New Years Happenings

Looking for a different way to ring in 2010? Here's a list of some unique activities in our area:

December 31st, 2009

The Unity Church of Charlotte hosts its annual New Year's Eve Burning Bowl /Letters to God service on Thursday Dec 31st. If you've never been to a "burning bowl", the basic principle is that you write down all the things that have troubled you over the past year or bad habits you want to get rid of etc, and burn them away in the fire. Unity is a nondenominational church, so people of every faith are welcome. I have personally been to this church and let me tell you, they are the most welcoming and non-judgemental group you'll ever meet!

The Burning Bowl ceremony starts at 7pm at their Arrowood rd. location. Click here for more details/directions.


January 1st, 2010

Rural Hill Plantation hosts its 13th annual New Year's Day First Footin' starting at 11am. "First Footin'" is the centuries old Scottish tradition of walking the boundaries of your property on the first day of the New Year to restate your claim on the land.

This excursion is part of the traditional Hogmanay or Scottish New Year celebration.

For more info, check out the Rural Hill website.

Merry Christmas from CAPS

Paranormal State: Season Premiere 12/15/09

The new season of Paranormal State premieres tonight at 10pm on A&E. Get a sneak peak of tonight's episode here

Just In Time For Xmas...

Bigfoot and Yeti Christmas ornaments, LOL!!! Check these out.

Death at Dyatlov Pass

Read the intriguing story of hikers who mysteriously met their demise in the snowy Ural mountains. The eerie description of the scene is 1 part Blair Witch Project and 1 part Fourth Kind. Is the Dyatlov Pass incident a hoax or the real deal? Read it here and judge for yourself.

A Special Thanks to Steve and Tango

CAPS wishes to thank TAPS Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango of The SyFy Channel's Ghost Hunters TV show for all their help this weekend on the Ghost Hunts for the Paranormal Investigator's Convention held in Charlotte, NC. We appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience with us. It was a pleasure to meet and investigate with you both! Good luck on the new Ghost Hunters Academy (premiering Wednesday night 11/11/2009 at 10pm) We'll be watching!


http://www.foxcharlotte.com/dpp/news/paranormal_convention_110809

Paranormal Investigator's Convention This Weekend!

Day tickets for Saturday or Sunday are now available. Student and Teacher discount tickets available as well. You may purchase your tickets at the door. Friday November 6 through Sunday November 8. Ramada Inn Airport Conference Center on Woodlawn at I77 Charlotte, NC

Spirit Walk at Historic Rosedale

North Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC

Spirit Walk October 31st at 6pm
Listen to tales documented from staff, visitors and docents about experiences with Rosedale’s past of a very different sort – is there another realm? The tour begins under the Swamp Chestnut near the area where the slave quarters stood. Walk through the mist and ancient boxwoods where those now long-departed once worked, toiled, played, lived and died, visit “our ladies” in the basement kitchen What will you see . . . or hear and from whom?
$5.00 per person

Join CAPS In Gold Hill, NC on Halloween Night

The CAPS Team will act as your guide for the Historic Gold Hill Ghost Tour. We'll be in the Village. Come by and say hi! We'll be showcasing our best paranormal evidence captured during our many investigations of Gold Hill.

Brain Waves Surge Moments Before Death: Discovery News

Brain Waves Surge Moments Before Death: Discovery News

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CAPS to Appear at the Historic Town of Gold Hill's Ghost Hunt

Saturday - October 31, 2009 6:00pm til 9:00 pm in the Historic Town of Gold Hill, NC. Come join us for ghost stories, haunted history, and a walk to some of Gold Hill's scariest locations. We'll be stationed
in the village, come by and say hi. Be sure to visit our information table and chat with our staff. We will showcase some of the best paranormal evidence we have captured over the years during our many investigations of Gold Hill.

The GhostTour is not the typical Halloween Haunted Trail with chain saws and ghouls wanting to scare your pants off. It’s all about the Ghost Stories. We are stressing that folks do not come in Halloween Costumes and/or Masks. This creates a potential falling hazard and we don’t want anyone to get hurt. We also stress that visitors wear comfortable walking shoes/tennis shoes. No sandals or flip-flops. The tour is not suitable for small tikes that have to be carried. We suggest that visitors bring a camera and if you get a ghost photo let us know!!

