Sue Darroch and Matthew Didier's Paranormal Blog

I saw this adorable photo, and thought what a fun way to wish everyone a happy Halloween, and a happy WW.

I also want to take a moment to thank all of the AWESOME volunteers at Paranormal, Studies, And Investigations Canada, The Toronto Ghosts & Hauntings Research Societies, The Ontario Ghosts & Hauntings Research Society The GHRS, Para-Researchers Of Ontario, and Para-Researchers Of Quebec for all of their tireless efforts not only in the crazy weeks leading up to Halloween, but throughout the year as well when the general populace, and media tend to forget about all the wee ghosties, and long legged beasties that go bump in the night!

Happy Wordless Wednesday, and thank you for stopping by!

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

One of the coolest Halloween costumes that I have personally seen was a zombie football player. It was pretty easy to pull off the zombie look with stage make-up, and the rest of the costume was put together with a football uniform. The guy who wore this costume was paired up with his girlfriend who was dressed up as a zombie cheerleader. Quite a spooky looking couple, and rather clever I thought at the time.

I checked out a website earlier this afternoon that brought back that fun memory from Halloween past. The reason the site invoked the memory is because it is an online resource for NFL Jerseys, along with other NFL gear. With Halloween almost upon us, and sadly will be gone before we know it ...sigh...it is time to start gearing up for the holidays, and if you know a youngster who might really love an NFL themed gift like their teams fave outfit, and/or NFL helmet then you should definitely have a look at NFL Uniform Set.com.

NFL Uniform Set.com has got some great bargains, and offers the convenience of of being able to shop right from your home PC or office computer. They are safe, and secured.

If you might be interested in NFL gear just click on the link above, which will take you straight over to their site.

Thanks to the sponsor.

UFO Sighting Constance Bay/Carp/Arnprior Ontario - April or May 1980

In 1980, in either April or May, driving with my Mom from Constance Bay Ontario to Arnprior Ontario at approx:11:00 pm. We were on the Kinburn side road at 10th line road, traveling towards Arnprior, we looked to the right and saw a very bright flash of light. We thought it was a very large plane, but soon we knew it was not. Within minutes the lights came upon us and my Mom was speeding faster in our car trying to get away from these lights. The lights were now above our car and they did not move in front of us, behind or beside us so we could not see where they went. I opened my window and looked out and the lights were right above our car, hovering, I remember my Mom screaming for me to get my head back in the car, but I wanted to look, I had to look. She pulled me back into the vehicle and said to watch for it to come over on the other side. She sped up and it took another 2 or 3 minutes until the lights came over to my Mom's side of the car. They hovered again, then they shot away in a flash or like a streak. We got home, even though we both do not remember how we did get home. We both remember what happened when the lights were there, but we cannot tell you what happened from when the lights disappeared until the next morning when we awoke. When we did wake up, both us of looked at each other and said "was that real?" We told my Dad, we told all of our family, but to this day both Mom and I still remember it like it was yesterday. The lights when they first appeared with that flash were like 2 lights, thats why we thought it was a plane, but when it got closer, you could see that it was 3 very large bright white lights. When the lights were over the top of the vehicle, they were in the shape of a triangle. They were very very bright white, no other colour. When they came to my Mom's side of the car they were still very bright and large, and then they disappeared in a streak like movement. We never saw them again, my Grandmother lives just a few house from where this happened, she did not see anything.

Thank you to the witness.

I wanted to take this opportunity to blog about the topic of a new and innovative prostate cancer treatment today as it is a subject that is near, and dear to my heart. My Uncle Mike passed away from prostate cancer several years ago. New revolutionary treatments like high intensity focused ultrasound or simply known as HIFU are cutting edge, and offer real hope to people!

HIFU is very similar to the kidney stone treatments I had in that it uses sound waves to blast away at the cancer. How cool is that! Please do read more via the link I have added here for you. This is very exciting, and important news for those with prostate cancer, and their families. And I am very happy to bring it to you here today!

My thanks to my sponsor!

You will all be pleased to hear that all the people involved with this site now have doctorates in Parapsychology from Oxford University. We have also been knighted with The Order of the British Empire for our service to the understanding of paranormal phenomena, and several cardinals have put forward our names to be canonized by the Pope and thus become living saints.

We have gone-off around this blog on people claiming to have degrees and doctorates that they have not earned but bought... from unaccredited internet sites "selling" degrees...

