekers and amateurs.

Happy Hunting. See you next month when I give a run down of a couple local legends.

© 2011 R. Wolf Baldassarro/Deep Forest Productions

Tags: ghosts, paranormal

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R. Wolf Baldassarro June, 2011

Environmental Factors of Ghost Hunting

We’ve covered a lot of events, phenomenon, and terminology associated with ghost hunting over the months. Unfortunately for many in the mainstream sciences these still amount to fringe science; so I thought it time to touch on some of the principles of environmental and natural science to show how they apply to paranormal research. For all the advances we’ve made in science, there is much about our physical world, let alone the spiritual and psychological, that we have yet to understand.

Parapsychology theories propose that hauntings are caused by the environment’s ability to capture or “record” events; and that the spirit, once free of its corporeal form, is able to exist outside the physical realm to manipulate and communicate with the material world at will. If the flashpoint of an event (the initial occurrence or catalyst) is charged with enough emotional and/or physical energy the event can be imprinted into the location.

Cultures around the world and through the ages view the world and attempt to classify its characteristics based on their own unique outlooks and beliefs. Science is no different. It attempts to understand through experimentation and research rather than through folklore and faith.

First is the theory of the spirit as energy. Electricity is a building block of life- the driving force of the central nervous system that provides us with movement, thought, memory, and sensory perception. If we are indeed beings of energy, then upon death of the physical body we simply revert back to a state of pure energy.

When dealing with paranormal theories, science has the wonderfully ambiguous term “natural.” Natural refers to any real phenomenon that appears ghostly but is defined as being created by a “scientifically unknown property of the present nature.” Simply put, science dodges the paranormal implications by classifying the things its instruments and methodology can’t explain as “natural” and shelves them for later review and study. Think of this as the scientific equivalent of the saying “God works in mysterious ways.”

Polarity is a term with both scientific and cultural meanings and connotations. It is the concept that everything that exists- natural, spiritual, or otherwise- has an exact equal but opposite companion.

Many of the tools and theories in parapsychology work on the premise that paranormal activity isn’t just beyond the normal, but is the exact opposite of normal. The philosophical undertone to this thought is worthy of further analysis and discussion, I think.

Science regards the worlds of the physical body, the spiritual, and the psychological, as three completely separate and mutually exclusive segments of existence. Energy is movement caused by either mechanical or chemical reactions. Electricity is, therefore, just a form of energy with no sentience or will of its own. It simply follows a prescribed and predictable set of variables; so when forms of energy present incidents that fall outside the rigid expectations of behavior, the phenomena are referred to in the aforementioned definition of a “natural” phenomenon.

The primeval worldview puts all matter and thought in the universe into one of five “energies” or “elements”. Air, the first element of alchemical tradition, is the essence of intuition and learning; element of the east and the nature of the mind. Its modern-day counterpart would be the gaseous state of matter. The second, Fire, is the essence of purification and change; the element of the south and the nature of the will. Its present-day brother would be plasma. Water is the essence of love and fertility; the element of the west and the nature of emotions. Its physical properties are that of the liquid state of matter. Earth is the essence of grounding and stability; element of the north and the nature of balance. Its equivalent is the solid state of matter. The fifth element refers to all things spiritual- thought, emotion, faith, reflection, ideas, and inspiration. All five elements work together and in harmony with one another.

If we follow the five-element worldview, then the cardinal compass directions of north, east, south, and west have an impact on the investigation of a haunted location. Therefore, not only will your compass point out instances of EM fields, but the directions things travel, or the directions in which certain rooms or that where objects are situated have meaning in the general design of paranormal activity.

Spirits may be able to manifest within the full spectrum of energies due to their shedding of physical form, but because of our inability to see these spectrums with the naked eye we must rely on equipment designed specifically to monitor and document those ranges.

In order for a spirit to manifest itself or manipulate objects it must draw on the energy present in a location. This exchange causes the physical environment to be affected in quantifiable way.

The normal state of the surrounding air temperature is called ambient temperature. Theoretically, hot and cold spots are areas where a higher than average temperature inconsistent with the environment is recorded along with paranormal events.

Electromagnetic energy is a hybrid of electrical and magnetic fields that binds nature and surrounds the planet. Spirit energies generate energy contained in the electromagnetic spectrum. Many groups say that high sensitivity to EMF manifests in nausea, paranoia, and hallucinations but there are no official studies conducted that prove EMF levels of any type have these effects. In fact ANY residential setting has a significant EMF field.

