Mamie M. July, 2011

Ghost on Film

Just typing the words “ghost on film” into any search engine will bring up thousands of photos containing “ghosts” or “spirits”.  Many can prove quite disappointing when authenticity is a factor.  With modern technology almost anyone who has spent time with Photoshop can create a convincing “ghost” photo.  Before the digital age when film was developed, or let’s not forget the Polaroid, many believed a ghost was captured whenever a blur, streak, or double exposure appeared.  So how can we tell what is real and what is fake?

Research is important.  Examine as many “ghost” photos as possible, the good and the bad.  Some will be quite obvious as faked.  A few famous ones that have recently circulated are one of a young man standing outdoors with a “ghost girl” standing eerily behind him.  The girl is nothing more than a digitally placed image of the famous staple from most Japanese horror films.  You know the type, long dark hair, usually covering the face, gaunt skeleton like features, and a look of terror in her eyes.  The image appears in many “ghost photos” which is one of the first indications that it is not real, and second the image is very clear.  Usually in the rare occasion a spirit does appear it is usually transparent and very rarely a full body with distinct features.  When this does happen it definitely isn’t long enough for the spirit to pose for the camera.

Another popular photo circulated several years ago as part of a chain letter.  The photo shows a girl in a hospital bed with a frightening looking woman lying directly underneath.  Once again the woman has a terrified look on her face and very gaunt features.  The letter circulated via email or some social networking sites and stated that once it was viewed you had to send the photo to at least five other people or the woman under the bed would come to you that night.  While a good ghost story, the photo was nothing more than a movie poster from a Thai horror film.

Many “ghost” photos contain orbs.  These are circular objects believed to appear when a spirit is attempting to manifest itself.  These round, transparent objects are thought to be energy.  Unfortunately, a majority of these “orb” photos are taken outside or in very old locations and dust particles can create the exact same image on film.  Unless the orbs are forming together to create a shape or moving independently in a specific pattern, it is more than likely dust.

There are other photos that contain captions that tell you what to look for.  Like a face over someone’s shoulder or demonic hands reaching out from a wall.  Usually these are simply shadow play or a double exposure making someone appear transparent.  This uses the minds ability to see whatever is suggested.  If you were to observe the photo without suggestion of a ghostly shadow, you more than likely wouldn’t see one, but to observe the photo with the shadow circled and highly magnified with the caption stating there is a ghostly face, the mind will look for that exact thing. This is simply human nature, to attempt to make sense of the image, similar to finding shapes in clouds.

When I visit a reportedly haunted location, I take many pictures.  Often I’ll snap the same picture several times.  There is always a lot to go through upon review but this helps to sharpen skills in looking for subtle changes.  When something odd is seen on a picture I ask myself several questions.  First if there was any glass such as in a museum.  When a flash reflects off of glass it can create a ghostly glow.  Also someone else standing near may be caught in a reflection so I take into consideration if anyone else was around.  I make sure there was so artificial light, such as headlights from passing cars or flashlights.  If the picture is taken outdoors there can be bugs that can create a streak of light across the picture if caught just right and animals can create bizarre shadows as well as ghostly glowing eyes.  Many things can be contaminates to spirit photography so it is important to recognize these things, practice makes perfect.

I’m in no way saying it is impossible to catch a ghost on film but it is rare.  Some people go years without capturing anything worth consideration.  Ghost hunting takes patience and perseverance.  Take as many pictures as you can even if it is purposefully with the above mentioned contamination factors. This will help you to know exactly what you are looking for and what to dismiss.

Tags: film, ghost hunting, paranormal

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James Choron July, 2011

In Memory of Dr. John Thomas Bailey

(South Louisiana Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1866)

We’ve all of us heard o’ the Queen o’ the West

In the summer o’ forty-five.

And how they desp’ratly clung t’ the boats

When she took her final dive.

We’ve all of us heard of the boilin’ sun.

And the hunger And tharst bearin’ down

For twenty-nine days on the rolling sea

And prayin’ for to drown.

Some says they ate their shipmates

So as to stay alive.

Ninety-eight souls in two little boats

And ended with thirty-five.

And we’ve all of us heard o’ Doctor Death

And his pickin’ who lived and who died.

And maybe it’s true and maybe it ain’t

But the women and children survived.

But when it was over and when they was found

The doctor, his life was done.

He lived but he died in that terrible ride

Of twenty-nine days in the sun.

