The Paracast Newsletter
March 6, 2022
www.theparacast.com
Learn the Secrets of Spiritualism and Seances with Award-Winning Photojournalist Shannon Taggart on The Paracast!
The Paracast is heard Sundays from 3:00 AM until 6:00 AM Central Time on the GCN Radio Network and affiliates around the USA, the Boost Radio Network, the IRN Internet Radio Network, and online across the globe via download and on-demand streaming.
SUPPORT THE SHOW AND ENJOY THE ULTIMATE PARACAST EXPERIENCE AT A SPECIAL LOW PRICE! We have another radio show and we’d love for you listen to it. So for a low subscription fee, you will receive access to an exclusive podcast, After The Paracast, plus an enhanced version of The Paracast with the network ads removed, when you join The Paracast+. We also offer a special RSS feed for easy updates of the latest episodes on your device. Flash! Use the coupon code ufo20 to receive a 20% discount on five-year or lifetime subscriptions. And PayPal now accepts cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, in payment. And if you don't want to use PayPal, we now also offer a second payment option, from Stripe, that accepts major credit or debit cards, so act now! For the easiest signup ever, please visit: https://www.theparacast.plus
This Week's Episode: Gene and guest cohost Tim Swartz present award-winning photojournalist Shannon Taggart. Her book is: “SÉANCE: Spiritualist Ritual and the Search for Ectoplasm.” Taggart says that she first became aware of Spiritualism as a teenager, after her cousin received a message from a medium who revealed a startling detail about her grandfather’s death that proved to be true. The book presents hundreds of original photographs, as well as historical imagery that attempts to capture spirits on film. Spiritualism’s photographic past contains some of the most bizarre, absurd and uniquely unsettling images in the history of photography. Ms. Taggart’s photographs have been exhibited and featured internationally, including within the publications TIME, New York Times Magazine, Discover, and Newsweek. Her work has been recognized by Nikon, Magnum Photos and the Inge Morath Foundation, American Photography, the International Photography Awards, and the Alexia Foundation for World Peace.
After The Paracast — Available exclusively for Paracast+ subscribers on March 6: Award-winning photojournalist Shannon Taggart rejoins Gene and guest cohost Tim Swartzto discuss more details of her long journey to examine spiritualism and seances. In addition to seances, Shannon and Tim talk about reports involving video and smoke EVPs, where strange images appear. And is it true that President Lincoln and his wife participated in seances? Shannon is author of SÉANCE: Spiritualist Ritual and the Search for Ectoplasm.” The book features an introduction by actor/comedian Dan Ackroyd, and a new edition was scheduled for later in 2022. Her work has been recognized by Nikon, Magnum Photos and the Inge Morath Foundation, American Photography, the International Photography Awards, and the Alexia Foundation for World Peace.
Reminder: Please don't forget to visit our famous Paracast Community Forums for the latest news/views/debates on all things paranormal: https://www.theparacast.com/forum/. Visit our new online shop for great branded merchandise at: https://www.theparacast.shop/, and check out our new YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialParacastChannel
Sixteen Years Later
By Gene Steinberg
When The Paracast was first envisioned in late 2005, I had no expectations whatever of what was meant to happen. Or if anything was meant to happen.
I basically considered that I had been hosting an online radio show for several years, The Tech Night Owl LIVE. It was essentially one of the first programs of its type to be considered a “podcast,” although it came out earlier. So the idea of having a second show was appealing.
At the time, I had been following the world of the paranormal passively. I stopped editing my magazine, Caveat Emptor, in 1990, and I was content to remain a civilian. The only writing I did over the next 15 years or so was related to technology matters, with an emphasis on Apple Inc.
Now with The Paracast, I wanted to be daringly different. The world didn’t need yet another show that pandered to its audience and presented people with sketchy claims without asking reasonable questions. Sure, my cohost and I would give a guest a chance to express their point of view or talk about their paranormal experiences. With some guests, we’d just guide them through the details, since the experience was either real or not, a natural occurrence or something unworldly. But if they were being deceptive, we’d call them out.
