Merry Christmas!

Just a quick post to wish everyone Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Weekly News Round-up 12/18/13

A socialite took a photo where she claims a mysterious ghostly hand appeared. You can check out the photo here.

A man is predicting people's futures by reading their fecal matter. You can see a video of it here.

A British psychic is accused of planting a fake ghost during a ghost tour. Read about it here.

Weekly News Roundup 12/11/13

Aliens were all over the news this week!

USA Today reported that President Obama became the first president to mention Area 51. The article is here.

Amazon is now selling a UFO detector. You can read all about it here.

The Guardian has an article stating that the US Congress has been discussing extraterrestrial life. Read it here.

Weekly News Round-up 12/4/13

Want to check out some of the creepiest places around? This site has 10 pretty scary ones listed.

Some people think they an hear the voices of victims wailing at The New World Trade Center. Read about it here.

Mail Online has some photos of a strange UFO spotted recently.

Weekly News Round-up 11/27/13

The LAPD are using zombies to scare people into locking their vehicles. Read about it here.

BBC has an article about how churches in Mexico believe they are under attack by Satan and looking for more exorcist. Check it out here.

In some sad paranormal news, a group of guys claiming to be ghost hunters burned a historic mansion to the ground. The people involved were all arrested. You can read about it here.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so for all of you celebrating, have a happy holiday!

Psychic Detectives

There have been a lot of missing persons cases in the news lately. It got me thinking about the phenomenon of police working with psychics to solve cases. In some ways, I think this is totally fascinating. The idea of people being able to help locate missing people or save lives with just their minds would be an amazing thing. My curiosity got me researching it a bit and I was slightly surprised by what I found.

There was almost no real evidence of psychics actually solving any cases. There are tons of websites, groups, TV shows and documentaries about psychics working various agencies to help solve crimes, but if you are looking for solid, hard evidence, you might be out of luck.

Many people have claimed to have helped solve various crimes, but there is rarely enough evidence to back up their claims. It’s not surprising that most police agencies deny any involvement with psychics. Following tips brought in by psychics can eat up a lot of time and money, so discouraging psychic involvement makes sense from a business stand point.

I would actually love to come across real evidence that someone with psychic abilities was able to help assist in solving a case, so if anyone knows of any proof out there, feel free to send it my way.

 

What do you think? Can psychics help solve crimes? Should police try and work with them?

Weekly News Round-up

A video has been circulating of a strange sea creature caught by an oil rig camera. Check it out here. What do you think it is?

Looking for a fun ghost-related vacation or activity? Someone sent me a link to a site that has all kinds of spooky vacation packages.

Mirror has an article about a collection of emergency calls all related to paranormal incidents. Check it out here.

Just a quick note!

I'm planning on going back to using the blogger address for this blog, instead of www.paranormalpursuits.net. So if you use the .net address you will need to change it back to paranormalpursuits.blogspot.com. This should change around November 10th. Sorry for any inconvenience!

Weekly News Round-up 11/6/13

A bigfoot hunt turned into a man getting shot and two people ending up in jail. Read about it here.

A dust devil was filmed doing some damage to a car in a parking lot. It's not exactly paranormal, but it is pretty cool to see and the phenomenon might explain some of the ghostly experiences people have had in the past. See it here.

Edinburgh was titled UK's spookiest city. Read about why here.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! I hope you all have a fun and safe time celebrating!

Weekly News Round-up 10/23/13

A video of what looks like a dragon flying has popped up on the internet. It looks a little suspicious to me, but you can be the judge. Check it out here.

A man dressed as a ghost attempt to commit a robbery. You can see it here.

There may actually be a scientific explaination for all the Yeti sightings-a new type of bear. Read about it here.

Also, somehow I managed to miss it, but last week was the third anniversary of this blog. I can't wait for another year of blogging!

Goblins!

I thought with Halloween approaching, I would do a little article about goblins. If you aren't familiar with them, they are basically small, mischievous creatures that tend to play tricks on humans. My first impression of them probably came from watching the movie, Labyrinth as a kid. The movie features an entire goblin city complete with a goblin king. If you haven't seen it, you should definitely check it out.

When I started researching goblins so I could write a little about them, I discovered that they really don't have one place of origin like most of the myths and legends I hear about. There are early goblin stories from England to Japan and a lot of countries in between.

It made me wonder why goblin stories would be so common. I figure there's really one of two possibilities.

1. Goblins are real, and people were just writing down what they saw and experienced.

or

2. Goblins played some sort of role on an emotional or psychological level with human beings. Maybe people need someone (or something) to blame for the chaos in their lives, and goblins are an easy scapegoat. They are small and can't fight back. They aren't particularly attractive, so people felt no guilt in using them as dumping grounds for their problems.

Either way, they are certainly fun to read about and people will continue writing about them for a long, long time.

Weekly News Round-up 10/11/13

There was a new thunderbird sighting in Iowa. Read about it here.

A well known Nessie photo turned out to be part of a hoax. You can read about it here.

