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I am the Founder of a paranormal group in North Central Mississippi.  We are a young group, but also the only known scientific based group in the area.  All around our location there are reports of paranormal activity and yet nothing within our general area or investigation.  Considering the history of the North Central Mississippi area, it makes absolutely no sense at all for there to be no witnessed paranormal in the area.

 So I guess this is a question more than it is a direct posting, "Are other groups noticing a decline or a rise in reports of activity and a decline or a rise in requests for investigations?"

I am starting to wonder why it is that we are nearly through this entire year and all we tend to do is train.  The other aspect of this I have to wonder, if there are people, prospective clients, who are talking with group members about contacting us, why they just wait forever or if there is another reason.  I think it is perfectly reasonable for someone to make a choice of to have the investigation done or not.  Some people feel it isn't really necessary, and that's fine, but it still brings the field no where closer to getting the data that is needed to put together the big picture.

I think that if one is afraid of "what will the neighbors think?" then that if fine, it is ok to want to keep up with the Jones's, but at the same time if it is necessary to put up a front like that then is that being realistic with yourself in your current situation.

Everyday, investigators and group members of paranormal groups are pawed at by sceptics and just generaly mean spirited people because they publicly voice what they believe and want to find answeres.  At the least a person can do that is experiencing things that disturb them is to make the choice to call in a group to gather evidence if they do not feel comforatable with investigation, do not have the skills or the equipment to investigate.  I have heard too much hear say from people to the degree of: "...they want an investigation done, but are just not sure of that right now..."  And no answer is given for why not.

Please do not think I am trying to hastle prospective clients or others around or near the field about this matter, I think it's just time we stop worrying so much about what the neighbors think and take care of our own house when there are people willing to help.

Just a quick note, that I am back and checking in every so often here and there.  I do stay fairly busy with things these days but as always I am available through HMPR's communications systems including the e-mail.  To Visit HMPR Click Here.  All of our communications can be located through the information on the site.  Enjoy the ride.....

Basic Kit - Low Cost 

These are tested to be well enough to investigate a case on a small scale. The heavy equiptment is nice, but it really doesn't take all that.

Very basic Necessary Equipment:
These items are cheap, easy to obtain, and can fill a small case.

Business Cards: Include your name and contact information.
Notebook and Pens/Pencils: Notebooks are used to keep case notes, log records of events, and personal journal information.
Flashlights/Candles: Have at least two flashlights with extra batteries.
Tape Recorder and Blank Tapes: Use a good full size tape recorder and a separate external, static free microphone. Always use brand new blank tapes. Never record over old tapes.
Tape Measure: 10 to 50 feet.
Wristwatch.
Thermometer: A thermometer can detect changes in room temperature. It's good to carry an old fashion, red line thermometer. There are electronic (digital) thermometers on the market that are good, but in some cases where electromagnetic forces have been reported they fail.
Compass: Great for navigation, and also used for picking up those electromagnetic forces. A compass will react to any magnetic or electrical stimuli that are reported in haunting cases.
Chalk: White or colored chalk. Used to mark areas and cleans off easy.
Area Maps: If possible.
Cotton balls for putting by window and under door to determine movement.
Talcum powder: To put on the floors to detect movement.
Liquid Level Ruler: Used to determine slanted areas.
First Aid Kit: Always have a first aid kit ready.
Personal ID and some Spare Cash: Never leave home without them.

Batteries

Yeah, bet you didn't see that one coming. but if you have all this equipment and it all discharges from one apparition, you are down till you can get them recharged or replaced.

I highly suggest a mass of batteries, at least two or three changes available for every device that is in use. Don't forget the EMF, Electronic Thermometers, most all cameras, and just about everything else you are carrying requires a specific battery to operate.

In instance of the security systems and DVR systems as well as any laptop computers or other monitoring devices utilized for investigation that runs on 110 volt AC should be plugged into a battery back up unit (i.e. an APC). This will allow you at least time to save everything before the power is completely gone.

There are a lot of flash lights out there. However, for the money, they army surplus "L" light is probably the best option. These are tough flashlights and include filter lenses so as not to interfere with the capture of encounters.

Flashlights

I certainly do not suggest running around without a flash light at all. I also would suggest each member have a dependable personal light (i.e. mini-mag light) for in the event of emergencies and total loss of power. The better shielded the casing the better it will protect the batteries.

Logbook 

The logbook can be used to keep track of time of experiences as well as where, who it was, and the action that occured. There really is no limit though, you can make the form as large as you need, just make sure you have the forms in the logbook so the activity can be documented.

Digital Video Recorder

This recorder allows us to capture the video from the surveillance cameras for later review. The digital format makes it easy for us to record hours and hours of footage from all (4) cameras at the same time. It can then be played directly to a monitor (TV or computer) or transfered to DVD or video tape.

Low Light Surveillance Camera System


This system should consists of (4) 0 lux camera with mounting stands that can be placed throughout the building. They are usually placed in the "hot spots" of paranormal activity and act as our eyes in rooms where we are not present.

Remember, placement is key with these cameras. Setup prior to begining of the investigation will determin what they do for you. So make sure you have them where you need them when you go lights out.

Camcorders

Most of you are familiar with video camcorders. We use these devices either as a hand held camera to be taken with the investigators as they tour the premises or as a staionary camera to be placed in remote locations that at far from the reach of our cabled camera system. Camcorders come in various formats including; 8mm, Hi8, DVC, DVD, digital and even VHS. We have the ability to convert all these formats to more easily viewed ones (such as converting all video to DVD or VHS).

