Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Irish Folk Lore by Marla Brooks



By Marla Brooks

As part of Irish mythology and folklore the Leprechauns are part of our faerie folk, called by some as the “wee folk. As mischievous and intelligent folk they are general harmless to the general population in Ireland, although they are known to play the odd trick on farmers and local population of villages and towns.

It is said that every Leprechaun has a pot of gold, hidden deep in the Irish countryside. To protect the leprechaun’s pot of gold the Irish fairies gave them magical powers to use if ever captured by a human or an animal. Such magic an Irish leprechaun would perform to escape capture would be to grant three wishes or to vanish into thin air!

Leprechauns are also very keen musicians who play tin whistles, the fiddle and even the Irish Harp and various other Irish traditional instruments. The leprechaun is fond of drinking Poteen, moonshine, but must not be mistaken by their Irish cousins the cluricauns who are drunken creatures who love to cause chaos around Ireland at night time, a headache for the humans.

If you get lucky and manage to catch a leprechaun you need to be smarter than him or else you will be easily tricked which can have damaging results, never take your eye off him or he will vanish.

A captured leprechaun will grant you three wishes or a gold coin to bribe his way to freedom but this is when things can go terrible wrong if the wrong decisions are made.

Many of an Irish man who thought he could out smart an Irish leprechaun had selected the three wishes and would either go insane trying to think of what to wish for or their wishes would back fire with something bad happening.

One of the biggest tips an Irish person can give anyone is to never listen to what the Irish leprechaun says, no matter what. The leprechauns are great mind players and will say anything into confusing you into making the wrong wishes, although he is smart he can be fooled.

Irish leprechauns are devious little creatures and will do anything to escape from man so they should never be trusted. Some say angry leprechauns are more common than a friendly one but this is very untrue as Irish leprechauns are very friendly but tend to dislike humans who always seem to chase them for wishes and pots of gold.

If you ever spot a leprechaun you may be better off to pass him by without taking notice, you can end up in more trouble than its worth if decide to chase them as the people of Ireland only know to well.


Daily Oracle Card Reading by Ladean



By Ladean



Daily Oracle Card Reading 3/13/13~Improving Health~

This card is being given to you as validation that it's time for you to take your health more serious.

You've been tired, depressed, and just plain drained. Archangel Raphael wants to help you heal yourself.

Right now theirs nothing ailing you that YOU can't fix, it's just a matter of how bad you want it. Raphael says it's a matter of changing your lifestyle, the food and drinks your consuming is literally making you sick.

Their is no magic pill to fix you, it takes hard work, determination and a willingness to change.

Archangel Raphael has extended his arms to you, but it's up to you to make the first step. You can make excuses, or you can make changes, the choice is yours.


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Portsmouth man says ‘Titanic’ replica could be haunted



by Holly Henry

It’s been 100 years since the RMS Titantic struck an iceberg and sent more than 1,500 souls to their watery graves.

In 2004, a Portsmouth man completed a replica of the ship – nine feet long, weighing more than 200 pounds.

But according to the builder — the museum quality replica has recently acquired something that may now qualify it as a ‘ghost ship’. Who knows what lurks inside this replica of the ill fated RMS Titanic?

The builder told Barbara Ciara that you can’t see it with the naked eye, but he took a photograph of the boat that revealed what he thinks are two ghostly images.

Wyatt Jason Moore, better known as Chuck, says he discovered the spooky images just recently.

“I couldn’t make it out until I looked at it very carefully and I found it was a bald headed man with a handle bar mustache, and I said to myself, what’s he doing there? Maybe it was someone that was aboard the Titanic that found a new home for himself.”

It took 17,368 hours and over nine years to build the replica. Chuck took on the project after seeing the old black and white 1958 movie ‘A Night to Remember.’

Chuck, a retired architectural draftsman, studied old photographs of the Titantic and began his quest to build a spitting image of the vessel.

“I got so engrossed in it I didn’t realize how much time goes by each day,” said Chuck.

With painstaking detail, Chuck, wearing a special magnified glass attached to his glasses, used his special tools to freeze a moment in time on the replica.

He re-created life on the ship. Crewmen loading up an old Model-T. Children playing on the deck. Ladies in period clothing, socializing. Chuck even captured an image of a crewman walking dogs on the deck. History indicates that two of those dogs made on board life boats and survived the sinking.

But it wasn’t until Chuck shot a series of photographs of the replica to create a large photo composite, that he noticed something in the photos that couldn’t be seen with the naked eye.

An unexplained image in the portholes just above the life boats – on the port side of the vessel. According to Chuck, it looks like a bald headed man with a handle bar mustache looking out. And he just recently identified a woman in one of the portholes appearing to lean forward to see the view.

Chuck doesn’t fear the images; he says, “I leave them alone and they leave me alone.” As for the skeptics who don’t quite see the image as a ghostly image: “suit yourself” says Chuck.

The builder of the replica isn’t trying to convert anyone to buy into his ghostly tale, but he is interested in partnering with a musuem to display his replica so that more people can enjoy the ship he worked so hard to complete. It is a fascinating view, not to mention, his wife of 31 years would like to get that boat out of their living room.


A Gallery Of Ghostly Possessions



New Book Brings Together Tales of Haunted, Cursed and Possessed Items

Can an object be haunted?

With so much media attention given to haunted houses and possessed people these days, ghosts are no longer a taboo topic. Authors Christopher Balzano and Tim Weisberg have compiled a collection of true ghost stories with one catch. All of them revolve around the unexplained happening to regular, every-day items that are probably collecting dust on your shelf. More than a ghost-hunting book or a compilation of regional spooky stories, Haunted Objects: Stories of Ghosts on Your Shelf (Krause, July 2012, $15.99) asks readers to explore people's real experiences with haunted, cursed or possessed items while attempting to forget they have one just like it somewhere in their top drawer or attic. Ghost stories don't just happen on Halloween, and these stories prove you don't need a drafty old house or a stormy night to experience spirits.

