The Paranormal Society

Site Down Time Updates

2010-10-24T23:39:00.000-07:00

2:39am (est): The domain still has not resolved to the new host. Site is in place. Database is in place. Just waiting for the DNS system.
Will keep updating throughout the night.

4:21am (est): Domain has resolved, but DNS cache not updated. Not reflecting new server and database. Looks like we're going to be down longer than I thought. Sorry for the delay. Probably wont post another update until morning.

2:30pm (est): No dice yet. DNS is STILL not updated. Keep checking back. It can't be much longer. It's just a waiting game now. Nothing more I can do.

3:27pm (est): Guys, my isp cache's domain names for up to 24 hours. Yours probably does too. The domain is in place with the new host. Files are in place. Everything is ready, but because of my isp cache, I still get the old host. Until they release the domain from their cache, I can't get into the admin backend to test. Could possibly be until around midnight tonight before I can get in and test. I sort of knew this would happen. Just hoped for the best. I'm doing all I can but my hands are tied right now. I'll keep you updated.

4:26pm (est): WhooHoo! Back online! There ya go guys: New host, new server, increased speed, no more hassle! Now we're rockin'... and now we can really get into some awesome stuff.

Thank you all for having the patience throughout this move and the problems that preceeded.

The one's who run the website Extreme Ghost Hunters are Crooks!

2010-09-15T21:38:00.000-07:00

OK, so this has nothing to do with the paranormal. Well, actually it does... in a sense. But first let me say that I'm not writing this because I wanna eliminate competition. The site in question is actually no competition for us. And we're not in this for competition or fame or glory... or money. We do it because we have a passion for the paranromal, and we want you to have the same.

I know we've all downloaded music and not paid for it. I've done it. Most of us have downloaded a movie or two without paying. To me, that's honestly not such a "HUGE" deal. Album sales are still respectable. Movies are still making tons of money and companies like Netflix and Gamefly are doing well. Paramount, Universal, MGM and Viacom are filthy rich. So I'm not gonna gripe about that stuff. But here's where I draw the moral line:

There's another site out there that actually charges people a membership fee for watching paranromal tv shows and movies on their website. They throw you a bone and give you some for free (Gee, ain't that sweet!). But most, like Ghost Hunters Academy, My Ghost Story, Fact or Faked, Celebrity Ghost Stories, Paranormal Cops and more, are only viewable through their "Premium" website... and only after you pay a $30 membership fee. And they're hosting the videos on Youtube.

Now, you may not agree with me, and that's cool. But I have a thing called Integrity. For one, I could never charge someone to watch something that is not my own property. That in itself is a HUGE copyright infringement. That's the kind of stuff the big companies go after: People making money from THEIR work... the work they exclusively own. To go back a little and understand why this is such a sore point with me, I'll explain:

In 1997, I was invloved in a media project with a group of folks. This was a paranormal related show that was to go around the South Georgia area and record interviews with people regarding legends. Then we would pursue those so-called legends to find the truth, if any. The deal was negotiated with a local production company, then with WVGP, a former WB/UPN tv station in Valdosta, Ga. To make it short, the idea and 2 years of research was sold from under us by a founding member of the project. The 7 people involved all held equal rights, as they invested money in the project. The one who sold it gained all profits, then vanished. Eventually, the one's who purchased it needed a lot of the footage that we still had in our possession, along with much of the research. We tried to negotiate them purchasing what they needed from us, as we still had legal rights... or pay us what we deserved, then they could have everything we had and call it even. They declined and the project was canned. We lost money, two years we'll never get back, and a lot of blood, sweat... and plenty of tears. This was basically copyright theft, since the douche-bag that did it didn't have the right to do so. Needless to say, this is one of the things that motivated me to bitch right now.

We see copyright infringement all over, every day. But when it comes to someone or a company putting their time, money and long hours into a project (or tv show), and then someone else comes along and makes a profit from that while sitting at home on their ass... well, it just pisses me off! That's exactly what this other paranormal website is doing. And unlike in my case, these guys are taking content from "Big Dogs", like NBC-Universal, Discovery Communications, Cox Communications, Travel Channel, MGM, Paramount... pretty risky since these are all multi-billion dollar companies and have deep pockets to sue till their hearts content!

But what makes it even worse is that the jerk running this site is just sucking people in, taking their hard-earned money... then probably eating Russian Caviar while sitting on their leather sofa watching their 60" LED 3-D TV! It goes beyond the point of it all being extremely illegal. It's more about the morals, or lack of. I understand that consumers need to be wise, but a lot of people just "don't know". Probably the majority is in this bucket. They probably think that they can't watch these shows on tv since, maybe they don't have cable or satellite... and $30 bucks is cheaper than an $85.00 monthly bill. I understand their line of thinking. They're just "uninformed".

The real fault and blame lies on the bastard taking advantage of them. And you can't say "Well, the person paing that money should have known better, it's their fault". Well, if you're one of the one's saying that, then I guess you'd be one of the one's thinking that the fraudulent contractor going to the homes of senior citizens, promising a job, then taking their money and running... is ok. I guess it's the 70 year old woman's fault... the one on a fixed income struggling.

Maybe I'm going a bit overboard on this. Maybe I'm taking it too personally. Can't say I haven't done that in the past. But when it comes to ripping people off, I get passionate. The companies can take care of themselves. They have high-priced lawyers to watch for this stuff. So at some point, he'll get caught. But in that timeframe, how many people are gonna be ripepd-off? Everything he wants you to pay for can be seen either here or somewhere else... FOR FREE! And again, I know there's lots of sites out there that has content that they're not suppose to have. But the difference is that they're not charging people to watch it. That's the kicker.

Here's the site: Extreme Ghost Hunters. If you feel the way I do about it, then please spread the word. Facebook it. Tweet it. Start a petition on Facebook or somewhere to get enough supporters to stop the site. I'm doing it myself. To start, I will be sending letters to all the companies whose copyrights they are violating. We have a close relationship with Travel Channel , Discovery Communications and A&E Networks, so we're starting there. If you don't feel the same, then no problem: thanks for reading. But if you do, let's stop them! And don't get taken advantage of. don't pay ANYONE to watch paranormal tv online!

Main Website is Back Online!

2010-06-02T13:12:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know that the main site is back online. After days of dealing with a horrible database crash, we decided to not restore the old site and go ahead and launch the new one... since it was about 75% complete.

Please keep in mind that it's under development, so new features and content will be added every day. But you can go on and setup your account. There's a lot of cool new profile features to take advantage of, plus the new forum. If you need any help, please let us know. And thanks to all who have supported us throughout the past three. Hopefully you'll really enjoy the new site and we can get a lot more people involved. Tell your friends, bring folks in!

The site is at: www.theparanormalsociety.org

Main Website Crash

2010-05-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

I'm really sorry to tell you that the main website experienced a major crash. I'm not sure exactly what happened but our site designer told us it was a database failure because of corrupt data. Right now, all we can do is wait. Hopefully they will get it back running real soon. They're updating the progress on their website: You can read it here.