One thing I’d like to make note of is that Microwave radiation often gives false readings to EMF devices.

The Sun and Moon provide several states which affect a paranormal investigation, but for time constraints I will discuss these next time, as whittling them down to fit into a single article would not do them justice.

As always, keep your senses sharp, your equipment calibrated, and your eyes focused across the great divide.

Tags: ghost hunting, ghosts, paranormal

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Mamie M. June, 2011

Haunting Profits

How much would you pay to experience a haunting?  Some may ask why anyone would want to expose themselves on purpose to spirits.  Others who are interested in ghost hunting feel this is a good way to start out in the field.  While there are tours and events at reportedly haunted locations all over the U.S and abroad, some want a more personal experience.  This is where “haunted” auction items come into play.

There are some famous stories of haunted items picked up at auctions, like “The haunted E-Bay painting” that I discussed in a previous article.  Some paranormal enthusiast may be familiar with Harold who is believed to be one of the first “haunted” dolls sold online.  Harold was described as being very active, moving on its own and voices were heard coming from the doll.  Harold was bought by a man who intended on using the doll as practice for restoration but he had what seemed to be several incidents of “bad luck” once the doll was in his possession.  He decided to get another doll for restoration and put Harold back up for auction.  There is an even more bizarre story of a lady who bought a “cursed voodoo doll” online.  She ignored the warnings to not take the doll out of its packaging and put it up for display.  Once the doll attacked her and she tried to destroy it but nothing worked.  She tried to ship the doll back but it always came right back to her doorstep.

Since coming across these stories it seems there are now hundreds if not more objects up at online auctions with claims of being haunted.  If you are planning on looking for such a thing to start out in paranormal investigation, here are a few things to keep in mind.

The choice in words that are used when describing the object is crucial.  I have seen stones or jewels up for auction with claims that it is haunted or possessed by Wiccan or Pagan magic.  Keep In mind items like these are “charged” during certain spells or rituals.  Energy used in magic and spirit energy though seemingly similar is different.   Always read the description carefully, sometimes there are inconsistencies such as time frame and type of activity.  Sometimes people get caught up in telling a good story over actual facts.

Observe the photos carefully.  I have seen so many dolls up for auction that have obviously been tampered with to look scary.  Paint splotches that resemble blood or “strange symbols” drawn on the dolls clothing.  Also clowns and ventriloquist dummies are popular because they naturally have a “creepy” appearance to them.

Make sure you aren’t taken advantage of.  If an object is really causing terror in someone’s life, they will more than likely want to get rid of it at a reasonable price.  I have seen objects starting at nearly or over one thousand dollars.

Research as much as you can about what you’re buying.  The seller should be willing to answer questions about the object.  If you feel you don’t have enough information then move on.  There are objects with claims they were used in “dark rituals” or Voodoo ceremonies’, when in fact the seller is just using terms that are naturally not received well by society in order to hit the fear trigger.

Always keep in mind the power of suggestion is always possible.  If you read a long entry about an objects activity such as a doll moving on its own you will keep that in mind and may want to see the activity so much your mind can play tricks on you.  I am in no way saying there is no such thing as a haunted object, I have seen many, but go into being the new owner with an open mind.  Try to collect photo, video, or audio evidence to share.

The last warning I have is to consider what you’re bringing into your home.  Just because you are interested in having a haunted object doesn’t mean everyone in the home is just as enthusiastic.  True haunted objects may not always “perform” for everyone and someone who does not wish to be involved may be the recipient or witness of the activity.

Tags: cost, ghosts, hunting, paranormal, profit

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R. Wolf Baldassarro May, 2011

Crisis Apparitions

Have you ever seen a person or animal that was there one minute and gone the next? Then you were probably witness to a Lepke, a very unique and interesting type of spiritual manifestation. These sudden events have the appearance of a solid, living person, and may even converse with someone, then just as suddenly, vanish. Such apparitions are most often reported to have been encountered within, or immediately outside of, cemeteries, churches, and hospitals.

These are also commonly referred to in parapsychology as Crisis Apparitions, which we will focus on this time around.

An apparition’s scientific definition is the projection or manifestation of a quasi-physical entity. There exists several different types of apparitions, though; the names and characteristics of which vary between cultures. For instance, the French call them Phantoms; here in America we call them all “ghosts.”

Some other common types include Marion apparitions, which are materializations of what is believed to be the Virgin Mary; a Radiant Child is an apparition in which one sees a youthful figure glowing or surrounded by a bright aura; Shadowmen appear as a flickering black/smoky gray mass; and their misty, white counterparts are known as Vapor Apparitions.