Balzano and Weisberg try to answer the question from all angles, calling upon urban legend and classic curses while retelling the stories of everyday people who opened their home to something that refused to leave. Tales include those of haunted toys, such as the famous Robert the Doll and the murderous Annabelle; a mysterious birth certificate that enrages its dead owner; and a cursed belt that may be the reason for more than 300 years of death and crime in Southeastern Massachusetts.

Do the spirits of two little girls still play with dresses in the room where they died? Did James Dean and Franz Ferdinand both leave behind cursed cars? Is there more behind a set of Haitian masks than meets the eye? Does a dead grandfather share his favorite metal with his recently deceased grandson? The answers are simple if you can boil it all down to one question: can an object be haunted?

Once you read this book, you'll know the answer and never look at a yard sale, flea market or antique store the same way again.

ABOUT CHRISTOPHER BALZANO

Christopher is the author of several books about regional hauntings as well as the collection of true ghosts stories Ghostly Adventures and the how-to paranormal books Picture Yourself Ghost Hunting and Picture Yourself Capturing Ghosts on Film. He has been a contributor to Jeff Belanger's Encyclopedia of Haunted Places and Weird Massachusetts and was one of the writers behind Weird Hauntings. He has appeared in more than a dozen other books, often called in to offer insight into the paranormal or perspective on a certain case.

Balzano has appeared on radio stations across the country and throughout the Internet, as well as being called upon by television shows to comment on ghosts and urban legends, including the British television series Conversations with a Serial Killer. He has been a guest on Coast to Coast AM and been asked in as a consultant on televisions shows like Paranormal State and Ghost Adventures. He runs the paranormal news on Ghostvillage, one of the oldest and largest websites dedicated to the paranormal and is the content director for the popular paranormal radio show Spooky Southcoast

ABOUT TIM WEISBERG

Tim is the host, creator and executive producer of Spooky Southcoast, one of the world's most popular paranormal radio programs. He is also the author of Ghosts of the SouthCoast, and has contributed to books such as Picture Yourself Ghost Hunting and publications such as FATE Magazine. A frequent contributor to paranormal television series and specials, Tim has been featured on programs such as Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures and Most Terrifying Places in America, History Channel's MonsterQuest, BIO Channel's My Ghost Story and LIVING TV's Conversations with a Serial Killer. In addition, Tim also runs the paranormal events company Legend Trips along with Jeff Belanger. He is a frequent guest on other radio shows as well, most notably for his research into the hauntings of the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast in Fall River, Massachusetts.

When not working in the realm of the paranormal, Tim is employed as a sports writer for The Standard-Times in New Bedford, Massachusetts, covering the Boston Celtics and the New England Patriots.

For more information or to schedule an interview with one of both of the authors, please contact Christopher Balzano at (781) 799-2883 or email Christopher by clicking HERE, or to contact Tim Weisberg you can call (508) 863-3763 or email him by clicking HERE.


eBay to Prohibit Selling of Psychic and Other Paranormal Services



By D. J. Grothe

I have always been fascinated by weird claims and beliefs, especially those of the psychic, and over the years I've become something of a professional student of such paranormal belief systems, even as a skeptic.

One way we think of the work of skepticism is as a happy marriage between critical thinking/science education and consumer protection. Consequently, I've often felt exasperated by the online auction site eBay and how it has made it so easy for paranormal hucksters to take financial advantage of the credulous by selling their various wares through the company's consumer-to-consumer business.

For many years now on eBay, believers have been able to buy online psychic readings related to subjects ranging from past lives' revelations to psychic family planning services.

Some psychic practitioners on eBay offer supernatural medical consultations and healing services, while others offer love potions and spells.

Still other entrepreneurial paranormalists offer spiritual cleansing services for your home or psychic career counseling and supernatural financial planning advice.

These various supernatural services range in price from the $5 psychic text message to a year's worth of readings for $600 and up.

But it appears that all of this will soon be a thing of the past.

Those who have been profiting from selling such paranormal promises of prosperity and problem-solving will no longer be allowed to, as of September 2012. According to eBay, the decision was made because sellers who deal in paranormal services often create problems for buyers that "can be difficult to resolve."

From eBay's announcement on the policy change:

The following items are also being added to the prohibited items list: advice; spells; curses; hexing; conjuring; magic; prayers; blessing services; magic potions; healing sessions.

Unfortunately, within the larger "Metaphysical" category of things for sale on eBay (a category that currently has 100,324 active listings for sale!) items like Crystal healing skulls and finger rings enchanted by genies for the purpose of supernaturally causing weight loss for the wearer, ghost hunting "Trifield meters," $450 dowsing rods, and similar products of questionable value will still be allowed.

When it comes to buying the paranormal -- both figuratively, and literally on eBay -- the consumer is still cautioned: Buyer Beware!


Princess Diana ancestor Lady Winchcombe is haunting Kate Middleton family's £4.7 million home



The ghost is said to ride past Michael and Carole Middleton's new manor with four headless coachmen.

A ghost related to Princess Diana is haunting the Duchess of Cambridge’s parents, the Sunday People has revealed.

At midnight, the spectre of Lady Frances Winchombe is said to ride with four headless coachmen past Michael and Carole Middletons’ new home, a £4.7 million manor, in Bucklebury, Berks.

The restless banshee, who died of a broken heart after her husband cheated on her, ended her life in the area.

Councillor Wynne Frankum said: “The story of Lady Winchcombe is well known around here. The ghost is a chariot drawn by six black horses driven by headless postillions and a lady clad in white.”

Michael, 63, and Carole, 57, invited expectant parents William, 30, and Kate, 31, to the Grade II listed Georgian house over the Christmas holidays.

And residents report strange noises coming from Lady Winchcombe’s coach, said to rattle along the lane there.

Historian Martin J Wayland has collected several sightings and reports for his book Kate Middleton Country.

He said: “Lady Winchcombe is a descendent of the Spencer and Churchill families and the British Royal Family, she is related to the Stuarts as well as a distant relation to Lady Diana Spencer.

