With the recent passing of both television icon Farrah Fawcett and self-proclaimed “King of Pop” Michael Jackson, the time is now to stay on guard for paranormal publicity hounds who will soon be coming out of the woodwork in order to try and make a few dollars off these deaths.

It is an unfortunate reality that shysters and con artists are at the top of their game during times of tragedies. False psychics will make the claim that they predicted the death of Michael Jackson and that, if you will only pay them X amount of money, they can predict the future of your finances and love life! And don’t worry, it’ll all be positive, lest you should stop coming back for more readings. And if there is something particularly bad going on in your life, do not fret, because for a nominal fee this psychic can set you up with a few sticks of incense and a mantra for you to chant that will alleviate all suffering. Oh, please!

Why just look at the website for the so-called psychic seemingly known only as Nikki. She placed both Michael and Farrah on her health and death watch this year. She neither predicts bad health or death specifically for either, but that being said, she’ll certainly take credit for hits; no matter that Ms. Fawcett has been battling cancer for years and Jackson has been medicated for a variety of physical and emotional maladies. Of course, she also has about 70 other names on this list, many of whom are either very old, in poor health, or known drug addicts. The bigger shock would not be that more names on this list pass away, but if they do not. If they don’t, well, I imagine there’s always next year.

And what about poor Farrah Fawcett? Not only has she been battling against cancer for quite some time, but her father will now have to bury the second of his daughters. And yet, I don’t have to have supernatural powers to predict that some sinful and shameful human being will probably try to capitalize on this misfortune and “conjure” her spirit at a seance in the near future.

Just a few moments ago I was reading the Twitter page of Kris Williams, an investigator with TAPS on the show “Ghost Hunters.” I have made no secret of my displeasure with this show in the past, but I noticed Ms. Williams was already being flooded with requests by a female fan for her and the crew to investigate Michael Jackson’s home. Say what you will about Mr. Jackson; certainly you’ll have plenty of ammunition. But, the fact is this: the man just died and there are people already wanting paranormal teams to bust down the doors to investigate his home. Forget the family left to mourn. Forget the children who must now live the rest of their lives without their father. “Investigate the house!” they seem to be saying. “You’ll get better EVPs if he hasn’t been dead long!” That is sick. And it is wrong.

What happened to respect? Not just for your fellow human beings, but for the dead? When did tragedy become another way to make a quick buck? And why is it so tolerated in our society? Let’s stop this. Reject it out of hand. We must spurn this type of behavior whenever and wherever it rears its ugly head and, if we can’t love each other, at least show a little common courtesy and respect for our neighbors, our community and yes, for the dead as well.

Thanks for reading.

Author: Jason Korbus
Jason Korbus is an Examiner from Toledo. You can see Jason’s articles on Jason’s Home Page.
Original Link

People who know me, also know I love a good ghost story just as much as I like sharing my own experiences.  Being in radio gives me a forum which I derive a great deal of delight from, not only do I get to share, but I am lucky to have others share their experiences and encounters with me.

I’ve recounted many times my encounter with my best friend who had actually passed away the day before, the British soldiers I saw marching through one wall and out the next but there is one story I have hardly told anyone, mostly because it’s very something I treasure.

Just over two years ago my partner of 15 years succumbed after a very long and horrific fight against Cancer.  It was if my world had been ripped apart and to be honest, I wasn’t coping with it at all, I had just lost my soul mate, my best friend, it didn’t matter that we both knew it was coming and had tried to prepare for it, my heart was ripped to shreds anyway.

It was about 6 months after Rita had passed away and the pain of her loss was overwhelming me that day.  As I stood by the window looking out onto the sun setting across the water with the rain beading on the window, I cried.  It was the first time I had done so since her funeral, I’m not ashamed of it but I’m not one given to such things as a rule, I am the type of guy who draws back into himself.

The pain I was feeling just defies description, how could I go on, my world had changed irrevocably.
As I stood there staring into the rain I smelt perfume that was very familiar to me, it was the perfume that Rita always wore.  It only made me feel worse but I then felt a light touch on my face and then something that I find hard to explain but it was like I was being hugged from behind, it was something Rita used to do often whenever I was thinking about something, it was her way of letting me know she was there without intruding onto my thoughts.

