I was talking about one of my earlier posts about paranormal groups in Ohio with a fellow group owner when I realized I had made a serious mistake. It seems that he felt I was targeting all groups in Ohio when I said there was a serious lack of communication, networking and growth within the ranks of amateur paranormal groups. He was quite offended since he has spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on equipment, books, web costs, travel and other expenses and has spent considerable time putting together a group of diverse approaches and talents. Not to mention he made a big effort to network with my group as well as myself with a number of aspects of his pursuit of the field.
The article wasn't meant to attack those types of groups, the ones who are pulling the silent sled of discovery and those that are helping people in more ways than just documenting their ghostly experiences. I thought to myself, the ones I meant to attack probably won't read this anyway, but the ones who are continuously in search of knowledge and approach probably will. But, I don't feel it was a complete waste of time, the message was delivered like a cannon shot over the bow.
In retrospect, I think I went about things a bit too harsh (the article has since been "cleaned up" a bit) and my rant went over like trying to piss into the wind. I kinda got myself wet for no reason and I would have stayed dry if I had just aimed a little "that way".
While there are dozens of great groups in Ohio making strides in various aspects of science and many of them helping clients through their problems (paranormal or otherwise) there does exist the ugly head of greed and ego that have infiltrated the ranks of amateur paranormal investigators. There also exists a lack of direction with many other groups who are just in it because it's the hot trend and, "Hey, I saw this on T.V. so it can't be that hard!". Well, the same could be said about Jackass and that didn't stop people from imitating that as well.
The other major problem is about science. This is a big one for me and a tender subject for a lot of people out there, especially the ones who feel they are "doing things right". Tools don't make science, technique and approach makes science. Does establishing base readings make EMF detectors more scientific? What do EMF detectors really detect when in reference to ghosts? Like Parapsychologist Loyd Auerbach once said, "You can train a monkey to use an EMF detector, but that doesn't make it scientific."
I gave up trying to solve the riddles of the afterlife many years ago after I walked away from this field after letting politics get to me. I was drawn back into this field by the clients who needed help and guidance. While I continued to focus on helping clients I realized that I needed to also look at my beliefs and practices as well as the data I was collecting about cases whether I had intended it or not. I have since felt as if I have come full circle.
Before I began in this field I was a pure skeptic, I was raised to believe that ghosts and related phenomena did not exist and parapsychology was a pursuit for those who did not understand science. When I got into this field I slowly crossed over into a true believer and seemed to believe just a bit too much about what was going on. I moved into the tool mode and became hidden behind various tools that I paid too much money for and lost touch with the knowledge I had gained from studying parapsychology. I ditched the tools and became focused on the clients, but with that I lost touch with really getting to the heart of what is really happening from house to house and client to client.
I have learned how to balance various aspects and have learned to surround myself with people with a focus in various aspects that help round out a group. Does that make me the best amateur paranormal investigator around? You bet it does! (ego inflation for demonstration purposes only). OK, maybe not and it certainly does not make it enough to make my group the best role model for everyone, but I can admit when I am wrong (after arguing for some time) and I am aware of what we are not doing that we need to work on. In that regard it does make us a little bit better than many groups who are caught up in their own fame or image of who and what they feel they are.
The realization that there will never be just one group that will make a huge discovery needs to be realized in our culture and community. Science is based upon following up on work that others have done, proving or disproving parts or even the whole. Taking what others have done to a new and higher level or a better direction. It's a series of self-correcting moves that helps the overall approach by everyone from everyone and certainly will not be the result of one photograph, one video or one book.
The groups that are fed up with the ego, fame and lack of direction need to take the first step. We need to work together and help refine our discipline. Does that mean we all have to unite and sing camp fire songs together? No. Unity in a scientific field is an impossibility if we wish to create findings. There has to be separate camps of thought and approach, but there also needs to be a little more than strings attaching groups. There should be more of a fabric feel between groups, networks and families binding approaches, findings and data so that we can all learn together as well as continuously raise the bar of standards and information. The competitiveness helps drives for new discoveries, but when the competitiveness stifles people from working together it hinders discovery almost completely.
