Crossroads Paranormal Radio

Does Respect Stop at Death?ont>

By: Kris Baker

What price are you willing to pay for evidence of the paranormal? Is there anything that you wouldn't do to get proof that ghosts exist? Where do you draw the line? How do you decide where to draw the line?

For me I treat those that have passed with as much respect as I would a living person. Sure it is always fun to get a reaction from people but you wouldn't go and cuss at them and call them names to get a reaction would you? You would not walk through Wal-Mart and start cussing at people that you do not know and accuse them of actions that you really have no idea if they did them or not just to see what type of reaction you will get. Some may look at you weird and just keep walking, others may say something back to you and others may walk up and punch you in face. I would bet that the majority would just keep walking (probably in search of the nearest Security Guard). So why would you think ghosts would react any different?

I think you see where I am going here. I have seen this happen where ghost hunters are walking through a cemetery and start demanding ghosts to show themselves and telling them that they do not have the fortitude to do so. They are not directing this at any one ghost just any one that may be there and listening. I don't know about you but if I were a ghost I sure would not go out of my way to assist these people in getting the evidence they want. I believe in the old saying You can catch more flies with honey, than vinegar.

The other side to this is that IF someone overheard you doing this, they WOULD tell people and this can really hurt your reputation as a paranormal investigator. We are in a very controversial field and a lot of times are not taken seriously. I know that a majority of paranormal organizations out there work hard to reach and maintain a professional image. When did being disrespectful to the dead become professional?

It does not matter whom the ghost is, someone loved and cared about them. I don't know about you but I am not happy when someone purposely says things that hurt those that I love and care about.

It is a fine line that we walk as paranormal investigators. There are no experts in the field and there is no right or wrong as it is not an exact science. But, I feel that respect is something that should be standard between the living and the deceased.

So the next time you are at a cemetery remember that each person who was laid to rest there is someone's child.

Why Do Paranormal Investigators do it in the Dark?

By: Kris Baker

One of the questions that we get most often as paranormal investigators is “Why do you investigate the paranormal in the dark?” and to be honest it is a very good question. After all, if a place were truly haunted would it not be haunted 24 hours a day and not just when the sun goes down?

The answer to this question is not a straight yes or no. It depends on the type of haunting that is occurring. If it is a residual haunting then there is a very good possibility that there is a certain time of day that activity will occur, as a residual haunting is like a movie playing. It is an atmospheric imprint that is often compared to a movie that plays over and over again.

Now back to why paranormal investigators research in the dark. There are several reasons why we conduct our research in the dark and some have no Scientific reasoning behind them whatsoever. The most common answer you will be given is to reduce the risk of false positive EMF (Electro Magnetic Field) readings. It is believed that fluorescent lights can hold energy even if they are turned off so it is best if at all possible to turn the power off at the breaker.

Another reason that we investigate at night is because the majority of paranormal investigators have “day” jobs so this drastically limits investigating during the day. Some believe that we get paid for what we do but the truth of the matter is that for most it is a hobby not an occupation.

The next reason is one that can have both a positive and a negative side to it. People are not nocturnal creatures and are more sensitive and alert at night. Which means that they will notice more at night than during the day. The negative spin on this is that because of our heightened sense of awareness there is a higher possibility of labeling something as paranormal when it is simply a natural sound of the home. This is where the debunking really needs to come into play. Everything needs to be examined fully before saying it is paranormal. I know that this seems like common sense but this is what I feel really assists in defining professionals in the field.

On the same track the majority of reported paranormal phenomena is reported at night. This can be due to the heightened senses or it could be that in the evening is when the majority of people are actually home. There may be things happening in the home during the day but they are at work so it goes undetected until they settle in for the evening. The same thing goes for more paranormal activity being reported in the winter. People spend more time indoors during the colder months so they are more apt to notice any activity that may occur.

One of my theories about why paranormal phenomena is more prominent in the evening is because people do not use as much electricity as they do during the day and basing this on the theory that ghosts need energy to manifest than there would be excess energy at night since there is less being used by the living. If this theory were correct then it would be easier for a spirit to manifest resulting in more reports of occurrences during the late evening/early morning hours.