“I can trace her haunting and first recorded sighting back to 1898.”

Lady Frances was married to Queen Anne’s Secretary of State Henry St John for 18 stormy years.

In 1715 he ran off with £13,000 from the estate to live with his mistress, the Marquise de Villette, in her French chateau at Marcilly.

Martin said: “She died of a broken heart and shock after starving herself in October 1718, at 37.

“She wasn’t buried until the December – which is why we think that she could never rest in peace.”


Thursday, March 7, 2013

Announcement




Book reviews on the books I use on my show Storytime and books I've read because I just felt like reading them.

These book titles and my reviews can be found on the right side of your screen in the goodreads.com widget.

For more information on my show storytime, please click HERE.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

King Solomon



By: Justin Chase Mullins

Did you know that there was a text of Solomon left out of the bible. Solomon could command demons and control them. The text says Demons built the Solomon's temple, which held all of the Holy treasures. The pentagram, one of the most powerful protective symbols is called the Key of Solomon. The text said that Mystism is okay, as long as you are over 30. That you had to be strong of mind, because dealing with Spirits and communicating with them, could cause people of lesser minds to go crazy. In fact, Solomon went crazy due to doing a sacrifice for his Pagan wife.

(EVP) Electronic Voice Phenomena



Article from CPS Paranormal

EVP Is the term traditionally used to describe anomalous, intelligible speech recorded in or produced by electronic devices, and for which no currently understood physical explanations can account. EVP initially involved audio tape recorders, but in later years, virtually any recording medium became a vehicle for phenomena, and today, digital voice recorders are the device of choice for traditional EVP experimentation.

The popular A-B-C classification system developed by Sarah Estep, Founder of the American Association—Electronic Voice Phenomena has proven to be somewhat dated in classifying Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) for paranormal research and understanding. The recently re-worded AA-EVP system distinguishes EVP based simply on the quality and clarity of the EVP recording. Furthermore, broad subjectivity when classifying EVP is an inherent challenge of this system. As a reminder, the AA-EVP system is:

  • Class A: EVP is a message that can be heard without headphones and that people can generally agree on its content.
  • Class B: EVP requires a headphone to distinguish message content and not everyone will agree on the message.
  • Class C: EVP requires headphone, often needs amplification and filtering and will seldom even be heard by others.

While the quality of the EVP recording is important, it is the potential message contained within it that is of the utmost value in discovering more about life after death. Therefore, the EVP naming conventions below approach the classification of EVP primarily from the standpoint of how meaningful they are in helping humans to understand the spirit realm and spirit psychology, rather than simply how intelligible the EVP may be (although this is included). Please note that EVP by definition are voices and/or sounds captured on recorded media and not voices and/or sounds heard audibly. The goal of the following conventions is to make the classifying of EVP as objective as possible in order to minimize researcher subjectivity.


Class 1 (INTERACTIVE):

  1. Spirit voice is a direct response to a human statement / question / action / activity, or spirit voices respond to each other.
  2. Most or all of the words are clear and intelligible, with or without headphones.
  3. Spirit voice communicates comprehensible and existentially meaningful expressions of thoughts / feelings / emotions / opinions / actions / intentions.

Class 2 (Non-Interactive):

  1. Voice is a general statement and not a direct response to a statement/question/action/activity by humans.
  2. Most or all of the words are generally clear and understandable, with or without headphones.
  3. Spirit voice communicates comprehensible and existentially meaningful expressions of thoughts / feelings / emotions / opinions / actions / intentions.

Class 3 (Non-Speech):

Spirit voice is a sound other than the spoken word

  1. Growls, screams, humming, etc.
  2. Musical instruments, TV, radio, concerts, footsteps, rapping, banging, etc.

Null EVP (Valueless)

>The EVP contains nothing of value in understanding the spirit realm or spirit psychology.

  1. Words are unintelligible, with or without headphones.
  2. Spirit voice does not communicate comprehensible and existentially meaningful expressions of thoughts / feelings / emotions / opinions / actions / intentions, although the word(s) may be intelligible.

Signs of a possible haunting



Article from CPS Paranormal

The first step is to determine, as best you can, whether or not you truly have a legitimate case of a haunting. Not all hauntings are alike, and they may exhibit a variety of phenomena. Some hauntings feature a single phenomenon - such as a particular door slamming shut that occurs repeatedly - while others consist of many different phenomena, ranging from odd noises to full-blown apparitions.

Here's a partial list of phenomena that might indicate that your house is haunted:

Unexplained noises:

Footsteps; knocks, banging, rapping; scratching sounds; sounds of something being dropped. Sometimes these noises can be subtle and other times they can be quite loud.

Doors, cabinets and cupboards opening and closing:

Most often, these phenomena are not seen directly. The experiencer either hears the distinct sounds of the doors opening and closing (homeowners get to know quite well the distinctive sounds their houses make) or the experiencer will return to a room to find a door open or closed when they are certain that it was left in the opposite position. Sometimes furniture, like kitchen chairs, are perceived to have been moved. Very rarely will the experiencer actually witness the phenomenon taking place.

Lights turning off and on:

Likewise, these events are seldom seen actually occurring, but the lights are switched on or off when the experiencer knows they were not left that way. This can also happen with TVs, radios and other electrically powered items.

Items disappearing and reappearing:

This phenomenon, which we have dubbed "the DOPler Effect" (DOP = Disappearing Object Phenomenon), has been examined in the article "The DOPler Effect." Others have called this "the borrowers" phenomenon, and it's the familiar experience of not being able to find a regularly used item - say, your set of car keys - which you believe you placed in a spot you routinely place them. But they're gone and you look high and low for them with no success. Some time later, the keys are found - in exactly the place you normally put them. It's as if the object was borrowed by someone or something for a short time, then returned. Sometimes they are not returned for days or even weeks, but when they are, it's in an obvious place that could not have been missed by even a casual search.

