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    Creepy Tales on the Tube…


    2008 - 10.31

    Posted in ghosts, hauntings, interviews, ohio, television, websites | Comments Off

    Halloween has finally arrived, and with it an endless supply of haunted television programming.

    Today, That’s Life with Robin Swoboda took a look at northeast Ohio hauntings. I was fortunate enough to be contacted by the producer who wished to interview me on camera about a local haunt: “Hell Town”, better known as the village of Boston in the Cuyahoga Valley. In two separate segments, I talked a little about the history of the area and its rumors and ghosts.

    The program was filmed live at Squire’s Castle. Tales of Gore Orphanage and the Melonheads were relayed by the denizen of the departed, Stephanie Lane of Dead Ohio, and the crypt kicker himself, Chuck Hawley of Creepy Cleveland, respectively. Also featured on the show were Robyn Morris, innkeeper of Goodwin House Bed & Breakfast in Burton, as well as people from Painesvile’s Rider’s Inn and Perkins Mansion in Akron among others.

    To view clips of the show, visit Fox 8 Cleveland’s ‘That’s Life‘ page. Video clips will be viewable for the next seven days.

    Have a safe and fun Halloween, everyone!

    A Shy Ghost From the Old World…


    2008 - 10.30

    Posted in ghosts, hauntings, romania, video, youtube | Comments Off

    I found this video on YouTube quite a while ago. Luckily, I was cleaning out my folder with bookmarks for this blog and stumbled across it again.

    Filmed at an allegedly haunted house in the Romanian town of Bacau, this news footage shows what quite obviously appears to be a ghostly presence in the upper balcony. Is it genuine? I can’t state that for certain. But it’s intriguing nonetheless. And with my Bohemian roots, I couldn’t resist. Even though Romanian is one of the Romance languages, I won’t attempt to translate exactly.

    I apologize in advance for the overused X Files theme music…

    Supernatural Spotlight: Jeff Belanger


    2008 - 10.30

    Posted in authors, books, hauntings, jeff belanger, massachusetts, paranormal, spotlight, television | Comments Off

    Back what seems like eons ago, I belonged to several paranormal message boards and kept up on them a quite regularly. One of my favorites that I followed very closely was Ghostvillage. While I haven’t found time to be as active as I was, I still stop on every so often to see what’s happening. The creator, Jeff Belanger, still operates the site but he has become a bit of a phenomenon himself.

    From webmaster to prolific author, Belanger has churned out a series of books on both the paranormal and odd history. And it may not be surprising that his website was the catalyst. The Worlds Most Haunted Places: From The Secret Files Of Ghostvillage.com launched his paranormal literary career, though he had been a writer long before it was published. He received his English degree from Hofstra University and was the editor of a Connecticut newspaper for a spell.

    But like many of us, ghosts were a fascination of Jeff’s from a young age. His first investigation was at the age of 10 during a sleepover at a haunted house. The lure of hauntings never went away and Belanger is now considered a leading expert in the field of the supernatural. Even so, he maintains a good sense of humor and level head, earning him many fans and lecture engagements.

    Ghostvillage.com began in 1999 and has grown to an enormous size. Jeff has been featured on countess radio and television shows and mentioned in dozens of print media sources. Now, he is a full-time writer living in Massachusetts with many projects on his slate. There are plans for a paranormal thriller novel and even a children’s book in the works. He is also the writer and researcher for the new series, Ghost Adventures, starring Zak Bagans.

    His newest book, Who’s Haunting the White House?: The President’s Mansion and the Ghosts Who Live There, is currently available in bookstores everywhere. If you’re looking for some spooky reading material, this is one author to check out!

    Creepy Kids in the Hollow…


    2008 - 10.30

    Posted in cleveland, ghosts, gore orphanage, hauntings, paranormal, video, websites | Comments Off

    Most people in northeast Ohio have heard the incredible legends surrounding Gore Orphanage Road. Though the true stories have been twisted over the years, two tales have meshed into one. Though the rumors of Old Man Gore killing kids are unfounded and untrue (”Mr. Gore” didn’t even exist), there are some spooky happenings at the old Swift Mansion ruins that I can personally testify to.

    I have investigated the spot several times over the years. I have witnessed hand prints of children on parked cars and glowing green mists in the woods. The ghosts of children who died of disease here are real. And recently, FearNet took a trip down the old road to explore the hauntings. Several notable names were interviewed, including author Charles Cassady, tour operator Psychic Sonya, and my dear, sweet, hilarious lawyer pal and webmistress to Dead Ohio: Stephanie Lane.

    And here you thought all lawyers were curmudgeons hellbent on making people miserable and lacking any sense of humor.

