Welcome to Scotland ladies and germs, home to such great things as good scotch, masculine man skirts and lots and lots of sheep as well as the home to our next stop on our tour of truly spooky places.  But first many of us who have proven to be lightweights (and you know who you are)  have to make a run to a laundromat to clean some underpants, they just could not hold their water when met with ghosts, ghouls and demons.

  Standing as a silent stone sentinel over the ancient Celtic land of Scotland is the infamous Glamis castle.  Since it’s foundations were first laid many centuries ago in 1372, Glamis is the oldest and consistently inhabited castle in all Scotland sort of giving it that lived in feel.  Glamis is the ancestoral home to the ancient line of the Lord’s of Strathmore as well as the childhood home to the Queen Mother.  Glamis Castle is considered by many to possibly be the most haunted castle in the land that gave us argyle socks and Hagis (Ever had it?  It’s not that bad).

  Historically speaking not many reports of murder and mayhem have filtered out from behind the castle walls in it’s long and illustrious history, however that has not stopped the many strange tales of ghosts and monsters that the kilt loving populace of Angus, Scotland all know and love.  Perhaps the strangest story to come out of Glamis castle is that of the grotesque Monster of Glamis that is said to haunt the halls of the castle.  As the story goes sometime in the late 1700s or early 1800s, depending on who you hear the story from, A hideously deformed child was born to the Lord and Lady of Strathmore.  The parents were so horrified by the sight of their demon spawn they did what any proud loving parent would do to their first born son and heir to the Strathmore name and title, they took their bouncing baby boy(Can you smell the sarcasm) and locked him away in the most remote room of the castle.

  According the midwife that delivered the pitiful child the boy was not expected to live.  Can you imagine the horror the parents felt when the deformed child grew big and strong and downright ferocious.  The “Monster” became to much to handle after killing numerous servants and the Lord of Strathmore was forced to wall the lad up in his room with only a hole for food and water.  It is said that as the years went by and the male progeny of the Strathmore line  inherited the title and lands on their twenty-first birthday they were taken to the secret room where the monster resided and forced to look upon their hideous kinsman who was the true heir to the Strathmore line.  Many new Lords were said to be so deeply effected by the sight of the monster that they suffered from a deep melancholy that effected their standing in polite social society.  When asked why they appeared so frightened and sad many Lords would fly into an uncontrollable rage and warn those who were bold enough to ask that if they inquired again it would be on the pain of their death.  Needless to say many got the hint and steered clear of a Strathmore Lord when they had that all to familiar crabby look.

  Finding the Castle’s fabled secret room had become such a popular pasttime for guests and family members that they played a game.  They would run from room to room and hand any white linen out of the windows in the hopes that the secret room could be discovered.  As the game players gathered around the exterior of the castle they were shocked to see not just one window but windows without a towel or bedsheet hanging.  Indicating that Glamis Castle had many more myteries than previosly thought.

  Apart from horrible monsters, Glamis castle is home to many ghosts.  When tours of the castle are given the first stop of the tour is the Chapel.  Tourists are shuffled into a small house of worship and told the tale of Lady Janet Douglas Strathmore, the infamous Grey Lady of Glamis.  In 1537, Lady Janet was accused of the all too familiar crime of witchcraft and other crimes against God and Country and subsequently paid for her crimes when she was turned into a crispy critter on the stake all the while declaring her innocence.  Her ghost, which appears as a phantom dressed in gray, is said to appear in her favorite seat in the chapel where she was oftentimes seen praying and offer supplication to almighty God.  Those who have witnessed the gray lady claim that sits in her seat weeping and asking God for forgiveness and vanishing before the eyes of the witness causing many a sightseer to run from the chapel screaming in terror.

  The Grey Lady is not the only spirit said to inhabit the castle as well as the grounds.  One such spirit witnessed on many occassions is said to be the specter of a young girl who maniacally runs around the grounds screaming and showing the unfortunate witness a horrifying vision, her blood filled mouth where her tongue used to be.  No one is quite sure who this grotesque spirit is however those who have seen her know one thing, they don’t ever want to see that again.  Perhaps the saddest spirit said to haunt the halls of Glamis Castle is the ghost of a murdered African slave child.  This little guy is said to haunt the door to the Queen’s chambers after being left their to die by his former overseers the Queen herself has been said to be witness to this sad little spirit.

  Perhaps the most sensational ghost said to haunt Glamis castle is a regular party animal, the evil lord Earl Beardie.  On a sunday afternoon, which in Scotland is considered the Lord’s day and thus holy, Beardie a guest of the Strathmore’s got stinking shitfaced drunk and searched the castle looking for anyone who would dare defy God’s special day and challenge him to a game of poker.  Those who lived and worked in the castle had a seething hatred for the wicked Earl.  Those who knew this frat boy knew him to be a drunkard, a womanizer and a blasphemer of God almighty so it was wise to avoid this guy as much as possible.  Beardie became so enraged by those he considered cowards he bellowed at the top of his lungs, “If none of you will play then may the devil himself appear and play old Beardie.”  Just then a tall man dressed menacingly in black appeared before the astonished eyes of those who watched the foolish Earl Beardie.

  As the servants and the other guests listened at the door where Beardie and the stranger played their card game they could hear the boisterous voice of Beardie swearing and cursing God with every hand that he lost to the stranger.  One curious servant was brave enough to put his eye to the keyhole to spy on old Beardie and his phantom stranger.  As the servant peered through the keyhole there was bright flash of light that knocked the servant away from the door blinding him for the rest of his days.  When the door opened, Beardie was alone, the black clad stranger had dissappeared.  Beardie looked around at the faces of all those present and declared, “I have lost my very soul.”  A few weekd later Beardie died.

  As I said at a previous stop on our tour, sometimes when researching claims of the paranormal it is difficult to separate fact from from fantasy and Glamis Castle is no exception.  However it does not negate the fact that many visitors to Glamis Castle have reported many strange and frightening experinces concerning the ghosts and ghouls that haunt the halls of this ancient castle.  Glamis Castle is definately a scary but wonderful place.  How are your underpants?

                                                         Rick E. Hale

  At the dawn of the twenty-first century the world, and especially those of us who belong to the Catholic faith, were shocked when the reports of Priests molesting young boys hit like a ton of bricks.  Priests, who are supposed to be God’s representatives on Earth and the dispensers of the holy word, were demoralized, defrocked and some were convicted of taking liberties with out most precious of resources, our children.  When I first heard about this I could not help but question, is this a new phenomenon or has this been going on for years?  And when I learned of our next stop on our haunted tour, Italy’s Lucedio Abbey my worst fears were proven, this was not a new problem and Lucedio Abbey is proof of that.

  Lucedio’s twisted history began fairly innocent enough when in the mid twelfth century, Renier the Marquis of Montefrat, donated a large piece of swampy  land to the Cistercian Order of monks to build a monastery and the swampy land would be perfect for their ambitious endeavor of cultivating rice for the entire nation of Italy.  After the donation of the land the Order went about the business of building their new home as well as their rice farm which would be known as being on the cutting edge of rice cultivation for years to come.