All I can say is that I'm very sorry to everyone that this happened. We'll see what the cause was when they're finished. At least the new site was almost complete, if all else fails. I don't know. I'm just blown away that the site's offline! But unlike Magnolia, we'll bounce right back and be better than ever! I promise.

So please just hang in there with us, don't give up. We'll get it worked out. Very sorry about this :-(

Let the Most Haunted Beatdown Begin!

2009-08-14T23:58:00.000-07:00

WARNING: If you're a "Most Haunted" fan, you're may wanna pass this one up.

OK, so look: I'm not usually the big outspoken one around here, but I gotta say this: I'm SO freggin' sick of these posers constantly trying to pull the wool over our eyes! I've watched week after week, year after year, and I've come to the conclusion (actually a long time ago) that it is SO horribly fake. It has absolutely nothing at all to do with reality paranormal tv. It's nothing more than a suspense/drama... with terribly bad acting. Don't get me wrong: I love paranormal shows, reality AND scripted, but I draw the line when someone calls it reality when, in "all reality", we know it's staged... ie; Most Haunted. Don't pass it off as real and insult the intelligence of your viewers! Just call it what it is: a supernatural suspense series, like "Supernatural", "Haunted", "Ghost Whisperer", "Phenomenon" and "Medium".

An example would be what I saw tonight:

Karl was "supposedly" trapped in a room and Brian and Stuart were trying to open it. Well, I paused my Dish DVR, backed up and watched in slow-mo, over and over. My conclusion is that they were NOT pulling on the door trying to open it. Stuart was twisting and pushing towards the wall, to the left (you could see this because the handle was loose, which the close-up revealed). In fact, Brian had his hand on it when it finally opened and you could literally see the door knob slip out of his hand as it moved away from him (the door open to the inside where Carl was "trapped"). Physics, mechanics and a bit of common sense tells you that when you're trying to open a door that opens in the opposite direction from where you are, then you will be PUSHING against it, not pulling. hence, when the door opened, Brian's hand should've went along with it, rather than being pulled off the handle in the opposite direction. Momentum is a product of mass and velocity: Mass being Brian's weight, velocity being the "supposed" direction and force against the door. Einstein isn't an idiot... and physics don't lie. Plus, when you're frantically tyring to open a locked door to "rescue" a mate, you'll be pushing against it with both hands: one on the knob, the other on the door itself. Brian wasn't holding a camera, so there's no excuse.

In most reality shows of this nature, the participants usually have no creative control over the show. Some examples would be Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International, who are owned jointly by Pilgrim Films and NBC Universal and controlled by Executive Producer, Craig Piligian. The TAPS name, logo and all things associated are owned by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson (TAPS)... but NOT the shows. Jason and Grant have no control over the shows. Sure, they have input, but no "real creative control". What this means is that they are at the mercy of both NBC Uni and Pilgrim. Now Most Haunted is completely different because the show is controlled AND owned by Yvette Fielding and her husband, Karl Beattie. Yes, that's right, both Yvette and Karl actually own the show (though Discovery Communications and LivingTV has rights to it). Now what this means is that Yvette, who is the Executive Producer, has total control over what happens and the direction the show moves in. In essence, who is to blame for the current degrading position of the show? YVETTE FIELDING!!!

There will be much more later on busting Most Haunted. for now, take a look at some of these clips exposing Most Haunted and Yvette Fielding for what they are: Horrible Illusionists. Geez... if they're gonna fake it, at least get someone really good in the game to assist. Criss Angel, anyone?

Click on the thumbnail to watch

Yvette exposes Most Haunted as the fakes they are. Thanks Yvette, you help us prove our point.

Camera keeps rolling. Guess they didn't expect it to get out to the public. OBVIOUSLY BUSTED!

The table cloth creases while Yvette moves her hand. Ciarian O'Keefe actually caught this one. Ouch!

Claim they caught EVP when it was just Yvette... clearly saying "Elizabeth, Tapping". I don't get it. Why?

Stuart didn't think the camera caught him. The excuse was "I don't know why I threw it". Must've been possessed!

Here you can actually see Karl push the glass back (it tips). Now Karl, this doesn't look good, buddy!

Using Voodoo. Pin goes in left, Brian feels on right leg. Batteries must have gone dead on his earpiece, eh?

Here's Part 1 of Jason & Grant confronting Yvette Fielding on Beyond Reality Radio. Get 'em boys!

And here's Part 2 of Jason & Grant confronting Yvette. This was broadcast on Beyond Reality Radio.

New Top Site for Paranormal Groups

2009-06-24T00:24:00.000-07:00

Hey there, this is Allison from SGPRS. I know I haven't been too active on the site as far as adding content, but hopefully since my schedule his lightened up, I can. Anyway, Chris has signed us up and created our own Top List Site. It's named "SGPRS's Top 100 Paranormal Groups" and we'd love for you all to add your group. Here's the link: www.sgprs.gotop100.com/

There are some rules, but the main one being that in order to be listed on the site, you have to be a paranormal group. You also need to have your own group's dedicated website. What I mean is that no Myspace and Facebook pages are allowed. It must be your own stand alone website.

This is a great way for everyone to gain some traffic. So go on, get your site on there!

www.sgprs.gotop100.com/

Allison Chambers

SGPRS

Ghost Video - What's Your Thoughts on This One???

2009-05-19T14:47:00.001-07:00

OK, so we post questionable ghost videos each week on the main site. These are videos that we've found elsewhere, like on Youtube, Dailymotion, Metacafe. This particular video has me scratching my head. It seems pretty authentic, so I wanted to see what you guys thought.

Leave comments below... I'm interested in getting feedback on this one.

Happy Hunting to all!
Chris

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2009-04-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

OK, so I came across this video (i'm always looking for interesting paranormal stuf!). I'm not too sure about it. To me, it sort-of looks to be faked, but then again, i'm just not sure.

Let us know what you think. You can leave a comment below.

Shadow People

2009-04-04T19:55:00.000-07:00

Shadow People

At first, you catch a glimpse of something out of the corner of your eye. Just as you turn your head, it's gone. But the feeling of being watched now becomes evident. Shadow people: Just the term conjurs many different visions in people's minds and often brings feelings of fear.

Reports of shadow people have been around for centuries, but stories and sightings of these elusive entities are coming out now more than ever. In recent years, The Rhine Research Center (the Institute for Parapsychology) has gotten hundreds of reports from people claiming to have seen Shadow People. Paranormal research groups are witnessing them during investigations, even being able to photograph some. What does this mean? Why are Shadow People being seen so much more now than in previous years? What are Shadow People???

Well, what they are is not known, and you will receive a different answer from each person you ask. But, most paranormal researchers do agree on one aspect: Shadow People are not human entities. We don't believe they're ghosts. Don't believe they're demons either. But, on a scale, we'd say Shadow People lean more towards the negative side, especially given the bad feelings we get from the vibes they give off. It's suggested that they're pressence means something bad, or that something bad will happen.