For obvious scientific reasons, the best forms to encounter are Collective Apparitions, which are seen by more than one person. These are actually rather rare, and there are several theories surrounding their origins. The most popular theory is that if a large enough group witnesses the same event then it must be a valid example of paranormal activity, right?

Crisis Apparitions are a very interesting phenomenon in that rather than being the intelligent haunting by a spirit long after they have left this world, they are seen either immediately before or after the moment of death and serve as a final farewell, or warning of what is to come, to loved ones.

This is similar to a wraith, but those are legendary ghosts that bring misfortune or death to anyone who sees them.

My family has long experienced psychic events, and stories of crisis apparitions are duly noted.

My mother had related a story from her childhood when the family used to spend time down in Florida. In the middle of the night my grandfather had a dream that his brother came to him calling his name. He awoke in a panic and scribbled the time on the wall. Mind you, this was back in the days when there still wasn’t a phone in every house. The neighbors way down the street did have a phone and called the next day to say that his brother had died during the night. The time they told him was the exact time he had written on the wall.

If that didn’t bring a chill to your arms, perhaps this heartfelt tale might raise an eyebrow.

One of our investigators at Deep Forest Paranormal Society gives a personal account of another variation of the Crisis Apparition phenomenon:

About 15 years ago her son was dying in a Chicago hospital. Sitting in the room were her mother, herself, and another parent. The doctors had done all that they could do and the mood was heartbreaking, to say the least. Around 3am all of them witnessed a very strong scent that she had recognized as her grandmother, who had passed away three months prior to this incident. When April looked to her son’s bed, she saw an image of her grandmother standing on the left side of him. By 7:30 he had passed on from this world. Could she have been warning that the time had come? Or was she there waiting for him?

I’d like to hear your personal experiences with Crisis Apparitions. Please feel free to tell about them in the comments below. As always, keep exploring, and see you all next month.

Tags: apparitions, ghosts, hunting

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Mamie M. May, 2011

Built By Fear

Imagine living in constant fear.  Feeling as if spirits were following and threatening you and that you must spend immense amounts of time and money to appease them.  This is how Sarah Winchester lived for 38 years until she passed away in 1922.

In 1862 Sarah married William Winchester of the Winchester Repeating Arms company.  They had only one child who sadly passed away in 1866 at only 6 months old.  A few short years later William also passed away from tuberculosis.

Sarah was very distraught and decided to see a psychic in Boston.  The psychic told Sarah that the deaths to her family were brought on by vengeful spirits of those killed by the rifle bearing her husband’s name. She advised Sarah to move out West and begin building a home to allow protection from the ghosts.

Sarah moved to San Jose California in 1884.  She had a 20 million dollar inheritance and a thousand dollar a day income.  She bought an eight room farmhouse and began building.  There really was no plan or blueprint.  Workers built 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.  Sarah wanted to make sure to confuse any “bad” spirits that may have followed her.  Every night Mrs. Winchester would travel to her séance room to communicate with the spirits and decide upon new additions of the home.  Traveling to the séance room alone was meant to be discouraging to any malicious spirits.  She would push a button that would cause a panel to swing open, revealing another room, she would then climb out of a window that lead to the top of a staircase, she would go down the steps and then up another staircase that led back to the floor she was originally on.

This was not the only trick to confuse evil spirits. Some columns in the home were built upside down.  Rooms were remodeled often and torn down week after week.  Stairs would lead to ceilings; doors would open into walls, and the famous door to nowhere that leads outside to a large drop.  The house was nearly 7 stories at one time, but the San Francisco earthquake in 1906 caused great damage.  Sarah was trapped in her bedroom for several hours.  She felt the quake was a warning from the spirits that too much time and money was being spent on the front portion of the home.  She boarded up 30 rooms as well as the front doors.

Mrs. Winchester also had a bizarre obsession with the number 13.  There are 13 gas jets in the ballroom chandelier, many windows have 13 panes, there are 13 bathrooms, there are 13 steps leading to the 13^th bathroom and 13 wall panels prior to this bathroom.  There are 13 hooks in the séance room and even her will was written in 13 parts and signed 13 times.

When Sarah passed away in her sleep in 1922 construction ended on the house.  This once 8 room farmhouse now covered 6 acres, had 160 rooms, 6 kitchens, 13 bathrooms, 2,000 doors, 10,000 windows, 47 fireplaces, and 40 staircases.  Found in her safe were locks of her husband’s and child’s hair along with copies of their obituaries.