  About a hundred or so years into the Abbey’s existence strange rumors and bizarre tales of the goings on within the Abbey’s walls began to spread like wildfire throughout the region.  Young men who were taken into the Abbey to work or become monks were never seen again outside it’s walls.  At night villagers reported that they could hear what sounded like screams of pain and anguish as well as strange chanting on the nights of the full moon that did not sound like the holy songs of devoted servants of God.  Those from the surrounding area began to believe that the Monks of Lucedio Abbey had possibly done the unthinkable, it was believed that the monks had forsaken their holy vows to worship a much darker master, the prince of Darkness, Satan.  Those who believed such rumors would have their worst fears soon confirmed.

  One night two young men, some might say mere boys, were discovered naked, bloodied and battered wondering around the village in a daze.  When the boys were brought before the Lucedio village leadership they recounted a bizarre tale of black magic rituals that the monks performed in an attempt to raise a powerful demon from the very depths of hell.  The boys further went on to say that numerous young men and boys were being held in the Abbey against their will and tortured and used as sex slaves because satan demanded it of the priests.  They told how the young men were tied to a large pillar and sodomized as the priests cursed God and pledged their undying devotion to the lord of flies and these practices had been going on for almost a century.  The horrified villagers had heard enough something had to be done about the Monks of Lucedio Abbey and it must be done quickly before they realized their goal, the raising of the minions of Satan.

  The villagers of Lucedio sent word to Pope Callixtus III who heard the news of the horrendous practices at this unholy abbey and immediately sent an official papal inquiry to see if their was any merit to the reports.  When the officials arrived at Lucedio Abbey they were shocked to discover that that the reports were true.  After a three day standoff with the monks the officials were allowed entry to the Abbey and discovered signs of black magic rituals as well as the torture of young men that was taking place.  They had also discovered that the monks had succeced in raising a powerful demon and the evil spirit was now in control of the Abbey and it’s occupants.  In 1457 the Pope put the Abbey on what was called “Commendatorial control”  In other words the Abbey was closed down and the monks who were not involved in the depredations of their brothers were sent to other monasteries while those who were involved in the torrid affair were tried, convicted and beheaded for their crimes.  The Abbey, which became known as a place of great evil, was closed down and remained that way for over three hundred years.

  In 1784, and for whatever reason, the Vatican secularized the Abbey and it went to the highest bidder.  Ownership of the abbey changed hands many times due to the inability of the owners to spend more than a year in the dark and forboding structure.  The most famous owner of the Abbey was French Emperor Napolean Bonarparte.  According to the historical record the pint sized big dog of Europe sold the Abbey to Italian painter, Camillo Borghese, for a number of his paintings that he just had to have in his collection.  Today the Abbey is a privately owned rice farm and despite the efforts of the owners the bizarre history and the hauntings of Lucedio has proven that the Abbey just may be the most location in Italy.

  One of the most famous legends of the Abbey concerns the Pillar where the young men were tied to and raped all those centuries before it is known as the Weeping Pillar.  Over the years many witnesses have claimed to witness what looks like tears coming from the pillar as well as a strange moaning sound coming from the base.  Many reputable Paranormal researchers have attempted to debunk the pillar by pouring water over the floor above the the pillar to see if the water would filter down through the floor giving the appearance of tears.  Many have tried and many have failed the Weeping Pillar still remains a mystery in Lucedio Abbey.

  Those who have investigated the Abbey have collected some amazing evidence over the years which, in my opinion, constitutes hardcore evidence that the souls who suffered behind it’s walls still walk the Abbey.  Many EVPs have been collected that sound like screaming and yelling and begging for mercy in Italian in the many rooms of the Abbey.  Some have witnessed horrifying visions of the spirits of the young men who were kept and tortured here for the enjoyment of the debased monks and their infernal master.  However one spirit seems to rule over them all, the inhuman spirit of the demon of Lucedio Abbey.  Those who have claimed to be in the presence of the wicked spirit all experience the same phenomenon, the demon begins to manifest with the smell of rotting garbage and flesh.  The reeking odor seems to overwhelm until the demon makes it’s appearance in the vision of a swirling black mass that emits a feeling of rage and evil.  Those unfortunate enough to witness the demon’s manifestation are said to be so horrified that they leave the Abbey deaf and blind and their have been some reports of people committing suicide after a visit to the abbey.

  The owners of the Abbey try to downplay the phenomenon at Lucedio Abbey.  The owners do admit that there are some strange things that happen from time to time however, according to them, their is no demon and the spirits of the Abbey are perfectly harmless.  Many who live in the surrounding area would disagree.  If they can avoid it the locals give the Abbey a wide birth as they pass by and as they do they say a Hail Mary and an Our Father for the poor souls trapped behind it’s walls.

                                                                                                   Rick E. Hale

In the past few months there have been many bigfoot related news items.

Some of the new news includes:

- The passing of Jon Erik Beckjord.
- Possible bigfoot hair being sent in to be verified.
- Recent sighting in Canada.
- Mt. Hood sighting.

This made me wonder, how many of the readers here on GhostlyCast have had a possible bigfoot encounter?

Comment! I’d love to hear from you.

- CryptoClub

  One of the things I love the most about paranormal research is learning about other cultures in a great big world and India has always fascinated me the most.  India is still a country that many in the west still find puzzling although we have a large Indian population living in North America.  Their culture and their religion which is largely Hindu is firmly steeped in mysticism and mystical legends of gods and heros interacting with one another is a big part of their faith.  I first heard about our next stop the Bhangarh Ruins, in the Alwar district in the state of Rajasthan from a former co-worker who had lived nearby.  Sanjay, grew up in Rajasthan and he had many eerie and frightening tales to tell concerning the ancient ruins.  Stories that he said to this day still makes him shudder.

  Most who visit the ruins, which is only open during the day, agree that they are a sight to behold a hidden city that speaks volumes of ancient India and a sense of tranquility overwhelms all those who visit here.  However the ruins hold a much darker secret and a history so frightening that is all those who knew it would never return again.  On the main gate a sign is placed that reads, “Staying after sunset is strictly prohibited.”  Now I know that to the casual observer this may seem like any sign that would be placed at any location of historical significance.  However those who placed the sign are not fearful of some vandal breaking in and destroying the ruins, the signs is placed there to protect those who dare venture into the ruins at night due to an awful curse that has been known to take the lives of hundreds if not thousands.

  One of the problems with researching the ghostly legends of other cultures is that it is oftentimes difficult to seperate subjective myth from cold hard objective fact  and Bhangarh ruins certainly is no exception to the rule.  What exactly caused these otherwise harmless ruins to be known as the most haunted site in India?  And what dark secret do they hold that forces people to believe in a malicious curse?  Let’s explore these questions and find out what makes the ruins so badass and why it may make you pee your pants.

  The city of Bhangarh was founded centuries ago by Madho Singh, a gentleman of high social standing and a relative to the ruling family of India.  Although in Singh’s time the city was a thriving center of commerce and art something caused the city to be completely abanded in a day in night.  The legend says that Princess Bhangarh Ratwani, was considered the hottest babe in the entire region.  When the princess turned eighteen she became eligible to begin receiving suitors, young men of high caste who would do just about anything to receive the coveted hand of such a famous beauty and make her their wife.  But young princes were not the only ones who found the young princess so desirable someone far more sinister had designs on the young women, a diabolical practioner of the dark arts.

