What's New and Unusual...

So much has been happening, both in my life and worldwide, and I haven't had much chance to compose a long update here for quite some time. I thought about writing several individual posts on the various things but thought it best to condense it all into another "news in brief" moment for today. As for my own personal life, well... that major upheaval is best likened to the plate tectonic movements in the past several weeks. Major, major changes are happening too quickly at times. But once the dust settles, I'll give a more thorough update on those matters. For now, I'll focus on what's been going on while I've been asleep at the wheel of my blog.

Last week, director Tim Burton made the not-so-shocking admission that he does believe in the paranormal. Burton has had a few brushed with the unexplained and believes many people have had unusual experiences, yet they often don't discuss it or do their best to ignore it. He also mentioned that he finds cemeteries "peaceful" instead of creepy. As for his work, word was also announced concerning his newest venture. Plans are being discussed to turn Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (authored by Seth Grahame-Smith of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies fame) into a feature film. The new book follows the former present into his fictitious secret life pursuing blood drinkers. While the tale is odd it's quite well-crafted, not deviating from real history too far to make it absurd.

There is other book news to report as well. Stacy Horn's wonderful book Unbelievable: Investigations into Ghosts, Poltergeists, Telepathy, and Other Unseen Phenomena, from the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory telling about the history of parapsychology at the Rhine Research Center has been released in paperback. While I still prefer the hard-bound editions of books for my own shelf (when they're actually available) it's nice to have the option of paying less in our current economy.

Some Massachusetts residents are up in arms over maple syrup. In at least three cemeteries both in and around Lancaster, maple trees were found with sap buckets hanging off. The culprits weren't zealous manufacturers but Lancaster Cub Scout Pack 9, who was given permission to tap maples for a special project. The town officials, however, were unaware that cemetery trees would be targeted. Perhaps it sounds a bit creepy, but I would think it a harmless act. People might even pay more for the spooky syrup! It's not the only time anyone realized that a quiet spot such as a cemetery would be superb for undisturbed sap harvesting. In Quebec, a Google Earth view revealed similar sap buckets at a Sutton cemetery.

Finally from the southern hemisphere, selling spooks has once again made the headlines. A woman in Christchurch, New Zealand auctioned off two bottles containing "ghosts" on Trademe. The spirits, said to be those of a little girl and an old man, were "captured" during an exorcism and placed in bottles of holy water, presumably to keep them fresh? After their containment on July 15, 2009 no further activity was reported in the house. The glassed ghosts sold for nearly $2000.

First in Flight... and Parapsychology?

Another good book has crossed my path and I've spent the past few days reading it. Written by National Public Radio contributor Stacy Horn, Unbelievable: Investigations into Ghosts, Poltergeists, Telepathy, and Other Unseen Phenomena, from the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory traces psi and paranormal research over the past century. Many people may not know much about North Carolina's Duke University and its history of parapsychology, yet one name might ring a bell: J. B. Rhine.

Rhine and the famous Rhine Reseach Center (as it is now referred to as... they even have a blog) forged a path for paranormal phenomena, butting heads with psychology and other sciences since the 1930s. If you're a paranormal investigator and you haven't heard his name before, you certainly should review his work. Skeptics often argue that there is no evidence of paranormal phenomena, yet data collected by Rhine and his colleagues proves otherwise.

I did learn an interesting piece of information from the book. I purchased a deck of ESP cards (a.k.a. Zener cards) on Ebay several years ago for a few dollars, dated 1937. This was, in fact, the very year these cards began released to the public as radio programs hosted telepathy experiments to the public. In effect, I own a piece of parapsychological history. They're a little worse for ware, but after seventy years I would expect that.

The book is filled with interesting bits of history: Alfred Hitchcock's failed attempt to find a haunted house in New York City to host a party, Jackie Gleason's desire to start a paranormal television program, early EVP experiments, Ouija board origins, and so much more. Horn even mentions oen of my favorite paranormal personalities, Loyd Auerbach, on a few pages. For a good overall review of Rhine, his efforts, conflicting opinions, and the historic struggle for acceptance of parapsychology, I highly recommend this good read. Who knows; you just might learn something...

Supernatural Spotlight: Dean Radin

The paranormal community constantly battles skepticism and doubt. Belief in anything which isn't widely accepted by both the scientific and academic worlds is met with criticism and doubt. Without definitive science, even weathered paranormal investigators can fall victim to disbelief and jaded outlooks.

So, you ask, is there anything that science can say to give us a glimmer of hope that the supernatural exists?

Don't ask me. Ask Dr. Dean Radin, Senior Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences.

Radin, 14 (he was born on February 29), is a bona fide scientist with a doctorate in psychology. His work ranges from physics to research in consciousness. While he takes his work seriously and maintains a professional, scientific view of the world, he also believes there is more to parapsychology than we give credit.

At a spoon bending gathering in 2000, Radin experienced unusual malleability in the metal. Not content to simply bend a spoon at the neck, he attempted to alter the spoon at its strongest point: the bowl. To his surprise, it bent nearly in half quite easily between his thumb and forefinger. Knowing the amount of force required in the eyes of science, it concreted his long-held belief and understanding in psi phenomena.

Amazingly, Radin believes he has discovered a coexistence between science and parapsychology. If you want to find out about his work, be sure to read his 1997 book The Conscious Universe: The Scientific Truth of Psychic Phenomena. His newest book Entangled Minds: Extrasensory Experiences in a Quantum Reality further explores scientific reality and parapsychological experiences. Even harsh skeptics can't help but take notice.

So, is there truth to our belief and hope that the rational world of science isn't so bland and concrete? Perhaps. But don't take my word on the matter. Read the books and find out for yourself.

Supernatural Spotlight: Loyd Auerbach

This week, I decided it was time to highlight the man who inspired many paranormal investigators, including myself: Loyd Auerbach... author, parapsychologist, mentalist, professor, and lecturer.

Indeed, Auerbach wears many hats.

He received his Master's degree from John F. Kennedy University in 1981 and published his first and best-known book, ESP, Hauntings, and Poltergeists : A Parapsychologist's Handbook, in 1986. Only a few years afterward, I bought my own copy which I still have on my bookshelf today (no, not a very common literary choice for a nine-year-old). From there we went on to write a regular column for Fate Magazine and act as a member or adviser for many paranormal organizations across the country. Still, he is probably best known for his occasional appearances of television and documentaries involving ghosts and hauntings.

His newest book, A Paranormal Casebook: Ghost Hunting in the New Millennium, was released in 2005. He is currently offering certificate courses (not like those "certified/licensing workshops" which plague us all, just to clarify matters) approved by the state of California for parapsychological studies.

Whether you're the beginning ghost hunter or an avid investigator, his books and work are not to be missed. With his three decades of work, "Professor Paranormal" has a lot to teach us...