Prayers for Paris

Darkness has fallen on France. 

Tonight the Eiffel Tower and much of the city are plunged into blackness after the violent terrorist attacks.

 

Prayers go out for all those in Paris suffering through this tragedy.

 

 

 

Thought Crimes

In the dystopian novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four, author George Orwell described a government that not only attempted to control the words and actions of its citizens, but a government that even tried to control the thoughts of its citizens.

In the novel, the infamous "Thought Police" are in charge of preventing what the government dubs "Thoughtcrimes."

It all sounds like fantastic fiction, but if you think it can't happen here, then you'd better reconsider.  Detection systems for "pre-crime" are now being actively tested and people have even been arrested based on computer algorithms. 

Read more in my new article, "They Know What You're Thinking" in the current issue of PP&S news, available here:

http://lamarzulli.net/news_magazine.htm

Haunted Hartford Jail

Next stop on the Haunted Indiana tour was an old haunted jail in Hartford City.  The jail was built in 1879 so it's seen its fair share of history.  The building is large, two floors plus an attic and basement that includes tunnels.  One side of the building consist of the original cell block while the other side is residential.  Yes, you read that right.  You see, in the old days, Sheriffs and their families actually lived in the same building that the jail was in.  Imagine growing up in that!

The long history of the jail includes prisoner deaths as well as the deaths of some lawmen while they were in office.  There was even an infamous "dirty cop" who is connected to the Hartford jail.

Dave Spinks and I did a lot of investigating in this location and had some amazing results.  Now, Dave is an ex-law enforcement officer so needless to say, some of the spirits were none to happy about his presence in the cell block.

We had a wide range of phenomena during our time on site including phantom cell doors slamming, shadow figures and disembodied voices.
But, hands down, my favorite report from this place is that there is supposed to be what's been described as a "troll" on the premises!  For years I have collected accounts of various "little people" from around the world so it's always interesting to me to find such reports at haunted locations.  The being has been reported/encountered by numerous people in a couple of different locations in the building.  Of course we set up cameras to watch those spots in the hopes that we'd catch something on film.  Footage is still being reviewed at this time.

We had a chance to try some unique experiments in the jail, including the use of a Jacob's ladder to amp up the energies.  Additionally, the entire building is built on a foundation of solid rock, limestone to be specific, and it literally glistens with quartz.  Those familiar with the limestone theory and the idea that quartz causes higher levels of paranormal activity will know what the implications of this are.  We do discuss it some in the video.

This broadcast was lengthy, and I have to say, if you don't have time to watch it all, skip to the last part (about the 3:15 mark) when we go into the attic.  We saved what's up there for a surprise to viewers and it didn't disappoint!

If you're interested in doing an investigation at the jail, the owner, Dann Allen is a great host.  Book your time by going here:

http://www.oldhauntedjail.com/

Slenderman in Disguise

 

Most of you reading this blog are likely familiar with the notorious Slenderman, a figure created as part of an Internet challenge that has, over time, taken on a life of it's own to various degrees.  I've written at length about the possibilities that Slenderman is becoming a tulpa through the power of the collective conscious.  There's a chapter in my book Strange Intruders about Slenderman like sightings and the potential explanations for what may be behind this.

But even for those who don't believe in the potential of an entity being created in such a fashion, what can't be denied is the impact this character has had on those who do profess belief in his existence.

Last year, we saw the tragic case of two pre-teen girls who attempted to murder a classmate, all based on the idea that such a "sacrifice" would enable them to go live with Slenderman in his forest mansion.  The case made national news and was a disturbing reminder that we need to pay attention to the continued development of Slenderman and the ways that such Internet ideas have an impact on our day to day lives beyond the computer screens.

A while back I wrote about other inroads this creepy character had made into our culture, including a comic book character apparently modeled after him.  Check that post out here:

http://twocrowsparanormal.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-continued-growth-of-slenderman.html

Recently, I had a chance to watch an episode of "CSI Cyber," the newest version of the popular CSI series.  As the name implies, the latest version focuses on cyber crimes.  Now in it's second season, the show is hitting a lot of important computer related issues and it certainly did with the recent "Red Crone" story.

In the episode, investigators are on the trail of two missing boys who have become fascinated with a website and forum dedicated to an entity known as the "Red Crone."