  One day as the princess was shopping in the city market for a hard to find scented oil, Singhia the black magician followed the princess closely thinking of ways to make her his for all eternity.  When the princess found the oil, Singhia placed a spell on the scent that when Princess Ratwani applied the oil to her skin she would fall in love with the sorcerer and make her way to the mountains where Singhia lived.  However there was one thing that Singhia had not counted on, Princess Ratwani the most beautiful girl in all the land was amazing clutz.  Sanghia watched as the princess trip over her own feet and dropped the vial of scented oil on a large boulder covering the large rock with it’s cursed scent.  All those present watched in amazement as the boulder came to life and chased the black magician down the street before it caught up and crushed the man under it’s immense weight.  Sometimes even the best laid plans can get you killed if your intentions are solely focused on yourself.  As Singhia lay dying under the crushing force of the love starved boulder he was able to speak, “Those who live in the city will all taste death and their souls would forever remain.  They will never know the joy of rebirth.”  To a culture that believes heavily in the cycle of death and rebirth such a curse was a fate worse than death.

  The following year a great war broke out between the cities of Bhangarh and it’s neighbor Ajabgarh and the words of the black magician became true, all those who resided within the city were killed including the princess and the royal family.  The Prime Minister of the country was so horrified by the absolute destruction of the once great city that he prophesied that the city would forever be cursed and those who sought to build a house on the land would suffer death when the roof would cave in.

  Allright, I know what you are thinking, this story sounds like a myth and a fairytale.  I certainly have to agree with you however certain things have taken place withon the ruins that appear to defy logic and would appear to be a part of the world of the paranormal.  Those who have paid the ruins a visit have walked away to report stories of strange black figures that dart about the ruins.  One visitor claimed that one of these dark figures possessed her and made her want to jump to her death from the highest peak in the city luckily her husband was able to bring her back to her senses.  Visitors who have taken snapshots of the ruins reported brightly colored orbs and even full bodied apparitions dressed in traditional ancient Indian garb.  But the real fun begins at night when all the tourists have left and the ruins stand silent. or so they should.  Those who live in the area claim to hear what sounds like anguished yelling and screaming as if hundreds were being slaughtered and if the legend is true perhaps this is the residual energy of those who were killed in the battle many centuries ago.  And last but not least many have reported brightly colored ghost lights dancing among the ruins as well as apparitions.

  Bhangarh ruins is considered to be a place of great evil by those who live by and they avoid it like the plague and do not understand why anybody in their right mind would ever want to visit such an ancient place of death.  The ruins are so feared that the Archeological survey of India will only visit the ruins at night and are the ones responsible for placing the ominous sign at the front gate.  Many years ago the ASI discovered that they should build their offices over a mile away from the ruins, and why you may ask?  Simple the first building’s roof collapsed in killing everyone inside.  Ancient curse or modern fact?

                                                            Rick E. Hale

Oh yeah, if you read this blog please let me know what you think.  Love it, hate it or perhaps you think I just plain suck.  I’m dying to know.  Thanks

  Ok Before we leave the relative safe confines of the United States on our worldwide wide tour of haunted locations we first need to make sure that we have a few important items.  Objectivity, check. An open mind, check.  And some extra pairs of underpants, check.  Did you bring yours?  I truly hope so because these places in the coming entries just might scare the Pee right out of you and off we go.

  When the British Empire took control of the island continent of Australia, they came up with a pretty nifty idea, “Hey let’s take this pristine Island paradise with all it’s interesting animals and it’s native people and turn it into the biggest prison the world has ever known.”  And that is exactly what it did.  About a year after taking possession from the Dutch the English started to send their roughest, toughest most bad ass criminals to the island continent to eek out a sad hard labor life.  Either it did not matter or it had not ocurred to the Brits that the Island was already populated by an indigeounous people and perhaps they didn’t want a bunch of outlaws sharing their space.  I’m sure that at first things were a bit tense but eventually they worked their issues out and got along just fine (dripping with sarcasm).

  Eventually, by the late 1800s, the borders of the penal colony were thrown open to receive general immigration and folks came by the boat loads to seek out a new life and new oppurtunities in an alien land.  However the ever present threat of carrying a disease into the new colony of Australia was a very real concern especially small pox, cholera and the bubonic plague.  These horrendous diseases had run rampant through Europe for centuries oftentimes wiping out entire population centers virtually overnight. The new leadership of the colonies knew this all to well and wanted to take precautions that such a thing did not happen to the isolated colonies and they did the only thing they could think of, establish a quarantine station.

  North Head Quarantine Station was established in 1828 as a way station to make sure that those immigrants who showed signs of any of the dreaded diseases would either have a place to get better before they admitted into the new colonies.  Or a place to die whichever came first.  Upon a ship’s arrival into the port all passengers were forced to disembark at North Head and undergo a series of quick medical exams.  If you were deemed healthy and free of disease well than, G’day mate and welcome.  If not and you showed some kind of signs of disease you were stuck, forced to stay at NorthHead until you got better or as I said earlier, worse.  In most cases the worse happened.

  As time moved on and more immigrants arrived showing signs of some kind of illness overcrowding became a very real concern.  Those who were either not terribly sick or those lucky enough to be on the trail of recovery were forced into an almost slave like labor to clear brush and fields to make way for new structures and tent camps to receive the sick and dying.  Conditions at NorthHead were deplorable at best there were many reports of patients who were forgotten about and were discovered much later already in the advanced stages of decomposition making the threat of new diseases even worse.  Captain Stokes of the HMS Beagle could always tell when he was coming into the Port of New South Wales when he spied the gleaming white tombstones that surrounded NorthHead Station.

  As the old cliche states, “Time heals all wounds”  this certainly applied to NorthHead Quarantine Station.  As the nineteenth century rolled into the twentieth century and medical science was on the move in eradicating old diseases the government of Australia needed to find new uses for NorthHead.  In the 1970s those who were fortunate enough to escape the destructive power of Cyclone Tracy with their lives were set up with emergency housing at NorthHead.  After the victims of the cyclone moved on, NorthHead was used as an orphanage to house children from Vietnam who escaped the worn torn country in the latter years of the Vietnam conflict.  In 1984, NorthHead became the property of the Sydney Harbor Parks department and was opened up to tourists as a national monument.  Although strange happening such as the witnessing of ghosts had been going on since NorthHead was established it wasn’t until this time when tourists began making reports of something strange going on that the Sydney regional government began to sit up and take notice.

  Aside from the regular tours of the facilities, on the weekends special tours are given to the tourists who are hunger for a bit of the macabre.  The staff, which consists mostly of college students, has absolutely no problem filling the need that some may have for the strange and unsual unlike most locations of historical significance.  No shock value tricks are used during the tours to raise horror up a notch or two.  No buttholes dressed in sheets jumping out at you, no spooky music is used to give the casual visitor a feeling of dread and the guides don’t use certain word tactics to express just how haunted the place is.  Those who have paid a visit to NorthHead have witnessed ghost lights or corpse candles as they are called in the land down under dancing around the grave sites and the buidlings.  Others claimed to have been grabbed and pinched by unseen hands as they they toured the buldings.  While others have claimed to catch the occassional sighting of a the pathetic specter of a former disease ridden patient strapped to a hospital bed begging for help.