A new website is offering online dating to ghosts, you know, in case any of them are feeling lonely. Check it out here.

I'm back!

I'm back from my vacation and ready to get back to blogging. I'm also excited because it's one of my favorite times of year. Halloween is almost here which means haunted houses, fun fall activities and an almost non-stop stream of scary movies on TV. I can't wait to enjoy the rest of the month!

Do you have a favorite fall activity?

Blogging Break

This is just a quick note to let you know I will be taking a little blogging break because I am going to the beach tomorrow and won't be worried about Internet and things like that. I'll be back in October.

A Day in the Life of a Ghost

One of the things that showed up as a search result for my blog this week was 'a day in the life of a ghost.' It got me thinking about what life might possibly be for someone stuck hanging around in spirit form. Do they live parts of their life over and over like the movie Groundhog Day? Do they get new lives where they can travel wherever they want and do whatever they feel like? I also wonder if ghosts would maintain their same basic morals and principals that they held in their original lives? I like to think they are experiencing things in new ways with extra knowledge about the world in general.

What do you think? What do you think the afterlife is like for ghosts?

Weekly News Round-up 9/12/13

Mysterious Universe has a website about a strange attack that occurred years ago in Rhayader. You can read about it here.

A coconut was detained by police due to the fear that it may have contained back magic. Read about it here.

Recently, ice chunks fell from the sky in Brooklyn. Read about it here.

Why are Ghosts Only Seen by Certain People?

I've been doing some thinking recently about why ghosts seem to appear to certain people and not to others. Some individuals claim to see spirits frequently while others often go their entire lives without ever having an encounter. Here are a few possible theories I've come up with as to why this might happen.

1. Some people might be more emotionally or psychically inclined to be able to see ghosts. Perhaps they are tapped into other parts of their brain that not everyone knows how to access.

2. It may just be a case of being in the right place at the right time. Perhaps ghost are more likely to appear in certain locations, and people who see them are those who frequent those places.

3. People who claim to see ghosts are making it up, for any variety if reasons.

4. Ghosts may only appear to people they have some sort of connection with or to people they think can help them.

Do you have any theories about why ghosts seem to only be seen by certain people?

Weekly News Round-up 8/29/30

This isn't exactly paranormal, but interesting. A strange stone monument appeared in front of an Oklahoma business. You can read about it here.

A photo of a ripple in Loch Ness is stirring up some Nessie talk. Check it out here.

A large cat called The Beast of Trowbridge has finally been photographed. See the image here.

Paranormal Problems

Recently, I've been reading a lot of negative things about various paranormal groups, and the people in those groups. Anytime you get groups of people together, there's bound to be a certain amount of drama. People don't always get along, especially when they are forced to work as a team on a variety of projects. But it also makes me sad that so many adults have a hard time coming together to work toward a simple goal of understanding the paranormal better. I'm often getting warned to watch out for certain individuals and groups because they like to start fights or get territorial about certain locations, but there really shouldn't be any reason why groups with slightly different procedures and ideals couldn't be tolerant if each other. I've worked with other groups on several occasions and everyone managed to get along and have fun together. It really is up to the people participating in a ghost hunt or event to act with maturity and professionalism. A few bad individuals shouldn't ruin the positive and supportive paranormal community so many people have worked hard to build.

Weekly News Round-up 8/16/13

The CIA recently released a report declassifying Area 51. Read about it here.

Sky News posted an article on a study done on the science behind near death visions.

A new UFO came out of Bulgaria. Check it out here.

Weekly News Round-up 8/9/13

A mysterious pentagram showed up on a Google Maps image, leading to all kinds of speculation, but there's an actual explanation for it. Read about it here.

New video claiming to show a Bigfoot in Canada has been circulating. Check it out here.

A rancher has been experiencing some unexplained cattle mutilations. Read about it here.

Paranormal Conferences

One of the latest trends in the paranormal is the paranormal conference. If you aren't familiar with them, they are basically places where people who are interested in the paranormal get together to discuss a variety of topics. There are often classes or seminars, people trying to sell goods, and special events tied to the conference. These are held all over the country.

While some conferences are really just out to make money (look out for ones with high admission costs) they can also be great places to meet other people interested in the paranormal, to network with ghost or cryptid enthusiasts, or just learn a thing or two.

If you are involved in the paranormal community, or just interested in learning more about it, a conference can be a great place to try things out.

Have any of you ever attended any sort of professional conference? If so, did you get anything out of the experience?

Movie Review: The Conjuring

So I had a chance to see The Conjuring this week and thought I would share my thoughts on it. It's was a fun scary movie, with decent acting. It had a few good moments but overall was a little predictable and didn't have any major twists that hadn't seen used in other similar stories. I liked that's it featured actors who portrayed The Warren, a pretty well known and controversial couple in the paranormal community. If your looking for a simple scary movie this summer, you will probably enjoy this one.

I'm giving it 4 out of 5 ghosts.

Weekly News Round-up 7/26/13

Scientific American posted an article discussing the possibility of a Bigfoot language. Read about it here.

