Champ: What was in the Olsen Video?

Jul24
by on July 24, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Posted In: Author-X, Cryptozoology

~ Written By Stephanie Hope ~

Lake Champlain is an old lake steeped in both history and mystery. Discovered in 1609 by French explorer Samuel de Champlain, it’s celebrating its 400th anniversary this year. A beautiful lake serving as the border between Vermont, New York and Canada, it lies nestled between the Green and Adirondack Mountain ranges. The lake is enormous, stretching 110 miles into Canada, 12 miles across at its widest point and is over 400 feet deep. At one point, in 1998, it was even granted the label as the Sixth Great Lake, which due to public outcry in the Great Lake regions that status was revoked only a few months later.

So why wouldn’t people think that a lake monster – a monster locals refer to as Champ – resides here?

Reports of Champ have dated back to the 1800’s. It is even rumoured that Champlain himself caught a glimpse of Champ while fighting the Iroquois on the shores of the lake…but that tale is most likely an add-on to the legend and no recorded evidence of this has ever been found. The first recorded sighting of Champ was in 1883, the most recent in May of 2009, a cell phone video taken by Eric Olsen as he stood on the point of Oakledge Park, in Burlington, Vermont.

Much debate has been raging about Mr. Olsen’s video and what exactly it was he recorded that day; I’ve heard everything from a moose to a deer to a log. What exactly could it be? Here is a picture of what he recorded on the morning of May 31:

If you note, the anomaly is moving in front of a stationary buoy and in the background you can see the city of Burlington, as well as the historic oil cribs (which are the three block-like structures in the water to the left of the ‘something’). This particular part of the lake is very rocky, lined with low cliffs and ledges and the beach at this part of Oakledge Park is formed by a small inlet. It is also very shallow where the buoy is located at only ten feet deep. Mr. Olsen was standing on the farthest point of the beach you can get, on an ‘arm’ that juts out into the lake, a rocky piece of land shown here on this satellite image map taken from Google maps:

There has been much discussion about the exact location of the buoy, as people try to determine the size of the ‘something’ that was in the water that morning. Recently I took a trip to Burlington to visit my family and while I was there I made sure to carve out some time to go to Oakledge Park myself and take some pictures of the beach, the point, the buoy and the oil cribs. Pictures can be misleading though, much less a cell phone video, and I was surprised at how close the buoy is to the shore as I had forgotten since it’s been a few years since my last trip to this park.

The buoy is especially close when you’re standing out on the point. From the beach, it’s two hundred feet out, from the point a mere sixty. Here is a map taken from Google maps to illustrate the location of the buoy, the cribs and where Mr. Olsen was standing as he filmed his video. The creature was swimming in from the broad lake, between him and the stationary buoy and as you can see, the buoy is quite close to where he was standing:

CLICK for larger image

The park (which you can see in the above image surrounding the tennis courts) is quite popular in Burlington, and the areas surrounding the park are very populated. There are many large businesses located within walking distance of the park (one being General Dynamics), homes and a heavily used bike path with a lot of foot traffic. Many boats, both commercial and recreational, use this part of the lake, not to mention the myriad swimmers, kayakers, and fishermen. Burlington is the “Queen City” in Vermont, with a population of around 40,000, much more when the colleges and universities that are in Burlington are in session and is known for its recreational sports on the lake.

The images below are photographs I took on my digital camera of the immediate area where the video was filmed. I stood in what I thought was the spot where Olsen was, only I made sure that the end of the point was visible in the picture to demonstrate that it was indeed the exact place he was. This is where Olsen was standing, right at the end of the point almost in the water:

Because not everyone is from Burlington and knows the area as well I do since I grew up there, I took a picture of the beach itself to illustrate what kind of area the video was filmed. The beach where he filmed it; on the left side of the photograph is where he was standing:

I also hiked around the ledges to the right of where it was filmed to take a picture from across where he was standing.  In the background, you can see one of the cruise ships that regularly sail this area as they tour the lake:

So what was it that Olsen filmed that early morning of May 31? Champ? An injured moose? Was it just a piece of driftwood erratically bobbing in the water as it floated toward shore? Was it a hoax? Mr. Olsen made it very clear in his post on You Tube that he filmed ‘something’ in the waters that morning; he never said the word ‘Champ’. Since the media whirlwind after his one and only interview with local press, he has ceased giving interviews and is trying to stay out of the public’s eye.

