Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Ghost FAQs: Going Dark

A question I see being asked frequently of paranormal investigators is "why do we only investigate at night?"  Similarly, it is under the assumption, with the aide of several popular television shows, that a successful investigation of a location requires turning off all the lights and going completely dark.  So why DO ghost hunters do it in the dark?  What's the rationale behind it if ghosts can be seen day or night in any type of lighting?  I cannot speak for others in the field, but perhaps this post can shed a little light (pun fully intended) on why we do the things we do.

For starters, NOT all investigations are done at night, under the cover of darkness!  It is true that paranormal activity can and will take place at all hours of the day.  In fact, I have personally had more experiences during daylight hours in well lit locations.  However, in order to maximize investigation time, a good investigator is going to look at the reports and talk to the client.  Sometimes, requesting the client keep a log book or journal of suspected activity over a period of time is implemented.  If there is a pattern emerging showing that the activity is most frequent during the day, then a daytime investigation will most likely yield the best results.  Similarly, if there is activity being seen or witnessed under certain circumstances, such as only with the lights on, then a recreation of the environment will also be likely to yield the best results and provide the right conditions to try to rule out any non-paranormal causes.  That environment can be changed, or investigations can take place over different times of day, and through different seasons, weather, etc., to further help rule out and find causes for suspected paranormal activity.  This would be the ideal case scenario.

However, as investigators, we often find that obstacles and limitations prevent such ideal case scenarios.  One such limitation is a direct cause as to why so many investigations actually DO take place at night! 

Ghost hunting and/or paranormal investigation is not a paid endeavor and is a pretty expensive hobby.  Since most of the population is not independently wealthy, many of us have to work, not only to finance our pursuit of the paranormal, but to provide for our own families.  And, in this society, most of us work during the daylight hours, leaving night the best time to investigate.  Obviously, our clients are in a similar boat;  clients of private residence cases also need to work, go to school, and partake in normal everyday activities.  Evening going into night is sometimes the only time THEY can find time in their schedules to have come in. 

And while residentials can offer a little flexibility, you're less likely to find that flexibility when dealing with public locations.  Popular places to investigate, such as restaurants, libraries, historical locations and other public establishments, have to deal with customers/visitors during the day.  Most of the time, investigations are only available after hours...hence, after dark, which is a GOOD thing:  investigations require as a controlled environment as possible, something which cannot occur when visitors are making their rounds.  In addition, not all public locations want the publicity of a possible haunting; the night  offers some degree of discretion.

On the flipside, some locations LOVE the publicity that a haunted reputation gives them.  Some of these locations specifically offer paranormal investigation teams a chance to investigate for a small price.  With many of these pay-to-play locations, public ghost hunts are held in addition to regular daytime activities for the general public---leaving night the ONLY time for these endeavors, but also creating a more creepy and frightening atmosphere which is good for business!

That offers some explanation as to why investigations generally occur at night...but WHY do investigators feel the need to switch off all the lights?  This area is a little more gray when it comes to popular theory, but here's just a few reasons why you might want to "go lights out'':

Although it may be a stereotype, but much of the reported paranormal activity we investigate DOES occur at night, when the owners of the location have "gone dark" for themselves.  Again, a good interview can be invaluable at finding out when the majority of the activity is said to occur.  In these cases, it is important to investigate under the same conditions as the activity is reported.  Headlights bouncing off a bedroom window from outdoor traffic doesn't look the same with the lights on...and is often the root cause of many false positives.

If you follow the theory that a ghost can either give off or disrupt EMF readings, then turning off the lights (or better yet, actually cutting power completely) will cut down on false positives.  However, it is important to really do a thorough baseline readings check of the entire location BEFORE the lights are cut, as well as AFTER.

It is also theorized that should an entity manifest, it will likely be emitting its own light.  A darkened location may make spotting an anomaly easier...and the heightened state of other senses can also help in the observation vigil.  Hehehe, and if you're fond of what I call the "flashlight trick"---asking an entity to turn on a flashlight (or even to light up the lights on a K-II or similar device), then darkness is useful to help spot changes, both on camera and in real time.

Lastly, it comes back to a question of obstacles and limitations...some places simply don't have power!  I've investigated "abandoned" locations, houses that are in the process of being sold and other locations that simply don't have power hooked up to certain areas, like basements and attics.  In those cases, there isn't much of a choice.