Unexplained shadows:

The sighting of fleeting shapes and shadows, usually seen out of the corner of the eye. This phenomenon has also been discussed in some detail in "Shadow People." Many times, the shadows have vaguely human forms, while other times they are less distinguishable or smaller.

Strange animal behavior:

A dog, cat or other pet behaves strangely. Dogs may bark at something unseen, cower without apparent reason or refuse to enter a room they normally do. Cats may seem to be "watching" something cross a room. Animals have sharper senses than humans, and many researchers think their psychic abilities might be more finely tuned also.

Feelings of being watched:

This is not an uncommon feeling and can be attributed to many things, but it could have a paranormal source if the feeling consistently occurs in a particular part of the house at a particular time.


Those are some of the most common experiences of those who think their houses are haunted. Yet even stranger things can happen...


Stronger Evidence

The following phenomena are more rare, but could be stronger evidence of a haunting:


Mild psychokinetic phenomena:

Hearing a door open or close is one thing. Actually seeing it happen is quite another. Similarly, actually seeing a light go on or off by itself is greater proof that something unexplained is happening. Do you see the TV or radio turn on? Or perhaps you're present when a child's powered toy begins to operate on its own. Doors and windows are locked or unlocked. Some people report that when they are in bed they can feel and/or hear something sitting on the bed.

Feelings of being touched:

The feeling of being watched is one thing, and actually feeling like you are being touched is quite another. Some people feel something brush past them, something touching their hair or "a hand" on the shoulder. Some feel a gentle poke, push or nudge.

Cries and whispers:

On occasion, muffled voices, whispering and crying can be heard. Sometimes it's music from some unknown source. People hear their names being said. This phenomenon, as is true for the one above, gains more credibility if more than one person hears or sees the same thing at the same time.

Cold or hot spots:

Cold spots are classic haunting symptoms, but any instance of a noticeable variance in temperature without a discernable cause could be evidence.

Unexplained smells

- the distinct fragrance of a perfume or cologne that you do not have in your house. This phenomenon comes and goes without any apparent cause and may accompany other phenomena, such as shadows, voices or psychokinetic phenomena. Foul odors can happen in the same way.


Rarer still are more extreme phenomena, some of which have been called poltergeist phenomena, and can be quite strong evidence of a true haunting:


Moving or Levitating Objects:

(severe psychokinetic phenomena) - dinner plates sliding across the table; pictures flying off walls; doors slamming shut with great force; furniture sliding across the floor.

Physical assault:

Scratches, slaps and hard shoves. This kind of personal assault is extremely rare, but obviously highly disturbing.

Other physical evidence:

Unexplained writing on paper or walls; handprints and footprints.

Apparitions :

Physical manifestation of a spirit or entity. These phenomena are also very rare and can take many forms: human-shaped mists or forming mists of some indistinguishable shape; transparent human forms that disappear quickly; and most rarely, human forms that look as real and solid as any living person, but that disappear into a room or even while being viewed.

Rule Out Rational Explanations

A person who has experienced some of these phenomena might have cause to believe that his or her house is haunted. But maybe not. In fact, according to most experts, probably not. The human mind and human senses (as any magician will tell you) are easily fooled. And people can often mistake explainable (if unusual) occurrences in their homes for the paranormal.

Before you decide there's a ghost in your house or move out from fear, do your best to find rational explanations for what you are experiencing. Virtually all of the phenomena listed on the previous page could have perfectly natural causes:

Of course, the more extreme the phenomena, the harder they are to dismiss. And, as noted above, if multiple witnesses experience the same phenomena, they are likely to be taken more seriously.

Get help in finding rational explanations for the phenomena. A plumber might help you find the cause of that banging. A carpenter can fix that door from closing on its own. A friend or neighbor might be able to look at your particular experience in a different way and offer a reasonable explanation for your "haunting" that you might not have though of. In short, make every possible effort to prove that your house is not haunted.

Keep A Journal

If you feel you have ruled out rational explanations for the phenomena that are taking place in your house, and they are still occurring on a more or less regular basis, document them. Keep a journal of the phenomena as they happen. For example:


June 2, 2002; 10:30 p.m. - Was sitting watch TV when the bathroom light switched on by itself. Went in and turned it off again.

June 10, 2002; 9:14 p.m. - Was in the kitchen and heard the footsteps crossing the upstairs hallway again. No one was up there. Went up to investigate and could find no cause.


A journal such as this could help with any formal investigation of the phenomena by experts.

If you hear unexplained noises, attempt to record them with a portable tape recorder. If there are physical phenomena of any kind, photograph or videotape them. Keep your journal, recording and camera equipment readily available so you can document the phenomena as it happens.

Call the Experts

When should you call a paranormal investigator? Only when you have ruled out any rational explanations for the phenomena you are experiencing and are thoroughly convinced that your house is truly haunted should you contact CPS. Of course, if the phenomena are extreme and you feel that you and your family are in any kind of physical or psychological danger, you should call for help right away.


What Exactly is a Ghost?



By Nigel Nix

This article was found @ www.ghosthaunts.com

It doesn't matter what part of the world you come from or what religious faith you belong to, people all over the world are fascinated with death and the possibility of an afterlife. Most live in hope of "something" after this life. Some claim to have seen such entities or have photographic proof of their existence. More often than not these specters have evil inclinations and create fear at a primeval level. But what exactly is a ghost?

Is it the residual energy left in a certain location or a recurring echo doomed to rerun its own show for eternity? Is it a hellish demon masquerading as a mortal casualty? Or is it simply a lost soul abruptly taken and trying to find an exit without realizing its own tragic fate? Whatever ghosts are they remain a fascination and continue to captivate us in our everyday life, in books, through orally related tales and on the silver screen.

