Paranormal State Part II

There was a time when I really enjoyed watching A&E’s Paranormal State.  Living alone, it’s fun to get a good scare on late at night right before bed. But I began to notice things about the show that seemed, well, less than objective. As a fan of low budget TV production, I realized how easily I could fake a show like Paranormal State.  Post a producer or production assistant outside the house listening to everything that’s going on inside via walkie-talkie, and tossing a pebble up against the right window at just the right time…   banging on an outside spigot…   Keying a transmitter and making an RF (ghost-o-) meter jump right on cue.  It wouldn’t be difficult. Then there has to be someone to take footage of the “walk-thru” interview to this week’s guest psychic so Ryan can honestly say “We haven’t discussed any of this, right?” So yeah, it all could be pretty easily faked.  But I kept watching because I wanted to believe. It was fun to believe.

Then they did an episode that strained all credibility. They visited a home where a mine far underground had claimed several lives. Immediately, they began drawing connections from their headaches and stomach aches to these long dead miners who were never recovered. But after comparing notes, they realized they may all be suffering from symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.  Someone said “Hey, I read an article where a doctor is studying the effects of CO exposure and incidents of paranormal experience.” So they tried to locate this doctor and set up a conference call with him. At the same, they hired someone to come in to test the air quality.  He detected CO in the air, at low levels, but said it was a still a serious concern since no level of CO is “normal” in a residence. He went on to say that the affects of CO exposure are cumulative.

Later, they finally reached the doctor. He said, “No, my study is about carbon monoxide poisoning and visual hallucinations.” Not surprisingly, they ended the discussion quickly. The wrap-up included an admission that this house was probably not haunted but added a caution about carbon monoxide poisoning.

OK, so… here’s what bothers me about this episode: If they’ve learned that visual hallucinations can be caused by CO exposure, then wouldn’t it be a good idea to test the air quality in every home they enter as a simple preliminary test? Knowing what they now know, would it be necessary as a part of any objective investigation? Isn’t it funny how may old homes happen to have ghosts? I wonder if it has anything to do with how many old homes have old chimneys and cracks in the masonry work and old furnaces.  Hmmmm.

Paranormal State (Part I)

It was December Third, 2009. I was in Wharton State Forrest (the Jersey pines) walking along a long rectangular lake, a former cranberry bog. I heard a loud noise come across the lake from the woods beyond. It was a strange noise, somewhat like a cross between a lion’s roar and an elephant’s trumpet blast. After about a minute I heard the noise again. It was closer and louder this time. The third time, it seemed very close, directly across the lake from me. I was a little scared wondering if I should turn back to my car or continue the walk. Two weeks later, I was watching Paranormal State on A&E and saw their season finale all about “The Jersey Devil”.  About half way thru the episode, the local expert was asked “Have there been any recent sightings?” He replied, “Sighting no, but several people have reported hearing the beast.” He played a cassette tape. It was the same noise I heard….. 

Now I’ll fill in some details I left out. About 20 years ago, I was hiking in Jackson NJ just outside the Great Adventure Safari Park. I heard this strange wild blast of a noise coming from the woods. I heard it three times getting closer and louder each time until one of the park’s zebra striped safari trucks appeared from that direction. I later found out they blast that noise along the outside of the fence to drive the animals out to the open so park visitors can see them.   

In 2009, the noise I heard was the same or very similar to what I heard outside the safari park. I also heard a diesel truck engine creeping slowly along with the second and third blasts of the noise.  So unless the Jersey Devil drives a diesel pickup, this was a man made noise. As I entered the area, I noticed a bearded guy sitting in a red pickup truck. At the time, I couldn’t account for why anyone would be driving around the pines blasting this noise. I guessed maybe it was to drive game towards a hunter’s tree stand. But a few days later I got my answer. Paranormal State was airing their season finale, a show all about the Jersey Devil. I think the guy in the red pickup was one of the “local experts” interviewed for the show. These guys, knowing the show was about to air, were obviously out to create buzz about the Jersey Devil and keep the myth alive.