Paranormal Addiction Magazine by Katie Christopher

Ghost Detectives

October 2011

Paranormal Addiction Magazine

Meet The Ghost

The

History of

Detectives!

Halloween

Investigation

Halloween

Feature: The

Denison House

Urban Legends & Superstitions

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Ghost Detectives

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Co-Editors-In-Chief Katie Christopher Steve Shoemaker *

Page 11

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Regular Contributors Katie Christopher Rich Rozell Kelly Kalb Lauri Moore Bruce Pearson Dan Bechtel Mark Hromisin Maria Christopher Denise Lee Darren Holland The BUN *

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Cover Shot

Hanover Green Cemetery

Features: History of Halloween..............................................................4 Halloween Superstitions........................................................6 Denison House Investigation................................................11 The Story of Ghost Detectives..............................................17 Paranormal Investigations & Credibility................................21 In Every Issue: Urban Legends: Haunting or Hoax........................................9 Paranormal Unity Team Profile.............................................10 Paranormal 101....................................................................13 Skepticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Corner....................................................................15 Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Movie Reviews...........................................................20 Ghost Detectives Member Spotlight......................................22 Paranormal Science..............................................................23 Dead Letters..........................................................................25 Tech Corner...........................................................................26

dance around a fire. They would burn dying crops, and give sacrifices. Ancient lore says that the Celts believed that on this day, the veil between the living and the dead grew weaker, and the spirits of the dead walked the Earth with the living. The costumes were used as a disguise as to blend in so they would not be recognized as living for fear of what the dead would do to them. It was also believed that at this time, when the gap between those living and dead was so small, that the Celtic priests, or Druids, could make accurate predictions of the future, so fortune-telling was also a large part of their celebration.

The History Of Halloween

By: Katie Christoper

Trick or treating, pumpkin carving, haunted attractions, and costumes are all activities synonymous with Halloween. Every

October 31st, millions of children dress up in costumes and go door to door in an effort to secure candy from each of the homes owners. Autumn hayrides transform into scream inducing thrill rides, and pumpkins are gutted, cleaned out, and carved with some of the most detailed and intricate designs one may see all year. These are traditions we have all come to know and love. We grew up taking part in these activities, and the fun of it all keeps us from questioning, where did this all

come from? Why am I dressed up like some sort of insect with neon wings strapped to my back begging my neighbors for candy? The truth of the story is that these activities did derive from things that were practiced centuries before any of us were born. The word Halloween originated in the 16th century and is of Scottish descent. It roughly translates to All Hallows Eve which would be the day before all Hallows day, or more commonly known as All Saints Day, which is immediately followed by All Souls Day. Though the word itself is 16th century, the traditions of Halloween are much much older. 2000 years ago, the Celts celebrated the Festival of Samhain on November 1st. This Festival marked the start of a new year, and October 31st was like an ancient New Years Eve. On this eve, they would build bonfires, and dress in costume and

So now that we know where the practice of dressing in costume came from, what about the other traditions? What would give us the idea to send our children door to door for candy? Why are we carving faces in pumpkins? Believe it or not, there are old day practices that tie in with these beloved Halloween practices as well. In the 18th century, the poor would go door to door knocking on the homes of their more fortunate neighbors asking for money, food, or clothing in exchange for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day. They would do this every year on All Hallows Eve. Because it was dark out, they would pick turnips and carve out the middles, and turn them into lanterns to help light their way as they traveled. As time went on, this practice was laid to rest, but it was enough to pave the way for a long lasting tradition of traveling the neighborhoods for goodies. With time, turnips were changed to pumpkins and now we decorate them every year. In later years, as the Catholic Church became more dominant, the Festival of Samhain would be no more, and in its place would come All Saints day, and later still, All Souls Day. As the America’s became populated, some these traditions would carry over as well. Because of the mixed ethnicity of those living in the Americas however, the celebration of Halloween would become a mixture of many different customs. As more people came to the United States, the festivities began to spread across our nation. As witchcraft became more popular, young women took to doing “tricks” and spells. It was believed that on Halloween, they could reveal the names of their future husbands using objects such as apples, yarn and mirrors. People would also host parties where they would sing,

dance, and tell fortunes, much like the Festival of Samhain, but to add an American twist, they also told the scariest ghost stories they could think of. In the late 1800’s, America made the decision to change Halloween. Instead of focusing on the scary, spell casting, and dark side of the holiday, they decided to make it more about the family and friends aspects, and from that point on up until the early 1900’s, Halloween was just that. There was no more talk of ghosts and the dead. Parents of children were urged by local leaders, and even seasonal newspaper articles to keep the frightening and ghostly aspect out of their children’s costumes. These efforts proved to be effectives, and much of the ghastly aspect of the holiday was forgotten. As time went by however, ancient tales and superstitions would not be completely quieted, and today, the

scary side of Halloween is much alive. It is amazing how the times change, and traditions once sacred and holy, or even desperate acts for survival are now what make up this unique fall holiday. Perhaps the most interesting of all is the Celtic theory that Halloween is the day the dead walk among the living. This would surely explain the fear factor we experience every year; however unlike the Celts, instead of taking preventative measures to make sure we are not identified by the dead, society now seems to enjoy the scare. It’s a thrill, and adrenaline rush, and we don’t think twice about paying whatever admission fee we have to, to enter a building where hundreds of premeditated arrangements await us in order to give us the scariest 10 minutes they can come up with. Men dressed in black hiding in the shadows waiting for us to come near so they can

jump out. Others in hockey masks toting chainsaws delight in our blood curdling screams, but this is the fun we’ve come to expect from Halloween. Now that we know the true meaning though, we may want to think twice. As a paranormal investigator, communicating with the dead is not something new. To think there is a day where that job may be easier than it is the rest of the year is comparable to receiving a nice unexpected Christmas bonus at work. However could it really be that easy? If everyone is in costume, are there really costumes that are too good to be true? I know one thing, this year when I am sitting next to someone whose zombie costume looks just a bit too authentic for its own good, it may be best to just leave well enough alone. I’m not going to be the one to ask where he bought it, are you?

Halloween Superstitions

By: Maria Christopher

said that we are damaging our souls. So now we question ourselves, why do we knock on wood when things are going how we want them? It’s said that in the course of good fortune, if you speak out loud about your luck, evil spirits would get jealous. And by knocking on wood the noise is supposed to scare away the evil spirits. It’s sort of like the superstition that says in order to avoid bad luck after spilling salt, we must throw a pinch of it over our left shoulder. The reasoning behind this is because our ancestors always claimed that other left side was our wicked side. And to avoid the evil lurking around that shoulder, you must throw salt in that direction. They both seem kind of ridiculous.. The fear of black cats crossing your path has a lot to do with witches. A long time ago, it is said that anyone suspected of being a witch had a black cat as a pet. It’s also known that black cats often change their shape to help witches cast spells, and of course the actual witch itself would take the physical form of the cat. One superstition that I find really interesting says that on Halloween, if you were to put your clothes on inside out and walk backwards you will see a witch riding in the sky… I know what I’m gonna do on Halloween! (: And even though it’s probably pointless of me to put this superstition to the test, because just like all of the other ones they’re most likely not true.. It would still be fun to make an attempt at them for my own lame form of excitement. Then again I better knock on wood when I think it’s all fun and games, watch and something really will happen unexpectedly.

