The point is not necessarily the "paranormal" occurances in the pictures that this man is sharing, but that fact that this man is able to show these pictures. This video illustrates how the internet has given this man the opportunity to reveal his "paranormal" findings. He is not afraid of being ridiculed through this medium and his friend during the presentation even gives him positive feedback.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Types of Spirits
By: Matt Ferrell
North Florida Paranormal Research, Inc.
Ghost Tracker Investigations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is believed that when the body dies, that is all that dies. The body is just an outer shell for the energy inside. In the first law of thermodynamics (also known as the law of conservation) it is defined that energy can neither be created or destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another. All living things contain energy. So, what happens when an organism dies? The body can die.. sure. But what about the energy? It is believed that the energy is released into the environment. There are also reports and studies of, when people die, a mist (ecto?) leaving the body.. usually through the forehead. It is also believed that this energy still retains the organisms traits and personality. So nothing really changes, except that the organism no longer is contained in the body. It is free. The human eye may not be able to see this energy, but film (photo, video), audio recordings, and other types of media can usually pick up this energy.
The common misconception is that ghosts always appear as full manifestations, this is also fueled by Hollywood. Rarely have total manifestations been photographed by Paranormal Researchers. Spirit energy is generally categorized as orbs, ecto/mist, vortices and apparitions. Below is info on what you may find in the field of paranormal research.
Types of Spirit:
Residual - Residual Hauntings are "recordings" of an event in time that are left at a location, that are played back at a later time. Many hauntings are thought to be residual in nature (foot steps in hallways, battles on battlefields, seeing someone walking down a certain staircase, etc.). They are endless loops of the same scene being played over and over, and they are usually always experienced in the same location.
A couple ways these impressions are left on a location is: A traumatic event happening at the location, or by someone doing an action over and over at a location, causing it to be imprinted there. A traumatic moment in time leaves an indelible impression on a building or area, one example being Battle Fields. There are numerous accounts of people seeing soldiers fighting battles on old battle fields, only to learn later that day that there were no reenactments going on that day.
By someone doing an action over and over in an area, they can leave an impression on the location also, example being: when people hear footsteps walking down hallways yet no one is there, or when people see apparitions walking up/down staircases. Another example of this is: In St. Augustine, Florida there's been a apparition of a woman who, every time seen, is always in the same location, and always doing the same thing.. Her laundry. As if she is stuck in time.
Anniversary - Anniversary ghosts do, as the title suggests, only appear on an anniversary of some significance like deaths, birthdays and other times that held some meaning for the deceased or are of historical significance to them. Since this type of ghost only appears on the anniversary of a special event, it seems likely this type of haunting could be a residual haunting, reenacting a certain event in time on that one day or night.
Intelligent - Unlike residual hauntings, these type of ghosts are not in a 'stuck in time' type of deal. They actually seem to have intelligence. These spirits are interactive, sometimes verging into the territory of the poltergeist. They may try and attract your attention by creating odors, moving things, making noises such as footsteps, slamming doors, or moving and hiding objects.
Poltergeist - The Poltergeist – German for "noisy spirit" – seems to be between the categories of ghost and psi (the term applied to unusual abilities of human origin such as ESP and psychokinesis and investigating "exceptional human experiences" such as out of body and apparitional experiences). There's usually two camps of thought on this subject. Some believe it all to be caused by intelligent ghosts, and some believe it all to be caused by the living person at the location (ESP/Psychokinesis).
As the German name suggests, the activity is usually noisy, often throwing objects around, pinching and prodding residents and generally disrupting the residence. They may not be "mean" or "evil", Just active, wanting to let people know they're there.
Interestingly, most cases often center on a teenage or female presence in the home. This would seem to indicate that the activities are in some way attributable to the teenager or focus person. Hauntings are usually associated with places of strong emotion. Adolescence is one of the most stressful and emotional times of a person's life. Perhaps the effect of this stress may attract the ghost/hauntings? Another theory that is becoming more and more used to explain poltergeist activity is that the focus person in the household may be a natural medium or suffering from repressed emotions that are somehow outwardly manifested, meaning the person them self may be actually causing these things to happen without even knowing it.. Thinking of how much energy and emotions a teenager is going though, this is a possible theory.