Because of the low light conditions that filming is usually taking place, an equipped night shot or low lux (0 lux) option should be available. This will allow you to capture more footage without disturbing the environment for need of light as well.

Still Photography Cameras

Cameras come in many shapes sizes and formats, and all of our members should have at least one camera of their own. We follow the "if you feel you want to take a picture, take one" philosophy, where investigators are encouraged to take photographs where and when they feel the urge (while being courteous of the clients wishes and being careful not to disturb other investigators, of course). We use both digital and film photography. Digital however is the primary method of image capture.

Remember, reviewing the images is really the hard part of the whole picture taking process, it is vitally important that all frames are reviewed. If there is a discovery in any images, it should be able to hold up to scrutiny, always inspect the flash patterns and note any reflective objects. This in combination with moisture and dust can make a house look like it is a party house for ghost. Just remember, if you can't believe what you are looking at, a septic will rip it to shreds. Never delete pictures off the camera, all photos should be backed up and at least reviewed before disposal all together.

I highly suggest the use of negative to view any images along with the regular photo. Any changes to be made to an image should be made to a copy only. Once an image has been altered in anyway, it is useless as evidence.

Audio Recorders

The deployment of several audio recorders, some digital, some analog (IE: cassette tape) is to attempt to capture a spirits voice. Electronic Voice Phenomena (or EVP) is the term used when a spirit’s voice is captured on an audio recording device. Many times the voice is not heard during the investigation and is discovered while reviewing the audio recordings. While reviewing the audio from an investigation we employ headphones and digital audio computer programs to hear the EVP’s more clearly.

When planting a recorder of any kind, especially an analog recorder use of an omni-directional microphone helps isolate the raw audio you wish to collect from the noise of the gears inside the recorder.

The best of course is the digital audio recorder because of the lack of moving parts and the variety of ways the can be used for EVP.

Use of a White Noise generator has been said to enhance the reception of EVPs.

Electro-Magnetic Field Detectors

Most leaders in the field of paranormal investigation believe that spirits exist in an energy state. It is also believed that when a spirits gathers its energy in an attempt to contact the living, it can be measured. One of the devices we use to measure this "distubance of energy" is an Electro-Magnetic Field Detector. Electro-magnetic fields (or EMF) are given off by most electrical appliances and electrical services (ie: outlets, breaker box). So it is important to be aware of any normal causes of EMF’s and not to include them in our paranormal experiences. In general, most normal EMF's are constant and occupy the same space as the device generating them, so they are pretty easy to run down.

A EMF from a spirit however would move around, but not always the case. This is where a thourough walk through and documented natural hot spots of EMF are located.

The over exposure to EMF man made, natural, or paranormal, can cause health conditions as well as an altered state of consious.

Digital Thermometers


It is widely believed in the field of paranormal research, that as a spirit attempts to contact the living world it must gather energy. One of the phenomena that can happen during this gathering is a cold (or warm) spot. We can measure this with a thermometer. We use digital thermometers because they react quickly and give us an easily readable display. It is important to seek out any natural or man made causes for cold spots before entertaining the thought of the paranormal cause. Even a small draft into a room may cause temperature fluctuations.

The best digital thermometer uses an infrared beam to read a spot and also has an air temp probe mounted to the unit with dual read outs. This way you can use the spot probe and at the same time monitor the air temp. The air probe alone is a little bit easier to use and will give excellent results. The only down fall of the infrared beam thermometers is the need to point it to a location and get a reading. However temperature fluctuations can be read fairly well off of a non dense object that occupies the same space as the temperature fluctuation.

No matter the choice in equipment, you should carry the device with you at all times during an investigation so you can document the changes with an instrumental reading as evidence.

Afterword

Remember, all of what is here is for reference.  As always, the field is learning and experimenting with new equipment widely, and finding new uses for various equipment.  Equipment can become expensive, always remember to get what you need to conduct investigations at the level you need them for.  Over use of equipment when unnecessary is waste and not only for the money it takes to purchase it, but also manpower and resources it consumes, so choose wisely.

The first and most important thing to remember is to arrive (with prior written permission) with open-minded skepticism. Start by proving the "not." Search for and rule out any natural causes. We need to be aware of natural occurring events that can mock paranormal activity. Misinterpreting normal sounds can happen quite easily. The foundation of a building should be checked for shifting and cracking. Plumbing needs to be ruled out. Leaking, rattling pipes, or even air pressure in pipes, can cause odd noises, wet spots, faucets that seem to turn on by themselves, etc. Electrical problems can often appear ghostly in nature also. Weather conditions should be checked. Also the soil content can make a difference. If there is a large content of clay and/or chalk, settling can occur after wet weather causing odd noises and shifting. Underground water sources, tunnels, mine shafts, etc., have been known to echo odd ghostly noises. Banging water pipes, shutters, and design faults in structures can also mimic scary noises.

Nearby railroad tracks can cause rattling that can make objects appear to move. Squirrels nesting between walls or in the attic, or even other rodents and/or insects can make odd noises. If natural causes are ruled out, then we move on to beginning an actual investigation.

Before going to the location of an investigation, it is important that each member present knows what their position will be for the evening.