A scientist received the funding to start searching for alien spaceships. Read the details here.

Huffpost has an article debating whether aliens would be susceptible to human conditions like mental disorders and addictions.

Accepting Guest Posts!

I've decided to do a week or so of guest posts in the near future. If you have something to say about the paranormal (good,bad, or in between) e-mail me at paranormalpursuits (at) yahoo.com with a topic you would like to guest post about. I may be limited on how many I can accept so it will probably be on a first come first serve basis. I'll happily post a link to your website, blog or published work so this can be a great way to increase traffic to your site. Happy writing!

Weekly News Round-up 7/19/13

People are trying to change their fortunes by having surgery on their palms. Read about it here.

Hundreds of dead stingrays have washed up on a beach in Mexico. Read the details here.

A Florida man woke up only speaking Swedish and no one seemed to know why. Details are here.

Approaching the Paranormal with Caution

Ghosts have become a big business. Lately, everywhere you turn places are offering ghost walks, ghost hunts or haunted events. While it's nice seeing the paranornal get exposure, the down side is that many places have started fabricating hauntings to bring in tourism money.

This isn't a new concept. People have been faking ghosts for hundreds of years. Psychics would hold pretend seances, photographers made fake ghost images and people easily fell for their schemes.

Nowadays, people will set up speakers to create fakes noises, ghost hunting teams fake evidence, and people do all kinds of thins with photoshop.

It's become incredibly important for people to be vigilant about what they believe. I always assume evidence could be fake when it's coming from someone I don't completely trust, until I've had time to study and understand it better. If you're interested in the paranormal, approach everything through the eyes of a skeptic, but be open to the possibility that there could be more out there. You might even find something that surprises you.

Weekly News Round-up 7/11/13

A man was burned by a rock that spontaenously combusted. Read about it here.

Mirror has an article about a group of kids who like to talk to ghosts.

The editor of a fashion magazine called in a shaman to cleanse the new offices. Read about it here.

Technology and the Paranormal

A friend of mine had my laptop last week (sorry there weren't any posts!) and it got me thinking about how technology has changed the way we interact and communicate about the paranormal. Not long ago, the only real interaction people had with paranormal happenings came strictly from personal experiences and stories told by people they knew.

Things are different now. There are books and movies and TV shows dedicated to understanding the unknown. There are thousands of images available online that people believe show evidence of ghosts or strange creatures. It's incredibly easy to engage with others in discussions about the paranormal in general.

It's a wonderul position to be in because we have access to so much information, but it also puts us in a position of relying on other people, often strangers, for news and information, and not everyone is exactly trustworthy. But I think that knowing there are places available to research and discuss strange phenomenon benefits a lot of people, simply because they have somewhere to go if they experience something they don't fully understand.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how the advances in technology continue to help people who are looking for answers. Do you think advances in technology will continue to help the paranormal community? Or do you think they are doing a disservice?

Weekly News Round-up 6/28/13

A statue at a Manchester museum has been spinning around in its case and no one seems to know why. Read about it (and see a video) here.

A man found what he believed to be a fossilized Bigfoot head. Experts aren't convinced, but you can read about it here.

The Loch Ness monster has also been sparking a tourism related feud. The article is here.

Are People More Accepting of the Paranormal?

If there's one thing I've noticed about the paranormal over the last few years, it's that it's become much more common to talk about. You can hardly turn on a TV or flip open a book without a ghost or a Bigfoot popping out at you. I've also noticed it sneaking into more and more daily conversations. People swap their stories about strange noises and odd sightings without worrying as much about people judging them.

I think it's good that people are starting to feel more comfortable discussing this stuff. Even if you don't believe in any of it, it's still nice to know that your decision can be part of the occasional discussion without a lot of negative judgement. There will always be people who don't agree, and will judge others based on their interest, but I think having a more open and accepting environment is really a benefit to everyone.

What do you think? Do you think people are more accepting of the paranormal then they were in the past?

Weekly News Round-up 6/20/13

The Sentinel posted a video of staff members at the Portmeirion recalling their ghost stories. See it here.

People think on smudge on the floor of an airport might be an image of Jesus or Charles Manson. I'm pretty sure it's just a smudge.

A woman found a two headed pig buried in her backyard. Check it out here.

Weekly News Round-up 6/14/13

A strange creature was photographed in Oklahoma. Check it out here. Some people are saying it might be the Jersey Devil. I actually think it looks like a cat with mange. What do you think?

A man in China was arrested for claiming he had an alien in his freezer. Read about it here.

A Chinese plane hit a mystery object while in flight. Some people are speculating that the object may have been a UFO. Read about it here.

5 Reasons Living in a Haunted House isn't so Bad.

1. Living with ghosts makes for fun stories. You will never be at a loss for things to tell your friends.
2. You never have to feel lonely, because you always know someone is nearby.
3. You may actually learn something, if a ghost decides to communicate with you. Spirits are a great way to learn some of the history of a building or area.
4. Your house will be the fun place to go on Halloween.
5. People will be less likely to rob you. Once a house gets a reputation, people tend to steer clear.