    I could talk about the legends, but FearNet did a great job summarizing things and adding that creepy Oompa-Loompa vibe which we’ve a come to love this time of year. Watch the video here:

    A Bazaar That is Truly Bizarre…


    2008 - 10.29

    Posted in bizarre, gay, metaphysical, oddities, ouija, pagans, products, stores | Comments Off

    All Hallows Eve is now within our sight. Only a few more days until the veil between the spirit realm and the word of the living is at its thinnest. Odd things are bound to happen. Odd people will rear their heads. Madness will reign and the mystical will become normal.

    Perhaps I’m exaggerating a little, but you catch my drift.

    Of all strange and wonderfully bizarre things I have uncovered in my searches across the internet, I recently discovered a store unlike anything I have every laid eyes upon in the past. Indeed, Carnivalia is like no other pagan or occult shop. There is a hint of whimsy, a dash of artistic flair, and more oddities than you could possibly comprehend.

    From originally-designed Ouija boards to bottled ghosts (and they will happily take your unwanted haunted trinkets of you wish), anything and everything any pagan or mystic could possibly want can be found there. Creepy clocks. Disturbing dolls. Potions, books, and clothing. It’s a wild funhouse ride through the insane mind of a pagan sideshow act.

    Best of all, they have many items of a queer nature. And I don’t mean “odd”. The owner and his partner, Storm Faerywolf, do remember their family.

    When you check out the website, be sure to keep an open mind and beware of tongue-in-cheek humor. At times, it’s difficult to discern what is intended to be serious and what is comedy. Judging by the copious text portions and strangely hilarous images, I lean more toward the latter on all accounts. Nevertheless, it’s worth a browse at the very least. Or if you happen to be in the San Francisco area, be sure to swing by North Broadway in Walnut Creek and visit their storefront. If the website is any indication of what awaits, you might not leave for hours.

    Bizarre News Recaps…


    2008 - 10.28

    Posted in cats, england, france, internet, netherlands, news, salem, theft, voodoo, witchcraft | Comments Off

    While recovering from a cold the past few days, I didn’t have a chance to write long posts about some odd and interesting news from the last week. Here’s a bit of what you missed while I was busy hording Kleenex.

    Pinned for Office…

    President Nicolas Sarkozy of France is up in cross stitched arms and spitting nails (or needles) over the tactics of a publishing company. They are selling voodoo dolls of his likeness accompanied by slogans reportedly spoken by Sarkozy (including such thoughtful words as “get lost, you pathetic arsehole”). They aren’t just targeting the incumbent; his rival, Segolene Royal, has a similar doll marketed by the same company during last year’s election. Both men are considering legal action. Some politicians are just a bit high strung.

    Branded a Driving Witch…

    Get ready, Salem. Drivers in the city may soon have the option of purchasing specialty license plates bearing a witch. Destination Salem is asking the Registry of Motor Vehicles to add the new plate to its options. Unfortunately, similar plates will not be issued for broomsticks.

    A Feline Vortex…

    Wooaston in Stourbridge, UK, has earned the nickname “The Purr-muda Triangle” this month, as nearly 50 cats have gone missing without a trace in the past five years. Several collars have been located around Meriden Avenue, where the mystery is centered, but not a single hair or body has surfaced. Are aliens in need of a litte furry companionship or has Cruella deVille turned her sights toward other animals?

    Virtual Jail Time…

    Two Dutch teenagers have been convicted of theft in Leewarden District Court. The object in question is a magic amulet and mask. Not a real amulet, mind you: it exists only in the virtual reality game RuneScape. The culprits, aged 15 a 14, convinced a 13-year-od boy to snag the items and place them into their online accounts. For their acts, the two youths were sentenced to 200 and 160 hours of community service, respectably. And no amount of cyber gold coins can get them out of this mess.

    Closing in on Queer Phantoms…


    2008 - 10.27

    Posted in gay ghosts, ghosts, halloween, hauntings, new york, news, paranormal | Comments Off

    We’re in the final stretch now. Only four more days until Halloween (or Samhain, if you prefer). It’s a week of ghosts and goblins for many of us. Of course, spooky things are a year-round focus. But this is the time when the average person pays closer attention. And that includes the media.

    Today, Edge New York is running an article. Yours truly had the pleasure of being interviewed about Queer Paranormal and discussing a bit about the concept of it and my current focus. Reporter and comedian Scott Stiffler also chatted with a few haunted places to get their own take on the queer side of the supernatural. Perhaps a few more New Yorkers might stop by Urge Lounge this holiday season… for spirits of a different variety.

    The article, ‘Are There Gay Ghosts?‘, is available online now and will be available on all of Edge’s partner sites across the country.