As you might expect, we became controversial at times, which is fine. Intelligent debates are good for the field, and sometimes helpful in separating the wheat from the chaff.
At other times, the debates, unfortunately, descended into name-calling and silly accusations. That is, unfortunately, a larger part of the picture when forums and social networks become active.
Over the years, some forum threads have become a source for online flamewars. So when the so-called U.S. representative for Swiss contactee Billy Meier came on the show for two episodes in 2006, the forums were clogged with messages.
It became so heated, we finally had to shut it down, though it remains available.
Why do I bring this up? Well, very recently, the staff announcer for The Paracast, Bob Zanotti, told me he actually interviewed Meier back in 1982 when he was working as a journalist for Swiss Radio International.
Since Meier’s command of English was poor, Bob had to coach him on almost every question and response. A small part of the interview was aired on that network, though Bob retained the rights to the original.
Over the years, we’ve made it crystal clear to listeners to The Paracast: Meier’s claims are fake, and his photos are easily reproduced with conventional materials, such as a garbage can. But being able to hear him tell his story is a good thing regardless of our views on the matter.
So Bob has given permission to post the full interview, lasting nearly 52 minutes, for subscribers to The Paracast+. Despite, being 40 years old, audio quality is quite good.
I am certain the interview won’t change your mind about Meier’s claims, but we’re happy to have it on the record anyway.
What’s more, the search is on for audio cassettes containing some of the interviews I did for Caveat Emptor magazine over the years. A colleague has one, but the cassette case is damaged and it’s not certain if the recording can be recovered.
Stay tuned.
Onto other matters:
In February, we completed 16 years of The Paracast. We’ve never missed an episode, and our current cohost lineup, with Curt Collins, Tim Swartz and Bob Zanotti in rotation, has delivered some of our best shows yet.
So on our February 20, 2022 episode, cohost Tim Swartz and I presented former New York Times reporter Ralph Blumenthal, who has received a Pulitzer and other awards over his long career. He was one of the authors, along with Helene Cooper and Leslie Kean, of the series of articles that revealed the existence of a secret Pentagon program to investigate UFOs; make that UAPs.
He also wrote a biography of the late Harvard psychiatrist Dr. John Mack, who studied a number of UFO abductees. The book is entitled, “The Believer: Alien Encounters, Hard Science, and the Passion of John Mack,” and you can check out the episode on which he appeared here:
February 20, 2022 — Ralph Blumenthal with Tim Swartz — The Paracast — The Gold Standard of Paranormal Radio The Paracast — The Gold Standard of Paranormal Radio
Ralph also joined us for most of the follow-up episode of After The Paracast, the premium podcast available with your Paracast+ subscription.
We didn’t offer a special anniversary show this year; we’ll reserve that for our 20th anniversary episode in 2026, which will be very special.
And speaking of The Paracast+, some of you have asked for other ways to subscribe because you’d rather not use PayPal.
So we’ve teamed up with Stripe, a popular online payment processor, where we can now offer a “Credit or Debit Card” payment option that includes most major cards.
Either way, we never record your payment details; they are taken at checkout and protected by the payment processor.
In addition — and some of you may know this already — if you are using PayPal, you are now eligible to cover the cost of longer-term Paracast+ subscription, such as five-years or lifetime, using their “Pay Later” options. These include PayPal Credit and — recently added — the ability to cover your subscription with three or four equal payments. That way, if you would rather not spend a larger sum now, you’ll have the option of stretching out your payments.
Either way, we get paid right away.
Note: PayPal claims that the Pay Later options are only offered if your membership is in good standing — and maybe not even then. So if you don’t see it, let me apologize in advance. We have no control whatever over the process, except that it’s not available in all countries.
And one more thing: We are still looking for WordPress and PHP developers to help us modernize the main site at theparacast.com. If you’re able to assist, we’ll offer our sincere thanks — and a lifetime subscription to The Paracast+.
And thanks everyone for being such loyal listeners over these adventurous years. As always, the best is yet to come.
Copyright 1999-2022 The Paracast Company. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy: Your personal information is safe with us. We will positively never give out your name and/or e-mail address to anybody else, and that's a promise!