Comments, concerns, questions and arguments can be directed: Insider
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Ghost Photography
The following rant is from my recent newscast on the Grand Dark Conspiracy Podcast:
In a recent blog on the paranormal news insider I spoke about ghost videos, mostly the faked variety, that are hurting the legitimacy of those who are making efforts to put evidence together to help find answers about the subject of ghosts. It seems that photographs have been the same problem for much longer. In fact, since cameras were only available to actual photographers in the late 1800s using plate film to the 35mm age and now in the digital age, there have always been those who have manipulated images to create ghostly photographs. The age of spiritualism brought the first public interest in ghosts and photographs soon followed as a way to manipulate those into believing or shelling out money for more proof. Ghost photographs in the modern era seem to be based on a competitive spirit, each person seems to be in search for the ultimate photograph that can be believed or thought to contain true proof that ghosts exist. This race comprises more than just those who merely misunderstand photographs, are attention seekers, but also include ghost groups who are looking to raise their status level amongst the ranks of their peers.
The scientific slant on ghost photographs is fairly concrete. It is believed by parapsychologists that ghosts are seen as a form of extra sensory perception and therefore is formed by mind-to-mind interaction. The ghostly figures that people see have no mass as they are not really occupying the space that they are seen in. Therefore photographing such evidence is impossible since cameras lack the ability to see through our brains and our eyes as they only see the physical area. This, of course, leads to arm chair theorem about infra red photography, strobe lighting and other methods, that are thought to be able to force a ghost out into the open for lack of a better description, but ignore the fact that ghosts are only perceptions of the environment and are not physical objects. It seems that the age of spiritualism continues as there is a portion of the public that believes anything that will attempt to convince the whole of the same.
Are there photographs that are paranormal? Yes, but it's doubtful that most of the supposed ghost or apparitional photographs that are seen are real. Many are either manipulation or an irrational jump to a paranormal conclusion based upon pareidolia.
What's pareidolia?
What do you see in the photograph to the right? To many you might immediately see the face of some long-haird guy with a mustache and beard. Some might see Jesus and some may actually see a baby with a hat on. Who's right? Well, the trick answer is everyone, but in reality it's just a baby with a hat on. People tend to pick out these visualizations and at times argue against the realistic point of view. Many investigators or hopeful ghost photograph owners jump to their own conclusions and at times lose the ability to see the picture for what it truly is. This also translates over into video as well and is not limited to the ghost crowd.
(payr.eye.DOH.lee.uh) n. The erroneous or fanciful perception of a pattern or meaning in something that is actually ambiguous or random.—pareidolic adj.
Questions, comments can be directed to Insider.
In a recent blog on the paranormal news insider I spoke about ghost videos, mostly the faked variety, that are hurting the legitimacy of those who are making efforts to put evidence together to help find answers about the subject of ghosts. It seems that photographs have been the same problem for much longer. In fact, since cameras were only available to actual photographers in the late 1800s using plate film to the 35mm age and now in the digital age, there have always been those who have manipulated images to create ghostly photographs. The age of spiritualism brought the first public interest in ghosts and photographs soon followed as a way to manipulate those into believing or shelling out money for more proof. Ghost photographs in the modern era seem to be based on a competitive spirit, each person seems to be in search for the ultimate photograph that can be believed or thought to contain true proof that ghosts exist. This race comprises more than just those who merely misunderstand photographs, are attention seekers, but also include ghost groups who are looking to raise their status level amongst the ranks of their peers.
The scientific slant on ghost photographs is fairly concrete. It is believed by parapsychologists that ghosts are seen as a form of extra sensory perception and therefore is formed by mind-to-mind interaction. The ghostly figures that people see have no mass as they are not really occupying the space that they are seen in. Therefore photographing such evidence is impossible since cameras lack the ability to see through our brains and our eyes as they only see the physical area. This, of course, leads to arm chair theorem about infra red photography, strobe lighting and other methods, that are thought to be able to force a ghost out into the open for lack of a better description, but ignore the fact that ghosts are only perceptions of the environment and are not physical objects. It seems that the age of spiritualism continues as there is a portion of the public that believes anything that will attempt to convince the whole of the same.