  Perhaps the two most witnessed spirits at NorthHead is the ghost of a small pox infected chinese immigrant who has been witnessed solemnly wandering the halls of the former hospital.  Some have seen this spirit standing quietly in the corners of some of the rooms and then suddenly vanishes when someone asks if he needs help.  The second most commonly witnessed spirit is that of a sickly little girl dressed in a dirty nineteenth century dress.  Those who have seen this little girl say that she clutches a teddy bear close to heart and weeps, “Where is my mommy?”  right before she dissappears leaving the unfortunate witness with tears of their own.  Many tourists upon leaving NorthHead have reported seeing a crazy eyed ghost jump out in front of their cars and dissappear before impact.

  NorthHead Quarantine Station is not for the faint of heart.  However if you happen to be in the land down under and your feeling brave and your sick of the Fosters and the shrimp on the barbi than NorthHead is definately for you.  It has been reported by many tourists over the years that they have been witness to more than one episode of paranormal phenomenon which could prove that NorthHead Quarantine Station in New South Wales is the most haunted location in all of Australia.

                                              Rick E. Hale

  I have to be perfectly honest it was damn hard compiling a list of locations from the various corners of the world.  With all the great and creepy places to choose from that reportedly have paranormal phenomenon the subject could truly make your head spin, however one might say, and many do, I have virtually wasted my life researching, studying and investigating some of the more haunted locations in and around my stomping grounds of Northern Illinois.  So with twenty-six years of researching and busting my ass I bring you The most locations that will make you pee your pants and go back for more.

                                                                   Chapter one-Bachelor’s Grove Cemetary

                                                                                  Chicago, Illinois.

  I thought that I would begin our journey into the spooky on my home turf of Chicago, Illinois.  Chicago is not only the birthplace of the blues, great pizza and Sports teams that can’t seem to catch a break (Yes I bleed Cubbie Blue) but it is also home to probably the most haunted boneyard in the western hemisphere if not the whole world, Bachelor’s Grove Cemetary.  If it were not for the tales of ghosts and monsters that have come out of this small non-desript graveyard and those damn fool enough to venture there, Bachelor’s grove would have been forgotten about after taking it’s last burial in 1965.  However this cemetary is a gold mine for paranormal researchers, ghost enthusiasts and folks who just want a good scare and the nightmares to prove it.

  The origins of The Grove, as we call it , is somewhat sketchy at best.  There have been various theories as to how the grove received it’s odd name.  One theory is that sometime in the early 1800s a German immigrant family named, Batchelder were the first to farm and cultivate the land.  The other most prominent theory is that the cemetary was the burial ground for young German men, who were mostly bachelor’s, who came to this area in the early 1800s to build the railroad.  Whatever the origin of the name two things are certain A) There is more than just urban legend going on and B) there is some truly spooky sh@t that happens here.

  When it comes to places such as Bachelor’s Grove many will say, “What crap, these are just stories that had there beginnings with teenagers and have grown into legend”  I say to that not so my little friend because the phenomenon witnessed at the grove were not just by horny teenagers looking to scare their girlfriends into the sack but by police officers, fire fighters and clergy and other respectable adults.  The witness list is long and varied and shows only hope of growing longer.

  You may find yourself asking why the grove is so haunted?  Various sinister reasons may be the cause of the haunting.  One reason is that it has been documented that the Grove has been used by practioners of black magic to summon forth not only spirits of the dead but the evil minions of the prince of darkness.  Local coppers have found evidence of rituals having taken place within the confines of the cemetary and not just the dabblings of curious teens looking for a good and spooky time.  Altars with paraphenalia has been found at the site as well as the mutilated carcasses of small animals.  Some researchers feel that the use of the grove in black magic rituals has opened somekind of doorway between our world and the world of the dead and this doorway was never closed allowing the spirits of deceased humans as well as evil spirits to roam free and unfettered by restraint.

  The second most prominent theory is that the large pond that seperates the grove from the Midlothian Turnpike was used in the glory days of organized Chicago crime as a dumping ground for those that the mobsters whacked for whatever reason.  The third most popular theory is that when the German Immigrants were clearing the area to make way for their own cemetary they disturbed a Native American burial ground and the land is cursed because of this.

  So, what kind of paranormal phenomenon should one expect when visiting The Grove?  Perhaps the most prominent ghost of Bachelor’s Grove is not a person at all but a house.  Over the years dozens of witnesses have gone on record saying that in various spots in and near the grove a phantom white farmhouse has appeared and disappeared.  Some who are unaware of this phantom farmhouse have claimed to have seen the farmhouse with a hearthfire glowing in the windows one second as they drove past to drive past later to see the structure no longer there.  One legend concerning the phantom farmhouse is that if you approach the farmhouse and step inside you will be whisked away to the land of the dead never to be seen again.  I’m sure that part is legend but with all the reports of this farmhouse one never can truly tell.

  The second most prominent ghost said to call the grove home is a sad sobbing white clad female specter called, The Madonna of Bachelor’s Grove.  Those who have seen this spirit claim that the manifestation starts off as a loud anguished sobbing that seems to come from nowhere but be everywhere and then witnesses claim to see her wandering through the graveyard as well as the surrounding woods holding her face in her hands.  What has made this poor soul so sad?  Some believe that she is the spirit of a woman desperately searching for her baby that may have been buried in a different cemetary.  One witness claimed to have heard her cry out, “My baby, my baby give me my baby.”  Searching for a lost child is definately considered to be one of the criteria for a haunting.

  The last most prominent spirit said to haunt the Grove is said to be that of a plowman and his horse.  Many witnesses have claimed to see the ghost of a farmer and his horse emerge from the pond and act as if it is plowing the land.  It is widely believed that this spirit was one of the original farmers and one day while cultivating the land with a plow and his favorite horse something spooked the horse and it bolted into the deep pond dragging the farmer down with it into a cold, dark, watery grave.

  Although these apparitions are the most talked about ghosts there is so much more to see and hear.  Many have claimed to hear disembodied voices whispering on the wind as well as large multicolored orbs dancing an eternal waltz among the graves.  A few witnesses have claimed to see a grotesque two headed giant crawl out of the pond as well as shadow figures darting among the trees.

  Over the years I have personally made the trip out to the grove and left with a feeling of elation having had my own personal experiences.  The first time I made the trip I was accompanied by my wife who was then my fiance and two friends.  While I was on the other side of the cemetary taking pictures my wife and her friend were reading a grave marker when she yelled for me to come quick.  When I made it to her side she and her friend claimed that they could hear what sounded like digging issuing from the grave.  Usually I maintain an open minded skepticism but my wife is a very intelligent, educated and serious minded person not given to flights of fancy and if she said that she heard this sound I believe her.

  Bachelor’s Grove is certainly a weird and amazing place with so much phenomenon attached to it it would take a lifetime for any one human being to attempt to catalogue what goes on there.  Bachelor’s Grove is located in the southside suburb of Midlothian, Illinois in the Rubio Woods Forest Preserve and if you ever have a hankering for something truly spooky I suggest you hit this lonely isolated boneyard and I make a solemn promise as a native born son of the Prairie State you WILL NOT be dissapointed.

                                                                                                                            Rick E. Hale

  The world of the strange and unusual is a weird, wild and wacky place and no area of research does it quite like Cryptozoology.  Cryptozoology as some of you know is the science, or psuedo-science depending on your point of view, of tracking down, discovering and classifying unknown or previously undiscovered species of animals.  Although mainstream science views cryptozoology as a crank science the brave researchers who indulge in this discipline have made some amazing discoveries.  Off the coast of Madagascar the Coelacanth, a large fish that was thought to have become extinct in the age of the dinosaurs, was discovered in a fisherman’s net in 1938.  The Okapi, a kind of gazelle which again was thought to have been extinct was discovered living out a quiet existence in the forest’s of southeast Asia during the 1990s so this “Crank” science is not without it’s victories.