Weekly News Round-up 6/7/13

A photo posted on the internet is hosting some speculation that it may be a photo of a dead Yowie. Check it out here.

A recent UFO video resembles something from Star Trek. Watch it here.

A strange creature that washed up last week in the UK turned out to just be an eel. Read about it here.

Getting Rid of Ghosts

I was watching a paranormal TV show last week where a family was being bothered by something paranormal in their home. Their solution to the problem was to run away and find another place to live. I've seen this happen fairly frequently with people being bothered by ghosts or things they can't explain. The problem with this is that it's usually a short term solution. Often, spirits get attached to people and will follow then to new locations. Even if the ghosts stays put, the new property owners will be left to deal with whatever the last inhabitants left behind.

I've also seen people perform all kinds of ceremonies to rid homes of ghosts, but in my opinion, these rituals rarely do anything to help the situation. Usually the spirit hides out for awhile, then just comes back with a vengeance.

In my opinion, there are two good ways of dealing with ghosts. One is to accept that they are there and learn to live with them. The other option is to simply ask, or command them to leave. Most ghosts will go if asked in a nice firm manner. So if you are trying to get rid of something, sometimes it helps to just ask for what you want.

Weekly News Round-up 5/30/13

A man claims to have taken photos of a hunted face. The ghostly images are actually part of the wood, but it's still interesting to see. Click here to check it out.

A man claims to be a ressurected version of Jesus. Read about it here.

There's a push in Indonesia to make black magic a crime. The article is here.

Happy Memorial Day!

I'm taking the day off from blogging to celebrate Memorial Day. Thanks to all the people serving in the armed forces and to all the veterans out there!

Weekly News Round-up 5/23/13

There's talk going around that the Pope may have Performed an exorcism. You can read about it here. What do you think?

A paranormal dating site has been launched for single people looking for ghost enthusiasts. Read about it here.

This isn't exactly paranormal, but a photographer has been taking photos of abandoned buildings that will definately put you in a spooky mood. Check them out here.

Timing

I went on a ghost hunt last Saturday to a building I've been to once before. The first time I investigated there, the place was extremely active. There were strange noises, voices and odd activities carrying on throughout the night. This time, things were generally pretty quiet. We spent a lot of time sitting and waiting for something to happen (a fairly common practice in ghost hunting.) I'm always amazed at how different locations can seem depending on the time or day you visit them.

Ghosts rarely how up when you are expecting them. They appear whe. They are ready, or when they are trying to communicate with someone. Often, having paranormal experiences seems to be more about luck and being in the right place at the right time. A big part of ghost hunting involves pitting people in places where they are likely to have experiences and hoping the timing works out in ther favor. It really is a lot about timing.

Have you ever tried to intention come in contact with a ghost?

I'm just posting a quick update because my Internet is being glitchy this week, so I may not get a news update until I get it sorted out. I hope you are all enjoying your weeks!

Weekly News Round-up 5/9/13

MailOnline has an article about a strange creature that, according to legend, appeared in a town in Iowa over 100 years ago.

Parapolitical has an article arguing why Earth wouldn't be a good candidate for attack by alien invaders. Read about it here.

Images of a carcass that washed up in New Zealand had people yelling sea monster, but experts are pretty convinced it is just a decomposing orcha. Check it out here.

Wavepad

Today I thought I would talk a little about some of the software used in ghost hunting. More specifically, Wavepad. If you aren’t familiar with the program, it’s basically something that allows you to upload sound files. Once the sound files are loaded into the program, you can listen to them or edit them. Long files can be cut into short segments, background noise can be edited out, and effects can be added.

Wavepad is great for a lot of reasons. There’s a free version that you can download online, so pretty much everyone uses it. It’s simple to operate but also has a lot of features that just aren’t available with other sound editing programs. It’s also pretty reliable.

The downside of using Wavepad in ghost hunting, is that because it’s so readily available and easy to use, it’s also very easy for people to fake evidence. Ghost hunters try to capture EVP’s, and with a little creative editing, many groups are able to add in sound effects and voices where they don’t really belong. A little knowledge about Wavepad can help filter out some of the fake EVP’s, though. (There’s usually a slight change to the sound quality if any editing has been done to that part of the file.)

Anyone with an interest in ghost hunting should at least be familiar with Wavepad. If you want to download the free version to check it out, the link is here.

Have any of you ever used Wavepad?

Weekly News Round-up 5/2/13

Nooga.com posted on article titled Five Reasons Bigfoot ABSOLUTELY exists. Check it out here.

An Australian man claims to have captured hundreds of photos of UFO's. Read about it here.

Opposingviews.com posted an article claiming that FEMA is planning a UFO Zombie Crash plan test. Read about it here.

Ghost Hunting 101: Picking a Good Flashlight.

This is pretty basic stuff, but one of the most important pieces of equipment a ghost hunter can own is a flash light. It’s the one tool you take everywhere, and it gets used during the entire duration of a hunt, so choosing a good one is important.