One thing that makes them so interesting is the consistency of reports of their sightings. Year aften year, from person to person, the description almost always stays the same. Shadow People can appear as a dark, whispy indistinguishable shape or mass or a silhouetted shape of a person. It is said that they can appear with a hat or a hood.They have no facial features and no type of clothing. They're simply a "shadow". And they're darker than dark; so dark that their silhoutte can be seen in a pitch black home. They're often described as small in size, usually no more than a few feet tall, and if the eyes are seen, they're typically small and red. They stay (or come from) the corners of rooms, behind the tv, couch or chair, in lower cabinets, under beds or in closets. Most of the time, they do nothing... just watch the living, though there have been reports of people being attacked by Shadow People. Unlike some ghosts, Shadow People seem to be very aware of our presence and at times seem intent on making us feel frightened or uncomfortable. They seem to appear where other paranormal activity has been sighted or where there is or has been a great deal of stress, grief or tragedy. It is also theorized that they feed off the energy of people. This makes sense, especially when coupled with the theory of them appearing where a tragic situation has occurred. There are negative emotions or energy, so the Shadow People exploit this and grow stronger, thus appearing more often.

A Few Theories

Demons or other negative spirit entities:

The dark, foreboding feelings that one gets from seeing Shadow People have led some paranormal researchers to believe that these nasty entities are something sinister. Their presence means only evil. This theory goes even further to say that Shadow People are simply demons in disguise. If so, what is their purpose?

Ghosts

Some researchers say that Shadow People are actually ghosts that were evil when living or have returned from hell to torment the lives of humans.

Time Travelers

Another theory is that Shadow People are from the past of future, have found a way to travel in time or have found a "time-slip" or "portal".

Astral Beings

One belief is that they are the spirits of people having out-of-body experiences. Some believe that we all travel out of our bodies while we sleep, so our essence is traveling and unknowingly showing ourself to others in different time levels.

Aliens

This one is a very common belief. Aliens are visiting us and watching our every move. Perhaps they are studying us, our lives, our bodies. The one's who support this theory believe that the aliens are disguising themselves as Shadow People and are waiting their opportunity to abduct us.

Beings from Another Dimension

OK, even most scientists believe that there are other dimensions out there, and that there are very thin vails between the planes of these different dimensions. The one's whi support this theory believe that Shadow People have either found a way to enter into our dimension or have acidentally slipped into "our side".

So naturally, we don't truly know what Shadow People are. But hopefully as time goes on, we'll discover something solid that may be able to answer years of questions.

If you've had an experience with Shadow People, please let us know. Publishing your story could really help the other people who have had or are having to deal with these nasty little beings. And of course, we will not reveal your identity.

You can send us your story by clicking here.

*Image provided courtesy of WikiPedia

Please Don't Tell Me Ghost Hunters Is Staged!

2009-03-23T21:47:00.001-07:00

Hey guys,

Just came across this post when I was looking for some info about an upcoming article. It's apparently a site that bashes GH. I watched the video and wow, I have to say that I was honestly shocked.

Could it be true? I love Jason and Grant. I sure hope they haven't turned into Most Haunted. Most of the video I didn't believe. But when it comes to the end... wow, I was really stunned.

Watch for yourself and please let your comments be heard. I hope this isn't true. Jeez... not Jason and Grant!!

Tell me what you think.

Redesigned Site is Ready

2009-03-13T21:07:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to write a quick post to let everybody know that the site has been redesigned and is ready. Go on, take a look and give us a shout-out! Visit the main website here.

We spent a lot of time getting it to its current state, which we feel is excellent. If you're familiar with us, you know we don't pat ourselves on our back. But, I have to say that our web designer has done a phenomenal job (that would be me :) ). Everybody in the group has had a hand in its design, including Chase, Adriana, Brad, Alex, Courtney and others.

We've packed it full of interactive stuff. We wanted to go beyond it being just informational. We wanted to keep the original good info there, and we did. But we added more, like watching full episodes of paranormal TV shows like GH, GHI, Paranormal State, as well as some classics like Alfred Hitchcock, Twilight Zone and some Sci-Fi stuff. And the biggest thing is that it now has the power of a full social website. Consider it "Social Paranormal". When you become a member, you can set up your own profile, add music, add photos and videos, communicate with others and access members-only sections. You can also have your own status, sort of like facebook. And you can sign in using your OpenID or, through an API partnership with Facebook, you can use your Facebook user ID.

Needless to say, we're real excited that we can hopefully offer a little something for everyone. And don't worry: The help and support is the same. If you need help, we're still here.

So go on, please take a look, sign up to become a member. Let us know what you think; we're always open to ideas.

Here it is: www.theparanormalsociety.org

Happy Hunting out there!

Chris
South Georgia Paranormal

El Chupacabra - Myth or Undiscovered Species?

2009-02-24T15:47:00.000-08:00

El Chupacabra is a Spanish word meaning "Goat Sucker". It's name comes from the way it supposedly sucks the blood from its victims, more specifically, goats in Puerto Rico. Obviously, its name is derived from the native language from where it was first spotted. Today, claims of a large, hairless dog-looking creature have been reported in the Americas, Mexico and Puerto Rico, as far north as Maine and as far south as Chilie.

The first documented reported sighting was in 1995 in Puerto Rico. In this particular attack, eight sheep were found dead, each one with three puncture wounds in their chest, and each one almost completely drained of blood. According to Wikipedia, in 1975, similar killings in the town of Moca were attributed to El Vampiro de Moca (The Vampire of Moca)*. The original belief was that these killings were the result of a satanic cult, which was rumored to be active in the area. Many more killings followed. Farmers reported the loss of livestock, each with three puncture wounds and the blood drained in the exact same manner as the first reported El Chupacabra killing. Shortly after, more reports surfaced of killings in much of the same manner from Brazil, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Bloivia, Chilia, Columbia, El Salvador, Panama, Peru, the United States and Mexico. As far as we know, there have been no human attacks by El Chupacabra. Mysteriously, traces of the killings, such as blood or tracks, have yet to be discovered.

Appearance

El Chupacabra has been described in many variations: as a hairless, dog-like, Kangaroo-like creature that stand 3-4 feet tall standing upright, as a large rodent, dog, Kangaroo type of creature, as a prehistoric dinosaur-like creature.

In at least one sighting, the El Chupacabra was reported to hop 20 feet (6 m). This variety is said to have a dog or panther-like nose and face, a forked tongue, and large fangs. It is said to hiss and screech when alarmed, as well as leave behind a sulfur-like stench. When it screeches, some reports assert that the chupacabra's eyes glow an unusual red which gives the witnesses nausea.*

Another description of El Chupacabra, although not as common, describes a strange breed of wild dog. This form is mostly hairless and has a pronounced spinal ridge, unusually pronounced eye sockets, fangs, and claws. It is claimed that this breed might be an example of a dog-like reptile. Unlike conventional predators, the chupacabra is said to drain all of the animal's blood (and sometimes organs) through a single hole or two holes.*

So, do we really know what El Chupacabra looks like? Of course not. Do we even know that it really exists? Well, no. As with all paranormal, before the mainstream public believes, it would need to be dangled in front of their eyes.

