related_results_labels({"version":"1.0","encoding":"UTF-8","feed":{"xmlns":"http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom","xmlns$openSearch":"http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/","xmlns$georss":"http://www.georss.org/georss","id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168219303449559049"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-12-08T16:45:17.487-07:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Buck's Ghosts and Hauntings"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":""},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://bucksghosts.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2168219303449559049/posts/default/-/Scientific+Research?alt\u003djson-in-script\u0026max-results\u003d5"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://bucksghosts.blogspot.com/search/label/Scientific%20Research"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2168219303449559049/posts/default/-/Scientific+Research/-/Scientific+Research?alt\u003djson-in-script\u0026start-index\u003d6\u0026max-results\u003d5"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Buck"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/03195661861205323477"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"9"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"5"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168219303449559049.post-7542805306076024819"},"published":{"$t":"2009-07-14T02:43:00.006-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-07-14T03:37:00.307-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Scientific Research"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"amateur ghost hunters"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"science"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The Age Old Science Vs. Hobby Debate"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u48bOmgAyeY/Slxd02-MNmI/AAAAAAAAVQw/YjUzs9MuxOc/s1600-h/copperqueen.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 262px; height: 320px;\" src\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u48bOmgAyeY/Slxd02-MNmI/AAAAAAAAVQw/YjUzs9MuxOc/s320/copperqueen.jpg\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358260819354990178\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eTonight at dinner I had a chance to visit with my dear friend Sandy and another member of our former team. As we concluded the meal, Sandy and I began discussing the age old debate over ghost hunting as hobby and ghost hunting as science.\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThe reason my posts on this blog have been so infrequent over the past months can be summed up in the word \"disgust.\" I had/have become disgusted with the amateurishness of paranormal studies. I became tired of everyone who watches TV shows launching their own \"clone\" group that normally turned out to be little more than a fan club. I became disgusted with the bastardization of the word \"science\" and I became disillusioned by the childishness, competitiveness, and outright juvenile behavior of supposed adults who claimed to be \"scientists\" despite never having so much as taken a science class beyond high school.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eEverywhere I turned I came across hobbyists who pretended to be scientists. Worse, these people had no clue about the scientific process and thought that simply using whatever electronic device came to hand meant that \"science\" was somehow involved in their hobby. I got tired of hearing \u003ci\u003ead \u003c/i\u003e\u003ci\u003enauseum\u003c/i\u003e about science, science, science and when I asked to see their published data and conclusions all I found were random recordings of irrelevant \"readings\" that no one had ever bothered to study. In many cases, other than trying to impressively list \"atmospheric data\" and \"moon phases\" they didn't bother with much else. When I would ask why people bothered to note that data I was told all sorts of things like \"paranormal activity kicks up during full moon\" or \"high humidity (or low humidity) has been shown to affect paranormal phenomenon\" or \"sun spots and atmospheric disturbances are known to increase phenomenon.\" Yet, no one could seem to provide me with the actual study they had done (or anyone else of repute) to back up their claims. In other words, they were noting these things because of urban legends basically but had no idea how to quantify and qualify the data.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThis is where science and ghost hunting diverge. Ghost hunting is a fun hobby. Going to a supposedly \"haunted\" place at night is thrilling and interesting. For those of us who like history the thought of actually coming across a spirit of someone from the past is a very touching and almost spiritual (pardon the pun) experience. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eYet, most people in this field refuse to acknowledge that deep down they do it because it is fun. Wary not to be seen as \"kooks\" they cloak their hobby in pseudo-scientific terms and call themselves \"skeptical.\" In the process they actually become kooky. They bastardize true science and make it very difficult for the academics who study the field seriously to gain any foothold in the scientific community. After all, if you hold a doctorate in physics and work alongside a person with a doctorate in psychology to try to uncover the source of paranormal activity and claims, it does not help you when rank amateurs are running around waving EMF meters and Geiger counters and claiming to \"find\" ghosts with them, yet never showing the first bit of substantial data.