Phantoms and Monsters

The 'Things' in the Woods
Fortean / Alternative News: Alien Plant Found Near Roswell, Microwave Mind-Control and MUFON Star Team CE3
Spiritual / Paranormal Activity News: Haunted London Bridge, Salem's Psychic Deluge and Spirit Rescue International Case Updates

Posted: 03 Apr 2011 11:42 AM PDT

I received the following anecdote from Gary and Jody Humble, who are 'Phantoms and Monsters' readers and 'Beyond the Edge' Radio listeners:

We have a story that we want to share with you. It happened back in August 1998. We were camping in some woods off of Middle Run Road in Fairmount City, Pa. The area we were in was isolated. Back then it was a path off of a logging road. We set up camp, and got our fire going. We felt spooked, like we were being watched. But we played that off to being in the woods. Everything was fine that night, so we planned on staying Saturday night, too. We still felt spooked that night.

When it started to turn daylight we heard a lot of cracking and snapping sounds. We were in the tent, so we just stayed put being really quiet. I was laying at the side of the tent - my head against the tent side. When "these things" came to the site they were talking back and forth. It sounded like little animals chattering back and forth. They got quiet and we thought they were gone. When I moved my pillow and pushed it harder against the tent something smacked the tent right above my head, and took off back into the woods. Of course we were terrified, but we thought that it was a person trying to scare us.

At this time my husband and I weren't married yet, and we just really wanted to spend time together. So we went back to the spot to camp the next weekend, but we brought friends. One of his friends brought a .22 with them. We pulled into the camping spot again. For this to make sense I need to describe the area we pulled into to. One side was a 20 foot cliff down unto the ground. The other side was a thick line of pine trees. Behind the trees is a field, then more woods.

We were unloading and my friend said they felt like we are being watched. I said I always feel like that, it's creepy in these woods (they didn't know about the previous events). Everyone was at the trunk getting ready to move everything down the hill, and a HUGE black shadow came out behind us and ran straight off the cliff. Everyone was so scared, we jumped back into the car and left for awhile. We knew had to go back or go home. So we went back before it got to dark to set up the tent. After awhile everyone started to relax, and have fun.

When it got dark someone thought they saw someone digging in the car. The guys went up, and that same huge shadow took off again. Most of us were to scared to go back up to the car. (I look back on that and wonder why! Haha! The tent was not a safe place!) We all went to sleep in the tent. That's when we heard that same 'chattering" between the 'things' again. The friend that brought the gun unzipped the tent a little bit and fired the gun. Nothing ran, but it got quiet.

After a few minutes they (the creatures) were "talking" again. He yelled we're going to fire at you if you don't leave us alone. Whatever it was left out a scary roar-growl-noise and the other thing chattered louder. We fired the gun, and ran like hell to the car. We left, and slept in the car. When we went back in the morning the food was left untouched. The tent area with the sleeping bags was ransacked. We left everything - the tent, the sleeping bags, the food, and never went back to collect it. There is some kind of creature in those woods.

Gary and Jody Humble

Fortean / Alternative News: Alien Plant Found Near Roswell, Microwave Mind-Control and MUFON Star Team CE3

Posted: 03 Apr 2011 10:27 AM PDT

Alien Plant Found Near Roswell, New Mexico?

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) - Little green men are no strangers to Roswell, but now one New Mexico botanist says a little green plant has an out-of-this world connection to New Mexico.

David Salman said he was on a seed hunting trip near Roswell when he noticed a faint glow coming from what appeared to be a meteor crater.

He said it turned out the light was coming from a small patch of carnivorous cacti.

Salman said he found a cactus that eats bugs, glows and probably came to earth on a meteor.

He says he scooped up some samples to see if someone could identify them, so far no one has been able to.

Botanist finds mysterious plant in NM: krqe.com

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Artificial Leaf Turns Sunlight into Electric Power

voanews - Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have turned to Mother Nature for inspiration, inventing a device that mimics photosynthesis, the process plants use to convert sunlight and water into usable energy.

The MIT researchers announced their invention at the American Chemical Society meeting in California. MIT chemistry professor Daniel Nocera says he and his colleagues took their cues from plants, which are literally buzzing with electricity.

"What happens is that sunlight comes in and hits the leaf and then the leaf immediately takes that sunlight and makes a wireless current," says Nocera.