In the storyline, the two boys are following a series of clues using an app downloaded from the Red Crone site.  The clues will supposedly lead them to a forest mansion where they can meet the Red Crone.  If you're familiar with last year's tragic case, then this will sound all too familiar.

I won't spoil the show for you in case you haven't seen it, but I will say that the story does not end in an attempted murder.  I suppose the producers wanted to create some space between the show and the actual Slenderman case.

Needless to say, there are several parallels however, including the large following that the mythical figure has and the belief that the two young boys have about meeting the Red Crone. 
The show is available on demand in most areas, check it out for another unsettling look into how something like the Slenderman can leap from the virtual screen and effect human lives in a disturbing way.

Haunted Hartford Speakeasy

Next stop on the Indiana paranormal week was an old haunted Speakeasy located in Hartford City.  This space is on the second floor of a historic building located across from the town's courthouse.

The Speakeasy operated during the entire period of prohibition (1920-1933).  It was the era of bootleggers and gangsters and locations like the Hartford Speakeasy catered to all levels of society from the working class to the wealthy.

Dave Spinks and I were joined by our friend, Mike Ricksecker of Haunted Road Media and it was a great to have an extra investigator on this one.  Dave had some technical problems with the live feed, so this video is a bit shorter, however, Mike also shot a sequence for his Haunted Roads series.  It's well worth a look as we gathered some great evidence so check out both videos below.  And for more information on Mike's books, check out his website at:  
http://www.mikericksecker.com/

 

 

Ryan Sprague's Hidden Auditorium

As many of you can guess, I'm constantly asked about the Black Eyed Children and the numerous accounts that continue to surface.  Yes, it's true that I wrote the first full study of the phenomena, but as I like to point out, other researchers had documented some the bizarre encounters before my book hit the shelves.  For more on that, see my previous post here:

http://twocrowsparanormal.blogspot.com/2013/09/further-studies-into-black-eyed-beings.html

Unlike many researchers who get offended when someone else beings to examine the same phenomena, I more than welcome additional takes on the topic.  So far, there aren't any other books in print, but there are people writing about the subject.  In fact, my friend Ryan Sprague has just written an excellent piece on the BEKs in his column "Hidden Auditorium" on Jim Harold's blog. 

Ryan interviewed both myself and journalist Brian Bethel prior to writing his piece.  If you're interested in the topic, please follow the link and give it a read, it's worth the time and Ryan puts his own unique voice in his reporting.  While you're at it, keep an eye on this young man as I expect to hear much more from him, especially in the UFO field.

http://jimharold.com/can-we-come-in-the-lore-of-the-black-eyed-children-ryan-spragues-hidden-auditorium/

Revenant Acres

In rural Northeast Indiana, there's a creepy old farmhouse known as Revenant Acres.  Sitting on 30 acres with open fields around it, the house is one of those that gives you and odd, unsettling feeling as soon as you pull in the drive.

The house dates back to the 1800s and there's little known about its history or the many residents that have lived in it over the years.  Interestingly, one of the tidbits that has been discovered about the home is that the property was first bought by a family named Van Meter.  I found this, at the least, curious since there's a famous case from 1903 dubbed the "Van Meter Visitor."  Now, those incidents took place in a small town called Van Meter in Iowa and involved a bizarre bat-like creature and paranormal events that terrorized the town.
You may think I'm grasping for straws with a connection, however let me say this.  I was surprised when I heard about the possible Van Meter connection and when I had the chance, I did some research.  As it turns out, the town of Van Meter, Iowa, was named after Jacob Rhoads Van Meter, a man originally from Indiana.  Again, perhaps it's mere coincidence, but it's strange at the least.  Maybe there's something to the theory that paranormal activity follows certain family names and lines.

Revenant Acres itself is reputed to display a wide range of paranormal events.  Disembodied voices, poltergeist activity and strange lights have been reported by various investigating teams.  There are also reports of possessions taking place on the premises.

My colleague Dave Spinks and I spent some time in various locations in the region prior to Halloween, and this was the first stop on our tour.  Needless to say, it didn't disappoint and we had some incredible experiences. 


If you'd like to check out the investigation that Dave Spinks and I did, the live stream portion is available to view online.  Check it out:

 

 

 

If you have a paranormal team that would like to investigate the house, it is available for booking, however, it does stay filled up well in advance, so be sure to schedule early.  The hosts are great and you can contact them at the Revenant Acres website below:

http://www.revenantacres.com/