When Flying Saucers Attack!

[sdreid]

Hi Jeff,

Yes, I remember when that killer rabbit was stalking Jimmy. I also remember his barf break in that foot race he was in. HW did an impression of Old Faithful too that time

I'll trade you our new senator for yours. Deal?

This is the week the putsch starts in Springfield. A new governor and a new senator in a 4 week period and neither of them elected to their posts. Now that's democracy!

I saw that UFO Hunters is covering some British case this week but it wasn't one I knew much about. Need to check into it.

It was weird that the jury recommended mercy for that wretch Waddingham. Happily, the judge wasn't moved.

[Celesta]

Hi Gang,

Got a rotten headache so I'll be quick.

No one expects the Spanish UFO Commission! Errr... The Spanish Inquisition! Glad about your mom, Jeff. I imagine the moving around will help some, too. Once you start cooking, it can become addicting. You keep trying to stretch your repertoire. Didn't Clinton try to get to the bottom of the UFO cover-up early in his first term?

Stan, It looks like I might not be the only gun-toting Democratic mama afterall! Well, technically, I'm not gun-toting yet. It's just in the plans. I didn't expect to find one in the New York Senate seat!

[Mayerling]

Hi Stan and Celesta and Mike,

My cooking was for the birds tonight. I was doing chicken cutlets, and while I had taken them out of the freezer last night, I did not take them out of the lower refrigerator this afternoon. It tried to "heat" them enough before I cooked them by using hot water. It doesn't work too well. I finally gave my mother fried eggs.

I have to admit that I would take the gentleman you got for Senator over this lady, due to her viewpoint on guns. But it is a narrow exception. What gets me is why Patterson is so keen on her. Years ago he tried to pursuade her to run for the State Senate. What is it about her that makes her so wonderful to him?

By the way, this takes care of the Illinois and New York vacancies due to Obama and Hillery going into the Executive Branch jobs they got. What happened to Joe Biden's seat for Delaware, or was he no longer their senator?

I think the jury in the Waddingham case was swayed towards mercy for two reasons. There were some good reports that Nurse Waddingham had been decent to most of her patients. Secondly (and more important) she had three children and was suckling a fourth during the trial. But in reality she was quite a dangerous type to release. She killed for profit, and it was a patient. As John Rowland's said in his essay on the case, she would have found patients willing to give her little legacies, and they would have died sooner than expected too.

Thinking about the Trilateral Commission (which I suspect is created for advising the government - but who knows) I kept imagining that it was being run by Michael Palin in seventeenth century costume, forcing people to do his bidding by applying the comfy chair.


Your governor is grandstanding it again Stan. He claims he'll prove his innocence in court. He compares himself to such different men as Teddy Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, and Mohanndas Gandhi. Actually I keep comparing him to our own Governor William Sulzer, who was impeached and removed in 1913. And Sulzer was probably framed by Tammany Hall boss, Charles Murphy. Somehow the Illinois gentleman can't quite use that argument.

Best wishes to you all.

Jeff

[Mike Covell]

Glad you mum is better Jeff.
Stan, my wife won't let me near the kitchen! I burnt two prior kitchens down, luckily, neither was ours, but she still has a problem!
Celesta, hope your headache gets better soon!

The wife stayed out all Friday night at her mums, so I had the TV remote to myself and watched a program called "Secret UFO Files" or something.

It was quite a good tv show, on for 2 and half hours and spent time with American, British and Russian secret service type people, pilots, police officers etc.

There was a decent collection of witnessess, footage and case studies, but I don't recall actually seeing any files!

I also watched an episode of Ghosthunters, in which they were at some fort in Philly, and got some footage on thermal of an alleged human form! and a great EVP of a little girl saying "Mummy, Mummy" in a room which a little girl died in!

They also got a couple more EVP's in a strange subterranean prison cell, which seemed to coincide with the history of the location!

Today I picked up three interesting books,
The Orb Project, a look at Orb film and photo's!

Servants of the Supernatural, The Night Side of the Victorian Mind, Antonio Melechi,

And

Great Victorian Lives, An Era in Obituaries!

[sdreid]

Cel-Hope you are feeling better.

Mike-There is a program here called UFO Files. I don't know if there's a connection.

Jeff the Chef-The assumption is that our governor will be removed but we'll have to wait and see. In the impeachment, the only no vote he got was from his sister-in-law.

I voted for the Republican candidate when this governor ran for office. When the previous governor, the Republican who is now in prison, ran, I voted for his Democrat opponent. The solution to all our problems is to just put in the person I vote for.