During photosynthesis, the energy in sunlight splits water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen joins with carbon dioxide to make sugar, an essential fuel for plant growth. In Nocera's laboratory, scientists replicated that chemical process using a silicon device about the size and shape of a playing card, only thinner. It's coated with nickel and cobalt catalysts that when exposed to water and ultraviolet light, accelerate a chemical reaction.

The hydrogen is then recombined with the oxygen in a fuel cell to produce electricity. Nocera's work builds on previous research. John Turner of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory pioneered the concept in 1998 using materials too expensive and unstable for commercialization.

Nocera says his so-called practical artificial leaf uses less expensive materials, is more stable and more efficient than that earlier design. He says the challenge is to collect the gases coming off the silicon and store them until the energy is needed. "It has to be engineered still," he adds. "It will be something that we will start doing soon. You'll be storing a fair amount of energy because this system is working at more or less the efficiency of the solar cell."

In laboratory experiments, Nocera's solar cell prototype operated continuously for 45 hours without a drop in electrical output. Nocera notes that it works in any type of water. "You can use natural water sources, which for us is a big deal, because if you are in rural parts of the world, especially where they are poor, it is really costly to bring in pure water and so, the fact that you can go 'over there' to a puddle and pick the water up and begin using it, is something that is very powerful for us."

Nocera believes the artificial leaf could be especially useful as an inexpensive source of electricity for low-income populations in developing countries. The goal, Nocera says, is to make each home its own power station. He predicts a commercial version of the artificial leaf will be on the market within three years.

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Are U.S. government microwave mind-control tests causing TV presenters' brains to melt down?

dailymail - A bizarre spate of television presenters dissolving into on-air gibberish has sparked claims that the U.S. military could be to blame.

In four high-profile cases, the latest involving fast-talking Judge Judy, the presenters have started off speaking properly but have then descended into undecipherable nonsense - looking confused and unstable.

The frequency of the 'attacks' - and the fact that recorded examples of the mental meltdowns have been popular on websites - has led to conspiracy theorists pointing the finger at shadowy government experiments.

A popular theory being circulated online blames the U.S. Military's supposed research into using microwaves as a mind control weapon.

America has never admitted conducting such research but proponents say the effects - produced by microwave signals stimulating the brain with fake images and voices - exactly mimic those displayed in the recent on-air breakdowns.

As to why the Pentagon might be targeting U.S. television presenters, the microwave theorists are less clear.

The phenomenon, which has provided internet video sites with some of the oddest footage for months, has now claimed one of America's most highly paid broadcasters.

Judith Sheindlin, the fast-talking judge on Judge Judy, was taken to hospital on Wednesday after she began speaking a nonsensical string of words during a live recording of her courtroom TV show.

Studio insiders said Sheindlin, who earns £28 million a year for a show that is the most watched programme on American daytime TV, was sitting on camera and 'started saying things that didn't make any sense'.

Sheindlin then announced she needed to stop as she didn't feel well and asked a crew member to call an ambulance.

The 68-year-old lawyer was released from hospital the following day but a spokesman said medical tests had not revealed what caused her garbled speech and double vision.

Her verbal breakdown is the fourth such recent case and the odd coincidence has prompted feverish speculation over the cause.

No video has been released of the Judge Judy incident but footage of the other three has rapidly gone viral on the internet.

The first victim was Serene Branson, a Los Angeles reporter for CBS, who delivered a completely incoherent piece to camera on the Grammy music awards last month.

The presenter was unable to get out her words and continued to struggle to speak for around 10 seconds outside the Staples Centre before producers cut to a video.

She said later: 'My head was definitely pounding and I was very uncomfortable, and I knew something wasn't right. I was terrified and confused.'

Her doctor later said she had suffered a complex migraine whose symptoms mimic a stroke.

Her case was followed by a Canadian news reporter whose report on his country's contribution to the military campaign in Libya suddenly collapsed into gibberish.

Mark McAllister of Global Toronto News told viewers that the Canadian defence minister had confirmed that 'more than sifty four 18 fighter jets are spending about as much as 20 and ready to assist 600 hundred, hundred deployed over the an-amount needed'.

His piece-to-camera went on to become even more odd before he signed off.

His employers later confirmed there had been no problem with the autocue but McAllister had also suffered from a migraine.