...well, that's bad... but there is SOMETHING worse...

Recently, there was a large article in Toronto Life, a local magazine, where they featured a "ghost hunter" not based in Toronto, but in another part of Southern Ontario who we are familiar with.

In the article, amongst other claims, was a degree in psychology from The University of Toronto.

Though [name removed] earned a degree in psychology at U of T, he was more interested in becoming a historian and working in the media.

Well, the fellow in question uses a pseudonym, but we know his "real name" and one of our volunteers simply contacted The Undergraduate Advisor of The Department of Psychology, Sidney Smith Hall, University of Toronto - Tamara Ferguson - and asked if she could verify this person (either name) having graduated in the last thirty years or so... and the answer was that no person with either name had completed their studies according to the rolls at the University... one person with the fellow's "real" name started the courses, but never finished a single one... "All Classes Incomplete"... ALL of them! Meaning they didn't even finish one class of the FIRST semester. If you go to your local bookstore and pick up Dr. Phil's latest book and read the dust-cover, you've probably done more work than this person did towards your degree.

I suppose that this fellow COULD have a THIRD name... but then, that too would look a trifle weird to most folks...

Then again, I had to equally chuckle at the statement that I quoted from the magazine as we had this fellow on a radio show once and he claimed a "soldier's memorial statue" dating from World War I was haunted by the soldier it's modelled on... who died in the Dieppe raid... which, unbeknownest to him, happened in World War II... so much for history.

While I'm here... the second part of this post (click here)... same guy.

Look, this fellow is NOT alone... many "for profit" ghost hunters and other would-be paranormal investigators and psychics/mediums (especially ones who charge for their efforts) pass themselves off with phony credentials in the hopes you won't check into them... PLEASE DO... especially when they name where the credentials come from.

It's as easy as a phone call or an e-mail to find out if they're "fibbing"... and if they lie about that, what else might they be hiding... and what might their lies cost you?

If they do check out, how about their alma mater? Is it legit? Does their web-presence seem like a "real" institution... or do they sell diplomas for fifty-bucks? (I will attest that University of Toronto is legit... for those not in the know...)

So, I want YOU to lay the SMACKETH-DOWN on folks that do these sorts of things! Demand proof! Demand honesty! Demand evidence!

If you contact a "ghost hunter" or whatever, CHECK THEM OUT THOROUGHLY!

For the record, "our folks" (from ParaResearchers, PSICAN, and the GHRS,) go through a course and an exam and are internally qualified by us... and their names are listed on the website they work most closely with.

...and no, none of us have a degree in parapsychology from Oxford... nor an OBE (yet)... nor are we going to become saints. That was for comic license only.

Toronto Ontario Canada - October 27, 2007 - Exopolitics Toronto announces that it has made a major breakthrough in mainstream media coverage of the ET issue as well as profiling the collateral government cover-up, ultimately asserting the emergence of Exopolitics as a new socio-political entity.

Today, the TORONTO STAR - Canada's highest-circulation newspaper - a major force in Canadian and international news - published a comprehensive and highly constructive review of Exopolitics and the essence behind how the UFO/ET cover-up has managed to sustain itself.

The TORONTO STAR is owned by the TOR STAR CORPORATION - www.torstar and is traded on the TSX - the Toronto Stock Exchange. The TOR STAR group has ownership shares in 24 multi-media operations including the TORONTO STAR, ten regional news outlets in Ontario and Harlequin Limited.

The constructive and professional approach employed by THE STAR clearly indicates that exopolitical activity has now been engaged by a major mainstream media organization as a serious and credible public political entity and change agent - a significant point in the history and development of Exopolitics and Disclosure.

Although this article merely scratches the surface of an issue buried in a governmental morass of silence, by directly mentioning the government cover-up and the measures Exopolitics is taking to disassemble the 60 year old truth embargo, the STAR article has provided a strategic impetus and a tactical opportunity for other mainstream news outlets and political figures to come forward to openly, safely and discuss the ET matter without fear of ridicule or derision.

Today's article by TORONTO STAR staff writer Joanna Smith comes exactly two months to the day after Exopolitics Toronto's publication of an OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA on the ET issue. Prime Minister Stephen Harper remains silent on the issue.

Interested parties may submit comments to THE TORONTO STAR'S - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR at:
lettertoed@thestar.ca

The 8th Paradigm has been engaged.