Equipment is delegated to different members. If it will be a long investigation, positions can be traded off so that everyone gets a chance to do each position and use the equipment. This is also a way to get corroborating evidence. I like to have one group who knows the history vs. one who doesn't. In the group that I am currently working with most often, Wisconsin Ghost Investigations, members mostly have their own equipment. However, if there is a member who has two of something, or more than they can handle, they often hand off something to someone who does not. It is extremely important that each member really knows the equipment that they are using. People are divided into groups with team leaders. We then decide who will be driving and riding with who. That way we don't all show up in our own vehicles at a location looking conspicuous.

Upon arriving at the location, the group as a whole meets with the property owner. They then divide up into the groups. One group is in charge of an initial walk-thru of the premises. I like to have a "sensitive" type person in the group walking around. One member makes maps of the location, the "sensitive" person marks locations of interest to them, and another takes initial readings of time, temperature, humidity levels, emf readings, etc. All natural sources of energy are clearly mapped. Stationary equipment can be set up at this time. Another group is with the persons requesting the investigation. They are signing papers to give permission to do the investigation and to post evidence collected. An interview is then conducted of those people involved with the suspected haunt. All information possible is obtained. The interview needs to be recorded and detailed notes taken. Try to get full and complete details. Events that have occurred should be recreated if at all possible to rule out any natural causes. One example of this may be a door that mysteriously opens when you walk towards it could easily be a loose floor board. If there is a pattern to activity, measures should be made to document the area at that time. Try to do as many field experiments as possible.

The interview is very important. It is important to ask pointed, direct, in depth questions.


Look for patterns in activity. Repeat important questions to look for consistency. Rule out any doubts that you may have. You need to make the people involved as comfortable as possible. Keep your personal intuitions to yourself and keep the media uninvolved as it can tamper with evidence. Witnesses can be often be unintentionally influenced. Take detailed notes, it will help when writing the report later. If you believe that it could be a hoax, they are lying, unstable, or whatever, try to rule that out also. After the interview, this group does a walk thru, noting areas on the map where the people involved have had experiences, and any variances in readings of equipment. It is interesting to see how this can corollate with intuitive feelings of the other group, as well as equipment readings. The entire thing should be documented on film. EMF readings need to be taken, temperature and humidity readings documented, photos taken, camcorder walk-thru, other equipment used and documented, etc. Stationary equipment is watched and checked on often. Details should later be checked. A historical research of the building can also be done later if necessary either by you or the family involved. Public libraries and local historical societies can be a huge help with this tedious activity.

The last thing that is important with the investigation is to follow up. Sorting thru all the evidence and photos for any type of anomalies to study. It is important to have others look at everyone's stuff too to make sure nothing was missed. Then reports are given to the people and posted on the webpage.

I know that this seems like a lot of information. I did not cover how to use the equipment here, or tips on how to use them or how to be on an investigation. Please see the other areas on the web site for that information. I do not claim to know everything, or do it the way that others do. I am merely sharing with you the way that I have found to work the best for me. And by all means, if this is your hobby, don't forget to have fun!

Digital cameras are principally characterized by their image resolution or mega-pixel capacities; from low-resolution (less than 1 mega-pixel) to high-resolution (greater than 1 mega-pixel) to advanced high-resolution (4 mega-pixels or more). The camera's resolution is the most critical feature in producing high-quality photographs.

The computer is the central component in digital photography. It stores and displays the digital images from the digital camera and enables those images to be printed on a variety of digital printers. Because of the huge amount of data contained in high-resolution digital images, the computer should have adequate memory and storage capacities. In addition to these two key elements, the computer should have high-speed interfaces to the camera and printer, as well as a fast CPU to control the image processing functions. The recommended computer configuration for processing digital images is provided below:

* CPU Speed: 1.4 GHz
* Main Memory: 128 MB RAM
* Hard Drive Storage: 20 GB
* Interfaces: High-speed interfaces to match your camera and printer, such as Firewire or USB 2.0

Using Photoshop to compare the density levels of selected objects

The Histogram dialog gives you everything you want to know, and then some.
First, you should convert the image to grayscale. This rules out color variations from skewing the results.

First figure out what particular pixel you plan to sample, and what range of similar pixels is appropriate to include in the sampling. Set the Wand tool appropriately.
You click on a particular gray area with the wand, then pull up the Image > Histogram dialog to get the statistics.

Move your mouse very slowly over the lines and you'll see that each vertical row of pixels represents a single level in the selected group of pixels. Theoretically you could assign specific "ailment" to a certain level or groups of levels.

1. Mean: the average brightness level for all the pixels in the selection
2. Std Dv: the average difference between the highest and lowest levels
3. Median: where the exact "middle" of the selected range occurs
4. Pixels: how many pixels are actually included in that selection
5. Level: gives you the numeric "level" of any line you hold the cursor over
6. Count: gives you the number of pixels in the selection which match the selected level
7. Percentile: how many pixels possess a value darker than the selected one


From that information you could (again, theoretically) build some fairly sophisticated analysis criteria for analyzing objects in your photographs. But there's so much more information there as well.

Suppose you've designated which specific levels or ranges of levels represent an ailment or condition or feature in the suspected object, mass for example.
Now you can use the Select > By Color command and select those levels (colors) which stand for the specific data searched for and the Histogram will give you the statistics of the selection. You could fine-tune that to a single value if you wanted to, then run the Histogram for the whole file.
Once you start playing around with the feature, and doing 'what-if' scenarios it becomes quite interesting.