Are there photographs that are paranormal? Yes, but it's doubtful that most of the supposed ghost or apparitional photographs that are seen are real. Many are either manipulation or an irrational jump to a paranormal conclusion based upon pareidolia.
What's pareidolia?
What do you see in the photograph to the right? To many you might immediately see the face of some long-haird guy with a mustache and beard. Some might see Jesus and some may actually see a baby with a hat on. Who's right? Well, the trick answer is everyone, but in reality it's just a baby with a hat on. People tend to pick out these visualizations and at times argue against the realistic point of view. Many investigators or hopeful ghost photograph owners jump to their own conclusions and at times lose the ability to see the picture for what it truly is. This also translates over into video as well and is not limited to the ghost crowd.
(payr.eye.DOH.lee.uh) n. The erroneous or fanciful perception of a pattern or meaning in something that is actually ambiguous or random.—pareidolic adj.
Questions, comments can be directed to Insider.
Monday, February 16, 2009
What is "ParaNewsInsider"?
First of all, welcome to the blog home of the Paranormal News Insider, or ParaNewsInsider for short.
I've started out of the gate here at blogspot and have not yet properly introduced what the site is all about. The Paranormal News Insider is my personal web site for sharing paranormal and odd news stories from around the world. In addition to the stories are my personal added insight and investigation into some of these various stories. I will also include some of my personal investigations that I have planned for later in 2009. My first planned investigation is a trip to the western Pennsylvania woods where I will be doing some Bigfoot and EVP research and investigation work while backpacking. I will also be investigating some hot spots that I have determined in Ohio at various times this year. Hopefully I will have some reports to investigate along the way as well.
The Paranormal News Insider was started in July of 2008 (and made its debut in late August) as a site dedicated to my new newscast within a podcast. I was approached by Dan Bautz in April of 2008 to appear on his new podcast show, the Grand Dark Conspiracy. I was excited as I have done a few shows in the past and had been wanting to do one again, but the opportunity to just be a guest was even better.
I was the first and only guest that May discussing my paranormal group, Ohio Paranormal Investigation Network. The next show featured Parapsychologist Loyd Auerbach who has unknowingly been my guide and mentor through his books and some advice he has given me over the years. I became an advisor of sorts to Dan and helped him find guests for the next few months and later made another appearance in the August show, though this time I helped him shift gears away from the ghosts field to U.F.O. and cryptid discussions. We also talked about some current news that was happening at the time. This lead to our mutual idea of me having a monthly segment on the show discussing the current news of the paranormal. In September of 2008 the Paranormal News Insider segment was born...
The show has been surprisingly successful and the level of guests have helped bring in some large amounts of listeners. The website, on the other hand, has been slow to gain momentum and I had contemplated shutting it down as the calendar flipped to 2009. My ghost group is taking off in membership/casework and I have committed myself to many projects this year (and have others in waiting). All of this and I still have a full time job and a marriage to maintain, so maybe I bit off more than I can chew? This leads me to one of the questions I have been asked a few times over the last couple of months:
How come you only show a couple of news stories in each subject?
Part of the idea behind this site is to focus on the stories that may have the most meaning in their respective fields. Not every ghost story really adds anything to the field and not every U.F.O. story really seems to have impact. I pick and choose the particular stories I feel will have an impact and that may evolve as time goes on. Many of these stories have many facets to them that may spawn urban legends or other forms about mis-information down the road and I am actually e-mailing and/or calling sources related to these stories to help clarify various questions or mis-information. Of course, a lot of this also follows the fact that the site comes last after my job, wife, paranormal group, personal investigations, the GDC podcast and my other projects. Although I have vowed not to let the site be idle for three weeks or more and is another reason why I created this blog....
Why this blog?