March 6, 2022
www.theparacast.com
Learn the Secrets of Spiritualism and Seances with Award-Winning Photojournalist Shannon Taggart on The Paracast!
The Paracast is heard Sundays from 3:00 AM until 6:00 AM Central Time on the GCN Radio Network and affiliates around the USA, the Boost Radio Network, the IRN Internet Radio Network, and online across the globe via download and on-demand streaming.
SUPPORT THE SHOW AND ENJOY THE ULTIMATE PARACAST EXPERIENCE AT A SPECIAL LOW PRICE! We have another radio show and we’d love for you listen to it. So for a low subscription fee, you will receive access to an exclusive podcast, After The Paracast, plus an enhanced version of The Paracast with the network ads removed, when you join The Paracast+. We also offer a special RSS feed for easy updates of the latest episodes on your device. Flash! Use the coupon code ufo20 to receive a 20% discount on five-year or lifetime subscriptions. And PayPal now accepts cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, in payment. And if you don't want to use PayPal, we now also offer a second payment option, from Stripe, that accepts major credit or debit cards, so act now! For the easiest signup ever, please visit: https://www.theparacast.plus
This Week's Episode: Gene and guest cohost Tim Swartz present award-winning photojournalist Shannon Taggart. Her book is: “SÉANCE: Spiritualist Ritual and the Search for Ectoplasm.” Taggart says that she first became aware of Spiritualism as a teenager, after her cousin received a message from a medium who revealed a startling detail about her grandfather’s death that proved to be true. The book presents hundreds of original photographs, as well as historical imagery that attempts to capture spirits on film. Spiritualism’s photographic past contains some of the most bizarre, absurd and uniquely unsettling images in the history of photography. Ms. Taggart’s photographs have been exhibited and featured internationally, including within the publications TIME, New York Times Magazine, Discover, and Newsweek. Her work has been recognized by Nikon, Magnum Photos and the Inge Morath Foundation, American Photography, the International Photography Awards, and the Alexia Foundation for World Peace.
After The Paracast — Available exclusively for Paracast+ subscribers on March 6: Award-winning photojournalist Shannon Taggart rejoins Gene and guest cohost Tim Swartzto discuss more details of her long journey to examine spiritualism and seances. In addition to seances, Shannon and Tim talk about reports involving video and smoke EVPs, where strange images appear. And is it true that President Lincoln and his wife participated in seances? Shannon is author of SÉANCE: Spiritualist Ritual and the Search for Ectoplasm.” The book features an introduction by actor/comedian Dan Ackroyd, and a new edition was scheduled for later in 2022. Her work has been recognized by Nikon, Magnum Photos and the Inge Morath Foundation, American Photography, the International Photography Awards, and the Alexia Foundation for World Peace.
Reminder: Please don't forget to visit our famous Paracast Community Forums for the latest news/views/debates on all things paranormal: https://www.theparacast.com/forum/. Visit our new online shop for great branded merchandise at: https://www.theparacast.shop/, and check out our new YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialParacastChannel
Sixteen Years Later
By Gene Steinberg
When The Paracast was first envisioned in late 2005, I had no expectations whatever of what was meant to happen. Or if anything was meant to happen.
I basically considered that I had been hosting an online radio show for several years, The Tech Night Owl LIVE. It was essentially one of the first programs of its type to be considered a “podcast,” although it came out earlier. So the idea of having a second show was appealing.
At the time, I had been following the world of the paranormal passively. I stopped editing my magazine, Caveat Emptor, in 1990, and I was content to remain a civilian. The only writing I did over the next 15 years or so was related to technology matters, with an emphasis on Apple Inc.
Now with The Paracast, I wanted to be daringly different. The world didn’t need yet another show that pandered to its audience and presented people with sketchy claims without asking reasonable questions. Sure, my cohost and I would give a guest a chance to express their point of view or talk about their paranormal experiences. With some guests, we’d just guide them through the details, since the experience was either real or not, a natural occurrence or something unworldly. But if they were being deceptive, we’d call them out.