The feeling that came over me was something akin to what I would feel each and every time we were in each others arms, somehow I just knew she was there right at the very time I needed her most.  The feeling held for sometime before I finally whispered “I love you, I miss you” then I felt another light touch on the cheek and then, nothing.

I went to bed early that night and hugged her pillow, I savoured the memories I had of her but amazingly the pain I had felt up until I felt I was being hugged had abated.  Was this the product of a pained mind desiring so much for one last moment with my love?

That morning I woke and as was my usual habit I went for a run and afterwards I jumped in the shower, came out and sat down with a coffee to watch the news.  Sitting next to the TV was a vase which, in the days Rita was still with me would always contain fresh flowers, I had not bothered since, in fact the place was a bit of a mess, not on my list of priorities I suppose just getting through each day was more a chore than anything else.

I looked at the vase for what must have been 20 minutes then got up and went down the street where I got some fresh flowers and came back putting them in the vase.  I don’t know why, I didn’t really care for them, it was just something I felt I had to do.

As I placed the Vase back next to the TV I saw out of the corner of my eye Rita standing in the corridor leading to the bedrooms, she was smiling but as I turned to her there was no one there.

I can’t say for sure Rita was there when I needed her the most or it was just my mind, who cares, it was what I needed, an extra moment.

Not a day goes past where I don’t think of her.  Not a day goes past where I don’t thank her for the time we shared, for the patience she showed in taking a rough man and making him believe in himself.  Not a day goes past where I don’t miss her, but life goes on, the pain has been replaced with the memories and every so often I feel her there with me, usually when I need it the most.

Photos only at this stage – more to come

Spirit communication- Validating on a whole new level

The Mel Meter is a high quality instrument that would normally sell to the industrial or commercial sector for well over $250. Two years of manufacturing research and design went into this device to ensure that it was designed to be affordable, specifically for paranormal enthusiasts. Many of you seeking answers, just like me. The functionality of the meter provides the tools necessary to assist the user in making informed decisions based on measurement results related to Electromagnetic Field (EMF) radiation energy and correlating temperature change in the immediate area surrounding the EMF measured value. Professional Paranormal Investigators will quickly recognize the true benefits, and importance of utilizing this information to qualify and validate communication with spirit.

This is a hand held Instrument, but you can also place the instrument on a table top in plain view of the user. A quick press of the Record button will enable the Mel Meters Minimum and Maximum Peak capture feature. In this mode, even if you should take your eyes off of the Meter, any Min / Max change in EMF or Temperature that occurs will be captured for later review. A video camera aimed at the display can be added to enhance your experience for reviewing at a later time. The exclusive Night View display was designed to permit clear and easy display viewing of the EMF and Temperature values in total darkness up to 15 feet away. Try to find a clean area free of any potential interference from extraneous EMF sources. This Instrument is not affected by Cell Phones, Text Messages and RF transmitting devices like the KII and Gauss Master.

It is important to understand that EMF and Temperature go hand in hand during a Paranormal investigation. Many times you will detect an EMF source which is followed by a Cold Spot or drop in temperature. The Mel Meter was designed to detect both instantly and simultaneously for this very reason.

During your session, to validate the presence of Spirit, use the EMF and Temperature variables to create a simple sequence of tests. This is the only way an Investigator can rule out possible extraneous interferences as a likely cause for a response. No other meter does this.

The Mel Meter utilizes a proprietary micro-processor to quickly scan the EMF and Temperature variable changes in and around the environment. One of the features that has been incorporated into the instrument is what we call the EMF burst mode. In this configuration, we allocate 100% of the micro-processors scan speed to be dedicated to the EMF display. By doing this, the EMF frequency response update speed is similar to that of a KII blinking light, or about 5 times faster than a conventional LCD EMF Meter like the EMF-822A you see used by so many investigators.

This feature allows the meter to detect transient EMF spikes, and is good for isolating and locating a dynamic EMF source. The burst mode is also ideal for a question and answer session with spirit.