Our Opinion

We believe the reports of the killings are true. We believe that the puncture wounds described could be possible. We also believe that the blood could've been drained from the victims. But, we don't believe that there is some strange "Alien-like" creature running around out there.

You know, there is so much of the world that is unexplored, so much undiscovered. And personally, I do believe that there are many undiscovered creatures out there. El Chupacabra could very well be one of those undiscovered creatures. Who knows what it really looks like? I think it would probably be closely related to the cat family, more like some type of strange panther, maybe even a combination of canine/feline. Fangs aren't unusual. Razor-like incisions aren't unusual either. Blood being drained or consumed by wild animals aren't unusual. In fact, really the only unusual thing about El Chupacabra is the variations in appearance. The method of killing its victims isn't.

*References used - Wikipedia, South Georgia Paranormal

Original Source: South Georgia Paranormal

Question Answered

2009-02-21T13:37:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys,

I just wanted to answer A question that has been asked over and over.

Why do you not show your investigation photos and videos on your website?

That's an easy one to answer. You see, when we do an investigation, there are a number of forms that the client must read, acknowledge and sign. Among these is one strictly for their benefit: The Non-Disclosure Agreement. The Non Disclosure Agreement basically means that we will not discus the circumstances revolving around the case with anyone other than SGPRS members and those needed for assistence. It states that we will not release any information related to the case publicly, including names, locations, addresses, phenomena and evidence captured. The agreement means that their case will remain private. Obviously, displaying evidence on our website would violate the agreement.

We're not out to display a bunch of photos and videos; I think there's enough floating around the web for everyone. Our goal is to help clients, bottom line. There's no way we would violate their trust. We will, however, show photos and videos that are believed to be public domain or one's that we've been granted permission to display. Registered members of the website are also permitted to upload their own photos and videos of paranormal phenomena.

Now, here's one thing we will begin doing: Soon we will create a section called "Case Files". In this section, we will open our case files and list some online. But, what will happen is that names and locations will be changed. Addresses and the correct city will not be listed. What will display is a story outline of selected cases. Only cases with client permission granted will be displayed, yet identifiable info will be withheld. This new section should appear within the next week or so.

I hope this clears it up. We're not trying to be secretive with our evidence; It's just that we made a commitment to adhere to the NDA. Our clients trust is at the top of our list (right under their well-being).

Happy Hunting!

Chris Walker

Director, SGPRS

www.theparanormalsociety.org

New Featured Groups Section

2009-02-18T15:48:00.000-08:00

We've created a new section called "Featured Groups". This section will feature a selected group for a two day period on our website (not here in the forum). It will contain information about your group, your location, your contact info, your members, your investigations and a link to your website.

The group will be featured here at the top of the front page. This is a free section, so it's a good way for your group to gain exposure.

You'll need to create an account, then create your profile. Once that's done, you'll need to send me the info about your group. All groups submitted will be featured, but it's first-come, first-serve basis.

Once you've created your account, send your groups info to me by clicking here.

So come guys, head on over to the website, create your account and send me your info so I can get your group featured at the top. Visit the website to get started.

Thanks!

Chris

Bob Larson - America's Con Artist

2009-01-23T17:14:00.000-08:00

OK, so check it out: A recent comment by Gabby on my Bob Larson post really blew me away. Read it here. I've been paying close attention to Bob Larson for ahwile now and have followed his fraudulent activity. After reading Gabby's post, I spoke with the members of our paranormal research group. We're all in agreement: We're now on a mission to do everything in our power to help expose this complete jerk for what he truly is: A swindler in the purest sense.

I haven't looked at his website in awhile, so I decided to take a look. It's amazing at the amount of "bull" written there, especially his "Demon Test". A demon test? A test to make an initial determination of whether or not you have or are prone to demonic opression or possession. Are you kidding me? There is absolutely NO WAY an online test can make even a generic initial determination. Humm... wonder what Demonologist Keith Johnson thinks of this? Some of the questions in this test were asking about mental problems you may have had, thoughts or attempts of suicide, personally violated, if you've had alcohol or drug abuse issues, behavior not consistent with your normal personality, overwhelming feelings of depression and hopelessness, life-changing trauma, emotional or physical abuse from your biological parents (step-parents not included, huh?), failed in relationships, serious health or financial issues. Jeez! Any of these issues could affect anyone at any time. Answering yes to any of the questions in no way gives an indication of demonic opression or possession. You can't even begin to make an initial assumption by these questions. In fact, making a guess of the possibility of demonic possession of a person should NEVER, EVER be done online, much less in a pathetic ignorant questionaire.

This "Demon Test" is just a tactic to scare you, to pull you in and make you think "My God, I May Have A Demon!". And of course, since you've taken a brilliant questionaire from such a noted figure as Bob Larson, you would naturally want to run to him to save your soul! (Can't you feel the love?). So, you contact him, explain that there's a demon attacking you. He speaks with you for a few minutes, then tells you what he suspects. He calls you to set up a meeting to make a better evaluation. Once that's done, he tells you the words you don't want to hear (the exact one's he MUST have you hear), "You are the focus of a demonic attack". He sets up the meeting to "excorcise the demon", using friendly and sympathetic phrases like, "We're gonna battle this thing", "It's going to be a fight, but we WILL win", "I'm here to help you, I'll make sure this demonic force releases his grip on you", It's going to be tough and it may take more than one meeting", etc... blah, blah, blah.

So, the first meeting is out of the way. He shouts at you, curses at you, belittles you, talks to you in ways you wouldn't let your friends talk to you. He grabs your head, shakes it as he quotes one of his famous phrases. He presses his cross to your forehead in a way that makes you think it's pure energy. He pulls you in, wraps you up and takes advantage of whatever unfortunate situation you may be in. You battled with whatever you're going through for so long, you just want to believe that this man is freeing you, that he's saving your life. His charade is aimed at giving attention to what you've been going through, and even puts a label on it. At least you now have an answer... and someone that "believes" you.

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. He takes advantage of you and plays on your misery. Now, check this out. If you agree to be videotaped and sign a waiver, he usually provides his miraculous service at no charge. Seems fair, huh? Well hold your horses: Now, he tells you that you should follow up with him, but either way, keep him updated on how you're doing. So naturally after all the hocus-pocus, you feel better, relieved and always drained. You may feel great or something may happen, but either way, most people will want to follow up with him. Now here's the good part! You call and ask to meet with him. An appointment is set, then you're asked how you'd like the $500.00 fee. WTF?? Yep, 500 bucks per hour for his precious time.

