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AMERICAN SEEKERS
CONTENTS EDITORIAL
page 5
WELCOME TO THE OUTER EDGE
page 11
CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE page 13 ITC : Calling the Dead page 17
PARANORBILL
page 20
THE YOUNGBLOODS
page 24
TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
page 33
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Letters to the Editor Dear American Seekers,
Hello, my name is Tina. For quite some time now, my boyfriend as well as myself and my son have been living with a few spirits. We believe there is a woman , and two children (possibly her children) and a male spirit as well . We are not sure if the male and female were of same family or not, but we do believe the children are hers. We have had things moved and placed in different locations. We know that we placed these items in specific spots. We have also on many occasions heard the voices of all four with our own ears. We tried to deal with all of this on our own , but it eventually hit our breaking point and we needed to find out if we were all crazy, or just scaring ourselves. We didn't know were to begin to look for help when Paul's mother gave us a number to a local group of investigators that she found online . We set up a time to meet with the team. After explaining there procedures, Paul and myself decided to allow them to work without us in the house and took my son to Paul's mother's house for the night. A few days later we received a call from the team and they wanted to let us see what evidence they found while in our home . Later that day we met up with Lead Investigator named Shane . Right from the beginning he made us feel totally relaxed and comfortable with what we have been experiencing. He offered some alternate explanations that the team found could cause similar experiences. Shane then pulled out his laptop and told us he had something for us to hear. The voices on the recordings he played for us almost floored us. What we was hearing on the playback was the very same voices we have heard on ourselves. The team managed to get responses from the two children and the male adult. Unfortunately they were unable to capture the adult female , but we still hear all of them. Shane explained to us how to coexist with the presence . We have continued to live in the house with peace and now no longer feel like we are crazy. I can say we are much more believers now than we were when we first moved into this house . Thanks, Tina
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SEEKERS
AMERICAN SEEKERS
EDITORIAL Outside the Box
T
o many investigators out there today, provoking is a mainstream part of their investigations. Now I don't want to sound like I am saying there is no room for provoking during an investigation. What I am saying is that screaming and yelling profanities at a spirit is not my idea of how to get a response from anyone whether living or spirit. Think about it logically for a second. If you were in a room with someone who is being very rude and speaking to you very nastily, would you stick around to respond or would you leave the room? Provoking doesn't have to be like that and that is how one should not use provoking. In reality provoking is merely just elicit or trigger an event. That's all. So now while some of you out there will be running around a possibly haunted location cursing and screaming at the possible entity, I hope others of you will take some time out the think outside the box and use provoking responsibly and respectfully. I think you will see that this will gain you better responses
Steven White during your investigations. So now you may be asking how else can one provoke if not being loud and demanding. Again, let's look at this logically. What is provoking? It is truly just triggering the event. There are many ways to trigger events. Not all work at the same at every location. Let's say you are in a hospital that has an alleged haunting. In this situation, wearing proper attire during the investigation would be a good idea. Wearing something like a medical robe and stethoscope or scrubs may help trigger an event in that situation don't you think? If you are investigating claims of a child spirit that died from a gun shot, then would you use a gun as a trigger object? Maybe using a toy from that child's era would be better. After all, That child spirit may not know how he died and seeing the gun may trigger it to know they were shot and may cause the spirit to become violent. Now you have a response but probably not the one you was expecting and you may have just turned a well mannered spirit into a raging maniacal being. 1
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f c w k c A A h b e o o o h f t
I I I b l U
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MICHAEL KLEEN Legends, Lores, Myths and More by: Steven White
Michael Kleen is an American folklorist,  publisher,  social commentator and author. He is well known for his research and knowledge on many places in central Illinois including that of Ashmore Estates as seen on Ghost Adventures last September. Kleen has made many appearances for both historical and paranormal events. He was the guest speaker of the Haunted Coles County tour of 2011. His extensive knowledge of the local legends and reported haunted locations drew in people from all over Illinois to partake in the tour. Kleen grew up in Des Plaines, Illinois and is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. It was at EIU that Michael began writing about some of the local folklore of Coles County. Upon speaking with Kleen myself
I quickly became amazed with the wealth of knowledge this man has acquired of the area. It was in 2006 when Michael founded his publishing company Black Oak Media which later began producing such publications as Black Oak Presents and Legends and Lore of Illinois. The latter is a monthly publication on the folklore of Illinois. We read this serial every month and Kleen's writings are very interesting to say the least. At the time this article was written, Kleen was running for Winnebago County Board. If anyone would be a good politician it would be Michael Kleen. He is about the most honest and genuine soul one could ever meet. Writing about locations requires Kleen to travel quite a bit. He keeps his writings real with an added twist of the local legends. The part that
I find extremely interesting about Kleen is how much research he will do about any location that he writes about. This is a useful tool for any ghost hunter in the paranormal field, because their is no haunt without the history. There is not enough I can say to sum up Michael Kleen. His laid back approach to all of life's situations could leave a legacy for all to learn from. If you have the chance to speak with Kleen, or hear him speak at an event, we at American Seekers highly recommend that you do. It will be one of the most enlightening days of your life. 1
http://www.blackoakmedia.org http://www.michaelkleen.com http://www.trueillinoishaunts.com
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Crowd listens to Michael Kleen speaking at the Haunted Coles County Tour 2011 which is one of the events promoted by team IMPS.
