Beady
Philosopher
I think that's the one I was talking about earlier. What were their "conclusions" at the end? The promos seemed to scream "child abuse."
Ghosthunters
- Thread starter Cyphermage
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I think that's the one I was talking about earlier. What were their "conclusions" at the end? The promos seemed to scream "child abuse."
Miss Whiplash
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If I remember correctly, they told the woman to check the child's nails and keep them trimmed and be sure to check the crib for foreign objects. Again, common sense most people should possess without calling in "ghost hunters."
Beady
Philosopher
And I thought 'Seinfeld' was supposed to be a show about nothing at all.
I think that the problem can be that people want to think they have a haunted house.
I go into places, and can often tell within a short time that the banging is the heating system and the odd draughts are from a badly sealed window etc. Most of the time when I explain this, the owner starts with the "oh yes, but..." lines, and the story gets embellished over and over.
The only job I have ever refused was a woman who kept on about these orbs she had caught on video. She even showed me the tapes. Funny thing was they appeared more just after she had walked across the shot. She wouldn't have it that they were anything else but spooks, and got visibly annoyed when told the real cause, so I refused the job. What would have been the point in doing it? She knew that her house was haunted.
I go into places, and can often tell within a short time that the banging is the heating system and the odd draughts are from a badly sealed window etc. Most of the time when I explain this, the owner starts with the "oh yes, but..." lines, and the story gets embellished over and over.
The only job I have ever refused was a woman who kept on about these orbs she had caught on video. She even showed me the tapes. Funny thing was they appeared more just after she had walked across the shot. She wouldn't have it that they were anything else but spooks, and got visibly annoyed when told the real cause, so I refused the job. What would have been the point in doing it? She knew that her house was haunted.
Why dont any of these so called ghost hunters ever look at the witnesses in detail (i.e., belief systems, biases, neurological factors, suggestion, expectation, perception, etc)....instead of wandering around a house. I always get the feeling they are looking in the wrong place!!!!
I know some good work has been done - but it is not on programmes like this!!!!
I know some good work has been done - but it is not on programmes like this!!!!
On their "best of" episode, that aired recently, there was a disturbing scene where they played an EVP for a distraught homeowner. The woman broke down in tears in response to what she thought the voice of the "ghost" was saying. Her face showed a mixture of sadness and anxiety. They made no mention of how suspect this technique is. They made no mention that, even if a tape or digital recorder could record the voices of dead people, they take no countermeasures to control any possible environmental contamination of the audio; which might give false positives. Nor that there is no evidence which supports the supernatural interpretation of the phenomena.
They helped make this poor woman more uncomfortable with her home armed only with the flimsiest of rationales. For that, they are awful, awful people.
They helped make this poor woman more uncomfortable with her home armed only with the flimsiest of rationales. For that, they are awful, awful people.
Well it's not going to make interesting telly. I know a lot of ghost hunting groups, and not many of them do things like this. It just isn't of interest to them to do it, all they want is some photos of orbs and some speck of dust in front of the camcorder. Having said that, I don't do it all the time, as there just isn't the time to fit it in. We tend to do that kind of thing afterward from video tapes as much as we can.
If I were to make a tv show out of what I do, it wouldn't get past the pilot stage. It's just not entertaining. Who wants to see a couple of sceptics telling people that they are deluded? It'd be a one-off debunking show, and there are some of those already.
Psiload
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My interest was peaked when I first heard it claimed that the "Ghost Hunters" were supposedly a scientific investigative team.
Ten minutes into the one(and only) show I watched and I see dowsing rods and a demonologist.
Thank you. Please drive through.
Ten minutes into the one(and only) show I watched and I see dowsing rods and a demonologist.
Thank you. Please drive through.
Anti_Hypeman
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I saw the first season and it boggles the mind that there is a second one. The best evidence after the entire season was the sound guy falling on his booty.
They lost all credibility when they brought in a reki master and a wiccan with dowsing rods. Big shock her rods detected the same spots as the EMF meter. A simple test would have proven her dowsing powers beforehand, how do they know she was a real wiccan?
They make the assumption that ghosts create EMFs. Sorry guys I need more dots connected than that. Show me proof that ghosts create EMFs before you use EMFs as proof of ghosts.