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eI used to look at the people who just enjoyed going to haunted places to experience things with a sense of bemusement. Yet, over time I have found they are at least honest. They understand that they want to have fun and enjoy a brush with the paranormal. Meanwhile, the \"scientifically based\" ghost hunters run around doing the same thing but pretending that their meters and other gadgets which are not designed to do what they use them for will get them some sort of proof that serious academics cannot find using better equipment and more exhaustive data analysis.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eI saw a great quote recently about the ghost hunters' use of gadgets meant for other things including the current \"sweetheart\" of the tech crowd: Thermal imaging: \"A thermometer is a wonderful tool, but if you're using it to measure barometric pressure it is completely useless.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eI believe that is the crux of my disillusionment with the \"scientific\" ghost hunting crowd. It is picking up any gadget without understanding it and then assuming each and every result is somehow paranormal. It becomes a case of every errant meter blip, every beep of a device, every twitch of a needle - no matter how natural - \"proving\" paranormal activity.  It is the desire to find a ghost, to experience the paranormal, without the conviction to just enjoy it as a hobby. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eIn closing, I will eventually get back into this field. My interests have shifted far from electronic gadgets to looking at the psychology of hauntings and the haunted. In short, I no longer find the idea of \"capturing\" a ghost within some random readings on a gadget appealing but rather capturing the reason that people, even when frightened, dismiss the ordinary and seek instead the extraordinary.  If I were to study paranormal phenomena again it would be in those terms. Yet, I still enjoy creeping around a \"haunted place\" at night and exploring my own psychological reaction to the expectation of coming across the spirits of the past. But now I know that can be done without pretending it is hard science.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2168219303449559049-7542805306076024819?l\u003dbucksghosts.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://bucksghosts.blogspot.com/feeds/7542805306076024819/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d2168219303449559049\u0026postID\u003d7542805306076024819\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2168219303449559049/posts/default/7542805306076024819"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2168219303449559049/posts/default/7542805306076024819"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://bucksghosts.blogspot.com/2009/07/age-old-science-vs-hobby-debate.html","title":"The Age Old Science Vs. Hobby Debate"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Buck"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/03195661861205323477"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"02653328012866227494"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u48bOmgAyeY/Slxd02-MNmI/AAAAAAAAVQw/YjUzs9MuxOc/s72-c/copperqueen.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168219303449559049.post-5756080556041687481"},"published":{"$t":"2008-11-04T03:55:00.001-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2008-11-04T03:55:58.961-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Scientific Research"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ouija Boards"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"science"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Opinion"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Yes, but does it blink?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://lh4.ggpht.com/_u48bOmgAyeY/SRAqODZ3AcI/AAAAAAAAEEk/Dv51MVCeuTo/s1600-h/ouija05-29-08%5B8%5D.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 10px 0px 0px 5px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"ouija05-29-08\" align\u003d\"right\" src\u003d\"http://lh3.ggpht.com/_u48bOmgAyeY/SRAqOSIJI-I/AAAAAAAAEEo/yQUv2UZrnw0/ouija05-29-08_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax\u003d800\" width\u003d\"252\" height\u003d\"354\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e If you look to the right you will notice a new poll on the sidebar. The poll asks the question: Which of these can be used to communicate with ghosts?\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eMy thoughts in conducting this poll are to see if people's attitudes are swayed by electronic gadgets.\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAfter all, on paranormal entertainment television the latest rages are the K2 meter and the \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.digitaldowsing.com/Ovilus1.htm\"\u003e\u0026quot;Ovilus\u0026quot; device\u003c/a\u003e used on \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eParanormal State\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e. First, let me say that the name of that thing sounds more appropriate for a new women's birth control device than a paranormal gadget. Beyond that, though both devices have come into vogue as communication devices. \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe K2 made an early appearance on \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGhost Hunters\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e where they introduced it to the world at large and feigned skepticism despite the appearance of being able to ask questions and get responses from a spirit. \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThis year it has been all the rage on the show as they break it out in each episode and seem to have running dialogues with ghosts at times.