Oct 27, 2007 04:30 AM
Joanna Smith
Staff Reporter

GEARING UP FOR "COSMIC WATERGATE

EXCERPTS
"Victor Viggiani has one of the toughest jobs in the universe. The retired elementary school principal spends his time lobbying reporters to blow a massive government cover-up wide open and reveal that extra-terrestrials have been visiting our planet for years."

"I have no intention of convincing anybody of anything," said Viggiani, 59, director of media relations for Exopolitics Toronto, a non-profit educational group pushing for full disclosure of the truth about off-world beings.

"What I do is point them to the evidence."

"A large part of getting ready to deal with diplomacy on such a high level involves lifting what exopoliticians often refer to as the "truth embargo" on government information about the subject."

Read the entire 800 word plus article at:
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/270984

Each Friday we will have a look at the stories and experiences that have been related to us over the years that are amongst our personal favourites. These will include Crypto, Ghosts, UFO's and other strange events that may be considered Fortean from in around the Toronto, Canada area .... and since they are from our own personal files will likely not be found elsewhere on the web .... enjoy!

"At the Backus Mill Conservation Area near Port Rowan there is a large brick house that once belonged to the Backus Family. We had heard that it was supposed to be haunted but show me a century or older house that isn't supposed to be haunted.

While attending a War of 1812 re-enactment at the site my wife and my then 3 year old son along with a friend of my wife went in to the house to look at the artifacts and such. When they entered the kitchen my son pointed to a corner of the room and said "There's the boogey man." There was no one else in the kitchen area and my wife said it was quite eerie.

My son had not heard any of the talk regarding the house being haunted. So, was he just a little joker, did he say it because he was in an old house and he figured it fit the situation or are innocents more perceptive of paranormal activity?

Anyway, I am not here to judge just to relate an incident. Thank you."

And another reader wrote:

"I live in this area. I personally have never been inside the house, but some of my friends have worked at Backus Mill during the summer. The house does give off an eerie feel.

I asked my friends if they ever came across any ghosts in the house, and every one of them, (that had worked there), had experienced something happen around them at one point or another. Some people had just heard doors opening and closing for no reason, or things move around in the house.

My one friend told me that there are certain rooms in the house where these things mainly happen. The only one that stuck in my head was the basement, where I think only staff can go. Supposedly things move around non-stop down there and there's always weird noises.

One friend was moving a few things around down there, and actually saw a ghost of a man/boy, and it scared him so much he just ran out of there, and will never go back in the house. As well other people have seen a ghost of a man or boy while down there. I don't know for sure if its a young man or what, all I know is it's a male.

When I read the page on this on the site, it brought back this memory of my asking about the house. I don't know how much is true but that's what I have been told. And the fact that some little boy saw a "man" and my friends say the ghost was a male, links a little too well to be a false story."

Our thanks to our readers for the above information and the use of this photo.

See Also: Freaky Friday...Cemetery Creature Part One

Do you have a real life ghost story, an encounter with a UFO, or other paranormal experience/s you'd like to share? If so, we'd love to hear from you! Post your own experiences in our comments section or send us an email. Please post only true life experiences ... we love good fiction, but there are other fantastic blogs out there to post fictional accounts to.

That is me sitting on the infamous rock at Ghost Road near Port Perry, Ontario Canada. Read about our investigation, and the actual cause of the "ghostlights" (they are car headlights) here: Canada's Ghost Road We were also featured in the October 2007 edition of Owl magazine in regards to this infamous "ghost" case.

Happy Wordless Wednesday, and thank you for stopping by!

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Near death experiences or N.D.E. have fascinated me for decades, ever since learning that my own mother experienced one in a near drowning. And while I have not personally spent as much time as I would like devoted to N.D.E research I do enjoy reading, and listening to accounts of them.

Here is an article that I came across this morning that details one woman's experience in Texas. I'll share a snippet:

Death is not something many people want to talk about, let alone experience.

But at least eight million Americans claim they have had near-death experiences.

Mary Jo Rapini is addicted to running. She has run marathons, even a 100-mile race. But four years ago the running stopped. This wife and mother of two nearly died.

She was living in Lubbock, lifting weights in the gym, when she heard something pop in her head.

“It just hurt so bad,” Rapini said. “You know I gave birth, I ran a hundred miles, I’ve suffered pain. I never had anything like this.”

