Northeast Forensic Paranormal Research

Invitations to join “causes” the causes of making paranormal activity/investigating a science, creating standards, methodologies, accrediting people who perform investigations and so on. How about applying the sciences that actually allow the phenomenon to occur? By applying the sciences discussed below, you are taking this paranormal endeavor from a pseudo science and bringing it into the realm of actual hard science which will better serve the paranormal.

As you think about making paranormal investigating a “science” think about air travel. Air travel in of itself is not a science; however there is science that makes air travel possible, such as mathematics, physics, and aerodynamics and so on. This is the same for paranormal activity and investigating. In the paranormal you have mathematics, physics, that make paranormal activity possible however "Paranormal" is not and cannot be a ”science.”

If anyone wants to do something for the “cause” of making the paranormal a “science” then you should get a degree in the sciences that make paranormal activity and investigating that activity possible, then apply the science to investigating. In regards to “setting testing/investigating standards,” if you have or get a degree in the sciences that make paranormal activity and investigating that activity possible you will know that within those sciences standards of testing/investigating already apply.

A good example of standards and methodologies is in forensic photography. If you were to learn forensic photography you will learn that there is a very specific process that you use which if used correctly, you will establish objective proof of paranormal activity. For those who want to take this path of learning the sciences behind paranormal activity and the testing/investigating standards, a few good places to start are photography, audio electronics, forensic photography, forensic audio, bio physics, and physics.

Recently, I was asked to respond to this story and request for advise. I thought I would share this as a blog posting first is the parents story then is my response.

Parents Story

My 2 year old daughter just ran downstairs at 3:45am saying that a ghost came through her wall and tried to get her. Then she told me that it went through the door. Of course this is in so many words. But now she is scared to death to go in her room. I even asked her if she wanted me to stay with her. At first she said yes but when we got near her bed she wouldn't go near it. She grabbed her favorite blanket and her stuffed dog and is now sleeping on the couch. We just put an air conditioner in her room and I am wondering if that is what she heard or saw but it is nowhere near her bed. I do believe in spirits and over the years have heard strange things in the room. Every once in a while the cats will look up towards that room. When we hooked up the baby monitor it would sound like someone blowing in it. Like you would test a microphone. At first we thought that it was the cats checking it out but they were both in the living room sleeping. We are a dwelling of 3 apartments hooked together so it could have just been the neighbors and our overactive imagination. How do I get her to go back in her room? And how do I get a 2 year old to understand that there is no ghost in her room. I was afraid of the dark as a child so I have a nightlight in her room just in case. Could she just be seeing the shadows on the wall? Plz help. I don't know what to do for her. Thank You!

My Response

Many times adults will rationalize activity in order to allay their fears of not being alone in the location. Children and animals especially cats will see or experience ghosts more easily than adults, Why? no one is exactly sure however we do know children are more honest about what they experience and do not rationalize experiences the way adults do.

There is a lot going on here. What you have is a child that is confirming the experiences of the adults in this location. The confirmation also is supported by the cats who "look" in that direction from time to time. You need to be careful with cats though, many times they are looking at things that appear to be paranormal however are not. I have two cats and they often will chase or watch something that is "not there" but on close inspection it will be a very small bug or shadow that is from something none paranormal. Yes, the child could also be seeing none paranormal shadows as well.

The parents should not try and tell the child that there is not a ghost, they should take her statements as they are. If they start telling the child that there are no ghosts the child will be more confused and traumatized. The parents should explain that not all ghosts are bad or will hurt people. This will make it easier for the child to want to be in the room as opposed to ghosts being all bad and there is nothing going on it the room, it's your imagination. The parents should also understand that children will pick up on the parents fear even if the parents try to keep the information and stories from the children. Remember we are all animals, as with all animals there is the basic instincts of fight or flight and the children do and will pick up on the queues of the parents.