They called him a killer. They called him a fiend.

They called him a murderin’ lout.

He crawled in a bottle of whiskey.

Crawled in… and didn’t crawl out.

He gave up on healing. He gave up on life.

He took for to death as a trade.

He cleaned ‘em and dressed ‘em And buried ‘em

And he wept and he drank and he prayed.

He drifted around to hide from his shame

Through the years that the tale would span.

How Doctor John became Doctor Death

Then, “Buzzard” the Buryin’ Man.

For ten long years he ran from his past

Then finally settled down

As the funny old drunk with the measuring tape

That laid people down in the ground.

In a tiny town where nobody knew

And nobody seemed to care

That the village drunk and buryin’ man

Was more than it would appear.

In time he built a life, of sorts

But not like the one he knew.

And sodden drunk and sombre

He watched as his business grew.

Sodden drunk And sombre

And dressed in his black frock coat

He’d  clean ‘em And dress ‘em and plant ‘em

And remember those days in the boat.

He dwelled at society’s bottom.

Humanity’s lowest place.

He hid behind his bottle

And his sombre buryin’ face.

Then a horror came to the little town

Worse than those days at sea.

When Yellow Jack stalked the village

Taking one out of three.

And wagons rolled in with the dying,

And the hospital beds were full.

And the moans of the sick and suffering

Gave the Buryin’ Man’s heart a pull.

Three wagons came in, in the morning

Thirty souls who were at deathes door.

Thirty desperate, suffering people

The poorest of the poor.

And the Burryin’ Man, he saw it,

And he knew what had to be done,

And he knew there was no one to do it.

And he went to them at a run.

And they laughed when they saw ‘im comin’

With his battered old bag in his hand.

Sodden drunk and sombre,

Old “Buzzard” the Burryin’ Man.

But he didn’t come for the dyin’

He came for to make ‘em live.

And in he dove with a mighty shove

And gave all he had to give.

For four long days he stood there,

With his measure around his neck

But in his mind he wasn’t there.

He was back on that pitching deck.

Back then they’d called him “killer” and “fiend”

And called ‘im a “murdering lout”.

But whatever they’d thought of “Doctor Death”

The women and children got out.

Now the sodden drunk old Burying Man

Looked to the work to be done,

He stayed on his feet through the tormented days

And he never lost a one!

And the whiskey vapors left him.

And ‘is mind began to clear.

An’ th’ man that they’d called a murderin’ fiend

Felt somebody standing near.

And when it was over and when it was done,

He silently went away.

As if it had never happened,

With not a word to say.

Nobody noticed his going.

Nobody noticed he came.

Except for the sick and the dyin’

Who prayerfully uttered his name.

Sodden drunk and sombre,

Dressed in his old frock coat.

He slaved o’er the sick and the dyin’,

The same as he had in the boat.

And sodden drunk and sombre

With his battered old bag at his side,

T’was sodden “Old Buzzard the Burying Man”

As kept us all alive.

No matter how other folks seen him;

For those to whom he came

T’was th’ angel o’ God’s own mercy,

And “Buzzard” was his name.

NOTE: Dr. Bailey was essentially accused of implementing a system of “triage”, assisting only those who he estimated had a chance for survival. This was considered unethical for a physician at the time. There were accusations of “cannibalism” made by the press although there were still supplies in the lifeboats when the victims were recovered. None of those charges were ever substantiated and he was acquitted in a public trial of any wrongdoing. None of the survivors of the shipwreck would testify against him. This however did not prevent his license to practice medicine revoked or his being denied a further licence to practice medicine.

© 2011 by J. Lee. Choron; all rights reserved unless specifically granted in writing by the author.

Tags: paranormal, poem, Poetry

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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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James Choron June, 2011

I’ll Wait For You

It was the summer of 1994, and Nikolai Nikolaiovich was dying. He knew he was dying, and he was ready to go. He had cancer. That was alright with Nikolai. He was ninety-four years old, and he had outlived all of his family, all of his friends, and most of his relatives. In his long life, he had seen the world change in ways that he did not understand, could not fathom, and did not like. The cancer, in fact, had come as a sort of perverse blessing.