TEAM IMPS
IMPS Illinois Metaphysical and Paranormal Society by: Staff Writer
The IMPS team is based out of Coles County, Illinois and although they are a somewhat newly formed team of investigators, let me tell you that does not mean that they can't get the job done. I have had the opportunity and pleasure of investigating with these ladies a few times and it is always amazing to watch them in action. IMPS (Illinois Metaphysical and Paranormal Society) was founded in 2011. IMPS provides free, professional, and confidential paranormal investigations.
The team is a direct branch from Zitania Research Services which is also founded by Becky Guymon. I believe that helps separate this teams investigations from the average ghost hunting team that thinks that a few pictures of dust orbs are great evidence. Guymon has shown that the history of the location proves most beneficial for investigating. Without the history there is no haunt. Guymon has teamed up with some really talented investigators. This includes Michelle Mccall-Swope, Tina M. Strohmayer, Ann Wofford, Becky Kempton, 8
Tamara Miller and Rick Cohoon. Each and every member of the IMPS team brings their own style to the investigation. That is what makes their investigations run smoothly. When we caught up with Guymon and asked her how she felt about investigating paranormal events in her area and this is what she had to say about it. “I feel that Central Illinois is an awesome place for paranormal investigating. Our area is filled with a rich and eventful history and many of these historical locations have been preserved. Working with the other teams in the area is really awesome. Central Illinois is home to several paranormal teams, which gives us a good advantage. We can work together to achieve our goals and help the community better understand paranormal investigating.” Guymon continued, “for the most part, I feel that the teams in our area work very well together. You will always have a team or two who become territorial or think they are better than everyone else. Our team is always willing to work with other groups, and
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enjoy being able to bounce ideas off other teams and work together to achieve bigger and better things. Networking is always a good thing, that is why we hosted the meet and greet last October, and plan on doing it again this year. We feel that it is important for the community to be aware of paranormal investigators so that they can see what we truly do. We want people to understand that we are just normal people trying to do our best to help our clients and improve their lives. I believe that with the number of paranormal teams in our area, the community will become more aware and become more accepting and open minded.� American Seekers is happy to see teams such as IMPS available to help promote good techniques and protocols to those out there that may not be. If you are in the Central Illinois area and are experiencing paranormal activity, we highly recommend you get in touch with team IMPS. We also plan to be at the 2012 event for Coles County. 1
Find Team IMPS on http://www.facebook.com/groups/110946509002366/
Website:
http://www.teamimps.com/
Be sure to check out Team IMPS and other regional teams at the 2012 Haunted Coles County Meet & Greet event. Have a day full of paranormal fun and learn the legends and lore of the area too.
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J in is g H a t a w o t a a
A h J N o c d u P a
A J s e s li h p tr th ti in
A h 10
WELCOME TO
THE OUTER EDGE
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ailing out of Las Vegas, NV is Outer Edge Paranormal. Jason Musgrove is a paranormal investigator whose objective is to find and capture the holy grail of paranormal evidence. He wants to prove there is life after death in some form, due to his own personal experiences and many brushes with death. If we can listen to what the passed on ones are trying say maybe that will help us understand life and possibly ease our fear of the all so sad, dark and unknown
by: Steven White
inevitable state we call death. Jason likes to investigate locations alone. This is due to his belief that ghosts are like people and people are more approachable alone than in a big crowds and by doing this he gets more activity and interaction than with a crew, also it does not take as long for the interaction and less evidence contamination. Alone you be may asking? How can you prove your evidence? If someone is going to forge evidence it does not
American Seekers: How long have you been ghost hunting? Jason: My first investigation was in 2001 at the New Bedford, Ma armory. I was solo and it was only for a few hours but I was a rookie and had no clue how to conduct an investigation. After that I did about 2 or 3 investigations a year small cases until 2008. That is when I founded Outer Edge Paranormal and began to fine tune my techniques and investigate as much as possible. American Seekers: What got you interested in this? Jason: I have had a lot of paranormal encounters since I was a child and have had 4 near death experiences including one where I coded. I didn’t see a white light or anything of the sort but I feel like this has giving me inspiration to find out what happens when we die. Feb. 20 1998 my brother passed away at the age of 21 and I felt like he has tried to contact me in many different forms and has this also inspired me to pursue this field. The first time I had interaction with him was in 2008 on an investigation through a ghost box. American Seekers: Where is the best place you have investigated and why?
matter if there is only 1 or 10 investigators they are going to do it regardless. He lets the camera, video recorder and EVPs do the talking. The majority of people on this planet believe in ghosts or have had a paranormal experience. Can millions be wrong? We caught up with Jason during a bit of free time he had to find out more about this Lone Ranger does all this and this is what he had to say.