I try to stick to name brand flash lights. Even though you pay a little more for them, they sometimes come with warranties and they hold up better then the cheap ones. I also prefer using flash lights with LED bulbs. They are just more powerful than the other ones and they last longer. Weight is another issue to keep in mind. A heavy light may be more sturdy, but carrying it around can get tiring. I personally like small, lightweight flashlights. They fit in pockets, can be attached to equipment with clamps and tape, and don’t get in the way.

Another popular trend in ghost hunting is flashlights that strap on to clothes or the person’s head. The idea is to free up the person’s hands, but I like being able to control the direction I’m shining a light in, and that only really comes with a handheld flashlight.

As minor as they seem, flashlights are important and incredibly useful pieces of equipment, so take the time to find one that suits you before you purchase one.

Weekly News Round-up 4/24/13

An author describes his run ins with a thylacine in The Examiner. You can read about it here.

Birmingham Mail posted an article about a mom calling in an exorcist after being spooked by strange occurrences at her home.

A woman in Cleveland claims to have caught a ghostly image on her cell phone. The image looks fake to me, but I'll let you be the judge. Check it out here.

Contact from Deceased Loved Ones

A ghost hunting peer posted on Facebook the other day questioning why a deceased loved one hadn’t gotten in contact after their death. They said that because they knew ghosts existed, it seemed strange that their family member hadn’t tried to reach out to them.

I do believe in ghosts, but I tend to think that the ghosts we encounter are usually there for a reason. They try to reach out because they have something they want to fix, or show someone. If a person doesn’t have any unfinished business, it makes sense to me that they would want to stay on the other side.

Sure, it would be nice if we could all get one last visit or message from the people we care about, but life doesn’t always work out that way. There are plenty of stories about people getting last phone calls or eerie messages from people, but sometimes we have to just accept the time we are given with people when they are alive.

Have any of you gotten a sign or message from a deceased friend or family member?

Weekly News Round-up 4/18/13

The Hollywood Reporter posted a review of the show Monsters and Mysteries in America. You can check it out here.

Iran announced that they did not have a time machine registered, to the disappointment of many. Read about it here.

An unusual photo taken by NASA has people asking questions. You can see the image here.

Native American Spirits

I live in an area that was once inhabited by several Native American tribes. There are still burial mounds in many areas and remnants of the people who lived here are pretty easy to find. When I go on a ghost hunt, it isn’t uncommon for people to believe that their properties are being haunted by the ghosts of these people.

In some ways it makes sense. The building of our homes and businesses has ruined a lot of land and disturbed areas that were once sacred to these groups. Burial grounds are sometimes unearthed in construction as well, so it’s not hard to believe that they could be upset with us for disturbing their land.

But in the years I’ve been ghost hunting, I’ve only run into one instance where I thought a spirit might be Native American (we caught an EVP in a language none of us recognized.)  It makes me wonder why I haven’t run into more spirits like this. Maybe they just don’t care enough about us to bother haunted us, or I’ve just be looking in the wrong places.

Do you think there are Native American ghosts still hanging around?

Weekly News Round-up 4/11/13

Huff Post has an article on a film called Sirius, which claims to have footage of an actual extraterrestrial. You can check it out here.

MailOnline has a story about a women who is asking for a new house after claiming hers is being haunted by a man named Nigel.

Two woman in Papua New Guinea were beheaded on claims of witchcraft. Read about it here.

Book Review: Fact or Fiction? The Paris & M6 Paranormal Crashes

Over the past year or so, I’ve been exchanging occasional e-mails with a man named Colin Hall who has been researching the M6 & Paris paranormal crash reports. He put together a book of his findings and sent me a review copy to check out, which made me happy since I haven’t done a book review on here in awhile. The book it titled Fact or Fiction? The M6 Crashes.

I was pleasantly surprised when I got my review copy. The book was pretty hard to put down and there was a lot of information about the incident and related events as well. It’s full of illustrations and photographs of the area, the people involved and other topics related to the crash. The chapters are fairly short and relate to different elements of what happened. It's arranged as a journal with his personal thoughts added to events that were occurring. There are also excerpts from various blogs, websites, and Twitter feeds that relate to the crash.

It’s clear that the author has spent a lot of time and energy into researching everything and anything related to the accident. It’s a quick read and fun for anybody interested in conspiracy theory, the possibility of time travel or the M6 crash in general.

I give this book 5 out of 5 ghosts

The book is available from the publisher here.

Weekly News Round-up 4/4/13

Rumors of Bigfoot DNA and a documentary video that claims to show a family of Bigfoot are being discussed here.

Is your brain being controlled by a parasite? Apparently you don't have to be dead to be a zombie. Read about it here.

A Roman ring that is thought to be cursed may have been the inspiration for The Lord of the Rings story. The article is here.