HAUNTED DOWNUNDER IS THE SOLE LICENSED DISTRIBUTOR OF THE MEL-METER IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.  CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION WHILE WE DESIGN A SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM

A Good friend of mine and a technical specialist wrote this review which I think is well worth reading

The Mel-8704 Meter Review

Introduction

As many know, not only do I build experimental equipment myself but I also like to test equipment built by others. I recently came across this new instrument called the Mel-8704. This meter is a dual purpose combination unit that measures both EMF and Temperature simultaneously. Skeptical as I am to devices that claim to be designed specifically for Paranormal Investigators and enthusiasts I decided this was something that I had to try out for myself. And, after several hours of evaluation, to my surprise this device really did live up to all of its claims.

First, I would like to provide a brief introduction. The Mel Meter was designed and developed by Gary Galka of DAS Distribution Inc. Gary is your typical devoted family man, married 28 years, with wife and kids. But, an unfortunate incident occurred in 2004 when Gary lost his oldest of three daughters, Melissa. After Melissa’s passing, some incredible things started to happen to Gary and his family. Gary’s words to me were “the veil that separated the hereafter and our world quickly unfolded before us” as Melissa began to make her presence known through numerous ADC’s (after death communications) to Gary and his family. Gary designed the Mel Meter as a way to communicate with his daughter whom Gary says helped with the healing process. The device is named after his daughter ‘Mel’ and the model number is her year of birth 87 and her year of passing 04 – “Mel-8704″. For a long time there have been theories that spirits can manipulate the energy fields that surround us. These theories go on to say that energy is heat so when it’s transferred from one location to another it leaves behind a cold spot.

Knowing this Gary built a device to not only register AC/DC EMF fluctuations but at the same time record variances in temperature on a single display. After Mel passed, Gary and his wife created a small grief support group for other bereaved parents who had experienced the same devastating loss. And, it was the need to reach out to more and more people that became the catalyst to produce the Mel-8704 and help fund additional support groups. Some of these groups include:

• The Compassionate Friends
http://www.compassionatefriends.org

• The Cove
http://www.covect.org

• Light beyond Loss
http://www.lightbeyondloss.org

Gary’s generosity doesn’t stop there, realizing that the paranormal community consists of men and woman that donate their spare time and services to help others, he initiated a program within his company that donates 10% of his Mel Meter production to various people, paranormal groups, auctions and charities. He believes that the Paranormal community in general in time, can and will make a huge difference in our every day lives, and in his words are the “Good Guys” and he simply wants to help these people however he can.I’ve personally be discussing new inventions with Gary and getting his input. We’ve discussed aspects of the Mel meter and even talked about possible upgrades or additions to the device.

Specifications and Review

The Mel Meter Model 8704 is an intelligent microprocessor based instrument specifically designed for Paranormal Investigators & Enthusiasts. The Mel Meter incorporates various different features that are combined into a durable unit designed to be operated with only one hand. First and foremost the Mel Meter is the only instrument on the market to be able to record EMF and Temperature simultaneously. As pointed out earlier there are many theories that surround the use of EMF meters and Thermometers one such theory being that with EMF fluctuations come what are referred to as ‘Cold Spots’ these colds spots are a result of heat (energy) being transferred from one location to another again theories dictate that this destination of energy transference is the point of manifestation, again just theory. In addition to this the unit features a large backlit display with numbers large enough to be viewed from several feet away again as an investigator myself this means no more fumbling for a flashlight to read the display. It will measure both mG and UT as well as both °F and °C along with the Minimum and Maximum measurements of both EMF and Temperature. The Thermometer uses what is called a Type K (chromel–alumel) general purpose thermocouple.

The thermocouple consists of two dissimilar metals joined together at one end. When the junction of the two metals is heated or cooled a voltage is produced that is linearized in the Mel’s micro-processor. It can then be correlated back to the temperature. They use a custom welded “bead” exposed type K thermocouple which is mass produced just for the Mel. To ensure temperature accuracy, the voltage generated between the thermocouple plug and the Mel’s circuit board is measured and the appropriate correction is applied. This is known as cold junction compensation. It is a great general purpose and very accurate technique for measuring temperature. Any industry standard type “K” thermocouple probe with mini plug can be substituted and plugged into the Mel.