Jason: Ghost town Florida by far, I had a lot of activity immediately in the investigation. I obtained a lot of EVPs, drafts, great spirit box sessions and the vibe of the place was indescribable. Walking through the woods on 30 acres in the Ocala national forest alone at night investigating the paranormal is a feeling I cannot describe. Getting death threats through EVPs also keep you on your toes. American Seekers: I see you are a solo investigator. What is your reason for this? Jason: I feel that spirits get intimidated by large groups of people and kind of hide. I have proven this to myself when I have investigated with a team I did not get the activity that I did when I investigated solo. When I am alone they know and just seem to take advantage of that. American Seekers: Do you ever investigate with other teams or people? Jason: Yes, I do I enjoy this as much as investigating solo. I like having the freedom to investigate with different groups, its amazing to see everyone’s different styles and hear their beliefs. I also have learned a lot from doing this. American Seekers: The name of your team is “Outer Edge Paranormal.” Why call your team that? 11
Jason: This goes back to 1998 I was a bartender in Marietta, GA the bar was called “The Outer Edge.” I was on shift when I got the news about my brother's passing, so this place became very sentimental to me. My brother’s death has inspired me so much in the paranormal; I felt that it just seemed appropriate to use the name. American Seekers: What are your most favorite tools to use during an investigation and why? Jason: First and foremost I use my senses and intuition. I have a lot of techy gear but I stick to the basics I believe in the paranormal less is more. I use an HD Sony handy cam with a phantom light, 2 two digital recorders and a spirit box. I usually set the Mel meter up with a digital recorder next to it. Being solo I use my digital recorders as addition team members to capture evidence. I also have a DVR night vision 4 camera system. I use a high tech back pack that has 72 compartments and it comes in hand when I’m exploring it keeps my hands free. I carry a laptop, a ton of batteries, two spirit boxes, Mel meter, external mic, phantom light, still and video camera, Ovilus x, two digital recorders, two tactical flashlights, note book, head phones, external speaker, electrical tape, em pump and a walkie talkie for when I investigate with other teams. Yes all in one back pack! American Seekers: We see that you build some of your own equipment. Does that come easy to you and what is your favorite piece you have custom made? Jason: So far I have built an EM pump and converted a shack hack. Nothing too outrageous. I just you tube when I want to figure out how to do something. I have designed a wireless systems for better reception but with wireless too much can be debunked i.e. interference. The shack hack is one of my favorites. American Seekers: what is happening in the life of Jason Musgrove presently? Jason: I am trying to make 2012 a better year than 2011 . I am planning a lot more investigations for this year and hopefully improve my investigation techniques.
American Seekers: Has living in Georgia changed you personally compared to living in Las Vegas? Jason: I consider myself a Vegas resident still but not really just less freedom than Vegas. American Seekers: We hear that your girlfriend is a ghost hunter as well. Do you both investigate together and if so how well do you work together? Jason: No we keep that separate she has her group and I have mine and both support each other. We did however investigate Moon River and of course I ventured off on my own like always but we did have continuity. She also has a ghost tour that I do help her on. American Seekers: Do you and your girlfriend share the same views on investigating or do you both follow different theories? Jason: We do follow different theories but respect each other’s views. Different opinions aren’t bad if you have an open mind one could learn from others. American Seekers: Have you ever been really scared at a location by what you experienced? Jason: I wouldn’t say scared I would use the term nerve racking. Being scared you automatically lose your confidence which effects your investigation. I did get stuck in a basement for a few hours due to a faulty elevator and a locked basement door and of course all of my gear was drained, so I just waited and then bam the elevator door opened yes I was relieved. Being trapped in a basement known for demonic attacks with no escape route is nerve racking. American Seekers: American Seekers has been watching your adventures over the last year now. What was your most memorable experience on an investigation? Jason: This is probably the toughest question, all of my investigations have their own special experience, but if I were to pick it’s a toss up between Ghost town Florida or the dairy farm in Camarillo, CA. Cont. on page 15
B d 2 h 12
Children of the Grave?