OK, I'm deliberately not being exact in his sequence of fraudulent foreplay, but you get the idea of what he does. It's simple. He plays on your weakness, takes advantage of you and, if he has his way, walks away with a fat pocket when it's all said and done.

Guys, Bob Larson is Webster's true definition of a con-artist. He's a swindler. He's a phoney. This useless piece of trash is only out to get your money. His agenda is simple: To build his own fortune at your expense, regardless of who's hurt in the process. This punk has no concern at all for you or your well-being. Once he has his hand in your pocket, he becomes a cold-hearted, greedy SOB.

Take a look at his website; Seems that everything on there has a price. If you want a one-on-one hour long spiritual evaluation and prayer so that he can evaluate your spiritual depth, so that you will have better health and improved financial success and...... "finally discover your true meaning in life", it will cost you. He pleads for you to make a $30.00 tax-free donation to his ministry so that he may be able to continue to "help" others. And if you do, then you will get this phenomenal DVD (WOW, Sounds like the sale of a DVD to me).

And this is the biggest kicker for me: To be a part of his DWJD, it will cost you $199 annually; What do you get for that annual due? Well, who knows?

Gabby's story has inspired us to begin our own campaign to try to prevent anyone else from becoming a victim. We will be developing a website dedicated to this exact task. Heck, just take a look at this video of Eric and ask yourself if you would want and trust Larson to "help" you.

Click below to watch the video of Eric.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy7IZQ1WH5M

We'll keep you all updated to the progress of the site. In the meantime, if anyone has had any experiences with Larson and would like to tell their story, please email me at: chris@theparanormalsociety.org

Strange Skull Found

2008-12-30T10:32:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone,

A member of our forum submitted this photo of a strange thing he found in his yard. A skull perhaps? Geez, it really looks strange... and I have no clue what it is.

It could very well be some common type of animal skull and not anything strange at all. Who knows?

If anyone has an idea as to what it may be, please respond and let me know. Also, you can post on the forum directly under the original post by clicking here or visiting: http://theparanormalsociety.org/ghostboard/index.php/topic,40.0.html

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks to all!

Chris

New Site Coming Soon!

2008-12-08T11:42:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to make a quick post to let you all know that a new website has been in development for a little over a month now. We love the current one: http://www.theparanormalsociety.org/ , but there have been a few issues with it and we want more member interactivity. So, the only real solution was to have a completely new site developed. Our friends at Connect it! Web Services have volunteered to do this task for us... at no charge! Big thanks to them because at this point in time, we just couldn't afford to dish out the kind of money it would take to get what we wanted.

Anyway, the new site will be awesome! It will contain all the content of the current site, plus it will have interactive features like member signup, the ability for members to create their own in depth profile including the addition of HTML so you can embed things like a music player, photos or whatever you'd like. You'll also be able to IM other members, you'll have your own email/message box, you'll be able to start your own photo gallery that will link to your profile, you'll be able to upload and contribute photos, videos and EVP's. You can also submit your weblink and banner automatically, you can upload your stories directly to the site rather than emailing them. Another feature that we LOVE is that you will be able to contribute directly to The Paranormal Library. There will also be a new Wiki feature that is called " WikiParanormal". This will allow everyone to build a paranormal wiki, which has been a goal of ours for a very long time. We'd like to have everyone contribute and build the Wiki, sort of like Wikipedia.

Another nice thing is that you will be able to write your own articles and display them, all from within the site. The chat room will still be there, as well as the forum. The current photo gallery will be taken down and replaced with an incorporated flash gallery. This is also where you will be able to contribute your photos or have them analyzed. You will have the ability to purchase banner ads, which will be placed in different areas of the site.

One of the coolest things is that we've partnered with our very, very good friends at The Shadowlands and Ghost Hounds to bring you the absolute largest haunted places community. Here you will be able to find stuff like legend tripping and places to investigate or just visit.

All in all, we're really pumped about it! This new site is going to be SO awesome! Check out the sneak peak screenshot below. The look may change a bit as this is the beta view. Hopefully it will up and running within the next two weeks.

If you have any feedback, please let us know by posting here on the forum. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over the past year! 2009 will be a good one!

Happy Hunting!

Chris

Ghost Adventures

2008-11-09T17:50:00.000-08:00

I've been following Zack Bagans and his crew for the past year or more and have been quite impressed with them. What I like and admire so much about these guys is that they operate with just the basics: camcorders, digital recorders and a FLIR camera here and there. What makes this so nice is that these are tools of the trade that are actually within reach of most paranormal investigators (except for the crazy expensive FLIR). This just goes to show that you don't have to have every new gadget that comes out and don't have to have the luxury of and enormous budget to get the job done. Operating this way gives confidence to those who are just starting out with very little money to spare.

Besides this, I love their tactics and techniques. And I love how they are able to get some awesome evidence with just the basics. I think that every day investigators can relate more to Zack and his crew because of their no-frills, basic approach.

Anyway, I just love these guys and love watching them in action. And if any of you missed the Riddle House episode, you missed one hell of an investigation. Definitely check it out on our may site: www.theparanormalsociety.org

Happy Hunting to all!

Chris

Bob Larson - The Real Exorcist or The Real Swindler?

2008-10-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

OK, so as most paranormal investigators do, I keep up with the world of the paranormal. I read anything I can get my hands on because, as said by a philosopher, "Knowledge is Power". My theory is that you can never have enough knowledge, especially in this field where everything constantly changes and nothing is exact. Along with reading, I also watch just about anything paranormal related, especially documentary based.

So Sci-Fi began its new series called "The Real Exorcist", and as always, I'm game. I do have to admit that I began watching with a somewhat biased negative opinion of Bob Larson, the exorcist that I've become familiar with over time. I figured "what the heck", I'll give him a chance... again. Well I did, and I have to say that I was less than impressed.

Bob Larson has been shrouded in controversy for quite some time now. He accepts public donations for his ministry, donations that have made it possible for him to have become a multi-millionaire. Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem with someone making a living; Hell, even getting rich. It's what we're all ultimately after, isn't it? But throw in the typical bad image of evangelists and the negative publicity that Larson has received and you have an ugly mixture. The money part of it does bother me since he accepts public donations. And because of accepting these donations, the public has a right to know where their money is going... or who's pocket it's going in. But for me, what's worse is the work he does and the image of the paranormal world that he is contorting.

It's fine to travel around helping those in need. But were all these people... all 6,000 of them... really possessed by a demonic entity? No way! He method of operation bears a striking resemblance to that of another phoney... Benny Hinn. Both of these shams use the same technique. They use subtle mind altering methods to move your subconscious into the realm of the world they want you to be in. Both want... need you to believe that you're mindy, body and soul have drifted; In the case of Larson, into the darkness... into hell. Sure, Benny Hinn lays claim to healing thousands of people, even healing quadriplegics and showing the world their first step in many years. Only these so-called disabled individuals have been proven time and time again to be nothing more than low-paid actors.

