Ghost Stories

MIDWEST UFO CONFERENCE The Mutual UFO Network, Inc. was founded in 1969 for the sole purpose study the scientific enigma known as unidentified flying objects or UFOs. Between August 14th and 15th, they will be hosting their annual conference at the Days Inn Conference Center in Columbia, Missouri. Co-Hosted by MO MUFON, the UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, QUEST, and the Missouri Investigator's Group. Speakers and attendees will include Chuck Zukowski (National speaker and UFO researcher), Linda Eastburn (Certified Hypnotherapist and author), Debbie Ziegelmeyer (MUFON Dive Team founder, Dive instructor, State Director for Missouri MUFON, Roswell crash site investigator), Gary Hart (UFO investigator and MUFON Field Investigator) and Joe Palermo (Actor, metaphysician, documentary film maker, Reiki Master) among others. Cost: $38 per person, or $69 for two (save $7) by August 1. Optional box lunch on Sunday $11.50 ea. Payment can be made by Check or Pay Pal. Vendor tables are sti

Located in the former Montana mining town of Red Lodge, the Pollard Hotel once attracted many of the well known including Buffalo Bill Cody, General Miles, Frederic Remington and Calamity Jane. Built in 1893, this building was the first to be made of brick in the town. Dubbed the Spofford Hotel, it sat between the train depot and the residential portion of Red Lodge. In 1897, a hotel full of guests witnessed the Sundance Kid, Harry Longbaugh, rob the bank on the corner of the building with gun in hand. He was caught but later escaped. Ever since then, guns have been banned from the property. The Pollard family bought the 35-room hotel in 1902 renaming it the Pollard Hotel and built an additional 25 rooms. There was a spacious lobby, dining room, bar room with card and billiard tables, well-equipped kitchen and a laundry room, with bowling alley and barbershop in the basement. A year after Thomas Pollard purchased the building, the hotel acquired a telephone. Their number was "1&

Do you think being unfamiliar with a buildings creaks and groans is responsible for a number of paranormal cases?

In Greek mythology existed a two-head (one head on either end) serpent known as the amphisbaena. It was known to possess the ability to run in either direction. If cut in half, the parts would rejoin as whole. Sometimes depicted with feathered wings, two chicken-like feet, horns, venomous fangs and no fear of cold. According to myth, the amphisbaena was spawned from the blood dripping from Medusa the Gorgon's head as Perseus flew over the Libyan Desert with it in his hand. Cato's army then encountered it along with other serpents on the march. Amphisbaena fed off of the corpses left behind and lives in the desert. While some may have feared this creature, others found practical uses for it. Wearing an amphisbaena around the neck would supposedly ensure a safe pregnancy. Women in power wore bracelets in the shape of amphisbaena. The skin of a dead amphisbaena was believed to cure arthritis, rheumatism and colds as well as reduce swelling of hands caused by cold. Nailing th

The premiere episode of Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files certainly stirred up quite a debate last week. I truly believed this show was going to take a few episodes to really grasp an opinion on it. This week, I wasn't totally impressed. I've seen this video clip before, but can't recall where. Everytime I see it, I always flash back to my childhood trick-or-treating days. We use to get these Tootsie pops with a tissue covering them; made to look like little ghosts. That's what the "creatures" look like to me, particularly the second one. The video is of poor quality. I'm apparently not seeing distinct features as other people are. They compiled several experiments using a neighborhood child and puppet but didn't get the results they were looking for. So, Bill, Jael, and Larry opted for an investigation of a nearby wooded area (looked more open space than wooded). They experienced quite a bit of equipment failures. Batteries in the walkies and metal dete

Thanks to a 2007 film, the name “Sweeney Todd” has once again become fresh in people’s minds. The story of the murdering barber has been around for a few centuries, but is there any truth to the fictional story? Many over the years have attempted to bridge the gap between fact and fiction. One alleged candidate may have been a 17th Century landlord at one of England's oldest Coaching inns known as the Ostrich Inn. In 1106 Milo Crispin founded an inn named The Hospice (now believed to be the Ostrich Inn). Dick Turpin used the Inn as a hideout, escaping the Bow Street Runners by jumping out of a window. King John is rumored to have stopped at the Inn on the way to Runnymede to sign the Magna Charta. A former landlord named John Jarman and his wife installed a large trap door under the bed in the best bedroom located immediately above the inn's kitchen. The bed was fixed to the trap door and the mattress securely attached to the bedstead. When two retaining iron pins were remove

Since it's become a hot topic, what do you think the lights over Phoenix are? Flares? Airplanes? UFOs?

