by Editor
on November 7, 2014
What Should You Do If This Happens To You?
“It Is A Good Idea To Press One Eyeball Slightly. . .”
What should you do if a ghost suddenly looms before you? Right off the top, we can advise that you not scream and run—especially if it’s dark. This is because you could hurt yourself by tripping and falling, or by running into something. If you’re on a stairway, you could even take a neck-breaking tumble—which would no doubt then be blamed on the (probably) innocent ghost.
Also, it’s almost never a good idea to turn your back on something you think might be dangerous, be it a bear or a disembodied being.
Nor should you throw a rock or other object at the ghost just to see if it’s real; your projectile is is likely to travel right through the wraith and break something or injure someone on the other side. And, again, you wouldn’t pelt a bear with a rock, so why would you throw one at a ghost?
Beyond these few safety advisories, noted British ghost hunter Peter Underwood offers some further guidance on what to do if you see a ghost in his 1986 book, The Ghosts Hunter’s Guide. The thing that Underwood stresses most is to stay still and remain calm—ghosts almost never harm anyone. Their boo is worse than their bite.
“There is nothing to fear,” says Underwood. [continue reading…]
by Editor
on November 7, 2014
Poltergeist (1982)—Or, Oh No! A Clown!
Clowns are always good for a horror-movie scare. And when you mix a toy clown with poltergeist activity at a haunted home in the California suburbs . . . yikes!
In this scene from Stephen Spielberg’s 1982 classic film, Poltergeist, tension builds during a quiet evening after bedtime. The kids are safely tucked in, and mom’s enjoying a hot bath. [continue reading…]
by Editor
on November 7, 2014
Clifton Hall, An Ancient Manor Home In England Allegedly Haunted By A Variety Of Active Spirits. Photo: David Lally
Poltergeists Are Playful—But Not Much Fun
What are poltergeists? This is one supernatural question that most of us think we’re qualified to answer—after all, we’ve seen the movies. Therefore you likely already know that poltergeists are those most physical of disembodied spirits—that they are able to make noises, open and close doors, move furniture and other objects from one place to another, throw things, pull blankets off of beds, occasionally pinch, bruise, or even leave bite marks on people’s skin, and in other ways manipulate their surroundings in a playful, mischievous, or destructive manner. Of all the different kinds of ghosts, they’re probably the most worthy of worry—if you believe in them, that is—because they are capable of causing pain and property damage.
What most people might not know is that the term “poltergeist” was first used in print by Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther (1483-1546), who was a firm believer in the malicious activity of evil spirits.
Unlike other sorts of ghosts, poltergeists almost always remain invisible. According to a 19th century tract on ghosts quoted by Owen Davies in his 2007 book, The Haunted: A Social History of Ghosts, “A ghost’s power of making noise, and exerting what seems to be great physical energy, is often in inverse ratio to his power to make himself generally visible, or, at all events, to his inclination to do so.” [continue reading…]
by Editor
on October 26, 2014
Polish Ghost In An Old, Polish Truck. Image: Trevor Butcher
Finding And Sharing Photos And Videos Of Ghosts
All my life, I’ve been hoping to see one clear, unambiguous photo of an actual ghost—definitive proof that disembodied spirits actually exist. I’m still waiting, but I continue to hope. The image above, by the way, is a composite work created by an artist in Poland who makes no claims for its ghostly veracity.
Of course, I’ve seen plenty of purported ghost photos. Some were laughably obvious hoaxes; others were earnest attempts by honest ghost hunters to capture an image of what they were certain was an authentic spook. And while some of the latter were intriguing, and clearly deserved a level of further scientific scrutiny I wasn’t qualified to give them, there’s been nothing to convince me beyond a ghostly shadow of a doubt.
Still, I keep looking. And I’m never disappointed because, not only do I hold my expectations reasonably low, but I find ghost photos and haunted-house videos to be entertaining—a great deal of fun, in fact—regardless of whether I think they’re completely credible. [continue reading…]