    And remember… if you go out to party this week at any bars or clubs, or even celebrate All Hallows Eve at the home of friends or family, keep an eye out for anything unusual. Not all the spirits around you may be costumed guests or bottled vapors. You might be in a haunted building without realizing it…

    How Much Is That Specter in the Window…


    2008 - 10.26

    Posted in ghosts, hauntings, houses, ohio, photos, real estate | Comments Off

    This weekend, a long-time friend of mine contacted me with an interesting tale. A friend of hers has looking into buying a home in northeastern Ohio. She paid a visit to a nice old century home in a small town and snapped a few photographs of the outside. She decided against going inside, because there was a foreboding sense to the house. Her four-year-old son told her he didn’t want to go inside because of “the monster” in it. He described a ghoulish-looking figure in the window. Later, on reviewing the photos, a face exactly as he had described turned up in one of the windows.

    Here’s a cropped close-up of the window:

    Apparently, the Realtor admitted that the house was, in fact, haunted. The current owners were selling it at a loss because they didn’t want to live with whatever paranormal activity was occurring. Interestingly enough, I did a little digging (figuratively-speaking) and found a very rough date of construction (within 10 years; the real estate estimate was off by two decades) and a very old cemetery bordering the back yard.

    Honestly, the house is gorgeous and has many original features that would make it a wonderful investment for any homeowner. But then, there’s the spook issue. Is it genuinely haunted? I can’t say for sure. Is the photo genuinely paranormal? Windows are always a tricky and touchy subject, but it doesn’t appear to be a reflection from the apple tree.

    It is quite coincidental to be looking at homes this time of year and happen upon a haunted house. It’s also not very common for a real estate agent to openly admit the supernatural qualities without any reservation. If it were me, I would take the house. But then again, I wouldn’t mind a little paranormal roommate. I’m sure there’s an interesting story in here somewhere, but we shall see if it reveals itself…

    A Case of Hearse Harassment…


    2008 - 10.25

    Posted in australia, crime, drunk driving, hearse, news, sydney, undertakers | Comments Off

    Making a living out of death is never a simple existence. It may lead to unusual quirks or humor or, in the case of one undertaker in Sydney, Australia, to criminal behavior.

    Adam Lee of the cheerfully named Caring Funerals has faced a rough year. In September, he was found guilty of fraud over the mix-up of two corpses. Two bodies, one to see a traditional burial and the other cremation, were erroneously swapped several years prior and bereaved families were compensated for his misdeeds.

    But now, it seems Adam found himself in Sydney court again this past week. The 37-year-old unlucky mortician was charged with stalking.

    It appears that in December of 2004, Adam drove his hearse in an intoxicated state. He followed Maureen Wyer through the city streets, blowing his horn and unleashing a verbal torrent of obscenities. The incident had been random, since Lee had never previously met Wyer. In court on Tuesday, his lawyer acknowledged Lee’s habit of binge drinking on weekends and “deteriorating… mental state”. Earlier this year, Adam was found guilty of driving under suspension, “driving in a menacing manner”, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

    He was found guilty Thursday of four offenses. Although he has been placed on an 18-month bond for good behavior, his license has been suspended for two years and he was fined an additional $400. A doctor’s report submitted to the court showed a history of depression and abuse of alcohol, so he was further ordered to undergo psychological treatment.

    So remember: if you’ve been drinking, it might not be wise to get behind the wheel of a vehicle. But more importantly, embalming while intoxicated could catch you in just as much legal trouble.

    You Can’t Keep a Good Gnome Down…


    2008 - 10.24

    Posted in argentina, creatures, creepy, gnomes, video, youtube | Comments Off

    Some of you may remember the “creepy gnome” of Argentina sighted earlier this year and the infamous video circulating the web. It was later determined to be a hoax, though the teen responsible for that footage, Jose Alvarez, still claims it was real.

    But now, the creepy gnome tale has resurfaced. Footage was recorded in early October of a “midget monster” near a water fountain in Clodomira, filmed by Juan Carlos Roldan and friends on a mobile phone.

    “We were messing about – singing and dancing – when we heard a loud rustling noise from behind us. This tiny thing started running down Avenue San Martin at us. It had a pointy head and dark clothes,” said one of the teenage witnesses.

    “This little thing was barking like a dog, but running sideways on two legs. It headed off towards the football stadium.”

    A photographic expert from Universidad Nacional de Santiago del Estero has reviewed the footage and believes it could be authentic. Aldegonda Alvarz hasn’t found any obvious trickery.

    Should Argentina be renamed “Munchkin Land” or is it in fact an animal or little person playing a prank, as skeptics allege? Watch the footage and judge for yourself:

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