The blog was created as an idea for me to be able to share my thoughts, ideas as well as my research and investigations into ghosts, U.F.O. and cryptid topics. While most of my ghost cases deal with clients (confidentiality) I am still an active member in the ghost community and am active in research in various aspects of the field. I also utilize the methods of M.U.F.O.N. for U.F.O. investigations (although I am not an active Field Investigator for them) and I am the Ohio Representative for the Crypto Squad U.S.A. and a member of the Sasquatch Research Initiative. So, I owe it to the cryptid organizations to report and investigate what is happening in Ohio in regards to cryptids as well as make my investigation attempts public record.
What's so special about paranewsinsider?
Or, "Gee, just what the world needs, another paranormal news site!", or perhaps, "Great, another 'paranormal expert' is born". The Paranormal News Insider does not report on every single piece of news. We do have news feeds provided by Paranormal News.com although the stories I post are based upon the criteria I mentioned above. I also take a bit of Ohio flavor as I live in north east Ohio and the Grand Dark Conspiracy podcast is also based in Ohio, not to mention a majority of the investigations I will do will take place locally. While there are other sites that do it, I am also trying to get as many links to various paranormal, UFO and cryptid conventions and meetings across the country. I had contemplated on forming a new cryptid organization in Ohio, but that is on hold until I get a little help with that venture. Again, like I mention on the ParaNewsInsider page, I do not claim to be an expert. I have over 12 years of experience in ghost investigations, almost two decades of interviewing experience and a mulititude of other knowledge and experience in various fields that have helped me in the investigation and research aspects of the ghost, U.F.O. and cryptid fields. While I don't think of myself as an expert I know I have a lot to offer all three fields.
Have questions, comments? Let me know at my ParaNewsInsider address.
I've started out of the gate here at blogspot and have not yet properly introduced what the site is all about. The Paranormal News Insider is my personal web site for sharing paranormal and odd news stories from around the world. In addition to the stories are my personal added insight and investigation into some of these various stories. I will also include some of my personal investigations that I have planned for later in 2009. My first planned investigation is a trip to the western Pennsylvania woods where I will be doing some Bigfoot and EVP research and investigation work while backpacking. I will also be investigating some hot spots that I have determined in Ohio at various times this year. Hopefully I will have some reports to investigate along the way as well.
The Paranormal News Insider was started in July of 2008 (and made its debut in late August) as a site dedicated to my new newscast within a podcast. I was approached by Dan Bautz in April of 2008 to appear on his new podcast show, the Grand Dark Conspiracy. I was excited as I have done a few shows in the past and had been wanting to do one again, but the opportunity to just be a guest was even better.
I was the first and only guest that May discussing my paranormal group, Ohio Paranormal Investigation Network. The next show featured Parapsychologist Loyd Auerbach who has unknowingly been my guide and mentor through his books and some advice he has given me over the years. I became an advisor of sorts to Dan and helped him find guests for the next few months and later made another appearance in the August show, though this time I helped him shift gears away from the ghosts field to U.F.O. and cryptid discussions. We also talked about some current news that was happening at the time. This lead to our mutual idea of me having a monthly segment on the show discussing the current news of the paranormal. In September of 2008 the Paranormal News Insider segment was born...
The show has been surprisingly successful and the level of guests have helped bring in some large amounts of listeners. The website, on the other hand, has been slow to gain momentum and I had contemplated shutting it down as the calendar flipped to 2009. My ghost group is taking off in membership/casework and I have committed myself to many projects this year (and have others in waiting). All of this and I still have a full time job and a marriage to maintain, so maybe I bit off more than I can chew? This leads me to one of the questions I have been asked a few times over the last couple of months:
How come you only show a couple of news stories in each subject?
Part of the idea behind this site is to focus on the stories that may have the most meaning in their respective fields. Not every ghost story really adds anything to the field and not every U.F.O. story really seems to have impact. I pick and choose the particular stories I feel will have an impact and that may evolve as time goes on. Many of these stories have many facets to them that may spawn urban legends or other forms about mis-information down the road and I am actually e-mailing and/or calling sources related to these stories to help clarify various questions or mis-information. Of course, a lot of this also follows the fact that the site comes last after my job, wife, paranormal group, personal investigations, the GDC podcast and my other projects. Although I have vowed not to let the site be idle for three weeks or more and is another reason why I created this blog....