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hould children be allowed to participate in paranormal investigations and if so, at what age? This has been a topic of debate among many investigators. Some will say it is fine while others will tell you that children are too young to understand life after death. It is in my opinion that some children can be mature enough to deal with paranormal events responsibly. I think it depends on certain factors of each child. Have they been exposed to it a lot because of their parents? How do they handle situations of loved ones passing? Are they good at overcoming obstacles by their own thinking? My 10 year old son has been around the paranormal for the past few years now and has participated on investigations with our team. He is mature about it and very helpful as a team member. In short, I think that children can be taught to embrace what comes after death. After all, didn't many of us have experiences as a child? Perhaps that is what makes us stronger and more capable of dealing with it all. —S.W.
Brian and Ben Hinton of Mattoon, IL enjoy a day together at the Haunted Coles County Tour 2011. This little future ghost hunter was the highlight of our day. 13
Passion… Determination… No Fear…
“The majority of people on this planet believe in ghosts or have had a paranormal experience. Can millions be wrong?” 14
American Seekers: What is your dream location to investigate? Jason: A solo investigation at Poveglia Island in Italy would be intense. American Seekers: How do you feel about the paranormal field overall as it is today? Jason: It is exploding and that is good and bad. It’s important to do it for the right reasons if your good things will come to you easy, if your bad the universe has a funny way of dealing with this. I work extremely hard to maintain the integrity of this industry unfortunately it only takes one bad team to ruin it for 1000 good teams. Dogmatic skeptics take full advantage of this and focus on the negative ones not the ones who are legit, but I say that it has room for improvement but it’s definitely moving in the right direction. American Seekers: what advice would you give newcomers to the paranormal field? Jason: Use common sense, always be safe, don’t always assume something is paranormal and do you’re debunking. Always be respectful of your location and clients. Be honest always, stay true to your beliefs and keep an open mind. Read as much as possible about history in general as well as any paranormal books that are credible. If you’re honest it will be easy to weed out the ones who are not legit in the paranormal. American Seekers: Do you use provoking while you investigate? Please tell why or why not. Jason: Good question, my technique varies on the location or for the situation I do not provoke just to get a rise out of spirits I never really had to. I do stand my ground though when dealing with malevolent entities. I am the visitor at the location and I treat it with respect the same respect I would have when walking into my neighbor’s house. American Seekers: Has your investigating style changed over the past few years or have you kept the same procedures that you had in the beginning? Jason: I believe my style changes with every investigation I conduct. When investigating, your personality and style have to fit the location you are at, you have to fit in at the location. For each investigation I use it as a learning experience. I am no expert and to be close minded about investigation is ridiculous being that we have barely even scratched the surface of the paranormal. American Seekers: Do you feel ghost hunting has changed for the better? Jason: Yes! There are a lot more resources available to utilize when investigating. It seems there is a new piece of equipment made every week. Up until recently there were very limited amount of equipment available. There are also more people involved, so the chance of
capturing evidence has increased dramatically. At the same time there are people in it for the wrong reasons and they know who they are. It is just a matter of maintaining the credibility of the industry for the investigators that are legit.
American Seekers: Has there been a location that affected you so much that you would never go back? Jason: No, the more intense of a situation the more I am drawn to it. It is my goal to find the holy grail of paranormal evidence and share that and I am willing to do what it takes to achieve that even if some of the situations can be life threatening. On that note I do take calculated risks. It would be foolish to put yourself in a situation without first weighing out the dangers that are involved. American Seekers: We know you have dealt with many human spirits. Have you ever tangled with what you considered demonic and how did you handle that situation? Jason: The extent of demonic attacks I believe I have experienced were nausea and loss of equilibrium. The way I handled this was remove myself from the location and pull myself back together. You need to remember I don’t have anyone to look out after me so I have to be on my toes at all times. When in doubt get out! American Seekers: You play guitar and very well from what I have heard. Do you play with a band professionally? Jason: No, I use to, but I actually gave it up to investigate the paranormal. The schedules just didn’t match up too well so I was kind of forced to make a decision, so I chose what made me feel the most accomplished. 1
Find Jason Musgrove on http://www.facebook.com/OuterEdgeParanormal
Catch Jason Musgrove June 2, 2012 in Villa Rica, Ga. at the “Ghosts and Gold: Historic Villa Rica Ghost Tours” present the RETURN of Ghost Lab’s Steve Hock in which he will be one of the featured guests.