Now Bob Larson has another a rather intelligent gameplan. He uses his exposure to promote the illusion of demonic possession which, in turn, sends more of the "opressed" his way. More healings, more exposure, more people calling for help and more followers equals....... more loot in his pocket. This is the real name of the game for him. Sure, he is a verified member of the clergy. Sure, he has a ministry. Sure he has tons of loyal patrons. And yep, he has tons of money made the wrong way.

Now lets look at the other side of the rotten apple: Can you imagine what Larson's game does to the world of the paranormal? We have a difficult enough time trying prove what we believe exists. We encounter "real" people with "real" problems... and one's who are or have been truly opressed by a demonic force. What does this do and how does it make the "real" exorcists, the devoted priests, look in the public's eye? And are we gonna have a surge of people running around claiming they're possessed? Are we gonna have people looking for their 5 minutes of fame for being on a TV show? Are we gonna have more imposters ride in on the curtails of the success of TAPS? Well, of course we are. And this just makes our job harder. It also opens the door for more fraudulent claims, which result in a loss of our time and money. Am I alone in my line of thinking?

I would love for you all to do some research on your own regarding Bob Larson and post back with your results and opinions. Also, please don't provide this worthless imposter with another regular viewer... or should I say fool. In the meantime, check out the two videos below.

Happy Hunting guys... and stay safe out there!

Chris

SGPRS

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4208453336947193899

http://www.broadcaster.com/clip/12398

Some Info About Demonic Hauntings - From Our Website

2008-09-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

Demons are evil inhuman supernatural beings of intelligence, wit and power. They have the ability to invade our homes, attach themselves to objects and cause both mental and emotional torture by attacking or possessing humans. They can morph into any shape they wish, from humans to animals, before your very eyes. They are neither male nor female, but will change to whatever meets their need at the time. Demons are commonly seen as black masses standing in doorways or in corners of the room. They have a hatred for mankind and think of us as lowly and stupid. Most demonic entities like a challenge and are incredibly conniving; they may have you believing they are good spirits or may appear to have gone away, only to confront you again at the least expected and most vulnerable moment. Their main goal is to break down a person's free will in order to make way for possession. This can take days, months or years, but time is of no concern to them.

Demonic hauntings usually start in a subtle way: Faucets dripping, scratches in the walls, thumping sounds. These behaviors are typically the same displayed by a poltergeist, but become more extreme. Your blankets may be pulled off the bed and things fall off the walls, perhaps the bed shakes voilently. Why is it doing this? Because it wants you to know he's in control and he wants you to fear him. They feed off of this energy and believe me it can be taxing if you are off guard. The fear is what the demon needs, so the more you fear it, the stronger it becomes. Once they succeed in creating an atmosphere of fear, they start to exaggerate their powers and then the personal attacks begin....scratches on the skin, pushing, shoving and hitting. The air in the affected area will feel thick like fog and the temperature will drastically change, usually becoming warmer, which is the opposite from a human entity attempting to manifest. It's common for several entities to exist in one location with a strong evil presence seemingly controlling the others and not allowing them to cross over. These demons come into our world through a gateway.... and it's usually, either a cave, a well, or natural hole in the earth...and normally not more than 10 or 20 feet away from a haunting. Another way for them to enter is through a portal, usually opened up by using a Ouija Board or tinkering with some form of magic, witchcraft, or demonic worship that perhaps the person shouldn't be tinkering with. In this case, the person most likely don't know what they could be getting themselves into unless it's done deliberately. It's always a safe bet to stay away from these temptations; yes, that includes Ouija Boards that seem harmless.

A demonic haunting requires immediate action; the longer it's allowed to remain, the stronger it becomes. You will need to seek the help from an experienced paranormal group, demonologist or a local church. In most cases, it will usually take the exorcism by an ordained priest to rid your home of the demon. There are, however, other methods that may work. It is believed that you can possess the ability to drive it away on your own. You will have to gather the strength within yourself and "Command" it to leave. Yes Command. Don't taunt, don't confront, don't get angry, and most of all, do not show fear. It's believed that it's like a code of conduct with them. Sometimes they will leave, not right away, but with persistance and with NO FEAR. Also, it's been said that demons don't like to be ignored. If it can't get you to fear it, then the game is over. Like say they, ignore it and it will go away, unless it is determined to attach itself to a person. Something else that might help is smudging. To smudge your house, open the windows and light a bundle of dried sage or smudging sticks (available at most health stores). Sage is believed to clear away negative energy and spirits. Catch the ashes with a plate held underneath the bundle and walk around your home to cleanse it with the sage smoke. Make sure the smoke covers every part of the home, especially corners, closets, basements and attics. It is also said that sprinkling holy water throughout the house might work too; although this is not always successful if not done by a priest, it may provide you with a temporary solution. All Catholic Churches will have Holy Water available, as well as many other churches. When obtaining Holy Water it is customary to leave a small donation, if possible. You will also need to recite a prayer when smudging or using Holy Water. See our section on DEALING WITH A HAUNTING for more detailed information.

Once again, you must understand that this is a very serious situation and you must seek the help of a professional. We don't recommend attempting to rid this one on your, but we have included some techniques that you can try. These techniques are intended as a temporary solution, not a permanent one, until you are able to seek professional help from an investigator, Demonologist or church. Time is of the essence, so make arrangements immediately.

Advice to New Research Groups

2008-08-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

First off, I wanna say that I'm certainly NOT picking on any group out there. I know there are a lot of great groups doing a great job. What I wanna talk about is your web presence.

I've been doing a lot of surfing lately checking out other groups websites. I came across many good one's... but honestly, the majority of the one's I browsed were, well... not so great. What I mean is that when I landed on their homepage I was greeted with things like skulls, flaming text, scary music, spinning or stationary pentagrams, flying ghosts, coffins that open, a skeleton hand coming up from the ground, R.I.P. signs and more. Now like I said, I'm not picking on anyone, but I personally think these type of sites are actually gonna discourage people from contacting you.

Think about it: A paranormal event that one experiences is very personal and to most, it can be frightening, especially if they're a non-believer. They're most likely shaken-up, confused, stressed and sometimes even embarrassed to speak of it. If they're seeking help, the last thing they want to see, especially after a frightening experience, is a website that screams horror. Think about it: when you were younger and watched a scary movie, did you want to see a picture of an evil face before you went to bed? Of course not. Why? Because you already had a scary experience. Same thing applies to people seeking help. These people want to be comforted and find the help they need. If your website promoting your group is basically a toned-down halloween horror site, chances are you're not gonna have too many clients. Having far less clients then you can handle simply translates into less people getting the help they need. And remember, we're here not only to research the paranormal, but to offer a helping hand.

Another thing to keep in mind is your layout. If it's difficult to navigate, they're gonna leave as fast as they arrived, as I did with many of the sites I visited. This is the same basic principle that applies to all site designs.