Ectoplasm

I thought I’d talk a little about ectoplasm today. Somewhere early on, people got the idea that spirits might give off some sort of physical substance. Early mediums started capitalizing on this idea by creating photographs of people who had mysterious white substance coming out of their bodies. Though the images were fake, the mediums would claim that these photos were signs of the presence of a spirit inside of someone. They called this white substance ectoplasm and the term sort of stuck around.

In ghost hunting today, people have pretty much accepted that ghosts aren’t likely to leak any sort of physical goo, but people still take photographs with white mists and swirling lines that seem to appear out of nowhere. These stuff in these photos is often referred to as ectoplasm, with the idea that a ghost may have left some sort of spiritual residue captured by the photo.

I’m pretty skeptical of these pictures in general, and I can usually pin point a number of solid scientific reasons for the creation of these types of photographic anomalies, but it’s still interesting to see how photos are still being used to try and capture evidence of the afterlife years after people first started doing it.

Weekly News Round-up 3/29/13

MailOnline posted an article about a woman spotting some sort of primate at a park in Dorset.

Some people in London are raising funds to set up a UFO museum. Read about it here.

A man claims to see an image of Jesus on a drop cloth he was using. Check it out here.

Vortexes

Something that comes up from time to time in ghost hunting is the mention of vortexes. The idea is that there are areas that have unusual energy levels and that can be turned into portals or doorways into the spiritual world. People who believe in them often think that spirits enter this world through the doorways created by vortexes. You can’t see or touch a vortex, but people with psychic abilities often claim to be able to sense when they are near one. I’ve been on numerous ghost hunts where the property owners claimed vortexes existed.

I’m personally pretty skeptical of the concept. Most of the photos I’ve seen that claim to be images of vortexes are clearly camera straps that have fallen in front of the lens. While there are certainly areas that seem to have higher levels of paranormal activity, I’m not convinced that it is because doorways exist in those locations. I could be totally wrong though, but proving something invisible exists is pretty challenging.

Do you believe the possibility of vortexes? If you believe in ghosts, do you think spirits need to enter through a gateway to our world?

Weekly News Round-up 3/21/13

The Province posted an article on giant squids, which discusses how they were often the basis for sea monster myths and stories.

A video is going around on Youtube claiming that an alien might be guarding President Obama. The whole thing is pretty silly to me, but you can check it out here if you are curious.

A cloud shaped like an angel had people coming up with all sorts of theories about what it could mean. Check it out here.

Ghost Hunting Terminology

This is just a quick post to let you know I've added a list of ghost hunting terms and their definintions to the blog. You can find it by clicking the tab at the top of the page. I'm hoping to add a few more pages in the next few months.

Weekly News Round-up 3/14/13

Need some anti-zombie perfume for the zombie apocalypse? Check it out here.

Someone in Brazil has been leaving gift wrapped human skulls around town, possibly as part of some sort of ritual. The article is here.

There's a push to make black magic a crime in Indonesia. Read about it here.

Tragedy and Ghosts

If there’s one thing I’ve noticed about ghosts and hauntings, it’s that there seems to be some sort of link between tragedy and the spirit world. This connection occurs in stories, movies and in many real life accounts of ghosts. For whatever reason, when someone is murdered or dies in a horrific accident, there seems to be a good possibility that that person doesn’t completely move on.

I’ve often wondered if this is because the person is hoping to remedy the situation somehow, or if they are just confused about what happened. It’s nice to think that by somehow solving the details of a death or accident, we may be able to help a lost spirit find its way, but it is also possible that they don’t really want to move on anyways, and enjoy spending time in this world.

Either way, I think it’s important for investigators to research the history of the places they visit, so they can use the knowledge from the past in their investigations. A bit of lost information could potentially help someone stuck in a spiritual limbo or even help educate modern day residents of a property about the history of a building. Tragedies happen, but I think there’s a lot we can learn from them.

Weekly News Round-up 3/7/13

Tricities.com posted an article on some Bigfoot sightings that occurred in Bristol. Read about it here.

Express posted an article about dog's perceived psychic abilities.

A new book is out discussing the possibility of bringing someone back from death. Read about it here.

Aliens

So I went to see Dark Skies last night with a friend of mine. If you’re not familiar with the movie it’s basically about **small spoiler alert** aliens. It was a decent movie and I had a lot of fun afterward talking about aliens and space theory type stuff with my friend. She is convinced that because the universe is so big, that there has to be more life than what’s found on our planet.

I think it’s a pretty valid theory. The universe is enormous, and there’s just so much we don’t understand about it. I tend to want to see evidence of things, though, and I haven’t seen enough convincing evidence to sway me to believe some sort of alien life form exists. It’s not that I don’t believe, just that the verdict is still out for me on aliens. I would love to hear that there is more than just us in the universe, but I’m still waiting to see some solid proof. Right now all I’ve seen/heard are some first person accounts and some blurry Youtube videos.

Have any of you heard or seen something to make you think aliens might be a reality?

Weekly News Round-up 3/1/13

The Conversation posted an article on the issues with funding in Cryptozoology. You can read it here.