\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eBut, as \u003ca href\u003d\"http://pofile.blogspot.com/2008/11/paranormal-parlor-tricks.html\"\u003eMasterPo pointed out on another blog\u003c/a\u003e, what do we really know about the device? First, it's not designed to talk with ghosts. It's a quick screening tool used by electricians to detect EMF leaks in wiring. The \u0026quot;communication\u0026quot; belief came about because it has lights that flash when it detects a field. Suddenly, adherents of the \u0026quot;EMF fields are ghosts\u0026quot; mantra had something that was easy to watch and made for nice video and thrilling \u0026quot;a ha!\u0026quot; moments. \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eYet, the very same questions asked of \u0026quot;ghosts\u0026quot; using the K2 are the very same questions once asked by investigators using a Ouija board. \u0026quot;Scientific\u0026quot; ghost hunters scoff at the use of a Ouija board in investigations citing the fact it is \u0026quot;easily manipulated\u0026quot; or from the more superstitious \u0026quot;opens a portal to the other side\u0026quot;. Yet, the K2 is also easily manipulated. The coin placed in the thumb press if insecure can cause the lights to flash. Setting it to near other pieces of equipment can cause it to flash. Walkie-Talkies and some radio interference can cause it to flash. The list goes on and on. This isn't even considering how easy it would be to rig one by simply replacing the EMF components with a receiver to activate the lights by remote.\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://lh5.ggpht.com/_u48bOmgAyeY/SRAqO-4h47I/AAAAAAAAEEs/Q8FPK9yqOfA/s1600-h/ouija-guitar_6648_360x125%5B6%5D.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"ouija-guitar_6648_360x125\" src\u003d\"http://lh6.ggpht.com/_u48bOmgAyeY/SRAqPZcUlZI/AAAAAAAAEEw/0ZffD6MjtXc/ouija-guitar_6648_360x125_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax\u003d800\" width\u003d\"404\" height\u003d\"143\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eSo, why do \u0026quot;scientific\u0026quot; ghost hunters hitch their wagon to this little device? Simply put, it has lights and uses batteries. There really are few other reasons. As a truly scientific device it is worthless. After all, no investigator has ever proven a relationship between an EMF spike and a ghost. There are lots of \u0026quot;stories\u0026quot; out there but no conclusive studies showing a repeatable and verifiable relationship. \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAgain, this is one of those areas where \u0026quot;science\u0026quot; has come to mean \u0026quot;technology\u0026quot;. Those two words are not interchangeable. \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eLet's look at this quote from a TV story on ghost hunters in Phoenix investigating yet another cemetery:\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cblockquote\u003e   \u003cp\u003eThe team uses an electromagnetic field meter, recording devices and a thermometer to look for paranormal activity.      \u003cbr /\u003e      \u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e    \u003cp\u003e\u0026quot;People who have a psychic ability can feel it and sense it,\u0026quot; says ghost hunter Patricia Tate. \u0026quot;They sense something's just not right. For those who are only into the science of it you have a change in the temperature you have a change in the k-2 meter which is the electrical fields.\u0026quot; \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/blockquote\u003e  \u003cp\u003eHere, my point is made clearly although Ms. Tate, misses it. The devices she uses are not \u0026quot;scientific\u0026quot; they are just technological. A psychic's \u0026quot;impressions\u0026quot; rarely can be verified. Certainly, at times using a combination of lab studies and field work a slight deviation from normal guessing can be shown, but \u0026quot;scientific\u0026quot; teams usually prefer to rely on technology. Yet, were the very instruments mentioned in the quote all to show some slight anomalies, would it be scientific?\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eNo, it would be interesting. To be scientific those readings would have to be correlated over years of study and research. Tests and experiments would have to be developed to try to understand what causes the variations. Laboratory or control testing would have to be undertaken to help better understand the foibles of the tools as well as their use in controlled circumstances. \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eLet me be also crystal clear that when I say readings must be correlated over years of study and research I do not mean that three years from now someone is sitting around telling stories about EMF spikes they got from memory. I mean charting every single base reading, every single anomaly and then doing comparative and interpretive studies using statistics and looking at various variables.\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eUnderstanding that bells, buttons, and flashing lights do not make a team \u0026quot;scientific\u0026quot; would go far in helping the fledgling groups understand that of all the dozens of pieces of equipment listed on any page of a group's website, the most important will always be their brains.\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2168219303449559049-5756080556041687481?l\u003dbucksghosts.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://bucksghosts.blogspot.com/feeds/5756080556041687481/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d2168219303449559049\u0026postID\u003d5756080556041687481\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"4 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2168219303449559049/posts/default/5756080556041687481"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2168219303449559049/posts/default/5756080556041687481"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://bucksghosts.blogspot.com/2008/11/yes-but-does-it-blink.html","title":"Yes, but does it blink?