SMAPIS News and Paranormal Blog

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2010-04-26T12:34:00.001-04:00

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Randy finds proof

2010-04-17T18:45:00.001-04:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

ghost in my beer

2009-11-21T20:39:00.001-05:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Cryptozoological Park

2009-09-09T10:21:00.015-04:00

In my recent visit to my local Detroit Zoo, I rediscovered my lost childhood wonderment for the vast variety of creatures that walk this earth. From an egg-laying mammal, the duck-billed platypus, to the capybara, a four-foot rodent with webbed feet, there's never a shortage of the strange and unusual when it comes to animals.

While my focus here is on strange and unusual animals, it's not the variety found at your local zoo. I'm referring to the animals who's very existence is in question. The Yeti. The Mothman. The Skunk Ape. The Devilbird. Big Foot. The Loch Ness Monster. The Giant Worm Frog. These creatures are a twisted version of nature as we know it.

One of the greatest feats of mankind is climbing the 29,029 feet of Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. Several adventurers have perished while attempting to join the ranks of successful ascents. But some claim that it wasn't the lack of oxygen or extreme cold that folded their attempts and caused their demise. Some claim that these bundled up climbers make a tasty treat for the largest wild humanoid creature to walk the globe. The Yeti.

The Yeti is the Big Foot of the tundra. Reports of its height range from five to eight feet tall. It has long reddish-brown to black fur, large teeth and long arms that hang almost to its knees. Its head is elongated at the top with a conical crown. Yeti footprints have consistently been discovered in the Himalayas since 1832. Most recently, Josh Gates of the Syfy Channel's "Destination: Truth" found and casted a 13-inch foot print in the mud.

How have these creatures eluded scientific classification throughout recorded history? How, when eyes and cameras and awareness pry at their strife for separatism, do they remain to most a myth? The next time you're camping in the Rockies and think you see an animal that couldn't possibly exist, don't shrug it off. Take pictures. Look it up. Research it. Tell people, because chances are, you're not alone.

Post a comment to share your experiences at Cryptozoological Park.

Thanks for reading,

Rodger

Unconventional Forms of Ghost Hunting

2009-09-01T14:40:00.003-04:00

Throughout my years of investigating the paranormal, there seems to be a common thread when it comes to convention; there is no convention! How do we collect and record EMF data? Where does one look for residual resonance? Should we investigate with the lights on or off? Day or night? To all of that, I must answer with a question. Does it matter? In the process of gathering scientific data, we must try methods no one else has. We need a way to break out of ruts without data, and to cross verify information. We need unconventional forms of ghost hunting.

My cousin, Francis was telling me about an encounter he had last week. When he got to the part about the ghost, he said, "it was unbelievable! I saw it out of the corner of my eye and when I turned to look, it was gone." There may be a scientific explanation for the out-of-the-corner syndrome.

The retina of your eye consists of light sensitive rods and cones. Rods see definition, and cones see color. The cones are concentrated mostly in the center of the eye. The further an object is in your peripheral vision, the less colorful it will seem. Therefore, given that people seem to see ghosts more often with there peripheral vision, it may be safe to hypothesize that ghosts can be seen more clearly when the color spectrum is removed from the image.

My team has recently taken this notion one step further. We have digitally removed color from various test video and photographs with shocking results! Try it! Let me know what you find!

Thanks for reading,

Rodger

Mission Drahner barn: SUCCESS

2009-08-24T13:42:00.003-04:00

The Drahner barn investigation has come to a close and it was a quantifiable success! (See the Investigations page on smapis.com for investigation details.)

The crew have captured several convincing EVPs (electronic voice phenomenon). One in particular makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up every time I hear it. It sounds like a gruff, old man's voice saying, "I only want the most times to have it." According to the backstory of the barn, William Drahner became depressed and ended his own life. The statement is chilling because it represents William's despair in reliving this residual moment every year on October 24th for almost 70 years.

Other EVPs (electronic voice phenomenon) captured that night include but are not limited to:

"No, it's not."

"I'm Fred Drahner."

"Uhhhhhhhhhh."

"I tell about it on the wind." or "I talk around it on the wind."

In addition to EVP, the crew have captured several compelling images. Some of orbs, some mists, some vortex's and the most convincing shadow man shot I've ever seen. These EVPs and photos will be posted soon.

Stay tuned!

Rodger

Lead Paranormal Investigator

SMAPIS

The Art and Science of Capturing EVP

2009-08-20T15:15:00.007-04:00

EVP stands for electronic voice phenomenon. Simply put, its the capturing of a voice on an electronic recording device that is not heard by the observers at the time of the recording.