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amiro Ramirez is known as one of the best in the art of ITC or Instrumental TransCommunication. He utilizes many different ITC devices to communicate with the dead. 16
INSTRUMENTAL TRANS-COMMUNICATION
CALLING THE DEAD
For those of you out there that have never heard of ITC or Instrumental Trans-Communication, then you are in for a real treat. I have seen many investigators attempt to conduct an ITC session, but only a few can truly utilize this type of communication with the dead in its most proper fashion. Ramiro Ramirez (From Beyond Team) is one of those individuals who are truly gifted in communicating with spirits. What makes ITC so different than other ways to attempt to gather evidence? For starters it is like having a direct telephone line with these spirits that can communicate us. You can have a real time conversation with an entity instead of having to wait to listen to hours of audio for a possible response. I have also been trying to improve my skills with this real time communication and I have had many good sessions with some responses that could impress even the most skeptical of minds out there. I became acquainted with Ramiro last year and also have been able to check out the first season of the paranormal show he is on. Ramiro works alongside the very talented psychic medium, A.J. Barrera and skeptical Christian Vera on Mun 2's new paranormal reality series, “From Beyond”. He brings his technical expertise and equipment to capture real evidence in his quest to prove that life after death real. Ramiro Ramirez is known as one of the best in the art of ITC or Instrumental Trans-Communication. He utilizes many different ITC devices to communicate with the dead. Ramiro once told me that one of the most important keys to ITC is the relationship between the ITC device and the investigator. I have since then developed a better relationship with my own devices used for this type of communication. He also says that respect, starting the session with a welcome, and ending it with closure are key elements for a good ITC session. Ramiro and the From Beyond team are filming their adventures for the 2012 season which may be on air later this year. With A.J.'s psychic gifts and Christian's skeptical ways, Ramiro's hard core style of investigating complete this trio making them a very
by: Steven White
well polished team. Generally, Ramiro will utilize tools such as the Mel meter and a digital voice recorder, but once he breaks out his ITC device, the spirits seem to be more than eager to speak with him. Ramiro has been investigating the paranormal since he was a teenager, but has been doing so as a fully trained investigator for the past 5+ years. His personal experiences as a child as well as growing up a child sensitive led to his interest in the paranormal, but it wasn't until a visit from his grandfather who had passed away that he began to understand his gifts. “I was trained by two of the best ITC researchers in the field, Joe and Rebecca Mendoza. I became hooked and amazed of all the relevant responses I would hear while I analyzed 3 AM's audio files” said Ramirez. “ITC has been a strong and effective way for me to communicate with spirit, unlike an EVP, you can hear responses in real time.” I always enjoy every chance I get to speak with Ramiro because he is a very honest, down to Earth individual. When asked how he maintains to stay on the level he simply states, “I have been blessed, I really am about being myself. I have a lot of passion and love for what I do. I am honored to work at what I enjoy most and bring that awareness to the audience.” He also has accredited his own style of investigating to that of Joe and Rebecca Mendoza. Ramiro mainly investigates locations in the USA and Mexico. He is currently teamed up and started Haunted Orange County Paranormal in where we offer ghost hunts to the public, and have ghost walk tours focused in the old town area of Orange. You can see that this investigator really keeps himself quite busy between this and shooting episodes for “From Beyond.” American Seekers wants our readers to have knowledge on everyone and everything that deals with the paranormal and so we wanted to learn more about the show he and fellow cast and crew members have worked so hard to make a success. “From Beyond” debuted on cable television's Mun 2 (Spanish pronunciation: mundos) in the summer of 2011. Unlike other paranormal reality shows on 17
TV, this show allows the residents to participate in the investigations. “‘From Beyond’ focuses on the Latino beliefs of the paranormal,” says Ramirez, “As a child I grew up with tales of the Llorona, el cucuy... the paranormal needs no translation; we involve real people, real stories, and invite them along to investigate and find that answer.” I asked Ramiro to describe working with the other members and he said, “AJ is phenomenal , I have been honored to work along side this respected Medium. I vouch for his work and encourage you all to make an appointment as you will see why he has been branded as Celebrity Psychic Medium, and noted as one of the most reputable psychics in the nation by Marie Claire Magazine. Go to www.ajbarrera.com to see for yourself. Christian is a lovely individual and her skeptical approach gives me reason to prove the existence of life beyond death.” Ramiro has had the opportunity to investigate many great places and shares with us one of his favorite places. He says that the Linda Vista Hospital was one of the best for him. “I am bilingual Spanish and had the honor to communicate and interact with a Latina Spanish speaking female.” Upon seeing him in action from clips of “From Beyond” and various investigations he has participated in, I can see how speaking multiple languages can truly change the outcome of some investigations. Here at American Seekers, we like to hear of not only the good and wonderful experiences that teams have, but also the negative encounters as well. We spoke