Superstitions are known all around the world, I’m sure everyone at least once in their life has either thrown salt over their left shoulder, knocked on wood or avoided stepping on a crack. But can we really convince ourselves that a black cat crossing your path is bad luck or if you break a mirror you’ve damaged your soul and are now stuck with 7 years of bad luck? Let’s face it, most of these

stories are beyond the top ridiculous, so why do we follow by them? Hundreds of years ago, our ancestors questioned mysterious things such as, why do we see our reflection in the mirror or why do we cast a shadow in the sunlight? They came to a conclusion that our reflection or our shadow is a part of our soul, and by breaking a mirror it is

So I think it’s safe to say after hearing where some of these common Halloween superstitions derived from, you will watch what paths you cross, be careful with how you handle your seasonings and always remember to knock on wood when your bragging about how great your day is, because there might be an evil, greedy spirit wandering near who doesn’t approve of your lifelong full of happiness.

Urban Legends: Hauntings or Hoax? By Kelly Kalb

Merriam-Webster’s definition of urban legend: an often lurid story or anecdote that is based on hearsay and widely circulated as true—called also urban myth.

“Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary…” I’m sure all of you have heard the urban legend of Bloody Mary. There are so many versions of this story, but no one knows for sure when or where they began. The myth has been told for decades and has multiple confusing elements. Bloody Mary is often refered to as a ghost of witch from English folklore.She is supposed to appear when her name is said anywhere from 3-100 ti-

mes in front of a mirror in a dimly lit room. What happens next varies depending on which version you’ve been told. Some believe she appears covered in blood and will rip off your face, scratch your eyes out, cut off your head, drive you insane, or pull you into the mirror. Death is usually the end result. Some people believe Bloody Mary is about a woman named Mary Worth who is said to be a child murderer from somewhere in the west. Mary Worth may also be a witch that was burned at the stake or hanged 100 years ago and has returned to seek revenge. Others have heard of Queen Mary I and how she was driven to insanity by the loss of her children by a marked number of miscarriages and false pregnancies. However, Queen Mary I also was known as Bloody Mary in her time due to the torture and beheadings of prisoners that occurred under her rule. Yet another story has Bloody Mary being a young woman living in a small village in England who was extremely beautiful and gazed at herself for hours in a mirror. A young witch was said to be very jealous of Mary and cast a spell on her disfiguring her terribly. Mary then cast her own spell that would disfigure anyone who called upon her while looking into a mirror. The legend is frightening no matter which version you’ve heard, but do you have the courage to try? People have been doing it for thousands of years. It’s more commonly known as a divination ritual or scrying. Scrying can best be described as using a reflective surface to foretell the future. The story of Bloody Mary may have originated back in the old time diving ceremony of standing in front of a mirror with a candle in a dark room to see your future husband’s face. Scrying can even be traced back as far as Nostradamus who was known to look into a bowl of water to see the future. Through the years the amount of urban legends has increased substantially. Some people feel the internet is a breeding ground for such myths. I’m interested in what you, the readers, have heard and what urban legends you would like me to write about. Feel free to email any urban legend suggestions to me at Kelly@YourFamilyRoots.net; I would love to cover the ones that interest you the most.

Paranormal Unity Team Profile: Coal Region Paranormal Team

basis of respect for others. This is changing for the good however, and largely due to the work of a wonderful group of investigators - NEPA Paranormal founded by Bob Christopher and daughter Katie. Coal Region Paranormal Team has had the awesome experience of meeting and working with this team due to their philosophy of paranormal teams coming together and working together - in other words, Paranormal Unity. If you have not already heard of the Ghost Detectives television show, you will. Created by Lee Moon and featuring the NEPA Paranormal team, this show presents paranormal investigating as it is. Sometimes fun, sometimes full of evidence, sometimes with none. They are not founded on drama but rather on the refreshing concept of realistically presenting what we do as investigators! And now, because of their philosophy regarding other investigators, they have opened their virtual doors to the field.

The Coal Region Paranormal Team, or CRPT, originates from the anthracite coal region of central Pennsylvania and has members located throughout the region and surrounding communities. WE set as a mission a goal of studying the paranormal from a scientific perspective in order to promote a greater understanding of the afterlife for those affected by paranormal phenomenon. The CRPT was started in 2010 although the Core Team has investigated together for over 3 years. Our members have had training in basic and advanced ghost hunting techniques. Our members have collectively participated in over 300 investigations of the paranormal! We investigate reports of paranormal phenomenon with a strong desire to find scientific validation for reported activity. Our focus is on maintaining an open mind as to the possibility of life after death while remaining skeptical of the origin of reported phenomenon. Our ultimate goal is to help those experiencing activity that may be paranormal in nature gain an understanding of what may be occurring so that they can feel comfortable in their own home or business. All members of the CRPT work under a membership agreement and Code of Conduct designed to provide our clients with the highest level of professional conduct

and service CRPT investigations, members have had the privilege to investigate many well-known establishments thought to house paranormal activity while members of other groups. Some claims were validated, some were not... Notable Sites include... * Mansfield University, * Carbondale City Hall, Townside Garden Cafe, * Lewisburg Hotel, * The Old Jail at Jim Thorpe, Mahanoy City Elks, Tamaqua Elks, * Katy’s Church, * Bloomsburg Cinema Center, * Packwood House Museum, * Magee Mansion, * Milton Elks, The Old Sunbury Opera House, Fort Mifflin Paranormal Unity - Our Ghost Detectives Experience One of the things the CRPT has found to be most difficult in working in the paranormal field has nothing to do with the realm of spirit... it has to do with our living human counterparts. The paranormal community is unfortunately riddled with rivalry and competition which undermines our attempts to validate experiences and phenomena that are outside of our realm of everyday understanding. For some reason many investigators, and even entire investigative groups, seem to hold a sense of ownership to locations they have investigated... they don’t find value in sharing knowledge... and they don’t work from a

The CRPT was invited to co-investigate with NEPA for a Season Two episode of Ghost Detectives and was thrilled to accept this invitation. We took them to one of our favorite locations, Studio 207 (thank you Kristie and check out the featured investigation on the site!) in August 2011 and had a wonderful time. The Ghost Detectives team were open and friendly, down to earth... and they were genuinely happy to interact with and meet the CRPT members! Our show aired on Season Two of Ghost Detectives The spirits of Studio 207 were very obliging and this will be a hold on to your seat, do not miss show. Although we have already noted that many times investigations are a bit boring and do not produce any evidence... this was not the case! Coal Region Paranormal Team wishes Ghost Detectives continued success and is proud to participate in the Paranormal Unity campaign. We have found new friends in the NEPA/Ghost Detective Team and hope to see those friendships grow stronger and longer! To Bob Christopher, we raise a toast. Bob is truly a man who not only talks the talk, but he walks that talk. Thank you for this experience!! If you want to know more about us...and we hope you do!!! Visit us at www.coalregionghosts.com or visit our page on Facebook!!!