Given all the evidence and information regarding the lake in this area, what do you think it was?

http://www.ghostsamongus.net/v2/index.php

 Comment 

Disturbing the Peace

Jul20
by on July 20, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Posted In: Author-X, E.V.P., Editorials, Paranormal Investigation, Theoretical

~ Written By Dave Chellis ~

Once upon a time, we respected our elders, paid homage to our veterans, and let sleeping souls lie.  Live and let die, a lifestyle one of my heroes lived by.  Recently however, it seems the norm that over zealous adventurers frequently intrude upon these lives lost to the hands of time.  In order that we push the boundaries of the paranormal science, communication with those who’ve long since lost the breath of life is something we must pursue no doubt.  But not at the cost of respect lost.  Through our actions here on earth, through the honor by which we conduct our lives, through the actions of a few changing the thoughts of many, we are able to establish ourselves firmly in a positive light.  It is by this will to give back to our community that we must strive to achieve our place in time.  Only then do we earn the right to call our lives meaningful.
 
I’ve noticed a disturbing trend which we must correct so that we may secure the respect of those on the fringe of belief in the paranormal.  Taunting lost souls as they wander the domiciles and grounds of their earth time is despicable.  It seems that in recent years it’s become commonplace to scream obscenities, push and harass those who we seek to communicate with.  Whether the intention is to achieve some level of interaction or to simply imply dominance, these fools have lost touch with how far we’ve come.  Remember before all these ghost shows, all this publicity, all the hype?  Paranormal studies were for freaks, outsiders, people who missed the athletics boat.  It took technology and innovation to bring this passion to life.  All of a sudden anyone with a basic digital camera or audio recorder could start their own search for answers.  Then came the shows, and for a while they flourished, then something happened…it became simply unacceptable to not find anything.  Part of the attraction of investigating is sitting for hours, being patient and quiet, hoping for that one or two moments of something beyond explanation.  It’s this desire and quest for truth that keeps us steady, unwavering, and dedicated to the notion that there are souls still wandering this world.
 
Well, that’s boring and unacceptable apparently.  Some of these investigators had to start finding ways to aggravate in order that they achieve a kind of notoriety.  And while we can’t stop this foolishness completely, we can set an example for those who need beacons of truth and light in this dark world.  We have to do this the right way.  These spirits had families, had children, had thoughts and dreams.  They were loved.  No matter the balance of good and evil that they exhibited while alive, we are not privy to judge this.  Religion teaches that God is the only one fit to decide the path of our afterlife.  As long as our passion for the field is alive, we must lend ourselves to the golden rule: Do unto others what you would want done to you.”  When our time has expired, and our souls wander amidst the shadows and hallways of our world, I would hope that anyone trying to converse with us would do it with respect.
 
Always stay until your eyelids can’t possibly take the strain of allowing vision.  Remain patient in the quietest of hours.  Let them know you’re there to listen to what they have to say.  Give them a chance to speak and you will give us a chance to make a difference in science.

2 Comments

TAPS Visits Amos J. Blake Museum

Jul18
by on July 18, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Posted In: Author-Bobby Elgee, Editorials, Paranormal Investigation

~ Written By Bobby Elgee ~

This posting was written in response to a recent newspaper article (published in the Keene Sentinel, Keene, NH on Saturday, July 10, 2009) pertaining to The Atlantic Paranormal Society’s (TAPS) recent investigation of the Amos J. Blake House Museum in Fitzwilliam, NH, the museum of the Fitzwilliam Historical Society, and their intention to use the footage on their television show “Ghost Hunters”.

As a paranormal investigator, I have participated in three investigations at the Amos J. Blake House Museum. The group I am a member of was invited to investigate the location by the museum’s curator. I am aware of approximately six different paranormal groups that have investigated the site. Though there are some indications of paranormal activity at the museum, all I have personally experienced is one cold spot, an unexplained voice, as well as capturing photographs of some strange mist. This is certainly not enough evidence to declare the place haunted by the standards of most paranormal investigators, however, we are all aware of the rarity of such phenomena and the difficulty of catching such phenomena on tape.

More recently, reports have been made of multiple apparitions, objects moving, and intelligent spirits haunting the location. These phenomena–as well as other strange events–have been reported by several groups, though most of these claims were made by Conscious Spirits Paranormal Group, a team founded by the museums curator. These events were documented on their Web site as recently as Thursday July 8th. Upon review of the groups site on Monday July 13, all references to the Amos J. Blake House investigations had been removed.

It is unclear to me why this information was deleted. I certainly enjoyed following the reported activity and even though I considered the purported “evidence” to be highly exaggerated, I found it very entertaining. I also noticed that the curators biography and picture–which appeared on the site as the group’s founder–have been removed as well, though this individual continues to be listed as the group’s director on it’s home page. Addendum: As of July 17th, this biography had been restored.

