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William J. Hall — November 23, 2014


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Gene Steinberg

Gene Steinberg

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In one of our most fascinating episodes, we featured author William J. Hall, author of "The World's Most Haunted House: The True Story of the Bridgeport Poltergeist on Lindley Street." This is a phenomenon that was witnessed by thousands, including police officers.
 
Speaking as an certified armchair observer I'm a little surprised that Mr Hall (and other investigators) were so blase about the break out of those other events at some houses on the same side of the street. While there may not have been a commonality among them it still seems like it would have been a path worth pursuing.

Why would the investigative techniques in place circa 1974 not take into consideration other paranormal events nearby even if they were not of the same intensity ?

Sure, the poltergeist event is more sexy, but not looking into the other similar but less interesting events nearby is akin to the six blind men trying to figure out what the elephant was.
 
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Any other boring insights Wade ?

Well now that you ask; Looking at it from the perspective of our reality, if these entities were some kind of interdimensional parasite, a term which I've also heard Paul Eno use in trying to describe them, i would agree that while these entities may not necessarily be evil in our sense and merely just going through their programming, I also think that they would desire to be here and not necessarily helplessly stuck here as a parasite would seek to feed or even create an favorable enviornment in which to feed, without interruption, in other words create havoc in order to feed. While I don't pretend to know what the conditions are in the domain that these entities would live, when and if they could get here, it would be probably considered a plus as they would probably find this existences fertile hunting grounds in us human beings and probably at the same time be safe from any natural predators they would have in their native enviornment.

Looking back, when it comes to poltergeist type events, I've made it known i personally favor a scenario where an unhealthy disturbed emotional mind is having some kind of feedback cycle (with pk phenomena) with the enviornment around it although i realize this theory falls short in other scenarios. I suppose it all comes down to yet another paranormal event with a number of intriguing possibilities but no real answers because some observed aspects are not present in all reported cases.
 
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Wade Ridsdale said:
Speaking as an certified armchair observer I'm a little surprised that Mr Hall (and other investigators) were so blase about the break out of those other events at some houses on the same side of the street. While there may not have been a commonality among them it still seems like it would have been a path worth pursuing.
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Why do you think the investigators ignored these events or dismissed them? I got the impression that Mr Hall tried to get more information about these phenomena, but the witnesses, if he could reach them, didn't want to appear in the book. And he does have some of these events in the book. Other than Hall's research there seem to have been only those investigations that were conducted at the time: the Warrens, the police and the psychic researchers. I guess they never even heard of the "peripheral events", because people don't go around advertising they have seen something high strange. Not unless they really need help, like the Goodins did.

@Gene and Chris: Thanks a lot for following up on my guest suggestion and asking my questions. This show was a veritable roller-coaster ride, between scary, strange and hilarious. I think it's a good thing not to ignore the absurdity of some of the situations, like the talking cat, because it helps to take a step back and put things in perspective. Maybe that's why at the time the policemen and Marcia were joking around, to release the tension and make things less scary.

I'm glad you played the radio interview, because I couldn't get the soundfiles on Mr Hall's website to play. There's just no way I can think of that the man could have been tricked into seeing the fridge leaving the floor.

Unfortunately, the interview doesn't leave me any smarter than before. I'm still undecided, as to what to think about the whole case. How much was hoaxed, how much did Marcia really confess to and why was there no immediate refusal of the police explanation from the Goodins? It's really frustrating, how these things never seem to lead to answers, just more questions.

EDIT ...maybe I'll ask Steve Cash if he can get Sylvester the swearing cat, to say "Let me out, you dirty Frenchman." Or do you think that'd be rude?

 
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Polterwurst said:
Why do you think the investigators ignored these events or dismissed them?
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Perhaps I heard wrong. Did not Mr. Hall almost slip in a disclaimer of sorts when he mentioned the "parallel" activity ? I already deleted the episode but when they were talking about activity in other houses (@ about min 56 in the ad free version )I thought I heard him say in those days investigators didn't really take adjacent activity into account. At any rate i clearly heard Mr. Hall mention activity in other houses on the same side of the street, then say "if that was of any matter, and I don't see any reason to think it was" . I'm paraphrasing here.

