Discussion 30: Telling a good scary story

Scary stories are an important part of Halloween. It's fun to spook your friends. Here are some of my favorite tips for telling a better scary story:

1. Set a spooky mood by dimming the lights.

2. Hold a flashlight under your chin while you tell the story.

3. Set your story in a place that's familiar to your guests, like a spooky old house in your neighborhood- it will make it seem much more real.

4. Talk slowly, in a low voice, so people will have to lean in to hear you.

5. Do not laugh while you are telling your story!

6. Have someone (like a sibling) sneak up on your guests and scare them.

7. Stories with a surprising twist at the end are crowd pleasers.

Those are my top tips for telling the best scary story in town. Enjoy!

Happy Haunting,
Frankie

Discussion 29: Bermuda Triangle

The Bermuda Triangle is located off the southeastern Atlantic coast of the US. It is sometimes known as the "Devil's Triangle." This area (the points being Bermuda, Miami, and San Juan, Puerto Rico) has a high rate of unexplained ship/boat and plane losses. Within the BT a magnetic compass will point towards true north, rather than magnetic north like a compass would in any other place (which can put the navigator off by 20 degrees). Another unique characteristic of this area is the Gulf Stream, which is very turbulent and unpredictable. These two things alone could be the reason for so many disappearances. Even Christopher Columbus noted that they area was bizarre!

But is the Bermuda Triangle nothing more than a disaster spot because of a few natural occurrences? Or is there something paranormal going on? Could the BT be a gateway into another dimension? In an episode of The X-Files that is exactly what happened. Fox Mulder was transported back to WWII. (And is seriously one of the best episodes. The camera work is awesome). What do you believe? A natural phenomenon or a paranormal one?

National Geographic

Discussion 28: Spirit boards

Spirit boards are boards which have the letters of the alphabet, and other words and symbols on them. They are used to talk to spirits, using a planchette to spell out words. A planchette is a piece of wood on which each person trying to contact a spirit puts one finger. The planchette is supposed to move on it's own to spell out messages from the dead.

The best known spirit boards are Ouija boards, which are made and trademarked by Hasbro. A man named William Fuld named the Ouija board. According to Fuld, the word "Ouija" comes from the French and German words for "yes." this name is so well known, that most people simply refer to all spirit boards as Ouija boards. An author named Emily Grant Hutchings even wrote a novel using a Ouija board, in 1917. It is called Jap Herron: A Novel Written by the Ouija Board. She believed it was dictated by the late Mark Twain.

Can spirit boards really put you in contact with the dead? No one knows for sure. Some say the planchette is moved by spirits, but others say that the planchette is moved by the unconscious movements of the living players. Many people believe spirit boards can attract demons, and other evil spirits, and even lead to possession. Despite these warnings, spirit boards are still used in current times. Needless to say, their use should not be taken lightly.

For more on the spirit board's haunting history, see these sites:
http://www.museumoftalkingboards.com/WebOuija.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouija

Happy Haunting,
Frankie

Discussion 27: Ayre's Rock

Frankie and I are back for out weekly discussions. We have a few different things planned, and please post any suggestions on things you'd like to see in the comments. We look forward to teaching our readers new paranormal things!

Ayre's Rock, known as Uluru, it's aboriginal name, is located in Northern Territory, Australia. It's sacred to aboriginal creation mythology, which is known as dreamtime. It is Australia's post popular natural attraction.

Many tourists who have visited Ayre's rock have taken small pieces of it as souvenirs. The strange part? Most all of these bits of rock have been returned with claims by the owners that they have had bad luck ever since. It is said that Uluru has it's own magic and way of protecting itself. It reminds me of the "Brady Bunch" Hawaii episode where Peter (I think?) found the tiki idol and everyone who had it had bad luck. Have you ever had an item that gave you constant bad luck?

Ayre's Rock is a sandstone formation 1,142 feet high and 2 miles long. Possibly over 3 miles of the rock is concealed underground. In the aboriginal beliefs, there is a hollow underneath with energy called Tjukurpa meaning "dream time". This dreamtime is about reality being a dream. This is a myth or belief of the formation of the world.

Uluru is a popular tourist attraction, which the aboriginals aren't terribly fond of. And you can't really blame them since this is something in their beliefs and tourists don't pay it proper respect.

You can see pictures at this website: http://www.crystalinks.com/ayersrock.html.