  Mainstream science would have us all believe that all species of animal has been discovered and nothing else is left.  Mainstream science it would appear is either incapable or unwilling to acknowledge the fact that despite all the eyewitness accounts that a large hairy man-like beast resides in the forests and mountainous regions of the world or that something strange and fishy is swimming around in many large bodies of water the world over.  To them, eyewitness accounts do not cut it they desire a captured or dead specimen to put under a microscope and study.  However as I have oftentimes said, even if the ghost of bigfoot steps off a UFO and declares to the world, “We come in peace.”  The mainstream scientific community would still say, “Hey, where’s the zipper?”

  One such creature that has reached virtual rock star status in the world of cryptozoology and has captured the imagination of millions is the elusive and sinister, El Chupacabras, the goat sucker.  Since the early to mid 1990s there have been dozens of reports mostly from Latin American countries, of farmers who have wild claims of a strange and grotesque beast that comes under the darkness of night and murders their livestock in a most interesting fashion.  These farmers claim that when the sun rises and the workday begins they are met with the horror of discovering the broken bodies of their livestock without a drop of blood in their bodies.  They state that upon inspection of their property they find was appears to be two puncture wounds either in the neck or chest area and their bodies have been sucked dry of that vital fluid that keeps us all alive, blood.

  For the most part we are all familiar with the legend of the vampire, a loathsome satanic creature that sleeps by day in a coffin and has a love of evening clothes, virgins and the taste of blood.  In the early 1990s in the small farming village of Moca, Puerto Rico a spate of killings had everyone hiding behind locked doors and clutching crucifixes because, El Vampiro was in their midst and killing all their livestock and their dogs and cats.  “El Vampiro De Moca” as it was called defied any attempts at being captured and filled the populace with such dread that many left the village and today Moca is thought of as being a place of demons and evil spirits.

  A few years later another flap of livestock killings began in Puerto Rico leaving many to believe that, El Vampiro had made a comeback.  However this time many would claim to have witnessed the depredations of this vampiric creature and they would all agree it looked nothing like the Transylvanian gent that we all love to hate.  In 1995, one farmer went on record as saying that one late night he was awakened by the sound of his animals screaming out in the yard as well as the barn.  Believing that some thief was attempting to steal his prized possessions the farmer grabbed his rifle and ran outside to deal with the thief, however what he witnessed was no ordinary thief and the sight made his blood run cold.  The farmer claimed that he witnessed a large scaly creature approximately the size of a kangaroo holding one of his goats it’s clawed grasp and it had it’s large fangs buried deep in the goat’s neck.  The farmer further went on to say that the horrific creature had long spikes that ran from it’s head down it’s back to the tip of it’s tail.  When the farmer regained his composure and his courage he took aim at the creature which fixed it’s large glowing red eyes on the farmer.  The creature hissed and then flew away leaving the farmer with dead livestock and a fresh duece in his drawers.

  It is difficult to get a handle on what the sinister El Chupacabra is.  Those who have had the displeasure of witnessing the ugly beast and what it does give varying descriptions of it’s appearance.  Some of the witnesses claim that the creature they witnessed looked like everything from some huge mutant monkey or some kind of giant bat due to the fact that the creature, after making it’s kill, flies away.  However all the witnesses agree on two main components they creature has large, hypnotic  glowing red eyes and that the creature is very very real.

  The United States is blessed, and unfortunately some would disagree, with a large immigrant population.  These folks when they come to out shores enrich us with their culture, beliefs and most impotantly their legends.  It would appear that in towns and cities all over the United States with large Latino communities, El Chupacabra has made it’s presence known with a vengence.  In 2004 in San Antonio, Texas a rancher was discovering that many of his chickens and other small animals were being attacked and drained of their blood as he and his wife slept at night.  After a week of this the farmer had had enough and decided to do something about it before every last animal on his ranch was drained of it’s blood.  One night the farmer his inside his truck rifle in hand and waited for the mystery attacker to make an appearance, and he would not have to wait long.  The rancher watched as a large hairless dog snuck onto his farm and began mauling one of his chickens.  The brave farmer took aim and blew the whatits away with extreme prejudice. 

  The farmer took a look at his prize and had no idea what the hell he had on his hands, he had no idea what exactly this creature was.  The rancher contacted the local animal shelter and reported his kill a representative arrived in the morning and took a look at the creature.  The rep was just as mystified as the farmer so they had the remains shipped off to the University of California in the hopes that somebody could tell them what they had.  A few later a researcher from U of C contacted the farmer and said, hey congrats you killed a coyote with acute mange.  Case closed. But not quite.

  A year later another rancher in Coleman, Texas shot and killed a creature that was killing his livestock.  The creature appeared to be some kind of crossbreed between a kangaroo and a dog.  The rancher sent the remains away to be analyzed.  The rancher never learned what he had killed.  In 2005 it would appear that the Chupa decided to leave the hot humid climates of the Southern U S and the Latin American countries and take up residence in the cold snowy landscape of northern Russia.  Several farmers reported that their livestock were being attacked and bled dry by some mystery creature whose calling card was cunning, stealth and two puncture wounds in the necks of their animals.  El Chupacabras fears not the cold.

  With a relative lack of a specimen to study mainstream science states that whatever is killing the animals would appear to be the run of the mill predator however many remain unconvinced.  Those who have witnessed El Chupacabra will say emphatically this is not the normal predator.  So what is it, if it is real?  Cryptozoologists claim that the creature may be a previously undiscovered species of giant vampire bat while those in the UFO community believe that the Chupa is some kind of extraterrestrial that thirsts for blood and stops just short of turning humans into a meal since no human has ever been attacked and sucked dry by this most elusive of cryptid.  I guess until we have a body to dissect and study we will never know what manner of creature El Chupacabras is.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could cheat our own death?  You know just walk up to the old Grim Reaper, hold your middle finger up to his black hooded face and declare, “Screw you, dude not today not ever.”  This has been a fantasy of mankind since we understood death and the lack of understanding about what comes next.  Many have done what they could do to slow down the clock and give the appearance of youth despite the fact that no matter how hard you try death will have it’s due.  Both men and women spend millions on anti-aging creams to take away the wrinkles and give the illusion of vitality.  Both sexes plunk down their hard earned cash to get the fat sucked out of their fat asses and some even purchase oxygen chambers in the belief that this will slow down the aging process.  However I got some bad news for you and I hate to sound maudlin but You are going to die, get over it.

  We may have an out though, if we are to believe what certain myths from the old world tell us, not to mention the countless books and movies that have been produced over the years, there just be a way to escape that most notorious of terrors.  Go to any major city say Los Angeles perhaps New York City and some would say that you have a better chance in New Orleans Frequent any night club that caters to the Goth set and tie a sign around your neck that simply reads, “Mr. Vampire, take me I’m yours.”   Sounds a bit ridiculous does it not?  However their are thousands who do everything but hang a sign from their succulent necks begging for some supernatural creature to bring them into the undead fold.