At this point in time, the only place I can find any significant documentation of any paranormal investigations conducted at the museum is on Dark Nights Paranormal’s Web site, a small team of savvy investigators based in Brattleboro, VT.

Apparently,there was a minor controversy involved with “Ghost Hunters,” filming at the location, as it was reported that the museum’s Board of Directors had no prior knowledge of the TAPS investigation of the museum. The newspaper article published several comments from a member of the board pertaining to this fact, and–as of the time this article was written–there is still appears to be some question as to who signed the release form that allowed the filming in the first place. The paper also reported that the curator of the museum–who participated in the filming–had no comment.

I find it interesting that the board had no prior knowledge of a film crew being invited to the location. It is also of interest to note that the curator of the museum is a former member of the group I am involved with. This individual left our group abruptly in February or March–and subsequently formed her own group–shortly after informing me that TAPS had contacted her and had expressed interest in setting up on the location. It was also at this time that the reports of purported paranormal activity at the location increased significantly. It is clear to me that TAPS was interested in this location, and–at least according to the curator–that there was some contact going on during this time between them and the museum..

In an open query to the Board of Directors of the Fitzwilliam Historical Society, I would ask the them to consider the publicity that may be garnered from the location’s appearance on a national television show. In my experience, considering locations like the museum, publicity is a good thing. Many similar sites have capitalized on such attention for monetary gain and recognition. The board will certainly want to consider how they are going to handle requests from individuals and groups wanting to complete paranormal investigations of the location–if you choose to allow them at all–as well as other recognition and media attention that arises from such an event.

Some places charge special fees for unique “haunted tours,” and others even arrange all-night ghost hunts. The U.S.S. Salem in Boston, MA, The Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA, and Waverly Hills Sanitorium in Louisville, KY are examples of locations that are earning revenue and recognition secondary to their haunted status, and are places where one can participate in a paranormal investigation, above and beyond taking a simple tour.

In general, I would say that most ghost hunters are a respectful bunch, and the good ones appreciate the historical significance of such locations, as well as the potential for any paranormal activity.

The Amos J. Blake House Museum is a wonderful example of a New England historical society museum with an interesting and varied collection of artifacts, and–in my mind–this fact FAR outstrips the possibility of any paranormal activity occurring there.

I have participated many paranormal investigations–and have experienced some very strange things–however, on a scale of 1 to 10 related to possible paranormal activity, I would rate the museum a 2 or 3. Considering its wonderful collection and the history contained within its walls, I would rate it a 10.

Of course TAPS, with their top-of-the-line equipment and considerable resources may certainly be more successful then an amateur ghost hunter such as myself when it comes to finding evidence of possible paranormal activity.

It is obvious to me that the board of the Fitzwilliam Historical Society needs to seriously consider if this is a direction they would like to move in, and how the museum got to this point in the first place–a national television show filming in the location, apparently without it’s knowledge and consent.

At this time, it appears that consent has been given, albeit in a method in which the board was not aware, and that the investigation will air on national television. The board should consider how they can take advantage of this. My guess is that the situation be viewed as a positive one, an opportunity to increase attention for the museum, possibly resulting in revenue that could be used to help maintain this historic location. It may also have the added benefit of drawing some tourism to the town of Fitzwilliam, and the Monadnock area in general.

Of course, the board could certainly decide to let the spirits rest as well.

“I don’t believe in the after life,
although I’m bringing a change of underwear.”
–Woody Allen

Visit Bobby Elgee’s site: http://www.nhghosts.com/

6 Comments

Eye of The Beholder

Jul15
by on July 15, 2009 at 2:25 am
Posted In: Author-Pattyhap1863, Beyond Endorsed, Photographs, Theoretical

~ Written By Pattyhap1863 ~

Whenever a ghost picture pops up on the net, it gets a lot of attention. After all, ghosts have been looking for ways to scare us for centuries now. The fact is that nobody can prove their existence, and even though the pictures that pop up over the net claim for the umpteenth time that there are ghosts in them, they are debunked and quickly dismissed by the skeptics. They argue that the majority of these pictures are nothing more than great examples of pareidolia. I happen to agree with them.