Types of spirit energy:
Orbs:
Photo by Jeff Reynolds (left)
Taken at the Tolomato Cemetery in St. Augustine, Florida.
Photo by Matt Ferrell (right)
Taken at a Ghost Tracker investigation of a private home.
These are the most commonly photographed anomalies captured on film. They usually are seen as 'balls of light' hovering over the ground. If you look inside them you can usually see a swirling pattern, possibly energy moving around. Be sure to follow "Standards and Protocols" to try and avoid capturing false evidence like dust, rain, etc. that could show up as orbs on film. For more on "Fake Orbs" see our False Evidence page. Also be sure to check out this article on Orb Photos.
Ecto / Mist:
Photo by Holly outside the Cassadaga Hotel in Cassadaga, Florida (left)
Photo by member Marlene in an office building that was being remodeled (right)
This is a form of spirit energy that appears either as long white swirls or as a vapor or cloud like apparition. It's important for you or other people to not be smoking during a ghost hunt/investigation. If you must smoke, make a place away from the investigation for everyone to smoke at. If someone is smoking around the investigation, then it's hard to tell if it was the smoke from the cigarette or something paranormal on film. But if no one is smoking, you are not breathing in front of the camera (on cold days), there's no fog, and you see no mist with the naked eye, etc.. then you may have something.
Vortex/Vortices:
Photo by Kris
Taken at the Limelight Theater in St. Augustine, Florida
This is a swirling column of white (usually vertical) light that is often mistaken for a camera strap. Always remember to either remove your camera strap or make sure it is not in the way of the camera lens to avoid confusion. The column may be of any color, but the most common is white. Often a blue-white color may be visible associated with portions of the column being transparent.
Apparitions:
Some psychics and mediums see them on a regular basis but as for the rest of us it's a very rare occurrence. Catching an apparition on film is what every ghost hunter aspires to but seldom, if ever sees. Sometimes it's just a matter of being at the right place at the right time. They show up in a transparent human form and usually wear the clothing of their period. You might also note that they normally appear faint and disfigured as in being incomplete.
North Florida Paranormal Research, Inc.
Ghost Tracker Investigations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is believed that when the body dies, that is all that dies. The body is just an outer shell for the energy inside. In the first law of thermodynamics (also known as the law of conservation) it is defined that energy can neither be created or destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another. All living things contain energy. So, what happens when an organism dies? The body can die.. sure. But what about the energy? It is believed that the energy is released into the environment. There are also reports and studies of, when people die, a mist (ecto?) leaving the body.. usually through the forehead. It is also believed that this energy still retains the organisms traits and personality. So nothing really changes, except that the organism no longer is contained in the body. It is free. The human eye may not be able to see this energy, but film (photo, video), audio recordings, and other types of media can usually pick up this energy.
The common misconception is that ghosts always appear as full manifestations, this is also fueled by Hollywood. Rarely have total manifestations been photographed by Paranormal Researchers. Spirit energy is generally categorized as orbs, ecto/mist, vortices and apparitions. Below is info on what you may find in the field of paranormal research.
Types of Spirit:
Residual - Residual Hauntings are "recordings" of an event in time that are left at a location, that are played back at a later time. Many hauntings are thought to be residual in nature (foot steps in hallways, battles on battlefields, seeing someone walking down a certain staircase, etc.). They are endless loops of the same scene being played over and over, and they are usually always experienced in the same location.
A couple ways these impressions are left on a location is: A traumatic event happening at the location, or by someone doing an action over and over at a location, causing it to be imprinted there. A traumatic moment in time leaves an indelible impression on a building or area, one example being Battle Fields. There are numerous accounts of people seeing soldiers fighting battles on old battle fields, only to learn later that day that there were no reenactments going on that day.
By someone doing an action over and over in an area, they can leave an impression on the location also, example being: when people hear footsteps walking down hallways yet no one is there, or when people see apparitions walking up/down staircases. Another example of this is: In St. Augustine, Florida there's been a apparition of a woman who, every time seen, is always in the same location, and always doing the same thing.. Her laundry. As if she is stuck in time.
Anniversary - Anniversary ghosts do, as the title suggests, only appear on an anniversary of some significance like deaths, birthdays and other times that held some meaning for the deceased or are of historical significance to them. Since this type of ghost only appears on the anniversary of a special event, it seems likely this type of haunting could be a residual haunting, reenacting a certain event in time on that one day or night.
