Sights Unseen Paranormal Blog

Paranormal Activity: It's All in Your Brain

2011-05-21T19:10:00.016-04:00

This article is a work in progress. I will research The New England Journal of Medicine and other more pertinent scientific journals to support the premise of this article and will provide references to support that nearly all reputed paranormal activity--or primarily the observable manifestation of such--originates in the most sensitive piece of paranormal equipment, the human brain.

Visit www.misconceptionjunction.com

If I find research to the contrary, I'll share it too. If this were a scientific experiment, this would be called "null hypothesis"--findings to the contrary of you original hypothesis. This is not a scientific experiment however, nor is anything like the scientific method used by ghost hunters or paranormal investigators. Theirs is the realm of pseudoscience.

The seat of the religious experience definitely involves the temporal lobe--and certain neuronal pathways that are individualized--and in fact, recent advances neuroimaging technology will allow us all to be able to see how our brain works in real time--primarily based on glucose (brain fuel) uptake levels and other criteria.

Until one of you volunteers to have an implant or be hooked up to a portable PET scan during a paranormal investigation--neither of which is feasible at this time I suppose--it's a catch-22, e.g. we can't tell whether the experience originated in the brain or not. And even with this technology, we still may not be able to tell. Still, we may be able to tell--with relative certainty that--if certain confluences of environmental stimuli generate paranormal experiences. Still, the question of cause, e.g. was it generated by your brain or a real external paranormal phenomena--may never be answerable.

Though the technology above will be a reality in the near future--even the ability to gene-engineer physical and even mental attributes will be common in the next 200 years--my guess is that the question of paranormal experiences will never be completely explainable by science. But, by definition paranormal activity--unexplainable by science--will remain just that regardless of advances in technology.

We've all encountered events that are paranormal. The paranormal experience is widespread and legitimate and sometimes is really paranormal and not debunkable. However the manifestations of such phenomena may have much more do to with perception--this certainly applies to photographs, video, and first-hand reports--than actual physical evidence that one is able to prove.

This doesn't take away from the paranormal experience and certainly doesn't make it less real. People have a misconception--if it came from your brain it's not real. That's simply not the case. Type neurology, neuropsychology, and even psychology into any search engine to fully appreciate that people lend a lot of weight to brain-based scientific research on perception. Your perception is--for all functional purposes--reality. What we really want to do is attempt to record some physical evidence, e.g. EVPs, video, and audio--that correlate with these experiences.

My premise is that a combination of electrical activity combined by anthropormorphizing may actually be able explain most of what is now considered paranormal phenomena. In fact, this is a near certainty and should be an accepted "truth" by paranormal investigators, however people still "jump at ghosts." My premise is that most of what we perceive--and that implies you've interpreted the experience through existing neuronal pathways and is due to electrical activity caused by a series of environmental events. Of course, this is not an astounding revelation. In fact, it describes all human experiences whether paranormal or not.

We can never get away from anthropormorphizing, but we may be able to track down unique confluences of energy that exist in certain locations, and acknowledge how that energy creates certain patterns that our brains perceive as paranormal activity. This doesn't mean that ghosts actually exist. "They" are just the context in which we are bound to perceive it. This would describe how certain locales are perceived to be haunted without having to make a gigantic assumption that ghosts prowl the location.

Consider the first hand reports of apparitions--manifestations of possibly paranormal phenomena that people usually associate with "seeing a ghost." How many times have you been in a room where an apparition shows up? I have on several occasions, though realize the event is relatively rare and considered one of the most energetic manifestations of paranormal phenomena.

If you've really been there when this phenomena occurs, and there are multiple people experiencing it...

one person may see something--ranging from shadows out of the corner of one's eye to the figure of a person in period dress--, one person may smell flowers or cigar smoke, one person may hear their name whispered in their ear, while another gets the "willies".

What is very interesting with these types of reports is that occasionally, an EMF detector may go off and EVPs may be recorded at the same time. This may or may not be evidence of something actually occurring outside of the human brain and all EMFs and EVPs are debunkable. Still, that's when EMFs and EVPs become very compelling. They are certainly environmental anomalies that have been recordable and this implies the phenomena is physical and not just due to perception. It is when these recordable phenomena are correlated with first hand accounts that the paranormal experience becomes even more compelling.

But all of it may still may be seated in and/or caused by your brain. Search "poltergeist" and "spontaneous human telekinesis" to see what your brain may actually be possible of doing as far as causing a physical effect on the environment. Though the reports are anecdotal, there are some extremely compelling reports of such poltergeist phenomena.

In fact, it's possible that your brain caused the majority of events associated with paranormal accounts, e.g. EMFs, EVPs, and poltergeist activity, that are subsequently recorded on tape. Far-fetched? Yes. Does any really solid evidence exist of this premise? No. However it is much more likely that your brain caused these events that a ghost. I mean, at least I know your brain exists. There is no solid evidence that ghosts exist.

I always amazes me when I encounter a ghost hunter who will completely discount the possibility of one's brain causing these events and yet ascribe such phenomena to ghostly causes. It seems to be both causes are extremely unlikely, but at least I know the brain exists. I can hold one in my hands--and have done so on at least one occasion. Ghosts, on the other hand, appear to be extremely hard to get your hands on.

Still this type of activity does appear to indicate that something is happening. However, it still doesn't mean that it is occurring independently of the person perceiving it and in fact, this line of reasoning has to lead one to believe that the person themselves is the cause, not the spirit of some deceased person or other nonhuman entity. Apparently, much of paranormal activity is either due to mistaken perceptions and/or manifested directly through the human brain. It is the nature of these manifestations that paranormal investigators and ghosts hunters are exploring, regardless of their purported cause.

You can believe whatever you want as far as the cause of such events. Belief is a theory based on faith and experience. But it seems to me that anyone that discounts the brain as a possible cause--instead wholeheartedly arguing for the existence of ghosts--is skipping a couple of logical steps and making a leap of faith I can't accept. Believe what you want, but realize that the way you express your belief may make you look like a fool.

I'm open to the existence of ghosts, don't get me wrong. But they just don't seem to be the most likely cause of such events. To me, anyone who is able to reason logically has to agree with this premise. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck.

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

First-Person Accounts: Legitimate Evidence?

2011-04-24T13:22:00.016-04:00

Are first-person accounts legitimate "evidence" of paranormal activity? I would hazard that all ghost hunting groups and teams of paranormal investigators are drawn to the locations they investigate based on these reports, and yet they often discount such experiences--both their own and those of their clients. Yet, they will fully research each and every first-person account they can get their hands on and base tactics and historical research almost solely based on such reports.

But, at the end of the story, many will note that these first-person accounts are just that; experiences based on our own personal perceptions that are generated from our most sensitive, consistent--and yet unreliable paranormal detection mechanism--the brain. At the end of every report groups will often provide most clients with this caveat: We can't prove either the clients or our own personal experiences, so we have to discount them.

I don't agree anymore. In fact, I've always shied away from making such declarative statements. Sure, we regularly try and debunk the first-hand reports from our clients--and often are able to do so--but it's the one's you can't easily write off that catch everyone's attention. When the same thing happens to team members during an investigation--regardless of whether there is "evidence" captured on tape or not--that we get to the actual heart of things.

In fact, I will put forth that personal experiences are the most valuable "evidence" of paranormal activity. They are certainly just as valuable as any "anomaly" captured on tape and/or audio.

I have a background that includes conducting scientific research. That means I've conducted scientific experiments. Scientific experiment doesn't mean the same thing as investigation. Many teams of paranormal investigators purport that they are conducting research. They aren't. And anyone that makes such statements hasn't ever been involved in conducting an actual research experiment.

Consider the following text as an example as how far people will go to emphasize the scientific. It doesn't matter if you are an engineer, HVAC technician, or police officer. Sure, you may have a what you consider to be a technical background, but if you've never conducted an actual scientific experiment, you can not presume to know how to do it. Search "experimental method" on Wikipedia. Using words like "scientists," "scientific research," and "scientific community" only makes it more apparent that you don't know much--if anything--about the experimental method.

"And last but not least, to contribute in any way we can to all the hard work that many scientists and other investigators have put over the years into this ongoing scientific research, with the hopes that one day this field is taken seriously enough and be given the importance it deserves within the rest of the scientific community."*

*http://www.nightfallparanormal.com/aboutus.html

I know what is involved whether one considers the aspects of experimental design, the use of statistical analysis, and preparation of such an experiment for possible publication in a reputable scientific journal. Your average skeptic knows more about this than 99.9% of ghost hunting teams. And that's part of the "rub." In fact, many paranormal investigators become defensive when questioned about their methods. They are NOT provable.

Personally, I try not to be defensive when confronted with the truth. Knowing the difference is important. Personal experiences and every piece of "evidence" ever gathered on a paranormal investigation can be discounted, disproven, and/or written off. That's just the nature of the beast. To assume otherwise is a soap box I wouldn't want to stand on.

Given that, I used to discount such first-person accounts as inaccuracies in perception--which most certainly are--but I don't second guess these accounts for several reasons.

1. All purported evidence gathered during a paranormal investigation is not real evidence of anything. All photographic and video anomalies, EVPs, disembodied voices and sounds, objects moving, etc. are all debunkable. That's just the way it it, so I purpose that personal experiences--unless they can be obviously debunked--are potentially just a valuable as "evidence" as anything any group could potentially capture during any investigation.

2. People experience strange things. It is these experiences which drive the entire process of investigation. In fact, you can discount all first-person reports, however, when you have a cold spot set on your shoulder, record EVPs, and a strange anomaly on tape, it implies that their is something going on that supports all the first-person accounts that have been reported from a specific location.

In fact, at this point, these reports are the most important part of any investigation. A good crew will always be excited if they can come in and discover things and/or have personal experiences that support the major reason--first-person accounts--that drew them to the reason in the first place.

Have I experienced strange feelings that I used to ascribe to just getting "the willys?" Absolutely. Over the years I've learned that these feelings mean something and sometimes correlate with other possible evidence, e.g. EVPs, EMFs, sightings of apparitions, and strange feelings that may occur simultaneously? Absolutely!

It is these "clusters of symptoms" that I feel more fully represent possible legitimate paranormal experiences and in the grand scheme of things, they are harder to disprove. Every single EVP anyone has ever recorded can be debunked--and we got some doozies! Video and photographic evidence always generate more questions than they answer.

My advice to ghost hunters and paranormal investigators includes "don't discount personal experiences you have during an investigation." In fact, that's the time you need to shift into high gear and begin using you most sensitive piece of paranormal equipment you have: your brain.

Don't discount your brain as a paranormal investigative instrument. In fact, from my experience and research, it's more reliable than an infrared video camera, EMF detector, and/or any audio recorder you will ever use.

My background and training in neurobehavioral science and cognitive psychology lead me to believe that the brain is just as a reliable instrument on a paranormal investigation as any hardware. So what if ELF's--I didn't mistype that last acronym, research it if you are unsure--activate the temporal lobes and generate the perception of shadow people...some type of energy is there and that's what we are all looking for.

I'm not saying that peripheral vision is not easily fooled or that you hear voices once in a while. I mean, it's your brain. You know how it works. We are all fooled. Easily.

A combine--something like a tractor used to harvest corn--does look like a UFO when driving down a gravel road late at night, in Iowa. I'm not saying people don't get the willys when we all talk about this stuff. I certainly do, but I also occasionally get a similar feeling when listening to Judas Priest or Iron Maiden.

All of the above are true, but it is first-hand accounts that drive us in the first place and provide a place from which we can begin to debunk. You don't need a degree in neuroscience to have an appreciation of how your brain works.

You're never going to be able to prove it anyway, so why deny the experience? Jumping at ghosts is one thing. Fully utilizing all your tools to research whether first-person accounts during an investigation match up with the "evidence" that drew you there in the first place appears to be the most valid way to support the fact that paranormal activity does occur and may match up with the history of a specific location. In fact, it is exactly this fact that gives us all "the willys" in the first place.

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

Are Ghosts Good for Business?

2011-04-24T12:56:00.003-04:00

Many people are aware of the relatively recent explosion in the interest and popularity of the paranormal. Paranormal programming abounds on the major cable television networks, and shows such as Ghost Hunters, Destination Truth, Ghost Adventures, Celebrity Ghost Stories, and others have been successful both at garnering ratings as well as increasing the public’s awareness of possibly paranormal phenomena.

The popularity of these shows has fostered the birth of many teams of ghost hunters and paranormal investigators--note that I consider the focus of these two types of groups to be different, though for the convenience of this article I will use the terms interchangeably.

About 6 years ago, when I first became involved with a team located in the Monadnock region of New Hampshire, there was only one or two groups in the area. Now, by last count there are at least 6 indigenous to the region. Beyond famous teams like T.A.P.S. and Steve Gonsalves group--New England Paranormal--that also advertise that they cover this region, there are multiple other groups in the area: Sights Unseen Paranormal, Quabbin Valley Paranormal, and E.C.T.O. Paranormal are the most reputable and experienced groups in my estimation.