A stash of old reports about a lake monster called Morag have been discovered. Read more about it here.

New Scientist Life has a video and article on a study done on telepathic rats.

Ghost Stories

I finally started watching American Horror Story this week and it got me thinking about why people enjoy ghost stories so much. Of course, it’s fun being scared because we get a bit of an adrenaline rush, but I think there’s a lot more to it.

 People are always curious about the afterlife, and ghost stories give us a safe place to explore that curiosity. We want to feel like there’s more to life and if ghost exist, we know something else is coming. Ghost stories also can help us feel closer to people who have passed on in our lives. Ghost stories make it seem possible to reconnect with those lost loved ones. Who wouldn’t want to talk to, or interact with a deceased relative?

So we create stories that reinforce the idea that ghosts are real, that there is more to life than what we can see with our eyes and people dive into them because it’s what they want to hear and believe.

Why do you think people enjoy ghost stories so much?

Weekly News Round-up 2/21/13

A man in Oklahoma died from what may be spontaneous human combustion. Read about it here.

Here's a story about a haunted mirror that sold on Ebay.

A photo of a strange creature in New Jersey can be found here. The article actually does a nice job of explaining why the image is probably a fake.

The Top 5 Things Not to do on a Ghost Hunt

Here’s my short list of some behavior to be avoided while ghost hunting.

1. Run. Sometimes stuff happens on ghost hunts and people get spooked. It’s never a good idea to take off running. Mostly because you could hurt yourself, but also because your fellow investigators will laugh at you later.
2. Act like you know what you’re talking about. The second you insist things always/never happen a certain way, the exact opposite is guaranteed to occur. This happens in ghost hunting and life in general.
3. Get angry or emotional. Spirits seem to target people who are in a bad place emotionally. If you show how you are feeling, you could easily be a target for something nasty.
4. Do nothing but goof around. I like having fun on ghost hunts and we all joke around, play pranks on each other and have a good time on occasion. But if that’s all you are doing on a ghost hunt, you’re cheating yourself out of some really amazing experiences because you will miss what’s going on around you.
5. Fall asleep. It’s easy to get tired when you work late in the night and spend hours just sitting in dark rooms. But if you fall asleep you will definitely miss any chance of interacting with the spirit world and you’re really just wasting your own time and energy. You can always just stay home and sleep. Caffeinated drinks have become a staple on ghost hunts.

Can you think of any other things to NOT do on ghost hunts?

Weekly News Round-up 2/14/13

NBC News has an article discussing the remains found in Siberia by Russian scientists as well as some criticisms.

A ghost hunting group posted some evidence they captured aboard a Navy Ship. You can read about it and see the video here.

There was a report about a demon possessing a student at a school in Jamaica. You can read about it here.

Haunted Dolls

It’s a common belief in the paranormal world that spirits have the ability to attach themselves to or posses various objects. Some of the most common haunted object stories I’ve encountered have been about haunted dolls.

It seems like almost every place I’ve investigated has had at least one resident creepy doll. I think it’s mostly because old dolls sometimes look scary and people like to bring them to haunted locations. Sometimes investigators will bring dolls if they think there might be a child ghost inhabiting a building and leave it behind for the ghost to play with. Others are dolls that belong to the residence. Either way, they are creepy to run into in a dark space.

I’ve never actually seen a doll do anything paranormal on an investigation, but I have heard plenty of stories from fellow investigators, so I think it is a possibility. It makes sense that something with human characteristics and potential emotional ties would be fascinating to a ghost.

Do you think haunted dolls are a real thing or just another story?

Weekly News Round-up 2/6/13

A woman involved in a murder trial claims she dated a man who thought he was a vampire hunter. You can read about it here.

Russian scientist claim to have found the remains of a creature some believe could be a Siberian version of the Loch Ness monster. The article is here.

Thousands of purple spheres were found in the desert. Read about it here.

What Type of Equipment Do You Need to Ghost Hunt?

What Type of Equipment Do You Need to Ghost Hunt?

This question comes up a lot when I talk to people about ghost hunting. A lot of people are interested in ghost hunting, but don’t want to spend a ton of money buying equipment. The truth is, you really don’t need a lot of stuff to go looking for ghosts. A flashlight and an open mind are often enough if you are just looking for a spooky/fun experience.

However, if you are interested in recording your findings, there are several pieces of equipment that will help you. Some of them are things you may already have.

1. A digital camera with a good night setting. I tend to take a lot of photos during ghost hunts. I’ll often take hundreds of photos and most of the time nothing shows up in those photos, but every so often, something pops up that’s out of the ordinary.
2. A digital recorder. This is a staple of any ghost hunting group. EVPs are easy to catch in the right locations and I’ve learned a lot of information from EVP’s we’ve caught on our recorders.
3. A video camera with night vision. These can be expensive, especially for quality video, but there’s nothing quite like seeing something paranormal play out in front of you and then being able to go back and watch it again on video. Worth the investment if you plan on ghost hunting on a regular basis.
4. A spirit box. There are several versions of these available and you can even make your own out of an adapted radio. Some of them scan radio frequencies while others are simply boxes with words imputed inside. The idea is that a spirit can manipulate the boxes to interact with the world. I’ve seen some pretty impressive responses to the ghost box and they can be a lot of fun to use.