If there was an acknowledgement that water table levels and sandy soils could play a role in this activity then I would see a reason to consider why it may matter as adjacent properties could have the same "micro geography" I don't know, perhaps this concept was not aware of back then,

Re downloaded i did misinterpret (i guess) @ about 50:30 Mr. Hall stated he found the adjacent activity interesting "because back in 1974 investigators didn't really look for this as much as they do today".

I wonder why, that's all.
 
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Wade Ridsdale said:
At any rate i clearly heard Mr. Hall mention activity in other houses on the same side of the street, then say if that was of any matter, and I don't see any reason to think it was.
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Yes, he mentioned this activity. There is a detailed account in the book of the experiences of one of the neighbours at the time. Mr Hall said in the interview that at least two other houses seem to have been affected but the witnesses didn't want to be interviewed for the book. So, I guess he's actually very interested in these events. I think, what he was saying was that the theory of "portal areas" is fairly recent and that researchers who were investigating one single case, tended not to look for other sightings / events in the vicinity but concentrated on the one at hand. Not because of negligence but because there was no theoretical foundation for it.
 
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Cool episode, thanks for shaking it up guys. Not that I don't love the UFO focus.

I was intrigued by the seminary student's experience - he described the entity as biological in nature. This, to me, helps to connect the "poltergeist" high strangeness with other types of disturbances. Are not aliens described as biological beings, but often with seemingly-supernatural abilities (appear/disappear, walk through walls, telepathic/telekinetic powers)? How many other high strange events involved seemingly-biological creatures? This seems like a sliding scale of similar phenomena.

Why would the biological nature of the entity throw the student? Is he not reading his Bible at Bible school? If he believes the entities to be demons, and demons to be fallen angels, he should know they can change form, especially when attempting to confuse or confound their victims; additionally, they can manipulate reality and perceptions. (Echoes of the inter-dimensional parasite theory posted above).

"And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." - 2 Cor 11:14
 
I didnt like it :(
Not into ghosts at all, you can say whatever you come up to as a theory and relate it with whatever you want too, and add unusual words to make it sound "scientific".
Please make a show like old good ones, with some fierce UFO investigator debating with a skeptic and make them discuss about certain UFO cases.
BTW: Im Jean Luc Picard, yup, the real one from the TV show guys!
 
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I love a good coverage of haunt cases. The television programs only offer wishy washy dramas. SyFy's "Paranormal Witness" was once the exception, the first few seasons. The last season or two, the program leaned more towards the typical A Haunting dramas. I look forward to future Paracasts where this subject is explored.
 
Doesn't matter what Gene & I do—someone takes issue with it... too many shows on UFOs and not enough other paranormal topics. Not enough vitriolic debates, or, you guys are rude to your guests, or, you softball question your guests, or etc etc :confused:
 
JeanLucPicard said:
BTW: Im Jean Luc Picard, yup, the real one from the TV show guys!
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Is that so? OK Patrick, why don't you step out from behind the facade and say hello to all your adoring fanz? Do you still shave your own head, or do you have somebody else do it for you? How much $$$ do you make off the STNG franchise from its syndication per year? Do you ever slip into your "Dixon Hill (?)" persona when seducing a potential lover? Do you call them "schweet-haart?" So many questions for so little interest... :eek:
 
PicardOops.gif
 
Jeanluc,
What are your thoughts on the Voyagers Captain? Does she really command the respect of her crew, needed to properly operate a starship in deep space? Also, what are your thoughts concerning the Voyager's hollo-doctor, recently in the news for tossing his crazy phaser toting wife out of the home?
 
Christopher O'Brien said:
Yes, good question... What goes on in the inner confines of YOUR holodeck? Inquiring minds probably could care less, but I thought I'd at least pretend and ask....;)
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Sorry, I dont know that Patrick person, I was tempted to search Google about him, but I dont want to rush the Borgs birth (yup, Borgs run on android)
Well guys, going back to my precious holod.....hmmm I mean Deanna's room!

Cya!

BTW: Im Jean Luc Picard, yup, the one from the famous TV show guys!
 
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