This parallels the growth in the number of ghost hunters across the country. Previously, if you needed a team of “ghost busters,” they were difficult to find. That’s not the case anymore and multiple teams can easily be located in any region of the country. A recent client said to me "I was surprised how easy it was to find a group.

So given that this—generally free--service is available to clients in need, what are the specific impacts of possible paranormal activity on businesses?

Interestingly enough, the economics of a haunting seem to be positive if you—as a business owner—know how to approach it.

Consider a haunted hotel or bed and breakfast for example. Many owners of possibly haunted establishments have capitalized the on the interest of such phenomena to attract business. The number of people that would go out of their way to stay in a possibly haunted location—and I am one of those people—appear to far outnumber the people that would avoid patronizing such locations. Some of these locations have begun catering to ghost hunters in the form of hosting overnight investigations, sponsoring paranormal conferences and workshops, and have even successfully gotten their business featured on one of the many popular paranormal-based television programs currently on television.

The biggest positive economic impact appears to occur with hotels, inns, and bed and breakfasts, though restaurants also appear to benefit from such attention, museums, and other historic locations. Even previously abandoned properties--jails, mental hospitals, etc.--now feature tours and overnight stays geared toward those interested in paranormal activity.

So how does the business owner of a possibly haunted location capitalize on this popularity? Below are several simple steps one can follow.

1. Document possibly paranormal activity in a log and encourage patrons to do so as well.

2. Contact a local paranormal team and have them conduct one or more investigations. This may catch the attention of more "famous" ghost hunters and will increase visibility and the sites reputation.

3. Popularize the location as possibly haunted via the many Internet sites where haunted locations are listed, as well as invite reporters from the local newspaper to do a feature story on its "ghosts."

4. Develop paranormal-based activities, e.g. ghost tours, overnight ghost hunts, and other activities that cater to those with an interest in such phenomena.

5. Attempt to get your business featured on one of the popular paranormal-based television shows.

There are many ways to successfully capitalize on this interest, and this short article simply highlights a few. There are a plethora of other considerations of course, but for someone that owns a historic business that is experiencing possibly paranormal activity, realize that you may be missing out on some revenue if you aren’t capitalizing on your businesses reputation for being haunted.

Of course, if--as a business owner--you decide to fake a haunting, my guess is that you will certainly be able to fool a few people, and you will probably be able to find a team of ghost hunters that will capture potentially paranormal phenomena at the location. Heck, I can capture photographic anomalies and record strange voices in my backyard, but that doesn't mean it's haunted. I would hope that a competent team would be able to see through the ruse, but as a business owner, you are still potentially increasing your visibility even if you do decide to "hoax" it. I wouldn't recommend that business owners "manufacture" a haunting however. It's manipulative, duplicitous, and ultimately disrespectful to both the living and the dead.

Not every historic location is haunted--nor does every haunting occur in a historic location--and by hoaxing such things I believe a business owner would be disrespecting history as well. In general, most patrons don't appreciate false advertising.

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

Ghost Hunting: Pay for my Hobby via Paypal

2011-04-09T12:21:00.023-04:00

The majority of ghost hunters and paranormal investigators offer their services free of charge. Many teams will accept donations and state this fact prominently on their Web site, sometimes accompanied by a convenient link to their Paypal account.

Our group will accept donations, however we feel it is pretty tacky to advertise this in a conspicuous place right on one's home page or have a "Donation" button on a menu somewhere. We definitely feel that groups that charge for their services are total hacks, and are more likely to overestimate their competence level. Sure, people generally put a ton of effort and resources into helping clients to research the various aspects of a location and there is no doubt that conducting an adequate investigation entails a ton of time. But that doesn't mean someone else should pay for your time, effort, or materials.

The word "donation" implies no obligation, but we still feel it's tacky to prominently advertise the fact that you accept them. Why you ask?

Why Should I Get Paid for my Hobby?
People don't generally get donations for their hobbies. If this were the case, I should be able to fund my fishing expeditions through donations. "I am a competent fisherman and travel throughout New England and fish in interesting and historic locations. Please provide a donation so I can continue with this exciting activity." See what I mean?

Unfortunately, many ghost hunters have become deluded into thinking that they should get paid for a hobby that they choose to engage in. Personally, I don't care what your hobby is and I'm certainly not going to pay you to engage in it. It's your choice. Just because you are a ghost hunter doesn't make your hobby any more special than anything else. I have a cross-stitching group that meets weekly, donate now so we can continue to engage in this valuable activity. See how ridiculous this sounds?

Some teams suggest that providing ghost hunting is a public service! Holy cow! This constitutes an illogical rationalization if I've ever heard one. If you were picking up trash from the side of a highway, you are providing a much more valuable service than any ghost hunter and I think soliciting donations for such activities is justified. The highways that I drive every day are cleaner and more picturesque due to your activities, and I can appreciate that. But ghost hunting being a public service? This simply shows that some people will try and justify their behavior in whatever way they can no matter how ridiculous the justification is.

Results Aren't Guaranteed!
As a paranormal investigator--or ghost hunter--your results aren't guaranteed. What can you really offer with any surety? What benefits do your services actually bring to a client? Visiting a location, capturing a picture of some strange mist, and giving it to a client doesn't count as results of anything. In fact, if done right, a paranormal investigation will generally leave more questions than it answers.

We realize that our clients come first and provide a lot of supports specific to education, possible validation and/or debunking, and provide a safe environment in which to discuss strange experiences. We also give people specific ways to live and deal with the activity that gives them control. There is a lot of psychology involved. Given that, I believe that as a team, we do provide a valuable service, but I don't think we are your typical paranormal investigators. Too many groups treat their clients like they live in a zoo of paranormal activity and swoop in like "paranormal field biologists" capturing--usually debunkable--"evidence" and then moving on to another location. I've seen it time and time again. Is this type of investigating providing any type of "service" to the client? No, I don't think so.

Of course, if you are a client meeting a group of interesting people (the ghost hunters) is a given. Perhaps if you conduct thorough historical research, you can offer something substantial to a client, but other than that, all you can really assure the client is that a group of strangers will show up at a specific location, monopolize a bunch of time, and then go away.

We actually offer some pretty valuable paranormal marketing advice to businesses, all the way up to putting them in contact with several producers/site specialists who produce and/or are developing paranormal television shows. This is a real service that can potentially result in increased profits for a business and WE STILL DO THIS FOR FREE. We do this because we want satisfied clients and want to increase our opportunities to investigate. Simple as that.

Below is a sampling of paraphrased language from several ghost hunting Web sites. I have nothing against anyone that uses similar statements and applaud everyone for increasing the public's knowledge of paranormal activity. Nor do I believe that a groups willingness to accept donations reflect on its abilities to deliver a quality investigation. However, I do feel some of these statement cross boundaries and hurt the original mission.

I found that when soliciting donations, the statements made by groups generally fall within the following three categories.

We Don't Require Donations
Does anyone think it's a little redundant to say you don't REQUIRE donations.

"Our group do not require donations, however, we will accept donations to help cover expenses."

"We do accept donations for fuel but it is not required or expected."

How your Donations will be Used
Want to know what your donations will be used for? Fuel? Equipment? Dinner? Intoxicants to facilitate the paranormal experience? Some groups address this question with amazing detail. Others even advertise that they give a portion of each donation to a specific charity--which I feel is quite honorable and a good example for the rest of us.

"We accept donations to offset travel costs and equipment expenses."

"Our team will use donations to fund travel expenses including lodging and food, as well as purchase equipment and activities which increase the public's knowledge of ghosts."

Guilt and Exaggeration of Expenses
Some groups go too far whether it's a significant exaggeration of the cost of time and effort or attempt to guilt you into donating to help them reduce the fear that people are experiencing. I feel both of these avenues are misleading and irresponsible. Just because you have a fancy infrared video camera set up doesn't mean that clients should feel obligated to finance it. And as far as soliciting donations because it will help future clients to live without fear? Come on, if you are going to donate because of this I would suggest making a donation to a real charity that is proven to help people, your local food bank for example.

Consider the statement below that purposes to calculate man-hours. Whats the average man-hour for conducting an investigation? As far as I'm concerned it's NOTHING. If you want to get paid, do something else.

"Our group graciously takes donations for research and service to our community. When one calculates the man-hours and materials to complete an average investigation, costs can come to over $1200.00! "

This paraphrased statement--based on fear--is perhaps the most ridiculous justification I've ever encountered for the use of donations by a group. Believe it or not there are several groups out there that use this approach.

"Your donation will be used to help people to not live in fear of what they are experiencing."

I should note that there are a number of groups out there who specifically say that they DO NOT ACCEPT donations or monetary compensation. I applaud all these teams and I feel they are the most moral and ethically sound considering the nature of the endeavor.

So my final advice? If you want to finance your investigations, sell t-shirts, offer ghost hunting tours, teach classes, write a book, offer consultation services on how to start up a paranormal group, etc. I'm sure there are a host of other options that I'm not thinking of, but I simply don't believe opening soliciting donations is necessary nor should you expect any client to support your ghost hunting activities via donations or otherwise.

If you are a ghost hunter (or a team of paranormal investigators like us), plan on financing your operations out of your own pocket or using one of the methods mentioned above. Don't put the cost of your hobby back on the client by soliciting donations. I don't get paid to garden, fish, play with model trains, etc. Don't expect to get paid to ghost hunt.

For a real look at a hobby that pays for itself and offers a real service, visit Relic Recovery. I should note that we offer this PAID service for FREE to our paranormal clients. So not only do we not expect to get paid, we offer services to our paranormal clients that we would OTHERWISE get paid for.

I encourage all ghost hunters and paranormal investigators to consider how they present themselves when soliciting donations. It may actually backfire and turn off potential clients reducing your opportunities to investigate rather than being a viable way to finance your activities.

Peak Times for Paranormal Activity

2011-03-31T08:31:00.011-04:00

There are many theories concerning when paranormal activity is at its peak. Some say that during "the witching hour"--or any time from around midnight to 3am--is when paranormal activity is at its highest. Others say that during the full moon or a thunderstorm you are more likely to experience unexplained phenomena. Solar flares are rumored to have an impact as well and most are aware that any change of seasons are suspect time periods. Finally, events like renovating a possibly "haunted" building will stir things up.

As far as I'm aware, these are all theories based on the anecdotal reports of paranormal investigators and ghost hunters, as well as others that profess to know and/or have experience with such phenomena. All of these theories are filled full of holes, and have no real data to back them up.

Take "the witching hour" for example. To adequately research the theory that activity peaks during the hours from midnight to 3am, an investigator would have to conduct investigations around the clock. If you are only doing investigations during this time frame, how in the world could you assert that activity is highest during these hours? There's no way you could know that. Also, you would have to set up on the same location 24/7 for an extended period of time to determine if there was credence to this theory.

Also consider the fact that during the night, background "noise" is at its lowest. There is less traffic, less possible interference from people, and of course less light. So, just because you capture possible activity more readily at this time doesn't mean that it's more frequent. It could be occurring all the time and you just don't notice it. Take the analogy of a flashlight. During the day, you can shine a flashlight and your average passerby may not even notice it. In the dead of night, everyone will certainly notice it. The stimulus, though the same at both times is much more salient at night because of the lack of background interference (sunlight in this case).

My hunch regarding these theories is that there are a lot of people that are simply repeating something they've read and/or they don't consider some of the confounding variables that I mentioned above, e.g. if I only investigate at night, of course I am predisposed to believe that the majority of the paranormal activity occurs at night. One needs to consider all the factors.

There is no real proof to back up these theories, though as opposed to actually proving a specific piece of "evidence" is paranormal--which is nearly impossible--the patterns of reported activity could certainly be documented and that data analyzed to determine whether there is any actual "proof" that reports of such activity show specific peaks.

Given that, as a paranormal investigator, I have nothing to add except for my anecdotal reports and impressions. In my experience, as evidenced by the number of clients contacting us through our Web site who are reporting potential paranormal activity, I do sense some patterns that emerge that seem to support at least two of these theories.

1. Renovations: Reports of paranormal activity seem to increase when major renovations are occurring in a potentially haunted location. This is rather difficult to say for sure, as some of these renovations are occurring when someone new is moving into the residence or business. In these cases, it's difficult to say for sure as to whether the activity itself is actually increasing or it is simply someone reporting phenomena who is not totally familiar with the location. If one owned a home or business for years, and conducted renovations, and reports of activity increased, then this theory would hold more water. Interestingly enough--again through my anecdotal observations--there does seem to be some credence to the theory that more paranormal activity is reported during times where a business or residence is renovated or remodeled.

