Montauk Monster

Here is the most recent case of the "Montauk Monster" that was found in Long Island on May 5, 2009. Photo provided by Specialreport.com
Here is a picture of the first "Montauk Monster" that was found back in July of 2008. Photo provided by Montauk-Monster.com

Many times people associate the study of the paranormal only related to spiritual practices, ghosts, and demons, but there are many more areas of the field that this study entails. For example, the study of monsters is a large area. This week the online news has been buzzing with the news of the infamous "Montauk Monster." A corpse of one of these supposed monsters was found in Long Island on May 5, 2009 while the first case had been found not even more than a year before. There are various theories for these new monsters, but the most popular is that it could possibly be a mutated sea turtle with no shell. The part that fears that is has disease. Paranormal investigators are not too pleased with this new finding because various professionals think this is a media spectacle and nothing more.

"Personally, I can't stand how some paranormal television shows and investigation groups focus too much on the demonic or the monster aspect of the paranormal world,"said Sharon Coyle, the founder of Start the Journey. "I believe that if demons and monsters really have such strong powers that they wouldn't be taking it out on people who live out in the middle of nowhere or farm lands. It doesn't make sense."

Here is a link to the official Montauk Monster Blog: www.montauk-monster.com

CSULB professor using paranormal analytical arguments

Discuss Professor Boak Ferris' paranormal and spiritual analytical arguments

Melisa Pinnow Profile

Here's a video Pinnow made in regards of her visit to the Queen Mary and her experience with the paranormal activity she experienced.

Here's 15-year-old Melisa Pinnow's short Q & A session from Washington.

Q: When did you become interested in the paranormal?

A: I became interested in the paranormal i think when i graduated from elementary school and went to a private school for middle school, which I'm still at. It is a very old school and it was the first time i ha d ever gone upstairs and i immediately felt the presence of an old lady who was kinda annoyed that we were that but she tolerated it. So i went up there a lot and just sat in the place where i though she had died. Then i heard about how the school had actually had a paranormal past in the building! So I'm pretty sure thats what got me into the paranormal.Whats the best/worst about it? hmmm I think the best things about it is that it is just so amazing, incredible and remarkable to see, feel and interact with real people that had real lives. Its actually really fun for me lol. I love to do it any chance i get. The bad parts i guess could be that i could get possessed.

Q: Do you watch any of the paranormal television shows?

A: I watch ghost hunters and ghost hunters international and would love to meet the teams! lol. very awesome shows, very awesome. They are serious about what they do but do have some humor in there, its just them fooling around in their spare time and those times just crack me up! They always get some evidence and really know how to get spirits to respond to them.

Q: How long have you been researching and investigating the paranormal?
A: I have been researching the paranormal for about 3 years, I think.

Q: What are some of the locations you have visited to investigate?

A: I have investigated at my school, out at Hotel De Haro, Roche Harbor, the Queen Mary ( twice, love that place!! )and my house.... and maybe some more that I can't remember. I would love to go back to the Queen Mary though and investigate a lot of places in Seattle and the labs here on the island.

Q: What equipment do you typically use when you investigate? What's the best tool in your opinion?

A: I use a camera, the K2 meter, sometimes a laser thermometer or a tape recorder. But I always have my K2 meter with me, it is the best tool in my opinion,I would never leave without it. Another tool that i have used only a few times at my school was the Ouija board, and I do like that tool too, very cool but people say I shouldn't use it and usually keep it away from me so... yeah that sucks. But yeah the K2 is defiantly the best tool in my opinion.

Sharon Coyle Mini-Profile

Photo provided by Sharon Coyle.

Sharon Coyle, the founder of Start the Journey Paranormal Investigation Group started out doing investigations at a very young age because she had a family background of paranormally curious people and along with them her town. She has been very interested in the paranormal regardless of the fact that she is not a psychic. However, she does have a special ability for taking pictures of spirits even when she does not intend to. One of the scariest incidences she claims to have had was when she has the intuition to take a photograph of the inside of a closet and later when she was out at dinner with her friends and family, she looked back at her photographs and realized it was the image of a dead man hanging by the neck.

"It was so mortifying," said Coyle. "It was so detailed that you could even see the texture on the rope that was used to hang the poor man. Sometimes it gets very sad and scary because you feel helpless since there's not much you can do for these people who are already dead."

Coyle's favorite aspect of the paranormal world is the study of the "Shadow People," which are an unknown entity that take the forms of shadows and move around the room as pitch-black figures. She has seen the apparition of these shadow people on a few occasions, but once they appeared they never fully disappeared from her curiosity.