Denison House Investigation It is amazing how a place can be so close by your entire life, and you never really see it. This was the case for me with the Nathan Denison House. Located in Wyoming PA, it is roughly 15 minutes from the home I grew up in and still live in to this day. I must have passed it a million times. I even have a close friend who lives blocks away from it, but somehow despite all of that, I never really noticed it. When Ghost Detectives was making plans for our second season locations, we found ourselves doing a lot of traveling. Not the type of traveling that requires an overnight bag, but still, most of our locations were between an hour and two hours away from home. They were all still well within our coverage area, but that really local and homey feel we were going for wasn’t quite there. We needed to find a great location that really hit home for us. Right around the same time this was going on, we were contacted by the Luzerne County Historical Society. They were interested in having us put together a presentation on the paranormal for their members. They also owned the Nathan Denison house. The wheels started turning immediately. While I hadn’t really seen the Denison House, I certainly heard of it. It is one of the oldest homes in Northeast PA. It was actually built in 1790 by Colonel Nathan Denison. This makes the structure over 200 years old! He built the home similar to his home in Mystic Connecticut. Soon after his home was built, he was married. His was the first marriage in the Wyoming Valley. His first born child is also said to be the first birth in Wyoming Valley as well. Denison was a colonel in the militia, and negotiated the surrender to the British after the Battle of Wyoming. The desk upon which the paper s were signed still sits inside the Denison House today. We worked out a deal with the historical society. We would give the presentation and host 2 public investigations. One at

the historic Swetland Homestead, and one at the Denison House. In return, the historical society would give us access to each of those locations to investigate and film for Ghost Detectives. We could not believe our luck! This was the piece season 2 was missing, and we were going to get to investigate two of the oldest buildings in the area, both of which have had rumored claims of activity for years, and both of which have never before been investigated by a paranormal team! We immediately began our preparations for the investigation. We researched some of the local history, and the historical society was kind enough to have members on hand to give us a guided tour of the building complete with a detailed history on the location. When we arrived on location, I was completely shocked. The building was beautiful, and brilliantly restored to perfection. Complete with 18th century furniture and replicas, it was an amazing sight to take in. The outside grounds were gorgeous and well-kept. I remember thinking to myself, “how did I not see this place before?” We heard claims of a woman that fell down the steps while holding her child. It is rumored that she even may

have been pushed. She is still seen in her old fashioned clothing in the stairwell. We hear claims of voices, footsteps, knocking. All of the stuff we as investigators get excited over like a kid in a toy store over. We were in for a fun night… We quickly got all of preliminary shots angles and interviews complete. We were all eager to get down to investigating. We split up into teams, and finally we were ready. My team’s first round consisted of me, Bob, Dave, and a few members of the Denison Advocates. We went into the main living room and prepared for an EVP session. We also came equipped with a video camera, a K-II meter, and a REM Pod. We scattered the equipment around the room and got started. No sooner did we start asking questions, when the REM Pod began to go off. The Denison Advocates who were with us were more excited than we were. We knew that this was all new to them, so we expected an animated reaction, but this was a bit more than that. We asked what had them so intrigued to which they replied that the chair the REM Pod was sitting on was the only piece of original furniture left over from the time the Denison’s lived in the home. Every-

thing else was either 18th century but not original to the house, or replicas. We were baffled. First by the fact that of all the places to put the REM Pod, we unknowingly chose that important chair, and second, that we actually got a reaction out of it. This was a good sign. Something was there, and was clearly interested in communicating with us. As the night went on, we continued to get small responses whether they were a blip on the K-II meter, a few random words on the Ovilus, or a soft knock. Unfortunately, we didn’t seem to get much more that we were aware of. The middle of the night came upon us, so we finished up our questions, pleaded for one last sign, then packed up our things an went home.

even picked up one that clearly says “get out” (As stereotypical as that may be, I still find it interesting that we caught it in a home that was so close to the Denison’s families hearts). We also received an interesting email from Steve, our photographer. He sent us a picture that even his expertise couldn’t explain. Pictured on this page, you will see a shot of the basement door. There is a clear mist rising out of the basement. None of the natural elements at the time could have created this mist, and our photographer clearly stated that there was nothing he could think of that could have caused the image. Could we have caught an image of an entity trying to manifest itself? Once analyzed by a professional without explanation, we think so.

In the week that followed, our audio manager Mark sent over quite a few EVP’s from the location. These ranged from knocks to whispers we couldn’t quite make out, to one’s that clear spoke. We

So while we didn’t have a whole lot happen personally on location, the evidence review proved to be a victory. The first ever paranormal investigation of the Nathan Denison House was an extreme

success. We were able to provide some hard evidence that the claims surrounding the location for many many years may actually have some merit. Unfortunately, the evidence, as is with most investigations, was not as accurate as we would have liked it to be. If only the spirits would respond in full names and detailed facts. (Yes I know, that’s the wish of every investigator in the world J ) So we do not know who specifically remains at the Denison House. Could it be the woman who fell down the steps clutching her child all those years ago? Or could it be Colonel Denison himself? Who wanted us to leave? We may never know, but one thing is for sure, someone still wanders the home in search of someone, or something. There is unfinished business, and until that is taken care of, The Denison Advocates, the Historical Society, and the tourists will not be alone in the historic Nathan Denison House.

PARANORMAL 101 by Richard S. Rozell

This is the first in a series of articles to present information on the basics of Paranormal Investigating or “Ghost Hunting” This is a compilation of several sources and experience. Thoughts and opinions on this subject can be emailed to rrozell.paranormal@gmail.com TYPES OF HAUNTINGS Residual Haunt The first type of haunting is like a video playback of a historic or tragic event. This is called a residual haunting. The event unfolds in front of you and there is no interaction between you and the ghosts. They seem to not notice you and go through the motions of the event that occurred in the past. This event has been imprinted on the area or building and is replayed back later when conditions are right. The ghosts that you see in this type are not earthbound spirits; they are just visual play backs. Since everything is made up of energy, the theory is that some of the energy from an event can be recorded by certain materials and played back when the atmosphere triggers it. Remember that video and audio tape is just oxidized (rust) film that enables the images and sounds to “stick” to it. This type may be frightening when you see it, but you are in no danger so enjoy the experience. Think of a residual haunting as a movie being re-run on TV day after day. It is believed by ghost hunters that some events, due to perhaps strong emotional energy attached to it, imprint themselves somehow on the environment where the event took place. Sort of “trapped in time,” the event is recorded in the atmosphere of a place. If one were to see a ghost doing the same activity over and over, and with no response to the present environment, it is most likely a residual haunting. Residual hauntings are past events playing in the present, but with no interaction with today. It is a common Paranormal Investigator theory that most residual hauntings occur in places built over top of limestone, quartz stone and/or water. These seem to act as a transmitter, perhaps creating the perfect environment to allow the residual haunting energy to manifest.How can residual hauntings

occur? Energy is spirit and spirit is life. All of us are spirit, with or without the physical body, and we live and exist within spirit. Spirit is the life-force of all, whether plant, animal or human being, and is everywhere. Everything that is, exists within spirit. Spirit or energy is everywhere. Thus, is it possible for an event or person to imprint its energy upon a place? Most Investigators believe so... Intelligent Haunt The second type of haunting is an interactive spirit that manifests in many ways. You may see a full bodied or partial bodied apparition. More frequently than that, you may hear voices, music, footsteps, etc. You may also smell odors which sources cannot be found (i.e. pipe tobacco when no one smokes). You may also see orbs, mists and other light effects. You may feel touches, cold spots, and other light physical contact. This ghost is the spirit of a deceased human being. They may be stuck here (earthbound) for reasons such as tragic sudden death, fear of moving on, guilt or unfinished business. They also could be here visiting loved ones or to warn or pass along a message. These human spirits are the same as they were in life, so they may be good or bad, but not really evil. Think of all the people you know, probably a bit of good and bad, some worse than others. This type can cause some scary situations but you must think about the situation they are in, you don’t see them but they see you. They will try to get your attention any way they can. Many times this is the terrifying event people will write to me about like the lights going on and off, items moving, noises, etc. For the most part these are just attention getters and nothing more. There are a few more mischievous human spirits that will do these things to bother you and scare you on purpose. They may just be a prankster or maybe they want you to leave the old home or not to change something in the home. They have all the same motivations you and I would have. These human spirits account for a majority of the haunting we encounter and are relatively harmless. Yes, there are extreme cases and sometimes they can cause dangerous situations, but this is not the norm and is rare. Demonic