Have an obvious "Help" link somewhere, or at least an obvious "Contact" button.
Don't get caught-up in the ghost pic and video hype. Having some pics and videos of alleged paranormal phenomena is fine, but don't overdue it.
Don't claim all your pics and videos are ghosts... because 95% of the time they're not. Post them with an explaination of when and where it was taken and your thoughts, then let the viewer form their own opinion.
Keep things as factual as possible. Everyone knows there's no exact science in this field and there are NO experts: don't lead people to believe it.
DO NOT get sucked-in by these so-called classes that provide you with a certification. I mean, a certification of exactly what? A certified "Ghost Hunter"? BULL! Don't waste your money on these rip-offs. There are NO experts and there are NO real certifications. People that claim they can certify you are just out for your money. Turn and run away!
As mentioned before, ditch the scary music.

These are just my recommendations. There are already enough skeptics in this field: don't provide them with more ammo. We're trying to prove the existence. Keep your site as professional as possible if it represents your group.

Happy Hunting!

Chris

The Singapore Theory

2008-07-11T00:05:00.000-07:00

OK, for some reason I've gotten slammed with emails this evening (which I enjoy!) asking about The Singapore Theory. First I've gotta say that I don't know how so many people are aware of this theory... because it's pretty obscure and is not widely used, at least not to my knowledge. I do have some friends that are members of paranormal groups that have used it with fairly successful results.

I've heard it called the Singapore Theory only once before. Most of the time, it's referred to as the Theory of Familiarization or simply Paranormal Stimuli.In essence, the theory is really basic. The method involves trying to recreate the environment, or a part of the environment, of a particuliar era during an investigation in an attempt to stimulate paranormal activity. The theory, in part, is based on familiarization, believing that if spirits occupying the location recognize the environment or something positive within it, they will become active and possibly show themselves in some form. The ultimate desire is for this theory to be so effective and stimulating that the end result is an apparition (but that of course is the "Holy Grail" of paranormal investigation anyway, right?). But that doesn't mean it's always a positive ending.

The method is usually put into action by playing music of different eras, or one exact era if you're focusing more on an individual situation. For example, if you're in a haunted ballroom from the early 1900's, you might play music from that era. If you're in a haunted hotel or saloon in Nevada, then the music of choice would most likely be "cowboy-type" music.

Another popular method of action would be to recreate the environment visually. This is most often seen in 19th century victorian styles homes that have been turned into an Inn or a Bed N Breakfast, for example. It is sometimes done unintentionally by owners attempting to restore a building to it's original state, complete with antique furniture and decorations from that era. A seldom used method is to play movies from an era. Different stimuli can yield very different results, according to the theory. If you're in a location that is very old, perhaps more than 100 years, try music or movies from different eras and see if any particuliar one is more popular than the other.

I personally have never seen active results from using the Singapore Theory. We were working with another group in southeast Georgia and that group fired up the theory, playing music from the early 1920's (if memory serves me). There was some activity after a few minutes or so... BUT, the activity we witnessed were signs of a Residual Haunting, NOT an active one. This group told me that everytime they used the method and witnessed phenomena, residual activity was the result.

This leads me to my own theory:While I do believe the Singapore Theory is well-founded and based on sound principles, I do not believe that it alone can stimulate "ACTIVE" paranormal phenomena. I think that it is more in-tune with stimulating residual-type hauntings. My belief is based on the theory of the residual haunting itself. Certain actions can "wake" residual hauntings, such as voices, position of people, funrniture and objects, strong emotions, fear, trauma and.... music and movies. The Singapore Theory, to me, falls into the catagory of a stimulant for a residual haunting.

This is a relatively new method for me, so as I gather more information I will post updates here and in the website.

Hope this answers some of your questions. If you have any thoughts on this topic, please post a response.

You can visit our forum to find out a little more about it and see updates on the theory.

http://theparanormalsociety.org/ghostboard/index.php/topic,13.0.html

Happy Hunting!

Chris

www.theparanormalsociety.org

Sorry, but I have to say this...

2008-07-08T16:47:00.000-07:00

Since we launched the new site, we have gotten many submissions from visitors asking for us to analyze a photo and requesting help. No problem... it's what we do, and we're more than happy to help.

We analyze the evidence and offer our honest opinion or refer them to a reputable professsional that may offer more advice; We typically do this within 3-4 days, sometimes sooner. OK, so the majority of the people that have submitted evidence to be evaluated have also given us another piece of information: They've told us that they sent their photos to other paranormal groups via their submission link on the group's website, 3 of said groups are very large, reputable and very well-known. They submitted their photos... and waited for a response. 1 week later, nothing. 2 weeks, nothing. 3 weeks... still no reply. 2 people even waited almost 2 months... no response. They said they resubmitted their evidence... and nothing.

I found this a bit stunning considering the reputation of the groups in question, especially 1 particuliar well-known group. I thought to myself. "Well, maybe they're really busy right now and perhaps this is an isolated incident".

So, we decided to try an experiment ourselves. We took random photos that contained orbs and other possible anomolies and submitted them to these same 3 different paranormal groups via their proper submit form on their website... and waited. We also submitted them to 2 other smaller groups. Within 2 days we received an answer from 1 of the smaller groups. As for all the others: 1 week went by and no response. 2 weeks and nothing. We resubmitted the photos on the 14th day and attached an email asking very nicely for their opinion. Another 5 days with no response. The one month mark came, yet we still had no response from these groups... not even any form of acknowledgement that they had received the photos.

So the bottom line is that we submitted photos for evaluation to 3 different large, reputable, paranormal groups... and not a single one responded. What does this mean? Well, that's a good question. Were the groups just too busy? Is their case load overflowing? Were they having site or email problems (2 different times)? Did the lines of communication get crossed somewhere? Who knows.

There's more: 2 particuliar people said they submitted requests for help, one involving a family with 2 children and what they felt was a harmful situation. Both also said they never received a response, no offer to help, no offer to investigate. Now, these 2 requests weren't sent to the same large groups mentioned in reference to the photos. Never-the-less, this is disturbing.

I'm not "picking" on any paranormal groups and I'm certainly not pointing fingers, but here's my thought: If you have a paranormal group and/or a paranormal-based website that offers help and offers to evaluate evidence, then one would naturally expect you to do just that. I realize that some of these groups have busy schedules, participate in interviews, conducts training and seminars, volunteers, investigates and not to mention, work day jobs. BUT... if someone reaches out to you for help, then that's exactly what you need to do, especially if you openly offer services. No excuses. If your case load is packed and you just can't handle more at that moment, then OK; but answer the person. Let them know you're too busy right now and refer them to someone who CAN help. If you don't have the experience to handle a certain potential type of case (Inhuman), then refer the client to someone who can help. NEVER leave a client hanging; it puts doubt in their mind and obviously doesn't make your group look good.

AND... if you offer to analyze evidence, then DO IT. You should feel honored if someone submits their findings to you for evaluation. Remember, you're NOT the only paranormal group out there, no matter how big you get. If you get overloaded with requests to analyze evidence, then put a hold on accepting more until you get caught-up. You should also respond to everyone to let them know you received their submission, as a courtesy. If you don't have the time to respond to each one, then just use an auto-responder (which comes with almost all POP email accounts).