In January, Sarah Carlson of WISC-TV in Wisconsin was also struck. She started out fine in her report on Wisconsin's challenge to Barack Obama's health care reforms, but it soon became apparent that she was having trouble forming words and the camera switched to a startled-looking co-presenter.

Unlike the others, Carlson, 35, has a history of seizures, but America's army of conspiracy theorists are unconvinced by the medical explanations.

NOTE: yeah, this may sound crazy, but we have a case currently at SRI that may fit this bill. Lot's of eerie similarities...Lon

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MUFON Star Team Experiences Close Encounter of The Third Kind During Investigation

Author's Note–The witness that filed this report with MUFON using the CMS has NOT released confidential information. The names will not be used nor the location revealed. 7 other witnesses claimed to have seen the very events that were reported but refused to come forward or go on the record. It is a small town and the witness summed up the residential mind-set when he said, "Chase, around here people mind their own business and we don't like people that don't!"–CK

On April 20th, I was assigned a case by my Chief Investigator, Max Mitchell. In reviewing the report, I began highlighting key elements and making notes. I saw a commonly reported claim of "orange fireballs", red and white lights in the sky that would cluster with up to 27 at one count, they would maneuver and hover and multiple witnesses have viewed these things.

As I began to prepare for my initial contact call, I quickly wrote some immediate questions that I had and I made the call. The witness retold of the sighting and then said, "It happens almost every night." I gave him my contact information and asked him to stay in touch if there were any more events.

Over the course of the next week, we talked daily. I had scheduled an on-site investigation for the following weekend. This was the time of the Tennessee 100 year flood that occurred throughout the state on May 1, 2010. We were all locked down for another week. I had already been researching the usual suspects, such as, Satellites, Space station, radar reports, stars and weather and now used this extra time to researched the area of interest, surrounding area, and tried to locate information of possible other reports. Continue reading at MUFON Star Team Experiences Close Encounter of The Third Kind During Investigation

Spiritual / Paranormal Activity News: Haunted London Bridge, Salem's Psychic Deluge and Spirit Rescue International Case Updates

Posted: 03 Apr 2011 09:26 AM PDT

Interest in Lake Havasu City's London Bridge paranormal activity heats up

pr-usa - If Lake Havasu City's London Bridge -- the signature attraction relocated there stone by stone in 1971 -- isn't haunted, then nothing is. How do we know the bridge is haunted? Apparently, EVPs (electronic voice phenomena) and abnormalities in photos and videos have been captured for years. EVPs are believed by paranormal researchers to be voice recordings of spirits. There is also evidence of so-called residual energy in slate and iron nails.

One man has studied paranormal activity on the bridge for eight years. Professional photographer and paranormal investigator Gary Asberry, 53, is about to resurrect his popular London Bridge Ghost Tours in time for the 40th anniversary of the bridge dedication planned in fall 2011. Tours begin Friday the 13th of May 2011 (golakehavasu.com).

For years, amateur photos and videos of the bridge have shown strange orbs of light, where none existed to the naked eye. Asberry has a file of thousands of these himself, all unexplainable, all emanating from what his 2,000 hours of study leads him to believe is the most haunted bridge in the world.

Over 100,000 people are said to have committed suicide on the bridge when it spanned the River Thames since its completion in 1831, not to mention the bodies of executed criminals and pirates that were displayed on the span. Asberry believes corpses were stored inside and famed serial murderer Jack the Ripper even used the bridge as his escape route.

"Thousands of people have talked to me over the years from all over the world about their experiences with ghosts and paranormal activity on the bridge," said Asberry, who recorded his first EVP in a deserted graveyard when he was 17 years old.

Asberry says every tour results in something interesting. From guests who capture spirit energy in the form of "orbs" or "ecto" on their cameras, to others who feel spirits rushing by, he says many skeptics have turned believer by the end of his tour, especially when they know that the orbs appearing on their own digital images couldn't possibly have been Photoshopped.

Interest in paranormal activity is expected to increase as Lake Havasu City organizers plan an elaborate celebration in October 2011 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of what has become the city's signature attraction, considered the "world's largest antique" by Guinness World Records

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Food and 'Spirits' at Michigan Tavern

fenton.patch - Fenton, Michigan - When Christopher Bailey talks about visiting the Fenton Hotel Tavern & Grille, he comments on the "wonderful food" and how renovations that the restaurant's owners, Nick and Peggy Sorise, completed in 2006 have given the building an upscale, modern feel.