The third type of entity you may encounter is not a rare one, but is rare that they interact with the living. They are non human spirits, commonly known as demons and devils. They are mentioned in the bible numerous places in both the old and new testaments. This type is dangerous and can cause you harm. I believe that if there is good, there must be a counter balance, evil. These non human spirits often disguise themselves and friendly and helpful human spirits. They often appear in cases dealing with Ouija boards, black magic and satanic worship. DO NOT attempt to contact spirits using these questionable methods and recommend that no one else does either. It’s also why I recommend you go with or learn from experienced people before hand. That way you can investigate with relative safety from these entities. Poltergeist Poltergeists or poltergeist haunting may be the most misunderstood type of haunting, as some believe that poltergeist hauntings are not even a haunting at all. The German word, “poltergeist,” means “noisy ghost.” The best defining mark of a poltergeist is if there is any manipulation of the physical environment such as the movement of objects, physical attack, spontaneous combustions, etc, then this is a poltergeist-type of haunting. A common thread between different poltergeist hauntings has strongly indicated that they are caused by psycho kinesis (the ability to move things by power of the mind alone). The question becomes whether the psycho kinesis is from the people who live within (or visit) the place where the activity takes place, or if it is actually occurring from an unseen troubled spirit, called a ghost. The reason for this is because typically poltergeist hauntings center around an adolescent girl (although young males and even adults have exhibited the same phenomena) in the household. Typically, this central person is usually emotionally disturbed in some fashion, and is somehow the root cause of objects moving, knocking sounds (and other noises), the turning on and off of lights and electrical appliances, etc. What is interesting is that the person, whom the activity centers around, is unaware that they are the one who is bringing about the disturbance. But in true poltergeist hauntings, none of the activity will continue after the person is removed

from the environment, as they are not there to create it or influence an unseen entity. However, it has been reported that activity can return later if the “right” person visits or lives in a notably poltergeisthaunted place. This would lend one to believe that it requires a combined psychic energy to manifest such terrible hauntings. Experts contend that the central figure in a poltergeist haunting actually brings additional energy which the troubled ghost then uses to manifest with physical attacks or manipulation. This can be especially true if one is somewhat psychic and/or full of fear. The ghostly entity seems to feed off of low energies such as fear. This is when more harmful attacks can occur. Sometimes the effects of a poltergeist are more playful than harmful, but have been known to be downright nasty. Reports of scratches, bites, and harmful objects being put in one’s way (such as glass shards on a pillow or tacks under a bed sheet) have been noted. Perhaps the best phrase is, “Ghosts haunt houses; poltergeists haunt people.”

Dark Shadows/Shadow People Dark shadows in ghost pictures usually appear as a black smudge or fog over an image. Some certainly could be caused by a finger or something else over the camera lens, but many are not. There have been many interesting observations of shadow ghosts (dark shadows or shadow people). They are usually seen out of the corner of one’s eye, hence this is why some call them shadow people - they often observe others. Shadow ghosts can see and react with people. It is theorized that perhaps their darkness may be just an indicator of their lack of progression into the light and unto their life review...call it “in darkness,” or “lack of understanding of truth” unaware of where they are, having unfinished business, or afraid to move on. Vortex A long streak across a photo that may be caused by a very high-speeding “orb;” some believe vortices are a gateway between both realms (physical and spirit

realms). They are usually white in color and may appear as a funnel-shape. Camera straps, human hair, a tree branch, etc., right in front of the camera lens during exposure have been notoriously mistaken for a vortex. It is important to make sure anything that may interfere with your photos removed from within the front of the camera. Orbs Not all orb ghost pictures are ghosts. In fact, most orbs are caused by moisture, dust, flash reflection, solar flare, and insect. Many have videotaped orbs flying around rooms - some are dust with light reflecting off of it; others are balls of energy that many Paranormal Investigators are not sure just what they represent. It is hard to determine exactly the source of an orb for sure. But one test is pretty cool. Take a picture while stirring up some dust and watch how many “orbs” appear in the picture. This is a good test to learn about orbs caused by dust.

Skeptic’s Corner ORBS by Dan Bechtel

An Investigator’s Point of view is a place to discuss different aspects on Paranormal Investigation and techniques. We invite you to write back to us at pointofview@gmail.com and tell us and our readers your thoughts on the topic The case against orbs, in my opinion, is a slam dunk. I am not a believer in them nor do I use them as legitimate or credible evidence to support a haunting. It is very simple, really, in my view- and it’s because of the sheer impossibility of their existence in the first place. The most obvious reason is because they are thought to be energy. Some people have even claimed to see them without the use of any special night vision/infrared or even digital cameras. My question, then, is simple: when was the last time you took a picture of your TV, computer, or wall (with an electrical outlet) and saw “orbs” emanating from them? These things emit electromagnetic energy all the time- even when not being used. It stands to reason then that they should be giving off a plethora of orbs and streamers and the like. Is it coincidence that they don’t? One irritating aspect of many investigators (aside from the fact they don’t, or choose not to understand science) is that they tend to be impatient, too. Investigations can last from as little as 2 hours to as many as an entire weekend. Sometimes, you won’t get anything and will have wasted your time. It is just the nature of the field. Yet other times, you will have conflicting evidence instead of that one clear-cut definitive answer to the question, “is this place haunted”? This is another reason orbs became so popular- because many times, they were ALL that investigators had to go on. No EVP, no weird photographs, no movements of random objects- just balls of light on a picture.

That being said, places were deemed to be haunted using only orbs as evidence, and people would be ecstatic when they captured this kind of photo. Forgetting the obvious physical impossibility, what about the scientific? Before I jump into that, those that have been in the field awhile know that before the advent of digital cameras, orbs were relatively unheard of. There are two reasons for this- one, because if you were using film, you always had to use the fastest speed possible (usually 800), which was still slower than the CCD chip on a digital device operates. Two, because when you dropped off film to have developed, they would touch up pictures as best they could to eliminate “background noise” including flashes, orbs, or anything else that would otherwise corrupt the image. So many times, orbs weren’t even seen because they were blocked out by the lab techs. To avoid this, you had to specifically tell them “return as is”. But even then, the existence of orbs was still mediocre and colored orbs were even more rate- and it was mainly due to the lens and film of, let’s say, antiquated technology. But as we see nowadays, it is almost impossible to NOT find an orb of some kind anywhere! It’s just a matter of point and shoot. What about the neat gadgets people use like EMF detectors and trifield meters and even, unfortunately, Geiger counters? It is no secret that I hate these as well and never use them. But how do they relate to orbs? The simple- they don’t. Geiger counters are used to measure nuclear radiation (x-ray, gamma, etc) which fall at the extreme opposite of the electromagnetic spectrum- too intense for paranormal research. In fact, if anyone DOES use a Geiger counter and DOES get a reading on an investigation, you have about an hour to live- forget the ghosts. EMF detectors work in the same way, except they read energy from the lesser end of the EM spectrum (radio and micro). Yet there has never been one documented and verified case of someone pointing the EM sensor at an orb and getting a reading. In