[Mike Covell]

I have all the UFO Files, there was a small set on sale recently and I bought the lot.

This program was hosted by a Defence Weekly Writer, and was quite sober in it's approach.

Just got a new location lined up for Ghosttrackers, doors away from Robert D'Onston Stephenson's father's old house!!

Watch this space!

[Celesta]

Thanks, Gang, I think I get this change of weather headache, or something. It gets better or worse depending. Plus I still haven't gotten new glasses.

Hey Stan,
The more I see of this Blagojech or however you pronounce it, the more I'm amazed that he got elected. Was he always this weird? I mean Oprah? The guy's thinking process sometimes seems as nutty as Manson's.


Hey Jeff,

I applaud your teaching yourself to cook. I wish I could get my brother to do that. Don't push yourself on the cooking though. It'll take the fun out of it. Sometimes if I can't get the chicken to thaw, I put it in a plastic bag and submerge it in cold water. I put in one or two of those frozen small blue ice things to keep it cold. You can get them for less than a dollar in a grocery store. Or you can put ice. Just don't leave it in there too long. Keep the water cold and keep checking. If it's just cutlets, it won't take too long to thaw.

Ghandi? That soon to be ex-guv is a nut!

Hey Mike,

I imagine the new IGH will be coming your way soon. Last season was disappointing to me and so far, this one has not been all that great although there have been some high points. Do you believe orbs are anything other than dust and bugs? I have a photo of my uncle and there are a number of orbs in the photo.

Have a good day, yall. It's so gloomy here. I saw a thread by Pirate Jeff, so I guess he survived the flood. I was wondering when I didn't see anything from him yesterday.

[Mike Covell]

Actually, I wrote an online article about orbs, give me a second, and I shall post it. I have mixed reactions over the capture of "Orbs" on film. On the one hand I believe that with other evidence, then we can say it is supernatural, but if it's just a picture, then it must be natural. That's why we investigate.

"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?
The Sign of the Four, ch. 6 (1890)
Sherlock Holmes in The Sign of the Four (Doubleday p. 111)



What is an Orb, and is it evidence of the paranormal

In the past 5 years I have seen a massive increase in the amount of “Orb” photographs, due in part to the decrease in cost of digital camera’s and the increase in their ownership and usage. Many of these photo’s are presented as evidence of the paranormal, but just what do we actually see on an “Orb” photo and what causes it?

An “Orb” is a circular ball of light, usually appearing on digital film, and appearing as an anomaly, I.e., it shouldn’t be there.

The Explanations
Dust
Dust particles are common and present everywhere, with the only exception being high tech laboratories that rely on dust free environments to produce or process. Even if a building is damp, it does not indicate a dust free environment, and dust will be present. Many damp environments have brick and stone work, which when rubbed or disturbed, flakes off into a thin white powder. These particles then become airborne, and once in the atmosphere are difficult to get rid of. Industrial dust elimination machines are available on the market and although they are relatively cheap, they are cumbersome, noisy and only go someway in removing dust particles from the atmosphere.
Some locations have a high level of wood among the structure of the building, and again if disturbed, can create the illusion of an “Orb”
Dust is a solid particle usually smaller than 500 micrometers and is caused by soil particles, plant particles, pollen, animal fibres, human skin cells, textile and paper fibres, minerals and may other factors within the local environment. When a digital photograph is taken using the flash any airborne particles within the focal range and focal angle of the camera lens are illuminated by the flash and reflected back to the lens. It is quite common for paranormal groups to carry out a technique known as “Dusting”, which is the coating of an area with flour or a powder of similar nature. The aim is to catch spirit movement. Other techniques involve placing trigger objects within the dusted area, again to record spirit movement. This technique however, adds to the phenomena in the sense that the flour, talc or other similar powder can be disturbed, and if photographed, can create the illusion of a group of “orbs”.

Insect
It is difficult to eradicate insects from any location under investigation, more so when the location is outside, or partly open to the elements. The way to distinguish between “Orb” and “Insect” is to investigate the physical make up of the object caught on film. Many insects, especially the flying verity, will feature appendages that enable them to get airborne. These vary between two and four, and differ from insect to insect, but can be spotted quite easily on film, when enlarged.