Intelligent - Unlike residual hauntings, these type of ghosts are not in a 'stuck in time' type of deal. They actually seem to have intelligence. These spirits are interactive, sometimes verging into the territory of the poltergeist. They may try and attract your attention by creating odors, moving things, making noises such as footsteps, slamming doors, or moving and hiding objects.
Poltergeist - The Poltergeist – German for "noisy spirit" – seems to be between the categories of ghost and psi (the term applied to unusual abilities of human origin such as ESP and psychokinesis and investigating "exceptional human experiences" such as out of body and apparitional experiences). There's usually two camps of thought on this subject. Some believe it all to be caused by intelligent ghosts, and some believe it all to be caused by the living person at the location (ESP/Psychokinesis).
As the German name suggests, the activity is usually noisy, often throwing objects around, pinching and prodding residents and generally disrupting the residence. They may not be "mean" or "evil", Just active, wanting to let people know they're there.
Interestingly, most cases often center on a teenage or female presence in the home. This would seem to indicate that the activities are in some way attributable to the teenager or focus person. Hauntings are usually associated with places of strong emotion. Adolescence is one of the most stressful and emotional times of a person's life. Perhaps the effect of this stress may attract the ghost/hauntings? Another theory that is becoming more and more used to explain poltergeist activity is that the focus person in the household may be a natural medium or suffering from repressed emotions that are somehow outwardly manifested, meaning the person them self may be actually causing these things to happen without even knowing it.. Thinking of how much energy and emotions a teenager is going though, this is a possible theory.
Types of spirit energy:
Orbs:
Photo by Jeff Reynolds (left)
Taken at the Tolomato Cemetery in St. Augustine, Florida.
Photo by Matt Ferrell (right)
Taken at a Ghost Tracker investigation of a private home.
These are the most commonly photographed anomalies captured on film. They usually are seen as 'balls of light' hovering over the ground. If you look inside them you can usually see a swirling pattern, possibly energy moving around. Be sure to follow "Standards and Protocols" to try and avoid capturing false evidence like dust, rain, etc. that could show up as orbs on film. For more on "Fake Orbs" see our False Evidence page. Also be sure to check out this article on Orb Photos.
Ecto / Mist:
Photo by Holly outside the Cassadaga Hotel in Cassadaga, Florida (left)
Photo by member Marlene in an office building that was being remodeled (right)
This is a form of spirit energy that appears either as long white swirls or as a vapor or cloud like apparition. It's important for you or other people to not be smoking during a ghost hunt/investigation. If you must smoke, make a place away from the investigation for everyone to smoke at. If someone is smoking around the investigation, then it's hard to tell if it was the smoke from the cigarette or something paranormal on film. But if no one is smoking, you are not breathing in front of the camera (on cold days), there's no fog, and you see no mist with the naked eye, etc.. then you may have something.
Vortex/Vortices:
Photo by Kris
Taken at the Limelight Theater in St. Augustine, Florida
This is a swirling column of white (usually vertical) light that is often mistaken for a camera strap. Always remember to either remove your camera strap or make sure it is not in the way of the camera lens to avoid confusion. The column may be of any color, but the most common is white. Often a blue-white color may be visible associated with portions of the column being transparent.
Apparitions:
Some psychics and mediums see them on a regular basis but as for the rest of us it's a very rare occurrence. Catching an apparition on film is what every ghost hunter aspires to but seldom, if ever sees. Sometimes it's just a matter of being at the right place at the right time. They show up in a transparent human form and usually wear the clothing of their period. You might also note that they normally appear faint and disfigured as in being incomplete.
Spirited TV
Once used as fodder for comedy, real-life ghost hunters find network and cable programs taking their supernatural quests more seriously
By MARK COOMES, The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal
Posted Monday, October 30, 2006
Old Hollywood: Ghost-hunting is for cartoons and comedians.
New Hollywood: Ghost-hunting is serious, even sexy, business.
Out with Scooby Doo and Shaggy, and in with Jennifer Love Hewitt and The Atlantic Paranormal Society.