2. Change of Seasons: There does appear--again simply from my anecdotal observations--that the reports of paranormal activity increase significantly during the change of seasons, e.g. spring and fall. This was a pattern that I recognized early in my "career" as a paranormal investigator, however, I always assumed the spike in the fall was due to Halloween and the general interest it raises specific to all things spooky, weird, and possibly paranormal.

However, over the years, though I do feel that Halloween does have something to do with the increased reports in the fall, I don't feel that all the reports in activity we receive during this are all due to this specific holiday and its connotations. In fact over the years, I've become to expect and anticipate increased reports of activity--by people I talk to as well as measured by the number of reports we receive via our Web site--during both the spring and fall. This year was no different and the pattern reflected past years: an increased number of reports that peak around October and November, followed by a lull, and then spiking rapidly in March and April. This year--2011--has been our busiest spring yet.

As an interesting aside, a psychiatrist friend of mine told me that some data gathered specific to increased psychiatric emergencies, admissions to psychiatric facilities, and/or or reports of increased psychiatric episodes/problems are not correlated with the full moon. Rather, they appear to peak during the change of seasons, e.g. March/April and November.

Of course, there are theories behind what causes these spikes in reports. Remember we are simply talking about reports of possibly paranormal activity here, not whether the activity is legitimately paranormal. Reports of activity is a simple variable that can be documented. The reasons behind these reports can be a widely varied as the reported activity itself and are probably impossible to tease out. For example, during the fall, people begin to spend more time inside and thus may simply be noticing activity that has always been present. Also, during the change of seasons the temperature varies much more widely and can cause all sorts of creaks, pops, footsteps, and other anomalous activity that is associated with the physical aspects of the location and not due to any purposed paranormal activity.

Still for whatever reason, I can say with some degree of certainty that the number of reports of possibly paranormal activity we receive do appear to be correlated with these two factors: renovations occurring at a location with previously reported possible paranormal activity and the change of seasons.

Proof of anything? Absolutely not! But we do know one thing for sure. The above constitutes more theoretical musings from a paranormal investigator who will probably never get to the bottom of things.

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

Responsiblities of Ghost Hunters to Property Owners

2011-01-22T14:35:00.006-05:00

Increasingly I have become concerned as to ghost hunters responsibilities to property owners. On a side note, I consider my group a team of paranormal investigators and not simply ghost hunters, though I do tend to use the terms interchangeably.

The specifics I'm alluding to is our level of responsibility to property owners in letting them know of possible health hazards and structural problems that may exist. We have team members that are professionals in regards to heating, plumbing, and electrical systems as well as are well-versed in construction methods. Of course these team members also have become knowledgeable--through various encounters in their jobs--of the dangers of chemicals, mold, and other potentially hazardous substances/situations.

Just as I'm comfortable in addressing some of the potential psychological and perhaps medical implications of what appears to be a possible haunting--primarily by providing information and referral to qualified mental health and medical practitioners--these team members are extremely competent in providing information and referral regarding these physical/property-based issue.

If we are conducting an investigation in a private residence owned by the client, we will share each and every possible hazardous/problematic situation we encounter. Many of these circumstances may relate to the reported activity in the home. The obvious example are problems with unshielded electrical wiring that may contribute to feelings of uneasiness and nausea--and possibly visual hallucinations--to those that are sensitive to such things. High levels of carbon monoxide and mold are other circumstances that can contribute to symptoms that the home owner may be attributing to paranormal activity. We feel it is our duty to share this with our clients. Even if we see a potentially hazardous situation that is not related to a possible haunting, we do not hesitate to give clients free advice--related to our fields of expertise--in such situations. I would guess that most ghost hunting groups operate in the same manner.

However, when you are investigating a location where a renter is involved, this becomes much more problematic. I should note that we do not investigate locations without the property owners permission. We do receive a large number of requests from tenants to check out their apartment or house. Though obviously a tenant can entertain guests of their choice, we do feel a responsibility to obtain a landlords permission before beginning historical research and certainly before conducting an investigation. Consider how you would feel if you are/were a property owner, and a tenant of yours okayed a full-scale paranormal investigation of the location. Wouldn't you want to know? In cases like this, we'll share the results with the landlord as well as the tenant/client. In the vast majority of cases we've encountered the landlord has been very helpful and appreciative of the information we provided. We view this as an important part of being professional in our methods and tactics.

So, given the above, what does one do if when investigating a tenant's residence and finds a significant problem related to the heating system? What if one finds a mold problem, that while may or may not be contributing to possible paranormal symptoms, obviously presents a health hazard to the tenant. I'm not talking about exposed electrical wiring which could be easily fixed at a low cost, I'm speaking to an extensive problem that to fix adequately, in the worst-case scenario could cost tens of thousands of dollars. Does one tell the tenant? Does one immediately share this with the landlord? Should one report the information to the local board of health, housing board, or rental association? These issues are problematic, touchy, and though it may seem like immediately sharing this information is "the right thing to do," the solutions to these types of situations seem more complex than simply "doing the right thing."

I do know one thing....When conducting an investigation of a rental residence where the landlord gave permission, they have given permission for a paranormal investigation, not a home inspection. The landlord hasn't asked for a risk assessment related to their property in the areas of construction, evaluation of the heating, plumbing, and electrical systems and a mold inspection. I'm sure that any competent property owner would want to know immediately of any situation that puts their tenants--and thus themselves--at risk, but sharing with a tenant that the electrical system is outdated, then having them run to the landlord with this information and demanding that it be remedied is a pretty quick way to ensure that landlords avoid teams of paranormal investigators like the plague.

Perhaps we are being selfish in this regard. Through state landlord associations, cases of paranormal investigators causing problems for property owners would rapidly be shared throughout the area and definitely have an effect on the ability to procure property owner permissions that we require to investigation such locations.

As in a lot of situations, we must walk a fine line and remind ourselves as to the reason we were allowed on the property to begin with. On the other hand, as a human being, I feel the obligation to share any potentially dangerous situations that may exist that could affect the safety and health of the residents. We will specifically address any potential causes of paranormal symptoms associated with the situation, but we carefully chose our words in doing so.

Do others have experience and advice on such situations? My guess is that there is no easy answer.

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

The Influence of Paranormal Television

2010-10-22T22:39:00.020-04:00

There is no denying the popularity of paranormal television shows. We've come a long way from the days of In Search Of. And though ghost stories, Bigfoot, aliens, and other high weirdness as always made for high ratings, now we are deluged with choices including Ghost Hunters, Paranormal State, Ghost Adventures, Ghost Lab, A Haunting, Celebrity Ghost Stories, Destination Truth, and several others.

Some People say that Ghost Hunters--a television program on the Scy Fy network featuring members of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (T.A.P.S)--started this explosion in popularity, generating spin-off and copycat shows that feature teams of paranormal investigators visiting haunted locations. Though varying somewhat in structure and "methodology," they generally follow the same format: a team of investigators--after having done some amazingly cursory historical research--interviews a few witnesses to said paranormal activity, then "investigates" the location using audio recorders, infrared cameras, sonar, and a host of other equipment. This specific format has been expanded from just hunting ghosts to include programs that also feature cryptozoology (Destination Truth) , ufology (UFO Hunters), in what others would lead us to believe is spiritual and psychic warfare (Paranormal State).

Other paranormal television shows follow different schemes including featuring reenactments of famous hauntings interspersed with interviews with the people that experienced them--A Haunting--as well as a program featuring famous people sharing their own encounters with the supernatural--Celebrity Ghost Stories.

Though paranormal television has a history that extends to a time before cable, there is no denying the relatively recent increase in the popularity of such fare. In fact, the interest in supernatural phenomena has probably never been greater since the Spiritualism craze of the mid 1800's to the early 1900's. There may be many sociocultural reasons why this interest has risen in recent years, but certainly paranormal television has a lot to do with it.

One could argue that the biggest influence of paranormal television has had is on the hobby of ghost hunting. Though I feel that paranormal television has contributed relatively little to the actual understanding of the reasons behind paranormal phenomena, literally thousands of teams of ghost hunters have sprung up across the country as a result. Many members of these groups will state that Ghost Hunters was their single biggest influence in the decision to form or join a team of ghost hunters and a vast majority mimic their methods. Before these shows, it was difficult to find a local team of paranormal investigators. Though such respected paranormal luminaries as John Zaffis and Troy Taylor have been around for years--well before the recent craze--now one can find multiple teams of ghost hunters in every region in the country.

Personally, I joined a ghost hunting team because of two reasons. First, I experienced some possibly paranormal activity. Second, I saw a story in a newspaper about a ghost hunting crew looking for members and joined Soul Seekers Paranormal Society. The individual who started the team I joined--albeit a ghost hunter for many years previous--specifically founded the team as a direct result of being exposed to Ghost Hunters.

Interestingly enough, paranormal television has had an even more direct impact on the group I'm currently a member of. Several people quit this team and started their own team in response to Ghost Hunters decision to film an episode at a specific location. Though the details are tedious and certainly not worth repeating here, it's a simple fact that if you need a ghost hunter nowadays, you don't have to look very hard and it's obvious that just one of these television shows has had a huge influence on many people.

Considering the amount of people now involved in this hobby, and the amount of time and money spent by these teams on equipment, travel to haunted locations, and attendance at ghost tours, conferences, and workshops, it is readily apparent that paranormal television has certainly generated a significant economic impact. Consider the number of hotels that now find that advertising their haunted status is good for business, the formerly unused and derelict properties that are now open for ghost tours, and the haunted taverns where you can have a drink with a ghost. It's pretty simple, ghosts are good for business.

There are several interesting developments that I've experienced first-hand--as a paranormal investigator--that I feel are a result of paranormal television. One of these developments appeared to be an intense interest, now followed by an increasing wariness of business owners to get involved with ghost hunting teams.

Perhaps this reluctance has to do with the recent recession--business owners are becoming increasingly leery of potential negative impacts. I suspect that this wariness is also due to the amount of requests for investigations these locations receive from the large number of amateur ghost hunting teams in existence. I feel that these same dynamics may also apply to home owners.

Yet another reason that I perceive it appears to be increasingly difficult to procure investigations is that these home and business owners see these television shows and form a misconception about what a paranormal investigation really is, and thus are hesitant to contact a team based on the "stereotypes" seen on television.

Of course, I could be totally wrong, and this is simply an inaccurate perception. The reasons for my perception that it is increasingly difficult to secure an investigation--specifically of businesses--could be do to a variety of reasons NOT related to paranormal television, however I do suspect that paranormal television has influenced the majority of possibility haunted businesses owners--and private homeowners--in one way or the other.

This article could go on to discuss paranormal television's influence on ghost hunting tactics, marketing of paranormal groups, movies, the Internet, and other media, however we'll leave it at that for now, and declare this article "under construction."

I am more interested in what you--the reader--feels about this subject. I sincerely appreciate all input and will make sure your insightful opinions on this interesting subject appear in the form of comments to this article.

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

Sparkles: Unexplained Electrostatic Discharge (UED): Legitimate Paranormal Phenomena?

2010-05-23T13:21:00.010-04:00

I've run across several reports of "sparkles" as a paranormal phenomena. Basically, these are what I can only describe as what looks like "tinfoil confetti" that appears in the air for less then a second, usually followed by some other sort of possible paranormal activity, e.g. EVPs, EMF, the sighting of an apparition.

I had first read about this phenomena once on Fionna Broome's Web site, www.hollowhill.com. (They have a free on-line ghosthunters course for those of you who are interested.)

Of course, I figured this was a common visual/photographic anomaly--an artifact of perception--that was simply the eye being tricked. For example, the strobe from a camera flash lighting up dust particles in the air that happened to correspond with other paranormal activity going on at the same time.

That is, until I experienced an UED for myself at a famous unnamed New England inn, and was able to rule out the above as an debunking explanation as I wasn't taking a photograph at the time it occurred. Subsequently, I had the distinct feeling something materialized and I recorded a class A EVP on two different audio sources simultaneously. The audio of the event is available here.

If any of you readers out there have experienced this phenomena, drop us an e-mail and I'll include your account in this article.

Below are a few links that mention this phenomena that were found on a google search on September 22, 2010.

http://www.coastghosts.com/ghostgabs.html

http://www.psychic-experiences.com/real-psychic-story.php?story=933

http://www.simplyghost.com/terms/

http://www.hollowhill.com/guide/sparkles.htm

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Paranormal-Phenomena-3278/2009/9/f/sparkly-feeling-presence.htm

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

Paranormal Fail! A New Web Site

2010-02-24T20:18:00.007-05:00

We are excited to announce our new Web site, Paranormal Fail!

This site is dedicated to failures by ghost hunters, the media, and other screw-ups, bumbles, and stumbles related to the paranormal. Even our own group--Sights Unseen Paranormal--is not off limits.

Paranormal Fail!