fact, there has never been a documented case of anyone finding an orb period using those things. Why not? They are balls of energy, after all, right? Even if they are energy of some kind, energy is emitted in waves /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ much like that. How could they magically turn themselves into spherical balls? Some argue that color is a determining factor as to whether or not the orb is legit. Let’s break down colors into temperature. By scientific definition, red is least intense (coolest) and blue is most intense (hottest). Therefore, in places where someone sees a red orb, the temperature, at least in a general area, should be close to normal room temp. If one sees a blue orb, the temp in that same area should be somewhat higher, as there is more energy being released. That doesn’t happen. In fact, all one needs to do is buy a prism and hold it into sunlight. It will break the light apart into its respective colors (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet). Depending where you are and the angle of the prism, there will be one color that shows slightly more prominently than the others. Yet if you take the same prism, using the same light source (the sun) and stand at another location and hold the prism at a different angle, a different color will show more prominence. The same can be said for colored orbs. Whereas one investigator may shoot an image of, say, a green orb in one location, another investigator may capture the same orb on camera but it will appear yellow. And what of two investigators capturing the same orb on camera from two different locations? You guessed it- it hasn’t happened. So what are orbs then, if not paranormal? Well, there are many things and it all goes back to the digital camera and the lens. If you take a spider web and hold it right in front of a camera lens and take a picture (with a flash), it will appear EXACTLY like a vortex. If you are in a dusty attic and take a picture, all the dust will appear as orbs. If you are outside and it is raining, the water droplets will appear as orbs. Even small insects will appear as an orb. The Hubble Telescope can’t see

Pluto well not because it is too far away, but because it is too small. Anything that is too small or too close to the lens of a camera (digital or otherwise) will appear distorted and much like an orb. In size terms, it’s like being able to see the windows of a house a mile away, but not the bird on the house across the street. I can’t say that all orbs are not paranormal. I simply don’t know. But because there are an infinite number of other things an orb COULD be, I don’t use them as evidence for anything. In fact, because I don’t trust any kind of gadgetry like EMF detectors and anything else investigators use, I don’t even trust orbs being legitimate even with the presence of supporting evidence (temp changes, energy spikes, etc). In terms of science, they cannot be validated by themselves and because they can be easily explained using normal means, the orb phenomenon in my opinion simply does not exist.

Dust is easily and often mistaken for Orbs

The Story of Ghost Detectives By: Katie Christopher

As an introduction to PA Paranormal Magazine-Ghost Detectives Edition, I’d like to give you an introduction to the group Ghost Detectives. The following is an inside look at who we are, how we came about, and what we do. I am also a member of the team, so you are getting as exclusive of a look as you can hope for! Ghost Detectives premiered its first show on April 2011. It was only two short months prior to that date that the idea even came about. NEPA Paranormal is a ghost hunting team founded in December of 2007 by Bob Christopher and myself along with Mike Merritt. The idea was formed by me and my father (yes, Bob is my dad) while discussing his childhood experiences, as well as the sudden boom of paranormal teams at the time. Both of us were eager to learn all we could regarding the subject and spent months researching every aspect of the field. Hours a day were devoted to reading books, websites on line, paranormal magazines, anything we could get their hands on. Once we felt they were ready, we were immediately joined by Mike Merritt, and everything fell into place. Soon after, Kathy Christopher (Bob’s wife and my mother) joined the team. We started out small doing on local outdoor investigation a month, and then in August of 2008, we caught our first break when we were invited to take part in the local PBS networks weekly talk show State of Pennsylvania. Once the public got a look at what we did, and saw that our goal was admirable and respectful (this was all in the name of research and helping others.

We did not charge our clients as most people assumed) the calls started pouring in. Another year went by, and NEPA Paranormal found themselves with at least one new investigation every week. Our second break came when Bob was at work one day and received an amazing phone call. It was a producer for the Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures, and they wanted to know if Bob would be interested in being featured on the show as an evidence expert. After a few minutes of Bob making sure it wasn’t a friend of his playing a joke on him (yes this is the way our circle of friends works) he gladly accepted. Plans were made, and he was to travel to Philadelphia to meet the guys and film. He came home and shared this exciting news with his family. I am a huge fan of the show insisted on coming along, not to be involved, but just to meet the team that had so inspired me. (Plus I am a HUGE Zak Bagans fan!) The date was set and we made the 2 and a half hour drive to meet the GAC. We had an amazing time, and Bob did an excellent job filming everything despite the fact that he was not scripted, and everything being filmed was his initial reaction to the evidence he was shown. In the end, it proved to be an

amazing experience for both of us. Soon after the show aired. NEPA Paranormal once again got a large amount of local exposure including news segments, radio shows, and newspaper articles. After the shows airing, NEPA Paranormal began to take on new members as the case load was becoming to be too much for such a small group. Many people were brought in, some who lasted, and some who didn’t and soon we had the team we’d been working so hard to build. For the next 2 years we would continue to operate this way until an ad on Craigslist changed everything. In February of 2011, our photographer Steve called us regarding an ad he had seen online. It detailed 2 gentlemen who were looking to put together a locally filmed paranormal show, and they were looking for members to join up with them. We were intrigued by this idea, and figured we had nothing to lose by making a phone call. We had no idea how much would change in the days following that call. Bob spoke to a man named Lee Moon. He had the idea to put together a paranormal investigating show. He even had a timeslot set up with the local Fox af-

filiate Fox 56. They were ready to start airing the show whenever Lee had the content ready. The problem was that Lee was, for the most part, on his own. He was joined by his friend Mike Belveduto, an actor who was also interested in pursuing the idea of a TV show, but other than that they had no team. The circumstances were so convenient that they couldn’t have been planned better if we tried. We were an experienced and seasoned team without a show, and they were 2 people who had a show but no team. We set up a meeting right away to sit down and talk over the details. We met with Lee and Mike and everything just seemed right. We instantly got along, and because of Mike’s Italian heritage, and Brooklyn accent, we began to refer to him as Vinny. I even remember telling him that he just didn’t look like a Mike so I was calling him Vinny instead. He laughed, and embraced the nickname. Once we discussed everything in person, we knew this was the right decision, and Ghost Detectives was born. Now all we needed were some great locations and we were set. Little did we know how close

we’d be cutting it. Once Lee told Fox he had the team he was looking for, they gave him 2 weeks to get the premiere ready. NEPA Paranormal contacted a previous client who we still had a close relationship with, and they readily accepted our offer. We would film at their home that very week. Now if we only knew how to put a show together! Luckily for us, Mike B introduced us to a close friend of his named Jeff Crawford who also happened to be an editor, and we added yet another person to our rapidly growing family. After our premiere, Mike B came up with a great addition to the show. We felt we were missing a good introduction and conclusion. Editing words onto the screen just didn’t satisfy us. Mike said he would take care of it. He invested a character who was an old time gum-shoe detective. He would sit at a desk at the beginning and end of each episode and address our viewers for a few seconds to lead in and out of the show. We all loved the idea, and all he needed was a name. Mike said he had the perfect name, and I am truly happy I gave him the nickname Vinny now, because that nickname was the inspiration for our own Detective Vincent. The rest is history.

petition always seemed to be an influencing factor. We then made it our mission to try and dissolve the animosity between groups and begin promoting what would be our focal point for season 2: Paranormal Unity. On each episode of season 2, we are working with a different local team. Some of these teams are just starting out, and some have been in the field longer than us. We had no criteria that needed to be met, other than creditability. We would not work with groups that are thrill seekers, or groups that stretch and fabricate their evidence. It is unfortunate, but there are teams like this out there, and they make it very difficult for the rest of us to keep our credibility in a field where respect is extremely hard to gain from the average outsider.