Then, he'll tell you about the ghosts.

Bailey is the research director of Grimstone, a scientifically based paranormal research organization with main offices in Warren and Lansing. Since Grimstone originated 15 years ago, it has conducted investigations across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. The organization has undertaken three investigations at the Fenton Hotel Tavern & Grille as well as supported fundraisers for the establishment by leading haunted tours of the property.

"There wasn't a time we were there that something didn't happen," said Bailey.

He said on one occasion, there were 64 guests touring the building and 47 people reported seeing, hearing or feeling something. Eight of them reported (at different times throughout the event) having their hair pulled in the same spot of a particular room.

"We've also had equipment jerked out of our hands, seen objects move by themselves and witnessed the apparition of a young woman," Bailey said.

Bailey added that after one of the visits, an investigator reported seeing an apparition of a black cat at his house that he had never seen before. For a week or so, it would leap up onto the counter, bat coins around and then disappear.

"We didn't think it was linked to our investigation in Fenton until a few weeks later when we talked to a college student who was gathering information about the hotel for a paper," Bailey said. "During her research, she had come across numerous reports of the apparition of a black cat reported on the premises."

While Bailey was preparing for another fundraiser at the restaurant, one of his investigators reported a problem on the third floor. He walked down the hallway to check things out and came across a section of the floor where he described feeling "as though he were walking on a water bed." He left the area for about 15 minutes. When he returned, the floor was back to normal.

So far, Bailey has not experienced anything "personally disturbing" at the Fenton Hotel, even though he describes much of the activity as "kinetic," or the moving, changing or touching of people or objects.

Grimstone posted an online report about the investigations of the property which lists the following: glasses flying off bar shelves, crying of a child in the sealed upper stories, voices caught on EVP (recorded electronic voice phenomenon), traveling cold spots moving through rooms and halls, tactile contact to individuals (stroking, pinching and hair pulling) and "spooklights" traveling the hallways.

"The hotel was a stop along the train route to Flint; there were a lot of transient people coming in and out of it, so it's difficult to determine why the hotel is haunted or who's doing the haunting," said Bailey. "We're not exactly sure who the female apparition is. But during our research, we came across reports indicating that years ago a female staff member who worked at the hotel became pregnant by a male salesperson staying there. She ended up committing suicide."

Bailey believes that renovations over the past few years could be connected to the recent increase in activity.

"Renovations and remodeling can sometimes stirs things up," said Bailey, "especially if spirits feel that you're switching around their home without their consent."

With the recent slew of paranormal investigation programs such as Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures and Paranormal State, there seems to be a heightened interest in haunted locations.

Peggy Sorise receives at least one call every two weeks from people asking to investigate the Fenton Hotel Tavern & Grille. For that reason, the owners have moved away from promoting the restaurant's supernatural reputation.

"This is an old building with 155 years of rich history," she said. "Over the years we've had a number of people come in and get certain feelings. But we're a family-run business. Fortunately, business has been good, but sometimes we're overwhelmed by how busy we are. … Investigators often ask to check out the third floor, but we have offices up there and can't afford to give up the time and space. There's also the issue of insurance and liability."

The Fenton Hotel Tavern & Grille is located on the corner of Grange Hall (Main Street) and Leroy Street.

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Spirit Rescue International Case Updates

Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales Haunting

Irene and I finally conducted a remote view on the Llanelli location on Thursday evening. Irene had been 'under the weather' so the session was postponed until then.

I cannot go into much detail right now...Irene needs to meet with the client this week. The UK on-site team will be investigating points brought up during the RV.

Overall it was a very productive session...lots of helpful information and verification of some evidence collected (and kept from me) during the initial probe.

Two SRI team members were present and listened in. I invite other SRI team members to tune in to future RV sessions in order to get a sense of how we conduct the RV and how we use the information. Thanks to Allswell for an excellent synopsis of the session. Stay tuned....go to Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales Haunting and keep track of this case.

Birmingham, Alabama 'High Strangeness' Case

I called this case 'high strangeness' and that is exactly what we have here. Frankly, I have no way of classifying it any other way...at least for now.