"A lie can travel halfway around the world while
the truth is still putting on its shoes."
--Mark Twain

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

Intelligent vs Residual Hauntings: A Way to Tell the Difference

2010-02-14T16:03:00.006-05:00

I believe in humans. I'm not sure I believe in ghosts. Though I'm a skeptic, I can unequivocally say that I've encountered events I haven't been able to explain. Whether the phenomena was caused by a ghost--the existence of a human consciousness after death--or other paranormal source, I can't say for sure. No one else on the planet can say for sure either.

At least in the foreseeable future, I suspect that we may never be able to answer the question as to the existence of ghosts. Perhaps it's something we aren't 'meant' to know. Belief in ghosts is just that--belief--and every human is entitled to their beliefs.

Given the above caveat, humans behave in predictable patterns and, by definition, intelligent ghosts should too. So, when a paranormal investigator visits a haunted residence how do they tell the difference between an intelligent vs a residual haunting? The answer isn't quite as clear as it seems.

Let's say we encounter a door that opens and closes or footsteps that cross the floor at a specific time that a known human was known to exhibit such behavior. Such an event could be due to a residual haunting--energy left imprinted on the environment--or an intelligent haunt--the ghost, at least in some respect, is able to choose to exhibit itself at a certain place in time and space because it wants to do so.

So, given human behavior, in the event of a certain environmental phenomena, how would one tell the difference between footsteps caused by a residual haunting and an intelligent haunting?

First, a paranormal investigator--or other human--should try and document the phenomena via video and/or audio. Ideally, it should be documented again. Upon the third occurrence, one should try and interrupt the process. This could be done via voice, placing objects or oneself in the path of the footsteps, or other 'intervention' in an attempt to interrupt the process. If it stops, that still doesn't prove anything.

One must look for a common behavior that would be exhibited in humans , e.g. you block someone from walking a certain path, they will stop, go the other way, walk around you, or confront you. Of course, the ghost--whether due to a residual or intelligent haunting--could choose just to walk through the interruption as well.

But, if the path of the footsteps deviated and/or the physical intervention by the living caused some other type of 'behavior' by the ghost, theoretically, you would be one step closer to be able to determine whether the phenomena was intelligent.

Of course, the ghost may simply choose to leave the location and go somewhere else, in which case a paranormal investigator is left at square one. Well, nearly square one. It has at this point become obvious that a living person can cause the phenomena to react.

In the field of paranormal research, and due to the lack of experimental controls, it's impossible to prove anything regardless of what happens. Each investigation becomes a single case study. Important? Yes, but investigations don't lend themselves to appropriate sample sizes with the controls necessary to extrapolate from the 'data.' Single case studies are the standard.

Still, if I interrupted the footsteps--and they took a different path around me--and I recorded an EVP at the same time that said "get out of the flippin' way," I'd probably be a lot more likely to consider it an intelligent haunting versus a residual haunting.

Many of us have encountered footsteps occurring at specific times, and yet I haven't seen this type of interaction attempted. Many times, as paranormal investigators we're very excited to record such phenomena. If we can record it more then once, Wow! Most of the time, we tentatively deal with such phenomena hoping not to disturb it. 'Don't turn on the lights! It will stop!'

Some individuals feel that a device such as a KII Meter (a type of electromagnetic field detector) can help an investigator determine whether a haunting is intelligent or not. For those not familiar with the device, there are a series of lights that a ghost or spirit can supposedly light up in response to questions. On the surface, this device may appear to be breakthrough when it comes to communication with the afterlife, but in reality, it is not.

I'm a firm believer in the power of the human mind--if you haven't done so kind reader, research some well documented cases of poltergeist activity and SPK (spontaneous human telekinesis). Given this, a KII meter going off in response to some questions in a logical manner doesn't convince me of anything approximating an intelligent haunting. Disregarding anomalous electromagnetic fields, I think it's more likely that your brain--and not a ghost--is causing the KII meter to go off. At least I know for a fact that the brain exists.

Of course, there's as much evidence of spontaneous human telekinesis as there is of ghosts. Thus, as with all paranormal phenomena, the cause behind it evolves into a belief. And people ascribe different beliefs as to the cause of paranormal phenomena.

Still, using a KII meter doesn't even come close to interrupting a series of events caused by a possible paranormal phenomena to see what the reaction is and then attempt to determine whether its something that one could define as a human reaction.

The tactics and possibilities are nearly endless, but one should take a very close look if one puts themselves in the position of attempting to call a haunting intelligent, and I suggest in the rare cases of phenomena that repeatedly occurs at a specific place and time, we have an important opportunity to take things a step further.

Always consider...what would a human do? Then, see if the paranormal phenomena reacts in a series of events in a way that a living human human might.

Then, one may get a tad closer to being able to confidently confirm the belief of an intelligent haunting.

Have many of us encountered phenomena that we felt was reacting to us? Absolutely. One needs to take a closer look and attempt to first replicate the effect, then introduce variables, consider how an alive human would react and push the envelope that goes beyond simply recording EVPs or other half-hearted and easily-debunked attempts to label such phenomena.

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal
www.nhghosts.com

FAILED! Intentional Manufacturing and Exaggerating of Evidence by Ghost Hunters

2010-01-31T20:30:00.001-05:00

Paranormal investigators may encounter instances of manufactured "evidence." Please note that I use the term evidence loosely,--there is no such thing as scientific evidence of ghosts.

I have not specifically encountered anything that I have been able to identify as a hoax in an attempt to fool our group, however, I frequently run across photographs--as well as audio and video--posted on various Web sites that I feel have been misidentified as paranormal phenomena. I should note that we encourage our consultants to submit hoaxed photographs to us--anonymously--in an attempt to sharpen our groups' debunking skills.

On Web sites such as Youtube, while there are clearly hoaxed videos, there are more that are simply misidentified...nothing malicious or tricky involved. It's usually some simple phenomena that is easily debunked, but due to inexperience or 'want of belief', is purported to be paranormal and-- even more of a jump--identified as a spirit or ghost.

So, why does this occur? I believe this usually arises from some combination of the two simple reasons I've listed below.

1. Due to inexperience with investigating and equipment

2. Due to wanting to believe in ghosts

Instances of faked or misrepresented "evidence" on the Web abound. I'm not talking about 'plasma' or 'light' anomalies identified as possibly paranormal by investigators. Without a great degree of expertise in photographic analysis and competent investigating--and even when these two factors are present--often you can't say for sure if something is paranormal. To skeptics, everything is a reflection, and to some paranormal investigators, everything is a ghost. Often there may be no obvious answer and one can never say for sure, so who's right?

Regardless of my personal beliefs, I feel that I have an obligation to be a skeptic. Others more readily apply the paranormal label to something that's not easily explained. In my five years as an investigator, I have captured only one or two pieces of evidence that I can call paranormal with any amount of certainty.

Competent paranormal investigators attempt to rule out all rational causes for an anomaly--a process often termed 'debunking.' What's left may just be unexplainable, which is to say, paranormal. The best that we can do is find something we can't explain. To take a step further, calling legitimate paranormal phenomena a ghost is a very big leap of faith. Some individuals don't seem to be able to comprehend this--or don't care. To them, if it's paranormal, it must be a spirit or ghost.

With adequate skill and research, we may be able to label something paranormal Skeptics will still discount it, but, to simply call something a ghost because you can't explain it leaves you wide open to skeptics. You may be able to determine that something is paranormal, but you'll never be able to determine that something is a ghost.

Many groups and individuals fall in the inexperienced and want of belief categories, and examples of such groups are just a few mouse clicks away. However, there is another type of behavior, a behavior I consider more misleading, and may even amount to outright self-promotion using misidentified or manufactured evidence.

1. Specific manufacturing/altering of evidence in order to gain recognition, monetary, and/or in an attempt to become famous.

Say, for example, you owned a hotel and wanted to drum up business. Manufacturing your own first-hand accounts and evidence makes perfect sense. Why not?

Gain a reputation as a haunted hotel and I would hazard that your business will probably increase. The few customers that would stay away from such locations are probably outnumbered by the ones that would come in droves. And, you could market your inn to ghost hunters.

During the slow months, you could contact ghost hunters from across the country and encourage them to come and stay in your "haunted" hotel. You could also host ghost hunter conferences. Though a bit duplicitous, this can be considered a good marketing strategy. No one knows if ghosts exist or not, so its not exactly false advertising.

But, if you claimed to be a paranormal investigator and owned a haunted hotel, and fabricated evidence, well, that makes you pretty low in my eyes. It becomes a conflict of interest at this point. You would have a vested interest in fabricating evidence for monetary gain. And simultaneously being a purported paranormal investigator, you would be doing the field a disservice.

Now we come to the relative few--ghost hunters who manufacture or alter evidence for their own recognition. This may be unintentional, but also may be clearly intentional. Exhibiting a picture of an easily debunked reflection or camera anomaly, and saying "We weren't able to find an explanation for this phenomena so it might be a ghost. We'll leave it up to you to decide," is very misleading. Other open ended questions such as "What do you think caused that? or "Do you think something was trying to make contact?" also fall into this category.

The group didn't try very hard to debunk whatever phenomena supposedly occured, and even if they did, they are still implying that perhaps a ghost is responsible.

Remember that you are representing yourself as someone with a specific area of expertise, but by presenting things in this fashion, you are leading people to a conclusion upon which there is no basis. What sounds like a logical line of reasoning is not. You are leading people down a path for your own benefit. You aren't really leaving it up to the person to decide on their own. To top it all off, you're not taking a stand either, which implies you are either incompetent, simply unsure, and/or unwilling to expose yourself to potential criticism.

Presentations of pieces of evidence like this--and the misleading open-ended conclusions or insinuations--may mislead the public to mis-identifying easily identifiable phenomena as paranormal.

Finally,there are those people who alter or outright manufacture evidence for their own gain. Without being specific, I have encountered this behavior first-hand. The investigators added something to the purported evidence. It was probably in good faith--an attempt to determine how the phenomena was created. The problem was when the subsequent evidence was presented as a whole. It was labeled a paranormal phenomena, and even worse, it was clearly stated that the phenomena was created by a ghost!

Now how could anyone know that with any degree of certainty, and why would they present falsified evidence and proclaim it was created by a ghost? Simple, for recognition, and due to an overzealous "want of belief," as well as do to inexperience with paranormal investigations and the rigors of handling and documenting evidence.

So, here we have a piece of evidence which may or may not have been created by a paranormal phenomena that was altered by the addition of further stimuli created by the investigators. In my eyes, this potential piece of evidence was ruined by the investigators. In addition, the subsequent presentation of the evidence without mention of the portions of the data that were altered by the investigator leads me to one conclusion: this is an inexperienced and overzealous investigator at the least. At the worst, this is an individual that has no problem manufacturing evidence in an attempt to gain recognition. Either way, I have to disregard all future evidence that is presented, assuming everything that is presented has possibly been tampered with. If a scientist conducted research in this way, they would be discredited and their reputation would be ruined.

This is something beyond just enlarging a picture or amplifying an audio file. It's a clear and conscious manufacturing and misrepresentation of potential evidence, and then shaping it in such a way for personal gain.

There are a lot of mistakes to be made in the investigation of the paranormal, one of which is to exhibit behavior that is damaging to the field at large. You have to keep a close eye out for these types of behaviors, and I firmly believe that--when recognized--people should be called on it. Unfortunately, in my experience, the exact people who are likely to exhibit this behavior, are the ones least likely to engage in any type of constructive dialogue.

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

Ouija Boards: Dangerous or Not?

2009-12-26T14:52:00.016-05:00

Is the infamous Ouija board--and other versions of the "talking board"--dangerous? This much discussed and maligned 'toy'--trademarked by the Parker Brothers--is still sold today at stores across America. Is the general recommendation of people experienced with the device--leave well enough alone--good advice? Or is it's infamous reputation all hype?

Many groups and individuals unequivocally feel that the Ouija Board may be dangerous to use. In general, the utilization of the Ouija Board and other divining devices--as well methods such as automatic writing--are not recommended for the unexperienced. Even those with experience do not generally undertake the use of such devices lightly or without proper preparation.

It is our current advice that the uninitiated--especially children--do NOT use such devices, nor should anyone treat such things in a flippant manner whether the purported effects are due to the power of the human mind or due to external sources such as spirits.

At the very least, we feel that anyone that uses such 'tools' without experience and adequate preparation is treating the possibility of communication with the deceased or spirits in a disrespectful manner. As paranormal researchers, we have a responsibility to consider such things very seriously.

I consider myself a skeptic and personally believe most of the negative stories surrounding the device to be exaggerated, coincidences, and/or hoaxes. One also needs to consider the influences of religious fundamentalists attempting to turn people away from the occult. Still, even as a skeptic, I don't intend to ever utilize a Ouija board.