No two investigations are alike, just like no two investigators are alike.  We all have our own theories and ideas...and we all have our own way of doing things, sometimes heavily influenced by what we see on television.  I hope the explanations I've touched upon above have offered some insight, but keep in mind that there are many other reasons as to why (or why not)....Ghost Hunters Do It In The Dark!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Bethany College

Bethany College is a small, liberal arts school located in Brooke County, WV.  Founded by Alexander Campbell and chartered on March 2, 1840, it is the oldest private institute of higher learning in West Virginia.  With over 170 years of history, the college has undoubtedly picked up a ghostly legend or two...

One such legend is that of "Sarah."  Sarah is the resident ghost of Phillips Hall, an all-women's dormitory in the middle of campus.  Phillips Hall was built in 1929 to replace the former Phillips Hall, which was built prior to 1891.  The original was a gift from Thomas W. Phillips, an early science professor at the college.  In its early days, it was used briefly as a men's dormitory, but then became a women's dorm around the fall of 1892, with the exception of a two year period between 1943 and 1945 when it was used as a dorm for members of the Navy's V-12 project.

"Sarah," as the ghost is called, is believed to have been a young student at the college who hanged herself in the attic of the "new" Phillips Hall.  Sarah is most known for moving and hiding objects and playing with radios, but in one case, she may have been seen; a former student reported seeing the image of a pale white female figure, wearing a pale white garment, in her dorm room.

Along with Sarah, there may be another ghost that resides in Phillips Hall.  It is said that the image of a sailor climbing up the drain pipe of the building has been spotted.  It is believed that the young man fell to his death while climbing up the drain in an effort to court a female student there.  As the dorm WAS used to house navy personnel in the 1940s, I personally think its more likely that he was staying at Phillips, and was either sneaking OUT or IN to his own dorm...or that he was accidentally locked out and trying to go in through a window.

In any event, Phillips Hall isn't the only building on campus with a resident ghost or two.  The Irvin Gymnasium was built between 1917 and 1919 on the spot of the old gym, which was burned down by an arsonist on April 27, 1915.  In 1919, the gym was the scene of riots, as it was chosen as the headquarters for a group of protesting students who were unhappy with the college's mandatory enrollment in the Student Army Training Corps.  The gym was remodeled in 1983-4 and was re-christened the Grace Phillips Johnson Memorial Visual Arts Center.  Students believe that Grace Phillips Johnson's ghost resides in the building and claim that the eyes on her portrait, which hangs therein, follow visitors around the room.

Another haunted location seems to be the once abandoned Cochran Hall, which as of 2010 was being remodeled into a new dormitory.  Cochran Hall, built in 1912, was built atop of the Isaac and Sophie Stewart Ranche and Springs.  The "Ranche" was torn down in 1909, and the following year, a typhoid fever outbreak hit, leading many to believe the spring had been contaminated by the demolition of the "Ranche."  Whether or not the resident ghost is connected to those events is unknown, but it is believed that the ghost is a friendly one who prefers to hang out in the building's first floor apartment.

There are many more legends that abound around the campus of Bethany College, and the institute seems to embrace them as part of their history and culture.  Each Halloween season, the whole campus gets together for haunted trails and houses, story-telling and lectures, including one such lecture and public ghost hunt hosted by Chris Fleming of "Dead Famous."  For more information on the history and the legends, I suggest an excellent book by Brent Carney called Bethany College:  The Campus History Series.

UPDATE February 2012:  I've had several people come forward with their own personal tales of Bethany College.  I've added them here, with permission, for everyone to enjoy! I wish to thank both of these sources, and everyone else who has helped keep Theresa's Haunted History the best source of Haunted WV information!

Story #1
Back in the 70’s I attended Wheeling Jesuit and used to escape up the road to Bethany College to study when the parties got too loud or too inviting to get any studying done. During one exam week I trucked up to the Bethany campus about 9 P.M. and entered one of the public buildings. Those were simpler times and they left most building unlocked. I don’t remember the name of the hall but could probably identify it from a decent campus map. I remember it had a decent size lecture hall at the left end of the building that looked like it might have been a chapel at one time.  To the right of the hall there was a corridor with some classrooms to either side.  I set up shop in one of these and dove into my Kant or maybe it was Money and Banking.
 