Discussion 26: King's Park Psychiatric Center

Kings Park is an old Long Island psychiatric facility. Many who have investigated the old building agree that the place has a decidedly spooky energy. Stories are told about mental patients being tortured in tunnels below the building, although the torture chambers' existence hasn't been confirmed. It is believed that abuse of patients did occur in this facility though. The actual facility is now closed, and entering the building is against the law, but stories still arise of people seeing spirits, hearing disembodied screams, and capturing photos of ghostly mists. For photos and info, see this site: http://lioddities.com/ghost/kingspark.html

Discussion:
- This building seems like the perfect setting for ghost stories. Do you think it's easier for people to see ghostly phenomena in a place like this?

- The tunnels are believed to be places of torture. Do you think that negative energy can stick around so long?


Happy haunting,
Frankie

Discussion 25: Questing Beast

Kit is here today to help me talk about the questing beast.

The Questing Beast is best known from stories about King Arthur. It's a pretty reoccurring theme with one knight or another on a quest to find it. The QB is usually described as sounding like "thirty hounds" with the noise coming from it's stomach. In the book Morte d'Arthur it is described as having the head of a snake, body of a leopard, a lion's back end, and a deer's feet. It's origin is supposedly from an incestuous affair that was aided by magic and produced this demon. The sound of dogs is from the curse the woman's brother placed on their child because he was sentenced to death by being torn to bits by dogs.

The QB has another incestuous affair tied to it as well (this being from Arthurian legends, of course) and that is Arthur's affair with his half sister Morgan or Morgause depending on which you believe (and don't get Kit started on that). The QB is said to be the symbol of Arthur's lust. But what really is this thing? Is it real? A lot of that could really depend on your opinion of Arthurian legends and whether or not you believe King Arthur was also a real being.

On the TV show Merlin the QB is called a creature born of old magic and "one bite, you die". What do you think the QB is? How was is created?

This discussion was brought to you by Emily and Kit.

Discussion 24: The Jersey Devil

In the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, a mysterious creature is said to exist. This creature is the Jersey Devil. According to local legend, the mother of the Jersey Devil was a woman named Mrs. Leeds, who was pregnant with her thirteenth child. The year was 1735. On the night she was to have the baby, she cursed it, saying; "Let this child be the devil." That night, she gave birth to a winged creature with hooves, and the child flew away. There are other variations of how the Jersey Devil came to be, but this version is the most well known.

Several years later, a member of the local clergy is said to have exorcised the Jersey Devil. It seemed to last for a while, but after time, people started seeing and hearing the creature again. He fed on people's cattle, and residents living near the Pine Barrens were terrified of this beast. Sightings continued, although no one could capture the beast. During the early 1900's, the Jersey Devil was reportedly seen by many, and the legend became more popular than ever. Sightings, however less frequent than in the past, continue into the present day.

Want to know more? Read the full legend here: http://njdevilhunters.com/legend.html

Questions:

-Why do you think no one can capture the Jersey Devil?
-Why do you think sightings of it are less frequent now than in the past?
-Do you believe that this creature exists?
-If so, do you believe it is really a supernatural creature?

Happy Haunting,
Frankie

Discussion 23: "Little People"

I have something a little bit different this week. In the Pryor Mountains of Montana (located south-central-ish near the Wyoming border) there is a Native American belief or legend of "little people" living in the mountains. They are often described as 18 inches tall (sort of like all of us) and are often called "devils" or "demons" (hopefully not like us).

Whether you believe in the Little People as part of Crow Indian folklore or as something else is for you to decide. Physical evidence has been found, but there are still no firm conclusions drawn as to what the mummies found are. Such as whether it is a pygmy or an infant or an actual little mountain dwelling person. This could be tied in with the discovery of Hobbit-like people found in Indonesia.

The question is: what kind of beings are these? We're all pretty into paranormal here, maybe that sways our belief that these are alien beings? Or do we base our thinking on science?

Questions: What do you think these Little People are? Just folklore? Alien species? Another race? Could they be similar to the supposed Hobbit people? Or would you consider the Hobbit people more scientific and the Little People more spiritual?

Hobbits
Little People of the Pryor Mountains

Discussion 22: Hauntings at the White House

Do you know which famous place has been described as one of the most haunted American homes? The answer might surprise you. Stories have circulated for years and years about things that go bump in the night at the White House, by many important people who have lived there or visited.

-Abraham Lincoln reportedly once told his wife about a dream he had, in which he predicted his own death. He was also known to hold seances in the White House, in which he supposedly made contact with many spirits. Many political figures have claimed to see or sense Lincoln's ghost, including; Jacqueline Kennedy, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ladybird Johnson, among others.