Why this blog?
The blog was created as an idea for me to be able to share my thoughts, ideas as well as my research and investigations into ghosts, U.F.O. and cryptid topics. While most of my ghost cases deal with clients (confidentiality) I am still an active member in the ghost community and am active in research in various aspects of the field. I also utilize the methods of M.U.F.O.N. for U.F.O. investigations (although I am not an active Field Investigator for them) and I am the Ohio Representative for the Crypto Squad U.S.A. and a member of the Sasquatch Research Initiative. So, I owe it to the cryptid organizations to report and investigate what is happening in Ohio in regards to cryptids as well as make my investigation attempts public record.
What's so special about paranewsinsider?
Or, "Gee, just what the world needs, another paranormal news site!", or perhaps, "Great, another 'paranormal expert' is born". The Paranormal News Insider does not report on every single piece of news. We do have news feeds provided by Paranormal News.com although the stories I post are based upon the criteria I mentioned above. I also take a bit of Ohio flavor as I live in north east Ohio and the Grand Dark Conspiracy podcast is also based in Ohio, not to mention a majority of the investigations I will do will take place locally. While there are other sites that do it, I am also trying to get as many links to various paranormal, UFO and cryptid conventions and meetings across the country. I had contemplated on forming a new cryptid organization in Ohio, but that is on hold until I get a little help with that venture. Again, like I mention on the ParaNewsInsider page, I do not claim to be an expert. I have over 12 years of experience in ghost investigations, almost two decades of interviewing experience and a mulititude of other knowledge and experience in various fields that have helped me in the investigation and research aspects of the ghost, U.F.O. and cryptid fields. While I don't think of myself as an expert I know I have a lot to offer all three fields.
Have questions, comments? Let me know at my ParaNewsInsider address.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Want to Hunt Ghosts in Ohio?
When I first created the Ohio Paranormal Investigation Network back in 1996, I never thought I would still be involved with the group almost 13 years later. Overall I would say I've accomplished a little, most of my accomplishments centered on the dozens of people I have helped through difficult times over the years. I have tried to help other groups in Ohio become more rounded in various aspects of the paranormal world, but each group is intent on finding its own way with pride (and a catchy acronym and a flashy website).
Thus comes my February, 2009 rant about the field of ghost hunting/paranormal investigation. All the politics and lack of education aside, has anyone ever looked at just how many groups are in Ohio? When we first started out we were highly active in networking with other groups in other states along with Ohio. This was back in the day when T.A.P.S. was just another amateur group that didn't know too much (I wish I still had those early e-mails from them...). We learned from other groups, not just by reading their websites, but by getting involved with others and slowly eliminating the mis-information that was out there. That generation was obviously flawed to some extent as much information has been lost over time, but who's fault is it and how to we fix it going forward?
In today's world of ghost groups all you will usually get is an invite to exchange links, an invite to their personal Para-conference or other invites to their personal exploits of mirroring what everyone else is doing. It's downright irritating. Many times I receive an invite (It's hard to talk to groups anymore as so many of them disappear as quickly as they appear) I always give a short speech about exchanging more than just links, more often than not they go ignored. Humph. We wonder why the amateur ghost hunting field has not advanced in the last decade.... no, bringing in "new" tools is not advancing, this has been happening since the Psychical Research days! What's Psychical Research?? Nevermind, just turn off the lights and go back to stumbling around in the dark, please.
Don't get me wrong, there are many, many great groups out there in Ohio and elsewhere. I have been able to work with a few, talk with many and have had friends and working relationships with some in Ohio that goes back to when I first began and I know I am not the only one to feel the ways I have described here. Am I better than groups on this list? Hardly. Am I "more scientific"? Hardly, but I do know what it takes to become a well rounded amateur investigator by years of making mistakes and refining techniques as well as watching others making other mistakes and taking the good and bad from them.
Anyway, back to the number of groups. I was curious a few years ago and decided to keep track of the number of active groups I came across in a few months time. I was astounded that I ended up counting over 80 active groups that were investigating client-centered cases. In the mid-1990s there were about 30 or more groups in Ohio and only half of those investigated houses or businesses with living people having issues with ghosts or other paranormal behavior. Now, it seems that all groups are doing this right out of the box without thought. That's another blog for another day....