As far as the air conditioner, when you use an air conditioner you are taking water/moister out of the room and increasing the static electrical charge of the room. This atmosphere is consistent with hauntings and increased activity. There are a couple of things you can do to determine if it is the AC that she maybe responding to or if it is more. You can remove the AC and see if the child stops or continues to respond. Also, if there is real activity in the room the dry air that has a static charge may be increasing the activity. Once you determine if the child is just responding to the introduction of the AC or not, you may want to have the AC in the room but turned off. If the child is not responding to the introduction of the AC but is responding/experiencing the paranormal events when the AC is on this would help confirm the activity and the fact that the AC is helping to occur.

My question, (rhetorical) is why is it okay for the parents to say there is odd activity in the room but when the child does the parents want to explain it away? It appears that the parents are experiencing something in the home. The cats also appear to be responding to something. You have an experience with the baby monitor that the parents admit is not within the norm of the device, however when the child announces their experience the parents want to tell the child there is nothing going on. The only way to determine if there is activity is for a credible investigation.

One of the things you hear often in the paranormal is EMFs or Electromagnetic Fields. They do play a role in the paranormal and should be understood in order to investigate any activity. For the sake of this discussion, there are two types of electromagnetic fields however, in physics there is much more to electromagnetic fields and theories. There are manmade electromagnetic fields and natural electromagnetic fields. 

Natural electromagnetic fields

Electromagnetic fields are everywhere in our environment all things have an electromagnetic fields to some degree. Electric fields are produced by the build-up of electric charges in the atmosphere associated with thunderstorms. The earth's magnetic field causes a compass needle to orient in a North-South direction and is used by birds and fish for navigation. Humans also have an electromagnetic field as a result of our body's chemistry and functions. When we die it is in theory that our energy can continue. This is seen in the images as infrared energy and can be detected by devices such as Electromagnetic Meters also known as Gauss Meters.

Man-made electromagnetic fields

Besides natural sources, the electromagnetic spectrum also includes fields generated by manmade sources. Any device that uses power will generate an electromagnetic field. The electricity that comes out of every power socket has associated low frequency electromagnetic fields. Various kinds of higher frequency radio waves used to transmit information such as TV stations, radio stations or cell phone base stations.

What does this have to do with the paranormal?

As I stated earlier, humans have an electromagnetic field and in death the theory is that as a "ghost" what remains is your energy that gives off an electromagnetic field. In every investigation team the EMF meter is employed as a means of tracking and detecting an entity. There needs to be caution in the use of these meters for several reasons. The meter will pick up the stronger EMF before picking up the weaker. What this means is that if there is an electrical devise that gives off a man-made EMF this is what the meter will pick up since most man-made EMFs are stronger than natural EMFs.

Proper use of this meter is to first use the meter to detect high EMFs that can cause a number of issues in humans. The EMF will primarily affect the Pineal Gland and the eyes the most. The pineal gland is what produces melatonin. 1"What is Melatonin? Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that is both endocrine (enters the bloodstream from a pineal gland) and paracrine (signaling cell phenomenon, as from the retina when light is low, when the signal is "time to sleep"). Melatonin, besides being a sleep hormone, is a very powerful antioxidant, anti-aging agent, immunoregulator, anti-depressant and sexual dysfunction regulator." This means that strong EMFs will cause the underline issues stated here such as depression, insomnia and general fatigue of the body. This disruption of the body can cause people to think that they are experiencing paranormal activity. In my investigations this the primary use of my EMF meter.

The other use of the EMF meter is the tracking and detection of an entity. This too needs to be done with caution. One thing you see often is a team members chasing after an "entity" with a meter. Then you see them saying well it must be an entity since there is nothing else to cause the EMF meter to register a field, this is misleading. There is another possibility that people routinely over look which is the Earth's electromagnetic field. Most everyone believes that the Earth's EMF is uniform and predictable as shown in photo one, this is not the case. Even though you can rely on the Earth's EMF to direct a compass in the north direction the Earth's EMF is more random than you may think as shown in photo two. There are parts of the world and this country as a matter of fact that the Earth's EMF will cause your compass to gyrate and not point north.

What does this have to do with the paranormal? Very simply, if you are chasing after an entity in an area whether inside or outside, what registers on your EMF maybe a random EMF field generated by the Earth. So, when you are out there in an investigation and you get an EMF "spike" you must consider the Earth's EMF as a possible reason for your spike especially if there are no other apparent sources. For more information I have posted two links one to NASA'a page on the Earths random EMF and one for more information on the effects of EMF on the human body.