There’s lots of other equipment available but these four things are the items I think are the most useful for ghost hunters. Is there any equipment you think should be added on to the list? Have you ever used any of these items?

Weekly News Round-up 1/30/13

MELODIKA.net compiled a list of the ten best Bigfoot videos. You can check it out here.

Read a description of a recent Bigfoot sighting in Alaska here.

Video of some sort of UFO was taking flying over a train in London. Check it out here.

Spotting a Fake: Ghost Apps

Fake ghost photos have been around almost as long as photography has. Everyone loves a good ghostly image. Unfortunately, a lot of people like creating fake ghost photos to try to convince others that ghosts exist. With constantly changing technology, those fake photos have gotten easier for anyone to create.

Once of the latest trends in fake ghost photos is the creation of cell phone applications that let phone users paste ghost images directly into their cell phone shots. Some of the photos are even pretty convincing looking. Here’s an image from the Ghost Capture App

It’s important for ghost hunters and people in general to question ghost photos. There are stock ghost images that frequently reappear in images. Learning those images can help us spot the fakes. Also, if a photo looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Weekly News Round-up 1/24/13

A rap song about a Bigfoot sighting? Eh, why not? Check it out here.

A triangular UFO was spotted over Manchester. Read about it here.

A strange article found in a piece of coal in Russia has scientists confused. Some are blaming extraterrestrials. The article is here. What do you think?

5 Ways to Prevent Injuries During a Ghost Hunt

Ghost hunting sometimes involves risks. Along with the chance of coming in contact with a spirit, there’s also the possibility of putting yourself in potentially dangerous situations. Old buildings aren’t always maintained well, and part of being a good ghost hunter means being willing to explore in places that aren’t always ideal. Here are a few ways to help prevent team members for getting hurt.

1. Stake out a place before hand. Be sure to see what a building looks like during the daytime so you can look for potential issues.
2. Investigate in groups. Always make sure someone is nearby because if you get injured, you don’t want to be stranded alone.
3. Keep your eyes open for potential dangers. Take time to watch for safety hazards, like loose wires, debris, and anything else that might get in your way during the night.
4. Carry a first aid kit. It also helps if you have team members who have a little knowledge about how to treat minor injuries.
5. Ask the property owners for potential risks. They may know which spots need to be avoided. I’ve found that most of them are more than generous about sharing knowledge about which places should be avoided.

Weekly News Round-up 1/16/13

A Yeti park is being planned in Siberia. You can read about it here.

Someone claims to have caught images of Thylacines (which are thought to be extinct) on video. Check it out here.

Some UFO's were spotted flying over Michigan. An article and video can be found here.

Ghosts

So I was looking at a cartoon that featured a little drawing of a ghost this weekend. It was just a typical bedsheet ghost, but seeing it got me thinking. Why on earth do we draw ghosts like that? Where did it get started? I’ve spent a lot of time studying ghosts, but I’ve never given much thought to the iconic image we use to portray them. I had to do some googling.

What I found was pretty interesting. While some cultures portray ghosts as mists, or psychic energies, many think of them as physical beings. American culture (and some other cultures as well) tends to show them wearing clothing they wore while they were alive or what they were buried in.

The bedsheet ghost is believed to come from a time when people were sent to the grave in a burial shroud. The ‘sheet’ is what they would have risen from the grave with. Somehow that image has been carried over into our lives and culture. Just about every drawing or comic featuring ghosts has one of these little guys. A lot of ghost hunting groups use them as logos for their groups.

If you want to know a little more about it, here’s a site I found that talks more in depth about it. 

Weekly News Round-up 1/10/13

A driver who was fleeing the police claims he was running from aliens. You can read about it here.

A police station in New Zealand is thought to be haunted by the people working there. Read about it here.

Some mysterious lights spooked some cows in South Dakota. The article is here.

Automatic Writing

Many people like to practice something called automatic writing in order to get insight and guidance in life. If you aren’t familiar with this practice, you basically sit down with a sheet of paper and a pencil (or pen) and relax your mind. In theory, if a spirit is around, it might guide your words as you write across the page.

Some people also believe that it’s possible to channel higher versions of your mind this way. The concept has been around for a long time, and it’s often portrayed in film and television. There have also been several books published that claim to be the product of automatic writing.

I’ve tried this a few times in the past but not had much luck in actually accomplishing anything. Have any of you tried automatic writing?

Weekly News Round-up 1/2/13

Scotsman.com posted an article on the increased sightings of a lake monster in Zimbabwe. You can read it here.

A mystery animal has been attacking livestock in Kentucky. MailOnline has the story here.

Some strange tracks were found in Thailand. Local villagers believe they may have been made by a giant serpent. I'm not terribly convinced, but you can check them out here.