The client has been experiencing a plethora of anomalous activity that cannot (currently) be categorized as paranormal. I can say that there are several factors involved...but it will require extensive research. As well, I expect that several remote view sessions may be needed...unless we can initially determine what we're dealing with.

I hope many SRI team members can be present in the conference call on Tuesday. This one is going to be a challenge. The progress of this case can be followed at Birmingham, Alabama 'High Strangeness' Case

Hunterdon County, New Jersey Malevolent Haunting

We're going to start researching and assessing this situation while we continue to go forward on two current cases (posted above). This will also be discussed in detail on Tuesday during the SRI team conference call.

The client has been living at the location for almost a decade and has made attempts to have the location cleared but without success. Lots of noises and odd activity, including attacks on the client as well as a steady deterioration of the client's health and overall quality of life. In fact, the client has spent the past two weeks in and out of the hospital.

I will update as soon as other information becomes available at Hunterdon County, New Jersey Malevolent Haunting

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Too Many Psychics in 'Witch City'?

foxnews - Salem, Massachusetts is famous for its modern witches and history of witch persecution. The city's unique past supports a thriving menagerie of businesses selling everything from magical charms to fortunes, but some fear the number of psychics flocking to the community north of Boston could be too many.

In 2007, the city lifted a cap on the number of psychics allowed to operate and now some believe the 'Witch City' is getting overrun.

Barbara Szafranski is a long-time psychic license holder who conducts readings at her downtown shop Angelica of the Angels. She needed no crystal ball to tell her business would take a hit when more fortunetellers hit the scene.

"It affected me 75%. I lost business because many stores opened up that were not in this field. They just opened up because they wanted to get the money from the readings," said Szafranski.

"It just becomes a bunch of gypsies. Maybe I shouldn't say that word because they might be upset by it but those people are not necessarily always qualified."

She says Salem city leaders need to do a better job controlling the number of fortunetellers and preventing charlatans from operating.

"I'm in favor of putting the cap on because there are so many psychics in the city now. When I first opened up my business 25 years ago I was just about the only one in this area and, of course, as you're seeing since then it's grown and grown and grown," said Szafranski.

Before the cap was lifted just a handful of stores offered psychic readings. Today roughly 70 people hold psychic licenses and while some license holders lament the increase others believe it's a boon for the economy and a matter of fairness.

Christian Day is a Salem warlock who owns two shops in the city, Omen and Hex. He employs psychic readers at both businesses and runs a psychic fair each year. He helped push the Salem city council to lift the cap on psychics and thinks the change offers a positive revenue stream for the area.

"I feel like it creates this sort of sparkle effect where everybody's sort of raising the bar on one another and making everything more exciting," said Day.

"As a person who believes in the power of the free market, I believe that the free market should decide whether or not there are too many psychics. If we have too many, they won't make any money and they leave. It's just like anything else," argues Day.

Laurie "Lorelei" Stathopoulos owns Crow Haven Corner, a business dubbed "Salem's first witch shop." She conducts readings in a cozy back room and believes the city council needs to keep a close eye on the growing number of psychics.

"I agree with Christian as far as the free trade but I also was one of the biggest advocates of keeping Salem quaint and small and magical and the more people we let in could hurt that name," said Stathopoulos. "Just like having a Chanel bag, you want the real thing. You don't want the run-of-the-mill or a knock off bag."

The Licensing Board requires a one year residency and a $50 fee before issuing a psychic license. It's a way to ensure commitment to the community.

City Councilor Joan Lovely says the city lifted the cap because the city solicitor wasn't sure that keeping it in place was constitutional. Since then, handling the influx of people seeking psychic licenses has proven to be time-consuming.

"I guess the board is just concerned about the number since we opened it up and they just want to make sure that it's workable, that it's manageable for them," said Lovely.

Day believes the revenue raised by the fee and the new businesses outweighs any administrative burden and says competition is good for the industry.

"What we want to encourage is that quality people come and in my opinion the free market encourages quality. If you cap the number of licenses and keep those people with licenses protected you essentially guarantee that people with lesser talent are protected," argues Day.

"It is rather interesting to me that people expect government to protect their business. Your ingenuity should protect your business. Your talent should protect your business. Your aggressiveness to succeed will protect your business," said Day.

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