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.
As someone who works in the field of gas burning appliances, I can tell you that carbon monoxide poisoning is far more common than most people think. According to The Journal of Emergency Medicine, more than 40,000 people seek medical attention for carbon monoxide poisoning in the United States each year. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission reports approximately 200 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning associated with home fuel-burning heating equipment. Finally, the CDC reports, more than 500 Americans die from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning each year while more than 2,000 commit suicide by intentionally poisoning themselves. Like I said, it's a far more common problem than most people think. In my opinion, having a carbon monoxide detector in your home is just as important as having a smoke detector. Both can and will save your life.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide_poisoning
Good Advice! Thank you.
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