to Ramiro of his dealings with darker entities. “At an undisclosed location, we all kept smelling foul odors similar to sulfur. It was a presence in the air of anger which made it hard to take breaths.” He continued to let us know he would prefer not to go back to locations with non-human presences. The paranormal field continues to grow and change. Some of the changes are pushing the field forward while others push it two steps back. Ramirez shared his views of the field as it is today. “As the veil has thinned and will continue to thin, investigators have been able to document and understand more now than 100 years ago. Research and data is being collected by teams nationwide. With new technology and equipment being created we can now see them with certain cameras, hear them with real time EVP devices.” Upon watching Ramirez in action, we noticed that he didn't use provocation as much as many investigators of today do. “I use provocation, but this 18
is depending on the situation, whether spirit is being a little unpleasant to deal with, or to push the level with my intent to document and validate a homeowners experience.” He also stated that investigators should keep a positive outlook and respect the fact that you will be followed. This is solid advice that anyone in the field should heed. Ramiro is definitely one American Seekers favorite investigators we have the pleasure of knowing. He is willing to work with other investigators and in fact says, “as investigators it's important we share compare and learn from our research.” To investigate the Vatican in Rome would be a dream investigation for Ramiro. We wish him the best of luck on all his upcoming adventures. 1
Also check out these websites: www.hauntedorange.com www.3amparanormal.com www.ajbarrera.com www.ramirodramirez.com Please check out past episodes and share your favorite ones with friends @ www.mun2.tv/beyond
American Seekers recognizes and supports the ideas, views, and theories of Ramiro Ramirez. Not all investigators and their practices are accepted by this publication. Ramiro Ramirez, From Beyond, nor Mun 2 are affiliated with American Seekers and all views are that of the individuals or staff writers only.
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by: Steven White
American Seekers felt it was time to introduce our readers to a team based from not only the USA, but from Canada as well. The team is called “CON~TACT” and you may already know Bill Connelly, a.k.a Paranorbill from his videos on You Tube. Bill has become such a well rounded investigator over the years and is in our opinion one of the finest investigators in the field today. CON~TACT paranormal team has stayed true to their beliefs and views of the paranormal. They are not just your average, trendy, out to be the next-best-thing in the field, rather they have honed their techniques to it's truest form. Every time I watch Bill in action I always learn something or maybe just remember something that maybe I myself may have forgotten to utilize. The team focuses one hundred percent on attaining the truth of alleged paranormal activity. When I first met up with Connelly, I was simply amazed by his demeanor and skills. His knowledge of the paranormal is both extensive and fluent. Teamed up with very well seasoned and professional members like Chris Conlon and Adam Strahley you can rest assured that this group will do whatever it takes to find the truth of the haunt. CON~TACT was formed in 2009 by myself & Chris Conlon. Hence the “CON” part of our group name based on our last names. The two of us had TV programs on the same Internet TV Network. We 20
decided it would be a great opportunity to bring both our different experiences and backgrounds and do a joint venture. I flew to NY to meet Chris in 2010 to begin filming CON~TACT. There we met Adam Strahley who lived in a very active house we were investigating. His own experiences and technical knowledge made him a perfect addition to our team. Christie Weber was a news reporter hired to document a lecture and Investigation Chris and I were doing. Being a skeptic turned believer after just one case she joined us on. We asked her to join the team as her investigative expertise would bring a very logical aspect to the series. As of 2011 Christie has left CON~TACT to be a full time mom. As with most teams, team members have their assigned positions. Bill “Paranorbill” Connelly takes on the role as Paranormal Researcher and Producer and Production Manager. Adam Strahley is Paranormal Researcher and Equipment Professional and our Brand and Business Manager. Chris Conlon holds the positions of Paranormal Researcher / Demonologist / Creative Talent and Design Manager. Bill is an accomplished hip hop artist as well. His newest release is due out summer of 2012. American Seekers asked Connelly about being a sensitive. He told us about how he discovered his own abilities. “As a child I would feel and experience things that others did not. I developed my skills or
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what I call my weird thing. I have very keen senses. I get mental impressions, pictures, sounds and smells. I am very sensitive to sound and noise. As strange as it sounds when I hear sounds I see colors. I also have found over the years that I can manipulate energy. I can feel energy and I can use it to my advantage. Ninety five percent of the real mediums that I have met cannot read me nor can I be hypnotized. � Senses vs. Technology When asked if he used his gifts more or the technology available to the field he told us, “My senses are my most valuable asset working in this field. I use my gifts, but the electronic technology that I use