Even though I don't believe a Ouija Board to be inherently dangerous, I wouldn't recommend using one, just as I wouldn't recommend that someone use a chainsaw unless they were proficient with it. There are members of this team who are experienced in the use of divining devices, and report some very chilling experiences with Ouija Boards. I take these accounts very seriously because I know and respect these individuals.

It is possible that people are deluding themselves and ascribing paranormal causes to decidedly non-paranormal events such as ideomotor stimulation and suggestion. In that case, games such as Pictionary and Trivial Pursuit are certainly more intellectually stimulating then the Ouiji Board. It is also possible that all the negative stories are true.

At the worst, one could be messing with forces beyond their comprehension with ramifications that may range from trapping spirits who should have moved on to opening a doorway that invites antagonizing inhuman entities into their lives. To me, that implies a lot of risk without a big up-side.

It does bear mentioning that other methods commonly used by paranormal investigators-- including the use of audio recorders to collect EVPs--may actually be considered methods of divination, especially if the method involves asking questions in an attempt to communicate with ghosts or spirits.

Yet even groups that utilize these devices--us included--generally recommend that any divining devices or methods not be used except with adequate preparation. The overwhelming majority of paranormal groups do not use Ouija boards as part of their investigative process.

Finally, for anyone of a Judeo-Christian faith, the Bible is pretty clear on its stance on occultism and--according to several biblical passages--it may be considered a sin to utilize such devices.

To help expand your background and knowledge, we've assembled a variety of links to some interesting information on the Ouija Board. Do your own research and check them out.

Ouija and Talking Boards by Troy Talyor
What does well-respected ghost hunter and author Troy Taylor think about Ouija Boards? Find out in this wonderfully researched and informative article. Troy tells it like it is and you can always depend on him for an honest and unflinching view of all things paranormal.

Paranormal Group Experiments with Ouija Board
Here is the link to the only site we could find where a paranormal group documents an experiment with a Ouija Board for what appears to be for both entertainment and 'research.'

The Skeptic's Dictionary
This site gives a skeptics point of view, e.g. any messages received are from within the human mind and not due to the the supernatural. Interestingly enough, they still offer some words of warning about using the device.

About.com
This is one of our favorite Web sites and has a wealth of information about everything paranormal. This link is to some extensive information on the Ouija Board.

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

Ghost Hunters episode: November 11, 2009, New Hampshire Gothic

2009-10-15T16:34:00.018-04:00

Ghost Hunters--the popular television show on the Sci Fi (Scy Fy) Channel featuring T.A.P.S. (The Atlantic Paranormal Society)--aired an episode entitled New Hampshire Gothic on November 11, 2009. This episode featured T.A.P.S. controversial investigation of the Amos J. Blake House Museum, in Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire that is managed by the Fitzwilliam Historical Society.

Sights Unseen Paranormal has intimate knowledge of the site, and several members of the team have investigated the location on multiple occasions. We watched the episode with interest to see if Ghost Hunters results would coincide with what we know about the historic building.

Concerning the 'evidence' that T.A.P.S did gather, I believe that the ‘ghost cat' can be easily debunked. The evidence was as follows: Jason and Grant reported the smell of cat urine, captured an EVP of what sounded like a cat, and Grant reported the feeling of something brushing up against his leg.

The smell of the urine can be debunked by assuming that a stray cat had recently made its way into the basement due to the advent of the cold weather. Having been in the basement myself on multiple occasions, it appeared to be fairly secure, however any competent investigator has to assume that this is more likely then the existence of a ghost cat.

The EVP was inconclusive. EVPs are not proof of the paranormal and are discounted by skeptics as being caused by a variety of factors.

Grant's first-person report of something brushing against is leg is just that, a first-person report and thus subjective. Again, not proof of anything.

I found the chain moving and the pitchfork falling over highly suspicious and suspect that it possibly could have been staged. Having been in the location many times, all the furniture and belongings were placed pretty much as I remember. One thing that I certainly don’t remember is the chain and the pitchfork. It simply seemed out of place to me.

It appears unusual that these objects were in the location and placed as they were. I am unsure why--with so many valuable artifacts present--one would stand a pitchfork on end, leaning it against the wall where it could easily fall over.

One must also consider the way boards can shift when stepped on–the door opening upstairs earlier in the episode was debunked secondary to this process. During the episode, Jason clearly points out that shifting boards can cause things to move. I propose that the investigators walking by could have triggered the movement by this principle. I’d have to see the footage analyzed by a physicist before I was really convinced that the event was paranormal in origin.

An analysis of the video by another team of experienced investigators--whom we collaborate with--found that the pitchfork moved before the chain, and not visa versa as was put forth by T.A.P.S.

Finally, if one looks very closely, it appears that a there is a piece of tape on the wall that was holding the pitchfork in place. Review the video for yourself. Look closely and you can see the light of an investigators flashlight reflecting from it after the pitchfork had fallen over. At the very least, standing a pitchfork up against the wall in a precarious position, then securing it with a piece of tape seems like a very unwise thing to do, especially in a museum.

In all likelihood, a thorough debunker would have made note that the pitchfork was standing in a potentially unstable position and realized beforehand that it had the potential to fall over--even if it was secured by a piece of tape. I'm not saying that T.A.P.S. didn't notice this fact, but if so, they didn't mention it.

Even if the event was paranormal in origin, it still has to be discounted because of the probability that the movement could of occurred simply due to the tape becoming detached from the pitchfork. There is also the fact that there were people moving by the location at the same time.

There are simply too many questions, variables, and coincidences and thus the event cannot be accepted as possible evidence by anyone who is a competent debunker. All-in-all, it seems a little too convenient or coincidental.

As a group, we try very hard to debunk phenomena and believe that too often people resort to 'ghostly' explanations for phenomena with environmental causes. We've also had personal experience with people altering and/or manufacturing evidence in an attempt to support their claims that a specific location may be haunted, and thus view any such events with skepticism if there is any way it can be explained by more earthly causes.

Ask yourself...is it more likely that a ghost moved the chain causing the pitchfork to fall over rather then due to the possible causes mentioned earlier? Perhaps the 'ghost cat' knocked over the pitchfork. The point is, no evidence gathered during this episode can even remotely be considered paranormal. There are simply too many other possibilities.

Something else that bears mentioning is the fact that the curator of the museum and the ‘volunteer’ that were interviewed are both members of a paranormal team that formed after it was discovered T.A.P.S. was going to investigate the location. It was shortly after the group was formed that reports of multiple apparitions and conscious spirits haunting the location were reported. There appeared to be very little hard "evidence" to back up these claims, but they certainly piqued the public's interest and in the lead-up to the episode.

I do firmly believe that there may be something is going on at the site, and would rate it a 2 out of 10 regarding possible paranormal activity. I’ve recorded a disembodied voice and had a cold spot sit on my shoulder while investigating the Amos J. Blake House Museum. I also observed some photographs of some strange mist, but that's the extent of any evidence that I've ever encountered at location.

TAPS did do a fairly good job debunking in my estimation. The smell of cat urine and a pitch fork falling over, even with the chain moving,aren’t enough for me–nor TAPS–to consider the place really haunted.

There is one fact that can't be disputed, The Amos J. Blake House Museum is a wonderful example of a New England historical society museum and I was pleased to see that TAPS results correlated with our teams experience with the building.

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

Take Me to the Other Side: Moral Responsibilities of Ghost Hunters as Related to Spirits and the Afterlife; Bobby Elgee, Lead Investigator

2009-08-01T12:43:00.001-04:00

This article is an open query to all ghost hunters, paranormal investigators, psychics, mediums, parapsychologists, and theologians regarding the possible moral obligations concerning assisting certain types of ghosts–as defined as the consciousness of deceased persons possibly trapped in the material realm–to move on to ‘the other side.’

I am an amateur paranormal investigator with limited experience and many questions cross my mind, not only about the research and gathering ‘evidence’ of the paranormal, but also questions related to the moral, ethical, and spiritual aspects of this endeavor.

My question is this:

Do we have an obligation to assist ghosts in their transition to ‘the other side’?

The question is based on a series of assumptions as follows.

1. Ghosts are the consciousness of deceased humans and certain ghosts are ‘stuck’ in the material realm.

2. Some ghosts may be unaware that they are ghosts and/or they are unable to muster the actions/steps necessary to ‘move on.’

3. There is something beyond the material realm. A place or state exists that is a natural and probably desirable next step, and getting there is necessary to complete the spiritual evolution of these free-floating ‘minds’ called ghosts.

4. Thus we, as the living, being knowledgeable of the condition of their existence--and theoretically having the tools to assist them in their spiritual evolution–should render this assistance.

The above assumptions possibly place us–as paranormal investigators and others concerned with the spiritual evolution of our species–in a unique position to be able to provide this assistance. If the assumptions above are true and/or you believe in ghosts, to not act based on these assumptions be could something akin to leaving Kitty Genovese bleeding on the street.

If you believe that people should be altruistic–that is being obligated and willing to help our fellow humans (and ghosts)–we should seriously consider this issue.

There is research that shows that humans can be altruistic. They certainly may demonstrate this trait. We operate in groups for the greater good and are social creatures. However, there is also social psychological research that demonstrates that we are very selfish, e.g. we may only clearly operate altruistically when it serves our own needs/ideals or that of our family. We may be unique in the animal kingdom considering our combination of altruistic and selfish traits. The discussion of these psychological and sociological ideas certainly goes beyond the constrains of this article, but they do bear mentioning.

So, when considering this question, one has to look deep into oneself and society and consider whether your answer to the question is self-serving or genuinely altruistic.

Considering the popular television show Ghost Hunters, rarely do they televise cleansing efforts, involve religious authorities or psychics specific to this issue, and it appears that their activities in regards to their clients mostly involve educating their clients to paranormal phenomena with the tenet that knowledge reduces fear–and that there is really nothing to fear. At least for the humans involved.

This is just on the surface, and TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) certainly provides more services than is discernable from their television show and has demonstrated the capability to provide referrals to professionals and experts capable of operating under the assumptions I mentioned earlier.

Anyone that has done any background research on Grant, Jason, and Steve–the force behind TAPS– realizes that their paranormal experiences far exceeds what is able to be shown in an hour television show. For all the commercialization and debates to as to whether the ‘evidence’ they present is valid, they do deserve immense credit to bringing the realm of the paranormal–and implications on the spiritual evolution of the human race–to light and educating the general public in regards to these type of phenomena as genuine and legitimate human experiences.

Other television shows have a bent that lends themselves more toward addressing the possible moral and ethical responsibilities that this article is questioning. Paranormal State, the team of young investigators and paranormal entrepreneurs from Penn State, definitely deserves credit for bringing this issue more to light and embracing a wider spirituality that underlies the entire endeavor.

Both groups, Ghost Hunters and Paranormal State, are clearly human-centric. The living are more important then the dead. Their needs take precedent, being the primary needs in any case. This is a premise I have to believe, as my belief in ghosts and the afterlife are unresolved at best. If a child is scared, or an adult is being tormented by paranormal experiences, the impact on their quality of life is obvious. Why the supposed ‘ghosts’ are exhibiting this ‘behavior’ is always secondary to the needs of the living..

Are we racist against ghosts? Do we neglect their needs in support of the living? Absolutely, but this is the way it is. There is a conscious and unconscious assigning of priorities in any paranormal investigation, and whether we are ‘racists’ considering ghosts is fodder for another article, the implications of which are not discussed here.

I take this type of bias as possible indication of genuine altruism exhibited by the human race. It is one of the ways that demonstrates that we, as living humans, are part of the same family. Ghosts, by definition, are not, though perhaps they once were. Thus ghosts become the second-class citizens of any paranormal investigation. Though ghosts are the reason we’re investigating in the first place, in reality they are not. We are investigating for us, and sometimes ghosts are treated like nothing more then strange animals in a zoo where we go to gawk. Again, these issues are very interesting, but beyond the bounds of this article.

So, we come back to the original question:

Do we have an obligation to help ghosts move to the other side?

Consider the following series of questions which represent a potential can of worms related to the question above.

1. What if some ghosts choose to stay?

There are documented cases of people who are alive, astrally traveling or presumably engaging in ESP and appearing as apparitions to people, family members, or even complete strangers. How do you determine the difference between this phenomena and that of a haunting?

Then we would need to determine the difference between a residual haunting and an intelligent haunting, assuming that residual haunting is not caused by a conscious spirit.

What’s left may be an intelligent haunting. If so, how would we decide if the ghost wants to be here, or that it doesn’t know it is trapped? What if the ghost knows it’s trapped, and believes that the other side is hell? Again, we have a can of worms here which may place us–as paranormal investigators–casting judgements that have already been decided by the concepts of God across a variety of religions.

2. How do we determine the reasons why an intelligent ghost is staying? How do we decide those reasons presumably using the tools we have now?

3. Once we’ve determined the answers to #1 and #2, what do we do next? How do we decide which ghosts to help, and those that don’t need or want our help? What tactics do we employ to accomplish this?

