The Popularity of the Paranormal

Twenty years ago, if you told someone you believed to ghosts, you were likely to get a strange look. Or a shrug. Or an argument.  Even though people liked telling ghost stories they were thought to be pure imagination at its best by just about everyone. But things have changed.

Nowadays, a huge percentage of the population believes in ghosts, or aliens, or some sort of fantastical creature. For the most part, these people aren’t thought to be crazy or lying. People are starting to accept that there might be more to the universe than we ever previously thought.

It almost seems strange that people would turn away from the idea of scientific evidence and look for more. But science doesn’t have all the answers. There are some things we may never be able to prove. Some things you just have to experience for yourself to understand.

So why are people turning away from scientific proof and looking into the world of the paranormal?

There are a lot of theories about why all things paranormal are popular right now.

-One of the most common ones is that because people are experiencing economic hardship, they are looking everywhere they can for help. For answers. Even for an escape from reality. And the paranormal is one place that can supply that.

-Another theory is that because information travels so fast (with the internet and all) people are able to easily share their paranormal experiences. If stories of ghost sightings (or aliens, or whatever) keep popping up over and over again, people begin to be more accepting of the idea.

-There’s also been an explosion of shows and books on the paranormal lately that attempt to prove or understand paranormal phenomenon. And many people have this strange reliance on the media. Sort of like ‘If it’s in a book, it must be true” mentality.

-Many people have also been experiencing hardships with their religions and churches. A lot of the big mainstream religions have faced a lot of bad press lately, which causes people to question them. Many churches disapprove of the idea of discussing the paranormal but once someone’s left a religion, the whole word of paranormal phenomenon becomes something that can be explored.

-And there’s always the fact that many people just enjoy a good strange (occasionally creep) story. Paranormal is fun.

Of course, I’m loving the fact that paranormal is hot right now. It’s something that’s always fascinated me. I hope it’s a trend that isn’t going anywhere. But I’m curious about what everyone else thinks.

Why do you think paranormal is so popular right now? Do you think its popularity is a good thing? Do you think it’s a trend that’s going to stick around?

Also a reminder that there are only a few days left to get your short story or poem in for the writing contest. Entries are due April 1st. Details can be found here.

Weekly News Round-up 3/9/11

 This week in paranormal news aliens seem to be the hot topic.

AOL News posted an article about some previously classified UFO related documents released by the British government. You can find the article here. They also put up an article about a NASA scientist who claims he may have found evidence of extraterrestrial life in a meteorite.

The lake monster photo of Brownessie may be nothing more than an old tire. TheWest.com posted an article and photos here.

Also a video claiming to be a witness video to the paranormal M6 crash has popped up online. It seems a bit set up to me, but you can be your own judge. Check it out here. What do you think?

In other news,

Michael Offutt was nice enough to pass on another blog award this week, The One Lovely Blogger Award. You can visit his blog here.

I've decided to pass on the award to the same group of bloggers I awarded the stylish blogger award to since the rules are basically the same. The list can be found here.

Weekly News Round-up 2/23/11

It was a busy week for paranormal news!

 A strange figure appeared in some news footage from Egypt this week. The figure resembles a man on a horse and some people are claiming it is one of the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse. I think it's probably just a reflection, but it is a bit strange looking. Check it out here and let me know what you think!


AOL News has several paranormal stories posted this week including a collection of well known paranormal images, an article on the UFO Congress, and an article about Zombie Jerky (in case you're feeling hungry.)


More big cat sightings are popping up inear New Orleans. NOLA.com has the article here. This trend seems to be occuring all over the place.


A photo was snapped by someone in England who claims it is some sort of lake monster. The Sun posted the picture online with a short article comparing the monster to Nessie. You can find it here.

Umm...Writing Contest???

So I've been noticing that many of my readers are writers (very cool) and kicking around the idea of doing some sort of paranormal writing contest on here. But before I make an official decision to do a contest I want to make sure there's actually an interest out there. I'm thinking it would be for short stories or poems with some sort of paranormal element. The prize (or prizes) will mostly be bragging rights and maybe some sort of virtual ribbon the winners can put wherever they like. Some of the winners will have their entries featured on the blog as well.

I think it would be a lot of fun to read what everybody is writing. So let me know if you would be interested in seeing some reader submitted stories or even in sending in material. If there's enough interest, I'll give it the green light and post the actual rules and submission info. And if there's not much interest, I'll just carry on blogging! What do you think? Want to get in on the fun? Leave a comment (or e-mail) and let me know!

Weekly News Round-up 2/16/11

Phantoms and Monsters posted pictures of another 'Montauk Monster.' If you haven't been following the story, several strange looking creatures have washed ashore in New York  over the last two years. The creatures look like a cross between a turtle and some sort of mammal but no one seems to have real answers. The new one looks a bit different, you can check it out here.

In Salisbury, North Carolina, hundreds of people mounted an organized search for big foot for a show that's going to air on Animal Planet. The Salisbury Post posted the article here.

Unexplainable.net has an article about some of the artifacts stolen in Egypt and their possible connection to extra terrestrials. What do you think?

Creature Feature: Gnomes

Pretty much everyone, at one time or another, has seen one of those little plastic garden gnomes. They hang out in gardens, star in television commercials and movies, and seem to constantly be getting into trouble. But where did they come from? I wasn’t really sure myself so I attempted to do some research. Unfortunately the information I found was somewhat limited. It appears that no one knows exactly where the Gnome legend comes from or how far back it dates.