They lost all credibility when they brought in a reki master and a wiccan with dowsing rods. Big shock her rods detected the same spots as the EMF meter. A simple test would have proven her dowsing powers beforehand, how do they know she was a real wiccan?
They make the assumption that ghosts create EMFs. Sorry guys I need more dots connected than that. Show me proof that ghosts create EMFs before you use EMFs as proof of ghosts.
I hate to say it but... I heard an interview with one of the investigators from this program, and he was saying that they use EMF meters because of the Persinger experiments.
Maybe they have changed their tune of late.
Miss Whiplash
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Please explain. I'm not familiar with that. I can always use information.
The biggest evidence of flim-flam with Ghosthunters is their association with Ed and Lorriane Warren and the Warren's crowd of "Demonologists." I was booted from the Ghosthunter's website discussion for daring to bring this up. My question was: "If TAPS is a 'scientific' ghost hunting group, why are they using quaisi-relgious notions like 'demonology?'" Cyber-vases were hurled immedately and I was called a "sad, empty, atheist skeptic" among other things.
I find it comical that they constantly parrot the idea that ghosts draw on the ambient electricity in order to manifest, yet the first thing they do is to cut off the power in the area under investigation. 
The most depressing thing I've heard on the show was when one of their investigators said that the only book he had ever read was The Parapsychologist's Handbook. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
The most depressing thing I've heard on the show was when one of their investigators said that the only book he had ever read was The Parapsychologist's Handbook. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
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The idea of a captive ghost -- used purely for scientific instrument calibration, of course! -- interests me. Since ghosts can pass through ordinary solid walls, I recommend constructing the ectoplasmic containment vessel of mime walls. You know, the invisble ones mimes push against with their hands. Those ought to work fine.
Miss Whiplash
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Do you have a link? Is this the same book Rosemary Ellen Guiley is gushing about on Amazon?
I have no idea. The guy with the tattood arms(Brian?) was the one who said it. I believe they were investigating a library at the time.
Beady
Philosopher
There's no functional difference between the man who won't read and the man who can't read.
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Miss Whiplash
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I remember it now. He said reading was "boring" or something along that line. It was quite sad!
After a friend told me about the show, I decided to take a look to see if I could use it for my Science and Nonsense class.
The thing I found most troubling was the use of pranks. If they are known to do pranks every once in a while, then if they are ever caught faking then they can just play it off as another one of those pranks. To me, that was the icing on the complete-lack-of-credibility cake.
While watching I had in my mind the question "how easy would this be to fake?", the answer I had in every case was "pretty damn easy".
-David
The thing I found most troubling was the use of pranks. If they are known to do pranks every once in a while, then if they are ever caught faking then they can just play it off as another one of those pranks. To me, that was the icing on the complete-lack-of-credibility cake.
While watching I had in my mind the question "how easy would this be to fake?", the answer I had in every case was "pretty damn easy".
-David
Are they associated with the Warrens? I seem to remember them suggesting that they weren't reputable in one of the episodes. Winchester Mansion?
The TAPS forum is one of the most painful experiences I've ever had on the internet. I recall arguing with someone who claimed the government was covering up the existence of Bigfoot. That place isn't pretty.
Miss Whiplash
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John Zaffis is Ed Warren's nephew. He was in on a couple of investigations. TAPS also investigated one house previously investigated by the Warren's.
John Zaffis
TAPS does have a resident demonologists Carl and Keith Johnson.
The most painful for me was my very short association with the area "TAPS Family" ghost hunters. After debunking several very bad photographs from the hysterically gullible, I recieved one from a mother who had lost a child in an accident. Before the child died, a picture was taken in a smokey room. Some fans of the show and self proclaimed psychics saw an "angel" in the illuminated smoke and pronounced it as a "sign that the girl was now in the arms of angels." The mother asked my opinion. Of course I told her it was nothing but the flash illuminating passing smoke from candles in the foreground. The woman thanked me for being honest and regretted listening to the "ghost busters" in the first place. I could tell it brought back painful memories of losing her daughter.
What I can't stand about these self proclaimed paranormal investigators is they forget they are using, and many times hurting other people, while attemping to support their pet pseudoscience. While they are running willy-nilly with EMF meters and digital cameras, they scare the gullible out of their homes and prolong grieving of those who have lost someone dear. Fortunately for the world, a few days after this incident, this group of ghost hunters self destructed over some childish in-fighting.