So, we are left with a series of questions that are very important, addressing the basic premise of what it is to be human–and to be a ghost–and our obligations and responsibilities as to what that means. Ranging from theology, spirituality, psychology, to the tactics of ghost hunting, this “hobby” certainly generates questions–and possibly answers–that may affect all of the human race.

I have no answers, only questions. However, in my quest to become a more competent paranormal investigator, I believe the techniques and technology are the relatively easy questions to address. The questions behind why we are employing such tactics–the difficult part in my opinion–and our eventual goals become very important for all ghost hunters to consider.

I firmly believe that we cannot flail blindly in the dark when dealing with such questions. I think, whether we believe in ghosts or not, we do have an obligation to help them if they need it. Not to do so makes you less human in my opinion. And, I feel that many groups neglect these questions or when they are addressed, it is done so in an cursory and self-serving way. I certainly do not exempt myself from this, and perhaps writing this makes me a hypocrite.

In my opinion, there are many obstacles in the way of developing any type of consensus in these matters. One of the main obstacles is inconsistent use of language and even a basic ignorance, and perhaps disagreement, in regards to various terminology.

For example, many groups state that their goal is to find proof of the paranormal. This is a misnomer. The fact is that paranormal phenomena does exist. I define paranormal as something that is currently unexplainable by science. There is plenty of phenomena that is unexplainable by science, as every scientist will tell you.

One needs to clearly define the words they are using if they pretend they are doing something remotely resembling scientific research. If everyone uses the same word in a different way, no one has any idea what anyone is talking about. In scientific research, one doesn’t generally have to worry about this. In the field of paranormal investigation, I feel this problem is pervasive.

Some groups clearly state that their goal is to prove the existence of the afterlife or life after death. These groups come more closely to presenting themselves in a way that elucidates their goals. But what exactly are their goals?

Lets be frank, no one is probably ever going to prove the existence of the afterlife in the foreseeable future. A lofty goal, sure, but one in all likelihood is probably unobtainable. Setting realistic goals is important in any endeavor, and ghost hunting is no different. Perhaps setting such an all encompassing goal undermines the method, and the ability to work toward obtaining this goal.

Running around, taking strange photographs, capturing audio of unexplained voices, and documenting cold spots and spikes in EMF activity may not be advancing the body of knowledge toward proving the afterlife in any meaningful way. However, at this point, these are some the most popular tools we have.

If you do want to prove the existence of the afterlife, and you capture some evidence of what you feel is a ghost, how come most people just walk away from it? They put the picture on their Web site and show it off, with little regard to the ghost itself. Even worse then that, they may return to the location–even bringing in more investigators–in an attempt to capture further ‘evidence.’ And yet, what is done as far as attempts to determine why the ‘ghost’ is there and what can be done to help it’s spiritual evolution? Again, this unfortunate spirit is reduced to an exhibit, a zoo animal, and something to be harassed.

There has to be more then that, and as a ghost hunter or paranormal investigator, especially if you believe in ghosts, you should do something about it, and hopefully something that will help on a spiritual level. Otherwise, in my opinion, you are nothing better then a tourist and an amateur, and are solely thinking of your own needs and desires. In other words, you are being self-serving.

Many groups are very committed to debunking. In my mind, these groups have less of an obligation to assist these disembodied spirits. For myself, I am not convinced of the existence of ghosts. The paranormal phenomena I have captured evidence of is simply that in my mind. It’s paranormal–unexplained by science. Subsequently calling such phenomena a ghost is a leap of faith I can’t make with any degree of certainty at this time. Thus, I’m fairly comfortable not attaching any spiritual implications or obligations to any such phenomena.

Until I am actually convinced that there are such things as ghosts, I don’t necessarily feel any obligation to take further steps beyond just trying to figure out what “it” is. However, I do articulate this, and don’t run around identifying such phenomena as ghosts, then do nothing about it. Also, I do work with people who study these aspects of paranormal investigations, and feel that they have the skills to address these aspects if necessary.

Of course, I may be wrong and self-serving and–in an effort to justify my actions and reconcile them with my thoughts and opinions on the subject–may be neglecting a very important piece of the puzzle. In fact, I have a nagging feeling in the back of my head this may be the very case.

Given the original premise of this article, ghost hunters become elevated to a unique group– a group who has to have an understanding of human psychology, culture, and spirituality, and be able to offer advice and take action concerning a spirits spiritual well-being.

The field of paranormal investigation will evolved only if people consider the basic questions, motivations, and drives beyond just capturing evidence. Look at the original question underneath it all...why do we do this?

To take a basic tenet of ethics, one must first do no harm. Regardless of whether ghosts exist–and by default this implies the existence of an afterlife–I sincerely don’t believe that most paranormal investigators are causing any harm. But if one does consider the spiritual implications regarding helping a trapped spirit, we are acting on a body of imperfect knowledge, and thus by doing so, perhaps could cause harm if we aren’t very careful and thoughtful in our methods.

So, are there any answers in this article? Probably not, but there are many questions and the half-baked musings of an amateur ghost hunter who may just be in over his head.

Hallucination or Apparition?

2009-05-17T10:35:00.001-04:00

This article was written in response to a question I was asked. A woman contacted our group and reported that her daughter had been admitted to an in-patient psychiatric facility for the treatment of bipolar disorder--a mental illness--and though the doctor had given her medications to stop the hallucinations she was experiencing, she continued to see full-bodied apparitions, and was reportedly was communicating with them. The woman asked me how to tell the difference between hallucinations caused by her daughters mental illness and real spirits that may haunt their home and the grounds of the mental hospital.

Having some background in the medical field, mental illness, cognitive psychology, vision, and--of course--ghost hunting--this was a question that I was willing to address. The answer was very clear to me, and my answer was roughly as follows:

"The most important issue is your daughter's medical and mental health. You are doing exactly what you need to do at the moment, seek the appropriate care from someone who is qualified to provide it. The question of seeing spirits is secondary to your daughters needs at the time. Though anything is possible, many individuals report seeing apparitions, and perhaps even communicating with them, and yet they are still able to function in day-to-day life. "

"I can't stress enough that it is up to the medical and mental health professionals to diagnose and treat any underlying problems first. At some point in the future, it may be possible to fully explore a possible paranormal angle to what your daughter is experiencing, but now is not the time. "

"In my opinion, you are doing everything possible to support your daughter in this difficult time. Is it possible that your daughter is seeing and communicating with apparitions and spirits? Yes, however, since your daughter has been diagnosed with a serious mental illness, your focus should be on the treatment necessary secondary to this diagnosis as recommended by qualified professionals. I would be very leery of any unqualified individual--be it a psychic, ghost hunter, or other--who suggests that your daughter has been misdiagnosed and is a victim of the medical establishment, i.e. a sensitive young lady that is only being persecuted and treated for a wonderful gift she has. The doctors treating your daughter are medical and mental health professionals with extensive training and experience based on an accepted body of scientific knowledge. Psychics and ghost hunters don't fall within this category, and you don't want to risk your daughter's health by following the advice of some misguided crackpot."

"In time, we may come to a place where a person is treated more holistically, i.e. spiritual, metaphysical, and other needs are comprehensively addressed, at the same time that someone's medical needs are taken care of. There are indications that we are moving in that direction considering the use of energy-centered treatments, massage therapy, acupuncture, and other forms of treatment that have been used throughout human history, but that--in general--western medicine has been slow to accept, but at this time, I want to stress you are doing the right thing. The fact that you even asked this question tells me that you are heavily involved in, and committed to your daughter's well-being."

So, did I give her the right advice? I believe that I did. Visual hallucinations, though relatively rare, can be caused by a wide variety of medical conditions ranging from the relatively benign to the very lethal, and I would hazard that most ghost hunters and psychics aren't qualified to diagnose these conditions. Leading someone down a path that interferes with their treatment for a legitimate medical condition can result in some very serious consequences. Since most of us aren't practicing doctors or nurses, however, there probably isn't much liability involved based on the advice we give as paranormal investigators. Regardless of how you feel about these areas of expertise based on your personal experiences, we do have to acknowledge that the fields of mental health diagnosis and treatment, and medical science are established bodies of knowledge based on scientific research. Ghost hunting and paranormal experiences are not.

The diagnosis and treatment of any complex medical condition is often compared to peeling an onion. There are many layers. Also, in general, you treat the most serious condition first. I can relate this to my experiences in the diagnosis and treatment of medically-based vision disorders. I've treated child after child that was having trouble reading due to vision problems. Sometimes, these children had seen doctor after doctor, and therapist after therapist, in an attempt to treat their learning/reading problems. Once a vision disorder was diagnosed, I was able to treat it with a high degree of efficacy, and eliminate it as a potential source or factor contributing to the child's learning/reading problems. In some cases, vision was the only problem. In other cases, vision was a component, but one that could be treated. Once treated, since the majority of learning is visually-based (no offense to my non-sighted friends reading this), the child was much more able to benefit from other treatments and therapies such as reading therapy, occupational therapy, and classroom interventions/modifications.

The point is that in the case of hallucinations, we need to look for a medical cause first. Once any underlying medical and mental health conditions are treated, perhaps then we can explore the paranormal aspects of the issue.

I encourage all team members to respond to questions we receive if they have anything valuable and relevant to offer. But, due to past experiences with individuals whom I consider ignorant and self-serving, I monitor responses in certain cases very closely.

Consider the following scenario:

A team members response is to immediately begin doing historical research on the area, and excitedly relay the fact that there is some history that indicated that the mental hospital had been built near the site of an old French/native American battleground, indicating the possibility that there may be spirits of this ethnic group on the property.

Subsequently relaying this information to the mother would be, in my opinion, very inappropriate and possibly detrimental to her daughters care. Suggesting, that yes, there is a possible paranormal cause to the visions the daughter is experiencing, and, thus, implying that the doctors were treating a paranormal experience as a mental illness could set up a conflict between the mother and her daughter's treatment team--based on what?--the historical research and insinuations of an amateur ghost hunter with no experience or interest in the well-being of the individual which generated the original question?

Does everyone who sees a full-bodied apparition need to go to the doctor for a CT scan? I don't believe so, especially if there is a documented paranormal history associated with the location, the apparition is that of a recently deceased loved one--the most common type of apparition according to some research--or the person has a life long history of such experiences. Of course, there are multiple factors involved in making such a judgment, but realize, that as paranormal investigators, we may have to address this question with our clients.

For myself, I have seen an apparition on one occasion...of a loved one that had passed relatively recently. And I have heard and seen some strange phenomena. Of course, if you catch it on tape, its not a hallucinating is it? However, if I suddenly began seeing apparitions frequently and it was impacting my life in the form of lack of sleep or other way detrimental to my health or my ability to function, I would be making an appointment with a doctor ASAP, and not depend on a ghost hunter with an EMF detector to diagnose my problem.

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

Intentional and Unintentional Manufacturing of Evidence in Paranormal Investigations; by Bobby Elgee, Lead Investigator

2009-05-02T17:50:00.000-04:00

Paranormal investigators may encounter instances of manufactured "evidence." Please note that I use the term evidence loosely,--there is no such thing as scientific evidence of ghosts.

I have not specifically encountered anything that I have been able to identify as a hoax in an attempt to fool our group, however, I frequently run across photographs--as well as audio and video--posted on various Web sites that I feel have been misidentified as paranormal phenomena. I should note that we encourage our consultants to submit hoaxed photographs to us--anonymously--in an attempt to sharpen our groups' debunking skills.

On Web sites such as Youtube, while there are clearly hoaxed videos, there are more that are simply misidentified...nothing malicious or tricky involved. It's usually some simple phenomena that is easily debunked, but due to inexperience or 'want of belief', is purported to be paranormal and-- even more of a jump--identified as a spirit or ghost.

So, why does this occur? I believe this usually arises from some combination of the two simple reasons I've listed below.

1. Due to inexperience with investigating and equipment

2. Due to wanting to believe in ghosts

Instances of faked or misrepresented "evidence" on the Web abound. I'm not talking about 'plasma' or 'light' anomalies identified as possibly paranormal by investigators. Without a great degree of expertise in photographic analysis and competent investigating--and even when these two factors are present--often you can't say for sure if something is paranormal. To skeptics, everything is a reflection, and to some paranormal investigators, everything is a ghost. Often there may be no obvious answer and one can never say for sure, so who's right?

Regardless of my personal beliefs, I feel that I have an obligation to be a skeptic. Others more readily apply the paranormal label to something that's not easily explained. In my five years as an investigator, I have captured only one or two pieces of evidence that I can call paranormal with any amount of certainty.

Competent paranormal investigators attempt to rule out all rational causes for an anomaly--a process often termed 'debunking.' What's left may just be unexplainable, which is to say, paranormal. The best that we can do is find something we can't explain. To take a step further, calling legitimate paranormal phenomena a ghost is a very big leap of faith. Some individuals don't seem to be able to comprehend this--or don't care. To them, if it's paranormal, it must be a spirit or ghost.