In a world where nearly one-third of Americans believe in ghosts, according to a 2005 Gallup Poll, TV continues to satisfy our cravings for the paranormal this fall.
No telling what Bill Murray and Dan Akroyd would make of it, but real-life ghostbusters like what they see.
"The shows out now have done a lot to advance ghost hunting as an honest field of research," said Starr Chaney of PsyTech-Kentucky Ghost Hunters. "People don't just see us as lunatics running around the graveyard in the middle of the night anymore."
On one recent weekend, Chaney and her daughter, Jessi, hosted a paranormal conference at Camp Nelson, a purportedly haunted Civil War site near Nicholasville, Ky.
OK, so let's say hunting ghosts isn't exactly your bag. You can always watch others interact with them on CBS's "Ghost Whisperer," Fridays at 8 p.m. The show, starring Hewitt, is now in its second season.
One of the SciFi Channel's most popular shows, "Ghost Hunters," features a pair of paranormally inclined plumbers from The Atlantic Paranormal Society.
USA Network has two supernatural series, "The Dead Zone" and "The 4400," that are building cult followings. In short, the boob tube hasn't been this haunted since "Poltergeist" pulled that adorable blond tot through the screen of the family Zenith.
"Ghost Whisperer" is one of eight spooky series returning to network and cable TV this fall. Among the dearly departed are Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs and Rose McGowan, the fetching sister witches of "Charmed," which ended its eight-season run in May. Keith Age, president of the Louisville Ghost Hunters Society, will soon be shooting another installment of "Spooked," a documentary that first aired on SciFi in June.
The first installment was on the Waverly Hills Sanatorium in southwestern Jefferson County. Age has a scar on his noggin to show that the creepy old place is haunted by some real meanies.
"A hunk of concrete came flying down the hallway and popped me right underneath my hat," Age said. "It just [busted] me wide open." WLKY-TV reporter Jim Bulleit was there. He said the offending chunk didn't fall from the ceiling. It shot forward 7 or 8 feet. Now that's an evil spirit -- but is it a believable tale?
Depends on whom you ask.
"The afterworld and the afterlife can't be reproduced in laboratory settings," said Chanda Wright, founder and president of the National Ghost Hunters Society. "You can't just walk into a lab and make Casper pop up."
Wright deals with skeptics in two ways.
She tells them to go away: "You can't make anybody believe anything. I gave that up a long time ago."
Or she invites them to come along: Almost every time she takes a nonbeliever on a ghost hunt, Wright said, "That person sees an apparition -- and that's pretty convincing to most people."
Some ghosts apparently are heard, not seen. Their spectral voices are audible only when recorded on magnetic tape. It's called EVP, or electronic voice phenomena.
Dave Oester and his wife, Sharon Gill, head the International Ghost Hunters Society and publish a newsletter that claims more than 20,000 subscribers in 89 countries.
One night, Oester, Gill and Boo-Boo, the couple's Corgi, were leaving the Pioneer Cemetery in Congress, Ariz., a fabled ghost town out west. Walking to their RV with tape recorders still rolling, they heard nothing special -- until the tape was replayed the next day.
"Clear as a bell," Oester said. "A little girl's voice said, 'Bye-bye, Boo-Boo.' "
Wonder what Scooby-Doo would make of that?
ON THE WEB
Louisville Ghost Hunters Society
PsyTech-Kentucky Ghost Hunters
National Ghost Hunters Society
International Ghost Hunters Society
The Atlantic Paranormal Society
SPOOKY SHOWS
• “The 4400,” USA
• “The Dead Zone,” USA
• “Medium,” NBC
• “Supernatural,” CW
• “Ghost Hunters,” SciFi
• “One Step Beyond,” Discovery
• “Ghost Whisperer,” CBS
• “Most Haunted,” Travel Channel
By MARK COOMES, The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal
Posted Monday, October 30, 2006
Old Hollywood: Ghost-hunting is for cartoons and comedians.
New Hollywood: Ghost-hunting is serious, even sexy, business.
Out with Scooby Doo and Shaggy, and in with Jennifer Love Hewitt and The Atlantic Paranormal Society.
In a world where nearly one-third of Americans believe in ghosts, according to a 2005 Gallup Poll, TV continues to satisfy our cravings for the paranormal this fall.
No telling what Bill Murray and Dan Akroyd would make of it, but real-life ghostbusters like what they see.