A Spectral Selectivity Metric

A digital image can be treated as a data set to extract information. Each pixel's intensity value is a measure of how much energy was used to generate it within the band of spectrum used to produce the image.

The sum of the pixel intensities is a measure of the total energy used to create the whole image. Most digital imaging programs provide a histogram utility which can be used to examine the data set of an image.

The usefulness of these histogram utilities varies. Unfortunately, none of them seem to provide clipboard, copy and paste into a spreadsheet. Adobe Photoshop's histogram dialog is better than most. The illustration on the left is of the Photoshop v3 histogram and shows what data is available.


In some applications it is useful to obtain a single value which represents the sum of the energies used to create an image. The following equation is one way to accomplish this. When the exponent w is set to a value of 1, this equation will produce a result in the range of 0.00 to 100.00.

This is a linearly weighted percentage of possible energy. If every pixel in the measured area had a maximum intensity value of 255, the SensiMetric value would be 100. The exponent w can be used to weight the curve for a particular imaging application.

The denominator is the equivalent of 2.55 times total number of non zero valued pixels. For some applications, 2.55 times total number of pixels might be a better choice (sum from i=0 to 255). This equation is just a suggestion to get you started thinking about what is possible.
This concept of generating a numeric value need not always be applied to the entire image. For some applications it may be useful to break the image up into segments and calculate numeric values for each segment.

Some applications will need to compare values from different images shot over a period of time. Certain elements of the image may have changed position over this period of time. Partitioning the image into small sections allows these elements to be floated to obtain better image correlation. Software may need to be written for handling such tasks.


Computers create many possibilities for extracting information from images created with the methods of spectral selectivity. Each application for imaging using spectral selectivity will have its own characteristics and requirements. Careful evaluation of these will allow generation of useful methods.

Adobe Photoshop Raster Ops

The following table describes the raster ops (or combine and apply modes) available in Adobe Photoshop which are useful for spectral selection operations.

Raster Op Description Equation
Normal Regular pixel assignment P = A
Difference Absolute value difference of image A pixel and image B pixel P = abs(A-B)+abs(B-A)
Add Sum of image A pixel and image B pixel, overflow is truncated P = A+B
Subtract Subtraction of image B pixel from image A pixel, underflow is truncated P = A-B
Multiply Normalized multiplication of image A pixel with image B pixel P = normalize(A*B)
Darker Maximum of image A pixel and image B pixel P = max(A,B)
Lighter Minimum of image A pixel and image B pixel P = min(A,B)

IR Film Photoshop plug-in

The plug-in emulates the look of the infra-red film and it's designed to be usable with the landscape photos as well as portraits. Often unseen data in a unusual image can be brought out by using this plug in.

Features
Live preview of the final image
Innovative 'IR Bias' slider that makes the image look 'more' or 'less' 'infra-red' - useful for portraits
Ability to save and load settings
Full featured demo available
Technical details
Product supports both 8 and 16 bit RGB images
Photoshop 6 and up or Elements required
PC version available
Reading EXIF Image Data

EXIF stands for Exchangeable Image File Format, and is a standard for storing interchange information in image files, especially those using JPEG compression. Most digital cameras now use the EXIF format. The format is part of the DCF standard created by JEITA to encourage interoperability between imaging devices.

Digital camera owners study EXIF data to compare successful photos to those that are not. The information provides insight about how camera settings affect photo characteristics such as exposure, depth-of-field and subject movement.

EXIF data can be read by applications that support JPEG including web browsers, image editing and organizing programs, and some printer drivers. The drivers use the information to automatically enhance images, often resulting in a better looking prints. If an edited image is saved correctly, the data can be viewed online at photo hosting sites.

When photo editing, EXIF data can be lost if an image file is not saved correctly. EXIF refers to settings and scene information recorded by a digital camera and embedded within each file.

The method to preserve EXIF data varies among image editing programs, so.

check your manual. Photoshop 7 was used for to illustrate the correct way to save EXIF data in a jpeg

1- To preserve EXIF after editing an image, use the Save AS command (not Save or Save for Web) from the File menu. The Save As dialog window opens.

2- Next, select JPEG from the Format drop down menu, give the file a new name, then click the Save button.

3- When the next window opens, select quality settings between one and 12 (1= Lowest quality/most compression - 12 = Highest quality/lease compression). Select a number that gives you a good balance between image quality and file size.

The EXIF data will be embedded in the new file. As a reminder, always edit copies of originals. If you goof, you can start again using another copy of the original. EXIF data can also tell you if a image was manipulated using a image editor such as Photoshop.

Cruising around the net you often stumble across paranormal sites that refer to a hypothesis called Residual hauntings. Here is a typical description of that hypothesis.

“In a residual haunting, energy is released into an environment and the matter in that environment holds onto it. Matter is like a sponge and soaks up all the energy it can. Since a residual haunting is basically an energy imprint, there is no way to communicate.”

There is a definite problem with this whole idea. First of all it plainly shows that the person that made this statement has little knowledge of the science involved. So I’m going to explain that and then, using basic reasoning and more science, show you why this hypothesis holds absolutely no water at all.