Rapini had had an aneurysm. An artery in her brain had burst. Doctors said she had a 50-50 chance of survival.

The operation lasted eight hours, and she lived to talk about it. But she believes the real miracle happened the night before surgery. Drifting in and out of consciousness, she says she suddenly saw a light that surrounded her and gave her a feeling of warmth.

“It was so loving; it was so loving,” she said.

She was having a near-death experience.

“Then I came out and there was this incredible room, and it was brilliant and light, and something was holding me,” Rapini said.

She says the light was a shade of pink, and she believes she was being held by God, and he talked to her.

“He said, ‘Let me ask you a question, have you ever loved anyone the way you have been loved here in the hospital?’” Rapini said. “’No, have you ever loved anyone the way you have been loved in this place?’”

She was so moved, she decided to put in into words. She put it in a book called, “Is God Pink? Dying to Heal.”

Full Article Available Here

My mother's experience was very similar only the light appeared to her as "orangish."

If you continue on with the article as linked to above (which I recommend) you'll find some interesting quotes from a neuroscientist at UT Houston who acknowledges that science cannot explain away the spiritual side of these experiences.

Each Friday we will have a look at the stories and experiences that have been related to us over the years that are amongst our personal favourites. These will include Crypto, Ghosts, Hauntings, UFO's, and other strange events that may be considered Fortean, from in around the Toronto, Canada area .... and since they are from our own personal files will likely not be found elsewhere on the web .... enjoy!

Recently I had the pleasure of watching a British-based documentary called "Ghosts of the London Underground." This well done film covered the ghost stories associated with London's subway system known as the "tube."

Here in Toronto our own subway system has several eerie stories attached to it some well known, and others not known by many outside of TTC staff. The following is a report I received last week, you decide if this might just be another TTC ghost ... or perhaps something else.

I was on the subway with a friend several years ago (unfortunately, I can't remember which station). It was a hot summer afternoon (about 2pm), and as we were waiting for our train to come, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I turned slightly, and noticed a couple (maybe in their early 40's) standing about 5 feet away from me.

However, the man and woman struck me as somewhat...peculiar, to say the least. I noticed that they were wearing what appeared to be late 19th-century costumes: the woman was clad in a fancy hat with a feather, a pretty elaborate dress; the man in a hat, vest, dressy pants, polished shoes, etc. While I initially thought it was a strange look to be sporting on the subway of all places, I figured they must be going to a costume party or something. But as I thought about it, I asked myself, "Who would be going to a costume party THIS early in the day? And WHY would you be on the SUBWAY in clothing like that?"

I looked back at them, and also noticed that they weren't carrying anything contemporary: you'd think that the woman would at least be carrying her purse, or that they'd have cell phones. Nothing. They were just standing there. They didn't talk to each other at all, either. What struck me as REALLY strange was that no one else seemed to acknowledge them. It certainly isn't every day that people in outfits like that mosey onto the train!

Anyway, the train came, and we got on, while the mystery couple got onto the car in front of us. As my friend and I sat down, I said,
"Those people must have been really hot in those outfits!"

My friend gave me a strange look and asked me what I was talking about. I told her that I was referring to the couple that was standing near us as we were waiting for the train.

"What couple?" she asked.

I told her that there was a couple in 19th-century-type outfits standing a few feet away from us in the station.

"To our right," I said.

"There was no one there..." my friend said.

Our thanks to the witness, for this report.

Do you have a real life ghost story, an encounter with a UFO, or other paranormal experience/s you'd like to share? If so, we'd love to hear from you! Post your own experiences in our comments section or send us an email. Please post only true life experiences ... we love good fiction, but there are other fantastic blogs out there to post fictional accounts to.

BUDD HOPKINS: FASCINATING NEW CASES AND THE CURRENT STATE OF UFO RESEARCH

Saturday, November 3, 2007 in New York City.

The Intruders Foundation welcomes Budd Hopkins back from his summer hiatus. On Saturday, November 3rd, Budd will present a wide-ranging talk based on his files covering thirty-two years of research into the mysteries of the UFO phenomenon. His presentation will include:

* A never-before published account of what may have been a UFO abduction lasting well over one year.

* A fascinating, never-before published account of the abduction of an army officer who consciously recalls his car being levitated and then being put down many hours later and miles away at the gate to the army base to which he'd been heading.