The EMF feature can operate in a standard or “burst” high speed mode, and will measure extreme low frequency (ELF)as low as 30Hz this is 20Hz lower than the KII which measures only as low as 50Hz. 50Hz is not considered to be part of the ELF range. The theory again being that an entity may be present in the ELF range of the EMF spectrum which commonly registers between 2.0 and 7.0 mG in strength. Most teams use EMF meters to debunk claims of activity claiming that long exposure to high EMF can cause paranoia nausea even effect moods but I think its important to know that this may not be the ONLY use EMF meters remember that the field of Paranormal Investigation is fraught with theory after theory and until we can 100% dismiss a theory it remains as much part of the investigation as any other. As long as there is something to the theory I believe we should research and develop tools to test them. Other important observations worth mentioning is that the Mel meter circuit design combined with careful shielding and grounding techniques, is not susceptible to false positives created by Cell phones, Text messages, Walkie Talkies, and other RF transmitting interference devices.

Going back to the display as I said it’s a large display with large easy to read numbers. In fact, the actual EMF number size is 0.60″ and 0.25” for the Ambient Temperature both displayed on the same 2” X 1” screen. The Backlight can be turned on or off manually and is bright enough to illuminate an object approx 8ft away it also aides the user in navigating stairs and such in total darkness.

Another neat feature with the unit is that it has a fold out stand and tripod mount in the back of the device this allows you to place the Mel Meter on a table and prop it up. This is good for recording a session with a camcorder.

Something I generally find particularly frustrating with these kinds of devices is battery drain with all that they do you find that half way through an investigation you need to replace your batteries. However, this is not the case with the Mel meter. In fact the Mel Meter will operate for 40 hours continuously without the backlight display and about 15 hours or so with the backlight on continuously. If you have the Mel-8704-ProNavigator with the flashlight, you’ll get 5 hours of constant flashlight and backlight display operation.

In my opinion this device is everything it claims to be and more. I personally own two of these meters both the Mel-8704 and the Pro-Nav version.

I’m known for coming down hard on new tools and I half expected this device to be a disappointment, I was happily wrong. The Mel-8704 Meter is one Instrument that I recommend to all groups, researchers and enthusiasts so much so that I’m now selling the meter in my own store (http://www.creepyhollowgear.com) .I encourage everyone to try this for themselves remembering that some of the proceeds from these sales also goes towards funding charities, support groups and the Paranormal community. Gary Galka is one of a few genuinely nice guys and it’s been a pleasure discussing additions and possible upgrades of the Mel Meter with him. One such addition that is coming soon will be a glow in the dark feature being added to the Mel-ProNav buttons. This will allow investigators to find or locate the meter in total darkness when the meter is not on. The button glow effect will last for 3-4 hours and can be recharged easily in 20 seconds using a standard Flashlight that we all keep in our pockets. Another nice little feature that will be included soon with the Mel ProNav is 10pcs, 4” glow in the dark lightning bolt reusable stickers for identifying EMF sources during an investigators baseline readings. These stickers help team members quickly spot “hot spots” in total darkness for debunking purposes. Again, it’s the small things about this meter that makes it so appealing.

Paul

Reference sites:
https://www.pro-measure.com

Location: Parramatta NSW Australia
Case Number: do219-07-lsf
Type: Reported paranormal activity in private home.

Details of the location of the subject of this story has been hidden to respect the privacy of the individuals concerned.

It was in June of 2007 when I received a call from our Case manager, Sandra who explained to me that a very distraught couple of contacted her.  Sandra told me that for nearly a year now the couple had suffered all sorts of unexplainable events in their home and after spending literally thousands of dollars on tradespeople, no reason could be found for the knocks which got louder as the night progressed, taps turning on by themselves, locked doors flying open and even the disembodied voice of what they thought sounded like an older female screaming at them.  In desperation they had turned to a psychic who had regaled them with such horrifying tales of an alleged raping and murder in the house scaring the couple so much they moved out and were now renting a place.