So when exactly did the deceased take on such a macabre persona? In order to evade further rhetoric we must look into our ancient past. Imagine being one of the first people in existence. Frolicking in nature and never taking notice of lifelessness even when killing other beasts to feed your hungry body. Taking your continuing existence for granted. Breeding, loving and raising your own offspring. Suddenly something unthinkable happens. One of your favorite offspring is killed by one of the beasts you regularly dine upon. Dystopian heart tearing sadness fills your being. A dark empty void is left where an integral warm piece used to reside. Unwilling to let go, you continue to speak with the memories to your cherished one. Continue to wish that they would return and that things could be as they were before this constant sorrow. You want it so strong that you start to believe it possible and eventually you make it a reality.

Through the use of hallucinogens shamans believed they could speak with the dead and summon powers beyond this earthly realm. The common folk thirsted for such hope and these elemental sorcerers commanded both fear and respect from their simple followers. They were a necessary comfort and aided in creating a stable content society. Believing in a hereafter gives purpose to an otherwise pointless and trivial life journey. In these times our expired relatives were looked upon with tremendous awe and great respect.

During the subsequent ages ghosts have become more imaginatively sinister through the writings of great story tellers and spectacular Hollywood productions. But despite these distortions, no solid proof of an afterlife kingdom or its evil inhabitants has yet been proven. It continues to be a long and intensely studied topic but has failed to produce hardcore proof. Ectoplasm itself eludes the eager professor of parapsychology hoping to find a shred of real evidence to justify his folly. However motivated these nocturnal thrill seekers remain, it seems that nature stubbornly denies them the fruit they so badly desire. Ghosts, I'm afraid, as spooky as they have been portrayed, remain an object of our ever fascinated and overactive imaginations.

The author thinks ghosts are cute.....mostly..... Supernatural Merchandise


Who's Afraid of a Haunted House?



The Iconoclast

This article was found @ www.ghosthaunts.com

It’s that time of year again. Time for all the ghouls and demons to come out of the woodwork. Time for children to dress up in imaginative costumes and go around their neighborhoods asking for treats. Yes, it’s that enjoyable annual holiday: Halloween. During this holiday, one popular tradition, for many, is to go to the local haunted houses. In these creepy commorancies, people delight in the chance to entertain their primal fears. Many of us get a kick out of a good scare.

Of course, these are just false haunted houses. Annual occurrences of smoke and mirror type frights. They are fun because everyone plays along. The demons are actors, the ghosts, props. These haunted houses are fun because both spook and spooked, know that no one is actually going to be hurt in the process. So then, what of real haunted houses?

Here the rules change. This time the scares are real, and the safety of the victim is placed into question. Now one comes face to face with the supernatural. That is, assuming that there is such a thing as “the supernatural.”

Most neighborhoods in many parts of the industrial and post-industrial world, seem to harbor one, or two allegedly haunted places. According to Dennis William Hauck’s National Directory of Haunted Houses, there are over 2,000 haunted places in the United States alone. This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise considering that the only real criteria for a haunted house is a creepy atmosphere, a fairly rich history, and a few eyewitness accounts.

So, where are some of the best places to go, to see a “real” haunting? How about two of the most haunted places on earth?:


  • Whaley House – Located in San Diego, California, this is the current reigning champion for the nation’s most haunted house. The abode was partially built on an old cemetery, as well as some of San Diego’s first public gallows. The residence has stood there for the past 148 years. Placement of the house, has made it a prime scene for many gruesome acts over the past century. Because of this, vast arrays of ghostly sightings have occurred on this property. These include the ghost of a young girl who accidentally hung herself on a clothesline whilst running down a hillside. Noted thief Jim Robinson, was hung 5 years before the house was built. His place of death now resides between the parlor and music room. Visitors have reported feeling a coldness and constriction of the neck, when around the archway that separates these rooms. Along with these two ghosts, there are numerous accounts of phantom scents in some rooms, cries of nonexistent babies in other rooms, and various apparitions that have been seen in the house’s mirrors and windows.

  • Borley Rectory – Not to be outdone by the States, England is also host to a number of haunted places. The most haunted of which is, allegedly, Borley Rectory, in the small town of Borley, in Essex. The rectory (lodging for priests) was built in 1863, on the site of an ancient monastery. Interestingly enough, it was built on a spot that was already known to house a ghost (a nun who was bricked up alive, in one of the monastic cellars). The rectory has since had numerous sightings of the nun, as well as many poltergeist activities, where various objects would be smashed, or displaced. Strange sounds, odors and cold spots are all known to occur there as well.

While both of these places claim to be haunted, one must ask if haunting is even a real thing, or just a psychosomatic phenomenon. Are ghosts real, or just figments of our imagination? This remains a controversial topic among the general public. A recent Harris poll (February 2003) found that a whopping 51% of people surveyed, believed in ghosts.

Of course belief in something, and the reality of it, are not always one and the same. After all, there was a time when much of the world believed that the planet was flat, and that disease was caused by the influence of the stars. While there is much debate over the validity of ghosts among the general public, there is little to no debate among the scientific community. To date, there has been no concrete evidence to suggest the validity of ghosts, or any other preternatural occurrences.

Okay then, so what are people seeing? Along with the various ghost seekers out there; there are also a handful of ghost-busters. Reading the various reports from these guys, has shown that ghostly encounters are the result of one of two things.


  1. Hallucinations

  2. Hoaxes

The first term is just reserved for clinically insane, right? Not really. Hallucinations are more common among the general public, than one might think. A hallucination is simply a moment where one’s brain mistakes a sight, sound, or smell, for something it isn’t. Most hallucinations occur during “dazed” moments. That is, moments when the person is in a fairly relaxed state. The two most popular times are just when one is going to, or coming out of sleep, or when doing a relaxed, fairly monotonous activity.

