Happy Halloween

10 reasons that Halloween is the best holiday of the year

1.There's a good chance someone is going to give you candy. For free.
2.You get to be whatever you want.
3.There's no pressure to buy anyone a present.
4.There's no pressure to cook a giant meal.
5.Amazing halloween parties.
6.When else are you going to get the chance to bob for apples?
7.Did I mention free candy?
8.Scary movie marathons.
9.Haunted houses.
10.If you see a ghost, no one will think you are crazy.

In celebration of Halloween, I'm asking visitors to share their best ghost stories in the comments section. I'll post my own to get the ball rolling. Have fun and happy haunting!

Weekly News Roundup

This week in the paranormal...

The Warwick Beacon has an article about a ghost hunting group in Rhode Island at
http://www.warwickonline.com/view/full_story_news/10052552/article-Ghost-hunters-don-t-jump-to-paranormal-conclusions?instance=secondary_stories_left_column

ClickonDetroit discusses the recent zombie invasion
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/25513680/detail.html

And All News Web is featuring a video of an unusual UFO spotted in China
http://www.allnewsweb.com/

October Haunts

Every year I go to a haunted house. Not the kind with actual ghosts and spirits but the kind where people dress up in ridiculous costumes and jump out at you from behind dark walls. It’s kind of an annual tradition. It’s fun. It’s silly. It gives me a break from thinking about much of anything. These kind of haunted houses give people the chance to escape from reality for a few moments and enter a world where they are engulfed in nothing but pure emotion. Even if the haunted house isn’t actually scary, there’s a good chance someone will jump out and startle you. It’s not actually paranormal, but it’s a safe outlet for people with an interest in ghosts and monsters to have a good time.

As pointless as these things sound, there’s something almost addicting about the surge of excitement you get going through. It starts out with a little bit of anticipation and nervousness because you never really know what to expect. Then you get an opportunity to be scared without ever having to feel like you are in any real danger. Adrenaline rushes through your system as you make your way through. Or you get to laugh at the people your with when something scares them. Either way, it’s win-win. When you emerge you’re granted a brief moment of satisfaction on finding your way though and surviving. You’re in on the joke then. You can laugh at the lines of squealing young girls about to enter because you know that there is nothing to actually be afraid of. And they probably know it too, but it’s all part of the fun.

The new trend in these attractions is using actual ghost stories to lure visitors in. If they tell people they might encounter a real ghost, it adds a level of excitement and maybe even a small edge of danger. People line up in massive numbers in the hopes of being frightened by something scary. In a really well done haunted house, there are brief moments where a scene or creature seems too real. And people usually leave satisfied, because how are they ever going to know if something they see in those attractions is real? You can only go in hoping to have a good time. Maybe someday I’ll hear a story about a real ghost encounter in one of those things from someone besides the staff. I’m not holding my breath though.

Weekly News Round-up

Here are some fun links to check out :)

Psychology today has an article discussing whether there is scientific evidence to support psychic phenomena

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-social-thinker/201010/have-scientists-finally-discovered-evidence-psychic-phenomena?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+C2C-InTheNews+%28Feed+-+Coast+to+Coast+-+In+the+News%29

An article in BBC news about the use of pychics to solve crime

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8369369.stm

AOL News has an article about the search for the Yeren

http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/article/china-hunting-for-dollars-to-hunt-bigfoot-cousin-yeren/19668926

And just for fun, Paranormal New Central has an article to help you decide if your house is haunted

http://www.paranormalnewscentral.com/hauntings/related-topics/top-lists/555-top-10-signs-your-house-is-haunted

Spotting a fake: photos part 1

It’s inevitable that sooner or later someone is going to try and show you a picture or video of a ‘ghost’ or ‘monster’ or something of the sort. You may have already seen quite a few of these pictures. Maybe it was obvious the image was fake. Maybe it left you scratching your head. Either way, I want to give you some tools to help you identify when an image isn’t always what it seems.

A lot of these images are taken by people who aren’t actually trying to fool anybody. They may have captured some weird anomaly and believe it to be something paranormal. It could be something a simple as a camera strap or a light reflection. Most of the time it’s just a case of misidentification. On the other end of the spectrum are people who enjoy faking images. They may be looking to get famous or just want some attention. Or they’re just bored. These images are sometimes harder to catch as the fakers get smarter and more tech-savvy all the time. For now I’m going to focus on the first group of people-the well intentioned friend/family/coworker and a common debate among paranormal groups-orbs.

In case you are wondering what I’m talking about, an orb is basically a round feature that shows up in a picture. They’ve caused a lot of confusion for something so small. Many people believe they are the manifestation of a spirit. The truth of the matter is that most orbs are little more than dust. Dust orbs tend to be white and are sometimes partially see-through they can reflect a camera flash which gives them a colorful glow from time to time. They show up both on video and still photos. They can appear tiny or gigantic depending on how close the dust is to the camera.

If you’ve got some free time and just feel like doing an experiment, take a digital camera and a broom to an area you know it dusty. (Attics and basements work well.)  Sit still for a minute or two then take some pictures (use the camera flash). Then use the broom to stir up as much dust as possible and take some more pictures. There’s a good change you will see dust orbs in your photos, especially in the second batch.

An example of 'orbs'       

Another thing that causes orbs to appear in photos are insects. Some insects are easy to recognize with wings and distinct features, but if a bug travels fast enough it often can take on an orb-like appearance. Bugs usually show up as white. If you are outside taking photos there is a good chance of capturing a bug in flight. They hang out inside as well though. Be aware of them.

Light reflections are another orb source that appear over and over again. Light from the flash hits reflective surfaces and can create the illusion of a ball of light. Car lights can also pass through windows, creating unusual features in your photos. Spotting normal light reflection is something that really just takes practice. If you’re looking at a photo, try and identify surfaces that could be reflecting flashes, car lights, and flashlights. Look for natural explanations of what may be causing the orb.

There are other causes for orbs as well-too many to cover on a short blog. The main thing is to look at photos with a critical eye. Understand how light works and moves across a space. Don’t be afraid to question the validity of a photo. Examine them, understand them.