He had long before made his peace with whatever powers that be. Now, as he lay in his bed, surrounded by his doctor, and two of his grandchildren, in the comfort of the neat little flat that he had shared for over sixty years with his wife, Olga, he had nothing to do but wait. He had declined pain medication. It wasn’t so bad. He had, many times in his life, experienced worse. At least the doctor had allowed him to come home to die. He could not bear the thought of leaving the world in the sterilized, sanitized and frigid environment of the hospital. Here, at least, he could spend what little time was left to him amid his own things, in the place that had been his home for over half of his life.

The old carpenter was wasted, a shadow of his former self… only his large, callused hands showed any evidence of the strength that had once been his. He had never been a large man, and the sheets… clean and crisp… and the blankets… made him look even smaller than his five-feet, four inches. Of course, the cancer had taken its toll, and the extra weight that he once carried had long since melted away. Still, his eyes were bright, his mind was clear, and his intellect keen.

Every five minutes or so, his oldest granddaughter, Elena, would gently brush an unruly shock of snow-white hair away from his forehead, smooth his bushy eyebrows, and ask the old man if he needed anything. From the look on his face, what he needed most was to be left alone. Of course, he would never tell the girl this. He simply shook his head, and said in a weak voice, that he was fine the way he was. The younger girl, Natasha, sat quietly beside the bed, occasionally glancing at the wall above the headboard, where an old photograph of Nikolai Nikolaiovich and his late wife hung in a handmade wooden frame.

The old man glanced up at the girl, and caught her staring at the picture. “You look a lot like her, you know”. He smiled weakly, and reached for her hand as he spoke. “The same eyes… the same smile…”

“Save your strength, grandfather,” she said softly. “You have to conserve your strength.”

“Why? Your grandmother will be here for me soon…”

“What are you talking about, grandfather?”

“Your grandmother,” the old man replied softly. “She’s coming for me. She promised me that she would.”

Both girls had been present when their grandmother had passed away. Both of them had heard the old woman make that promise to her nearly frantic husband. She had done it to calm him. They both knew that. Now, it looked as though the old man was living some sort of fantasy. Did he really believe this? Certainly not…

That day passed, as did the next. With each passing hour, Nikolai Nikolaiovich grew weaker and weaker. Finally, after a ten weary days, it looked as though the end was near. With each passing day, the old man grew weaker. He stopped eating altogether. Elena and Natasha had both suggested putting him back in the hospital. The old man was weak, but he still had his wits about him. He simply would not hear of it. The priest was called. He came and went.

He slept all through the day on the twelfth day. The doctor came, shook his head, and left. There was nothing more he could do. The old man’s breath grew shallower and shallower, but still he held on. Neither girl left his bedside. Neither expected him to wake from his sleep. Then, in the small hours of the morning, on what was to be the thirteenth day, he rallied.

Both girls… they were hardly girls… but that’s what he called them… they both had grown children, and one had a grandchild of her own… had nodded off into a fitful sleep. They didn’t notice at first. Then, they heard his voice… Not the voice of the sick old man that they had come to comfort in his dying, but the voice that they remembered from childhood… a strong, firm voice.

Elena and Natasha looked up to see the room bathed in a gentle glow. Their grandfather was sitting bolt upright, looking intently at the door, across the tiny room, at the foot of his bed. He spoke again.

“So you’ve come,” he said… a smile lighting up his lined face. “I knew you would. You said that you would. I was waiting for you. I told you that I would wait… remember?”

The young woman in the doorway smiled back at him and said, “Yes, darling, I remember, and, now, I’ve come for you. It’s time for you to go.”

The two girls sat frozen in their chairs, unable to speak or move. Both saw the young woman. Both recognized her. She was younger than they remembered. She looked exactly like she did in the picture hanging above the bed. She was dressed in a long, opaque dress, of the style worn at the turn of the century. Her chestnut hair was long and flowing, and there was a look of gentle concern on her face. She looked solid enough, but not quite real.

The figure glided across the floor to the side of the bed, and took the old man by the hand. “Come darling,” she said. “It’s time”.

“Past time,” he replied. “Long past time”.

With that, he laid back gently into his pillow and heaved a deep sigh. The glow faded, and before Elena and Natasha’s startled eyes, the woman vanished. As if a spell was broken, both reached for the bed. The old man lay there, still, his eyes closed, a smile on his face… quite dead.

©  2011 by Dr. J. Lee Choron; all rights reserved un less specifically  granted by the author in writing.