1. http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache:KTWE_lbJAksJ:www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/melatonin.shtml+what+is+melatonin&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

In the field of Paranormal Investigations I have received a great deal of support from the veterans when I got started. In every possible way I try to extend that support and courtesy. This support however requires mutual respect and support in return. This weekend something very disturbing and outright disrespect for all ethics occurred.

This past year, a new investigation team appeared in the Capital District of New York State. This group as assumed the name of "North East Paranormal Society." They also use the acronym N.E.P.S. This group also uses the name Northeast Paranormal Society. Since the appearance of this group many people have stated that this group is attempting to ride my coat tails, these people have made their feelings very clear on this matter. I attempted to show some support for this group which is headed by Josh, Dave and Jan Lajeunesse. I issued a statement on their behalf regarding the remarks made against them. This past weekend this group abused my support.

North East Paranormal Society went to a site which I have an ongoing investigation in. They made false and misleading statements to the property owners attempting to gain access to this site. They stated that there was a working partnership with me. That I was going to be part of a workshop for them and that there was a full commitment from me on this workshop and working partnership. At no time did this group approach me about being part of a workshop nor is there any working partnership. When the site owners called me to confirm this event and partnership with me, it was the first time that I heard of any such event or partnership. After this occurred, I received an unsolicited email from Josh Lajeunesse. In this email he states the site owners are the ones who lied. The owners are highly trust worthy and have no reason to lie, Josh does have a reason to lie.

Let me make this very clear, this was not a miscommunication between North East Paranormal Society and myself, there was no agreement and no such event ever discussed or planed. This was an outright attempt to gain access to a site that I have an investigation commitment with and a full investigating in progress. This in my opinion is riding my coat tails. I no longer support this group in any way nor are my comments supporting them valid. If anyone within my network of friends supporters or anyone I have a working relationship with is contacted by this group, know this, they do not have my authority or support in any matter that they contact you with. What they attempted was nothing less than deceitful. If you are considering contacting North East Paranormal Society for an investigation you need to take this in consideration before you let them in to your site or home.

This is another blog entry moved here for your convenience, This was originally posted on January 14, 2010 

Neps or North East Paranormal Society, Stalking?

I have a number of investigations ongoing however, I need to stop yet again to deal with North East Paranormal Society or NEPS or Northeast Paranormal Society. You would think that Josh, Dave and Jan Lajeunesse would just stop after my first blog on this matter, that is not the case.

Whenever someone goes on my website, I know when, for how long, and what they do on the site. I generally do not tell people this for certain reasons. From the beginning of NEPS they have routinely and constantly monitored my site with bad intentions. They go to pages like "What are People Saying," "Friends," "In the News" and so on. Most recently, NEPS has gone into my Friend/Member section to collect the profile information on a number of my friends. They go to the links that are established on my links page and make contact with those other sites. This clearly is an ongoing effort to shadow me and ride my coat tails. In my opinion this is an obsession that is crossing into stalking. They attempt to make comments on the site and after they were deleted from the friends page. The first time they listed themselves on my friends page, they did so without my knowledge or consent.

Up to this current day, they continue to attempt and access this site. Keep in mind I welcome people to this site who have a genuine interest in the paranormal however this in my opinion crosses a line.

Here is additional information.  http//decisions.courts.state.ny.us/ad3/Decisions/2007/500870.pdf

NEPS D.A. LAJEUNESSE BUILDING AND REMODELING, INC. david LAJEUNESSE houghton mansion neps meetup The Knowledge Network Joshua

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When most people hear the term plasma they think of plasma televisions, neon lights or plasma light bulbs. These are manmade plasma items and the physics behind them is similar to what I am about to talk about. Plasma in terms of physics is a state of matter. It is a charged gas the charge is a high amount of ionized atoms within the gas. When the electrically neutral atoms are irradiated by heat or other energy sources the atoms split off creating ionized gases. It is also what makes up the vast amount of matter in the universe, more than gas, liquids or solids.

