Top 10 Places I'd Like for Claranormal to Hunt Ghosts

Call it a wish list, because that's what it is, in essence. Most of these places we'll not likely get to do, but never say never...

1. The White House.
Honest Abe is said to still walk the halls of this place, where every President except for George Washington has lived. Abraham Lincoln was seen during World War 2, during a visit by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Mr. Churchill had just finished a bath while enjoying a cigar and some liquor and was returning to the adjoining Lincoln bedroom, naked - save for his still burning cigar. When he entered the Lincoln bedroom, standing there was none other than the ghost of Abraham Lincoln. "Good evening Mr. President. You seem to have me at a disadvantage" said Churchill, as Abe smiled and faded away. This is one ending to the story of this historic meeting. Another says they stared at each other, obviously embarrassed as Abe faded away. I prefer the former story.
Bottom line, who wouldn't love to meet Abraham Lincoln? Or Dolly Madison, who is said to occasionally totter through as well.

2. Gettysburg.
This horrific battle at this imfamous site, during this horrendous war, harbors more ghosts than one can shake a stick at. It's big too, so I think a week or two would do the job.

3. Paramount Studios
Free reign, especially in the area which housed Desilu. I'll add to this entry all the other movie studios as well. With all the larger than life personalities who have worked in all these studios, many of whom were nothing like their screen personas, and the ordinary people who toiled there, I know there has to be a gaggle of roaming spirits.

4. Goldfield, NV
This applies to the Goldfield Hotel, as well as the town itself. I think the town gets largely overlooked by paranormal investigators because of the fame of the hotel, and if we ever go there, I'd like to focus on the town as well, or even exclusively.

5. Grauman's Chinese Theater
Are you kidding, you might ask. Nope. I suspect that just as the hand and foot prints of Hollywood's greatest are imprinted in concrete, there are an order of magnitude greater number of people's imprints holed up there. Probably some actives too.

6. USS Hornet
I'll add to this entry warships in different regions as well, such as the USS Missouri, and the USS New Jersey.

7. USS United States
The swiftest cruiseship ever sits moldering in Philadelphia. There has even been rumors that it's to be scrapped. This is a shameful fate for a record holder of her stature, and I hope some group comes forward and saves her. Whether she stays in disrepair at the dock, or gets scrapped, I'd love to do a ghost investigation there. I'm nearly certain that there are echos of the past embedded in her hull, and one or two active spirits keeping vigil.

8. The Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, Ca
The Roosevelt has at least two inprinted ghosts living there, for lack of a better word, and maybe some actives, though I doubt it. From http://ghosts-hauntings.suite101.com/article.cfm/haunted_hollywood_roosevelt_hotel:
Famous psychic Peter James investigated the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in 1992. He detected the ghost of Montgomery Clift in room 928 and sensed the strong presence of Marilyn Monroe in the Tropicana Bar. He also felt the presence of Humphrey Bogart near the elevator and Carmen Miranda in a 3rd floor hallway. In the Blossom Room, he discovered Betty Grable and Edward Arnold.

9. The Whaley House in San Diego.
Unfettered access is what I mean. There are tours there often, but I'd like for us to have a full day (or three) access to document activity in this facility. I'm skeptical about the Whaley House, as I feel nothing when I envision it, but I've been wrong before.

10. Queen Mary
Yes, we've done this to death, as have countless others, but again, I'm talking about free reign, unfettered access. I think we could prove or disprove, inside a week, ABSOLUTELY ALL of the purported ghost activity there. And probably get answers as to the why, how and who's of it all.

11. Winchester House
Yes, it's a top 10 list, and this is number 11. If you don't like it, too bad. Deal with it.
I'm super skeptical about this place. I think many times people hype themselves up to the point where seeing and hearing things becomes a self fulfilling prophesy. I believe that is the case at the Winchester House. Now, if they's invite us to spend a few days to prove my theory wrong, we'd be there in a heartbeat.

Honerable mentions
These didn't make the list, and easily could have had my thinking been different when I sat down to write this.

Hearst Castle.
I've never been there, but I've seen a lot of pictures. Oh, what a marvelous place! What I'd give to do a ghost hunt there. If I had lived there, I would definitely continue on after death.

Scotty's Castle, Death Valley
I've been there once, and though no ghost stories were told, I did feel a presence or two, without a doubt. Mainly I think I picked up on imprints, as I could envision things there slightly differently, as if at differnt points in time, the most poignant was a scene looking at the big wooden doors to the courtyard just after a rare rain squall. It was a sunny, cloudless day when we went, but I could see the moisture on the ground, and overcast skies, as if I were looking though someone elses eyes.

Site of the Cooper Murders.
I'm not going to mention the actual name of this place, though I do know it, know the real address, know who the current owners are, as I researched this place throuroghly a few months ago when we thought (in error) that we would be able to gain access to this property for an investigation. I've never been there though.
Ever since I read in the newspaper over 25 years ago about the horrific crime which occurred at this location, I have felt very deep, shocked sorrow for those who lost their lives, and I know without a doubt that at least one of them stayed behind. I have reason to believe now that there are two. I have also been told by someone supposedly in the know that there is a LOT of anger and hostility at this location, and that it is better left alone. Well, that sounds an aweful lot like a challenge to me, and we're up for it. A cleansing needs to be preformed there. And those left behind need to be convinced to leave. If that means them telling their story, let's hear it, I say.

There's probably more which aren't coming to mind at the moment, but if I think of them later, I'll post them. In the meantime I invite you to post yours as well.

Paranormal Activity, the movie.

Tonight I went down to the local RedBox and rented Paranormal Activity, the Movie. This was my first time watching it, and in choosing a single word to describe this movie in my own opinion, I found that I just couldn't do it. So a string of single words will have to suffice.
Sucked, terrible, stupid, lame, waste, of, money, dumb, goofy, overhyped, bad, etc.
RedBox is only a one dollar rental fee, and I feel I'm owed a dollar. Had I paid a small fortune to watch this in a theater, with the cost of tickets, popcorn, milk duds, and soda, all of the above would have been in danger of flying at the screen. This provided that I hadn't already ingested same out of boredom. Another word: Anti-climactic.
One thing could have saved this film and it's reputation. Had they ended it after the girl walked down stairs in her trance and started yelling, the guy running down to assist her and all the noise ceaseing at that point, movie over, it would have pissed me off, but I would have gotten it. I would have finished the movie thinking "You clever bastard film maker. You built the suspense to a high level and left me with it when I go to bed tonight." Instead they show the guy's body hurled into the room (made me think of chimps tossing poop, btw) the entranced girl coming in, smiling at the camera then morphing as she obstensively enters the camera. STUPID ending to a STUPID movie!
On the acting, I think everybody did a really good job. Special effects were ok, but the black velcro strap on the girl's ankle as she was pulled out of the bed should have been taken out post production. As a paranormal investigator, I'd say they got the facts pretty much right. Burning the cross was unneccesary, except maybe it's demise made the ending possible. The slamming doors seemed to serve little purpose in advancing the movie, but it did add shock value.
Script discontinuity alert: they always went to be about midnight, but on the only shot that shows outdoors, they're locking up, arming the alarm, he pulls the shades to check a window, and it's clearly about 7 PM outside, or 6 AM, twilight to be sure.
Buy it? don't waste your money. Rent it? I wouldn't. Borrow it from a chump friend who bought it. Give them a dollar. Help them recoup some of their loss.