Sometime after midnight I heard a pipe organ playing and thought it odd at that hour for any body to be practicing. I also found the music itself to be a bit unusual.  Not that pipe organs aren't, by their nature, unusual. Perhaps because I was young and fearless I went to investigate. I found that the music was coming from the lecture hall / chapel area of the building.  I climbed up a short circular staircase leading to the loft where I had seen an organ earlier in the evening.  As I passed the pipes I could hear the air hissing through them.  Arriving at the top of the steps I looked toward the organ itself. It was only dimly lit but but I could plainly see that there was nobody sitting at the instrument. The music continued to play.  I was involved in theater sound systems and amateur recording at the time and I am positive that the music was not pre recorded.  I left abruptly. I was young but not dumb.

Story #2
My best friend went to BC in 91-92, so I spent a lot of time up there. The clock tower is said to be haunted by a girl who was homesick and jumped to her death. You are to see her standing on top of the tower by the clock ready to jump when the clock is the same time of her death... Also, a friend of ours had an apartment in the basement of an old home. The "apartment" had once been the slave quarters... Knocking & banging were a few strange things heard that weekend. But the strangest thing was just who was cooking upstairs when it was uninhabited & locked? You could smell it downstairs...but all our friend has was a microwave...

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Book Review for West Virginia UFOs

Title:  West Virginia UFOs: Close Encounters in the Mountain State
Author: Former journalist Bob Teets
Publisher:  Headline Books (October 1994)

Theresa's Review:

This book is a little outdated, being written 18 years ago...but it is one that I've come across from time to time and had been meaning to read.  The result was well worth the wait.

I thought this book was a lot of fun. The author delves into over 150 eyewitness encounters of UFOs spotted throughout the state of West Virginia.  Interviewing these witnesses himself, as well as even hypnotizing a few, provided some interesting additional details into UFO cases that many people have never heard of.  Famous cases like the Braxton County Monster and Mothman were discussed, but not with any great detail...the main bulk of the work just featured everyday accounts from everyday people of all walks of life.

The book was not without its flaws, though.  The organization seemed a little helter-skelter to me, with a really weak ending that I couldn't really decided how it got included.   And, although the interviews were interesting, (although the ones where he hypnotized people may be a little controversial) the author seemed to ask really leading questions and not really flesh out other possible theories and explanations for the experiences.  It truly was written from more of a journalistic perspective, than one of a serious investigator.  In the author's defense, he did note that this work was quite the rushed job, and requests for personal stories flooded in up to the cut-off date, and well past.

Overall, I enjoyed the book.  I thought it was a great little glimpse into WV Ufology from a layman's perspective, and definitely is a great resource for anyone studying such since most of the sightings had never previously been reported.  It isn't a book that I would recommend for just anyone to read, but it does make an excellent addition to my paranormal WV collection!

Purchase from Amazon

Monday, January 16, 2012

Nebraska's Haunted Hummel Park

Hummel Park, located in Northern Omaha, originally opened in 1930, and was later named after J.B. Hummel, a long time superintendent of the Omaha Parks and Recreation Dept.  The 200+ acre park, known for its hiking trails, disc golf course, and other recreational opportunities, was built atop the site of the Jean Pierre Cabanne fur trading post of 1832.  It is also rumored that the site was once used as an Indian burial ground.

The eastern side of the park, known as Devil's Slide, has many steep cliffs and drop offs, and is said to be a popular place for suicides.  There have also been a number of verified murders within the park, and additional found murdered victims dumped there.  And...according to some sources, in the early 1900s, the site of the park was a favorite lynching spot.

Due to this unsettled history, the park has quickly gained the reputation of being one of the most haunted locations in Nebraska.  Apparitions have been seen, screams have been heard, and paranormal investigators have captured weird EMF readings and other evidence.  Some of the less probable legends include a pack of albinos that live among the trees, and an area known as the "Morphing Stairs."  A stone staircase has gained this moniker because it is said that people counting the stairs going up will always count a different number on the way down.  The staircase also leads to a somewhat secluded spot where graffiti and animal carcasses point to the belief that the area is used in occult rituals and devil worship.

For more information on this location, check out this group's site.  They also provided the picture:
PRISM

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Flinderation Tunnel

Flinderation Tunnel, located near Salem in Harrison County, WV, is a popular destination for ghost hunters across the region.  It was even brought to national attention with the help of several popular television shows.  And...according to those who have been there, the tunnel does live up to his haunted reputation.  Apparitions, noises, and EVPs are commonly reported, and are said to be the result of a horrific accident that occurred at the tunnel.