Pareidolia is when the brain tries to make sense of random images. It is a perfectly natural brain function that occurs as soon as we are born. Because the first thing that our brain focuses on and learns to recognize is the human face, we subconsciously look for facial features in random patterns. Therefore, when visibility is poor our eyes can trick us into believing that there are faces or beings in random patterns. This is especially true when there is poor lighting in the room or area and normal every-day objects appear distorted. We can then argue that there is a person sitting on a couch, when it is just a blanket and pillows left there by someone. Shadows and half-light create such deceptive images that we are easily tricked, and will swear there is an apparition in the room.

Pareidolia or matrixing as it is called by some paranormal teams, is much more evident these days. The reason for this is that there are people who insist (in spite of being told otherwise) that normal objects such as gravestones have faces in them, or that trees have people standing next to or in front of them. They refuse to see patterns in the wood, or trails of erosion forming the ‘face’ or ‘figure’ and look upon it as a ghostly visitor. In reality it is just a series of random patterns and what they are doing is connecting the dots to explain what they are seeing. What is more disturbing is that sometimes these normal objects that show us ‘faces’ can be common things such as toast or a tortilla. Take a look at the picture below taken by one of our members. It shows a smiley face in the upper right of the toast. If you look closely on the bottom right hand corner there also seems to be a black jack-o-lantern. Does this mean that there is a ghost in the toast?

Not only can great illusions be created in rocks and stone, but wood grain can also give some excellent examples too. If you look at a wooden door, you can find as many faces as you want to, provided you look long enough. Our brains naturally connect the dots. What is more, if you take a picture on any ghost cam available all over the net, and look at a normal door in the half-light, there is a very good chance that you may capture what appears to be a clear face on it. Below is an example of this from a pic I took on one of these web cams. I enhanced the face using a photo shop program and got a lovely lady on the woodwork. On the right of the fireplace, I could also see the faint outline of a girl sitting there. The fact is that there is plaster peeling on the wall and this contributed to forming the image. Of course, this is a very haunted location and this capture is not saying that it isn’t. It just tells us that when we do capture an image, to be very careful because these things may be ordinary objects and to look for the real ghosts, not the false ones.


For a larger picture, please click the link: http://www.ghostsamongus.net/v2/Forums/viewtopic/p=60.html#60

Trees and foliage make excellent pareidolia pics. Below is an example of a deformed tree. When we look at it during the day, we see it for what it is. But at night in the dark, when most of the details are missing, we can be led to believe it is actually a person hugging the tree trunk. Leaves and branches can also give us remarkable examples of faces and figures and they are the objects of hundreds of thousands of ‘ghost pictures’ all over the net today.

The thing that bothers me most, is that the people who take these pics and argue that they are ghosts get so angry when you try to explain that they are brilliant examples of pareidolia and not pictures of ghosts at all. They become offended, when we have said or done nothing to offend them at all. We are analyzing the picture and NOT the photographer. Indeed, some of the pictures taken of cemeteries and natural spots are true works of art. But to say that a gravestone holds the face of a ghost when in reality it’s because the shapes seen on the gravestone are the natural wear and tear of time and weather and to fight about it or get nasty and rude, just shows us that these kinds of individuals should be ignored and avoided at all costs. This is one of the principal reasons why skeptics do not take paranormal researchers seriously. How can they when there are so many people out there that continue to defend their pics instead of contributing to the field by debunking and accepting that the ghosts so desperately sought out are not mundane ordinary objects?

Over-enhancing is also one of the main reasons why there is plenty of pareidolia in pics as well. The more you blow up the photograph, the less detail you will make out. As a result, you’ll see more figures and faces as our brains struggle to connect the dots. In all my years of studying the paranormal, I have actually come across people who have told me that the ghosts ‘use the pixelation in the pictures to manifest’. This is something that has not convinced me at all, and I’m certain this has not convinced professional photographers either!


Classic example of pareidolia taken by one of our members: Do you see the face?

We must make a stand. This has to stop if we want to work in a scientific manner and advance in the paranormal field. I recommend studying photography or at least reading and investigating what the lens see and how the shutter works. Reading about how nature wears rocks and stones, looking at pictures of rock formations, and noticing details of erosion to gain a better understanding of what is natural. Noticing the effects of light and dark, and understanding what the absence of light does to a photograph. Education is what it is all about and will ultimately be the final step to overcome pareidolia and find our way through the darkness into the light.

 

8 Comments

Haunted by the Hag?

Jun30
by on June 30, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Posted In: Author-Pattyhap1863, Theoretical

~ Written By Pattyhap1863 ~

You wake up, or think you do and stare into the darkness of your room. The familiar objects are there, but you feel strange. You hear strange sounds and noises, and you see a dark shape hovering over you. This is when you realize you can’t move, breathe or scream! In total panic, you struggle to let in some fresh air, and even as you try, the sensation that something is on your chest or strangling you is very strong. Then in a few seconds it’s all over, you can breathe and you sit up in bed rather quickly, visibly shaken from the experience.