The different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum have very different effects upon interaction with matter. Starting with low frequency radio waves, the human body is quite transparent. (You can listen to your portable radio inside your home since the waves pass freely through the walls of your house and even through the person beside you!) As you move upward through microwaves and infrared to visible light, you absorb more and more strongly. In the lower ultraviolet range, all the uv from the sun is absorbed in a thin outer layer of your skin. As you move further up into the x-ray region of the spectrum, you become transparent again, because most of the mechanisms for absorption are gone. You then absorb only a small fraction of the radiation, but that absorption involves the more violent ionization events. Each portion of the electromagnetic spectrum has quantum energies appropriate for the excitation of certain types of physical processes. The energy levels for all physical processes at the atomic and molecular levels are quantized, and if there are no available quantized energy levels with spacings which match the quantum energy of the incident radiation, then the material will be transparent to that radiation, and it will pass through.

Whenever electromagnetic radiation encounters matter one of three things can happen.

1. The electromagnetic radiation may undergo surface reflection. All electromagnetic reflections are governed by the same physical laws as reflections of visible light. Optics describes the general laws of reflection and may be applied to all types of electromagnetic reflections ranging from radio waves to gamma rays.

2. The electromagnetic radiation may be transmitted completely through the substance it encounters. If absolutely no energy is absorbed by the material, it is said to be transparent to the radiation. The velocity of the radiation is usually slower in the transparent medium and as a result the radiation usually undergoes refraction Various materials are transparent at various wavelengths. For example, lead glass is transparent to visible light but not X-rays, whereas several thicknesses of black paper sheets are transparent to X-rays, but not visible light. No known material is perfectly transparent.

3. The electromagnetic radiation may be totally or partially absorbed by the substance. In this process energy is transferred to the absorbing medium and this may cause significant changes to occur within the absorbing medium.

Because of the quantum nature of matter on atomic and molecular scales it has been discovered that energy can only be absorbed at the atomic or molecular level if the energy of the incident radiation exceeds a specific threshold value.

So the first problem with the Residual haunting hypothesis is that energy simply does not work that way. Just because a tragic event happens (and even if some type of energy is released) it is doubtful that the matter of the environment would absorb it. Energy cannot capture a moment in time (I addressed this in another post). The interactions of matter and energy are very well studied and often taught in high school level science classes. Yes, this is why scientists scoff at people making such claims.

One of the reasons why people came up this idea is by noting how television and radio work. They figure that if pictures and audio could be sent through the air, they could also be imprinted in environmental surroundings.

At low electromagnetic frequencies (long wavelength such as radio and TV), the energy transferred by the electromagnetic radiation is so low that it is only able to oscillate the free electrons that lie within the surface of metals. This type of radiation is called non-thermal radiation because it is generally produced and radiated by man-made electrical ocscillations in metallic conductors (wires) and not from high temperature objects.

To detect such weak radiation metal conductors are suspended in the air (aerials) and the slight oscillation of the electrons within the aerial is amplified to produce a measurable signal. The signal is then decoded and further amplified to produce sounds and images or to transfer digital information. Extraordinarily small (immeasurable) amounts of heat are transferred to the conductor in the process.
Now just for the fun of it, lets assume that through some unknown process, the “energy” of a tragic event actually is captured by the matter of its environment. Now we encounter problem number two of the hypothesis.
Somehow this captured energy has to be decoded and amplified by the human brain so that we can perceive the “haunting”. Now Michael Persinger has done quite abit of research showing that electromagnetic signals can influence the human brain causing hallucinatory experiences but the problem here is one of power.

The brain is protected by a natural insulator, the skull. If stray EM fields could cause a person to hallucinate then the EMF of your average cell phone would cause utter chaos. The field of the Residual haunting would have to be amplified tremendously and even then it is doubtful that it could cause any type of effect to the observer.

It is also doubtful that the energy released during the initial event could contain such information and again be decoded properly by the observer’s brain.

Finally there is the Law of Entropy. An especially important instance of this is the principle that all systems, by themselves, tend toward a state of minimum energy. All natural processes act to maximize the entropy of a system. Any system can temporarily sustain itself from the energy cast off by another system as it progresses towards its own state of maximum entropy, but ultimately the entropy of the entire ambient must irreversibly increase.

Understand, I am just laying out the general concensus of knowledge in the scientific field and what is known about these forces.  I have some theory that these forces are possibly present in different dimentional states, (Multi Dimensional Theroy).  If you will consider, if the speed of time is different, the frequency will decrease or increase with the increase or decrease in rate of exposure to speed of time.  This is simply because if you judge the rate of exposure at our speed vs. a faster speed of time, then from our perspective it would be that it was a higher frequency, when in fact within that dimensional time it could very well have been at the exact frequency as within our dimensional speed.

Confused?  Just think about a tape recorder.  If you slow down the tape the rate of play is reduced and you can noticably hear a difference in the recording, the recording is the same, however the rate is different, but if you slowed down time, to the same level as the playback device, you would hear the recording at the equal level of playback.  This of course is theory since we do not have a way to test this ideal, but, this makes perfectly good since as long as everything within the dimension moved at the same speed anyway, why would the hammer and anvil in your ear be any different as well as the other functions within your body that allow observation?

I would like to hear other people's thoughts on this idea.  I will be checking back on this post over time.

So yeah, I am a good bit late on this posting. The house buying extravaganza is draining me like the Corps of Engineers is draining the lakes. Anyway so here's the story:

Last week (believe it was Thursday,) I fell asleep in the chair. My Wifey and the Kiddo were watching TV and I was sitting in my chair cutting logs. So they saw a cat jump off the arm of the couch. Nothing odd about that until you realize that my cat doesn't climb on the back of the furniture or on the arms of the couch or chair, don't know why but in the 6 years I have had him, he won't sit up there if you put him there.