Our premiere was only 6 short months ago, but even now; it feels like so much longer. Once word of our project got out, we were bombarded with local homes and businesses that were eager to be a part of our show, and 3 months after our premiere, we closed out season 1 with our 11th episode. We then took a short break and began planning for season 2. We knew we wanted to do something different and exciting. We had our Detective Vincent, and we had our local appeal, but something still felt like it was missing. We had also been struggling with some negative feedback from individuals within the local paranormal community. This was difficult for us because the negative feedback had nothing to do with the integrity of our show. It strictly had to do with our success. It was then that we thought how sad it was that there was not more respect and collaboration between local teams. Com-

Ghost Detectives has become a huge part of my life. I devote every waking hour to the group that I am not working. It is exciting, exhausting, thrilling, and draining all at the same time. I love what I do, and I love the people I do it with. Our members have all become family to me, and are some of the best friends I have. We have fun together. We work hard, we joke, we laugh, and we even hang out outside of the group. Years ago, I never would have imagined this as my future, but now I can say that this is far beyond my wildest dreams for my life, and so much better. I get to share what I love with all our viewers. I get to meet these people at our events and hear their feedback. The support we have received since the start of our show has been overwhelming. Every day it amazes me how much people enjoy what we work so hard at. That is the greatest reward I could ask for.

So far, our paranormal unity mission has been an extreme success. We are still in the middle of it, but in a very short time, we have made some amazing new friends, and we have been able to both teach other groups what we know and help them, and they in return have taught us as well. It was turned out to be a winning situation for all parties.

.Mark’s Movie Reviews By: Mark Hromisin

Halloween

Hey everyone!! Welcome to the first edition of Mark’s Movie Reviews. My name is Mark Hromisin. I am an investigator and the audio manager for Ghost Detectives/Nepa Paranormal. I am also a HUGE movie fanatic, especially horror, So when the group asked me to write a movie review for the magazine, I was thrilled. So for this edition, with Halloween just around the corner, I figured I would review John Carpenter’s 1978 classic “Halloween”. As a series I was always more partial to the Friday the 13th films but I consider Halloween to be one of my two favorite horror films of all time. The other being the original A Nightmare on Elm St. Halloween has such a simple premise but Carpenter directs this premise to perfection. The film opens up 15 years earlier on Halloween night in Haddonfield, IL showing a teenage girl brutally stabbed in the point of view of the killer. And the killer then is showed to be 8 yr old Michael Myers and the girl he killed was his sister. This IS one of the best scenes in all of horror cinema. LOVED IT!!!! From her the film goes to present time and we find the Myers has been in a psychiatric ward under the care of Dr Samuel Loomis( awesome performance from Donald Pleasance) since the murders took place. Loomis knows after years of treating Myers what Myers really is and he NEVER wants him out. But Myers does escape by driving Loomis’s car away(never knew how he learned how to drive LOL) and goes back to Haddonfield and makes life hell for Jamie Lee Curtis’s Laurie Strode and her friends. When Loomis does get to Haddonfield, no one wants to listen to him about Myers until it’s too late. Myers’s ends up killing several of Strode’s friends and almost gets to her before he is shot “ SIX TIMES” by Loomis. But of course as Loomis and Strode say, Myers is the “boogeyman” and he returns. Probably more times than we would have liked.

Like I said earlier the premise is simple but the atmosphere and suspense that Carpenter creates is awesome. Not to mention the music which was also created by Caprenter is amazing and suits the film to a T. Myers was the first of the “Big 3” of the killers/slashers, other 2 being Jason and Freddy. And this film spawned 7 sequels and a remake and its subsequent sequel. As far as the sequels go, Part 2 was a continuation right from the original and it was a sold film but not even close to the original. Two’s biggest revelation is that Curtis’s Laurie Strode is Myer’s sister. Part 3 had nothing to do with the first 2 but is not a bad film in its own right. Parts 4 and 5 bring Myers with him going after his niece. 4 is my favorite of all the sequels. Very well done film. 5 is decent but could have been better. Danielle Harris

did a great job as Jamie Lloyd in these two sequels. Part 6 was awful, I am not even going there. Next was Halloween H20 which brought Jamie Lee Curtis back was a good entry in the series. Next was Resurrection which was even worse than part 6 if thats possible. Then came Rob Zombie’s remake . It really is not a bad film but he made Michael Myers have a backstory and a “reason” to be why he is. What I LOVED about the original Halloween and Michael Myers is that he is simply EVIL. Halloween is a true horror classic. I saw it for the first time when I was eight years old and have probably seen it at least 20 more times and it is still effective. ***** stars

Paranormal Investigations and Credibility By: Rich Rozell The field of Paranormal Investigations struggles to grow in respectability and credibility for many reasons. Over the next few months I will offer some concepts, opinions and ideas why this is so and how individuals that are serious about Investigation and Research have and continue to change the negative perception of Paranormal Investigators, Ghost Hunters etc.

* If a serious injury occurs the investigation should be abandoned immediately.

Getting frightened:

* No alcohol should be consumed before or during an investigation.

* If an individual becomes frightened, they should avoid screaming or running, calmly alert the nearest person or team leader and ask to leave the area. They should be quietly escorted away from the area. The individual should have a break and return when they feel they are ready. * If the individual feels they can’t return to the area they should not be pushed or ridiculed for their decision.

Basic Investigators Protocol

Serious injury:

Whether you are an individual or a group it is important to maintain a professional image that includes, how you conduct yourself in public and the attire you wear. Appropriate attire:* Solid colored clothing, windcheaters, jackets and coats. (To reduce camera or video flare)

* At least one person should have first aid training for minor injuries that may occur. A first aid kit should always be brought on an Investigation.

* Long trousers, jeans, cargo pants etc. * Proper shoes, work or hiking boots, Good quality runners. (No sandals, thongs, hiheels or slip on shoes).* No reflective clothing or shoes. (Can be picked on video and photos) * No silk tops/trousers as they become transparent on infrared equipment. (Could be embarrassing) * Don’t wear any jeweler or accessories that could make a Noise or reflect light. (Could be picked up on audio or video) * Don’t wear clothing with offensive comments or improper visuals. *Don’t wear strong perfume or aftershave, deodorant or strong scented shampoos. (Could be misidentified as an anomalous phenomena) Behavior of an investigator: Investigations can go from exciting to boring in a very short period of time so it is important to keep a professional demeanor at all times.* No swearing, practical jokes or horseplay during an investigation.* No negative comments, bad behavior around the client.* Don’t argue or have conflicts during an investigation, especially in front of the client. * No negative comments about the client, whether it is the client’s property, situation or any other groups who may have investigated. * No property should be touched or

removed without permission.* The cause of a haunting should not be determined until the investigation is complete and the evidence has been fully reviewed.

* There should be an action plan in case of a serious injury. As an example: If serious injury occurs that requires outside assistance, one person should contact the ambulance. One person should make sure there is access on the site for the ambulance. Someone should stay and comfort the injured person until help arrives.

Alcohol / drugs /Medication:

* No illegal substances should be taken at anytime especially during an investigation. * No illegal drugs or alcohol should be taken when investigation data is being reviewed. * If on prescription medication that could alter moods, cause drowsiness, affects capability it should be reported to the individual running the investigation. If investigating as an individual It is not advisable to investigate while on medications that could affect the individual’s abilities and judgment. * If there is a medical condition that could affect an individual e.g. heart condition, asthma etc, the individual in charge needs to be notified or not attend the investigation. There will be more next month if you have any questions or suggestions for this article please email us and we will address them.