Tags: paranormal

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James Choron May, 2011

Feldwebel Moritz

This story is not my own. It has been told in several places, but… I happen to know the man that it happened to, and heard the story directly from him. His summer house, the one in the story, is located near my own. I will relate the story as it was told to me, with as little interruption as possible. I will not mention full names, as Chris is a member of a “respected” profession, and is bit sensitive about this.

Two years ago, Chris and his wife went to their country house in his wife’s village, near Smolensk. This area saw some of the heaviest fighting of the Second World war, and the landscape is still, some sixty years later, littered with the refuse of war, from both sides. Not a day passes that someone wandering through the forrest fails to find the rusting hulk of an old tank or some other vehiche, and everyone in the area has a literal collection of belt buckles, knives, bayonets, rusting old guns and helmets, from both sides in the conflict. Several times a year, some farmer will dig up the remains of one of the thousands of unclaimed dead who lie in the area. This is what happened to Chris…

All Russians are, at heart, farmers. We all have our Dachas (country houses) and we all have our gardens. Chris was working in his, laying in a potato trench, when he found human remains. The body was, of course, nothing but bones, but along with the bones he found a German belt buckle, canteen, two hand grenades, a pistol and other items that had not rotted away with time. He also found the soldier’s Identification Disk still hanging from a rusted steel chain around the skeleton’s neck. It identified the man as Oberfeldwebel (Senior Sargent) Otto Moritz, gave his blood type, O, and stated that he was a Protestant.

Chris gathered the remains, took the bones and ID disk to the German Embassy in Moscow to the “Graves Registration” Section, and the two old, rusting grenades to the local police for disposal. He had hopes that the German Embassy could locate any living relatives that Otto Moritz might have had, and at least let them know that his body had been found and recovered.

Now, Chris, at that time, was a “drinking man”. That night, after returning from Moscow, he sat at his table with a bottle of Cognac and a glass, thinking over what he had found. When he looked up, there was a tall, heavy set man sitting across the table from him. The man had sandy red hair, clear blue eyes, and a big smile on his face. Chris didn’t think anything about it. Neighbors drop by all the time here in Russia. His only real thought was that “if he wants a drink, he’ll have to buy the next bottle for himself”. Chris was having troubles with his wife at the moment. She had also taken to drinking heavily, and the two of them were definately on the way out. He was depressed, and the finding of a body on his property had depressed him even more. He was crying, silently to himself as he drank.

Chris looked up at his guest, and offered him the bottle and a second glass.
The man, who was dressed in a grey-green colored jacket, buttoned all the way to the collar supported about a weeks growth of beard, and had the smell of stale sweat and leather about him. He waved away the bottle, but did take one of Chris’ cigars, which were lying on the table. He then leaned over the table toward Chris and said, in broken, accented English that had a musical lilt to it, “I am here to help you but, you realize, of course, you must be helping of yourself. You must leaff alone ti trink. Be away with it. Do not be sitting here, crying like ti voman. Be a mon are you not ti mensch?” Chris was somewhat miffed that this man would talk to him like this, but didn’t say anything. He looked up, and was about to reply, and noticed that the visitor was gone. Chris didn’t think any more about it until the next day. It was stange, but no stranger than a lot of things that he had seen in Russia. He figured the man had just come, put his two cents in, and gone home.

The next day, he was back in his garden, working away on his potato trench, when he looked up to see a man standing at the end of his plot, about 20 feet from where he was working. The man was wearing the uniform of a German Panzergrenadier, a steel helmet, a camoflage smock, feld grey trousers and high- topped boots, with grenades tucked into the boot-tops. He had on full field gear, and was carrying a machinepistol. The collar tabs of his smock bore the twin ligntning bolts of the Waffen SS. As Chris looked closer, he saw the man’s face. It was the same man who had visited him the night before… Oberfeldwebel Otto Moritz. The Sargent smiled broadly at Chris, saluted, then slowly began to fade as he turned and walked away. Chris never saw him again.

As a postlude, I will say that Chris did, in fact, stop drinking and get into AA, as did his wife. They are now living a happy, quiet life, divided between their home in Moscow and their Dacha in Smolensk.

The next summer, Chris put a small stone in the corner of his garden. It says:

Otto Moritz
Oberfeldwebel
12th Waffen SS Panzergrenadiers
1898-1943
“Ich Hatt Einne Kamraden”
(Once, I had a friend)

© 2001/10111 by Dr. J. Lee Choron all rights reserved unless granted specifically by the  author in writing.

Tags: paranormal

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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

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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

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