I first experienced this phenomenon about 13 years ago when trying to communicate with a deceased occupant of the rental house I was living in. I created a parabolic microphone out of a computer condenser mic, milk carton, egg carton, fishing line, coat hanger, Elmer's glue stick, and aluminum foil. I began asking questions of the etherial resident such as, "How did you die? How old are you? What is your favorite food?" etcetera. To my surprise, when prompted, "Tell us your name," a voice was captured on the tape that clearly said, "I don't want to." This recording was thoroughly scrutinized by industry experts with the conclusion that it was not a fake. I have since lost the clip due to a flood that destroyed the tape.

There are several theories for and against the validity of EVPs as proof of an afterlife. Many conventional scientists believe that EVPs are merely auditory hallucination or auditory suggestion. This is a phenomenon where a person listening to a supposed EVP will subconsciously fill in the blanks to create vocal phrases out of otherwise random noises in the environment. Some parapsychologists believe that electronic recording devices are capable of capturing the electro magnetic energy emitted by a spirit who is trying to say something. This energy is not audible to the human ear, but is transfered to the tape as voices we can decipher.

I learned something that fateful night thirteen years ago. I learned that, regardless of how scientists interpret EVP, I know in my heart of hearts that there are spirits in that nether realm trying to communicate with us.

Thanks for reading,

-Rodger

A SMAPIS Minute: Mystery Photo

2009-07-03T17:44:00.005-04:00

Mary, SMAPIS psychic medium, conducts a group session to dig up answers about a mystery photo discovered in grandma's attic. This behind-the-scenes looks offers proof that the SMAPIS members don't always agree on methods of investigation.

Do you have any methods of investigation likely to cause controversy among your peers?

Rate this video on YouTube and click on "Share This" above to share with your friends.

The act of powdering

2009-05-01T22:16:00.011-04:00

Very few ghost hunters today, practice the dying art of powdering. This is the act of sprinkling baby powder in and around areas of investigation. Covering floor boards, table surfaces, and any other flat objects in hopes to track the physical movement of an entity.

Since the dawn of paranormal investigation, many cases have been reported. One in particular involves baby powder footprints across a hardwood floor. On an investigation in the spring of 1926, Dr. Horris Buchenstein, curator of the Philadelphia metropolitan museum of natural history, placed such powder across the floor of a 1750's inn. To his amazement, baby footprints extended from the closet to the entrance on the opposite side of the room. His findings were scrutinized by various members of the press to the conclusion that indeed, a ghostly baby inhabited the old inn.

My recent attempts with this technique have not been quite as fruitful, but my research is ongoing. I have been conducting controlled experiments using various powders, such as powdered sugar, baking powder, bleached and wheat flour, baking soda, Chinese 5 spice, nutmeg, comet cleanser, powdered milk, facial powder, bullion granules, ranch dip powder, vanilla pudding powder, malted milk powder, non-dairy coffee creamer, and white cake mix. I will continue to update this post as new information arises.

Please share your powdering techniques and findings here.

Shadow Hat Man

2009-04-26T10:39:00.012-04:00

We all have those moments of self doubt. A moment when sound pessimism floods through our veins and we ask ourselves, "Did I really just see a ghost? Is that even possible?" And during that moment, we come to the realization that no sound, scientific principle can explain the visual, still lingering in the back of our mind; its impression, still imposed on our retina. We close our eyes and can still see it. Proof to only ourselves.

I experienced such an event last Saturday night, while working on my book. Seated comfortably in my easy chair with my tattered, papyrus notebook, fountain pen and glass of scotch on the rocks, I saw it. A blacker-than-black etherial, smokey mass, wavering in the doorway of my office. I caught it in my right peripheral vision, and when I turned to look, it vanished.

It seemed to be an outlined figure of a cloaked man with a 1930's fedora. Although I could make out no facial details, I could sense malevolence. Even after it vanished, the pressing feeling of despair and foreboding remained for the rest of the night.

According to Wikipedia's page about shadow people, they may be creatures from another reality whose "dimension" occasionally overlaps with ours, allowing them to be partially visible, or that they represent creatures that exist on a separate plane of existence.

Have you ever experience a shadow figure? Do you have an opinion of theory about shadow people? Please post a comment and share.

Presenting SMAPIS: The Ghost Finders, Episode Two

2009-04-07T22:43:00.003-04:00

The Southeastern Alliance of Paranormal Investigators Society (SMAPIS) crew scours the data collected from grandma's attic in episode one. A warble picked up from the digital voice recorder seems proof-positive through the eyes of SMAPIS founder, Rodger Graham, that his grandmother is speaking to him from beyond the grave. Get the behind the scenes tour of the SMAPIS headquarters in this second installment.

Watch it here.

SMAPIS.com is live!

2009-04-03T13:35:00.002-04:00

Hello world. On behalf of the SMAPIS crew, I'd like to announce that SMAPIS.com is up and running. There may be a few bugs to work out. If you find any, post a comment and let me know.

SMAPIS: The Ghost Finders Episode 2 will be released very soon. Check back often.