The Village Shops will be open, so please stop by and support the local merchants of Gold Hill!
Affordable family fun for all ages!

For Ghost Tour info click here.

This week in Paranormal TV

Some exciting news for paranormal junkies, a new TV show is coming to a set near you. On Tuesday Oct 6th, the Discovery Channel premieres "Ghost Lab". The premise is this: The investigators from "Everyday Paranormal" hit the road in their state-of-the-art pimped out ghostmobile. With the aid of experts in scientific measurement, they'll hunt ghosts and put some of the oldest ghost hunting theories to the test. Check out this link for more info. Additional info found here. Ghost Lab premieres at 10pm on the Discovery Channel.

In even crazier paranormal news, the adventurous host of Destination Truth drags his team to Chernobyl (yes, THAT Chernobyl) to hunt for radioactive (?) ghosts. As the saying goes, "I would do anything for love, but I won't do THAT." Watch Josh Gates and friends go where no ghost hunters have gone before...this Wednesday Sept 30th at 10pm on SyFy.

For a sneak peek of this episode click here.

EMF Sensitivity, Real or Imagined?

As the use of Wi-Fi networks and cell phones increases, more individuals are coming forward claiming sensitivity to EMF. Electromagnetic fields are all around us, they power and seep from virtually everything in our lives from computers to cars. If humans truly are sensitive to EMF, why hasn't there been an epidemic of unexplained or idopathic illness to accompany increasing use of EMF, even in the most rural of areas?

The electromagnetic energy in question here is the non-ionizing low frequency energy which encompasses everything from TV signals to visible light. Unlike gamma and x-rays, this energy lacks the power to break down atomic bonds, therefore it is considered safe.

EMF sensitivity isn't a new concern. For decades, various studies have been conducted on proximity to power lines and increased risk for cancer. There seems to be no concrete evidence that EMF can cause long term physical harm, however.

As ghost hunters, it is important to educate ourselves about EMF and the studies that have been done.

Here is a Wired magazine article debating EMF sensitivity as nothing more than a psychotic issue. For comparison, here is a report from the National Cancer Institute regarding EMF exposure and various studies on the effects.

Paranormal Investigator's Convention Charlotte, NC Nov 6-8, 2009

Ghost or Carbon Monoxide?

An brief, interesting article on the correlation between CO and ghostly activity. Read the full article here. For more info on Carbon Dioxide Poisoning, click here.

Damn Nature, You Scary

Any ghost hunter worth their salt knows that nature is far scarier than any paranormal thing. To drive that point home, please check out this article from wired.com that features some freaky-deaky creatures.

Panama Teens Claimed to Have Killed an ET

The Momento 24 website reports that a group of teens encountered a strange creature while hiking. The creature approached them as they explored a cave. The group was so frightened that they stoned the poor thing to death. The pics are certainly creepy, but if this was a real creature and not just a set of photoshopped pics, I vote for it being a sloth of some kind. Read the full story and judge for yourself.

"Ghost Hunter" falls to her death

The Vancouver Sun relays a story about a 29 year old woman who died while exploring an abandoned building. There seems to be some confusion as to whether she actually was ghost hunting. Either way, this story points out the dangers that many of us take for granted. Her death illustrates why you should NOT go tresspassing onto unfamiliar property at night, a safety tip that many inexperienced and eager ghost hunters ignore. Read the full story here

Chad Austin, noted speaker on EVP, passes away

Chad Austin, founder of Ghost Finders US and a noted speaker on EVP, passed away on Sunday - August 30, 2009.

Tina R. McSwain and the members of CAPS wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to Chad's wife and family, his friends, and fellow colleagues in the paranormal field.

The Ghost Train of Bostian Bridge

Click on the link to view a local TV station's story on Bostian Bridge:

http://www.wral.com/lifestyles/travel/video/5882924/

Four Basic Rules of Debunkers by Stanton Friedman

I came across this list courtesy of my "CoastZone Newsletter". In case you aren't familiar with Mr. Friedman, he his a nuclear physicist and a respected member of the "UFO community". Mr. Friedman has spent decades researching and sometimes debunking UFO reports. His "Four Basic Rules of Debunkers" was written in regards to the anti-UFO set, but after reading the list, I think you'll agree that they work for ghost-hunting skeptics as well.