Let’s put aside the technology talk and theories. Investigating the paranormal late at night into the wee hours of the morning really does add to the creepiness factor of what we do. Nothing can get your adrenaline flowing like being in an old abandoned hospital at midnight during a full moon. It would just not be the same if you were there at noon conducting the investigation.

The paranormal could be investigated at any time of day or night. There is no right or wrong because what we are searching for are answers that currently do not exist. Who knows when we will find the answers. It could very well be on a warm, sunny Monday afternoon.

Why Investigate or Ghost Hunt in a Cemetery?

By: Kris Baker

Why do paranormal investigators spend their time investigating or ghost hunting at a cemetery? No one died there. If ghosts are here due to unfinished business or some tragic accident why would they be in the cemetery? It isn’t like they have had some traumatic experience there.

The above questions and statements are valid and ones that I have been asked numerous times. I have to admit that I have asked myself these questions. After doing some research I have learned several reasons why one would investigate a cemetery.

In doing some research I have learned that some believe that the spirit of a person must remain close to their physical body for the coming of Christ and that you are heard better if you are close to your physical body. This could be why some investigate cemeteries.

Everyone knows of at least one cemetery that is reported to be haunted. Strange noises coming from the surrounding wooded area, a phantom woman who comes at night to sit on a tree stump to watch over her child are all stories that we have heard. The question is how true are these reports? Are they just stories that have been passed down from generation to generation and then have been misconstrued over the years? How much has been added to the story? I find that a lot of ghost tales that are told are similar to the results of the game most of us have played as a child called “Broken Telephone”. For those that are unfamiliar with this game it is when someone says something and it gets passed from person to person and the original message is either completely changed or has been added to.

Still some believe that it is a waste of time to investigate cemeteries. I on the other hand have been on a ghost hunt where the group I was with was able to put to rest the claims of footsteps and other strange noises coming from the woods. After hearing heavy footsteps in the woods the group went in for a closer look at what was making the noise. As it turns out beyond the trees and shrubs there was a wire fence and right behind that fence was…a horse! Nothing paranormal at all but to a group of teenagers that are in the cemetery at night looking to “get scared” the walking horse became some “creature” that was following them and the lights from the house that sits further back in the woods provided what would appear to be glowing eyes peeking through the wooded area.

We did not capture any evidence of a ghost at that cemetery but we were able to show how easily the “normal” can be turned into and believed to be “paranormal”. Not only were we able to debunk a reported haunting but we were also able to work on our investigative skills, which are very important in this field.

So there is a reason to investigate cemeteries. When a cemetery has a ghost story tied to it, it will draw not just paranormal researchers but thrill seekers. A lot of times it will also draw vandals. By conducting investigations in cemeteries and working to debunk the claims you could assist in deterring the thrill seekers and those who are out to vandalize. The cemetery losses it appeal to those looking for a good scare when it has been found out that the monster in the woods is actually a horse.

As you can see there are different reasons why paranormal investigators will conduct an investigation or hunt in a cemetery. For me personally I take the claims of paranormal activity and work to put them to rest so that those who are there can.

I am Not Going to be a Ghost Hunter

By: Kris Baker

The word "hunter" is often associated with one who hunts game. Of course it does also mean one who searches for or seeks something but that generally isn't the first definition that comes to mind when you hear the word "hunter". I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have been asked, "What do you do once you catch them?" or "How do you cook a ghost?" Seriously people have asked me this!

I think maybe using the term "ghost hunter" is giving people the wrong impression of what we actually do. Most paranormal groups are not experienced enough to attempt to get rid of a ghost. So, what would be a better term to use? How about Ghost Seeker, Ghost Watcher, or Ghost Observer? Maybe I should drop the word "ghost" and use paranormal? Maybe I will use the term Paranormal Spectator or Paranormal Recorder? Wouldn't these "labels" give a clearer idea of what we actually do in the field?

I guess some will say that "ghost hunt" is just the term they use to differentiate between an investigation and a "free for all" but still isn't there better terms? When we go on a so-called "ghost hunt" it is more of a training excursion than a hunt. This is when we learn to use our equipment or train investigators how to use the equipment correctly. So it really isn't a hunt at all. Maybe I should call these ghost expeditions?

I think since my interest goes beyond just ghosts I will stick with calling myself a Paranormal Investigator. That just seems to say it all.