The house is currently open to the public as a museum.  Ironically it takes just as much around the clock effort to maintain.  Some damage from the San Francisco quake has been left as pieces of history.  Of course ghost stories continue to hover throughout the home.  Sarah herself is one of the most frequently sighted spirits as well as phantom workmen who seem to continue to come to build for Mrs. Winchester.

Guided tours will take you throughout the home and there has been a behind the scenes tour added since my last visit.  I will definitely have to make another trip to explore all I was unable to see before.  This house has to be seen to be believed.

Tags: ghosts, paranormal

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Mamie M. April, 2011

Imaginary Friend?

There is a theory, occasionally a controversial theory, that the
paranormal, ghosts, entities, etc, are best seen by children and animals.  Why
is this?

Children and animals are very “pure”.  Most do not know what a ghost really
is. The best way I can explain this is to imagine a filter in our brains that
will tell us what is “rational” and what we see is reality and what we do not
see or cannot make sense of therefore cannot exist.  The words “There is no such
thing” are rarely spoken unless a reason is brought to our attention.  The older
we get the more that filter develops and pending on the upbringing, that filter
may stay strong.

A perfect example can be given from personal experience.  Several years ago
I knew a man who lived in New Mexico at the time.  He called me once very
concerned.  His daughter, who was about 4 years old at the time, seemed to have
an imaginary friend.  This is a common thing with children but what separated
her friend was the fact that it was only present when her father was not in the
room.  He could hear her upstairs laughing and playing.  He would hear full
conversations between his daughter and her “friend” and what worried him most
was when she told him her “friends” name.  Not a common name and nothing a child
could think of.  He searched through all of her books and checked online for
anything resembling the name she spoke, but nothing could make the connection.
His daughter soon began to have days when she was scared and crying because her
“friend” was angry.  The experiences continued until they moved from the home.
This definitely turned him into a believer in the paranormal.
How many children are seeing ghosts on a regular basis but are afraid to
say anything due to no one believing them. I always try to keep an open mind.
When children tell me they have an imaginary friend or see something we cannot,
I ask questions like “Do they have a name?  Do they speak to you?  What do they
say?  What do they look like?”  Do some research to see if there is anything
that could trigger the child’s imagination, is the “friend” similar to any
character in a book, game, movie, or television program?  Usually information a
child would have no way of knowing is also a good indicator it may be more than
just part of playtime.
Another common theory is an animal’s ability to see spirits.  We know that
animals have extremely sensitive smell, hearing and sight.  There have been
several stories of an animal’s strange behavior.  Cats that focus on an area of
the home such as a staircase or a spot in a corner that appears empty.  Some
dogs have been known to growl or become very fearful at something that we simply
do not see.

I have worked with animals for well over a decade and have heard several
stories regarding pets and the paranormal.  Animals will never develop that
filter, they can never tell themselves that something isn’t real or doesn’t
exist.  My own beloved Siamese has moments of intense focus on empty areas or
she will hiss and growl at what appears to be nothing.  This is when I grab the
digital recorder and begin an EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) session.  If you
believe the animal’s behavior could be due to the paranormal, and they obviously
cannot tell us what they see, try getting a digital recorder.  Go to the area
the animal seems to be most focused on and begin to ask questions as if someone
is in the room with you. “What is your name? Where are you from? What are you
doing here?” Give enough time for a response, and make sure there is no outside
noise like traffic, television, and radio. You can try an EVP session anywhere
you believe there is paranormal activity.  Once you have completed your session,
play the recording back, listen carefully and see if you hear responses. These
sessions may not guarantee results every time, but it is great practice for
aspiring ghost hunters.

Yes there are times when a child’s imagination can run wild, or our pets
show little personality quirks, but these are just some tips and tricks to try
and separate what is real and what is child’s play.

Tags: ghosts, imaginary friends, paranormal

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R. Wolf Baldassarro April, 2011

Ghost Hunting and Entertainment

I can no longer stomach ghost hunter shows. I’ve panned them in the past, and they’ve continued to get as stale as bread with a hole in the bag- slowly drying out to become as brittle and useless as the ‘evidence’ they purport to bring to the academic dinner table.