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validates what I feel or sense. I use all my senses. My favorite tool is my gut and intuition. As far as hardware goes, we have every gadget at our disposal but nothing will every beat your good ol' video camera. I can't prove or measure what I feel but my equipment can.” That is exactly how any investigator that is gifted should be in my opinion. Let one validate the other and vice-versa. The Start of It All Bill grew up in a funeral home surrounded by the dead. It is easy to see where his interest in the paranormal began. At about the age of 8 he saw the apparition of a young man looking down at himself in a casket. “I had no idea at the time that the incident would be the catalyst that led me into the field of Paranormal Research and my search for answers and proof.” Connelly investigates with CON~TACT mainly but does like to investigate with other teams as well. “We try to collaborate with as many groups as possible,” he says. “We have found that in this field for whatever reason there is a lot if infighting. Our approach is based on the fact that we are all hopefully doing this to prove the existence of life after death. We're all on the same team, were professional and we respect other peoples views and opinions.” Living in Edmonton, Alberta Canada, Connelly investigates more in Canada than anywhere else, but does investigate in the USA as well. He tells us of one of the best places he has investigated. “I think the most memorable would be the Eagle House in Williamsville, NY. It was one of the only locations I had been to that had so many layers of History. It was also very active every time I investigated it, meaning I always managed to get great evidence there. It was also the only investigation to date that spooked me so much it took almost 15 minutes to turn one corner.” Connelly continues, “I believe that many instances of paranormal activity have to do with the layers of history that surround or are a part of a specific area. I also believe that there are many different types of hauntings and activity. On a personal note I would love to travel Europe and study it. I'm half Austrian and Irish so those two countries would be top of my list.” I was interested to see that other investigators have been to locations that have such activity that even the bravest of investigators would have second thoughts of 22
entering. “The most frightening is always what you can't see,” Bill stated. “Working on a private case in my hometown I became emotionally involved with a case, which I try to never do. I began to experience depression and had to take some time off, away from the paranormal. People need to realize that when you put the majority of your focus and time into working with the dead we sometime can lose sight of the living. There needs to be a healthy balance. A close friend told me that we are human and we live on earth. Very grounding words for me.” When I asked Connelly if he had any investigations that really stuck out over others. He tells us, “The Eastman Kodak Dental Building. My pendant of St. Michael was lifted off my neck and flicked back very hard. It had so much force from such a short distance that it felt like getting hit by a rock. I was so pissed off I started yelling at whatever did it and chased it throughout the huge basement we were in. Like I said, I was pissed.” “My ethics and investigative style has remained the same throughout the almost 20 years I've been doing this. We keep it real! We don't sugar coat anything. We don't fake footage and we all bring different aspects to our team. With the blend of personalities expertise and experience, CON~TACT is something refreshing and unique. I have learn much throughout my time in this field and I always try new things to make myself better at what I do.” The Paranormal Field Today To be honest I think many are in it for the wrong reasons. They watch too many shows on TV, buy some gear and run to a graveyard or take on a paranormal case. Many do more harm than good. Some don't realize the inherent dangers in this line of work. It's great that people are interested in the paranormal but many just need to read about it and research it thoroughly before attempting to do it themselves. Make sure you know what your getting yourself into. Once you begin your Paranormal journey your life will never be the same. It's literally life altering. It's almost like having to many cooks in the kitchen at times and most of it is fast food. I feel that technology is catching up to us. With some of the new tools at our disposal it's only a matter of time until we will have the ability to scientifically prove what we already now know. 1
Bill Connelly Current Happenings • This April I will be returning to upstate New York to wrap up filming of season 1 of CON~TACT (13 x 60 minute episodes) • CON-TACT will also be holding and event called “Making CON-TACT” in Rochester, NY. April 28-29 We are also shooting a Documentary Movie in Hinsdale, NY “The Hinsdale Event.” This documentary will be about one of the most paranormally active locations in NY and recognized as one of the top 12 most Haunted areas in North America. Known as the “Dandy House” or the “Hinsdale House” We have gained unprecedented access to the entire property and for the first time ever we will have all key people from the infamous possession case in the early 1970's case. http://www.contactparanormal.org/Hinsdale/ Hinsdale_Haunted_House.html • I will also be filming season 1 for a new series this June - Sept in Canada for a Canadian Television station (APTN) called “The Other Side” scheduled to air in early 2013. http://realscreen.com/2011/10/17/aptn-turns-to-theother-side/ Paranorbill's website is: www.paranorbill.com CON-TACT Paranormal Research site is: www.contactparanormal.org All of my ParanorBill and CON-TACT video's are on my YouTube page at: www.YouTube.com/paranorbill Twitter is: www.twitter.com/paranorbill
American Seekers recognizes and supports the ideas, views, and theories of Bill “Paranorbill” Connelly. Not all investigators and their practices are accepted by this publication. 23
The Youngbloods STEVEN WHITE
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JASON MUSGROVE 25
Ramiro
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Christia
stian
A.J.