The more interesting part about this is that I am awoken to go to bed by my Wife and she says absolutely nothing to me about the cat. I then proceed to cut off lights in the house and when I am headed through to the kitchen I see what I believed was my cat Spookie, but somehow I knew, that isn't my cat, but how could it be another cat? ...... So now I just blow it all off as confusion and go to bed after stating "..... alright cat, I will let you stay in here tonight, but in the morning you got to go....."

When I got up in the morning, there was no cat in the house. I am the first one up in the morning, every morning. I get up at 4 O'Clock but however I figured Heather may have let Spookie out during the night. Headed out to the car I know for sure he's outside already. He was sitting on the concrete when I leave the house.

Now, here's where everything came together...... That night, Friday night we are just talking about the day and what the plans for the next day were and then Heather mentions me being knocked out in the chair the night before..... then tells me about the cat.... and that she knew it wasn't Spoo because she had put him outside earlier, and folks, I don't have any holes in my house that a cat can just fit through I assure you of that. Of course then I said something about the cat I saw in the chair in low light when I was cutting the lights off and Heather said, ".....yeah I heard you talking like you were talking to Spookie.... I thought you may have let him in by accident when you went out to smoke..." I then stated: " I didn't go outside after I woke up, I got something to drink out of the kitchen and went to bed, on the way to the kitchen is when I saw the cat "chillin" in my chair.

Interesting, huh. Now, here I am, an paranormal investigator since I was like 16 and I don't realize that something strange is happening around me till the next day. So I have absolutely no hard evidence taken from that night. I have however narrowed things down to what or who it might be and it is not bad thing either way, and if I had to guess what it's about, well, it has to do with the buying of this house. I think someone may think they are going to get left behind when we move, which is out of the question because family is always welcome as long as they are good people. This may very well be an object specific haunt that was experienced and I am all but certain where the center is for that activity. Anyway, I figured I would share this with everyone. Have a great week.

Apparition, better known as "ghosts," appear to be some form of the human mind (consciousness, personality, soul, spirit) that functions apart from the body and may survive the death of the body. Reports indicate that apparitions indeed act like "real" humans. They have the personality and emotions and act and dress like the person they were when alive. Reports of apparitions fall into four broad categories.

Crisis Apparitions: Apparitions of the dying or recently dead (usually less than twelve hours, but as much as 24-48 hours) are the most frequently reported of apparitions. This category commonly involves one-time visits to someone with whom the apparition has close emotional ties. Though the encounter usually seems to be a type of farewell, sometimes important and useful information is relayed to the "viewer." Though dying is the most common crisis, other life-threatening situations can also trigger apparitional visits. In these cases, the crisis apparition typically visits a close associate in an appeal for help.

Apparitions of the Dead: These are apparitions of people who have generally been dead longer than 12-48 hours. There are two subsets: 1) those that make one or several visits to someone (they may not have
known this person while alive) and 2.) the very rare cases of apparition
that linger for months or years around a particular location or person
that they associated with when alive. Apparitions of the Living: Also called bilocation, apparitions can be either spontaneous or intentional. In the case of spontaneous bilocation, the person whose apparition is seen is generally (though not always) unaware of his/her bilocation. Bilocation is considered intentional when the apparition can be connected to a person who was aware s/he was having an out of body experience (OBE), or with someone who was consciously trying to communicate with the person who witnessed his/her apparition.

Apparitions from another Dimension or Time: There are reports of apparitions who act as frightened of us as we are of them. In some cases, the apparitions indicate that we, not they are the ghosts. In reports such as these, the observed "ghosts" appear to be "normal" and "alive" as we know it, (although the setting and dress may be of a different era or locale). Given our incomplete understanding of time and space and the likelihood of additional dimensions, perhaps these rare reports indicate that two distinct spatial or time dimensions can somehow merge and coexist for a time.

Pseudo-Apparitions: Two other phenomena produce "ghosts" or apparition-like phenomena that are often confused with true apparitions. These are haunting apparitions and poltergeist phenomena. Haunting apparitions, at first glance, may appear very similar to apparitions of the dead. However, upon observation it becomes clear that they don not seem to possess intelligence or personality. Whereas a haunting, and the "images" seen or "sounds" heard," are repetitious "replays" of a past event that was somehow "recorded" by the environment of the location where it occurred, true apparitions allow for interaction, for two way communication, and display self awareness. The haunting apparition appears to be part of the event "recording" and communication or interaction with such a ghost is impossible (just as communication or interaction with a character you watch on TV is impossible while you're watching). Poltergeist phenomena involve physical disturbances caused by a living person (the poltergeist agent). The agent, due to unresolved emotional/psychological stresses, unconsciously uses a form of psychokinesis (mind over matter) to cause the physical disturbances In rare poltergeist cases, apparitions may be seen or heard. These apparitions are believed to be an unconscious telepathic projection from the mind of the agent that is "picked up" by some participants. These apparent mental projections of the agent do not display independent intelligence or personality. Often, such apparitions do not look human, but rather appear to be an archetypal reflection of the inner stress of the agent.

