NUPS 1st Annual Halloween Ghost Story Contest

Events, Info, NUPS, News 2 Comments »

Halloween 2010:in 1 month, 23 days, 15 hours, 5 minutes


Have you always wanted to go on a paranormal investigation but have never had the opportunity?  Well now’s your chance! The creepiness of Halloween is in the air, and it’s put us in a festive mood.  In order to help gear up for Halloween and to see just how creative and creepy our readers our, we’re holding our 1st Annual Halloween Ghost Story Contest.

So what are the rules?

  • Story Can Be True or Fictional (the creepier the better!)
  • Funny or Serious
  • 500-700 words
  • Applicants Must be 18 years of age or older
  • 1st place winner must be able to provide own transportation to investigation location which is in Northern Utah on 10/29/10 (no rainchecks).
  • All entries must be received by 10/1/2010 at midnight
  • Entries must be in Word format with Title, Name, E-mail address and Phone Number

Here are the prizes:

3rd Place : A copy of Restless Spirits: Utah’s Small Town Ghosts

2nd Place: An official NUPS shirt

1st Place: An official NUPS shirt and a spot for you and a friend (must be 18 or older) on our 10/29/10 investigation.

The winners will be chosen by local paranormal author Linda Dunning and announced on our website on 10/08/10.  The top three stories will also be featured on our website.

So don’t be shy,  get those fingers warmed up, and email us your entries!

EMF

Equipment, Info, NUPS No Comments »

Anyone interested in the paranormal will have at some point heard the phrase, EMF or Electromagnetic Field. But what is it really? What does it have to do with anything paranormal? How can you use a EMF detector to help in your paranormal investigations?

EMF by its technical definition is a area of electrically charged particles. Changes in the electromagnetic field are quite common and can be caused many different things, including common things found in your house. Power outlets in your house, especially your circuit breaker can cause large fluctuations in the EMF level. Especially if your house is older and is using unshielded wires. Electronics, such as televisions, computers, microwaves, and cell phones can all cause fluctuations in the EMF level as well. There is some debate, and on going research into the possibility of harmful effects of high levels of EMF radiation. While no conclusive studies have been done, some people report effects such as headaches, anxiety, nausea, and depression. For the most part, they are not something to worry about. You don’t come across high enough levels in your average day to cause any harm.

But what do EMF levels have to do with anything in the paranormal? A common theory among paranormal researchers is that spirits tend to feed off of energy. Many times when investigators are experiencing paranormal activity, they will experience a phenomena known as battery drain. A fully charged, or mostly charged set of batteries will suddenly go dead. So what does this have to do with EMF levels? Well EMF levels and energy are directly related. A fluctuation in the residual energy of the area will also affect the level of the magnetic field. So one way to measure localized energy fields during an investigation, is to measure the local magnetic field. Sudden fluctuations in the field could potentially mean the presence of some type of paranormal activity. By using an EMF detector, we can detect real time changes in the magnetic field, and in conjunction with other experiences and evidence, can help to verify and confirm the potential presence of a ghost. EMF detectors are a relatively cheap, and very important piece of equipment used in the study of the paranormal. So the next time you are looking for some new gear to help in your studies, be sure to check out some EMF detectors!

Help! I Think My House Is Haunted!?

Info, NUPS No Comments »

We are contacted frequently by people who think their house or workplace is haunted.  Often times there are reasonable non-paranormal explanations for what they’re experiencing.  Here are some tips to help you figure out if you should call in paranormal investigators or not.

  • Keep a log of your experiences including date, time and a brief description of what happens – This will allow you to notice any common factors such as time of day, time of year, or location of the activity.
  • Try to find reasonable explanations for the activity – Do you have noisy pipes or drafty windows/doors?  Are noises you hear possibly coming from outside or through your air vents?
  • Research your location – Although usually you won’t turn up anything eventful, it’s still a good idea to see what you can find and can give you useful info on previous owners.
  • Examine your personal life – Are you under a lot of stress at work or home?  Are there family problems that are causing contention in the home?  Have you been ill lately?  Are you taking any new medications?

After you’ve kept a log for a given period of time, and occurrences are still happening that you can’t explain it might be worth contacting a paranormal group to see if they can help.

What is Paranormal Investigation?

Investigations, NUPS, News No Comments »
The word paranormal conjures mental images of ghosts, psychic powers, and UFOs.  Depending on the region the term paranormal investigations can draw reactions ranging from detached amusement to fear of “devil worship”.  This article will shed some much needed light on the word itself, and the context in which NUPS employs it.

Going to the source; two hardcopy dictionaries reveal the following:

  • The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines paranormal as an adjective meaning “not scientifically explainable.”
Paranormal Investigation or Cultural Misconception?