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DAKOTA LAWRENCE 28
bill paranorbill connelly 29
PLANELESS
Planeless Pilots is a very up and coming group of musicians. Their sound is the collaboration of top-notch talent writing together for almost 20 years. Members include Tom Vrem and Bill Demkov. Both Vrem and Demkov seem to be able to read each others minds as they work together. Churning out one great tune after another Planeless Pilots will temp your musical taste buds. Vrem has been no stranger to mingling with some of the most famous musicians in the industry and even recently has recorded tracks with Alison Krauss herself. This is definitely not at all the same kid at 15 years 30
ESS PILOTS
old that I used to jam with years ago. Having watched Tom's career blossom, it really pleases us here at American Seekers to see the great musician he has become. 1 www.planelesspilots.com/fr_home.cfm
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Hot Spots of the USA This section of American Seekers is to set the stage for some of the most active places of the USA known to paranormal investigators. We want to be sure our readers have knowledge of all the hot spots to investigate. We hope that you and your team will get the chance to investigate in any of these places. Happy hunting!
Stanley Hotel The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado has a little bit of everything from great scenery, fresh air, cozy rooms and yes a few ghostly spirits. The Stanley offers its guests a variety of entertainment from historic tours to full fledged ghost hunts. Tours start as low as $15 and the Ghost hunt at $60. The Ghost Hunt does have age requirement of 18 years old to participate. Ghost stories are shared as well for any age of guests. Do you have what it takes to stay in the Stanley Hotel?
Linda Vista Hospital The Linda Vista Hospital has been said to be one of the more active locations in the USA. Located in Boyle Heights, California which is close to L.A., this abandoned hospital has been filmed in by paranormal investigators and movie crews alike. Films such as “End of Days” and “In the Line of Fire” as well as other numerous television episodes, the Linda Vista is far from forgotten. The most viewed investigation was filmed by Ghost Adventures, where the crew stayed a full night in the hospital. One investigator told me that he had an interaction with a Latina Spanish speaking female.
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Tips For Newcomers Time and time again we receive emails and messages asking how to start ghost hunting. To start ghost hunting doesn't require a college degree, but proper training and protocols are a must. There is no real right or wrong way to investigate, however there are steps that well seasoned investigators follow in order to keep themselves safe and respected for their knowledge and skills. One mistake that so many people starting in the field today make is they think that watching the popular ghost hunting shows on television will teach them how to investigate the paranormal. Let me be the first to tell you that is really not going to happen. While the investigators on those shows do some things that ghost hunters in the real world do, try to remember they are paid well to entertain the people that watch them. When it comes to doing a non televised investigation, you can and will sit hours upon hours and not get any activity at all. You will not go into a house and in 40 minutes have the holy grail of evidence. First and foremost step is the be yourselves not some character you see on television. Just keep it real! If you and every member of your team can always remember that then you have learned the most valuable step in the field. We see way too many Zak Bagans wanna-bes running around already. Those shows have their place and that is entertainment only. Next thing to do is research everything and anything you can about the paranormal you can before you ever step out to do an investigation in another person's home. Too many times when people are unprepared for what the can find only make it worse because of lack of preparation and knowledge. Just watching a television show and buying a few devices you see on that show (usually a lot of snake oil) does not prepare you mentally or physically for dealing with the paranormal. Do yourself and a possible client a favor and crack open some books, research the internet, and best of all, speak to those who have been in the field for years doing the very same thing and learn from them. Most are good people with loads of valuable information that years of experience have taught them. Do not go into a location and start provoking like you see others on cable television doing. First
of all it is rude to the spirits and annoying to other team members. There are far better ways to ignite a response from the spirit world inhabitants. Think of it like this. Most ghosts you may encounter were once human too. Would you like if some stranger barged into your residence and started barking orders at you or demanding you do certain things? I doubt that you would, so a good rule of thumb is to treat the location and spirits with the type of respect you would expect to receive yourself. While conducting an investigation try to think outside the box. Don't assume that because you have an orb in a photo that it is a ghost. There are too many ways to debunk orbs. Try a few of these experiments and you will understand a bit better. Have another person spray some water in the air in front of where you will take a photo. Now take a snapshot and see the orbs you have captured. The same can be done with dog hair, stirred up dust from walking, dryer fuzz, etc. Not paranormal, but mistaken many times by newcomers. Don't be afraid to mix up older methods with new methods. Theories change a lot in the field. Last but not least, always have another person go with you to investigate. This is really a good safety net. You can investigate a bit apart to lessen contamination of evidence, but be within voice or radio contact. Now these are all just some guidelines to help you get acquainted with some good protocols to start off with, but are in no way all there is. As you get some cases under your belts, you will discover more protocols to keep you and your team members safe and respected in the field. 1
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