*A discussion of several apparent UFO abductions of civilian aircraft and their pilots, including the disappearance of the Australian pilot Fred Valentich. Hopkins will also present speculation about the fate of the still missing daredevil pilot, Steve Fossett.

* Finally, Budd will contribute a personal evaluation of the current state of UFO research. This will include attention to the fantasies and destructive antics of the so-called exo-politicians, with an account of their recent public-relations fiasco in Washington, D.C., and the ensuing satirical article about it in the Washington Post.

Since Hopkins solo appearances at IF seminars are infrequent, we believe the unusual topics he will cover on November 3 will be of compelling interest to anyone following the many unusual manifestations of the UFO phenomenon.

Hopkins presentation will be followed by an opportunity for questions and extended discussion.

REGISTRATION & INFORMATION

The seminar will be held on November 3rd at the new meeting rooms of A.R.E., located on the SECOND FLOOR at 241 W. 30th Street (between Seventh and Eighth Avenues), New York, NY. The price of the seminar is $30 for non-members and $20 for members of IF, seniors and students. Reservations must be made by telephone at 212-645-5278, and will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Payment must be made in advance to secure the reservation. Make checks payable to the Intruders Foundation, P.O. Box 30233, New York, NY 10011. Seating is limited. Book early! Only 60 reservations will be accepted!

On-street parking is generally available in the neighborhood. The seminar will begin at 7:30 PM and end at 10:00 PM. Doors open at 7:00 PM. There will be a one half-hour intermission, during which light complimentary refreshments will be served. A book table will offer books, videotapes and other material for sale to those interested. For additional information, call IF at 212-645-5278.

Hope to see you there!

Want to know more about Budd Hopkins and his nonprofit scientific research organization, as well as past and future IF events? Please visit their website.

I grab this pic of a spooky-looking "abandoned" house while out on a hike. Often people assume that creepy-looking equals haunted. This is absolutely not true! I recently investigated a very "haunted" house, and I can tell you that not only was the house bright, and cheery both externally, and inside like its delightful owners .... but it looked very much like an ordinary home that you could find in any suburban neighbourhood .. even your own.....

Happy Wordless Wednesday, and thank you for stopping by!

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

The episode of Geraldo Live that I blogged about on Thursday entitled Psychic or Con Artist has certainly created a stir, and further calls from the community for responsible journalism in regards to these topics. See the comments section under the above linked entry.

Here is a snippet from an email sent to me by my dear friend, and colleague Dr. Carla Brandon. I am quite certain she will not mind my sharing with you.

Last Saturday night, Fox Television aired a news program called "Geraldo at Large" which did a segment on Dr. Gary Schwartz. Below is a brief bio on Gary:

Gary E. Schwartz, who received his PH.D. from Harvard University, is a professor of Psychology, teaching courses in psychology in the departments of Medicine, Neurology, Psychiatry and Surgery at the University of Arizona. He is also the Director of The VERITAS Research Program of the Human Energy Systems Laboratory in the Department of Psychology at the University of Arizona. The stated goal of The VERITAS Research Program is "using individuals called mediums to communicate with the deceased" and using scientific methodology and protocol to measure the results. Dr. Schwartz is the co-author of The Living Energy Universe, and is the author of The Afterlife Experiments: Breakthrough Scientific Evidence of Life After Death and The Truth About Mediums and has published several hundred scientific papers and edited eleven academic books.

Long story short, Geraldo Rivera presented a very slanderous presentation of Dr. Schwartz and his research on this news program. Whether you agree with his findings or not, the segment was so off balance it not only gave Gary a bad name, but indirectly trivialized all research into after death communication, medium-ship, deathbed visitations, etc. The usual condemnation of "taking advantage of the bereaved," was thrown around one more time.

Having been on Geraldo's show in the 90s, I do know how he and his producers operate, and know its all about ratings, but I must say in this instance he really sunk to a new low. His producers did not check their facts thoroughly, telephoned Gary only once, while he was out of town, the day before show airing and ended up presenting a "Randi" type of programming. The skewed information is really shocking. For information on this "Geraldo at Large" segment, go to Gary Schwartz's site at www.drgaryschwartz.com

If you want fair and balanced media representation on topics of this nature, and feel inclined as I did, let Geraldo and his staff know how you feel about such incredibly slanted journalism at: atlarge@foxnews.com

Reminds me when we were threatened by a FOX TV producer for refusing to be a part of one of their shows. We were asked if we "knew who we were refusing" ... and in a conference call without missing a beat Matthew said, "yeah, the same people who brought us Temptation Island." Now we can add Geraldo Live to that list.