  The Vampire, as we know him in our western world, has become a cultural icon a rock star of the darker set if you will.  There is a very “Lively” counterculture in our country alone of folks who dress in black clothes, sleep by day in coffins, and spend thousands of dollars and allow a dentist to put them through the painful process of filing down their teeth and elongating their canine teeth just to give them appearance of their favorite undead romantic anti-hero.  Of course the great majority of these folks are completely harmless.  I have had the pleasure of knowing quite a few over the years and I can tell you that they are anything but dangerous.  They are normal, and very much alive people, just like you and I living out a dark fantasy sort of like trekkies but without the pointy ears and that damned Prime Directive.

  But with anything else the proverbial ball must drop and in light of a subject heavily immersed in mythology and folklore, what we know as the Vampire is so far off I can’t even think of a cool metaphor to describe it.  Despite what we have been led to believe the Vampire is not some dashing slick Euro-trash aristocrat who lives in the fog enshrouded mountains of eastern Europe who happens to have a love for evening clothes.  And neither are they the ambigously gay duo of Lestat and Louis, that has forced down our throats for almost thirty years.  The vampire, the Real vampire of folklore is far more terrifying and really isn’t that attractive to behold.

  The vampire that we know and love comes to us from the folklore of eastern Europe and that is pretty much where it ends.  The real vampire is a loathsome and pitiful creature that looks more like a corpse than some super sexy creature from a horror novel.  They are reanimated corpses that crawl from their grave wearing their death shroud that looks as if they have feeding upon it.  The vampire haunts the village they once inhabited and feeds upon their friends and neighbors and their flesh as well. 

  According to the folklore of eastern Europe a vampire is not created by mystical union between vampire and applicant by exchanging blood.  Suicide, which is believed by the christian church to be the ultimate sin against God, is the most common method by which a person becomes a vampire.  A suicide is not allowed to be in the presence of God because God gave you that life and how dare you bump yourself off without His permission.  Therefore the person who offs themselves is forced to wander the world in a death like state being a nightmare to all who once knew them.

  Since the suicide can not be allowed to be buried in hallowed ground friends and family took certain precautions to keep the dead in their grave.  Bodies were buried upside down to trick the undead into thinking they were diging themselves out of their grave when they were actually digging themselves deeper into the bowels of the earth.  Iron spikes were driven into the skull of a suicide because folklore tells us the brain is the seat of the soul and this precaution would kill the soul and keep the suicide in his grave.  Many don’t realize that the tombstone was a precaution to keep the returning revenant in the grave.  Heavy stones were placed over graves with the persons name inscribed upon it because they believed that your name had great power and could bind the corpse to the grave.

  In many Slavic countries a murder or an outlaw was considered a prime candidate for returning from the grave.  A child born with teeth or hair was especially feared because they would one day return from the grave to prey upon their friends and family.  Even a black cat jumping over  the grave of a fresh corpse was believed to bring a person back from their grave.

  To our twenty-first century mind this may sound like the superstitions of some ignorant European peasant.  However these beliefs were firmly entrenched in the minds of millions who believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that the dearly departed could return from the grave and feed upon the blood and life force of the living.  Consider if you will the strange story of Peter Plogojowitz.

  In Serbia of 1725, Peter was the typical peasant of the day. Peter cultivated and plowed a harsh land that gave very little back considering the blood, sweat and tears that he put forth everyday in the hopes that perhaps he could put a little food in the bellies of his wife and children.  All that would come to an end though when Peter’s life came to a tragic end when he was crushed to death by a cart that he was hooking up to his horses.  The sad mundane of Peter Plogojowitz had come to an end, or so it would seem.

  Several weeks after the Burial of Peter several citizens of the village were terrified when it was reported that Peter Plogojowitz was seen walking the streets of the village at night.  Many villagers shuttered their windows and securely locked teir doors at night to keep the dead farmer out.  When reports Peter’s friends dying under mysterious circumstances came to light the citizens of this small Serbian village banded together and shouted with one voice, “Enough is enough.”

  The historical account of what came next reads like a cheesey horror film.  The angry villagers and the village Priest made their way out the graveyard where Peter Plogojowitz slumbered in relative peace carrying pitchforks and torches.  They were on a mission and that mission was to rid themselves of a loathsome satanic creature.

  When the body of Peter Plogojowitz was dug up the villagers were repulsed at the sight of the corpse ad their suspicions were proven correct.  The body of Peter was discovered to be in relatively good health.  His body was bloated and red and a small trickle of what appeared to be blood was on the lips of the alleged vampire.  His hair had grown and his nails were longer, to them this was proof positive of the sinister nature of their friend and former countryman.

  Here is where the historical account gets a little weird.  When the priest poured a bottle of holy water on the body of Peter Plogojowitz, Peter let out a hideous scream and attempted to attack the crew that dug him up.  The villagers were able to beat Peter back into the grave and eventually cut the beast’s head from his body and burned his heart to ashes on a stone.  The depredations of the Undead Peter Plogojowitz was put to an end.

  Looking back on the strange case of the Serbian vampire modern day medical science has an explanation concerning what the villagers witnessed that day.  The ruddy bloated flesh is common when gases build up in cavities of the body and they have nowhere to go.  Since embalming a corpse was not a common practice of the day the red liquid issuing from the mouth of the corpse was probably the major organs decomposing.  The hideous scream that came from the grave was probably the gases escaping from Peter’s Body.   And as for the violent reaction when the priest poured the holy water on the corpse that was just the cosmic joker’s idea of having a laugh, again it was most likely caused by the gases escaping from Peter’s body.  Case closed on the Strange and terrifying story of Peter Plogojowitz.

  It would be easy to dismiss all cases of vampirism on escaping gases and decomposing organs if it were not for the fact that all major cultures down through history has some story concerning a creature that seeks to prey upon their fellow man.  In ancient Babylon, the undisputed cradle of civilization, has the story of the Lilitu.  The Lilitu was a group of evil spirits that flew through the air at night and crept into the windows of newborn children to feed upon their blood and steal their souls.  The Chinese has the Jiang Shi.  The Jiang Shi was an animated corpse that returned from the dead to feed not on the blood of their victims but on their lifeforce or their Chi by sucking it through their nose as they slept.

  The Aztec believed in and greatly feared a demonic spirit called the Cihuateteo.  This evil ghost had a skeletal head and stalked the jungles of ancient Mexico feeding on those unlucky enough to be in the jungles at night.  And the Japanese had a fairy like creature called the Kappa who fed on the blood and the flesh of unsuspecting victims.

  Due greatly inpart to the myth makers of Hollywood and the fertile minds of authors the world over it would appear that the myth and legend of the vampire is here to stay, even if they don’t get it right.  People can’t get enough of these bloodthirsty freaks they will pluck down their hard earned dollar at the local bookstore just to be lost in a dark romantic novel.  Yep it would appear the vampire is here to stay even if the vampire just plain sucks.

                                                            Rick E. Hale

  First before I get to the subject of this entry I feel compelled to make an introduction.  My name is Rick Hale and I live in the decidely unparanormal suburb of Fox Lake, Illinois a far northern burb of Chicago.   I have been a paranormal researcher since the age of eight years old, that was the first time I witnessed a ghost in my grandparents apartment on the north side of Chicago, since then I have become a virtual lighting rod for all things strange and unusual.  As A paranormal researcher I believe in a more objective scientific approach to investigating claims of the paranormal because only hardcore evidence will convince the skeptics, or player haters as I prefer to call them, that life and intelligence continues after the body expires.  And that is what this post is about objectivity and Critical thinking.  Okeedoke, on with the show.