It’s the same boring thing week after week, and show after show- a hapless team goes to a location, sets up some toys, flips off the lights (never mind the fact that they don’t cut the power- a possible factor, but just the lights), flips on the clichéd monochrome night vision, and tries to scare a viewing audience into believing in ghosts through theatrics and really bad acting. Gone is the science, to be replaced with a Hollywood sensationalism that malnourishes the brain that is in search of something of more substance.

The incident that did it for me, personally, was the Ghost Hunters 2008 Halloween special. I sat there, anxious for hours, awaiting some evidence to cross my seasoned senses. What did I get? Grant Wilson’s hood gets tugged! It seemed so awesome at first, but turned out to be debunked by several different people as trickery and wires. I felt cheated out of 6 hours of my time. Never again, I vowed. This “reality show” gets more scripted and fake as time goes on.

There’s no rule that academia and entertainment need to be mutually exclusive; in fact they could learn a lot from each other. But the simple fact is that true paranormal researchers get a bit irritated by the celebrity status of these so-called “experts.” It’s not that they have PhDs after their names in the credits, but the sad truth that because they’re on “reality TV”, the viewing public is falsely led to believe they are experts by the networks.

It’s never been easy for those who choose to study psychic phenomena. Mainstream science views them with a deep disbelief in much the same way alchemy was looked at before it became known as chemistry. Those few parapsychologists with PhDs fortunate enough to have a home at an academic body continue to search for irrefutable proof that paranormal phenomena really does exist.

And they’ve been doing it for a long time. In the late 1800s, Harvard psychologist William James risked his reputation by studying things like “crisis apparitions,” a clairvoyant event in which final farewells and messages are claimed to be received in dreams from the departed before it is consciously known they are dead. In the early1900s, Joseph Banks Rhine helped to pioneer the study of ESP by founding a prestigious parapsychology department at Duke University.

Parapsychologists advise that these ghost hunting shows are doing a gross injustice to those pioneers by intensifying the troubles that have historically plagued the field because the scholars without a show at their disposal are replaced by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, and the promise of a client’s chance to cash in their 15-minutes of fame.

Many parapsychologists rely on a substantial part of their income and research funds coming from speaking engagements and lectures. But the well is running dry.

Loyd Auerbach, a noted author and field investigator with over 25 years of in-field research, is one of those parapsychologists to feel the squeeze from Hollywood. In 2006 he was paid for 14 events in autumn alone. That number dropped to five for all of 2007. The year after that? Two. In 2009, one.

Once a prominent and sought-after man in his field, he’s been traded for these celebrities because TV stars bring more ticket sales then the stereotypical scholar with a turtleneck and suit coat. “I was making a good part of my living lecturing and doing events. Now the TV stars are getting all the lectures,” he said. “It’s been difficult to pay my mortgage.”

Over the years of my own pursuit of the unknown I get frequently asked, “Why this fascination with having all the lights off?” Simply because it adds to the creepy factor and draws the viewer in like any other b-grade horror flick. Dr. Andrew Nichols, an expert who did research for the U.S. Army (and who received the only grant ever awarded to study alleged hauntings), believes that these shows also push questionable science on the public. Nichols provides a list of what he calls bad science in these shows: Investigations always take place at night. Why ghosts would only come out then is illogical? How can anyone be a good observer in the dark? Instead, as Nichols puts it, “they just run around like little girls.”

“We get painted with the same brush,” said John Palmer, PhD of the Rhine Institute, one of the only parapsychology institutes in the country. If there’s one thing that skeptics, mainstream scientists, and the general public can all agree on, it’s that this image of the bumbling reality-TV amateur is the first thing they all think of when the subject of ghost hunting comes up in conversation.

GhostDivas, a popular podcast, interviewed former TAPS member Donna Lacroix back in 2009. During the course of the segment she made some very interesting revelations. Ghost Hunters, first and foremost, is completely entertainment and everyone is a backstabber. Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson are ‘the kings’ in front of, and behind, the camera. Long-time fans of the show will remember Brian Harnois. Jay and Grant, she asserts, had their whipping-boy in Brian, and she feels Brian was exploited to the point of mental abuse. Donna gives insight into just how “brutal” and “mentally abusive” they were towards Brian. She even addresses the rumors that the network employs a staging crew. Anyone remember the Moss Beach Distillery fiasco?

You can listen to the full interview yourself here.

Diehard fans of these shows must understand that true parapsychological research is not, and can not, be done through a weekly reality show where ratings and advertiser revenue are the real decision-makers of the show’s survival. It is done through tedious, often boring, study and analysis over a period of time determined by each individual case. To rush through countless hours of data for a final report a day or two later is just bad science.