Each Friday we will have a look at the stories and experiences that have been related to us over the years that are amongst our personal favourites. These will include Crypto, Ghosts, Hauntings, UFO's, and other strange events that may be considered Fortean, from in around the Toronto, Canada area .... and since they are from our own personal files will likely not be found elsewhere on the web .... enjoy!

Click the image above for a much large version...

For some time prior to the summer of 2000, a resident of Kitchener, Ontario, experienced repeated sightings of an apparition in the living room of his home. The apparition was described as appearing unclear at first, but becoming increasingly "bolder" over time, especially after the witness¹s wife passed away.

Eventually the apparition was recognizable as a young girl who appeared "misty" and "white." The apparition remained visible for a minute or two at a time. Because of the frequency of the apparition¹s appearances, the witness then attempted to take a photograph of it.

The witness took two photographs of the apparition with a Polaroid camera. In one, there appears to be a "shaft" of light focusing down from the room¹s ceiling and ending on the living room couch. Also in this photo are visible the faint legs of a small dog, appearing directly beside an actual dog lying under the couch (there was no discernible reaction from the actual dog). The second photograph shows the light "expanding" from a focused shaft into a less defined shape. At times, the witness reports, several dogs living in the home would bark furiously at the ceiling of the room, precisely at the spot from where the shaft of light appeared to emanate.

Two PSICAN investigators visited the home five years after the events described above and took photos of the same area. A Pentax ist D digital SLR was used to take photos of varying angles of the room, including from the same perspective and distance as the Polaroids taken in 2000. As well, a disposable camera was used to take seven photos of the same area. No anomalies appeared on any of the photos.

It is possible, under some circumstances, that double exposures can occur with a Polaroid camera. The photographs taken by the witness show some aspects of double exposure (there is some "mirroring" of furniture edges), but the investigators were not certain that double exposure could produce the results obtained by the witness. The "double dog," for example, does not appear to exactly mimic the position of the actual dog in the photograph.

The same witness also reported observing three brown, cylindrical objects, approximately twelve inches long and ten inches wide, roll across the living room carpet from the television to the door (a distance of about six feet). The witness¹s wife was present at this time, but was ill, and was not watching the same area of the floor.

After his wife¹s death, the witness reports, several other unusual phenomena occurred. The witness was always in the habit of using a toothpick after a meal, a habit his wife greatly disliked. Since her passing, the witness reports several times reaching for the small cup of toothpicks in the cupboard, only to find the cup empty. In each instance the witness had recently filled the cup, and checked in the cupboard for spilled toothpicks, but could find none. This event was repeated several times, despite filling the cup frequently. In addition, the witness reports seeing a water glass move across the table after his wife¹s death. Condensation was considered, checked for, and not found. The moving glass was observed several times; each occurrence seemed to herald the death of another of the late wife¹s friends.

Our thanks to the witness, and investigator for this report.

Do you have a real life ghost story, an encounter with a UFO, or other paranormal experience/s you'd like to share? If so, we'd love to hear from you! Post your own experiences in our comments section or send us an email. Please post only true life experiences ... we love good fiction, but there are other fantastic blogs out there to post fictional accounts to.

Through the ages wine has been given as a gift. Most of us bring a bottle of wine to house warmings, but wine has also been given traditionally for anniversaries, and at Christmas time.

A Wine Christmas Gift may just be the ideal present for someone who is otherwise hard to buy for. Personally, I love to give as much as I like to receive a fine bottle of wine during the holiday season.

The Wine of the Month Club offers the ability to uphold the tradition of giving the gift of wine with a twist. I had a look at their website earlier today, and thought to myself what a fun gift idea, that is reasonably priced as well!

If you are planning your gift giving list, or would like information on how you might be able to join, please do click on the link provided to you in this entry. It is definitely worth looking into if you are a wine connoisseur or will be purchasing for one this upcoming holiday season in my opinion.

I came across this video clip of a Geraldo show about Harvard trained psychologist Dr. Gary Schwartz. I'm going to let you gentle readers watch it, and formulate your opinion. I do not know Dr. Schwartz, have had no dealings with him, and in fact must admit that this is the first I heard of him .... but what has been presented in my opinion does not look good.