Why is this an issue in the realm of a haunting? In the same way that plasma is affected by energy in the lab or the universe, entities can manipulate plasma to their own goals. I have experienced this first hand during paranormal investigations. The entities can use plasma to manifest. while investigating a site, I was working the camera and there were some observers. As I was taking pictures, a stream of plasma came into the room from the area of the window, which by the way was the location of activity in that, a photo of an apparition was captured in the window.

I was astonished by what I was experiencing the stream of plasma look very similar to the plasma stream that I captured in photos during the Shaker Heritage Workshop. The plasma stream moved to the area of a couch, it then began to form a face once the face formed then the body began to form. At this point I took a photo however at this same time one of the observers decided it would be useful to scream as if she was in a horror movie. The entity quickly dissipated and the rest of the observers all started a ruckus, running and shouting. Needless to say these people are not investigators. I thought well at least I have one good photo but I was wrong. I was using the old 35mm camera infrared film at the time. When the film was developed the only frame that did not show anything and was blacked out was the frame of the entity manifesting using plasma. The photos of the plasma from the Shaker site can be seen on the page where the workshop photos are posted.

If you were to research plasma you will find that many researchers will state that plasma occurs in extreme heat. That is partially true. However it is energy and electromagnetic fields that excites plasma. One example of extreme heat plasma is our sun which is primarily made up of plasma. The other example of electromagnetic field excited plasma is the phenomena known as the Aurora Borealis or northern lights.

The Aurora Borealis occurs high up in the earth's ionosphere most scientists state that the plasma is generated by the sun and is irradiated outward to the earth. What excites the plasma is the polar electromagnetic field which causes the light show that is famous for spectacular light displays. The Aurora Borealis does occur at the south pole as well. So now the question, what does this have to do with entities.

In terms of haunting, the entity you see is the heat signature of the person who is now the ghost. The heat signature is a form of electromagnetic field or E.M.F.. The entity excites the plasma in the room and causes it to be visible. The entity then can take the plasma and use it to be seen as a manifestation. I have to make this point as well, scientists state that plasma outside of a vacuum is highly unstable because the neutral atom can interact with many other atoms. This makes seeing plasma a somewhat a rarity.

There are ways to create a situation were a room can be charged with plasma to make it easier for an entity to manifest using plasma. Investigators use Ozone generators and or Electrostatic generators. by running these generators you can ionize gasses in a room. This increased ionization is plasma that the entity can use to manifest. You want the air to be as dry as possible this allows the ionized atoms to move freely. Keep in mind that water will dissipate electrical charges. It is like running a current through a pond all of the water becomes charged. You want the electrical charge to be use by the entity and not the water. Posted on the links page are links to sites that discuss the physics of what I am talking about.

Most people that discuss this term always start out with a definition which is, German, literally means - “noisy ghost.” This means that the term can be applied to more than 90 percent of all hauntings. My experience is that the vast majority of my cases have included noises such as knocking, steps, voices and so on. This would mean that all of those cases were about poltergeists, as the term is defined that would be correct.

The point that I am making is that ever since the movie Poltergeist came out in the 1980’s people automatically associate “poltergeist” with all things evil and that is not the case. I assure you that your face will not be sucked off of you and you will not end up in side you television. Poltergeist is not a separate category of haunting, it is only a term used to describe a noisy haunting nothing more.

You can have a “poltergeist” that is an active entity, or an audio, visual imprinting. Imprinting is when audio, visual or both become recoded on the environment such as walls floors ceilings and such. When the conditions are correct the imprinting is played back just as a movie or song. Imprinting is also known as “Place Memory Haunting” or “Place Residue Haunting.”

I have seen many websites and individuals talk about poltergeist as if is it a very special class of ghost that needs special treatment. If you ever come across either you should be wary of the website or individual claiming expertise on the matter. One site that I have seen claimed that there is an enumerated process you must carefully adhere to in order to remove a poltergeist, this is total nonsense. There are ways to reduce a haunting and if you are dealing with an active entity there are ways to reduce the activity or even to encourage the entity to move on. However performing a ritual in the name of getting rid of an “evil poltergeists” is a way to separate you from your money.