Hallucinations that occur when one is about to go to sleep, or when one has just come out of sleep, are called Hypnopompic Hallucinations, or “waking dreams.” The brain is not fully out of “sleep mode” when one wakes up, and thus, moments of dreaming, leak out into reality. Hallucinations can also occur during monotonous activities like cleaning. When one is placed into a daydreaming type state, apparitions have a tendency to occur. Many people report seeing something out of the corner of their eyes. This is often the result of their eye registering the sudden movement of some small thing (e.g. a fly, their eyelash, or pieces of drifting material inside the eye itself), and their brain associating it with a larger thing. Sometimes these take on the form of a person standing, or sitting. The degree of the detail in the hallucination, has a lot to do with how susceptible/imaginative the hallucinator is. The result, though, is always the same. The second the person looks away, the “apparition” disappears.

As for why so many people report the same thing; this has a lot to do with the power of suggestion. People who are aware of the stories associated with a particular place, are often predisposed to seeing the objects in question. Most of the time, the hallucination is just attributed to some portion of the stories the person may have heard (often getting molded to fit the scenario after the fact). Other times, the hallucination is vivid enough to create a new ghostly tale. This is usually the result of a person with a “fantasy prone” personality type. That is, a person who is particularly good at fantasizing. Many people like this go on to write fantasy/science fiction books, or claim to have psychic abilities. They also tend to be easily hypnotized. Cases where objects are found displaced, or moving, are often exaggerations of what actually happened. Sometimes the person might even subconsciously move stuff about in an effort to bring their fantasy to life.

Which, then, leads us into our second major type of haunting: hoaxes. Many haunted places around the globe, are staged that way to elicit the feeling of paranormal activities. Many places that have a history of being haunted, are probably getting a helping hand from owners/staff members who are trying to keep the legends alive. This can be small things like synchronized stepping sounds during a certain portion of the night, to intentionally flicking light switches on and off, creating ghostly images, and making up secondary stories.

Oftentimes, these “hoax houses” are readily ferreted out. Occasionally though, a haunted house retains its air of paranormal for much longer, and resists attempts at debunking. Take, for instance, the infamous case of the Amityville Horror. The Amityville Horror took place in Amityville, New York in 1975. The home had been the scene of the gruesome murder of the DeFeo family by family member Ronald “Butch” Jr. a year prior. The home was bought by George and Kathy Lutz, and their three kids. Not long after moving in, the Lutzes reported the demonic possession of their house, and gave a somewhat detailed account of what occurred there during their 28 day stay.

The story was turned into a book by author Jay Anson, in 1977. This was then followed by a 1979 movie based on the book, and now a 2005 remake. All three feature the tagline: a true story. This, though, was far from the case. Ever since the initial tale was brought to the public’s attention, there have been detractors. Yet despite the noted compilation, by researchers Rick Moran & Peter Jordan, of over 100 different factual errors seen between the book’s story, and the actual facts (e.g. the supposed demonic hoof print found in the snow, could not have occurred as there was no snowfall that night), despite these facts, the legend continued.

In the end, it finally took the confession of William Weber (the DeFeo’s attorney), and the Lutzes themselves, to finally put this legend to rest. The Amityville Horror was finally debunked, but the damage was already done. All successive owners of the DeFeo’s old estate must now deal with multitudes of gawkers and paranormal investigators, who insist on touring the ill fated home.

So this Halloween, if someone dares you to spend the night at the local “real” haunted house; just remember the famous words of investigative authors Robert Baker and Joe Nickell:

“There are no haunted places, only haunted people.”


Investigation 9. Esterbrook Cemetary



This article is from myspace.com/wisconsinhunters blog
Date: May 9th 2009
Team Members:
  • Branden Kennedy
  • Corbet Franzen
  • Mike Grahl
  • Dani Marquard
  • Mike Toshner

Location: Fond du lac, Wisconsin
Equipment used:
  • Digital Camera
  • Digital Voice Recorder

Time Arrived: 01:30 a.m
Time Departed 03:00 a.m
Results: This investigation was a bit different than anything we'd ever done before. We went there in an attempt to make contact with a departed family member of a team member, not to prove weather or not the location was haunted. No verdict can be reached from an investigation of this sort as to weather or not Esterbrook Cemetery is haunted or not because that was not the purpose of the investigation.
But for all investigative purposes I'd call it a success based on personal experiences alone. Having 2 teams in different areas, we both heard sounds/voices that coincided with the others. Also Nick and myself (Branden) were able to see what we believe to be Shadow People on two different occasions, but in the same area (though, it could have been a shadow from a living source, and shouldn't be credited fully). The voices consisted of wailing cries varying in length from a short sob to a full on wail lasting for about 2-3 seconds. All of the investigators heard these periodically throughout the night. The only way to disprove this as something paranormal is to say that it was an animal, because one investigator reported hearing an owl earlier in the night. The grand finale happened right as we were leaving, when I distinctly heard a female voice from my left say the name "Danielle." No one else heard this, and the recorder was off.
But, as I stated before I would call our investigation a success. The team member who suggested we go here was happy with the way the investigation went, and we enjoyed ourselves during the experience, so that’s really all that matters.
Video evidence has yet to be gone over and results will be posted soon.

Electromagnetic Fields - Your Health and the Paranormal



This article was found on http://science1.knoji.com

It was written David Howard @cincypararadio Ranked #46 in Science

Electromagnetic fields can be man-made or natural in their source. Many paranormal investigators believe EMF fields can help determine the presence of spirits, or ghosts.

Electromagnetic fields (known as EMF) are areas of energy that can be measurable by meters known as EMF meters. Where do electromagnetic fields come from? Predominantly electromagnetic fields come from high energy sources such as power lines, kinetic energy sources and nature (the Sun for example). There are other natural sources of EMF fields from limestone and quartz, which hold energy that is charged to it via many venues. You will also find lesser strength EMF fields in common household items such as microwaves (ever wonder why people with pacemakers can’t be near a working microwave? Electromagnetic Fields are why), the clock on your stove (check that with an EMF meter sometime) alarm clocks, refrigerators and other similar household appliances. You may also find that you have poor wiring in your home emitting a high EMF field.