All of this can be summed up with a classic scene from 1984’s megahit Ghostbusters when Dean Yeager comes to kick the hapless trio off Columbia University’s campus.

Dean Yeager: The University will no longer continue any funding of any kind for your group’s activities.
Peter Venkman: But the kids love us!
Dean Yeager: Dr. Venkman, we believe that the purpose of science is to serve mankind. You, however, seem to regard science as some kind of dodge, or hustle. Your theories are the worst kind of popular tripe, your methods are sloppy and your conclusions are highly questionable. You, Dr. Venkman, are a poor scientist.
Peter: I see.
Dean Yeager: And you have no place in this department or in this university.

I think that’s the only time Hollywood and the scientific community will ever see eye to eye on this issue.

Hmm, maybe there’s some common truth in this Real vs. Reel conundrum after all.

Tags: entertainment, ghost hunting, ghosts, paranormal

• Articles

R. Wolf Baldassarro March, 2011

Springtime Calls Ghost Hunters Back Outdoors

Ridgelawn Cemetery

Well we had a big winter thaw here in Michigan.  Two feet of snow melted and the temp even hit the 50s.  The blanket of winter draws back to reveal the grass, freshly green from its long slumber.  The birds return and the scents of new life are in the air.

It was short-lived, though.  As I finish this article, a winter storm- complete with snow, freezing rain, and sleet descends upon the area.  But that brief taste of springtime brings with it thoughts of sunny days and fun in the great outdoors.   If you’re a ghost hunter, thoughts this time of year turn to revisiting favorite cemeteries and once again traveling into the unknown and investigating buildings and places.

I love the poetic duality of cemeteries; from the serene landscapes to the ornate markers.  From the sadness of a newly-dug site of a young person to the historic intrigue of a cracked and faded headstone of those long gone and forgotten to the pages of time.

I’ve stated time and again that if you’re one of those groups that think you’re serious and professional paranormal investigators, but all your troupe does is sneak into cemeteries in the dead of night to snap a few pictures and laugh and have a good time, then you’re not only fools, but trespassers.  There’s a big reason why laws in recent years have been established closing off these otherwise public places during the night.  This was made all too clear in a recent news segment here in the Detroit area.

Vandals caused extensive damage to Detroit’s historic Woodmere Cemetery this month.  Rows of toppled headstones, smashed statues and headless angels replaced an otherwise tranquil setting.  110 headstones in all were pushed over, some destroyed beyond repair.  This is the third time vandals attacked Woodmere in the last six years.  Here’s a link to the video from the newscast: Vandals Strike Detroit’s Woodmere Cemetery

Vandal damage at Woodmere Cemetery

If you’re caught in a cemetery at night, no matter the reason, and you have no permission to be there, then you deserve to be charged with trespassing. ‘Nuff Said.

Now, I like to use cemeteries as a place to train new members, and even when I’m just out and about enjoying a nice day.  I’ll come in with nothing more than a camera and recorder, or maybe even an EMF meter.  I’ll try to get a few EVPs or pictures; most of the time I’ll use the weather to my advantage and snap off a library of gorgeous professional photographs.  If a wandering spirit sees fit to make their presence known, all the better.  I’ve caught enough material in cemeteries over the years to make the experience not only enjoyable on a personal level but worthwhile on a scientific level.

Some claim that paranormal activity in cemeteries is impossible.  The reasons being that those interred there are long gone and any haunting will take place around the place of death, not where they were moved to up to a week or more after death; this being a long enough time for whatever spirit energy to cease being attached to the physical body.

Others disagree and claim that cemeteries are the most haunted spots around.  Much of the photographic “evidence” is the subject of ridicule from serious paranormal researchers because they were often taken at night, quickly, and generally under humid conditions including mist, ground fog, and even the condensation of the photographer’s own breath.  The time and steps needed to rule out these environmental x-factors are simply not taken into account.  Just because you’re not sweating doesn’t mean there isn’t humidity in the air. When the temperature and dew points are within 10-15 points of each other formation of ground fog is highly likely.

A dirty, abandoned cemetery is going to stir up a tremendous amount of dust and dirt.  Snap a flash and the resulting reflections will produce photographs that look like they were taken through a dirty car window.  These are NOT the souls of the citizens of the cemetery.  Nothing burns my biscuits more than being presented with picture after picture filled with these dust particles and the taker eagerly chimping away “but look at all the spirits!”  Don’t waste my time or your own with orbs.