I decided to review my list in late 2008 and just recently I came across a few more groups. I have eliminated a few more that are seemingly inactive or that are not researching or investigating client-centered cases. This is a list that I created using a couple of search engines, MySpace and Facebook in just a few hours time (I have more important things to do, believe it or not). This is probably not close to a complete list, so if I missed your group, just give me a shout and I'll be glad to add you to our ever-growing list. Eventually, I would like to create a quarterly listing of these groups with contact information. I would probably have to retire from my group, quit my job and buy another laptop just to keep track. Here is my February 2009 list of currently active groups who investigate client-centered cases in Ohio:
Ashtabula Paranormal Investigations, Ashtabula Paranormal Team, Boo Crew Paranormal Investigations, Buckeye State Paranormal & Haunting Investigators, Central Ohio Ghost Squad, Central Ohio Paranormal Research Group, Central Ohio Paranormal Society, Central Ohioans Researching Unexplained Paranormal Things, Christian Paranormal, Cincinnati Area Paranormal Existence Research Group, Cincinnati Paranormal Investigations, Circleville Paranormal Society, Cleveland Supernatural Investigations, C.O.R.U.P.T. Ohio Ghost and Paranormal Investigators, Cuyahoga Valley Paranormal, Dayton Paranormal Project, Dayton Ohio Ghost Hunter’s Society, Eastern Ohio Paranormal Society, Estate Validation of the Paranormal, Franklin County Ghost Debunkers, Ghost Corp, Ghost Hunters Guild, Ghost Hunters Ohio Search Team, Ghosts of Ohio, Hudson Ohio Paranormal Society, Investigators of the Past, Lake Erie Ghost Hunters, Licking County Paranormal Research, Mad River Paranormal, MAJDA, Massilon Ghost Hunters Society, Miami Valley Paranormal Society, Montgomery Ohio Paranormal Society, Munroe Falls Paranormal Society, New World Ghost Hunters, North Coast Ghost, Northeast Ohio Paranormal, Northeast Ohio Ghost Hunters, Northeast Ohio Ghost Society, Northeast Ohio Paranormal Society, Northeast Ohio Society for Paranormal Research, Northwest Ohio Paranormal Research, Northern Ohio Paranormal Society, Ohio Association of Paranormal Investigations, Ohio Center for Paranormal Research, Ohio EVP and Paranormal Society, Ohio Exploration Society, Ohio Ghost Hunt, Ohio Ghost Hunters, Ohio Ghost Researchers, Ohio Ghost Hunters Society, Ohio Monster, Ohio Organization of Paranormal Studies, Ohio Paranormal, Ohio Paranormal Exploration Society, Ohio Paranormal Investigators, Ohio Paranormal Investigation Network, Ohio Paranormal Organization, Ohio Paranormal Organization of Paranormal Studies, Ohio Paranormal Researchers, Ohio Paranormal Research and Investigations, Ohio Paranormal Society, Ohio Researchers of Banded Spirits, Ohio River Paranormal Society, Ohio Valley Ghost Hunters, Omega Paranormal Investigations, Paraex, Paranormal Adventures, Paranormal Exploration and Research League, Paranormal Insight, Paranormal Investigations of Ohio, Paranormal Investigators of Cincinnati, Paranormal Ohio, Paranormal Research Organization, Paranormal Researchers of Ohio, Paravizionz, Passing Lane Paranormal Investigations, Prodigy Paranormal, R.I.P. Ohio, Roseville Investigations of the Paranormal, Rural Ohio Paranormal Investigation Society, Resurrection Paranormal, Southeastern Ohio Paranormal Investigators, Southern Ohio Apparition Researchers, Southern Ohio Paranormal Research, Spirit Stalkers of Ohio, Springfield Ghost Hunters Society, The Ghost Hunters Association, The Northeast Ohio Paranormal Team, The Ohio Ghost Hunters Association, The Ohio Paranormal Seekers, The Ohio Society for Paranormal Investigation, Toledo Ghost Detectives, West Ohio Paranormal Society, Weston Paranormal Investigators, Wilsons Paranormal Research, World Paranormal Investigators...
