I got home the other night from an investigation of, ironically, the Granada Theater, which we did in combination with Yussi Paranormal's rather large group to find a hateful post on YouTube regarding one of our earlier Granada Theater EVP videos.
"You guys are fake as hell!! Stop making stupid-ass videos...No wonder there are so many skeptics out there!" is what this guy had to say.
I guess the saying is correct, if you don't have haters, you're not doing it right.
So I deleted this spew, and wrote him back a polite, yet stern email letting him know that:
A) Everything we do is 100% real. We don't fake anything, never have, and never will. There are countless people who can, and will attest to this.
B) Defamation, such as libel and slander, can cost a gob of money to defend against, so, regardless of the stresses that he faces in life that cause him to snipe at people while hiding behind the Internet, he should really know what he's talking about before spewing his hate.
C) That maybe his visceral public reaction was due to this EVP sounding too good to be true, to be real. Well, it is real, it is true, so get over it.
In this vein, I published both the previously unpublished forward version of this EVP and the previously published (in video format) backward "Get Out" version in MP3 format on YoureOn.net. They were uploaded there because, unlike YouTube, you can upload straight audio there without it having to be attached to a video, and people can download said audio items.
Reverse version: http://youreon.net/audio/31/granada-basement-reverse-version
Forward version: http://youreon.net/audio/30/granada-basement-get-out-evp-played-forward
Forward version of basement EVP
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Paranormal Certification
Ok, I've been keeping quiet on this for a long while, but I think the time has come to do some "debunking." We don't like to trash talk people or groups, and we don't like to bring negative discourse into play, but sometimes one must stand up and bring attention to that which is not right. Debunking is a term that we seldom use, because of the negative connotations that accompany that word. Reference.com's definition of "debunk" is: "to expose or excoriate (a claim, assertion, sentiment, etc.) as being pretentious, false, or exaggerated: to debunk advertising slogans." Synonyms include: "disparage, ridicule, lampoon."
Well, I'm not going to disparage anyone, nor lampoon anyone, but some ridicule is definitely called for and appropriate.
Straight to the heart of the matter: There is no such thing as actual, real paranormal certification, nor are there any degrees or certifications at accredited colleges or universities in this field. They simply don't exist, except as attachments to other courses, such as psychology degrees.
I cite this article from Yahoo answers, and this from the same source, and lastly, and I think the most important one from oddempire.org.
I'm not saying in any way that instruction, or learning from established people in the paranormal field is wrong, bad, or fraudulent, but if somebody asks you for money for a "certification," run. Run fast, run far. Don't look back. The same applies to "investigators" and ghost hunters who want payment for their investigative and ghost hunting services. In fact, many are likely the same exact people!
On that note, if a group, say, the hypothetical "Paranormal Reasearch and Investgations of Central Kentucky," or P.R.I.C.K. (what's with all the acronyms in this field anyway? Just because T.A.P.S. is an acronym doesn't mean you have to be too! Think for yourselves!!!) wants to offer a course which would then lead to a certification marking you as a holder and follower in their beliefs, in THEIR practices, (wouldn't that make you a P.R.I.C.K. Holder?) fine. Let it be marked as such. But realistically, you would then have to identify yourself as such, a P.R.I.C.K. certified group or investigator, or a P.R.I.C.K. Ghost Hunter, not simply a CERTIFIED investigator, lest you mislead the general public into believing you are something you're not.
Now for those of you who insist on being certified, we have just the ticket for you! For the low, low price of just $10, we'll be happy to send you this!
Larger version here

Well, I'm not going to disparage anyone, nor lampoon anyone, but some ridicule is definitely called for and appropriate.
Straight to the heart of the matter: There is no such thing as actual, real paranormal certification, nor are there any degrees or certifications at accredited colleges or universities in this field. They simply don't exist, except as attachments to other courses, such as psychology degrees.
I cite this article from Yahoo answers, and this from the same source, and lastly, and I think the most important one from oddempire.org.
I'm not saying in any way that instruction, or learning from established people in the paranormal field is wrong, bad, or fraudulent, but if somebody asks you for money for a "certification," run. Run fast, run far. Don't look back. The same applies to "investigators" and ghost hunters who want payment for their investigative and ghost hunting services. In fact, many are likely the same exact people!
On that note, if a group, say, the hypothetical "Paranormal Reasearch and Investgations of Central Kentucky," or P.R.I.C.K. (what's with all the acronyms in this field anyway? Just because T.A.P.S. is an acronym doesn't mean you have to be too! Think for yourselves!!!) wants to offer a course which would then lead to a certification marking you as a holder and follower in their beliefs, in THEIR practices, (wouldn't that make you a P.R.I.C.K. Holder?) fine. Let it be marked as such. But realistically, you would then have to identify yourself as such, a P.R.I.C.K. certified group or investigator, or a P.R.I.C.K. Ghost Hunter, not simply a CERTIFIED investigator, lest you mislead the general public into believing you are something you're not.
Now for those of you who insist on being certified, we have just the ticket for you! For the low, low price of just $10, we'll be happy to send you this!