Aside from that little rant on orbs, cemeteries can be a great asset in many ways for researchers.  You can, of course, travel freely in them during the daylight hours, but if you want to conduct nighttime investigations you can do so legally with just a few phone calls.  Contact the church, organization, or municipality that presides over the daily care and maintenance of the cemetery and seek permission.  As always, be sincere and honest in your approach.  If you do get the go ahead, then contact the proper authorities, and inform the local law that you will be conducting a scientific experiment in the cemetery.  Get permission from caretakers IN WRITING and provide proof of that permission, along with the date, time, and a list of those group members that will be participating.  They may even be willing to direct traffic around the local roads during the experiment so as to help reduce contamination if at all possible.  It never hurts to just ask.  The worst case is they simply say no.  Thank them for their time and try for daylight hours.  The problem here is that the increased traffic and noise levels of daytime could taint any data you collect.

As with any investigation do your research.  Check local records for a history of the cemetery.  Most records will at the very least provide a list of who is buried here.  Also look for any local events that could have caused this location to be active.

Use the daylight hours to get a map or plot from the caretaker or sketch out your own, especially if there’s a particular area that interests you. You’ll want to have all the landmarks and topography of the locations planned in advance for a smooth and speedy investigation.

If you or your team are thinking of doing grave rubbings check with the caretaker first.  Some very old, weather –worn headstones may be so far faded that even the light rubbing of a charcoal stick can cause further erosion.  And please, do NOT do what I saw in one local cemetery.  Someone had taken permanent markers or paint and lazily colored in the engraved letters on several headstones in order to make the etchings stand out.  Not only is this disrespectful but is legally considered vandalism.

If it’s damp, foggy, or raining, cancel and re-schedule for more favorable conditions.  Any material obtained under such conditions would be inadmissible as scientific data.  Besides, I sure wouldn’t want to be trekking around out in the rain and mud.

As always investigate in teams and designate a central command area and timetable.  A great thing to due that will not only garner you great respect from other groups, but the gratitude and endearment of the cemetery owner is to bring a trash bags to not only clean up after yourselves, but clear the landscape of other trash and debris.

Sometimes cemetery caretakers aren’t interested in your data or the results, but in either case send them a professional thank you letter for allowing you to investigate.  Check with them as to their wishes regarding any evidence you may have.  If you obtain overwhelming evidence it and make it public, it may entice those aforementioned less-respectful types to invade the cemetery or invite vandals.  No one wants another Woodmere incident on their hands.

So as the sunny days of spring return, keep these things tips in mind.  Please, above all else respect yourselves, respect the sites, and respect the field.  Happy Hunting and see you next month.

Romeo Cemetery

Tags: ghost hunting, ghosts, paranormal

• Articles

R. Wolf Baldassarro February, 2011

Springtime Calls Ghost Hunters Back Outdoors

Ridgelawn Cemetery

Well, we had a big winter thaw here in Michigan.  Two feet of snow melted and the temp even hit the 50s.  The blanket of winter draws back to reveal the grass, freshly green from its long slumber.  The birds return and the scents of new life are in the air.

It was short-lived, though.  As I finish this article, a winter storm- complete with snow, freezing rain, and sleet descends upon the area.  But that brief taste of springtime brings with it thoughts of sunny days and fun in the great outdoors.   If you’re a ghost hunter, thoughts this time of year turn to revisiting favorite cemeteries and once again traveling into the unknown and investigating buildings and places.

I love the poetic duality of cemeteries; from the serene landscapes to the ornate markers; from the sadness of a newly-dug site of a young person to the historic intrigue of a cracked and faded headstone of those long gone and forgotten to the pages of time.

I’ve stated time and again that if you’re one of those groups that think you’re serious and professional paranormal investigators, but all your troupe does is sneak into cemeteries in the dead of night to snap a few pictures and laugh and have a good time, then you’re not only fools, but trespassers.  There’s a big reason why laws in recent years have been established closing off these otherwise public places during the night.  This was made all too clear in a recent news segment here in the Detroit area.

Vandals caused extensive damage to Detroit’s historic Woodmere Cemetery this month.  Rows of toppled headstones, smashed statues and headless angels replaced an otherwise tranquil setting.  110 headstones in all were pushed over, some destroyed beyond repair.  This is the third time vandals attacked Woodmere in the last six years.  Here’s a link to the video from the newscast: Vandals Strike Detroit’s Woodmere Cemetery

Vandal damage at Woodmere Cemetery

If you’re caught in a cemetery at night, no matter the reason, and you have no permission to be there, then you deserve to be charged with trespassing. ‘Nuff Said.