AuthorHouse, January 13, 2010 Paperback, 343 Pages ISBN: 978-1449023140 Adult (18+) Ordering Information: Amazon.com Randall Lender established himself as a well known spiritual leader. However, his ideals posed a growing threat to the government, Clergy of the Major Organized Religion, and the New World Order. A secret society known as The Guilders enlist the help of The Warlock out of self-preservation to be rid of Lender once and for all. During an astral projection session, Lender's soul left his body, and was pulled against it's will in to the body of a mob hitman who recently committed murder. Before he had time to assess the situation, Johnnie McKenzie a.k.a. Randall Lender was arrested for murder. He realizes that he must die to live in order to return to his former body. Will he be able to fight the battle of his before it's too late? The synopsis for this novel is what perked my interest. Who wouldn't want to read a story about astral projection, warlocks, co

Mary Knows Best This will be rather short as there isn't much to say. I'm starting to think these reality family-based shows are becoming quite cookie cutter. They each have something to make them special but yet also same ole, same ole. Mary Knows Best is centered around psychic/medium Mary O and her eccentric family. I'll admit. I was a little curious concerning what it would be like to live with a psychic. This show answered that question for me. Psychics may seem like shiny new toys (to some), but to have to deal with that ability all day everyday can be quite annoying. The basic formula of this show is Mary O doing readings on her radio show, street, and businesses. Just wherever as it is apart of who she is. This is all mixed in with semi-normal family drama set in Long Island. Bottomline, you get what you see. Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files This is the one I particularly was anxious to watch. You have a team of six individuals, all equipped with their own expertise.

Earlier in the week, animal control officer Frank Hackett shot and killed an unusual animal in a barn southwest of Fort Hood, TX after hearing it growl at him. Officer Hackett hasn't stated whether or not he believes the creature to be the elusive Chupacabra as he awaits DNA results. However, did comment that “it wasn't normal.” A few days later, a second unidentifiable animal was killed several miles away by a rancher. While Officer Hackett isn't ready to declare his find a Chupacabra, many believe the second one may be. Some have described these animals as “half alien/half dinosaur dog like creature with a spiny back” or “a vampire dog of some sort with huge fangs and no tail”. Others state “it has a tail”, or “a stubby cropped looking tail”. At this point, it depends on who you talk to. Hood County Animal Control sent the animal to Texas A&M for testing. Until DNA results are returned Doctors at Texas A&M would only say it's some kind of coyote hybrid. Se

Josh and Brent ditched city life to try life as organic farmers documented by Planet Green's newest series "The Fabulous Beekman Boys". After their one year anniversary in Beekman Mansion in Sharon Springs, NY, the boys began witnessing unexplainable activity, dishes began clanking, voices started calling out and floorboards began creaking, witnessed by the boys, their guests and fellow town members. The Beekman mansion was built between 1802 and 1804 by a young soldier named William Beekman who fought in the Revolutionary War and later became a recognized businessman. He and his wife had eight children, only two of which lived to age 20. According to the tombstones in the Beekman family crypt on the mansion’s property, one child, was killed by “a sleigh going over him” at age nine and a teenage son was “felled by a tree.” Town lore says that another child called Mary, a four-year-old, died in a barn fire. Her name is carved under the floorboards of the center hal

Do you there is any truth to the Robin Hood legend?