I immediately got Maddy Sanders to visit the couple and interview them plus conduct research into the property and house.  Maddy is an experienced researcher and also being a Police Officer in her full time employment, she knew how to interview and what to look for.  After 4 weeks of return interviews and extensive research Maddy concluded that the couple truly believed they had been the victims of something that was beyond their understanding however, Maddy found that there had never been any recorded murder or rape or any sort of crime whatsoever at the address of the property there was however such an event that had occurred 20 years earlier where a husband had raped and murdered his wife in a house with the same street name, same number but two suburbs away.  It seemed to me that the so called Psychic had gotten her research wrong and sadly I have seen this so many times I wonder why these people aren’t able to be charged with fraud.  It’s sad because I do know a small number of people who do have abilities and it is these scammers who continuously put others into a bad light.

After reviewing the notes and statements provided to me from Maddy I decided to meet with the couple myself and asked Connor Powell who is a Psychologist and trauma counsellor, also a member of my group, to join me.

I found the couple, both professionals, very charming, open and completely frightened by their experiences, their ability to deal with it had not been helped any by the so called Psychic who had spun them a tale.  I spoke with them for about 3 hours and explained how in most cases we usually found logical reasons behind a “haunting” but assured them that if the place was subject to something paranormal, it was certainly not something to be feared but instead it added character to their home.  It wasn’t of course an easy sell but I did manage to calm them down enough to actually agree to going back to the house for a few days so we could conduct an onsite investigation.  Connor would work with them to help them overcome their fears, at no cost of course.

With two new team members in tow we arrived at the house and commenced an inch by inch check of the exterior and interior, we set up environmental logging equipment and had two other team members, builders by day, check the foundations and other areas, including the plumbing.  CCTV and logging systems including sound meters, environmental logging systems and audio recorders were set up in all rooms of the house and hallways, these all were able to be monitored in real time and logged via a small Command installation we had setup in the garage.  We decided that for the first two days and nights we would monitor the house in shifts and on the third bring back the couple and again monitor the house with the coupe there for a few days.

The house itself was on 60 years old and a typical brick construction for the period.  It’s floors, except for the bedroosm was polished wood and I did notice that if the house was quiet, every movement by someone in another room could be plainly heard throughout the house.

At around 2:10am on the first night I received a call from the two team members monitoring the house from the garage to state that they had picked up the sounds of similar to someone walking around the house in heavy boots.  A perimeter check had been conducted and had not been breached and the house itself was still well and truly secured.  I informed them I would be right over but asked them to continue to monitor the house and to also make sure that the property was secure.

By the time I arrived the two team members informed me that they had since calling me also heard someone in a male voice yell out “fuck off bitch” and a female screaming back plus groans and what also recorded on CCTV one of the bedroom doors swinging open and closing about 4 times.  The environmental logger in the room with the opening door also recorded sharp fluctuations in temperature and humidity with the temperature sometimes dropping by about 6 degrees (Celsius).

I reviewed the audio and CCTV and then with one of the team members we entered the house and went through it room by room with a variety of equipment including a thermal imaging camera, EMF meters, camera’s and so forth.  As we entered the bedroom next to the one where the door had been recorded opening and closing I heard a scream that sent chills up and down my back, I had to grab the arm of the team member with me to stop her panicking, and she was an experienced field researcher!.

I had investigated so many places both in Australia and overseas and although I rarely feel uncontrollable fear, I would be a liar if I said I had never felt any fear at all, in this case my heart was racing, this scream seemed to come right next to us.  The equipment we had showed nothing, the audio levels recorded picked up nothing and a call on the radio back to the garage informed us no scream had been heard or picked up there.  We both had heard this scream so how could all the equipment we have not pick up on it.