  Is it just me or does it appear that being into ghosts and the supernatural is all of a sudden hip and trendy?  It seems that you can’t turn your television on without finding at least ten channels dealing with claims of the paranormal.  I mean, don’t get me wrong some of these programs are great.  A few programs not only seek to investigate the paranormal but they educate the viewer as well and that is what this posting is about educating people on what it takes to go out in the field and attempt to prove that although your body turns to worm food in the grave, a humans intelligence lives on.

  The first thing you must understand, and this is key, not all ghosts are made the same.  It is a popular misconception that a ghost is a ghost and this is not so there are actually four classifications on what type of spiritual entity you may be dealing with.  First off the most common classification of a haunting is the Residual Haunt.  With a residual the ghost in question is completely unaware of it’s surroundings.  Most people who report a residual type of haunting remark that at a certain time and on a certain and in a certain place they witness the ghost going about it’s business they have attempted to communicate with the ghost but it just acts as if it is ignorning them.  The ghost is not ignoring them what happens is is that some great tragedy or some other kind of stressful situation that led to the person’s demise has caused that event to be recorded somehow on the environment.  Many hauntings in the British Isles appear to be this kind of haunting because, as some researchers theorize, many of the old castles or manor homes were built out of sandstone and the sandstone acts a recorder that traps that moment in time.  Can a person rid themselves of a residual haunt?  Absolutely, but only if you tear down the structure.  However another theory states that a residual ghost may not be attached to the house itself but rather to the land and that would make ridding yourself of this type of haunting all the more diffucult.

  Unlike the residual haunt this next classification of ghost is able to communicate and interact with the witness or witnesses.  The Intelligent or true haunting is considered by some researchers to be far less common than it’s residual kin.  The intelligent ghost is the spirit of a person who has died at the location and for whatever reason their spirit has become trapped in this plane of existence and they are unable to move on.  Those who experience an intelligent haunt claim that the spirit at their location makes many attempts to try and communicate with them by such means as manifesting and speaking to the witness.  The Intelligent haunt is known for moving small objects, tapping on walls and generally scaring the pants off the witness.  When dealing with an intelligent type haunt it is key to remember that the spirit was once a human being and needs help basically because it needs assistance in moving on and is unable to do so.  They don’t really want to scare you per se, they are just seeking your help.

  We already dealt with the Poltergeist in a previous entry, however it begs revisiting.  A Poltergeist, as many theorize is not a ghost at all but the latent psychic ability of a person usually an adolescent who is going through some stressful times.  Those who experience a poltergeist oftentimes comment that the activity was so random and brainless it was almost as if a child was throwing a temper tantrum that got way out of hand.  That is exactly what it is a psychic temper tantrum.  Also those experience this kind of haunting state that just as it began it comes to an end suddenly.  One day it is happening and the next day poof gone.  Many researchers theorize that the reason for the cessation of the phenomenon is because the person, or focus, has ceased going through the stressful situation and if the phenomenon can be attributed to a female going through the turmoil of puberty it is probably because she has reached womanhood by having her first menstrual cycle.

  The fourth classification of hauntings is perhaps the most terrifying of all types of haunting, the Inhuman spirit or Demonic.  Some researchers who subscribe to a more religious ideology will tell you that all hauntings are caused by one of the minions of the prince of darkness.  Those who experience an Inhuman witness many of the same activities involved in an intelligent or poltergeist haunt however the activity appears to be much more diabolical.  Those who experience this kind of haunting witness the desecration of holy objects such as turning crosses upside down, the ripping apart of bibles and other Holy texts and many claim that dark shadowy entities that give off an air of absolute evil are witnessed.  Although I am not a religious person I would suggest to the people who experience this kind of haunting to get a holy man such as a minister, priest or Rabbi who can banish their home from this evil invading force.  Most religions have some kind of ritual to combat an evil force such as the Catholic rite of Exorcism.  The Inhuman is a very rare type of haunting and many researchers go their whole career, and lives, without ever having to face this type of haunting but if you do contact a church or whatever religion your client subscribes to, allow that person to deal with the demonic they are specially trained.

  Ok, so now you know the different classifications of ghosts and what to expect when you come across them and you may question are their tools of the trade that can be used to gather evidence and prove a haunting?  Absolutely, just like James Bond and Batman we have our toys and thanks to many of the shows on television you may already be familiar with them.  First off get your self a good digital recorder to capture EVPs or Electronic Voice Phenomenon.  EVPs are disembodied voices captured on type that you may not have heard with your own ears during an investigation. 

  When investigating a haunting and taking EVP recordings ask the entity questions if it is an intelligent haunt it may respond.  Ask such questions as can you tell me your name, did you once live in this house, do you know that you have passed away?  I have heard many great recordings over the years and have taken some myself but remember if a location is reported to be haunted the spirit or spirits may not want to interact with you oftentimes they just want to be left alone. They were once human and may not take kindly to being commanded to do something they don’t want.

  We live in a very digital age and pretty much everybody owns a digital camera which is why I suggest when documenting a haunting you should use a 35MM camera.  Sure 35MM can be doctored and images can be placed on film that is suspicious or faked however with a digital camera it is far easier to doctor and hoax a haunting thanks to such great programs such as photoshop.  However if you catch a full bodied apparition on camera and can prove that it is the real deal, awesome because you just may be the one who proves life after death.  Just remember you are not helping the field by faking a photo or evidence for that matter, so don’t be a douchebag just be honest.

  The last two tools of the trade are gaining ground in the investigation of claims of the paranormal, the Electromagnetic Field Detector and the digital thermometer.  The EMF detector detects fluctuations in the electromagnetic field.  Most researchers theorize that ghosts are energy and are capable of manipulating the EM field so they can manifest.  The main problem when using an EMF detector is that all electronic gizmos such as lights can cause a false positive on an EMF detector so when documenting EMF fluctuations make sure that all lights and whatever else uses in electricity in a location is off so you can get proper readings.

  The digital thermometer is key when documenting cold spots in a haunting.  Many reasearchers theorize that when a spirit is attempting to manifest it sucks the energy out of the environment including heat which subsequently causes the coldspot.  Make sure when documenting a coldspot that it is moving and not stationary.  Sometimes the human mind can and does play tricks a stationary coldspot could be caused something as innocent as a draft coming from a window, however if the coldspot is moving freely it may mean that a spirit is moving about.

  And finally the most important tool when investigating and documenting a haunting is your brain.  Critical thinking is key when on an investigation.  As I said above the human senses are infamous for playing tricks and if you get a nervous person who believes their house is haunted they may think that something as innocent as a cold draft is a ghost.  Certain areas may have seismic activity that you don’t know about and this may be causing things to rattle or shake and not a ghost as suspected.  When you objectively investigate a location and you are able to completely rule out any natural phenomeon that they may be causing the activity then you may have paranormal phenomenon. 

  And lastly feelings and the subjective impressions of a psychic are not going to cut it with the skeptics.  It’s not that I don’t acknowledge psychic abilities it’s that skeptics, and they are numerous will not be convinced with a psychic impression they require hardcore, balls to the wall, fist in your face evidence.  If you use a psychic in your investigation just make sure you have the tools and toys to back it up.  Ghost Hunting, or Paranormal Research as I prefer to call it can be an interesting thing to get into however just reading a few books and watching a few shows does not a paranormal researcher make.  It takes a serious mind and years of research and investigation to truly call yourself a researcher.  And just remember there are no experts in this field paranormal phenomenon is so varied and hard to pin down no human being can claim to have it all figured out.  You can not call yourself an expert only a Supreme Being is able to do that.