1. What the public doesn't know, I'm not going to tell.
2. Don't bother me with the facts, my mind is made up.
3. If you can't attack the data, attack the people, it's easier.
4. Do your research by proclamation--investigation is too much trouble, and nobody will notice the difference anyway.

Debunkers and skeptics are always welcome in the paranormal community. They keep us on our toes, force us to review our evidence more thoroughly, and drive us to perfect our investigative techniques. There will always be extremists on either side of this debate. While skeptics can sometimes be frustrating to encounter, in my opinion, it's those folks who proclaim EVERYTHING a ghost or demon that do the most damage to our cause.

Octomom...Haunted?

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Click on the link above for video of "Octomom" recounting the ghostly happenings around her home. Without knowing the history of the property, and the ability to do a full investigation, it's hard to say if she has a ghost problem. But, the ruckus and energy of all those potential playmates is sure to draw any stray child spirits to the "Octo home"!

You Never Know When This Might Come in Handy

An Exclusive Offer from CAPS

You've seen the KII EMF detector in action on Ghost Hunters. Since their TV debut, these beauties have been hard to come by. Ghost groups and paranormal buffs worldwide are swiping them up!

Prices of KII's have increased exponentially and some dealers won't even sell without a minimum bulk order.

CAPS is pleased to offer a special deal on this popular device.

Not only will you get the famous KII--the very same model used by Jason & Grant, you will also receive instructions on how to use your new meter for paranormal investigations. These instructions were personally penned by CAPS Founder Tina McSwain. Tina has many years of paranormal research under her belt and a great deal of experience with the KII.

CAPS has used this tool with much success. In fact, the KII meter is now part of THE standard equipment we take to every investigation!

As you can see in the photo, there is a flat button in the middle of the device that must be depressed to take readings. Obviously this becomes tedious during long sessions and can lead to inaccurate readings as one instinctively flexes their thumb. This became a real problem for our crew and then Tech Manager Jeff had a brilliant idea. He added a simple toggle switch on the side to turn the meter on and off! This tiny modification has made a world of difference in our investigations. After using my modified KII, I couldn't imagine going back to the old cumbersome thumb method!

Now you can own the very same modified KII that we use in the field! This is a CAPS exclusive. These modified KII's even have the option of using the middle button, if switches aren't your thing.

Interested in owning your own high tech KII meter? Contact Tina for pricing and details.

Ghost Research Society Archives

This group does an awesome job of explaining some common photo anomalies. Click on the post title to browse their archives which include debunked pics as well as some amazing photos that appear to be the real deal.

Museum Ghost

On a visit to a "haunted" museum, a BBC journalist snapped this intriguing pic which allegedly shows a ghostly apparition.
Click on the post title for the full story at BBC News and an enlargeable version of the pic.

To me it looks like a shirtless dude with his pants belted above his belly and a rag on his head. Why my deceased uncle is apparating (to use Harry Potter jargon) at a museum in the UK ? That's the real mystery.

CAPS at ConCarolinas

May 29-31st 2009

CAPs is proud to announce our participation in ConCarolinas 2009! This year, Tina McSwain and Kimberly Raines will speak on many paranormally themed panels throughout the three-day Con. Click the posst title or the ConCarolinas banner on the sidebar for tickets and schedules.

Think cons are just nerd conventions? Think again! This will be my third Con and each one has been a blast!

You don't have to be a diehard Trekkie to enjoy the festivities. The people are wonderful, the costumes are insane, and the atmosphere is happy, positive, and family-friendly. No kiddies? No worries? After dark is grown-up time with Karaoke, parties and all sorts of festivities.

Visit our fan table at the Con! We'd love to meet you and hear your favorite ghost story!

DIY Genetic Engineering-Coming to a Dorm Room Near You

The Wall Street Journal reports on the growing (pardon the pun) trend of at home genetic experimentation. Turns out that anyone crafty enough to Macguyver a lab and get ahold of random samples can have hours of fun hacking DNA.

If that's not enough to give you nightmares, click on the post title to read about the plucky "researcher" experimenting with E.Coli. YIPES!

The Ghost of Croxteth Hall

The City Council of Liverpool has called in paranormal experts after capturing an alleged apparition on security cam.

Click the post title to read the full story, including the supposed identity of the spook.

Personal I think this ghost is made of the same thing as so many others...a stray bug crawling across the lens. Check out the footage and judge for yourself.