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Ghost Detectives Investigator Spotlight

Detective Vincent Each month, PA Paranormal MagazineGhost Detectives Edition will feature an investigator profile as a way four our readers to get to know the team. For our first issue, what better way to start than our own Detective Vincent! He starts and ends each episode of Ghost Detectives, and that laugh is unmistakable. Katie of Ghost Detectives sat down with him recently and got some interesting facts for your reading pleasure: KC: The viewers of Ghost Detectives know you as Detective Vincent. What is your full regular name? DV: Michael Belveduto KC: Tell me a bit about yourself. Let’s get personal! (Family, friends etc...) DV: I’m a father of 3 married to my wife Sandra ..I have 2 cats and a dog My friends span from great people who I have known my whole life to my great local friends to my actor friends who I work with in indie films ...I respect all of my friends love them all ... KC: What do you do for a living? DV: I am a self employed business man and a writer /actor.

KC: What has been your most unique paranormal experience with Ghost Detectives? DV: Hearing the spirit whistle right next to me at the Columbia County Courthouse… that was wild! KC: What is your favorite part about Ghost Detectives? DV: I love the interviews; I like to listen to the claims of activity in a place

KC: What got you into Ghost Hunting? DV: My desire to help NEPA Paranormal with the TV show to start, but then I found a very fond liking for it.

KC: What’s your favorite place you investigated, and why? KC: Scranton Trolley Museum; It was a great place where I actually got touched by a spirit..

KC: What are your hobbies aside of Ghost Hunting? DV: I love baseball, and magic ala magician

KC: What’s next for Detective Vincent? DV: To help blow the show wide open! I’m even thinking about a Detective Vin-

cent radio show to help promote our TV show. KC: Tell me one unique thing about yourself that not many people know? DV: I’m a professional screen writer of indie films and I’m also a magician. KC: Where do you see Ghost Detectives going in the future? DV: Syndication: nationwide!!! KC: Anything you’d like to say to your fans? DV: I love all my fans they all love what I do and that makes all the hard work pay off. Well there you have it fans. Straight from the mouth of Detective Vincent. Stay tuned next month for a new profile of another team member of Ghost Detectives!

Paranormal Science: Raising the Bar In Support Of Investigation Of Unexplained Phenomena

By: Bruce Pearson Welcome to “Paranormal Science”. The purpose of this series is to examine the current state of the world-wide growth in organized investigation of the unexplained, both professional and by volunteer organizations. Because the techniques employed in the investigative process follow a generally common pattern; my observations, suggestions and ideas will cover the wide range of areas under study, including the investigation of the Paranormal (Spirits), UFOs, Crypto-zoology, Lost Science, as well as the emergence of new theories on a number of topics and those who espouse them. We will take a look at these novel concepts about science, archeology, lost technologies which do not conform to the generally accepted dogma. A logical question one would ask at this point might be; “What would qualify this writer to conduct this overview?” I am a professional Broadcast Journalist and Media Specialist by profession, having worked in virtually all facets of broadcasting and broadcast journalism since 1976. While I am sure there are others with more stunning resumes, my professional and vocational experience over three and a half decades has led me to numerous encounters with people and events which fall into the category of the paranormal along with a wide variety of career experiences which have been both fascinating and rewarding and which have fueled my conviction that there is a world full of intriguing information to be shared. These experiences have provided me with an unending source of interesting subject matter to study. As a formally trained Broadcast Journalist, I was taught the strict old-school approach

of telling a story, which had at its cornerstone the requirement that one include the facts, not opinions, or analysis, unless clearly stated as such. My early news and investigative work began in New Mexico while pursuing an Undergraduate Degree in Radio/Television and Broadcast Journalism at Eastern New Mexico University. While at Eastern, I was fortunate enough to land a number of part and full time jobs in both local radio and television stations , and notably my first non-PBS News job was a part-time position at the CBS TV affiliate in Roswell, New Mexico, about two years prior to anyone outside of Roswell knowing anything about the “ Roswell Incident”. In fact; the story of the chance meeting in a truck stop which led me to investigate that story before Stanton Friedman picked it up a couple years later is not untypical of a number of what are very random episodes which fell into place throughout my career and which have brought me to the realization that I am privileged to have had these experiences, no matter how odd when, where or how they occurred. The specifics of these events are for discussion in another installment. Suffice it to say; that although there are indeed those who have spent a great deal more time conducting investigations, there are perhaps few who have professionally spent more time researching and investigating a wide range of unexplained phenomena to the extent that I have. I feel that it is important to discuss another aspect of this dynamic and evolving area of study. As in any field, one’s training and expertise is considered a valuable element in the determining the validity of the individual’s findings. Fair or not, credibility is part and parcel in the process of convincing one that what you present as being truthful, correct, etc. The case can be made that in the field of “Paranormal Investigation” within which I include UFO phenomena, unexplained events, etc. for examination in this column; there are really no universally vetted procedures or principles, and the very fact that we do not travel down a road which has been defined and refined for decades , only serves to raise other elements to an elevated role in the “believability quotient “of one’s investigative findings. I believe that “element” is the support or input of whatever experts one can bring into the process. To rephrase the concept, I feel there are several effective means to increase acceptance of reported findings in the general public.

One is to follow the most well documented procedures available and which as much as possible follow the techniques adhered to in law enforcement investigations. The second technique which helps is to bring any “experts” one can enlist to review evidence or take part in an investigation or to corroborate the conclusions drawn from evidence from the viewpoint of an Audio Expert, for example. I want to make it very clear at this point that the issue is not whether the investigators are not competent because they are not experts in any given field, it is a focus on the positive reinforcement that expert backing of the validity of said evidence is enhanced it is or what it means. While teaching an undergraduate class as an Adjunct Professor at a state university in New Jersey several years ago, I instructed the fledgling documentarians to approach the investigation as if they were assembling a case to go before a jury. This frame of mind would help insure several important elements. First, it would highlight the mind-set that others would indeed evaluate the evidence. Second, it would encourage them to build a case which could stand a chance of withstanding hard contradictory questions from viewer and skeptics alike. It is a tough exercise to throw rocks at your new building to make sure it is strong enough to remain standing. I would suggest teams take a good analytical look at some documentaries to learn the way a case is built with an eye to arranging the evidence gathered for release to the public. I have found that these techniques to be excellent guidelines to assist investigative teams to allow their work to receive the best possible hearing in the court of public opinion. So what constitutes an “Expert” as it relates to UFO or paranormal investigations? Clearly, not every group has access to experts in the fields of Audio, Video, Digital Photography, theoretical physics etc., but a staffer at a local radio station, or a local professional videographer or photographer might be easier to find and they would most likely be willing to take a look at evidence and offer some professional opinions. Not to be critical, nor to insinuate that one cannot have extremely high competency levels in areas outside one’s day job, but years of experience fixing