Do you know your neighbors? If each group were to partner up with at least one other group and exchange knowledge, information or case burden we would all benefit. I think that's the message I'm trying to make here and I'm not trying to hurt anyone's feelings or put myself at the top of the hierarchy. There are some groups that have such a case burden that they have a waiting list several months long, while others sit and wait. Who pays the price for this? Why are we all making the same mistakes as groups that were here ten years ago? Why do we all follow the same techniques that are built around rumor, speculation and based upon little or no data? Where is all of the data to back up all of these new pieces of technology that we are spending our hard earned money on? These are the questions that we as a culture and a mini society need to answer for ourselves. This isn't a race or a game it's a pursuit built upon an investment of time and money. You can earn more from working with a new neighbor than you can spending thousands of dollars on equipment.
How many groups are listed here? See the comments below for the answer (or spend twenty minutes counting, it's up to you...).
Thus comes my February, 2009 rant about the field of ghost hunting/paranormal investigation. All the politics and lack of education aside, has anyone ever looked at just how many groups are in Ohio? When we first started out we were highly active in networking with other groups in other states along with Ohio. This was back in the day when T.A.P.S. was just another amateur group that didn't know too much (I wish I still had those early e-mails from them...). We learned from other groups, not just by reading their websites, but by getting involved with others and slowly eliminating the mis-information that was out there. That generation was obviously flawed to some extent as much information has been lost over time, but who's fault is it and how to we fix it going forward?
In today's world of ghost groups all you will usually get is an invite to exchange links, an invite to their personal Para-conference or other invites to their personal exploits of mirroring what everyone else is doing. It's downright irritating. Many times I receive an invite (It's hard to talk to groups anymore as so many of them disappear as quickly as they appear) I always give a short speech about exchanging more than just links, more often than not they go ignored. Humph. We wonder why the amateur ghost hunting field has not advanced in the last decade.... no, bringing in "new" tools is not advancing, this has been happening since the Psychical Research days! What's Psychical Research?? Nevermind, just turn off the lights and go back to stumbling around in the dark, please.
Don't get me wrong, there are many, many great groups out there in Ohio and elsewhere. I have been able to work with a few, talk with many and have had friends and working relationships with some in Ohio that goes back to when I first began and I know I am not the only one to feel the ways I have described here. Am I better than groups on this list? Hardly. Am I "more scientific"? Hardly, but I do know what it takes to become a well rounded amateur investigator by years of making mistakes and refining techniques as well as watching others making other mistakes and taking the good and bad from them.
Anyway, back to the number of groups. I was curious a few years ago and decided to keep track of the number of active groups I came across in a few months time. I was astounded that I ended up counting over 80 active groups that were investigating client-centered cases. In the mid-1990s there were about 30 or more groups in Ohio and only half of those investigated houses or businesses with living people having issues with ghosts or other paranormal behavior. Now, it seems that all groups are doing this right out of the box without thought. That's another blog for another day....