No Paranormal Investigator Classes or Yahoo Group Ghost Hunt This Month

Due to the fact that CAPS is mentoring several local high school students on their Project Graduation requirements, we will not hold our regularly scheduled Paranormal Investigator Classes or Yahoo Group Ghost Hunt this mont. Our students projects are due in May.
Both of these CAPS acitivites will resume in May.
Thanks!
Tina

Latta Plantation Ghost Hunt April 3 & 4, 9pm - 2am

The historic Latta Plantation in Huntersville, NC will be holding a ghost hunt Friday night April 3 and Saturday night April 4 from 9PM until 2AM.

Cost is $50.00 per Person, and reservations are required.

Click on link for more information.

FYI,
Tina

The Google Ghost

Google Street View is a service whereby a user can literally see a street view of any given area, including residential areas. This service has caused concern among many who wonder exactly what this information could be used for; stalking, planning criminal activity. etc. Along with property views, many unexpected images have been captured, including pics of a man urinating on the side of the road and an unsuspecting strip club patron exiting said establishment.

Street view utilizes vans with specially installed panoramic cameras. Every 20 feet or so, the automatic cameras snap 360 degree views of the surroundings. These images are then uploaded to Google servers for the world's viewing pleasure.

Just as Google Earth experienced a strange flap of "UFO sightings", Street View is now taking its stab at paranormal research.

Click on the post title for the story of the "Google Ghost"; a mysterious image of an ethereal Victorian woman captured in Cardiff. Is this proof of spirits among us, or some Google geek's idea of a practical joke? Apparently the experts are baffled by the pic and have no explanation for how it could have occurred.

Mexican Farmer Reportedly Captures Tiny Alien

The video above allegedly shows a tiny "alien" captured by a Mexican farmer. I don't speak Spanish, but another source tells the following tale regarding the strange carcass:

The farmer found the creature one night caught in a trap. The thing was making quite a bit of noise and the farmer decided to kill it. He threw it in a bucket of water (trap and all) and after several unsuccessful drowning attempts, decided to leave it overnight. When he returned in the morning, it was dead.

That's all I know about the thing. You can see its small size in the video and the fact that it had a tail. The farmer's description matched that of your garden variety "Gray" except for its small stature and the tail that reportedly ended in a point.

To be honest, it looks like some kind of mummified monkey. Watch the video and judge for yourself.

The Mysterious Red Rain Cells of Kerala

In 2001 in Kerala, India, a red rain fell for the first time; staining clothes and alarming those caught in the deluge. Dr Godfrey Louis of Mahatma Ghandi University collected vials of the rain and was shocked to find what appeared to be biological cells under the microscope.

The red rain fell again in 2006 & 2007 and Dr. Louis continues researching what he believes is biological extraterrestrial material contained in the fluid.

Linda Moulton Howe's Earthfiles features an in depth report on Dr. Louis's research including pictures of these mysterious cells. Click on the post title above to check out the latest findings.

PSI Con - Lake Lure Inn & Spa - February 27 through March 1, 2009

The 1927 Lake Lure Inn and Spa

Site of the scenes from the movie, Dirty Dancing and Last of the Mohicans, and reportedly haunted hotel.

Members of CAPS with Barry Fitzgerald of The Sci Fi Channel's Ghost Hunters International. From left, Tina McSwain, Founder & President of CAPS, Barry Fitzgerald, Kathy Crowley, CAPS Case Manager, and Kendra Showalter, CAPS Investigator.

CAPS members with Keith Age of Louisville Ghost Hunters Society

The CAPSters with Jonathan Watts of United Skeptics and Believers, and After Twilight Radio

The CAPS Crew with Joe Wright, Founder of PSI

Hearse belonging to "Sparky" of PSI. You can see the Pavilion in the background. This is where Saturday night's VIP Celebrity Ghost Hunt was held. This was the first time anyone had investigated this location, which at one point in its history, had been a hospital.