plumbing problems is not the most opportune method of becoming an expert in evaluating paranormal evidence. It seems logical that if you think you will convince the public of your findings; get as many experts to concur with your conclusions as possible and preferably on camera! I have had the opportunity to know and to work with some leading experts in the areas of investigative reporting as well as some of the early pioneers in paranormal and UFO investigations. I would like to offer some observations gleaned from over thirty five years of observation of the “professional” media and their treatment of these subjects. I believe this topic is pertinent to anyone who is interested in serious investigation in these fields. When one reviews the treatment of unexplained phenomena in the Press with an emphasis on the American press, it is fascinating to notice an ironic twist. It appears that in print media (newspapers) which were the predominant form of news distribution throughout the 1800’s and into the early 1900’s; the subject of paranormal events was treated in the same fashion as other more main-stream news. It is accurate to state that it was not subject to overt ridicule in most cases as has been the norm since at least the early 1950’s in the Broadcast Media. Although I do not have the documentation with which to speak on behalf of an entire industry, it has been my observation since my immersion in the industry in the mid 1970’s that although I cannot put my finger on a source of training or coordinated effort to infuse the “snicker factor” in the policies or training of journalists, it seems never the less to be there in wide acceptance and almost universal application in both radio and television. You may ask yourself, why is this pertinent to this column? I would suggest that this issue is central to the very movement which has pushed forward the boundaries of paranormal investigation despite a very tangible ridicule factor. I can assure you that if you had stated that you believed that there was some to the concept of an afterlife in some form or fashion that you would have been subject to really serious insults and ridicule. Contrast that to the world today and see how far this area of interest has come. There are today literally hundreds of serious, active paranormal groups in the US, over a half-dozen major cable television programs relating to these subjects, dozens of internet radio stations dedicated to para-

normal investigations, magazines such as the one you are reading right now, and numerous other outlets, seminars, books , etc. Times have truly changed. But as we are less apt to labeled “fools” because we have interest in learning about these topics, it does not mean that it is smooth sailing or that we should consider these concepts to be main-stream. The take away message here is that quickest route to acceptance of evidence and the theoretical concepts which develop out of this research are greatly enhanced by application of the best scientific methods we can apply to the research, the most professionally organized and gathered evidence and by the reinforcement of the theories by appropriate experts in the fields of audio, video, optical science, rf propagation, as well as theoretical physics and religion on the far end of the spectrum. Now, I fully realize most of us don’t have that group of experts in their phone contacts; these are resources which can be developed for everyone’s benefit. I must also explain that I also realize that this not a monolithic area as per individuals or groups so it is dangerous to make blanket recommendations or assumptions, so you need to evaluate my observation though the filter of your own situation. I do feel that the overall conclusions remain

valid. I also respect the fact that not everyone reading this column is as dedicated or passionate about research as some out there, nor does everyone have the situation, the time or the money to get deeply involved, and I don’t think there is any problem with any of those conditions. You are to be applauded for simply looking in another direction, asking tough questions and at least trying to scientifically find answers to these enigmatic areas of study, I applaud you for your efforts to “Raise The Bar” in the understanding of the unexplained. I will be moving into specific areas of discussion in future months and I would encourage your involvement through feedback, questions and suggestions to the magazine. If I can be of help, I will do what I can to assist you. I hope and trust you have found my thoughts at least worth your investment of time. I would also like to thank Owners and Editors of Pennsylvania Paranormal Magazine for the honor of writing for their magazine and for their willingness to give me a platform to share ideas and information with you, our valued readers. So until next time, remember: “Those Who Do Seek …....May Never Know” Be Safe and Good Bye until next month, from historic Clinton, New Jersey!

Bruce Pearson with members of TAPS 24

Dead Letters By Lauri Moore

This months story: Soul Searching

As I stood in the dark of my first paranormal investigation I white knuckled my flashlight and I flashed back to my childhood bedroom. My room served as Grand Central Station for my deceased ancestors. With the Lights Out and everyone asleep I would hear things that no one else could hear, see people that weren’t really there. These visions fell far beyond the scope of understanding of my four year old mind. As a result I developed a phobia of the dark. When NEPA Paranormal invited me to accompany them to a local theater, I found myself excited but apprehensive. I never watched any of those Paranormal TV shows. They looked scary. I do not like to be scared. I had no idea what to expect. I knew I needed a flashlight, it would be dark, and I should probably wear black. But I guess you could say that I

do have an unfair advantage when it comes to things that go bump in the night. Since my childhood I have learned how to interpret and understand the monsters under my bed. As a Psychic Medium I communicate with the Other Side. I hear dead people. I sense energy and see the path of the energy in your life. While these superhuman qualities are the makings of fantasy books and movies, the reality presented a challenging adolescence. But every special talent presents a higher purpose. Now, as an adult, I understand this calling. The NEPA Paranormal team exemplified all of the strengths I was lacking. They embodied confidence, experience and relaxation. They proficiently operated digital voice records, infrared cameras and other equipment (which to this day don’t understand) to prove or disprove the existence of supernatural entities. However there was one instrument that captured my attention, the Ovilus. I like to think of the Ovilus as an electronic Ouija Board. It stores a database of words and will “speak” when combined with an electromagnetic field. Similar to the Ouija Board, you’re not entirely sure

who is communicating at the other end. To my surprise the Ovilus took a liking to me and frequently “spoke” when I stood nearby. Regardless, this unfamiliar territory kept me on edge. I first encountered a Spirit in the theater balcony, a relief as they usually characterize themselves as friendly in contrast to ghosts… no offense Casper. A Spirit refers to a person who has died, crossed over, and comes back to visit. In comparison, a ghost is a person who died and never crossed over. During the course of the investigation we found evidence to support the existence of my Spirit friend and the stories he told me. Validation... Through paranormal investigations I discovered that my abilities are for more than helping people communicate with their deceased loved ones or offering direction. Paranormal investigations taught me that I am a bridge between the haunted and the paranormal. I am a servant, a messenger, a guiding light that assists souls from the obscurity that beckons from the Other Side.

And I’m still afraid of the dark.

TECH CORNER by Rich Rozell Cameras

Cameras are an invaluable tool and a must for investigating a haunting. They provide visual documentation of the investigation and the phenomena occurring. Since, cameras are neither for nor against the paranormal, they allow what we do not see with our closed minds to be photographed. Digital cameras provide more results and are best for Paranormal Investigating because they can show you what’s in your picture right after you took the photo. Digital photos are available to upload to your computer immediately after the Investigation, while the events are still fresh in your mind. Psychic photography is simply just following what you feel or sense, and taking pictures using intention and intuition. When taking pictures it is also wise to notify others in the area you are taking a photo, so

they are prepared for the flash. Psychic photography is usually best achieved during the hours between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.; but the best time for you will be when you have the feeling something is near you or watching you - you should go with that instinct. While photographing at the investigation site, you should try to avoid mirrors, glass, lights, poles or any other obstruction that will interfere with evaluation or determination of the photograph and its elements; otherwise you may want to note the possibility of a false result with those photos taken. Also, make sure your camera strap is removed and fingers are not in front of the lens, as they can appear as convincing paranormal evidence. It is good to catalog your photos with the corresponding negative for archival storage. If using a digital camera, simply save the photos and corresponding notes to a cd disk. 35mm Camera - Nothing fancy with at least 400 speed film. 800 speed film is also good at night but you’ll have to test your cameras flash strength to see which

speed works best for you. Even those single use 35mm cameras have gotten good results. If you are more experienced photographer you may want to try infrared film. I have seen results from Polaroid’s but I suggest you only use these along with a 35 mm camera so you can compare the results. I have used Fuji film primarily but I have also used Kodak and a department store brands with similar results. When you develop them you don’t need to go to a camera shop, the local drug store or department store is fine. Let them know you want all the pictures developed so that you get the pictures that they might think are bad ones. These “bad ones” are normally your best ectoplasm mist photos. Digital Camera - Regardless of what you’ve heard digital cameras are great tools for ghost researchers. Once upon a time they had their limitations and problems but that is no longer the case. Not only do they allow you to see instantly if you have a positive photo, they can also take photos in limited infrared