With adequate skill and research, we may be able to label something paranormal Skeptics will still discount it, but, to simply call something a ghost because you can't explain it leaves you wide open to skeptics. You may be able to determine that something is paranormal, but you'll never be able to determine that something is a ghost.

Many groups and individuals fall in the inexperienced and want of belief categories, and examples of such groups are just a few mouse clicks away. However, there is another type of behavior, a behavior I consider more misleading, and may even amount to outright self-promotion using misidentified or manufactured evidence.

1. Specific manufacturing/altering of evidence in order to gain recognition, monetary, and/or in an attempt to become famous.

Say, for example, you owned a hotel and wanted to drum up business. Manufacturing your own first-hand accounts and evidence makes perfect sense. Why not?

Gain a reputation as a haunted hotel and I would hazard that your business will probably increase. The few customers that would stay away from such locations are probably outnumbered by the ones that would come in droves. And, you could market your inn to ghost hunters.

During the slow months, you could contact ghost hunters from across the country and encourage them to come and stay in your "haunted" hotel. You could also host ghost hunter conferences. Though a bit duplicitous, this can be considered a good marketing strategy. No one knows if ghosts exist or not, so its not exactly false advertising.

But, if you claimed to be a paranormal investigator and owned a haunted hotel, and fabricated evidence, well, that makes you pretty low in my eyes. It becomes a conflict of interest at this point. You would have a vested interest in fabricating evidence for monetary gain. And simultaneously being a purported paranormal investigator, you would be doing the field a disservice.

Now we come to the relative few--ghost hunters who manufacture or alter evidence for their own recognition. This may be unintentional, but also may be clearly intentional. Exhibiting a picture of an easily debunked reflection or camera anomaly, and saying "We weren't able to find an explanation for this phenomena so it might be a ghost. We'll leave it up to you to decide," is very misleading. Other open ended questions such as "What do you think caused that? or "Do you think something was trying to make contact?" also fall into this category.

The group didn't try very hard to debunk whatever phenomena supposedly occured, and even if they did, they are still implying that perhaps a ghost is responsible.

Remember that you are representing yourself as someone with a specific area of expertise, but by presenting things in this fashion, you are leading people to a conclusion upon which there is no basis. What sounds like a logical line of reasoning is not. You are leading people down a path for your own benefit. You aren't really leaving it up to the person to decide on their own. To top it all off, you're not taking a stand either, which implies you are either incompetent, simply unsure, and/or unwilling to expose yourself to potential criticism.

Presentations of pieces of evidence like this--and the misleading open-ended conclusions or insinuations--may mislead the public to mis-identifying easily identifiable phenomena as paranormal.

Finally,there are those people who alter or outright manufacture evidence for their own gain. Without being specific, I have encountered this behavior first-hand. The investigators added something to the purported evidence. It was probably in good faith--an attempt to determine how the phenomena was created. The problem was when the subsequent evidence was presented as a whole. It was labeled a paranormal phenomena, and even worse, it was clearly stated that the phenomena was created by a ghost!

Now how could anyone know that with any degree of certainty, and why would they present falsified evidence and proclaim it was created by a ghost? Simple, for recognition, and due to an overzealous "want of belief," as well as do to inexperience with paranormal investigations and the rigors of handling and documenting evidence.

So, here we have a piece of evidence which may or may not have been created by a paranormal phenomena that was altered by the addition of further stimuli created by the investigators. In my eyes, this potential piece of evidence was ruined by the investigators. In addition, the subsequent presentation of the evidence without mention of the portions of the data that were altered by the investigator leads me to one conclusion: this is an inexperienced and overzealous investigator at the least. At the worst, this is an individual that has no problem manufacturing evidence in an attempt to gain recognition. Either way, I have to disregard all future evidence that is presented, assuming everything that is presented has possibly been tampered with. If a scientist conducted research in this way, they would be discredited and their reputation would be ruined.

This is something beyond just enlarging a picture or amplifying an audio file. It's a clear and conscious manufacturing and misrepresentation of potential evidence, and then shaping it in such a way for personal gain.

There are a lot of mistakes to be made in the investigation of the paranormal, one of which is to exhibit behavior that is damaging to the field at large. You have to keep a close eye out for these types of behaviors, and I firmly believe that--when recognized--people should be called on it. Unfortunately, in my experience, the exact people who are likely to exhibit this behavior, are the ones least likely to engage in any type of constructive dialogue.

Start a Career in Ghost Hunting!; by Bobby Elgee, Lead Investigator

2009-04-28T23:49:00.001-04:00

Over the last five years as a paranormal investigator I have attempted to answer many questions dealing with the paranormal. I certainly do not consider myself an expert by any means.

Since some of these questions have dealt with areas in which I feel I have some competence--cognitive psychology, mental illness, brain disorders, vision--I feel that I have been able to adequately address them. If I don't feel that I have the background necessary to answer a specific question, I will refer the individual to people who do.

There is one question that has been repeatedly asked which I found surprising. I would say, the majority--but not all--of the people that have asked me this question have been teenagers.

The question is always some variation of...

"I've decided that I want to be a ghost hunter, you know for a job. I've very certain about this, do you know how I do this?"

Even with my relatively limited knowledge, I was willing to tackle this question.

I can only assume that the recent popularity of such shows as Ghost Hunters, Most Haunted, Paranormal State, and others has lead to the belief--at least in the people asking the question--that being a paranormal investigator is a legitimate career path.

So, I tell them with no uncertainty, that Ghost Hunting is probably NOT a viable career choice.

I believe that the popularity of this field touches on the basis of human existence...consider the question being asked; Is there an afterlife? Of course everyone is interested. But, lets take a step back and consider the draw as a career.

You get to travel, you get to go into cool places, it appears to be a relatively easy activity that is accessible to everyone, and you may get to be on television and become famous! There are some basic human needs being met here, and being thought of as cool because of your job is something we all could live with. Who doesn't want recognition and to be looked up to by their peers?

So, we find ourselves easily understanding some of the motivations for seeking a career as a ghost hunter: Prestige, recognition, possible fame, working toward finding the answer of one of the most important questions of life and death.

But...

Realize that some of the most respected people in the field have been doing this for years, and most of don't have their own television show or perhaps make a significant amount of money doing it. People labor for years to gain a level of expertise in a subject matter. Sudden stars like Jason and Grant of TAPs have been conducting paranormal investigations for years, yet, their primary careers are (or were) as plumbers.

The people whom I consider the most respected and well-known paranormal investigators are individuals like Troy Taylor, Jon Zaffis, and Lloyd Auerbach. I am not conversant on the educational and career backgrounds of these individuals, but I do believe that they are able to make somewhat of a living working in the paranormal field. None of them have a famous TV show, but all are accomplished authors, lecturers, and teachers willing to share their knowledge. Mr. Taylor--with the well-known mid-western sensibility to tell it like it is--specifically says that he eschews celebrity, having chosen

not to go that way long ago.

In my eyes, these folks are the giants, without which shows like Ghost Hunters would not exist.

Now we come to money. How does one earn money being a paranormal investigator?

While some investigators charge for their services, I would say that most do not. Groups often accept donations, even going as far as to set up a Paypal account on their Web site (which I consider particularly tacky by the way). Our group accepts donations, and though we've received a few, they certainly haven't covered our expenses.

So, where does that leave us?

People that are making money in this field are authors, run tour groups and give conferences, teach classes, and, perhaps, earn money from Web site advertising or selling ghost hunting equipment. Some also may offer paranormal marketing for businesses--something we provide for free. The rarest are the very small percentage of people who have a television show and/or act as consultants to the entertainment industry.

At least as far as I can tell.

I should note that I have been contacted by three different television producers over the last 5 years (via e-mail ) looking for people to audition for new paranormal-based television shows. Pretty cool, but I'm not an accomplished or well-known investigator, so I would hazard that I was one of 1000's of people that they contacted. Sure, they may have liked my amateurish web site, and perhaps saw my picture, but I assume that these opportunities are very rare.

Visit the International Ghost Hunters Society (Dave and Sharon Oester) at www.ghostweb.com or Mass Paranormal at www.massparanormal.net if you want examples of people that are probably able to finance their time spent doing paranormal investigations via their activities. Though they are certainly more inclined to identify unusual phenomena as paranormal then our team is, their Web sites are certainly worth a look.

There are many ways to earn money, but you don't do it being an investigator, you generally have to do it by one of the ways I've mentioned in the previous paragraph.

So, where does that leave you for a career as a ghost hunter?

I advise people that ghost hunting is a hobby. If you can find a way to earn enough revenue to finance your hobby through donations, you are a successful ghost hunter. If you can build a popular paranormal web site and earn money through advertising and selling products on line, you are a successful ghost hunter. If you can earn revenue from teaching a workshop, you are a successful ghost hunter.

But, you better pick something else for a stable long-term career.

If you are very, very serious about the pursuit of the paranormal, there is an actual career path for you as a psychologist. You would need to start by earning your bachelors degree in psychology, they pursue a graduate degree (doctorate) in parapsychology and then, probably get a job teaching at a university. Technically, its not a career as a ghost hunter, but you'll more then likely make enough money to finance your investigations. Ghost hunting won't be a job, it would still be a hobby--like it is for me and the other 99% of ghost hunters out there. Of course, you'll be extremely qualified to actually conduct investigations.

So, for all of you career track ghost hunters out there, good luck!

Does anyone have any other ideas? I'd sure like to make enough money ghost hunting to pay my mortgage.

Bobby Elgee; Lead Investigator

100% Brain Usage and ESP Abilitities

2009-04-23T12:49:00.001-04:00

It is a well-known myth that is oft repeated: "We only use 10% of our brain." This is simply not true, and people who perpetuate this myth are simply repeating something they have heard.

The truth is:

We all use 100% of our brain when considering the functional structure of this amazing organ. We may not use our capabilities to their fullest potential, but this argument can apply to almost any skill. We aren't talking about skills and practice, we are talking about the myth that we have some vast resevoir of undeveloped mental capacities.

There is research that shows that certain phenomena such as NDE's (near death experiences) and religious epiphanies are located in specific brain structures, and of course, the activation of these areas in such a way to produce these experiences does occur, albeit rarely and due to unique combinations of environmental and internal stimuli. But, we all have these parts of our brains, parts of which are active on a daily basis.

Consider the following reasons generally put forth by evolutionary biologists, scientists, neurologists, neuropsychologists, and their ilk. For an extensive discussion of the evolutionary biology of the brain, read Broca's Brain, by Carl Sagan.

1. If we only used 10% of our brain, we wouldn't have the other 90%. Speaking to the accepted theory of evolution, if we didn't use it, we don't need it, and thus, probably wouldn't have it.

2. If we only used 10% of our brain, we could sustain a major brain injury and bounce back like nothing happened. Having worked in the field of brain injury rehabilitation, specifically with cognition, I can tell you this--no one suffers a severe brain injury and bounces back to normal.

This relates to paranormal activity and ESP as follows: The fact that some people--psychics, paranormal "experts," and the like--put forth this argument to support the possibility of paranormal perception, i.e ESP, is totally illogical. You generally won't hear a competent parapsychologist put forth this argument, because they've probably had some background education in brain structure and function.

These abilities, IF they are real, ALREADY exist, and CAN BE developed, just like any skill. A psychic--or anyone making the statement that 'we only use 10% of our brains'--and acting like they are coming from a position of knowledge is self-serving, false, and at best, a VERY weak pseudo theory not based on existing facts. It also damages the original premise of the existence of ESP.

The fact that sensitivity to the paranormal or ESP ability resides in some part of the brain that we don't use flies in the face of all existing research.

But, the good news is that there is some research that clearly demonstrates that humans may inherently possess these abilities, and that they can be developed. Some of us are naturally better at or have a predisposition in regards to these abilities, as with any skill.

Being a ghost hunter and a skeptic, as well has having an extensive background in neuroscience, this is what I believe. But of course, you can believe whatever you want. I do encourage everyone to do their research before perpetuating a myth.
Bobby Elgee Sights Unseen Paanormal

Conscious Spirits: Paranormal Groups, Intelligent Hauntings, and Anthropormorphization

2009-04-14T22:03:00.001-04:00

Many paranormal groups will detail the difference between two types of hauntings--residual and intelligent. Without going into a great degree of detail, residual hauntings are like a tape recorder that periodically plays for a variety of supposed reasons, while intelligent hauntings imply some degree of consciousness and interaction with the environment, including the people that encounter them.