I decided to review my list in late 2008 and just recently I came across a few more groups. I have eliminated a few more that are seemingly inactive or that are not researching or investigating client-centered cases. This is a list that I created using a couple of search engines, MySpace and Facebook in just a few hours time (I have more important things to do, believe it or not). This is probably not close to a complete list, so if I missed your group, just give me a shout and I'll be glad to add you to our ever-growing list. Eventually, I would like to create a quarterly listing of these groups with contact information. I would probably have to retire from my group, quit my job and buy another laptop just to keep track. Here is my February 2009 list of currently active groups who investigate client-centered cases in Ohio:
Ashtabula Paranormal Investigations, Ashtabula Paranormal Team, Boo Crew Paranormal Investigations, Buckeye State Paranormal & Haunting Investigators, Central Ohio Ghost Squad, Central Ohio Paranormal Research Group, Central Ohio Paranormal Society, Central Ohioans Researching Unexplained Paranormal Things, Christian Paranormal, Cincinnati Area Paranormal Existence Research Group, Cincinnati Paranormal Investigations, Circleville Paranormal Society, Cleveland Supernatural Investigations, C.O.R.U.P.T. Ohio Ghost and Paranormal Investigators, Cuyahoga Valley Paranormal, Dayton Paranormal Project, Dayton Ohio Ghost Hunter’s Society, Eastern Ohio Paranormal Society, Estate Validation of the Paranormal, Franklin County Ghost Debunkers, Ghost Corp, Ghost Hunters Guild, Ghost Hunters Ohio Search Team, Ghosts of Ohio, Hudson Ohio Paranormal Society, Investigators of the Past, Lake Erie Ghost Hunters, Licking County Paranormal Research, Mad River Paranormal, MAJDA, Massilon Ghost Hunters Society, Miami Valley Paranormal Society, Montgomery Ohio Paranormal Society, Munroe Falls Paranormal Society, New World Ghost Hunters, North Coast Ghost, Northeast Ohio Paranormal, Northeast Ohio Ghost Hunters, Northeast Ohio Ghost Society, Northeast Ohio Paranormal Society, Northeast Ohio Society for Paranormal Research, Northwest Ohio Paranormal Research, Northern Ohio Paranormal Society, Ohio Association of Paranormal Investigations, Ohio Center for Paranormal Research, Ohio EVP and Paranormal Society, Ohio Exploration Society, Ohio Ghost Hunt, Ohio Ghost Hunters, Ohio Ghost Researchers, Ohio Ghost Hunters Society, Ohio Monster, Ohio Organization of Paranormal Studies, Ohio Paranormal, Ohio Paranormal Exploration Society, Ohio Paranormal Investigators, Ohio Paranormal Investigation Network, Ohio Paranormal Organization, Ohio Paranormal Organization of Paranormal Studies, Ohio Paranormal Researchers, Ohio Paranormal Research and Investigations, Ohio Paranormal Society, Ohio Researchers of Banded Spirits, Ohio River Paranormal Society, Ohio Valley Ghost Hunters, Omega Paranormal Investigations, Paraex, Paranormal Adventures, Paranormal Exploration and Research League, Paranormal Insight, Paranormal Investigations of Ohio, Paranormal Investigators of Cincinnati, Paranormal Ohio, Paranormal Research Organization, Paranormal Researchers of Ohio, Paravizionz, Passing Lane Paranormal Investigations, Prodigy Paranormal, R.I.P. Ohio, Roseville Investigations of the Paranormal, Rural Ohio Paranormal Investigation Society, Resurrection Paranormal, Southeastern Ohio Paranormal Investigators, Southern Ohio Apparition Researchers, Southern Ohio Paranormal Research, Spirit Stalkers of Ohio, Springfield Ghost Hunters Society, The Ghost Hunters Association, The Northeast Ohio Paranormal Team, The Ohio Ghost Hunters Association, The Ohio Paranormal Seekers, The Ohio Society for Paranormal Investigation, Toledo Ghost Detectives, West Ohio Paranormal Society, Weston Paranormal Investigators, Wilsons Paranormal Research, World Paranormal Investigators...
Do you know your neighbors? If each group were to partner up with at least one other group and exchange knowledge, information or case burden we would all benefit. I think that's the message I'm trying to make here and I'm not trying to hurt anyone's feelings or put myself at the top of the hierarchy. There are some groups that have such a case burden that they have a waiting list several months long, while others sit and wait. Who pays the price for this? Why are we all making the same mistakes as groups that were here ten years ago? Why do we all follow the same techniques that are built around rumor, speculation and based upon little or no data? Where is all of the data to back up all of these new pieces of technology that we are spending our hard earned money on? These are the questions that we as a culture and a mini society need to answer for ourselves. This isn't a race or a game it's a pursuit built upon an investment of time and money. You can earn more from working with a new neighbor than you can spending thousands of dollars on equipment.
How many groups are listed here? See the comments below for the answer (or spend twenty minutes counting, it's up to you...).
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