CAPS would like to thank PSI, the Lake Lure Inn and Spa Staff, and all the celebrity guests for such a great weekend! We had a blast! We met many fellow investigators and have formed bonds and lasting friendships. It was a great opportunity to network, meet people famous in the paranormal world, and do a little ghost hunting as well. We want to thank the following people personally in that they were so approachable, knowledgeable and friendly. Keith Age of Louisville Ghost Hunters Society (thanks for letting me test drive the Paranormal Puck), Chad Austin of Ghost Finders International (thanks for the advice on EVP), Jeremiah Greer of Shadows in the Dark Radio (thanks for our discussion on UFO's, I enjoyed it), Barry Fitzgerald of Sci Fi's Ghost Hunters International (A special thanks to Barry for being such a good sport and so accommodating for a special picture that will be displayed very soon:-)It was a true pleasure to meet and talk with you!), Scott Nicholson of Haunted Computer (thanks for our discussion on Sunday. I look forward to seeing you again in November!), Jonathan Watts of United Skeptics and Believers Paranormal Research Society and After Twilight Radio (thanks for the information on cameras and our EVP session at the Pavilion.........what cool equipment you have), and finally Joe Wright of PSI and all his team members (thank you for putting together such a great event!!)Tina R.McSwain,Founder & President CAPS - Charlotte Area Paranormal Society

Nancy is Home

I am delighted to report that our Lead Investigator, Nancy, has been discharged from the hospital and is recouperating nicely at home. We wish her well, and hope she can join us soon.
Tina

Get Better Soon Nancy!

The Ghost Grrls would like to wish a complete and speedy recovery to our friend, Nancy, who is in the hospital recovering from a recent surgery. Hurry and get well Nancy! We have Ghosties to hunt!
Tina

Monsterquest Marathon Today on the History Channel

Monsterquest, one of the best cryptid shows on TV, is airing a mini-marathon tonight at 8pm. The episodes shown will include: "Killer Russian Apemen" and the "Sasquatch Attack" episode, which I believe is from last season. The Sasquatch episode is extremely interesting as the investigators recover actual DNA evidence from an alleged Sasquatch attack that took place in Canada.

The marathon also advertises the NEW SEASON (YAY!) that premieres next Wednesday Feb 4th a@ 9pm!

South Jersey Ghost Research Captures Curious Pic

Does this pic show the silhouette of a ghostly
prisoner? SJGR captured this image during a recent
investigation at the Burlington County Prison
Museum in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

The place has been plagued by paranormal activity
since the 1830's when a young inmate was hanged for murder.

Read the whole story by clicking on the post title or
follow this link to check out SJGR's website:
http://southjerseyghostresearch.org/

Did a UFO buzz the Inauguration?

News1800.com claims that CNN captured a UFO fly-by during its coverage of Obama's inauguration. Click on the post title to read the full story and check out video analysis of the "craft".

Test Your PSI Online

The Institute of Noetic Sciences conducts ongoing research into human consciousness. These computer games, created by scientist Dean Radin, are said to test your ability to influence (through paranormal or psychic means) the outcomes of certain events.

Tired of boring old Solitaire? Click on the post title to try one of ION's psychic games.

Chinese Firefighters Video Strange UFO

A squadron of firemen in Guizhou province have recorded over 20 minutes of footage that they claim is a "rotating, spinning, top-shaped craft".

The footage has caused an uproar in China, where such reports are normally quelled before reaching the Western world.

Click on the post title to read the whole story on AllNewsWeb.com

Why Coffee & Ghost Hunting Might Not Mix

A Durham University study links coffee intake with hallucinations, including hearing false voices.
The experiment could not prove a definite cause and effect, but there was evidence that increased coffee intake can effect perception.

Click on the post title to read the full story on the Scientific American website.

Is this the face of a Sea Monster?

• Click on the post title to read the full article on Cryptomundo.com.

This pic allegedly shows an Argentinian lake monster known as "Nahuelito". Along with the story of the pics, there is a history of the legend and a lively debate on the veracity of this photo.

In case you don't know, Cryptomundo, Loren Coleman's website, is one of the best sites on the Internet for news and skeptical analysis of cryptozoological reports.

New Season of Paranormal State Starts Tonight.

Tune into A&E tonight at 10pm to catch the season premiere of Paranormal State!

New Season of GHI Premieres This Wednesday

January 7th, 2009-- SciFi Channel rolls out the new season of Ghost Hunters International. The team journeys to Callao, Peru to investigate the Real Felipe Fortress. Originally built in colonial times as a defense against pirates, the structure now serves as the Peruvian Army museum; housing weapons and uniforms from the country's military past.

Top Ten Paranormal Events of 2008

Click on the post title to check out last year's most interesting paranormal stories from About.com. I managed to miss some of these...including the one featuring this amazing pic.