Any thoughts? Comments?

I love to write, which is probably why I have five blogs that I contribute to, as well as our websites. However, as a student I had some difficulties with essays. Have you ever had to write a discursive essay? This is a popular form of essay that is asked for yet its very structure is perhaps the reason I do not like to write them.

I had a look at Writing-Services.org recently. They offer professional help with all sorts of writing including, essays, and research papers. The service looks ok. and might be worth your checking out if you think this type of service might be of help to you too.

I wonder if any of our readers will remember this fun children's classic from the 1970's? The show was called The Ghosts Of Motley Hall.

Here is another cast photo:

If you were a fan back then or know someone who might have been a DVD of the series is available through Amazon.com.

YouTube has a clip from the old series, and I blog a bit about it here including the vid clip or just scroll down a bit. It's worth watching!

Happy Wordless Wednesday, and thank you for stopping by!

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

I had the opportunity to check out the website of the company that is the sole supplier of blinds for this hit tv show.

Blinds are something I personally take very seriously, and not only because I wqnt my home to have nice décor. As a migraine sufferer it is imperative to me that I can shut out natural light asap as soon as I start feeling the symptoms of these debilitating headaches.

Anyway back to the website....the company is Select Blinds.com, and I really like the look of their Roman Blinds, which you can check out via the link.

Their prices are normally hot, but right now they have a cool sale going on plus a 25% off everything coupon you can snag on there main page up until Wednesday.

Thank you to our sponsor!

This gentle children's classic from the 1970's was about a group of ghosts from differing eras all co-existing "haunting" Motley Hall. Although it was aimed at kids paranormal enthusiasts will enjoy it for the encounters that the likeable ghosts have with would-be mediums, ghost hunters etc.

I was sooo excited to find the above clip on YouTube. This is the final episode in the 3 season run of this fun show. It deals with the possibility of the ghosts being exorcised, and how they do not wish to go, which is an ethical question I have had in regards to "house clearings, spirit rescues et al" for many years now....

More often than not these days you see paranormal research groups, and investigative organizations turning to the use of some very high tech equipment within their own work. We call these the "machines that go ping" ..

Are these high tech gadgets really necessary? Do you think it would be worth investing in this stuff even if it means taking out a loan or even multiple loans to pay for them?

I would be less than honest if I did not say we have considered borrowing money either through unsecured loans or more realistically secured loans to make some of our own wish list items a reality.

However, more, and more high tech gadgets are coming under fire from some of the top names in parapsychology such as Hans Holzer - grand daddy ghost hunter. The ability of this type of evidence gathering is seriously questioned by him in a recent interview, and I must admit he does make some good points! Really makes you think twice about borrowing money for certain items.

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The above photo of researcher Robin Bellamy, and the "Ghost Busters" was taken last month at the annual Mothman Festival. Robin had a blast at the fest, and next year's festivities are already in the works!

Speaking of the fair Robin the countdown to the holidays is fast approaching and if you have a paranormal enthusiast on your gift list you'll definitely want to check out her Haunted Cookbook definitely one of a kind or her latest book Haunted Hospitality! And there is nothing wrong with gift buying for ones own self either ..

Each Friday we will have a look at the stories and experiences that have been related to us over the years that are amongst our personal favourites. These will include Crypto, Ghosts, Hauntings, UFO's, and other strange events that may be considered Fortean, from in around the Toronto, Canada area .... and since they are from our own personal files will likely not be found elsewhere on the web .... enjoy!

Are Sydney and Agnes Shelly still "living" in their old home?

Purchased by the Manning Family in 1973, this 1890's home on Allen Street was built by Sydney Shelly and passed down to his family (the previous owners to the Mannings being related to Sydney.)

Sydney may have been seen standing in the doorway in khakis and boots (the khakis being the main "tip-off" as to who the apparition possibly was as Sydney was known to wear khaki shirts and shorts,) but Agnes, Sydney's spinster daughter, has been heard.

Her footsteps and the sound of music has been heard in the upstairs hallway, and the rustle of bulky clothing has been heard in the den.

Aside from the noises, the Manning's dog has been known to growl and stare into apparent nothingness as if it was dealing with an intruder.

It is interesting to note that someone has etched into the corner windowpane in the upstairs bedroom "A Shelley".

Our thanks to the witness for this report.