Here's a quote by Tuesday Miles, the host of the P.O.R.T.A.L Paranormal Radio Show had to say about her partner Coyle. She posted this up on the meetup.com group profile for newcomers to the group to view:

"Sharon Coyle runs an excellent meetup group, she works hard in arranging different ghost hunting venues for each member to attend , some are for the well experienced ghost hunter and some are for the beginners. There is an event for all. She shares her experiences with the group, and is easy to approuch with questions, I find Sharon Coyle to be one of the nicest people who loves to ghost hunt. Her goal is to just have a good time in hopes each ghost investigation all in the group walk away with having an excellent experience. She does not over charge the group for her own profit, which I find A BONUS in these groups, events some times do cost a fee, but Sharon is busy trying to make the event affordable for all to attend. So you have tried the rest now try the best !!!! ( smiles )."

Bad Economy leads people to rely on Psychics

It was interesting to find that the majority of the people who visit psychics at the Learning Light center for the monthly psychic fairs would go to seek answers for financial issues regarding themselves, the economy, and loved ones. A variety of people also attended different forms of psychic workshops so that they could learn to tell the future themselves. Going to psychics for advice or fortune-telling can become very costly on their own so it's fascinating as to why people who already have money problems would resort to spending even more money? The people who live on a tight budget are generally the ones who are spending their already low cash on the paranormal for guidance.

In several of the local news sources such as the ones found online, print, and on television reported today that there has been an increase in psychic clients due to the immense desperation regarding the loss of jobs and homes. Here is a short clip regarding some of these worries.

Links and Websites:

Here are the links and websites where additional information, photographs and interviews may be accessed:

http://www.myspace.com/paranormaljournalism

http://www.youtube.com/user/SillyAmer

The Hauntings of Alcatraz Prison

Here is one of the dark corridors in Alcatraz prison that is said to clang as if men run up and down the stairs late at night when the tourist boats have taken all the visitors back to land.

The first thing many tourist think about when they arrive outside Alcatraz prison is about what happened to the criminals that attempted to escape over four decades ago, but it was only until recently that the paranormal aspect of the visits began to overshadow the escape of 1962. There have been some recent claims of a banjo playing in the prison once all visitors have cleared out except for the night security guards. These musical notes are believed to be the doing of one of Alcatraz' most famous inmates, Al Capone, because that was what he would do to pass the time. However, nobody has provided evidence so the claims remain as just a rumor.

Many ideas about the Alcatraz also arise when movies such as, "Escape from Alcatraz," "The Rock," or "The Birdman," come into conversation, but many of the employees over at the prison say they are lies. That includes all the paranormal claims that were made in various documentaries and televisions shows about ghosts as well. Alcatraz even offers a separate ranger to guide a tour based on explaining these supposed lies and say they were merely concocted by Hollywood, regardless of some of the allegations made by the security guards in the middle of the night.

"Do I know about the paranormal activity that is said to occur here at Alcatraz , well of course I do," said Ranger John Cantwell. "I have never seen anything here myself but I have heard several people say they have a strange feeling when they walk through the prison cells, but I think a lot of it has to do with ideas people put in their heads when they watch ghost hunter shows."

When asked about the accuracy of the portrayal of Alcatraz in some of the more popular movies based on the prison regarding torture, the rangers denied them as well.

"Movies don't lie, right?" said Ranger Al Blair, the guide for the Hollywood tour. "I mean, if Sean Connery escaped from Alcatraz and Hollywood tells us the criminals should have successfully escaped, that's the way it really goes apparently."

In order to arrive to Alcatraz Prison, tourist and employees have to take the same route on a ferry boat that the former prisoners took before they were locked away.  This leaves many tourists with the feelings of a combination of sympathy and tranquility because the sight on board is a beautiful, yet sad one. 

"It makes you feel really sad because it's such a nice view but then you hear about the torture that took place here and it's kind of difficult to believe there aren't any spirits lingering here," said Erik Gutierrez, a visiting tourist on Spring break. "I mean, that's a big reason I came here today. I want to see what this fuss about spirits and ghostly banjo music is because its been reported on the TV."

Several paranormal investigators, psychics and mediums have tested the receptivity of Alcatraz and it is often reported by visitors that the feeling of anger and frustration is leaked into the walls. 

"Many people come here claiming they can feel the thoughts of the prisoners when they were locked up, " said Cantwell. "I can't say I feel the same but at least people walk away with a ghost story to tell when they get home."

This vault is located near the visitation center and warden's office, which was where the prisoners used to go when they misbehaved. Two officers were murdered at this location and paranormal activity has been reported here since 1976, which is a full 30 years after the murders took place.

Here is one of the rooms where the infamous Alcatraz prisoners escaped back in 1962. The rangers at Alcatraz assured guests that the men never made their escape to Angel Island alive and it was only in the movies.