For decades many serious paranormal investigators have work hard to dispel the stigma and stereo types of this research field. With the popularity of many television shows the "science" and "methodologies" used in these shows are flawed and poor at best. This past week a new "paranormal investigation" show has made its début. Extreme Paranormal is anything but a team of paranormal investigators. The so called methodologies and "Experiments" are not only not credible on any level, they are absolutely dangerous.

On the first show they used a so called "Blood Ritual" to "Summon" an entity. Specifically they found a location where a person died by fire. They then proceeded to make an outline of the body, poured a flammable liquid on the outline. The "Cult Expert" then proceeded to take a razor, cut himself and using his own blood drew makings in the area where the person died only to then ignite the flammable liquid.

First, when dealing with entities you are dealing with free will. An entity will make their presence known when it wants to. Using a superstition such as a blood ritual to summon an entity is just that, a superstition and has absolutely no place in any paranormal investigation. Second, there are many young investigators who routinely want to emulate what they see on television. Exposing them to this dangerous nonsense will create a situation where somewhere, a young team will believe that it is okay to cut yourself open. With the advent of deadly incurable blood diseases, this is a possible death sentence for a team member of a young impressionable team. 

In this episode the team then goes onto cause significant property damage in the name of "provoking" the entity. Again, there will be some young person out there thinking this is the correct way to investigate and they will cause property damage themselves. This will inevitably create a stigma that this is how all paranormal investigations are performed and people will not seek out or allow any investigative team onto their site. The three members of this team are reckless and the station that allows the show to air should be ashamed of themselves.

Update Wednesday, December 08, 2010

"Orbs" are a general description to describe light and camera anomalies not all of which are "paranormal." When the issue of orbs is raised in the paranormal endeavor, it comes down to what you personally believe. There are many who will automatically discount orbs as anything other than paranormal. There are also just a many who will claim every orb as paranormal. As for this investigator, I do believe orbs are much more than dust, bugs, etc. The reason is that I have witnessed orbs manifest into apparitions and vice versa. I have also captured photos and videos of paranormal orbs which clearly show they are more. This blog will touch on some of the orb anomalies and hope fully will point you in the right direction.

Non Paranormal Orbs (most common)

• Dust: This is one of the most common orb anomalies which are mistaken for paranormal orbs.

• Flares: This is another common issue that occurs from usually having a light source hear or in the view of vision of the camera.

• Water: This can be from rain or even un-noticeable high humidity in the area.

• Bugs: This is another really common issue. Many times especially outside, bugs will often appear as spot/orbs. With the new digital cameras they also appear a "rods" which is when the camera will capture the bug many times as it moves through the field of vision and is usually associated with video.

• Dirty Camera Lens: Often, may people just forget to periodically clean their camera lenses.

How to decrease these issues

The best way to decrease these issues is to know your camera. Often when you watch the show "Ghost Adventures" you will see them describe orbs that they have captured on video. When they describe the orb they also go in to how their camera captures/sees them.

 

They will show how their cameras capture dust, bugs and so on. This is what I mean when I say learn how your camera capture these things or know your camera. How do you do this? Take your camera out and photograph and video dust bugs and so on. You also want to learn at least, the basics of photography. When it comes to things like flare orbs, this is most common when not having your light source behind you or what is referred to back lighting.

 

My Expeinces

As I indicated earlier, each person needs to decide what they believe in. Most people will not believe in the paranormal until they experience it themselves. My opinions on paranormal orbs come from not only my research but my experiences as well

 

I captured an image of an orb and its reflection in a mirror. This photo can be seen on my website page Ten Broeck Mansion. If this orb was not paranormal and was a "dust" orb you would not have its reflection in the photo as well. It is common to experience orbs just prior to other paranormal activity. The reason I took the photo of that particular area was that I could feel "tingling" or chills as if something passed by me.

 

While in the Albany Capitol, I captured a video of a paranormal orb in the Senate stairwell. This was not seen with the eye but only with the infrared camera. This orb also pulsated like a heartbeat and did not move in conjunction of the camera movements. It was moving on its own path. All types of non paranormal orbs were ruled out and you can see and read more on the website.