Water
Water can exist in the atmosphere in three different phases - solid, liquid, and gas.
Water as a solid exists in the form of snow and any paranormal investigator knows that taking photo’s during a snow storm will void any alleged “Orbs” as the chance of it being a snowflake is incredibly high.
Water as a liquid exists in the form of rain, and again any paranormal investigator knows that taking photo’s during a downpour will void any alleged “Orbs” as the chance of it being a raindrop is incredibly high.
Water vapour is another common cause of “Orb” photographs, and unfortunately is present in both indoor and outdoor locations. Water vapour occurs in the atmosphere and a good way of measuring it using a Humidity Detector. The detector will show the humidity as a percentage of given parcel of air. The higher the percentage the more water vapour in the air, and the greater the chance of rain. The more water vapour present in the immediate vicinity the greater the chance of catching water droplets on film, thus giving the impression of an “Orb”

The Theories
Many theories have been presented about the appearance of “Orbs” and what they are, here are just a select few.

Large Energy Sources
One of the leading theories presented to explain the presence of “Orbs” captured in photographs is due to energy released from power lines, or domestic power sources, but whilst this goes someway in explaining some shots, there are those taken in the likes of cellars and vaults of castles and keeps that cannot be explained away as coming from power sources, as more often than not, they are not present in the vicinity!

Small Energy Sources
Countering this argument is the theory that the balls of energy are created by smaller power sources such as batteries and electrical equipment. I couldn’t tell you how many batteries I go through on an investigation, but I always carry a spare set, if not for me, then the rest of the group. Batteries are an essential piece of the paranormal investigator’s kit, and on occasion they do drain inexplicably. That said, it is usually the camera that drains first, so attempting to capture an energy ball created by a drained battery is a catch 22 situation!

Human Energy Sources
One theory is that humans have the ability to create energy and this is what is being caught on film. In 1939 Semyon Kirlian accidentally discovered that placing an object on a photographic plate, which in turn is connected to a high voltage, can create what are known as small corona discharges at the edge of the object. Kirlian experimented with the human aura and also took Photogram’s of leaves, before and after dissection. After a section of the leaf was removed, the Photogram appeared to show the complete leaf! If this proves the existence of a human power, then perhaps this theory could go some way in explaining what is present on film.

Spirit Manifestation
It has been written that the presence of an “Orb” is the first stage of a spirit manifestation, yet if this was the case, how come nobody has on film an “Orb” turning into a fully fledged spirit?
It is believed that spirit’s build up energy by taking power from the listed energy sources above, and that it is a natural process for a spirit to manifest in such a way that it appears as a ball of light on film. According to the laws of Physics energy being transferring like that would assume is natural shape of a sphere.

Movement or Still?
One of the theories presented to back up the claims that “Orbs” are spirit, is the way in which they move on camera. Digital Cameras have a high shutter speed and are able to pick up a great deal of detail. Many shots of “orbs” will show a ball or balls of light, which appear to hang motionless in the air. Whilst others tend to show the phenomena in what appears to be motion. If we are to look at dust as an example of the natural explanation for an “Orb” then we must look at how dust operates in a given environment. Dust particles are known to fall or rise, depending upon the thermal energy within the location, and rarely move side to side, unless an external force is applied, such as wind, or movement. With a simple baseline test, checking the location before, during and after, an investigation, we can minimise external factors such as draughts, and investigate warm and cold spots which might cause movement among the natural factors.

Conclusions
Paranormal Investigations is the Investigation of the Paranormal, it is not the standing about waiting for something to happen, nor the taking of random shots in the hope of catching “evidence”, it is the investigation of something that although we do not fully understand, we often encounter. Photographic evidence is the holy grail for many investigators and groups, and spirit photography is as old as paranormal investigation itself, yet a photograph, however good, is not evidence alone.
The aim of a respectable paranormal investigator is to build up a case of evidence to confirm or debunk a haunting, using different tools of the trade, to create a solid ground work for further investigation, and enable the presentation of findings. A photograph provided by film evidence is much better than a single photo allegedly showing “Orbs”
Better still, is a photograph presented with humidity readings, film footage and audio showing that activity was rife at the time of the photograph being taken. Questions should be asked, looking into the history of the location, wether activity has been reported before, or wether similar shots have been acquired in this spot. Multiple shots should be taken simultaneously to ensure that if there is something there, it can be captured from all angles and investigated further.

After the location has been investigated, and readings have been taken, after footage has been reviewed and audio poured over, and after all the personal experiences have been logged, we can then start to look at just what has been captured on camera, we can use the evidence gained from the other investigative tools to back up the arguments for or against, and we can present our case.

And maybe in time, we will find out what is causing these much discussed phenomena.