  Happy Hunting

                                                                                                                Rick E. Hale

  This morning when I got home from work a great flick was on television, a movie that I had not seen in a few years, “Gremlins.”  I love this little monster movie it has everything love, adventure and little green beasts running amok is a midwestern town destroying everything in sight.  I can’t help it the evil streak in me  always cheers for the gremlins.  Is That wrong?  Anyways, although this movie is entirely fictional would you believe that a similar event happened many years ago in the hill country of Kentucky?  Well according to the witnesses that experienced the bizarre event such a thing did in fact occur only with the cheesy prosthetics.

  On the night of August 21, 1955 the Sutton farm near the towns of Kelly and Hopkinsville, Kentucky came under attack by an aggressive alien species.  On the evening in question Elmer “Lucky” Sutton and his family were entertaining the Billy Ray Taylor family (No fooling guys these are the real names) who was visiting from out of town.  At around 7:00 PM Billy Ray decided he needed to wet his whistle and took a mosey out to the well for a cool drink of water about thirty seconds later, Billy Ray rushed back into the house and declared that while he was outside he saw a UFO land just beyond the trees in the woods.  At first the two families were speechless at the wild story of their friend and then suddenly everyone in attendence broke out in great torrents of laughter saying that ole Billy Ray had seen nothing but a shooting star.

  At 8:00 PM the hoedown in the house was broken up by the frightened barking a howling of the family dog.  Lucky’s wife peeked out the window to see what all the fuss was about and watched as the otherwise brave hunting dog turned tail at some unseen threat and ran under the house.  Lucky and Billy Ray could not understand what would make the old hound run away in hysterics.  They both agreed that something strange was afoot and thought it might be a good idea to investigate.  Lucky and Billy Ray grabbed the shooting irons and ventured out the door to see what all the commotion was about.

  As the two men stood on the front porch scanning the woods and the property for any sign of trouble, Billy Ray was the first to see a strange creature emerge from the tree line.  The two men watched as a three foot being with a large head and big floppy ears wearing a silvery jumpsuit started to make it’s way towards the men with a raised hand.  At first the two men didn’t know what to make of the strange sight and wondered whether or not if the raised hand was a greeting or a threat of some kind.  They knew that could not take the chance and raised their rifles to their shoulders and all the fun or mayhem began.

  Lucky’s bullet was the first to meet it’s mark and the two men were satisfied that the threat to their farm and family had been taken care of.  Lucky’s wife opened the door to inquire what they were shooting at.  Lucky turned to explain when he felt a clawed hand reach down from the roof and grab his hair.  Billy Ray looked up to see the creature, or one of the creatures, perched on the roof looking down at him.  Billy Ray pointed his gun square in the face of the little beast and squeezed off a shot.  The creature seemed to float up and then away from the house.  A terrified Lucky and Billy Ray were torn away from their shock when one of the women screamed and said that some kind of monster was peering through the window.  Lucky ran to the side of the building and fired at one of the little beasties that appeared to be floating up by the window and shot at the creature which, like it’s companion, floated away unharmed.

  An hour after the shooting started a voice of reason shouted over the rifle fire and demanded that the two men cease firing.  Mrs. Lankford, a guest claimed that whatever the creatures may be they did not appear to mean any harm.  However Lucky and Billy Ray remained on the front porch gripping their rifles like a couple of heroic cowboys scanning the area for anymore signs of the creatures.  Occasionally the two men could see creeping forms in the shadows of the trees and wondered if another attack would soon commence.  Although the night was now silent the peace was broken by what sounded like a strange buzzing sound that seemed to scare the hell out of the dog and kept the men on their vigilant watch.

  Fearing another attack would soon come, Lucky and Billy Ray gathered their kith and kin together and piled in three seperate cars around 11:00PM and tore ass off the property not wanting to take the chance that whatever the creatures may be would gather together and make another assault against the farm.  Thirty minutes later the frightened group stormed through the doors of the Hopkinsville Police Department nearly scaring the Chief of Police to death.  The Chief ordered the chattering group to calm down and tell him what had happened.  Lucky Sutton stepped forward and gave the police chief a complete rundown of the night’s events.  The Chief listened to the story all the while taking notice that no one appeared to have been drinking.  The Chief knew Lucky and his wife well and knew that the two were God fearing christians who would not make such a fantastic story up.  The Chief snapped into action and followed the frightened farmers back to the scene of the amazing story.

  After the initial investigation by the local coppers, which did not turn anything up but a bunch of bullett holes and broken windows, the Kentucky Era a local newspaper arrived on the scene to see what had happened and interviewed all those involved.  The next day the paper published the story detailing how a local farmer and his family and friends were viciously attacked by twelve to fifteen little somethings that appeared to not be of this world.  The Sutton Family would later tell investigators that they were not sure how many of the invaders were involved in the assault of the farm technically they really only saw three.

  Within days Air Force personnel and UFO investigators descended upon the Sutton farm and took a serious look around the farm to see if there was any physical evidence to back the story of an alien invasion up.  No bodies of the little men in question could be found which would back up the story that the creatures appeared to be unfazed by the weapons.  However one investigator did discover a scorched patch of grass that looked like it was in the shape of a saucer.  Another investigator had learned that a Highway Patrolman who was in the general vicinity of the Sutton farm claimed to have seen a strange light in the sky that appeared to travel in an upward trajectory.  Although the Air force had this corroborating eyewitness they deemed the case to be one of mistaken identity and claimed that the eyewitnesses had a little too much to drink.

  The event at the Sutton Farm near Kelly and Hopkinsville, Kentucky is considered, by investigators, to be a real case of a possible alien invasion.  Researchers feel that the Suttons and their guests are reliable witnesses who would be incapable of making such a wild story up and although despite the testimony of the Highway Patrolman and the saucer shaped burnt grass found in the woods the Air Force remains unconvinced.  They believe the event to be a hoax.  The Air Force further claims that what the Sutton’s and their guests saw that night were not aliens bent on world conquest but Chimps that had escaped from a circus although no circus was anywhere near the area in fact the closest circus was one hundred miles away in Tennessee.  But wait the explanations get better.  Skeptics state that what the Sutton clan and their guests saw that night was an aggressive flock of great horned owl attacking the farm.  The Sutton clan had lived in the area for generations and were well acquinted with the flora and fauna of the area this was no attack of the Great Horned Owl Variety.  Explanations be damned.

  On that night in August of 1955 the Sutton Family and their friends witnessed something extraodinary that scared the hell out of them and it was not escaped chimps nor was it an attack of Great Horned Owls.  However I do have a concern,  If the creature came out of the woods holding up a hand as a peaceful gesture, why shoot first and not even bother to ask questions?  Maybe the crapper on the saucer was busted or they were lost and needed directions to Area 51 or something, who knows.  As a warning though to all who travel through Kelly and Hopkinsville if you are on your way to a SciFi convention and you are dressed as your favorite martian do not wander onto any farms you may just get your ass blasted off.

                                                                                                            Rick E. Hale