What I’ve described above is known as the ‘Old Hag Syndrome’. Those of you who have experienced it know the real terror it signifies and probably wish they hadn’t. Not all of the experiences are the same. Most of them include weird noises or smells and strange shapes. Nearly all of them hold the terror of being completely paralyzed while your brain is completely awake, so you are conscious of what is happening to you. Worse of all are the times when you cannot breathe, even when you try to. The shapes you see may be vague or may seem to be very real.

Jessica writes: “The one time I did experience this was awful. I lived in an apartment, and my bed directly faced a corridor into the living room. When I woke up unable to move or scream, what I saw was so terrifying, I couldn’t believe it. Directly across from me were candles burning on the floor, and a coffin. A dark shape was hovering over it and gradually got closer to me. I struggled to move and when I finally was able to break free, the candles, coffin and dark shape were gone. I could breathe and sat there in the dark sweating.”

The Old Hag Syndrome is explained by doctors as Sleep Paralysis. When we sleep, we fall into an hour and a half of a non-REM stage, where we don’t dream. This is followed by deep REM sleep, where we dream and our eyelids move and twitch as we follow the dream. At this moment, we are paralyzed (and this is normal) simply because if we weren’t, we would hurt our loved ones or ourselves (imagine hitting or scratching yourself, or your partner, for example, as your legs or arms move about). So the body simply corrects this by falling into a state of semi-paralysis. When Sleep Paralysis occurs your brain wakes up in the REM stage, but your body is still in the semi-paralyzed state. Your eyes can be open or half-closed and you can see the room and the objects in the room, but you can also see all these other things which are explained by doctors as hallucinations caused by the dream world you are/were in.

According to doctors, Sleep Paralysis occurs only when we are very stressed or when we have been experiencing insomnia for a period of time. There are certain rules to follow to avoid Sleep Paralysis which are living a healthy life and developing good sleeping habits. Even though this may explain nearly all the cases of Sleep Paralysis, the fact remains that the experience is very terrifying to us. However, there are cases where bruises and scratches appear on the bodies of those who are semi-paralyzed. How to explain this if you supposedly can’t move?

There are, of course, other kinds of Sleep Paralysis where people think they are being visited, abducted or scrutinized by aliens while in a semi-paralyzed state. Stephanie writes: “My ‘episode’ of sleep paralysis happened many years ago when I was living with my mother for a very brief period of time while I was between apartments.
It was very typical what happened, though I still have to wonder if I was fully asleep, especially considering events that happened mere weeks prior…but could also be why I thought I saw what I did.
I went to bed as usual and read for a bit, then lay on my stomach to go to sleep and faced out into the room. It was warm out, so I had all the windows wide open, including the sky light and was watching the shadows play on the walls as I thought of things in my life before I closed my eyes to go to sleep. Almost immediately I saw a bright flash, well my eyes were closed so it looked red, the way things do when your eyes are closed and you look at a bright light.
When I opened my eyes I saw several tall, thin figures standing around my bed, two at the foot, three or four around the other side (the bed was pushed up against a wall). It was then that I realized I couldn’t move, when I tried to lift my head. I felt no malice from them, but was of course afraid. Almost it seemed to me like they had been there before, a very long time ago when I was a child (in the same room no less). They only stood and watched me curiously, it seemed, and though I couldn’t see their faces, they certainly didn’t seem human to me. Their limbs were too long, heads too elongated and I just had a strong sense that they weren’t human.
Scared, I closed my eyes and childishly willed them away, but when I opened my eyes they were still there. By now I was very frightened, I couldn’t move, these strange beings are in my room, pretty unsettling. I thought one reached out to touch me, but I closed my eyes again and tried to make myself small, both in body and in my mind and kept them closed. I felt a breeze and then they were gone.”

Sleep Paralysis: Our nightmares taking a life of their own? Our fears and terrors taking shape in the dark and blotting out normal objects in the room? Can all this REALLY be a sleeping condition explained away by medical science? Or is there a very small percentage of cases where people actually do come into contact with visitors from an unseen world?

http://www.ghostsamongus.net

6 Comments

©2007-2015 The Beyond: Paranormal Articles & Editorials .| Powered by WordPress with ComicPress | Hosted on The Beyond | Subscribe: RSS | Back to Top ↑