As you might expect, we became controversial at times, which is fine. Intelligent debates are good for the field, and sometimes helpful in separating the wheat from the chaff.
At other times, the debates, unfortunately, descended into name-calling and silly accusations. That is, unfortunately, a larger part of the picture when forums and social networks become active.
Over the years, some forum threads have become a source for online flamewars. So when the so-called U.S. representative for Swiss contactee Billy Meier came on the show for two episodes in 2006, the forums were clogged with messages.
It became so heated, we finally had to shut it down, though it remains available.
Why do I bring this up? Well, very recently, the staff announcer for The Paracast, Bob Zanotti, told me he actually interviewed Meier back in 1982 when he was working as a journalist for Swiss Radio International.
Since Meier’s command of English was poor, Bob had to coach him on almost every question and response. A small part of the interview was aired on that network, though Bob retained the rights to the original.
Over the years, we’ve made it crystal clear to listeners to The Paracast: Meier’s claims are fake, and his photos are easily reproduced with conventional materials, such as a garbage can. But being able to hear him tell his story is a good thing regardless of our views on the matter.
So Bob has given permission to post the full interview, lasting nearly 52 minutes, for subscribers to The Paracast+. Despite, being 40 years old, audio quality is quite good.
I am certain the interview won’t change your mind about Meier’s claims, but we’re happy to have it on the record anyway.
What’s more, the search is on for audio cassettes containing some of the interviews I did for Caveat Emptor magazine over the years. A colleague has one, but the cassette case is damaged and it’s not certain if the recording can be recovered.
Stay tuned.
Onto other matters:
In February, we completed 16 years of The Paracast. We’ve never missed an episode, and our current cohost lineup, with Curt Collins, Tim Swartz and Bob Zanotti in rotation, has delivered some of our best shows yet.
So on our February 20, 2022 episode, cohost Tim Swartz and I presented former New York Times reporter Ralph Blumenthal, who has received a Pulitzer and other awards over his long career. He was one of the authors, along with Helene Cooper and Leslie Kean, of the series of articles that revealed the existence of a secret Pentagon program to investigate UFOs; make that UAPs.
He also wrote a biography of the late Harvard psychiatrist Dr. John Mack, who studied a number of UFO abductees. The book is entitled, “The Believer: Alien Encounters, Hard Science, and the Passion of John Mack,” and you can check out the episode on which he appeared here:
February 20, 2022 — Ralph Blumenthal with Tim Swartz — The Paracast — The Gold Standard of Paranormal Radio The Paracast — The Gold Standard of Paranormal Radio
Ralph also joined us for most of the follow-up episode of After The Paracast, the premium podcast available with your Paracast+ subscription.
We didn’t offer a special anniversary show this year; we’ll reserve that for our 20th anniversary episode in 2026, which will be very special.
And speaking of The Paracast+, some of you have asked for other ways to subscribe because you’d rather not use PayPal.
So we’ve teamed up with Stripe, a popular online payment processor, where we can now offer a “Credit or Debit Card” payment option that includes most major cards.
Either way, we never record your payment details; they are taken at checkout and protected by the payment processor.
In addition — and some of you may know this already — if you are using PayPal, you are now eligible to cover the cost of longer-term Paracast+ subscription, such as five-years or lifetime, using their “Pay Later” options. These include PayPal Credit and — recently added — the ability to cover your subscription with three or four equal payments. That way, if you would rather not spend a larger sum now, you’ll have the option of stretching out your payments.
Either way, we get paid right away.
Note: PayPal claims that the Pay Later options are only offered if your membership is in good standing — and maybe not even then. So if you don’t see it, let me apologize in advance. We have no control whatever over the process, except that it’s not available in all countries.
And one more thing: We are still looking for WordPress and PHP developers to help us modernize the main site at theparacast.com. If you’re able to assist, we’ll offer our sincere thanks — and a lifetime subscription to The Paracast+.
And thanks everyone for being such loyal listeners over these adventurous years. As always, the best is yet to come.
Copyright 1999-2022 The Paracast Company. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy: Your personal information is safe with us. We will positively never give out your name and/or e-mail address to anybody else, and that's a promise!