Paranormal Investigation
or
Cultural Misconception?

  • The Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines paranormal as an both an adjective and a noun meaning “all the things that are impossible to explain by known natural forces or by science.

Anyone who has endured a high school Geometry class has suffered through the proof formula showing all numbers are equal to 1.  That proof is paranormal, or outside the established mathematical rule.

Normal was first used in the 1600s as a English mathematical term.  Paranormal is first noted in use beginning in the 1920s with no discernable etymology other than the obvious prefix addition of para [L. para-Beyond] to the word normal [L. normalis-In conformity with rule]: paranormal – beyond conformity with the rule.

The basic mission of Science is to define or explain that which is “not scientifically explainable,” yet today’s true paranormal investigations have a stigmata attached to them assigned by pop-culture.

Paranormal Investigations

The most damaging of these negative connotations is the assumption that all paranormal investigation is associated with atheists, demi-sciences, mediums, non-Judeo-Christian religions,psychics, and crackpot-ufology.

Often misunderstood in these heady days of the televangelist, paranormal investigation has been also been equated to Demonology.  Demonology is a branch of orthodox Christian Theology offered as course study at seminaries for main stream Christian denominations from Anglican, Baptist,

Episcopalian, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Protestant, to Roman Catholics; “Demonology is the doctrine, science, or studies concerning nonhuman entities and their impact on the Human Soul.”  Demonology exists in some form in all major religions and the recorded study of ‘demons and spirits’, as well as ways to combat them, extends back to the earliest recorded history in every culture.

The difference between Demonology and Paranormal Investigation is the belief system:

  • A Demonologist is a person that receives a Calling from God and is most often ordained or in some way beyond the standard laity.
    • A Demonologist believes in non-human entities and is concerned with the impact such entities will have on a person’s immortal soul;
    • Demonologists seek to prevent demonic influence, to assist the spiritually afflicted, and to educate about the dangers of the spiritual world, and;
    • A true Demonologist strongly attempts to dissuade anyone from investigating the spiritually paranormal.
  • A Paranormal Investigator, no matter what their belief system is, seeks to document and categorize potential paranormal activity utilizing scientific methods.
    • Investigation data is used to draw conclusions
    • in the predominance of cases the data recorded is explainable, such as unexplained random EMF-detector fluctuations leading to a finding of a magnetic field variance in the Earth’s EMF or AC power surges in the wiring at the physical location;
    • Other times the research leads to the edge of hard science, like Electronic Voice Phenomena [EVP], photos, or video with unexplainable aspects;
    • Most can be explained after additional research, some cannot;
    • Investigations leading to hard evidence of the spiritual paranormal [full body apparitions, poltergeists, ect.] are rare enough to be classified as unique.

There is more to ethical Paranormal Investigation than recording and exhibiting documentation of the currently unexplainable. The unseen behind-the-scenes work often overlooked by the general public and current television shows is where true, ethical paranormal investigators shine.  Data leads to theories, leading to further research, causing additional conclusions and theories; the end result being (most often) the unexplainable explained.  Should an investigation document hard evidence of the Spiritual impacting the Human World our first goal would be to connect those investigated with the appropriate denominational ministerial authorities.

The mission of Northern Utah Paranormal is to find a better understanding of paranormal activity through the use of scientific means.  Our goal is to provide each client an accurate, thoroughly documented investigation,  follow up after the investigation is complete, and support throughout the entire process.

NUPS exceeds expectations through our offering of ethical, legitimate, quality service to those in our community who are troubled by possible paranormal activity.  NUPS investigations are confidential and any unexplainable evidence will not be shared outside the investigation without client sign-off.

Were you to travel back to the mid-1970′s and show a member of the general public your iPhone it would be treated like a magic item.  Now imagine showing that person the iPone, a Dell mini, and follow-up with the HP 17.5′ media notebook playing Transformers. All real-world items that would have been paranormal, indeed hard science-fiction a mere 30-ish years ago.

Modern equipment is able to scientifically eliminate much of what was once considered the paranormal or spiritually paranormal. Through the careful utilization of proven technology,  state-of-the-art equipment, and scientific methods the Northern Utah Paranormal will investigate any type of paranormal occurrence in a business or private residence at no cost.  In the unlikely event that our investigation documents activity of the spiritually paranormal we will refer you to the appropriate ministerial authority to assist you in resolving your concerns.

Every NUPS member has been accepted on our team for their passion about paranormal research.  The Northern Utah Paranormal Society’s drive to find answers, document hard data, and develop innovative investigate techniques is a shared passion. We are the best because this is what we truly love doing!