Witnessing an Apparition: Though most commonly seen or sensed (as in "sensing a presence"), apparitions are also reported to be heard, touched and smelled. When seen, they usually look solid to the touch, although they are sometimes reported as slightly transparent or with blurred edges. Often, the apparitions appears so lifelike that, unless the apparition is known to be dead, there may be no indication that s/he is a ghost until s/he vanishes. Typifying the person when previously alive, the apparition can change his/her age, style of dress, and emotional mood in a way that seems to relate to the self-image the apparition desires to project (i.e. when asked to mentally picture ourselves, we all tend to do so fully clothed). Not everyone present in a given location may perceive the apparition. This may be due to the sensitivity of the witness, the intent of the apparition, or a combination of both factors. Keep in mind that since perception is one part senses, one part information processing by the mind/brain, what is "seen" or "heard" may not have a truly physical external form (and thus couldn't be photographed or recorded by technology). When more than one person sees the apparition simultaneously, the different angles at which the apparition is observed are such that the apparition seems to be physically present, "correctly" occupying three-dimensional space. Apparitions appear to be capable of using the full range of their own psychic abilities. Thus, because they have no physical mouths, they communicate via telepathy. On rare occasion, apparitions have been known to interact with the physical environment (via psychokinesis).

Theoretical Explanations: If psi is our normal ability to communicate and interact with the environment in a way that is beyond our normal senses and muscles, then perhaps this psi ability can exist independently of our brains and bodies as a function of "higher intelligence," consciousness, soul, etc. Using this concept, someone whose body has died (or who is literally out of his/her body) could still be capable of communication or environmental interaction through psychic abilities. Thus, an apparition could send a telepathic message that, if received, would cause us to "see" his/her form, "hear" his/her words, "feel" his/her touch, "smell" his her cologne or scent, etc. However, these "sensations" are, again, purely of the mental or psychic. They are transmitted by one mind and received by another. They are not physical in the sense that a person's body stands before you and speaks. As such, they do not reflect light or create sound waves and thus cannot be photographed or recorded. In the same way that people use psychokinesis (PK) to do move objects mentally, so could the apparition theoretically use PK to do the same thing --- although reports of such occurrences with apparitions are rare). The movement of objects, if performed via PK, could be photographed (this in contrast with a telepathic hallucination of something moving, which could not be captured on film). Several alternative models of understanding have been proposed. Some suggest that apparitions have nothing to do with dead people or "consciousness outside a body," but are the result of telepathic transmissions and PK by living brains (those in their bodies). Others propose that apparitions are subjective mental images triggered by psychological stress or by geomagnetic or other environmental influences. While the parapsychological model/definition of an apparition is a consciousness without a body, these other models do account for a number of specific cases and should be considered by investigators in all cases before conclusions are reached. In addition, cases often include a variety of factors and models overlapping.

Practical Problem Solving: Regardless of theoretical model, apparitions seem to involve the manifestation of some form of human consciousness (whether the "ghost" is truly an outside consciousness or whether it is an hallucination generated by the viewer's brain, remains to be seen). Because some form of human consciousness is involved, communication with apparitions is possible. The apparition is often there for a reason that can be learned simply by asking. By directly addressing the apparition, the needs of both the apparition and the witness can be exchanged, opening the way for a solution that works for both participants. This type of diplomatic problem solving is typically very effective, but the fear, confusion and shock that most people experience in the presence of an apparition may make it difficult to ask the apparition questions. This seems to be related to a universal fear of the unknown, because apparitions, with extremely rare exception, have not been known to harm people. Of course, people have been injured, physically in their attempts to exit the scene at superhuman speed, and psychologically in their fear-ridden expectations of what could happen… During a investigation of an apparition, witnesses are taught the current understanding of apparitions and learn how to control/transform their fears. Because of the personal nature of most apparition visits, the witness is usually the only person who will ever experience the apparition. Thus, in the case of subsequent visits, it is generally his/her responsibility to address the "entity" if resolution is desired. Counseling is always recommended to people experiencing an apparition in order to integrate the experience, and specifically the fear and confusion, in a healthy manner.

In the German language, poltergeist literally means "noisy ghost." Indeed, poltergeist experiences are often noisy --- although the characteristic physical disturbances are no longer thought to be the work of "ghosts." Rather, current (since the 1950s) studies indicate that the poltergeist situation is caused by a living person, the poltergeist agent, who is typically involved simultaneously in another stress-inducing situation. While this is not always the case, it is explained in this section. The following are only theories and have yet to be proven by researchers.

RSPK: The Poltergeist Mechanism: During a poltergeist experience, the agent, in an attempt to relieve emotional stress, unknowingly causes the physical disturbances using mental forces. The mental mechanism that allows the poltergeist agent to unconsciously cause these physical disturbances is called psychokinesis. Psychokinesis, PK, more commonly known as "mind over matter," is the human ability to mentally affect the physical environment. Because the psychokinetic activity of the poltergeist agent is recurrent and spontaneous, this form of psychokinesis is termed RSPK or recurrent spontaneous psychokinesis. Most agents are unaware that they are causing the physical disturbances, and even those with vague awareness usually have no conscious control over how and when the disturbances will occur.

The Poltergeist Experience: In poltergeist cases, typical reported disturbances include strange noises and knockings, and objects moving about as if under their own power. Objects have been reported to fly about in bizarre trajectories, to crash to the floor and break, to break or shatter in place, and to disappear and reappear, sometimes in different locations. Beds are sometimes reported to shake and furniture to rearrange itself. In more rare cases, small, innocuous fires have started, water droplets or bursts have fallen from nowhere, stones have pelted homes, and vague apparition-like forms have been seen. Whatever the nature of the physical disturbances, poltergeist phenomena can inevitably be linked to an "agent."