"The shows out now have done a lot to advance ghost hunting as an honest field of research," said Starr Chaney of PsyTech-Kentucky Ghost Hunters. "People don't just see us as lunatics running around the graveyard in the middle of the night anymore."
On one recent weekend, Chaney and her daughter, Jessi, hosted a paranormal conference at Camp Nelson, a purportedly haunted Civil War site near Nicholasville, Ky.
OK, so let's say hunting ghosts isn't exactly your bag. You can always watch others interact with them on CBS's "Ghost Whisperer," Fridays at 8 p.m. The show, starring Hewitt, is now in its second season.
One of the SciFi Channel's most popular shows, "Ghost Hunters," features a pair of paranormally inclined plumbers from The Atlantic Paranormal Society.
USA Network has two supernatural series, "The Dead Zone" and "The 4400," that are building cult followings. In short, the boob tube hasn't been this haunted since "Poltergeist" pulled that adorable blond tot through the screen of the family Zenith.
"Ghost Whisperer" is one of eight spooky series returning to network and cable TV this fall. Among the dearly departed are Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs and Rose McGowan, the fetching sister witches of "Charmed," which ended its eight-season run in May. Keith Age, president of the Louisville Ghost Hunters Society, will soon be shooting another installment of "Spooked," a documentary that first aired on SciFi in June.
The first installment was on the Waverly Hills Sanatorium in southwestern Jefferson County. Age has a scar on his noggin to show that the creepy old place is haunted by some real meanies.
"A hunk of concrete came flying down the hallway and popped me right underneath my hat," Age said. "It just [busted] me wide open." WLKY-TV reporter Jim Bulleit was there. He said the offending chunk didn't fall from the ceiling. It shot forward 7 or 8 feet. Now that's an evil spirit -- but is it a believable tale?
Depends on whom you ask.
"The afterworld and the afterlife can't be reproduced in laboratory settings," said Chanda Wright, founder and president of the National Ghost Hunters Society. "You can't just walk into a lab and make Casper pop up."
Wright deals with skeptics in two ways.
She tells them to go away: "You can't make anybody believe anything. I gave that up a long time ago."
Or she invites them to come along: Almost every time she takes a nonbeliever on a ghost hunt, Wright said, "That person sees an apparition -- and that's pretty convincing to most people."
Some ghosts apparently are heard, not seen. Their spectral voices are audible only when recorded on magnetic tape. It's called EVP, or electronic voice phenomena.
Dave Oester and his wife, Sharon Gill, head the International Ghost Hunters Society and publish a newsletter that claims more than 20,000 subscribers in 89 countries.
One night, Oester, Gill and Boo-Boo, the couple's Corgi, were leaving the Pioneer Cemetery in Congress, Ariz., a fabled ghost town out west. Walking to their RV with tape recorders still rolling, they heard nothing special -- until the tape was replayed the next day.
"Clear as a bell," Oester said. "A little girl's voice said, 'Bye-bye, Boo-Boo.' "
Wonder what Scooby-Doo would make of that?
ON THE WEB
Louisville Ghost Hunters Society
PsyTech-Kentucky Ghost Hunters
National Ghost Hunters Society
International Ghost Hunters Society
The Atlantic Paranormal Society
SPOOKY SHOWS
• “The 4400,” USA
• “The Dead Zone,” USA
• “Medium,” NBC
• “Supernatural,” CW
• “Ghost Hunters,” SciFi
• “One Step Beyond,” Discovery
• “Ghost Whisperer,” CBS
• “Most Haunted,” Travel Channel
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Friday, November 10, 2006
Ghost Hunters Inc. presents "What to do if you see a Ghost"
Note: This is "Ghost Hunters Inc."
Only demonstrating how anything is subject to ridicule and exaggeration.
Only demonstrating how anything is subject to ridicule and exaggeration.
The Skeptics Re-Creation of the Race Rock Lighthouse's Moving Chair
SAPS (Skeptical Analysis of the Paranormal Society)re-creates and attempts to debunk the TAPS footage of th moving chair of Race Rock Lighthouse by using black thread.
TAPS at the Race Rock Lighthouse
This footage taken by TAPS shows a chair in an empty room being suddenly shoved aside.
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