Do you have a real life ghost story, an encounter with a UFO, or other paranormal experience/s you'd like to share? If so, we'd love to hear from you! Post your own experiences in our comments section or send us an email. Please post only true life experiences ... we love good fiction, but there are other fantastic blogs out there to post fictional accounts to.

It has been awhile since I had the opportunity to pimp another paranormal site, so when I came across Strange Days a couple of days ago I just knew I would want to tell you all about it.

Firstly I love the spooky look and feel to Strange Days, but content is always king with me. Therefore I was delighted to discover the site covers all the topics we paranormal enthusiasts adore ... and it serves up interesting articles, and photos on a regular basis. Check out the pics of Highgate cemetery!

Coolio! Go check it out, and let Siani know we sent you over.

Most of our regular readers already know that command post central for not only this blog, but our research groups is Matthew, and my home office. Earlier this morning I had a look at the peninsula desks being offered by Furniture From Home.com as I am gathering ideas on how to redo our home office décor. Pretty snazzy eh!

I found the Furniture From Home.com website to be wll designed, and a nice way to check out Furniture Home Office , and Living Room Furniture etc from the convenience of home.

Oh and before I sign off this post, I also had a look at their bedroom furniture, and found their prices to be competitive to boot. Check them out, by clicking on the links within this entry.

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Halloween - Rob Zombie-style. I have not seen it yet, but since the original is one of my favourite horror films of all time (I still think Jamie-Lee is a goddess) I am looking forward to viewing this one. And I dis actually enjoy the House of 1,000 Corpses ...

Happy Wordless Wednesday, and thank you for stopping by!

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

One of the fun things about being a para-researcher in this day, and age is the fun techno-toys as I like to call them that we get to play with - and hopefully will assist us in gathering evidence of the paranormal!

If you are into ghost hunting, UFO watching, or crypto field research you can save some big bux on items like digital binoculars, astronomical binoculars, and marine binos through OpticsPlanet.net.

Right now OpticsPlanet.net is having a huge sale on their binoculars from all the big brand names like Nikon, Steiner, Bushnell, Leupold, & Swarovski to name a few. And the UPS is free! Cool eh!

Surf on over by clicking on one of the links within this entry.

Our thanks to our sponsor!

Don Schmitt Co-Author of ‘Witness to Roswell’ will be on The Richard Syrett Show this Wednesday October 3 at 11:00 pm on CFRB 1010 AM radio, Host Richard Syrett and Co-Host Victor Viggiani will discuss ET Disclosure and new witness testimony on the UFO crash near Roswell NM in 1947.

Listen live also over the Internet at: http://www.cfrb.com/

In the first hour Richard and Victor will discuss the political and social implications of a public Disclosure of an Extraterrestrial presence.

The Disclosure issue formed the basis of the X-Conference 2007 held two weeks ago in the Washington DC area at which 18 speakers over three days analyzed the implications of Disclosure.

Exopolitics Toronto covered the X – Conference 2007 and participated in the follow-up Press Conference at the National Press Club in Washington DC to bring back valuable information about Disclosure issues to the Canadian media and CFRB listeners in the Toronto area and around the world on the internet.

The telephone lines will be open to allow listeners to share their feelings about what the Disclosure of an Extraterrestrial presence may mean to the human family.

In the second hour, Don Schmitt, co-author of ‘Witness to Roswell’ will join Richard and Victor to discuss new and shocking witness testimony about the crash of a UFO near Roswell NM in 1947. Don Schmitt, along with his co-author Tom Carey, was at X-Conference 2007. They presented the astounding results of their over 600 interviews to achieve what they feel is the authentic story behind the Roswell crash events.

Visit their web site to review the material in advance:

http://www.roswellinvestigator.com/roswellcentral/

The past weekend was spent taking a break from our usual paranormal pursuits, and the kid, and I finally completed the game we were working on, which was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for Xbox. I can tell you that as with any video game there was a great satisfaction completing this one, and we are now looking forward to playing the next one in this fun series.

I had a look at other X-box Games that are listed on Shopping.com, and quite a few of them caught my eye in part because of the game itself like Mega Man Anniversary Collection for Xbox, and also because there are so many listings at really good prices.

I like the way the website is set-up so that it is really easy to search for what you want, and the ability to sort by price range etc. If you are into video games, particularly X-box go have a looky by clicking on one of the links above.

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