The Poltergeist Agent: Though the agent can usually be narrowed down to one person, in some cases the agent appears to consist of two or more people who co-create a psychological dynamic that causes one or more of the people to mentally "set off" the physical disturbances. Studies and investigations show that agents are typically experiencing repressed or unresolved emotional stress. Adolescence is commonly a stressful life period (psychologically and physically) and not surprisingly, the majority of reported poltergeist cases involve adolescent agents (the age range is from 12 or 13 to early 20s). However, people of all age groups are potential poltergeist agents (although there has been a noticeable lack of agents under 10 or 11). Studies have also shown that people with epilepsy or epileptic-like activity in the brain are sometimes associated with poltergeist activity. This does not mean that everyone under stress or with epilepsy will be a poltergeist agent. In fact, the phenomenon is very uncommon, even though minor PK events may occur throughout someone's lifetime. Even in severe cases of repressed stress or epilepsy, poltergeist activity rarely occurs.

Patterns and Metaphors of Poltergeist Activity: With the exception of rare lengthy cases, poltergeist phenomena generally last from two to six weeks (short term 1 week, long term about 18 months). Cases are nearly always reported in homes, offices or workplaces – wherever a dynamic of human interaction takes place. Poltergeist activity, with its connection to unresolved stress, appears to be a rare form of stress relief. Instead of the stress releasing itself in "normal" ways, the agent unconsciously "blows off steam" with the PK activity. Patterns found in the disturbances are generally symbolic and can give clues as to the identity of the agent and the nature of the unresolved stress. Often object and area focused activity occur whereby the disturbances tend to stay with certain forms of objects or in certain locations in the physical environment. The disturbances often appear as metaphors to the causes of stress.

For example, sexual tension may be released through causing the bed to shake. Anger towards a certain person may be released by the agent causing items belonging to the target person to break. The rare outbreak of small fires may be associated with a general release of anger, whereas water is more often associated with grief (as in tears not being physically shed). More unusual cases involving guilt have resulted in the agent actually giving him/herself a psychokinetic "self-beating" displayed by the spontaneous manifestation of bruises or other marks of physical punishment. Other very rare poltergeist cases have involved sightings of apparition-like forms. These are not thought to be true apparitions (or ghosts – a consciousness operating outside of or after the death of his or her physical body). Rather, they are thought to be unconscious projections from the mind of the agent that are "picked up" telepathically by people associated with the agent (and of course, by the agent as well). These apparitional forms are often not human in appearance (in contrast to ghosts), and may even look like an archetypal "monster." As frightening as they may appear, these mental projections are harmless and are simply a reflection of the agent's inner psychological "monsters or demons." As with the physical activity, they are often a metaphor for the mental and emotional stress the agent is experiencing.

More subtle forms of poltergeist activity involve micro-effects whereby the agent mentally, though unconsciously, affects the functioning of technology (these are effects that occur throughout our lives). It is now known that technology such as watches, computers, telephones, photocopiers, etc. are apparently susceptible to PK. Similar to the large scale poltergeist effects, these micro-effects appear to be a form of stress-relief or a reflection of the mood of the agent, and the type of effect is often a clue as to the nature of the stress.

Practical Problem Solving: Since poltergeist cases have psychological stress and emotional dynamics at their core, investigations involve detailed observation of the human interaction present in such cases. All family members or co-workers are interviewed separately and en masse in order to assess the nature of the disturbances and the emotional interplay. Many personal questions are asked, and in some cases, medical information may be requested. Patterns in the disturbances are noted and participants may be asked to reenact scenes when the disturbances occurred. Because the investigation may alter the emotional dynamics, leading to difficulty in finding the agent, on some case the investigator(s) may request an extended stay on the premises in hopes that the dynamics return to their usual state. Throughout the study, "normal" disturbances are separated from those that may be "paranormal." Often the participants believe the disturbances to be the result of a ghost or outside entity. Because stressful emotional dynamics are at the core of such cases, this "ghost" is used as a scapegoat for the occurrences and even for the events or issues that are causing the stress in the first place.

In addition, people are often more sensitive to anything out of the ordinary in the environment during such situations. In many cases, participants may misinterpret overlooked physical occurrences with normal, though not obvious, normal explanations. Finally, because there is often a ghostly scapegoat to blame, there may be a mixture of real RSPK events with intentionally caused disturbances surreptitiously carried out by the agent and/or other participants. A lot can be done in the name of stress relief when there's a ghost present to take the blame. In cases such as this, the intentional disturbances are not generally an attempt to dupe the investigator, but are rather directed at other members of the family or group as a more "normal" form of stress relief. Such non-malicious fraud can make a poltergeist investigation very challenging. At worst, such "mixed" cases may be dismissed as normal when paranormal elements are actually present. The stress inherent in a poltergeist case, as well as the stress caused by one, does make counseling very important. Not only the agent, but all participants can benefit from individual or group counseling. Poltergeist activity tends to stop when the stress is identified, addressed or released, or when the stressful situation itself is identified, altered or ended. Poltergeist activity also tends to stop when the agent realizes he or she is responsible for the phenomena (and especially if the agent accepts responsibility for it). One the activity has ceased, follow-up therapeutic work may be crucial in order to help resolve the underlying causes of the poltergeist outbreak. Finally, for the poltergeist agent, there always exists the potential for learning to focus and apply this psychokinetic ability in positive ways.