We continued into the bedroom of interest and e4xperienced nothing whatsoever, our equipment did not pick up any fluctuations or changes to the environment and our audio recorders (upon later listening) picked up no sound or EVP.  I checked the windows to make sure they were still locked and had a look at the door.  As I was standing at the door I felt a very distinct cool breeze near my legs and watched as the door swung closed then swing back open again.  This puzzled me but the source of the breeze was soon discovered to be a small air conditioning vent located under the bed which had been missed by the team members during their initial inspection.  A lesson learnt there.

Standing on the outside of the door I also felt a breeze soon after the breeze from inside the room stopped and this I believe caused the door to open and close somewhat and could be attributed directly to the ducted air-conditioning.  We then sat down in thye hallway which connected to all the rooms of the house and waited to see if we could see or hear anything else, we weren’t disappointed.

After about 15 minutes we clearly heard what sounded like heavy footsteps up and down the part of the hallway outside the kitchen, this was also conformed by the team member monitoring in the garage.  The steps came in fours, clomp clomp clomp clomp.  Very heavy as if someone was wearing work boots.  Placing a device on the floor near where we had heard the footsteps show minute vibrations in the floor but the needle jumped when the footsteps could be heard again.  As I listened with my ear to the floor it really seemed like it might be coming from under the house and although I really didn’t want to, I knew someone would have to go under there and that someone was going to be me.

We left the house and went around back where there was a small space where one could crawl under the house.  For the first two meters it was a tight fit but soon opened up as you got further in and I could clearly see the plumbing which crisscrossed under the house, this had been checked on our first day so I knew what I was looking at.  As I got right under where the footsteps could be heard I was rewarded with the sound again but I could also see two of the pipes moving and banging against the floor above, this accounted for the footsteps and a note was made to get a plumber in the find out what made them do that.

On the second night much of the same was recorded again confirming my suspicions that there must be a logical reason for most of the noises but no voices or screams were picked up.

On the third night a nervous coupe returned with us and after an evening in which the wife shared with us her talents in cooking (a deliberate avoidance of any conversation dealing with the paranormal was made) we spent the evening talking and soon the couple retired to leave me and another team member in the lounge room and two in the garage monitoring the gear.

Apart from the noises which we had by then determined to have an explainable source, we experienced nothing until about 1:30am when all hell seemed to break loose.  It sounded like a male and female trying to kill each other right here in the house and it wasn’t long before we were joined by the very frightened couple.  We went from room to room and all the time could not find the source of the yelling voices, until we got to the middle bedroom and it was as if they were right inside.  The couple had by this time decided to vacate the hou8se and were sitting in the garage very shaken.

We entered the room and found nothing but the yelling continued as if a couipe, were having a very violent domestic right in there.  I went over to the windows and it was then that the source was discovered and a call made to police.

You might think that it must have been so obvious but even with so many years experience I found myself being the victim of the curious way in which sound can carry and can be amplified by surrounding objects.  The source of the argument, and the scream we heard the other night was of course coming from the house next door in which a very violent domestic argument was underway, this of course if why I called police but the sound had drifted over and been amplified making it appear to be coming from within the house so there was no haunting but a series of very interesting but sadly logical reasons for each and every occurrence that precipitated a fear in the couple that they were the victims of a haunting.

I can’t blame them, in fact anyone might be excused for thinking the same and with the so called Psychic adding fuel to the fire, it certainly for all intents and purposes appeared to be a real haunting to those who experienced it.

When I go into a location to investigate a possible haunting I put aside all preconceived ideas and biases.  I don’t have any intention to “debunk” or prove that the place is really haunted, I look for reasons and then by process of elimination come to a conclusion based upon facts.  If I cant find anything I say so, if I am not sure I say that too.  There are cases I have open that are several years old that are still the subject of research, one place our group has now a permanent station setup to monitor daily, and nightly events.

There have been times when I have presented my findings only to have someone come up with something that I missed and upon going back discovering that it was in fact a precipitator, it just goes to show that before we make any conclusions, we have to be absolutely sure that all rational, logical, environmental and psychological explanations, no matter how absurd they may be, are ruled out before even considering the possibility that something paranormal might be the case.

Conclusion: The house does not appear to be the subject of anything that could be assumed paranormal.  All reported events werte found to have logical precipitators.