It’s believed that gnomes were a part of European folklore in the 1800’s. They are mentioned in an earlier work by Paracelsus and in Grimm’s Fairy Tales and their popularity has spread all over the world.

Gnomes are thought to live underground, have a love for gardening and working the earth and like to hoard treasures and gems. Some people consider them elementals and believe they have some magical abilities. Male Gnomes are usually portrayed with long white beards.

Recently a number of people in Argentina have been claiming to have spotted Gnomes running the streets at night and there are several videos on the internet of the Argentina Gnome sightings. While these videos are most likely faked, they are pretty interesting. Here are some links to the videos.  Gnome Video 1.  Video 2. Video 3.

So I’m curious if anyone has ever spotted something that looked like a Gnome? Do you have one of those little plastic Gnomes in your garden?

Clute, John and Clute, Grant. “Elemental.” The Encyclopedia of Fantasy. New York. St. Martins Griffin.

Paracelsus. (1566.)  Liber de nymphis, sylphis, pygmaeis et salamandris et de caeteris spiritibus. Nissae Silesiorum.

Grimm Brothers. The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales. New York: Pantheon Books, 1944

Interview: Mark Collins

Today I’ve got an interview with Mark Collins to share with you. Mark Collins is the journalist who has been reporting on the paranormal M6 crash and the mysterious crash in Paris and has graciously agreed to answer some questions about the events surrounding the two incidents. If you haven’t been following this story you can check out the latest press release here, courtesy of PRLog.


Can you tell me a little about yourself?

I'm a freelance journalist based in Manchester
 
What publications have you written for?

I've written comment articles for VoloLegal, a legal networking site
and also placed many articles on behalf of clients across a broad
spectrum of subjects including construction, health and cosmetics 
 How did you get involved in reporting the M6 crash?

My brother was traveling to London on the day it happened and was
about a quarter of a mile behind the accident, he alerted me to it and
also the fact he felt that if wasn't a straight forward crash.

There has been some speculation about Detective Silverton. Can you tell me a little about him?

I've only met him twice and spoke to him twice. What I know is that he
seems to be work for some special investigative team that specialises
in events of this type.

What do you think is connecting the crash in Paris and the M6 one in Birmingham?

I've been told by my source that there are similarities to both
incidents that are difficult to dismiss as purely coincidental. I also believe the suspect they have in custody is a common denominator in this as well.

 Do you think the events surrounding the incidents are paranormal in nature?

As a journalist you always try to look for the most rational, logical
explanations for all the events so as to eliminate the word
paranormal. In truth what I have seen and what I have been told and
reported on seems to challenge that assertion and there are certain
parts that make up the whole of these incidents that are unexplainable.
 
You’ve mentioned the use of a secret code. Is there anything you can tell us about the code? Do you think detectives are close to cracking it?

This is one aspect to the investigation that is very strange. On the
surface of it the code seems to be a load of gibberish that has no
relevance. But I understand the investigation team believe this is a
real world communication format that is being used; whether that
substantiates the rumours of paranormal activity or not is a separate
debate, but they are keen to crack it. They are looking at the relevance of some of the co-ordinates that are mentioned in it as well as the naming of certain metals from the periodical table.


Are there any plans to meet with Detective Silverton in the future?

Only when he contacts me. I have no way to contact him.

Do you believe the suspects involved to be human?

Definitely. There is no suggestion at all that the suspects are alien life forms.

 
Several people have mentioned seeing a bright light prior to the accident in Paris. Do you think the light is connected with the accident?

Yes. The only doubt I have is that the accident on the M6 was very
near to fireworks night, but the incident in Paris was not and also
too many people were reported to have seen this light. That coupled
with the alleged CCTV evidence suggests the light was very much part
of the incident. 

Are you concerned that similar events may occur in the future?

I'm not concerned but I am sure it will happen again, although where
and when I have no idea as there appears to be no pattern to it.

If someone has information about the crash, what steps should they go through to
share the information?

The only thing I would suggest is to post onto sites like yours and
similar as I have not been asked or have any contact details to give
out. Detective Silverton made it clear that past calls for evidence in
these types of case meant they got too many hoaxers; something they are
keen to avoid.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. If anyone has any information about either crash, please leave a comment.

Weekly News Round-up

Here's some of the top paranomal news for the week!


This week STV has an article about an old radio that seems to be playing vintage broadcasts-without any power. You can find the article here.

UFODIGEST.com posted an article about strange sightings occuring in Argentina. Here's the link. The cute creature sketch is worth a click!

Phantoms and Monsters shared an interesting personal account from someone who believes his driveway may be some sort of portal. You can check out the full story here.


I also want to announce that i'm working on an interview with Mark Collins, the journalist who has been covering the M6 paranormal crash. The full interview will be up on the site by next Monday so be sure to check back!

Weekly News Round-up

I've been following this story for awhile now, but I've been a little hesitant to repost it. Mostly because the whole thing seems so silly. But a lot of people are curious about the story, so you might as well read it. Here's a link to the M6 paranormal crash story from Beforeitsnews.biz. There's an update on the story at Ghosttheory.com here. Even if the whole thing is made up, it does make an interesting story.

AOL news has article, stating that NASA is preparing to make an announcement regarding "an astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life." I'm not sure exactly what that means but lots of people are speculating! Check out the article for all the details.

 In paranormal entertainment news, Allheadlinenews.com has a brief article about a new paranormal show being in the works.

And, a slightly disturbing article is posted on courant.com about a man claiming ghosts made him kill.

Happy reading!