Further Reading
Explaining the Unexplained, Hans J. Eysenck and Carl Sargent, Book Club Associates, 1982

Ghost Hunting, Jason Hawes, Grant Wilson and Michael Jan Friedman, Pocket Books, 2007

Ghosts Caught on Film, Dr. Melvyn Williams, David and Charles Ltd, 2007

Jason Karl’s Great Ghost Hunt, Jason Karl, New Holland, 2004

Paranormal Caught on Film, The, Dr. Melvyn Williams, David and Charles Ltd, 2008

Phil Whyman’s Dead Haunted, Phil Whyman, New Holland, 2007

Photographs of the Unknown, Rickard Kelly, Granta Editions, 1980





Copyright; Mike Covell 2009

[sdreid]

Hey Stan,
The more I see of this Blagojech or however you pronounce it, the more I'm amazed that he got elected. Was he always this weird? I mean Oprah? The guy's thinking process sometimes seems as nutty as Manson's.

Ghandi? That soon to be ex-guv is a nut!

I guess you can excuse us his first election but reelection? The main reason people in this area didn't like him is because he, de facto, moved the state capital to Chicago.

Have you picked a gun yet? When you have one, you'll want two.

[Celesta]

Very good, Mike! Thanks for this! You know I have seen pictures of some that actually look like they have structure. Sometimes it might be the camera but sometimes I wonder if the camera isn't catching some sort of ???? polarity? Dust particles, like clay particles are charged, as you know. So why wouldn't the camera occasionally capture an alignment along planes, an array, now and then.

Stan,

People like this guy, narcissistic guys, can fool people, but this one seems to be going a little bit off the edge. I didn't know the capital had been moved. Duh...

[sdreid]

Yes, the "Spare the Rod" tour is something to behold.

The state capital is still officially in Springfield. It's just that he governed from Chicago where he stayed about 363 days a year.

[Mayerling]

Hi Celeste, Stan, and Mike,

You know I do find one great thing about cooking - you have to keep concentrating on what you are doing. I have written articles and drifted into side business on many occasions, but with cooking you really cannot because you might ruin something by overcooking or burning it. Tonight I was more successful with hamburgers and corn.

Tomorrow it will probably be ravioli.

I notice a news item that came out in a timely manner so that it did not revive a controversy. The mother of David Koresh, leader of that cult the Branch Devidians who were shot and burned to death by the FBI at Waco, was murdered (stabbed to death) after a family quarrel by her sister. Now this occurred one week after Hillary Clinton got through the screening process to become the first former First Lady to become Secretary of State.
Imagine what the opposition might have done (considering all the criticism of the Clinton Administration in handling the Waco Incident) if the killing occurred earlier and the medial picked up on it. Curious about how timing can render an issue important or not.

My readings into the Second Empire has led to a study on the Paris Commune of 1871. At the time it was the first seeming attempt by the modern European Left to grab power, although they did very badly in the attempt.
Marx was not impressed by them too much, but then most of them were followers of Blanqui and other French radicals leaders (not Marx).

Mike, I am curious - has any ghostly phenomenon been found in Liverpool connected with the Maybricks? I know Battlesea House is still standing.

Best wishes,

Jeff

[sdreid]

Yes, that was a surprise about Koresh's mother - and stabbed to death by here sister yet. I remember his mom on several TV programs. She stood up for him but I'm not sure if she really was a believer.

That UFO Hunters program Wednesday is about the rash of flying saucer sightings in the U.K. during June of last year.

[Mike Covell]

Hi Gang,
Jeff, if we believe Liverpool based author Tom Slemen, everything in Liverpool is haunted! He stole the Robert D'Onston Stephenson "Dead or Alive" story, left a charector called D'Onston in it, but moved it to Sefton Park in Liverpool, thus making a who load of readers curious as to what else he has made up!
Funnily enough, he has a ripper book on the way!

Most Haunted's Derek Acorah, another Liverpudlian, picked up on Maybrick during a live Most Haunted, which was supposed to be about JTR. There was also an episode at The London Dungeon, where Dezza also picked up on Maybrick. Yet, I have not read any books concerning the Maybricks Haunting Liverpool. I would love to set a digital recorder in Battlecrease house, but it would probably record Maybrick singing the song by Shaggy....
"It wasn't me..."

Anyway, Orbs, I wrote that piece after a rival group member took several shots in a tunnel, and claimed an orb she had photographed, was genuine spirit. She cited that as there was a damp atmosphere, there would be no dust, however, the photo clearly shows the white flaky powder that comes off damp bricks!! Oh how we laughed!

I am split over what is and what isn't genuine, but agree that it needs proper research and investigation.

[sdreid]

The new season of MonsterQuest starts next week. I wonder if they'll be hunting the colossal chipmunk this year.