 

While performing an investigation at the Amsterdam City Hall I captured an excellent photo of a facial apparition in an orb. This photo can be seen on the Amsterdam, NY City Hall page of the website. This photo was taken with a high definition camera and it clearly shows a well defined face with facial details such as eyes, lips, facial hair etc. This photo also has a smaller orb following it. In an earlier photo on a different floor I captured two similar orbs however there was no discernable face in the large one yet is does appear as a non defined cartoonish face.

 

Many people will say orbs are nothing paranormal. These same people will claim to be experts and will go to the extent of calling evidence of paranormal orbs fake or debunked. This should raise serious questions to their sincerity. Any "expert" will take the approach of an open mind while those who are not sincere will blindly defend their belief just to be right.

Over the years the mystique of the Ouija Board has grown with each passing year. The mystique has grown to the point where many people are terrified to be around one or to let one into their home.

The Ouija Board did not exist until the mid to late 1800’s. It was developed purely as a child’s toy that adults would play with from time to time. It was not a very popular toy for either the children or adults that used it. The popularity of this child’s toy took on an entirely new persona when Hollywood featured it in some horror movies in the early to mid 1900’s. From that time on the mystique has grown.

I can not stress enough that the image and mystique is purely fictional and having one will not open the door way to all things evil. Growing up, my brother just had to have an Ouija Board. When he got his Ouija Board, we played with it for a total of 7 times and nothing happened. The closest thing to a demon in the house was my father. The game lived up to its original reputation of being boring.

When this toy was created the view of death in our society was much different than today. Back then most people died in the home which made death a much more open part of life and kids experienced death as a more normal part of life. That is why the Ouija Board started as a morbid child’s toy. The view of death then is much different than today where people most likely will go to a hospital, hospice or a nursing home to die. Today the topic of death is much more sanitized.

The Ouija Board in terms of “communicating with the dead,’ you are better off investing in a quality digital recorder to record EVPs (electronic voice phenomenon). To further assist you, you should invest in a quality digital sound amplifier. The amplifier will give a real time scan for EVPs.

The Ouija Board in terms of psychics, mediums or sensitives, if some one pulls out a Ouija Board and claims that only they can properly use it that should be red flag to you. If they warn you not to use it because of what it will do, you need to seriously question their abilities as a psychic, medium or sensitive.

There has been much discussion over the issue of whether or not to charge a fee for service when investigation a haunting. It is reasonable to charge fees since there can be a significant cost for such investigations. Many groups and at least one television show “Ghost Hunters” feel that charging a fee equates to paranormal investigations being fraudulent or at least, not creditable. The fallacy of this argument can be seen in the medical professions. If you believe the TAPS group, just because you pay for services when you go to a doctor or hospital that money the hospitals then spend on medical research for cures to diseases make the research fraudulent or not credible.

On several episodes of the Ghost Hunters show the issue is talked about by the founders of the group. What is misleading about their statements is that they can afford not to charge a fee. The TAPS group has many sponsors that pay for their rights to air the show and advertise during the show. The TAPS group also has many companies who provide the group with gadgets and equipment to be used on the show free of charge. Third, TAPS is heavily marketing merchandise with their logo.

There are many investigating groups who do not have sponsors or companies eager to provide free equipment. Other organizations and groups do paranormal investigating as a “Part-Time” endeavor or as a hobby. These groups who investigate part-time rely on their full-time employment to fund investigations.

The last group of paranormal investigators and researchers make investigating the paranormal their full-time endeavor. Full-Time investigators and researchers spend a great deal of time and effort to seriously peruse the truth of the paranormal realm. This Full-Time endeavor requires a great deal of recourses as with any other field of work or research. It is fully reasonable for these people to charge a fee to defer the cost of an investigation.

In closing, you can take the philosophy of the TAPS group and apply it to plumbers, yet TAPS founders still charge a fee for their plumbing services. Just as with any other profession or field of research the people who dedicate their lives to investigating the “paranormal” need to recover their expenses like anyone else.