The guys and gals of Ghost Hunters International are back with a brand new season and three new members. Wednesday night will bring viewers in to the land of Robin Hood. The Galleries of Justice is a museum of Crime and Punishment and is housed in the old Nottingham Shire Hall. The Galleries dates back to 600AD and is the base for Nottingham's original Saxon settlement. It’s not know whether the site was used for imprisonment in the dark ages due to the lack of written records (the first known records date back to 1375). The Normans invaded and appointed Sheriffs as keepers of the peace and the collectors of taxes, dating back to 1125. However, there is currently no evidence to suggest they were based here from the beginning, but it’s known the site was referred to as the Sheriffs Hall, County Hall or the Kings Hall. Some believe it was the base of Robin Hood’s archenemy,the Sheriff of Nottingham. There were many discussions the building needed renovations during the 17th Centu

The below story was submitted by Kevin Wood: Penn Station wasn't always as nice and modern as it is right now. It used to be a terrible place. That commuters and travelers would dread going through. It was nasty, dirty, and full of homeless people. There is one homeless man in particular that stood out from the others that flooded Penn Station. He would stand there and say "it is coming, it is coming for us". When travelers would ask what is coming for us he would just say "the train to Hell". Travelers wouldn't didn't know how to respond to it, so they would just walk away. One day, the station manager approached the man and said "sir, you are disturbing other passengers, I'm going to have to ask you to leave". Unhappily the man exited the train station, but before exiting he stated "you have all been warned". Later that night (as always) the station emptied. The passengers would usually arrive about 10 to 15 minutes before t

The Alexander Inn, originally known as The Guest House, was built in 1943 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. It began as a wood framed building, similar to many other war-period “H-plan” buildings, and most importantly served as guest quarters to a number of dignitaries during the top secret Manhattan Project, including Enrico Fermi, Robert Oppenheimer and General Leslie Groves. In 1949, a 44-room addition was completed and went through a name change a year later to The Alexander Inn. The hotel was sold by the government to Mr. W. W. Faw for $34,000 in 1958 and private bathrooms and a ballroom were added, as well as the kitchen was expanded. The Alexander Inn closed its doors in the mid 1990’s. Since that time it has been privately owned and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but sat empty. Vandals raided the infamous location, tearing up the walls and broke every light fixture in the building. Despite the decades of deterioration and being No. 1 on the East Tenness

The fate of Fenton, Michigan was literally in the hands of a poker game. On August 24, 1834, William Fenton played high stakes poker with Robert Leroy and Benjamin Rockwell, winning the right to name the village. A full house allowed Fenton the right to name the city. The main business street was named Leroy and the principal residential street was called Rockwell. The Vermont House was built and owned by Seed and Flint with Mr. Seed being the first landlord. In 1868, Abner Roberts was owned the hotel, which was renamed the Fenton House. After many changes in ownership, D.W. DeNio purchased it in 1882 and renamed it once again the DeNio House. DeNio underwent major changes in furnishings including a billiard room, bar and sample room along with barn accommodations for 100 horses and a hall 30 by 80 feet in size for public parties. A grand opening party was provided under the management of the Carpediem Club, a social group composed of the town’s leading Citizens. Nearly 200 gue

In honor of Independence Day and the 50th birthday of our 50-star American flag, there will be no question this week. I hoped all my American brethren had a happy and safe 4th of July.

What better way to celebrate the fourth than revealing the truth of some common American independence myths. 1.) Independence Was Declared on the Fourth of July. Wrong! Independence was declared by the Continental Congress on July 2, 1776. This is the day according to a letter written by John Adams to his wife Abigail that "will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival." So, why do we celebrate the fourth? First of all, the Declaration of Independence was adopted on the fourth which is indicated on the document itself. It is believed that is where some of the confusion lies. Basically, the day the document was announced has overshadowed the event itself. Americans first celebrated independence on July 8th with a big party including a parade and firing of guns in Philadelphia. Secondly, to add to the confusion, a scholar in the nineteenth century came across the letter mentioned above and quietly "corrected" it. So, Adams festival p

Lily Dale was established in 1879, and has become the world’s largest center for spiritual development and the practice of the Spiritualist religion. In 1916, the childhood home of the Fox sisters (The sisters are considered to be the primary founders of modern spiritualism) was moved from Hydesville, New York to Lily Dale, NY, but unfortunately, burned down almost forty years later.The community provides a series of seminars and meetings throughout the year. In order to live in Lily Dale, the residents must pass a test proving that they are a medium, a healer or more commonly, a psychic of some sorts. Some residents read Tarot cards or palms. There are some numerologists and many mediums that supposedly allow the spirit to speak through them. There are also meetings at the “inspiration stump”, an actual large tree stump in the middle of a slightly wooded area. They each take turns getting up in front of the group of tourists, who gather in a wedding style setup on lawn chairs listenin