-The spirit of Dolley Madison allegedly stopped her beloved rose garden from being removed from the grounds. She transcended time to protect her prized possession. The garden still thrives today.

- An apparition of a cat is known to appear in the White House basement. The cat's appearance has predicted several tragic events.

Those were just some of the amazing presidential ghost stories. Find the full stories, and more, here: http://www.haunted-places.com/WhiteHouseGhosts.htm .

Do you believe in the White House ghosts? Here are some questions:

-Lincoln seems to be the most consistently seen ghost. Why do you think this is so? Maybe because he was so open to the idea of spirits. People claim that he had great psychic energy.

-Many important, educated people, such as presidents and First Ladies, have claimed to see ghosts in the White House. Does this make the stories seem more believable?

-Why do you think so many presidential ghosts stick around?

Happy Haunting,
Frankie

Happy Spring, Everyone!

Dear Readers,

Happy Easter/Spring to everyone!

From,
Frankie and Emily

Discussion 21: Crop Circles

What is a crop circle? The basic definition is a formation created by the flattening of tall crops, like corn, wheat, barley, etc. The exact date that these began appearing is unknown, but the most documented cases has occurred since the 1970's. Here are some pictures:

If you search the internet for pictures of crop circles do be wary of some them. Not everything on the internet is real, believe it or not :)

But what causes a crop circle or crop formation? One theory is that it is caused by the weather. Another is animal activity. The most popular theory is, of course, paranormal activity. Are aliens trying to communicate with us via these formations? Why would they only do them in crops and not just anywhere? Are crop circles caused by alien technology and/or UFO's?

What do you think causes crop circles? Or are they all just hoaxes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crop_circle

Discussion 20: Boggarts

Boggarts are malevolent fairies. They originate in English folklore, and are similar to Brownies (not the chocolaty baked good, but the type of fairy. We'll do a discussion on Brownies some week).

Boggarts center on a specific family and cause misfortune and mischief. They will follow that family wherever they go. The only way to keep them away, according to some sources, is to hang a horseshoe over your door. In Rowling's Harry Potter and The Last Apprentice book series by Joseph Delaney, Boggarts are described a little differently, as a shape-shifting entity which morphs into whatever it's victim fears the most. It is said that no one know what a Boggart looks like in it's natural form, because of it's shape-shifting abilities.

What do you think Boggarts are really like? Do you think they are more like in older folklore: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boggart, or more like Boggarts in the Harry Potter series, and other fantasy novels?

If you believe Boggarts are shape-shifters who can read fear, what would they shape-shift into if you stumbled upon one? For me, a Boggart would probably turn into an ocean wave, because I'm most afraid of deep water and drowning.

Happy Haunting,
Frankie

Discussion Nineteen: UFO's and Aliens

There has been quite a few sighting of UFO's recently. This one was spotted in Colorado: http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_17692697?source=most_viewed.

What do you think it is? Is it really a UFO? If not, what could it be? With UFO sightings comes the fear of an alien invasion. What would you do if we are invaded? Or do you think we would even know? Maybe the government would find a way to keep it hush hush, like with Roswell. I'll post more information about what to do in the wake of an alien invasion. For now, you can discuss the UFO sighting and what you personally would do if aliens came to earth.

Discussion Eighteen: Zombies

Zombies are the walking undead. They are bodies that are re-animated, but have no will of their own. Lots of people believe zombies are controlled by a master (whoever created the zombie), and used to do their bidding. This idea comes from voodoo beliefs. In Medieval times, zombies were believed to be vengeful spirits walking the earth, trying to right some sort of wrong done to them in life.

Since the 1968 movie, Night of the Living Dead, zombies have been seen in popular culture quite often, most often in the "zombie apocalypse" scenario, where zombies outnumber the general population and take over the world, leading to catastrophe and mayhem. Some sort of quick spreading virus or plague is usually the cause of the zombies in this scenario, and the illness is usually passed by a zombie bite (scroll down to see my book review on Never Slow Dance With a Zombie).

Zombies are almost always portrayed as rotting corpses with green-ish skin, who eat human flesh (or just brains in some cases). They shuffle along with stiff movement and cannot talk, but make grunting sounds. They are usually not very smart, and are generally pretty easy to escape in the event of a zombie attack because of their slow movement.

Questions:
-Do you believe in zombies?
-Have you ever seen one?
-Why do you think zombies are so popular in pop culture?
-Any tips on how to survive a zombie uprising?

For more on Zombies:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombie
http://www.monstropedia.org/monster/Zombie

Discussion Seventeen: Chupacabra

You may have heard of the chupacabra, which means "goat sucker", from various supposed sighting in the news. Often these chupacabra are dogs with the mange or decayed animals. But the idea has to stem from something real, right?