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Buck"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/03195661861205323477"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"02653328012866227494"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"4"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168219303449559049.post-268293349448283006"},"published":{"$t":"2008-11-02T13:17:00.000-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2008-11-02T13:20:17.286-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Scientific Research"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"psychology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"science"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"More or Less Skeptical?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003eWhat happens as we investigate more and more? Do we tend to become more accepting of paranormal phenomena and claims of haunting? Do we get jaded and more dismissive?\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eNo one, to my knowledge, has ever asked that question and backed it up with hard information. \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eIn my case, I think (note: think) I have become more skeptical. Since I have nothing to measure this against but memory I can't state that as fact. Yet, thinking back a few years, I was much more open to many claims of phenomena. At one point I even believed the line about orbs quite a while back. \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eWhen I began actually investigating, I seemed to be a bit more eager to accept unusual events as paranormal. Now, it is hard to get me to budge off my \u0026quot;I don't know.\u0026quot; platform. \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eYet, how could we measure whether people are more or less skeptical as they go along? Would there be an overall trend or would it strictly be a case by case evolution with some going one way and some another?\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eWhat would be the point the technology folks would ask. The point, quite simply would be to help us understand the evolution of belief in real world situations. What happens to the \u0026quot;they'll believe anything\u0026quot; argument if we see that people become more skeptical and critical as they spend time in the field? What happens if we learn that people become more accepting of paranormal ideas as they work? Could it explain why older groups sometimes find so much more activity? Could the former explain why some older groups find much less?\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eOf course, the only way to test this would be to have completely green investigators and administer one of the tests before they began truly working with a group. Then another could be administered after 6 months and another at 1 year and compare the results. What happened during that time? Did their attitudes shift or remain the same? Which particular attitudes underwent shifts?\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eJust one more of those thoughts flitting about my head lately and one that I hope someone will be able to study one day.\u0026#160; Maybe, I will be in a position to at some point.\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2168219303449559049-268293349448283006?l\u003dbucksghosts.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://bucksghosts.blogspot.com/feeds/268293349448283006/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d2168219303449559049\u0026postID\u003d268293349448283006\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2168219303449559049/posts/default/268293349448283006"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2168219303449559049/posts/default/268293349448283006"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://bucksghosts.blogspot.com/2008/11/more-or-less-skeptical.html","title":"More or Less Skeptical?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Buck"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/03195661861205323477"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"02653328012866227494"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168219303449559049.post-8410163123432743005"},"published":{"$t":"2008-10-30T09:46:00.000-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2008-10-30T09:47:12.386-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Scientific Research"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"EVP"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"science"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"theories"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Are EVP Just Radio?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003eEVP's are just radio signals. That's one idea thrown out by hard-core skeptics. Yet, they have failed to produce any hard evidence to back it up. EVP's are \u0026quot;ghosts\u0026quot; communicating. That's the other end of the spectrum thrown out by true believers and yet they have failed to produce any hard evidence to back it up.\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAs always, I don't care which group is correct. What I care about are facts and figures. Whichever notion holds weight, or neither, I am willing to accept the conclusion if it has been properly tested, data recorded, and results analyzed.\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eSo, in this vein I am thinking of trying a new experiment that would correlate local radio transmissions in a broad range with EVP captured during investigations, even those we might normally throw out as inconclusive.\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eWe use hand held walkie-talkies at large investigations which operate in a narrow Citizens Band range. We've never noticed interference with audio (other than the obvious direct recording when the volume is turned up) although we have noted they can interfere with K2 meters.