Remember guys, as paranormal researchers and investigators, we're here to help people that are in need. If you offer a service, regardless of what it is, then make sure your group is ready to handle that request. Don't fail to analyze a photo (and don't wait a month to do so). And most of all, DO NOT fail to answer a request for help. Remember, if you can't handle it, refer them to someone who can (this is why it's a good idea to befriend other groups).

If anyone contacts us, they can be assured that they WILL get a response... without fail.

Happy Hunting!

Chris

Haunted Police Department?

2008-07-07T22:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick little video about the allegedly haunted police department in Homestead, Pennsylvania. It's short, but interesting. I'll have to dig a little deeper and post what I find.

Here's the link:

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/15908242/

Photography Truth

2008-06-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

We would like to bring as much truth to the profession as possible. One of the most important pieces of evidence is photos. But, it is also one of the most misconstrued pieces.The more fake photos that pop up on the web, the worse it makes the professionals look. There are already many skeptics close to this field, and posting a lot of fake or non-paranormal pics on the internet makes the research of professional, dedicated groups less credible. Here are some tips to make sure your evidence is true and credible.
The most commonly touted of these images are of orbs. Most people don't understand that orbs are naturally occuring. The vast majority of the photos that have orbs in them are not paranormal-related and are elements of the environment, such as dust, mist, bugs, etc. Some folks lay claim that if an orb has color then it is in fact paranormal. They even go as far as to say that it is a ghost or spirit and that they can see a face in them. This is pretty far fetched considering that orbs are forms of energy, not the whole elements of a spirit or ghost. And just because an orbs has color deosn't mean it is paranormal-related. Typically, if it has red or orange, it is not paranormal. Cool white, light blues, greens and yellows are something to look closer at.

Orbs
OK, so what are orbs?
Simply put, orbs are forms of energy; balls of energy. They do, however, occur in relation to spirit activity. The theory is that in order for an entity to manifest (show itself) it needs energy. The entity draws energy from any source it can. Energy has heat, which is why temperture drops occur when an entity attempts to manifest. Another side effect of this manifestation is orbs. But, they are parts of the manifestation, not entities as a whole.

3 types of naturally occuring orbs
1) Reflection from an objectMost people in search of paranormal activity take the photos at night and require the use of a flash, which is the culprit so to speak. This is usually easy to spot due to its undeniable charactersitics. What happens is that the flash is reflected off an object, producing many circular bursts of varying intensity. 2) Refraction of moistureThis is a very common capture in outdoor investigations. This is simply the flash refracting on the moisture. These are usually irregular shapes and will vary in contrast or transparency. They are easily mistaken for paranormal orbs.3) Refraction of DustThese are most common in buildings, and more so in older ones that are unoccupied. These very fine particles aren't visible to the eye alone. What happens here is simply that the flash refracts off the particle, usually producing a perfect circle. They are very easily mistaken for paranormal due to their close resemblence.So how can you tell the difference between real and environmental orbs?Well, we use one very simple tool that you always have with you: a flashlight. What we do at times when we see orbs on our digital camera monitor is to simply shine the flashlight in the exact line of path the photo was taken. If you see fine particles floating in your flashlight beam then chances are you have captured one of the natural orbs. If you're using a video camera with the built-in light, you can do the same. If you see orbs floating by the camera monitor while your filming then just look at the path of the camera light; you can almost always see the moisture or dust particles floating through the beam of the camera light.
So how do I know if I've captured a real paranormal-related orb?
A "real" paranormal-related orb will have 3 distinct characteristics: It will have a defined outline, it will give off its own light and when examined closely it will appear to look much like a cell under a microscope.Open your photo with an editing program, such as Photoshop and zoom in to where the orb is. If it's real you'll be able to see these 3 elements.

Ghostly mist, "ectoplasm"
This has to be second place next to orbs in the most common mistaken paranormal pics. The problem I've always had with this one is that it's very easy to avoid. The majority of photos out there that display this alleged phenomena are actually just showing cigarette smoke. Either the camera person or someone nearby is smoking. Most people don't realize how far cigarette smoke can travel while maintaining it's density. This smoke can drift into your photos without being visible, especially at night. The flash refracts off the smoke giving you the illusion of ectoplasm. This is very easy to spot because there's either a trail showing where the smoke is eminating or there will be dense cloud in a condensed area. You may also notice streaks or waves in the smoke. Avoid this by not allowing any of your investigators to smoke during an investigaton. This includes you as well.

Energy Rods
This one is a little harder to spot to a novice, but very easy to a professional.There are many photos with these circulating around the web. The problem is that 99% of them all are just camera abnormalities. The usual cause is either a hair on the lens or a camera strap in the way. They can be all different colors and shapes and can even appear to have a wave pattern to them. I've never seen an energy rod that couldn't be explained. This is one phenomena that I personally do not believe in.

Apparitions, Full-Bodied Apparitions

The apparition is the "Holy Grail" of paranormal research. It is the single most sought-after paranormal evidence. It is every paranormal investigator's dream to catch one of these on video. Now capturing them on camera is a different story. While it certainly is exciting and impressive when one is captured, there are things to watch out for.

Matrixing

Matrixing is the ability of our eyes to be able to recognize or form familiar shapes within a certain view. One familiar form of matrixing for most people to recognize is looking at clouds and finding different familiar shapes. Everyone has done it. For example, finding the clouds shaped in the form of a country, an animal, a person, God, Satan, etc.

Matrixing is an essential part of our vision system. It is what helps us identify the things we see. It is the exact way we see what we see.

Now that we understand how matrixing is essential to our vision, we need to understand how it can work against us in paranormal investigations.

Paranormal investigations are always conducted at night. The darkness adds another element that works against us. There are natural occurring shadows that our eyes can fool us into thinking are moving or are in the shape of an apparition. Dim lights and IR lights adds yet another element. If you're conducting an outside investigation then you have trees, bushes, animals and other natural things that can fool us. This all adds up to increasing the chance of seeing a false apparition.

Now taking photographs in the dark using the flash throws us another set of potential problems.

Pixelating

Pixelating is when the photo looks smooth at normal view, but when zoomed-in, you can see individual pixels. And as we all know, when viewing evidence in the form of photos, we always have to zoom in to get a better look. The problem is that when we do, the pixels that become more evident trigger the false matrixing effect... then we begin to see different shapes and possible apparitions. If the photo is taken outside, you now have the environment to work against you.

As you become more experienced with paranormal investigation and recognize the elements that work against you, you'll gain a sharper eye for discovering matrixing and pixelating. My advice is just take tons of photos everywhere, then analyze each and try to find the things that work against you.

Just remember that if you put your evidence out there for the world to see, make sure it's authentic... or it'll be ripped apart. You have to be your own worst critic.

Good luck out there!

Bryan Watson

TPS Investigator