Now, I like to use cemeteries as a place to train new members; and even when I’m just out and about enjoying a nice day I’ll come in with nothing more than a camera and recorder, or maybe even an EMF meter.  I’ll try to get a few EVPs or pictures; most of the time I’ll use the weather to my advantage and snap off a library of gorgeous professional photographs; if a wandering spirit sees fit to make their presence known, all the better.  I’ve caught enough material in cemeteries over the years to make the experience not only enjoyable on a personal level but worthwhile on a scientific level.

Some claim that paranormal activity in cemeteries is impossible.  The reasons being that those interred there are long gone and any haunting will take place around the place of death, not where they were moved to a week or more after death; this being a long enough time for whatever spirit energy to cease being attached to the physical body.

Others disagree and claim that cemeteries are the most haunted spots around.  Much of the photographic “evidence” is the subject of ridicule from serious paranormal researchers because they were often taken at night, quickly, and generally under humid conditions including mist, ground fog, and even the condensation of the photographer’s own breath.  The time and steps needed to rule out these environmental x-factors are simply not taken into account.  Just because you’re not sweating doesn’t mean there isn’t humidity in the air. When the temperature and dew points are within 10 to 15 points of each other formation of ground fog is highly likely.

A dirty, abandoned cemetery is going to stir up a tremendous amount of dust and dirt.  Snap a flash and the resulting reflections will produce photographs that look like they were taken through a dirty car window.  These are NOT the souls of the citizens of the cemetery.  Nothing burns my biscuits more than being presented with picture after picture filled with these dust particles and the taker eagerly chimping away, “but look at all the spirits!”  Don’t waste my time or your own with orbs.

Aside from that little rant on orbs, cemeteries can be a great asset in many ways for researchers.  You can, of course, travel freely in them during the daylight hours, but if you want to conduct nighttime investigations you can do so legally with just a few phone calls.  Contact the church, organization, or municipality that presides over the daily care and maintenance of the cemetery and seek permission.  As always, be sincere and honest in your approach.  If you do get the go ahead, then contact the proper authorities, and inform the local law that you will be conducting a scientific experiment in the cemetery.  Get permission from caretakers IN WRITING and provide proof of that permission, along with the date, time, and a list of those group members that will be participating.  They may even be willing to direct traffic around the local roads during the experiment so as to help reduce contamination if at all possible.  It never hurts to just ask.  The worst case is they simply say no.  Thank them for their time and try for daylight hours.  The problem here is that the increased traffic and noise levels of daytime could potentially taint any data you collect.

As with any investigation, do your research.  Check local records for a history of the cemetery.  Most records will at the very least provide a list of who is buried here.  Also look for any local events that could have caused this location to be active.

Use the daylight hours to get a map or plot from the caretaker or sketch out your own, especially if there’s a particular area that interests you. You’ll want to have all the landmarks and topography of the locations planned in advance for a smooth and speedy investigation.

If you or your team are thinking of doing grave rubbings, check with the caretaker first.  Some very old, weather -worn headstones may be so far faded that even the light rubbing of a charcoal stick can cause further erosion.  And please, do NOT do what I saw in one local cemetery.  Someone had taken permanent markers or paint and lazily colored in the engraved letters on several headstones in order to make the etchings stand out.  Not only is this disrespectful but is legally considered vandalism.

If it’s damp, foggy, or raining, cancel and re-schedule for more favorable conditions.  Any material obtained under such conditions would be inadmissible as scientific data.  Besides, I sure wouldn’t want to be trekking around out in the rain and mud.

As always investigate in teams and designate a central command area and timetable.  A great thing to do that will not only garner you great respect from other groups, but the gratitude and endearment of the cemetery owner is to bring a trash bags to not only clean up after yourselves, but clear the landscape of other trash and debris.

Sometimes cemetery caretakers aren’t interested in your data or the results, but in either case send them a professional thank you letter for allowing you to investigate.  Check with them as to their wishes regarding any evidence you may have.  If you obtain overwhelming evidence it and make it public, it may entice those aforementioned less-respectful types to invade the cemetery, or invite vandals.  No one wants another Woodmere incident on their hands.

So as the sunny days of spring return, keep these things in mind.  Also, please, above all else respect yourselves, respect the sites, and respect the field.  Happy Hunting and see you next month.

Romeo Cemetery

Tags: ghosts, hunting, paranormal

• Articles