\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eYet, I would like to look at a broad range of radio signals. What if the local cops are transmitting something? A HAM radio operator nearby? What about old die-hard CB fans on upper channels? \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe only way to correlate these transmissions is to use a wide frequency scanner and record this radio traffic during an investigation. Then, by reviewing that audio alongside the EVP audio we could see if any transmissions overlap with an EVP response. This would either rule in or rule out radio interference when the data are analyzed over time.\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eI know that skeptics insist on the use of a Faraday cage to limit radio interference, yet, few groups actually use them and they can be faulty. A serious study showing that radio does or does not contaminate digital or analog audio could help lay to rest the controversy once and for all. Proving that EVP can be contaminated when used without shielding can go far in invalidating many of the claims floating about and retesting with the cages could prove conclusively a method to safely gather audio data. Likewise, showing conclusively that audio is not contaminated by radio signals could remove one argument against EVP as a legitimate phenomena (although other questions would remain). \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eSo, I am thinking of getting a wide frequency scanner like the following:\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e200ch 800Mhz Compact BC-95XLT Scanner\u003c/b\u003e\u0026#160; (bc-95xlt) \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 5px 15px 0px 0px\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\" align\u003d\"right\" src\u003d\"https://www.webtrix.net/shopcart/Advanced/cartimages/bc-95xlt.jpg\" /\u003e200 Channels / 10 Banks!\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cul\u003e   \u003cli\u003eCompact Design , easy to program - The Uniden BC95XLT is designed to be compact for added flexibility and portability! \u003c/li\u003e    \u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eEasiest To Use HandHeld Radio Scanner!\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/li\u003e    \u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eClose Call RF Capture Technology\u003c/b\u003e - Instantly tunes to signals from nearby transmitters, no scanning or searching!! \u003c/li\u003e    \u003cli\u003eFrequency Coverage - Includes the most interesting \u0026quot;action\u0026quot; bands where you can hear police, ambulance, fire, Marine, CB, Aircraft, ham radio, public utilities, weather, and more!( 25-54,108-174,406-512,806-956 excluding cellular). \u003c/li\u003e    \u003cli\u003eLoaded with additional features such as 10 Programmable Search Ranges, 6 Preprogrammed Service Searches including Public Safety, Railroad, Air, Marine, CB, GMRS/FRS, Weather, News Media, Ham Radio! \u003c/li\u003e    \u003cli\u003eBacklit Display - Easy night time operation with Uniden's Patented Backlight-On-Squelch feature that illuminates when there is channel activity.      \u003cbr /\u003eAlso has Priority Scan, built in attenuator for strong signal areas, new blue color \u0026amp; more!! \u003c/li\u003e    \u003cli\u003eRequires just 2 optional 'AA' Batteries, regular or NiMi rechargeable,(batteries can be charged while in the scanner) Ac Adapter/Charger Included. See our Batteries Category for Super 2650mA AA cells! \u003c/li\u003e    \u003cli\u003ePC programmable w/ Optional Cable \u0026amp; software Too! \u003c/li\u003e    \u003cli\u003eGREAT GIFT IDEA!! \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cp\u003eYes, it is a great gift idea. Unfortunately, in today's economic climate the price tag of $117.97 is not in my budget. But, if you're interested in this study or idea and would like to help out. Or if you enjoy the blog and would like to chip in here's your chance. \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eClick the button below to contribute $1 or more toward this piece of equipment and study. When I publish the results I'll be sure to include a special thanks to you in the final draft. \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cform method\u003d\"post\" action\u003d\"https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr\"\u003e\u003cinput type\u003d\"hidden\" name\u003d\"cmd\" /\u003e \u003cinput type\u003d\"hidden\" name\u003d\"hosted_button_id\" /\u003e \u003cinput border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\" src\u003d\"https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif\" type\u003d\"image\" name\u003d\"submit\" /\u003e \u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\" src\u003d\"https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif\" width\u003d\"1\" height\u003d\"1\" /\u003e \u003c/form\u003e\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2168219303449559049-8410163123432743005?l\u003dbucksghosts.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://bucksghosts.blogspot.com/feeds/8410163123432743005/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d2168219303449559049\u0026postID\u003d8410163123432743005\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2168219303449559049/posts/default/8410163123432743005"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2168219303449559049/posts/default/8410163123432743005"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://bucksghosts.blogspot.com/2008/10/are-evp-just-radio.html","title":"Are EVP Just Radio?