 According to folklore, repairs were being made on the tunnel, when a train unexpectedly came through.  Legends differ, but the general idea of the story is that one of the workers was unable to seek refuge in one of the alcoves quick enough, and met a gruesome death.  The track, which was being repaired, combined with perhaps the accident itself then led to a train derailment.  In fact, another example of paranormal activity seems to be the phantom lights from a train, the sound of a phantom train whistle, and even the scraping sounds of a train crashing against the sides of the tunnel.  In later years, it is said that the tunnel was used by the KKK as a lynching spot.  Several reports from African-American investigators have confirmed that there are energies here that support this thesis. 

But aside from the folklore, how much is REALLY known about the Flinderation Tunnel?

For starters, the tunnel technically isn't the "Flinderation Tunnel," but rather the Brandy Gap Tunnel #2.  The colloquial name of Flinderation Tunnel comes from the fact that it is located off Flinderation Road.  This old railroad tunnel was commissioned by the Northwestern Virginia Railroad for the B&O Railroad.  It was to serve as a link between Grafton and Parkersburg.  Work began in August of 1852 under contractor Thomas S. Spates, and the tunnel was completed in January of 1857.  It was taken fully out of commission in the 1990s.  The land surrounding the tunnel was part of the Lynch family estate, and could possibly be a historical fact that got twisted into the idea of lynch-ings.  And yes...the tunnel DOES run directly under the large, yet historical Brandy Gap Cemetery.  In fact, some believe that the decaying bodies of the cemetery "drip" remains into the tunnel, and could possibly account for some of the apparitions sighted therein.  Another related story tells of bodies and body parts actually being visible from inside the tunnel, as parts of the roof erode away.

Unfortunately, not much else is known from a historical standpoint.  Despite in-depth research from several independent parties, there doesn't seem to be any record of a train derailment or even a death.  Since details such as dates and names have been lost to history, further research into the verification of the tale would be a daunting task.  However, a lack of documented history doesn't necessarily mean that the events didn't occur, as many are quick to point out.  Although it does seem likely that if the train DID derail, there would be some record of it, there wouldn't necessarily be any record of a lone worker killed.  In early days of railroad work, it wasn't uncommon for immigrant laborers (Italians made up a large percentage of immigrant rail workers in this area) or those of African American descent to be forgotten about...not even reported as deceased and buried where they lie...especially if they were single men without families. 

Today, the tunnel is part of the 72 mile long North Bend Rail Trail system, a popular place for ghost hunters, and even the location for a multi-stage geocache.  Directions to the tunnel, curtesy of Mountain State Spirit Seekers Society can be found below...but if you're traveling to the Salem area from Clarksburg, keep your eyes open for another local ghost legend.

As seen in the book Cry of the Banshee by Susan Sheppard, Rt. 50 (the road which will lead you to Salem) is home to a ghostly woman in red.  When the moon is full, motorists have said to have spotted a woman wearing a red hooded coat, walking along the side of the road.  Those who stop to ask the woman if she needs help are shocked to discover that under the scarlet hood, the woman has no face.  Allegedly, this woman is also said to follow motorists home, pacing outside of their home, peering into their windows with her faceless visage.

Photo property of Susan Carleton

Directions to Flinderation Tunnel from MSSSS:
Flinderation Tunnel is located about 15-20 minutes "west" of Clarksburg (Harrison County). The road that you will take is Flinderation Road, of course. Once you get off of Flinderation Road you will cross a bridge and you keep right and then you drive for about 500ft or little more and you will notice in the road that it looks like train tracks ran across the road and you will see a gate on your right hand side in the middle of used to be railroad tracks and thats where you park your car. From the gate to the Tunnel is about 100yds or so back. You will see the "Lake Floyd" sign on your right. Thats the next exit on the left and then Flinderation Road is the "Next" exit on the right.

If your coming West going east your will travel thru salem on Rt 50 and the exit before Flinderation Road is Raccoon Run Road. You will cross a bridge and you keep right and then you drive for about 500ft or little more and you will notice in the road that it looks like train tracks ran across the road and you will see a gate on your right hand side in the middle of used to be railroad tracks and thats where you park your car. From the gate to the Tunnel is about 100yds or so back.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Dixie V. Counts at Spry Cemetery

Photo by Mona Lambert West
One of West Virginia's haunted legends that has made its rounds on the internet is the story of Dixie V. Counts and her haunting of the Spry Cemetery near Harts, in Lincoln County, located close to Dry Branch.  According to legend, Dixie is buried in this cemetery along with her stillborn infant, Charlie.  Both mother and child died in childbirth, yet their apparitions are seen regularly in the small cemetery.  Both appear to glow, along with the death dates on their tombstones, under the rays of the full moon, and Dixie is said to be seen holding small Charlie, rocking him and crying in the moonlight.