So what is the big deal about an electromagnetic field? Remember the big cancer cluster lawsuits in the 70’s, 80’s and later? People living near power large transmission power lines seemed to have a higher than average rate of cancer. It was determined in some cases that the extremely high magnetic fields emitted by these power lines were the source of these health issues. How would an electromagnetic field affect you in an everyday situation in your home? Many people have a natural sensitivity to high levels of EMF. You can get headaches, nausea, excessive sleepiness, and even have hallucinations.

In more recent years, electromagnetic fields (EMF) and the meters that detect them have become more of a household word since the paranormal television craze has started. You see almost every paranormal investigator using electromagnetic field detectors to help determine if a place is haunted. The theory is that spirits are comprised of energy, and when the electromagnetic field detector starts to go off, a spirit may be near. However, this theory as a base leaves several holes in the collection of evidence. Many investigators do not know how to truly use an EMF meter (the planes the EMF meter can read , the axis to use, etc) and when an electromagnetic field is in fact detected, much care and caution must be exercised to determine the source of the field before calling it paranormal in nature.

You may find that the area you are investigating is rife with limestone and quartz deposits reflecting natural energy back to you, you may find underground power lines emitting higher than usual energy levels, or you may determine that a man-made object is causing the electromagnetic field.

What do the different levels mean? Handheld meters can read electromagnetic fields from .01 Milligauss (Mg)upwards of 999 Milligauss (Mg). To the homeowner, anything below 30 is probably not much of an issue. Above 30 Mg, people with electromagnetic field susceptibility may start having headaches, delusions, and sleepiness, all of the previously mentioned symptoms (or any one of them, and others not mentioned in this article). To the paranormal investigator, anything from .03 to 4.0 is interesting, in which this range is believed to be the range a spirit can manifest itself. Anything above 4.0 Mg is almost always a natural or man-made source that can be determined with a little bit of debunking and education. Electromagnetic field meters can be purchased for as little as $25 upwards to over $300, depending on what levels you’re trying to detect, and what other features you may need.


Paranormal phenomena on the Internet



This article was found on http://www.helium.com

It was written by Kacey Stapleton

Created on: September 22, 2010 Last Updated: September 23, 2010

Perhaps when you think of reading information about the paranormal your mind turns to dark Edgar Allan Poe induced images. A long forgotten manuscript read by candlelight or book tucked away in a drafty castle might sound appealing at first, but the dim light isn’t good for the eyes, and you should avoid damp places.

Fortunately, your search doesn’t have to be so arduous. Information about terms, anecdotal stories, and methods of research into the paranormal are plentiful on the Internet.

Rowena Gilbert’s fondness for ghost stories has turned huge benefits for those with a similar interest. Gilbert is the original creator of Castle of Spirits a website anyone who loves first person accounts of spooky encounters intermixed with older legends and timeless classic stories. The site was started in 1998 and became incredibly popular quickly, even as Gilbert’s reputation as a thoughtful researcher grew. Sadly, she passed away in 2008, but the site now run by other enthusiasts carries on collecting stories from all over the world. New first person accounts are posted monthly and these stories along with those in the archive can fill many an hour. There’s also a section on the history of urban legends like Bloody Mary. You might want to have a few snacks close by before you settle in to read since time flies by fast especially on your first visit.

If you want to read up on famous ghost hunters The Atlantic Paranormal Society is the place to start, although admittedly this site is a bit on the busy side. Jammed packed with information on all sides it might take a few minutes to take it all in. There are articles on everything from the technical side of ghost hunting to the difference between ghosts and nature spirits. This is a great place for beginners to learn the terminology used by many in the field. You can also catch up on what is going on with the various members of the TAPS team you have become familiar with on SyFy’s Ghost Hunters. In fact, there’s a link to follow Jason and Grant on Twitter.

A combination of paranormal research information and good old fashion ghost stories can be found on the Prairie Ghosts American Haunting page. Links to events, books , tour information and more can be found on this website run by Troy Taylor. Happily, this is another spot where an enthusiast can get lost for an hour or more. Even the long time researcher might find a few tidbits of information on old stories like Resurrection Mary that offer a few surprises.

If you want to explore the paranormal side of Space, the best place to start is with Mufon.com. The Mutual UFO Network has been around since 1969 in one form or another, and their site is a treasure trove of information. The site is very easy to maneuver through with everything from events to current articles at your fingertips.

We have no way to know what kind of stories Mr. Poe might have come up with if only he could have pondered forgotten lore on a laptop rather than all those dusty books. But you have the wondrous ability of your computer and who knows where the power of your imagination and the Internet will take you.


The effect of electronic voice phenomena (EVP) on the paranormal world




This article was found on http://www.helium.com

It was written by Dan Hiland

Created on: July 30, 2009 Last Updated: August 01, 2009

Mankind has always had an interest in life after death, and more particularly, the "spirit world." From the first observed instances of "spiritual" activity- known as the "paranormal"- its followers have struggled with ways to document such manifestations. The degree to which they have succeeded has determined the level of interest in further research, as well as increased efforts to contact those spirits that they believe not only exist, but want to communicate with those of us on this side of the "veil."

During the heyday of Spiritualism (the mid 1800's-1920's), efforts to communicate with departed souls by way of séances and other means led to an exhaustive collection of stories, accounts , theories and the like, most of it gathered from eyewitness testimony or word-of-mouth. Throughout the early 1900's, photography was employed to "capture" images of spirits, in an attempt to further verify and prove to the world that the paranormal was more than mere conjecture- but with mixed results.

With the development of magnetic tape in the 40's and 50's, though, came a new way to capture evidence of spirit activity. Researchers found that playback of tape recordings (where there was no sounds to record), contained noises for which they could not account. Some of these were believed to be the voices of spirits from the "other side."

As more and more experiments were conducted, a small but dedicated group of scientists , technicians and psychologists came to believe that they had captured the voices of disembodied spirits attempting to communicate with the living. Everything from barely audible mutterings to full and coherent messages - some seemingly in code - were being heard. After ruling out technical problems like radio interference and the like, the only possibility left was that of spirits communicating from beyond the grave.

