Some interesting links I've found this week:
• Telepathy - the Opening Up Of – Part One of a long essay by renowned psychic, Ingo Swann on whether telepathy can be trained, moving telepathy beyond its old concepts, organic telepathy... and more.
• The British Occult Secret Service: The Untold Story – How, historically, occultism and espionage have often been strange bedfellows; espionage is about obtaining secret information and witches, psychics and astrologers claim to be able to predict the future and know about things hidden from ordinary people.
• The Fairy Compendium – A terrific list of fairies and other elementals, and their particular characteristics, including changelings, leprechauns, merrows, and many, many more.
• All New Links

In this week's news, there was an article titled "Ghost-Hunting Groups Enjoy Popularity." And undoubtedly, TV shows like Ghosthunters have inspired the creation of hundred and hundreds of ghost-hunting groups all over the country. And this raises some questions: Are all these groups beneficial or harmful to the serious investigation of the paranormal? Or are they harmless clubs? What do you think?

In the way of disclosure, I am a member of a ghost-hunting group in my area (formed before such groups really became popular). And as much as I enjoy the ghost hunts, I sometimes wonder if we're really contributing to the understanding of ghost phenomena. It's fun, and I enjoy the friendships I've made with other members. But is it just a diversion? It's true that our group, like many out there, has captured many interesting EVP and even some provocative photos that could a show genuine ghost. So is this evidence that we've gathered and added to the accumulating body of evidence enough to justify groups like ours? Or do the answers to these questions depend on the particular ghost group and its methods and intentions?

What's your opinion?

More info: Lots of links about ghost hunting

Top story: Edinburgh's answer to Mulder and Scully
Plus:
• Granny ghost video freaks out half of Asia
• The British Bigfoot and the problem of food
• Ghostly little girl spooks drivers
• Real-life skull worship inspires new 'Indy' film
• How should we interpret spiritual experiences?
• 1948 "birdmen" cases revisited
... more Paranormal News

Photo: LiveLeak

"This occurred at approximately 11:00 p.m.," writes Danette. "I had just turned out the lights to hit the sack. My border collie-Australian shepherd started barking. I thought maybe it was a raccoon or skunk in my backyard. I have 30 ducks, three hens, a goat, all in my backyard. So the ducks were quacking, too. When I went to the living room and flipped on the outside deck light. I looked first back where my ducks were, and all of a sudden there stood a strange creature on my second step coming up to the deck. My dog was going crazy and looking in the direction where it stood about four feet away. I stared at it, trying to make out what it was...." And what it was turned out to be was unlike anything Danette had ever seen before. Read the rest of her encounter.

Great stone structures and megaliths around the world stand as mysteries to how they were constructed. Is it possible their builders possessed the powers of defying gravity?

Top story: Most haunted places in England revealed
Plus:
• Shadow ghost appears in family photo
• The paranormal and the autistic
• Budd Hopkins: a call to honesty about UFOs
• The mysterious entity that scared investigators
• Lake Pepin sea monster? Capture it for $50,000
• Mexico: an alleged flying humanoid
... more Paranormal News

Photo: João Ricardo Ferrer and forgetomori

Some interesting links I've found this week:
• Dead Pilot Tells How He Died: The Endeavor Mystery – On March 13, 1928, Captain Raymond Hinchliffe and Elsie Mackay took off from Cranwell aerodrome in England in their small plane, Endeavor, in an attempt to complete the first east-to-west transatlantic crossing. They were not to be heard from again, at least in the flesh.
• Ghost Box Audio – This group's ghost box scans the FM band, producing much more clear audio messages from ghosts and spirits, they say. Includes how-to videos.
• The South Shields Poltergeist – This 2005 case, in northeast England, started with anomalous movements of furniture and objects. The victims were a young couple, Marc and Marianne, and their three-year old son Robert.
• All New Links

Have you always wanted to capture an image of a ghost, a crypto creature or a UFO, but just weren't lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time? No problem. Just make one. Not for the purposes of fooling anyone, just for the purposes of our paranormal photo hoax contest. This year marks our fifth annual event. Here's how you can participate and win a prize. The deadline is May 31, 2008.

Photo: Last year's winner, by Thomas Lee

Top story: Mysterious 3-foot sphere retrieved in Alabama
Plus:
• Argentina: Chupacabras changes diet
• In search of an elusive creature
• Seven weird mythical creatures
• Farm comes with mysterious waterhole
• Alaska's prehistoric monster
• New French shrine could rival Lourdes
... more Paranormal News

"This incident took place around 20 years ago in Lincolnshire, England, where I live," writes Helen. "A friend of mine, who lived some miles away, came to stay for the weekend with her kids. The eldest at the time was about five years old or so. This friend had joined a Christian church and talked about it constantly. At the time, I had a drawer full of Unexplained magazines in my upstairs bedroom, which my friend did not approve of. Later in the day, I went upstairs to put something in the bedroom and found that I couldn't open the door...." Why? You'll have to read the rest of Helen's peculiar story to find out.

Also read: Poltergeist in Blue | Poltergeist Apartment