Photo by Mona Lambert West
Like much of WV's legends and lore, this is a story that does have some basis in fact, although the true story is a little different than the ones making their rounds on popular ghost sites.  Dixie Virginia Lambert Counts was the second wife of Billie Counts.  She was born on September 14, 1913 in Logan County, WV to parents Wilson P. Lambert and Lou/Lila Spry. 

In 1932, Dixie gave birth to a baby girl named Nora Louise.  Nora was born premature, at only 6.5 months gestation, and only lived for 12 hours.  However, Dixie would go on to give birth in 1938 to a baby boy, named Charles Wilson Counts.  Although not stillborn, as the legend says, Charles would not live to adulthood.

Photo by Mona Lambert West

On September 26, 1939, Dixie V. Counts died in Logan County of tuberculosis.  She was buried in the Lambert (Spry) Cemetery next to her daughter.  Little Charlie would last another two months, but he too died of tuberculosis shortly after his first birthday, on December 27, 1939.

Death Certificates for Dixie V. Counts and her two children can be found at the following link:
Find-A-Grave. All photos are from Find-a-Grave as well and were taken by Mona Lambert West.

If you choose to visit this location to check out the legends for yourself, please remember to be respectful. While the idea of glowing tombstones and apparitions of a woman and child are fascinating, at the end of the day, these legends still represent the fact that a young mother and two babies were taken from this earth too soon.


The Ghost of Red Feather-Arizona

After the Civil War, a trader by the name of John Martin headed for Arizona territory, settling in what is now Prescott, Arizona.  In exchange for some gunpowder and some whiskey, John was "paid" with a young Navajo maiden, whom he made his wife, and built a home for.

In 1870, this young Navajo woman bore John a daughter, which he named Anna.  Unfortunately, the mother died during childbirth.  As Anna grew up, she preferred to wear Navajo style clothing, and go by the name of Red Feather.  She was not accepted by white society, and as a teenager, ran away from her abusive father and the white people who shunned her, taking refuge in her mother's native village.

Unfortunately, the young girl did not fit in there, either.  She was accepted into the village, but was forced to work and eat alone.  The only place she felt at home was at the nearby Spirit Canyon, a canyon which long held a mystical and sacred reputation. 

While at the canyon, studying the hieroglyphics of her ancestors, Red Feather spied one such drawing that depicted a young man leaping head first to his death into the canyon, himself joining the spirit world.  It is believed that this particular drawing is what inspired young Red Feather to follow the young man's destiny, at last escaping both the white man's world and the Navajo world that shunned her.

Red Feather took her own life by plunging into Spirit Canyon in 1887, at the age of 17.  However, shortly after, reports of a young, Navajo woman seen in and around the canyon began.  Sightings of this phantom continue into modern day, as many who have stumbled upon this secluded spot have had a chance encounter with a young Navajo girl who vanishes before their eyes.

This story came to my attention through a wonderful program called Ghost Stories, hosted by Patrick Macnee.  If you can get past the awkwardly scripted interviews, the show is actually quite enjoyable.  The segment for this story is linked to below, courtesy of YouTube!

Ghost Stories

Granny's Ghost


This photo was submitted to Paranormal About.com by Denise Russell, although Denise was not present when the photograph was taken.  The photo is of her grandmother, who at the age of 94, went to live in an assisted living facility for the elderly.

On Sunday, August 17, 1997, a picnic was held for residents of this facility and their families.  Denise's mother and sister attended this picnic, and the sister snapped at least two photos of the event, including this one of her grandmother. 

Fast forward to Christmas day:  December 25, 2000.  The grandmother in the picture has passed away at this point, and the sister is going through some old photos.  Believing the photo to be a great picture of the granny, a copy is made for the mother.  Somewhere along the line, however, the male figure behind the grandmother is spotted.

When Denise arrived at the home later that day to celebrate the holidays, her sister pulled out the photo and immediately asked her who she thought the man in the photograph looked like.  Both sisters agreed that the man standing behind the grandmother was the image of their grandfather, who passed away on August 14, 1984...almost 13 years to the day that the photo was taken.

Further analysis by the family concludes that the gentleman in the photo would actually have to be 8 to 10 feet tall to support the dimensions...and also appears to be missing a leg.  A cousin in the family also pointed out another ghostly image that can be found in the foliage above the red van in the background. 