Due to a renewed interest in spiritualism, these manifestations came to be known as Electronic Voice Phenomena, or EVP, and in 1982, the American Association of Electronic Voice Phenomena was born. Founded by Sarah Estep, the AAEVP's mission was to increase understanding and awareness of EVP, and teach others about standardized methods of capturing it (http://en.wikipedia.org).

With increased public exposure to EVP existence came seminars, workshops and the formation of other societies dedicated to its study. Ghost hunting, a pastime formerly the stuff of folklore and the marginally sane, became the subject of television shows and movies , such was the general public's interest in, and acceptance of, the paranormal world.

Currently AAEVP boasts membership of 500 people across the United States and in 22 countries (http://www.aaevp.com), while tens of thousands of other EVP-related sites are scattered across the Internet.

The end result of EVP research and education has been a renewed interest in all aspects of paranormal activity, especially as it relates to the Spirit World- and nowhere is this enthusiasm more pronounced than within the community of the "Big Circle."

Tracing its beginnings to a small group of AAEVP recorders, the Big Circle's mission "is to support, educate, and inform all who have lost loved ones, especially children, focusing on the role EVP can play in healing and spiritual growth regardless of belief system" (http://bigcircle.aaevp.com).

If the discovery of EVP does nothing else but serve as a way of bringing peace to the suffering, it will have earned its place in history .


Why people are interested in paranormal phenomena Part 2



This article was found on http://www.helium.com

It was written by Stefano Brugnerotto

Created on: June 10, 2012 Last Updated: June 11, 2012

The realm of the paranormal is a common interest among humans, but for various reasons. The paranormal represents very different things to various people. I feel, from a psychological viewpoint, that there is a relief among certain people that a lost loved one is still accessible. It would be easy to console your grief in the belief that they are still there. This can be amplified by the few people that have such a hard time believing in the departure that they will hallucinate.

Many stories arise of people seeing ghosts of family members, friends, etc. I believe this arises from the before-mentioned inability to cope with loss. Their mind, not able to let go, creates images of the deceased in order to calm itself. For others, a need to explain what they cannot, gives rise to an interest/belief in the paranormal. People naturally seek to explain their surroundings and when their knowledge of science fails them, a paranormal explanation may become necessary. When one such occurrence befalls a person, they may develop an interest and pursue further instances.

It is also “cool” to some people that there is a world of beings that we cannot see. The simple fact that ghosts are fascinating is a reason that people are interested. Who would not want to communicate with a person from the past? The stories they could tell of history . This possibility is enough to excite some people to search for phenomena that can be attributed to phantoms.

When phenomena is noticed, a person can feel “close” to ghosts. They want to expand this feeling by experiencing ghosts more and more. This can turn to obsession as is noticed in shows such as “Ghost Hunters”. This obsession paved the way for jobs in the field of paranormal research. (Again, “Ghost Hunters”).

For the common person, belief in the paranormal involves a faith in what you cannot see. Belief/Interest in the paranormal parallels with religion in that, both situations have a vast range of “followers”. You have those who are sort of interested, those who are obsessed, and everyone in between. Such as religion does, paranormal interest permeates society. Though you may not be openly interested in phantoms, you cannot escape their influence. Countless stories and movies transfer this interest to the common person. Based on their popularity, it can be inferred that each one of us has a little interest embedded in us.


Why people are interested in paranormal phenomena




This article was found on http://www.helium.com

It was written by R.E.Taylor

Created on: June 08, 2012

The question of why people are interested in paranormal phenomena can be answered in two ways. Some are interested because of the adrenalin rush they get when something “out of the ordinary” happens and they catch it on electronic devices such as a digital camera or on a digital voice recorder . Others are history fanatics who want answers to questions about events that happened in the past.

Concerning the first, in the city of Erie, Pennsylvania there are several locations that are considered extremely haunted. One of these places (the second most haunted place in Erie) is the building located at 145 West 11th Street. The building has had paranormal activity for years including voices, objects moving by themselves lights turning on and off as well as property destruction. As a paranormal investigator I found that the spirits in the building, especially one named Tina, were active both when the building when it was closed as well and when shows were being run in the venue. The thrills came when voices were caught on tape as well as apparitions caught on video and in pictures. The stories were adapted but based on the spirits in book form as well as a play.

The second are those interested in learning about spirits from history. The best site for these investigations are cemeteries, old building and battle fields. People interested in this area of the paranormal use basically the same equipment as those looking for a thrill…digital cameras, video cameras and voice recorders to collect evidence of a haunting. Battle fields such as the civil war battle field Gettysburg, which is well known as an extremely haunted site. Claims have been reported of soldiers wandering throughout the area wearing Union uniforms as having bandages covering head wounds. This site is so well known for its paranormal phenomena that it has been featured on several documentaries including one on the Travel Channel.

The biggest influence in the popularity of the paranormal comes from TV shows such as Syfy’s Ghost Hunters and A&E’s Paranormal State where the shows take the viewers on investigation. Often they do show videos and play sound recordings as well as showing how the investigations are done and what happens to the investigators while they are on site.

Many towns now are doing what they can not only to accept their paranormal being but also to help increase awareness by actually holding “ghost walks” where they pick a site like a cemetery and tour the site after the sun goes down. Often times these walks last for hours and many, many spirits are recorded, photographed and videotaped.

With all of the positive media, as well as local groups organizing across the world, paranormal phenomena will continue to grow as people learn not to fear the paranormal and have fun trying to find if the stories and legends are true.


Has Mona Lisa been exhumed?



Article by: • Cathy Ciliento

Human bones have been recovered from a crypt buried beneath the Convent of Saint Ursula in Florence. Scientists think they may be the remains of Lisa Gheradini, believed to be the model for Leonardo De Vinci’s Mona Lisa. She became a nun after her husband’s death and lived at the convent until her death in 1542. DNA from the bones will be compared to DNA from other graves in the area, where Lisa’s children had been buried.