Larger version here
Monday, June 7, 2010
New stuff, new places, new faces
6-07-2010
Well, we got a little more time at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, found Valentino's crypt, said hi, and walked the mausoleum he's interred in. We also found Peter Finch, which was a surprise. Still, we had just under an hour there, really not even close to enough time to do even the most basic set up, but one does what one can.
We also spent some time in the "gone too soon" section, the children's section, which just makes me sad. At least it's a little lifting to see the care people put into these plots, but not lifting enough to get over the sadness.
After HFC, we ambled over for a day trip to Suicide Bridge in Pasadena, and by the time we got done we discovered a few things. One is that there are homeless people living in the bushes there, though they don't seem to bother the park users. Another is that the area under the 110 freeway bridge is awesome, like a huge, gray, concrete cathedral. I don't mean it's ornate, but just awe inspiring. There's about 3 acres of dirt beneath this overpass, which is a good 250 feet above your head, and that which is above you is graceful curving concrete arches. It was worth the trip just to experience that. The last thing learned was a lesson I have already learned, but didn't follow, and that is to dress appropriately. By the time we got done climbing around the underside of the bridge, we were soaked through with sweat, and I, the idiot I am, am in semi-dress clothes, and didn't bring a change.
Suicide Bridge is the only place where we've ever been blanked. Ok, not entirely blanked, in that we did get the picture of the thing we call "Satchel" last time, but that picture is so open to interpretation. So going there was part investigation, part mission. I dislike it when we spend time and get nothing, so hopefully we caught something this time. We won't review the evidence from this day trip for a couple of days, but when we do we will be thorough.
After that we cruised up to Lucky Baldwin's Pub in old town Pasadena to meet up with the Yussi Paranormal group. Justin and Steve got there early and had a bite to eat (and coffee), and by the time they were done Yussi had shown up, and his group began to arrive. If you're in the SoCal area and want to go on a ghost hunt, or are just curious, we're always open to visitors, and I also recommend you check out Yussi's group. We enjoyed meeting everybody in Yussi's group, each being really great people, and are thankful for the opportunity to hang with them.
From the pub we went, of all places, back to Suicide Bridge with Yussi Paranormal, this time focusing on the upper deck, something we've never done. There are a couple of particular places on this bridge where I was literally overcome with emotion, from desperation to extreme sadness. This should come as no surprise, as there have to be scores of imprinted emotions on this aptly named bridge, there having been well over a hundred people ending their lives there.
We'll review our evidence over the next couple of days and see if we caught anything, and if so, it'll be posted on the appropriate pages. Hopefully the ladies and gents with Yussi's group caught stuff as well, especially this being their gig.
Well, we got a little more time at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, found Valentino's crypt, said hi, and walked the mausoleum he's interred in. We also found Peter Finch, which was a surprise. Still, we had just under an hour there, really not even close to enough time to do even the most basic set up, but one does what one can.
We also spent some time in the "gone too soon" section, the children's section, which just makes me sad. At least it's a little lifting to see the care people put into these plots, but not lifting enough to get over the sadness.
After HFC, we ambled over for a day trip to Suicide Bridge in Pasadena, and by the time we got done we discovered a few things. One is that there are homeless people living in the bushes there, though they don't seem to bother the park users. Another is that the area under the 110 freeway bridge is awesome, like a huge, gray, concrete cathedral. I don't mean it's ornate, but just awe inspiring. There's about 3 acres of dirt beneath this overpass, which is a good 250 feet above your head, and that which is above you is graceful curving concrete arches. It was worth the trip just to experience that. The last thing learned was a lesson I have already learned, but didn't follow, and that is to dress appropriately. By the time we got done climbing around the underside of the bridge, we were soaked through with sweat, and I, the idiot I am, am in semi-dress clothes, and didn't bring a change.
Suicide Bridge is the only place where we've ever been blanked. Ok, not entirely blanked, in that we did get the picture of the thing we call "Satchel" last time, but that picture is so open to interpretation. So going there was part investigation, part mission. I dislike it when we spend time and get nothing, so hopefully we caught something this time. We won't review the evidence from this day trip for a couple of days, but when we do we will be thorough.
After that we cruised up to Lucky Baldwin's Pub in old town Pasadena to meet up with the Yussi Paranormal group. Justin and Steve got there early and had a bite to eat (and coffee), and by the time they were done Yussi had shown up, and his group began to arrive. If you're in the SoCal area and want to go on a ghost hunt, or are just curious, we're always open to visitors, and I also recommend you check out Yussi's group. We enjoyed meeting everybody in Yussi's group, each being really great people, and are thankful for the opportunity to hang with them.
From the pub we went, of all places, back to Suicide Bridge with Yussi Paranormal, this time focusing on the upper deck, something we've never done. There are a couple of particular places on this bridge where I was literally overcome with emotion, from desperation to extreme sadness. This should come as no surprise, as there have to be scores of imprinted emotions on this aptly named bridge, there having been well over a hundred people ending their lives there.
We'll review our evidence over the next couple of days and see if we caught anything, and if so, it'll be posted on the appropriate pages. Hopefully the ladies and gents with Yussi's group caught stuff as well, especially this being their gig.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)