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Buck"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/03195661861205323477"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"02653328012866227494"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168219303449559049.post-1337292076606090599"},"published":{"$t":"2008-10-27T09:07:00.000-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2008-10-27T09:22:04.078-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Scientific Research"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"EMF"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"science"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"New EMF Study"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://lh4.ggpht.com/BuckBannister/SQXqpnEU9aI/AAAAAAAADjg/fwZMfeWX3C8/s1600-h/elect0030%5B6%5D.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 0px 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"elect0030\" align\u003d\"left\" src\u003d\"http://lh3.ggpht.com/BuckBannister/SQXqqx0yn0I/AAAAAAAADjk/p5sbmTPvrG4/elect0030_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax\u003d800\" width\u003d\"206\" height\u003d\"354\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e A new report by \u003ca target\u003d\"_blank\" href\u003d\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_French\"\u003eChristopher French\u003c/a\u003e of London College details an experiment he conducted using a fake \u0026quot;haunted room\u0026quot;. Building upon \u003ca target\u003d\"_blank\" href\u003d\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Persinger's\"\u003eMichael Persinger's\u003c/a\u003e experiments and his newer work attempting to link \u003cabbr title\u003d\"Electromagnetic Frequency\"\u003eEMF\u003c/abbr\u003e and haunting phenomena, French and his team constructed a room fitting out with electromagnetic generators and low frequency sound generators.\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eSubjects were placed in the dimly lit and cool room for a period of time and told they might experience some \u0026quot;unusual\u0026quot; sensations. Each participant was rated on the Australian Sheep-Goat scale which seeks to classify where someone falls on the scale between true believer (sheep) and hard core skeptic (goat). \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe average EMF generated was in the range of 50 microtesla or 500 milligauss. These are huge readings and far above anything someone might experience in their home or a \u0026quot;haunted location.\u0026quot; Most homes with decent wiring have base readings of around .1 mG. The spikes near refrigerator coils and appliances sometimes reaches 50mG (5 mT). It is rare to find anything approaching even 100 mG. \u003c/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eHowever, the researcher reported that during their experiment many people felt odd sensations ranging from dizziness to even terror. Yet, the results ranged through both the control group and the group actually receiving the bursts of EMF and/or Low Frequency Sound. At the end of the experiment French's team could not conclude that EMF or LFS had played a significant role in the reported phenomena and reactions.\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cblockquote\u003e   \u003cp\u003eFrench insists such research can reveal important truths about the human mind, including questions of memory and delusions. \u0026quot;Within psychology, people talk about reality monitoring, trying to understand how we make distinctions between mental events and events that take place out there in the real world,\u0026quot; he says. \u0026quot;It's something we take for granted: Did you really lock the door before you went to bed, or did you just think about it?\u0026quot; On the extreme is schizophrenia, in which the brain makes no distinction between the real and the imagined.\u003c/p\u003e    \u003cp\u003e\u0026quot;There's a continuum, and this kind of framework is useful when you're talking about hallucinatory experiences,\u0026quot; French says. \u0026quot;People are mistaking their attribution, feeling a product of their own mental processes as something that's taking place in the real world. Anything that can lead to making your mental events more similar to events that take place\u0026#8212;a vivid imagination, for example\u0026#8212;will make it more difficult to distinguish between the two.\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/blockquote\u003e  \u003cp\u003eFrench noted that he began his study of parapsychology by visiting supposedly haunted places. He has theorized, not to originally, that people in those situations or who are hunting ghosts \u0026quot;psych themselves out\u0026quot; and imagine noises, shadows and other things that aren't in existence in reality. \u0026quot;I wish it was a bit more spooky,\u0026quot; he says of his time waiting for apparitions to appear in dank, musty castles. \u0026quot;I'm sitting in the dark, in the cold. I wish something more would happen.\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e  \u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2168219303449559049-1337292076606090599?l\u003dbucksghosts.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://bucksghosts.blogspot.com/feeds/1337292076606090599/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d2168219303449559049\u0026postID\u003d1337292076606090599\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"2 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2168219303449559049/posts/default/1337292076606090599"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2168219303449559049/posts/default/1337292076606090599"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://bucksghosts.blogspot.com/2008/10/new-emf-study.html","title":"New EMF Study"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Buck"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/03195661861205323477"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"02653328012866227494"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"2"}}]}});