The goal of this article is not to go into a myriad of details regarding the specifics of these two types of hauntings, or necessarily, how to tell the difference. Instead, I'd like to discuss people's propensity to attribute human characteristics to things that aren't human. Consider the following definition, taken straight from Merriem-Websters 11th Collegiate Dictionary:

anthropomorphize

Main Entry:: an·thro·po·mor·phize
Pronunciation:: \-ˌfīz\
Function:: verb
Inflected Form(s):: an·thro·po·mor·phized; an·thro·po·mor·phiz·ing
Date:: 1845

transitive verb: to attribute human form or personality tointransitive verb: to attribute human form or personality to things not human

— an·thro·po·mor·phi·za·tion \-ˌmȯr-fə-ˈzā-shən\ noun

If you are a human being, you have a natural tendency to do this. It's part of being human, much like recognizing faces in ambiguous visual stimuli; a wonderful ability afforded us by the most spectacular of all organs--our brains. The question is, how does one do this accurately in the realm of paranormal investigation?

It's natural for humans to be self-centered or egocentric. If something happened, its probably related to you, and perhaps is because of something you did. Ask a child of a certain age "Why does the sun come up?" and they will answer with some variation of "Because I got up." It is simply a developmental stage that--hopefully--we all outgrow.

But, to me, it seems that we may revert to earlier developmental stages when analyzing paranormal phenomena. Consider the following hypothetical questions and answers....

Why did that mist show up in a picture?

It was a ghost trying to show itself to me.

Why did those plates fall off the counter?

A ghost was trying to get my attention.

Why are the dowsing rods moving?

A spirit is spinning them around in answer to your questions.

Why did my EMF detector spike when there's no electrical source around?

A spirit is attempting to make contact with us.

Why did this cold spot materialize?

A ghost is trying to manifest, and tell me it's here.

Why did that door slam?

The spirits are upset that we're here.

What is the cat looking at?
A ghost, animals can see things that we can't.

The questions could certainly apply to many paranormal investigations I've been on. The answers however, show a clear indication of anthropormorphism--in addition to a lack of a debunking attempt. Their is no indication from the events that this is an intelligent haunting, and yet the person answering the question automatically makes it a conscious spirit interacting with the investigator. In addition, they are clearly ascribing human attributes to something non-human, in this case, a bunch of environmental observations.

Whether such things are paranormal--not explainable by science--may be determined in the context of a careful investigation. Whether they were caused by a spirit or ghost can certainly never be proven, regardless of whether it is a residual or intelligent haunting.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that we all need to fight against our basic human propensity to anthropormorphize. I feel it can sabotage an investigation, causing investigators to loose focus and pigeon-hole data into their belief system, and, perhaps, even cause people to miss potentially relevant events.

So, unless a full-bodied apparition materializes in front of you in period dress, tells you it's a ghost, and then offers to play a game of cards with you, be very careful about calling anything an intelligent haunting. The events that occurred are probably not paranormal to begin with. To make them into a ghost interacting with you is quite a stretch.

Have I been in haunted places where I felt that a presence was interacting with the team? Absolutely! Have I recorded EVPs that respond to an investigators questions in a specific manner? Yes, albeit rarely.

Assigning attributes such as sex and personality traits--as well as motivations--to paranormal phenomena is a slippery slope. I prefer to leave that stuff up to competent psychics--which are very, very rare.

Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

Thoughts on energy; by Shawn, Investigator

2009-04-10T08:14:00.000-04:00

Let me make this first statement very clear: I am NOT an expert on energy, nor will I ever be. To state as such, to me, means I have explored every facet within the realm of energy and how it relates to every aspect of life and its applications. In my humble opinion, no one can truly be a complete expert on anything. While people can be very knowledgeable in their respective fields, there is always something new out there to discover. That is not to say that I have no knowledge or even education in the energy world. I will only speak on my own experiences with energy as I cannot and will not place my own interpretations, thoughts, feelings, etc. above anyone else's.

That being said, I am a Certified Reiki Level II Practitioner and Nationally Certified and State Licensed Massage Therapist who has logged well over 125 hours (being generous) of coursework, bodywork, and energy work. I have also explored the use of energy in self-defense as a 15-year practitioner in the martial arts. I am training to become a Reiki Master / Teacher, which includes additional hours working on individuals as well as meditation training, spirit journeys, distance Reiki, and required reading on the subject of energy. Energy work has become part of my everyday life as it has enhanced my intuition, feelings, intentions, and thoughts.

Everyone's energy is different, and that energy varies from day-to-day. Everyone interprets energy differently as well. For me, my hands will become painful when there is injury, pain, or other sort of ailment. My hands will tingle upon contact with positive sensations or when a condition has been aided, such as the aforementioned injury. I am also more sensitive to emotional events, such as acts of kindness or loss. On the whole, I am very empathic and am vulnerable to taking on energies I do not want inside me. I have actually had an energetically trained physical therapist tell me I had a black cloud inside my chest after a particular incident. This incident will be discussed in a bit. Again, not everyone feels or senses things as I do, and that's perfectly normal. I can tell who or what gives me positive or negative "vibes," for a lack of a better term. Meaning simply that if I walk into a room or meet a person, I am either comfortable or uneasy.

The incident in question was and is the most powerful experience I have ever felt. It was a relative who had come home from the hospital with what had become terminal cancer. Before I even saw her upon my arrival, my hands "turned on." This is a phrase I use to describe when my hands inexplicably turn red, except for the middle phalanges of my eight fingers, not the thumbs, which are white. My palms, red and speckled with white, felt like they were beaming out energy in a wide beam everywhere in the house. The pain I felt I can only liken to arthritis, but everywhere in my hands, not just the joints. These sensations went on for hours. Not typical at all, no matter how much I tried to block it out. There was also a three to four foot barrier around the person, much like a bubble. Whenever I feel something like this, it means there is injury or pain. I decided to see what I could do. After some minutes of working, the barrier broke, much like a bubble would if you popped it. It wasn't long after that day that my relative passed. While visiting in the hospice house, I felt a tingling sensation as my hands grew close. There was a protective barrier and I knew I should not interfere with this process; the person was safe and secure, and that was not to be violated via energy. I firmly believe it was meant to prepare for the next phase of the journey. You can call it the afterlife, or whatever, but that is how I interpret it. Seeing the body at the wake disturbed me, and it was the first time I laid hands on someone and felt absolutely nothing. It was unnerving, but also eye-opening.

Not long after, the person's belongings came into our possession. One night, while discussing the person who had passed, my hands turned on again, but rapidly. An energetic, orange-colored haze filled one part of the room and seemed to remain close to those belongings. I curse myself for not grabbing the camera now. Also keep in mind the room was lit, but there was no way for the haze to be created by artificial means, and I was not alone in witnessing this event. To test further, I moved the belongings right next to the light source and to where I was sitting. The haze moved across the room some three or so feet and settled over the items. Again, there were no artificial sources for this phenomenon. Eventually, it dissipated on its own. That's when the footsteps and the feelings of someone watching occurred, mostly at 4:00 AM. My daughter, who cannot fully verbally interpret events as of yet, even was scared and pointed at the hallway in broad daylight as if she saw something. She does not scare easy. These events eventually stopped with no malice or bad intent.

Does that mean something like this will always happen? No. Could it? I don't know. That's the wonder of the universe, I suppose. I do know I am not the only one who has experienced these sorts of events. I have met other Reiki Practitioners and Masters who have had spirit journeys, experienced similar sensations, and the like. Some might be thinking, "What does this guy now? Who does he think he is?" and "This stuff is complete nonsense!" Okay, don't take my word for it, then. Read a book that is required for my Master Apprenticeship: Hands of Light by Barbara Ann Brennan. By the way, Ms. Brennan (and this is paraphrased from the book) is a practicing healer, psychotherapist, and former research scientist for NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center following completion of her M.S. in Atmospheric Physics. In other words, very highly qualified. I highly recommend this book because of its explanations and illustrations in energetic, holistic, and scientific terms.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts and experiences with you all.

--Shawn, Investigator / Energy Consultant,
Sights Unseen Paranormal

I used my EVP machine!

2009-04-09T16:36:00.001-04:00

Today, I used my EVP machine and it recorded a ghost's voice. I also utilized my Ghost Image Capture Device to take a picture of a ghost. Another investigator used an Electric Detector that picks up spirit energy. I also used my Indoor Battery-Powered Illuminator--fancily called 'a torch' by our friends across the pond--to light up some ghosts in a dark room. We also used an interesting invention, a Television Spirit Capture Device, which records video of dead people. Finally, we analyzed all this research data on a computer that is specifically set up with programs--like Photoshop and Itunes--that help to find ghosts.

Does the above paragraph sound as asinine and ignorant to you as it does to me? Interestingly enough, there are ghost hunting teams that use language similar to what I've typed above. To me, reading a paragraph like this makes a couple of things painfully obvious:

1. The person writing it has absolutely no technical expertise whatsoever.

2. They aren't even coming close to practicing debunking. For people like this, everything is a ghost.

Sorry, for venting...the moral to this story is KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT. I have a lot to learn, that's why I do research, read my owner's manuals, and depend on experts and consultants to help me research potential evidence.

None of the technology used in ghost hunting was originally designed to find ghosts. Be accurate in your description of the equipment you use. Know what it was originally designed for, and the theory behind using it to detect possibly paranormal events.

Otherwise, you risk looking like a fool. Not sure about you, but I'm enough of a goof ball as it is, so I like to cover all my bases.

Now, you'll have to excuse me because my Electoplasma Initiator/Personal Massager is ringing.

--Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal

"Evidence" of the Paranormal and Ghosts

2009-04-06T20:33:00.001-04:00

Ghost hunting is not a science. Out of all the individuals and/or groups of ghost hunters in existence, very, very few actually have any experience with the scientific method or have any experience actually conducting experimental research.

Still, many groups will tell you that they have photos and audio of what are spirits; evidence of ghosts. As far as I am aware, there is no scientific evidence of the existence of ghosts or an afterlife. That is a question of faith at this point in time. If somebody knows something I don't, please let me know!

As the member of a group whose members actually have some background conducting scientific research, I realize that ghost hunting doesn't lend itself to a well-controlled scientific experiment. The methodologies are weak, the equipment used was never originally designed to detect ghosts, and it is nearly impossible to replicate the results.

Even more perturbing is the fact that certain groups are damaging the credibility of legitimate and accomplished paranormal researchers and parapsychologists by posting photographs that are easily dismissed as well-known and easily identifiable camera malfunctions and other artifacts of the photographic process.

Capturing a photograph of an orb or strange mist is just that. A photograph of a strange orb or mist. Competent paranormal investigators will attempt to rule out the anomaly....is it a reflection? Is it a bug? Is it dust? Is it condensation on the lens of the camera? Is it a problem with the developing and/or printing process? The logical possibilities are nearly endless, and yet, certain people will make a claim that "it's a spirit orb," or that the mist is representative of "the paranormal energy of the ghost that haunts the" location.

We try and look at our "evidence" with a critical eye, and include the use of accomplished photo consultants in an attempt to rule out all rational explanations. What we can't explain means simply that, we can't explain it. If we've done a good job ruling out everything, we may just be left with something paranormal.

Remember that the word 'paranormal' simply means 'not scientifically explainable.' That's it. To take the next step and call a possibly paranormal photograph a picture of a ghost is a leap of faith that I, personally, can't swallow. A person can certainly make that statement, but at that point it becomes an opinion, a statement based on belief and faith. I mean, it just as well could be a picture of a 1957 Chevy or Fred Flintstone. At that point, I can choose what I believe. There's simply no evidence backing it up.

Our group members have varying beliefs. There is one thing we all agree with however....we're never going to call a picture of a camera strap a "vortex through which spirits can enter our material realm" or a photograph of an orb "a spirit orb which shows a ghost trying to manifest itself."

This is simply too big a stretch of illogical rationalization in our minds.

I've been a member of a group where, to be a member, you had to believe in ghosts! We've also had members in this group to whom every cold draft, every sound, and every strange photograph was a ghost, regardless of whether the phenomena was debunked or not.

We like to have fun, and our belief's evolve everyday, but we feel that we have to be careful and measured in our response to what we call 'evidence.' 99% of the pictures we post on our Web site don't contain anything paranormal. Capturing actual paranormal activity in photographs is quite rare. Also, the majority of EVPs can be debunked or certainly explained away by skeptics as something other then the voices of dead people. We post things of interest and for entertainment, but you won't catch us calling something a ghost. To be quite honest, there are only two or three pieces of "evidence" I have captured over the years that I can say with near certainty are paranormal--unexplainable by conventional science.

As far as myself, I can definitely say I've experienced paranormal phenomena, phenomena that is unexplainable by science. As to what caused this phenomena, well, I can't say. It's simply unexplainable in my mind.

This is a hobby for us, and we like to have fun with it, and we don't take ourselves too seriously, but, at the same point, however, in the spirit of transparency, we feel we have an obligation to call a spade a spade.

Bobby Elgee, Sights Unseen Paranormal