Whether or not this is the spirit of the grandmother's husband, coming to give her comfort during her first week stay in an unfamiliar place...or simply another resident walking by in the background is up to you to decide.  Please click on the link below to see two comparison shots of the grandfather that were submitted to the About.com website in conjunction with this photo.

Comparison Shots of Grandpa

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Margaritas Restaurant in Concord, NH

It's been awhile since I posted something in the Haunted America section...and this location is definitely one I want to personally, eh, investigate!

Margaritas is a popular chain of upscale Mexican restaurants in the New England area.  The first restaurant in this chain, formerly known as Tio Juan's, opened in Bicentennial Square in Concord New Hampshire.  The building it occupies was once a county jail, and to add to the atmosphere, the jail cells were preserved to be used for private seating.

Patrons and staff alike believe the restaurant to be haunted, and have dubbed their poltergeist "George."  George is known to move furniture and place settings, drink unattended beverages, and even throw food.  The staff also claims to hear disembodied voices throughout the restaurant after hours.

A paranormal investigation group called Northeastern Paranormal Research Society, has a YouTube video of a glass moving, seemingly on its own accord, across the table while its owner is ordering a salad from the waitress.  Although seemingly impressive, and with great care to try to recreate the event, I personally am not too impressed with this footage.  I've seen first hand many times how even a very small, thin layer of condensation on a water glass can cause a cushion on which the glass can seemingly float (we had a lot of spare time when I worked at a pool concession stand, lol). 

Still, this seems like an excellent location to have dinner and possibly experience a ghost.  Reviews of the restaurant are very favorable, but do cite lengthy waits and upscale prices as the only cons.  Perhaps George is a former inmate, making sure he gets his three squares a day!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Spectre of Newby Church

The Spectre of Newby Church is undoubtedly one of the most controversial "true ghost photos" found floating around the web.  The photo in question was taken in 1963 by Reverend Kenneth F. Lord, vicar of the Church of Christ the Consoler, located on the grounds of Newby Hall.  Reverend Lord was photographing the interior of his church, and took this photo of a favorite altar.  At the time, he was allegedly alone in the church, and the phantom apparition that would appear on the developed film was not visible to the naked eye.

To some, this photo is an excellent example of true ghost photography.  The church had not previously had any reports of paranormal activity, yet the photo clearly showed an apparition looking directly at the camera.  It appeared to be wearing a monk's robe, and have a shrouded face.  (Today's skeptics are quick to point out the resemblence to the Scream mask.)  As soon as the photo was released to the public, many people believed it to be the result of double exposure.  However, from the perspective shown, the apparition, which is standing on the first stair to the alter, would have to be around nine feet tall!

In the late 1970s, a group of experts was consulted by the BBC for a program on famous ghost photos and hauntings.  Karl Denchly, a member of this consultation group, claimed that the consensus was that there was no tampering to the photo itself or the negative, and that the most up-to-date technologies available were used in analyzing and examining the photo.  Still, the clarity of the apparition, the fact that the shroud could be used to hide a hoaxer's identity, and the ambiguous historical documentation raise red flags for many skeptics.

The church was built between 1871 and 1876 on the grounds of Newby Hall.  It was to be a memorial for Frederick Vyner, who was murdered in Greece, and whose mother's family owned the Newby estate.  The apparition in the photo, however, does not appear to be contemporary with when the church was built...rather, it is more reminiscent of monks dating prior to the 16th century, before Henry VIII's religious oppressions. 

Whether or not this image is genuine ghost photography or not is debatable.  In any event, it is an image that has haunted many with its ghastly face and imposing stature.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Friday Night Funnies-UFO Style

The following joke comes from this site...

A flying saucer landed at a gas station on a lonely country road. The two space aliens inside seemed completely unconcerned about detection; in fact, the letters "UFO" were emblazoned in big, bold letters on one side of their shiny craft. As the station owner stood and gawked in silence, paralyzed with shock, his young blonde attendant nonchalantly filled up the tank and waved to the two aliens as they took off.

"Do you realize what just happened?" the station owner finally uttered.

"Yeah," said the blonde attendant. "So?"

"Didn't you see the space aliens in that vehicle?!"

"Yeah," repeated the blonde attendant. "So?"

"Didn't you see the letters 'UFO' on the side of that vehicle?!"

"Yeah," repeated the blonde attendant. "So?"

"Don't you know what 'UFO' means?!"

The blonde attendant rolled his eyes. "Good grief, boss! I've been
working here for six years. Of course I know what 'UFO' means
'Unleaded Fuel Only.'"