The appearance of this creature can vary widely between sightings. The most popular description is  hairless and kind of looks like an overgrown rat on a dogs body.

The belief in chupacabras is often linked with aliens because of the blood draining (which could also link them to vampires). This creature is called an ABE (Anomalous Biological Entities) with the UFO crowd. There is an episode of The X-Files about chupacabras, but I wouldn't totally recommend it since it wasn't the best episode.

But what really is a chupacabra? How did it come about? Why does it seem to attack mostly in warm climates (Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Miami seem to have the most sightings)? What would you do if you saw one? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra

I was going to post some links of recent sightings and better information, but the pictures are pretty disturbing since they are of a dead animal. Just be aware of this if you search for more information. The Wiki link only has a cartoon drawing.

Book Review: Never Slow Dance With A Zombie

Frankie here!
I just finished reading Never Slow Dance With A Zombie; by E. Van Lowe. I thought I'd review it here.

Summary: Never Slow Dance With a Zombie is about two girls, Margot Johnson and her best friend Sibyl. They are average girls at an average school. But they feel left out among the many cliques, who seem to rule the school. They aren't really sure where they fit in. But one day, Margot and Sibyl go to school to discover that their classmates have become zombies. Their principal asks them to keep the zombies a secret- to live among them like nothing ever happened. Easier said than done, of course. Zombies eat brains! Being the only non-zombies at school, that is a very dangerous situation. But the girls also see an opportunity to change their own social status, and live the way they always wanted to. Then Margot and Sibyl discover that they are not alone- two of the school geeks, who are also unaffected, are trying to find a cure for the zombie epidemic. This is not so easy either, especially when it seems like there may be a traitor among them, or worse.

My thought: This is a really fun book to read. The zombies are entertaining, of course. I loved their interactions with Margot and Sibyl. And Margot was a pretty funny character. But the deeper meaning of the books is the message of tolerance for others' differences, and the importance of being yourself. It was a really good story about loyalty and I thought it was very suspenseful. Plus, again, it had zombies... what's not to love?

My Rating: A-

Happy haunting,
Frankie

Discussion Sixteen: Poltergeist

They're He-e-re... but what are they?
Poltergeist, German for "noisy ghost," have been a subject of mystery and fascination for many years. But many people are torn on where these mischievous entities really come from. Now it's time for you to decide.

Poltergeist activity is marked by such phenomena as; objects moving by themselves, changes in temperature, interference in electronics, such as televisions, and disembodied noises. Poltergeists are known as mischief makers. They are invisible forces, known for such tricks as throwing objects across rooms. Although they are invisible, there have been many well-documented cases of Poltergeist phenomena, which you can find more about here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poltergeist#Famous_poltergeist_cases

There are some common theories as to what poltergeists really are. Some say they are angry ghosts (as shown in the movie Poltergeist, and the Harry Potter series), but other theories identify poltergeist as a type of energy coming from a person who lives where the phenomena takes place. This energy could cause psychokinesis or telekinesis, which is the moving of objects with the mind. It is thought that this phenomena could be caused when a person is under stress and emotions are running high. This is why poltergeist cases are well known to occur in the homes of teenagers and children, who are at stressful times in their lives. The phenomena may only occur when they are present. It is thought that they may cause the phenomena without knowing it. Environmental factors have also been thought to cause poltergeist phenomena, such as static electricity. Some famous cases have also been proved to be fraudulent.

Now, what do you think causes poltergeist phenomena?

Happy haunting,
Frankie

Contest Winner!

The winner of the contest was announced over at Bolton Girls Travel Journal.

Congrats to Stephanie J! And a huge thank you to the Bolton girls for taking the time to do this contest and interviewing Frankie and myself. We loved every moment of it!

Frankie and I will resume our weekly discussions next Friday. Mark your calendars and tune in then!

Fun Fact: Day 8

Don't forget that everyday is another chance to get your name entered in the drawing. All you have to do is comment.

How much do you comment on other peoples blogs?
Frankie - Not nearly as much as I should.
Emily - I try to comment frequently. Since I like people to comment on my blog, it feels right to return the favor. Plus I love reading what is going on in others lives and giving him/her support.

Fun Facts: Day 7

Which of the blog discussions are your favorite?
Frankie - I liked the one about Resurrection Mary, because I got to go in depth about Phantom Hitchhikers.
Emily - I likes the ones we did on on paranormal encounters. We got a lot of good discussion going on that one.