Saturday May 26, 2012
Chris Rushing and David Hodges of State Paranormal Investigations
Our guests tonight were Chris Rushing and David Hodges of State Paranormal Investigations
As often is the case, Skype started off giving us some audio issues, as I was simultaneously surprised at the para-x site being redesigned again... However, this actually was due to the recent hacker attacks the site had sustained.
I introduced the guests as my Firefox suddenly went haywire and I had to do battle with it just to shut it off, having to resort to accessing the chat room via Safari.
Chris spoke of his initial experience/s, that in boot camp he saw a full body apparition apparently of a World War II soldier walked by, glanced at Chris, then continued walking, passing through a wall. A few years later he attended a Meet-Up event with a Charlotte-based paranormal group, where he met David, and when the group began to dissolve, they formed their own group in 2006, currently with five members. Starting with moderate equipment, they started by investigating local urban legends. Around 2009 they started doing actual domicile investigations (and even businesses); their stock of equipment has also increased substantially to some really high-end equipment.
Kat asked as to what was the most intriguing case? Chris joked it was a loaded question, but did convey that they're working on a case currently with a demonic curse involved with a family's bloodline. It was also clarified that their aspect of the South the abstract of paranormal; they have the near impossible task of getting any clergy to assist as local Baptists and such are anti-help when it comes to the paranormal.
Up in Salsbury they investigated an old restaurant, the Backstreet Tavern, that was a former speak-easy near where union soldiers were held during the war between the states. They got a Class A EVP saying the word "Soldier," which they have posted on their website.
The farther from home investigation from their home based was the northern part of Virginia. They do want to visit the famous Sloss Furnace at the 27th July Ghosts of Birmingham event. Henry asked if they'd checked out Hillview Manor; they'd love to visit there, as well as Waverly and Pennhurst, et al, but they've been "slammed" with home investigations. Their Bucket List is longer than the River Nile they said, but they'd take private home investigations over the "public" places, as home investigations are far more spiritually rewarding.
Henry indicated an upcoming event at Ryan's Tavern September 8th from which The Paranormal View will be aired live.
They told us how at a revoluntionary war battle at King Mountain Battle Ground in North Carolina, has numerous sightings of the slain (and still interred there), British officer Colonel Patrick Ferguson riding his horse.
Henry reported we had listeners tonight from the US, the UK, Spain and Canada... amazingly, no one tonight from Other...
From Chris and Dave's group, Tracy was in the chat room.
Henry asked after the Old Courthouse Theatre; Dave indicated it was a re-done church, which thanks to cameras set up all over the place, they came across sighting an arm coming around a pillar, and they were unable to replicate what it may have been. They had heard reports of theatrical lights going on and off by themselves, doors opening and closing; during one EVP session a scream came through in real time that could be heard through earbuds being worn by another person. They had such success they were given a standing invitation to return if they want to road test there any new equipment they acquire.
Henry asked about their experience/s at St. Albans, a location Chris and Dave found to be "flipping awesome," and to which they really would love to return. They had learned of an event taking place being run by John Zaffis, at one point doing an K2 session, they were "playing" with Bruce Tango, making him aware of just how hungry he was. After they'd left that room, several of the people heard an audible drawn out "Yessss..." which did not show up on their recorder, only in their ears.
With John Zaffis they did a Ghost Box session, on which John explained and trained them, and that one spirit named Pete would come through and speak with the women. Dave started asking questions and Pete responded, to John's astonishment.
We got into discussing the abstract philosophical concepts of What May Cause audible experiences and/or evidence (when more than one person audibly can hear a sound that their recorders don't), as opposed to audible evidence that the recorder does acquire.
They'll be attending an event at the end of June at the Rhine Research Center up at Duke University at which Lloyd Aurbach would be speaking on the works of the late William Roll.
Henry asked as to what they felt was the scariest place they've investigated. Chris and Dave figured St. Albans was rather creepy, but that they're "used to" stuff that normally might be considered frightening.
Kat pointed out how they are branching into studying cryptozoology, but understandably it's rarely something about which they get actual calls, as it were. They spoke of the Lizard Man which is as well known local lore to them as the Jersey Devil is to me. They also indicated a story called the Wampus cat. They're also curious as to the phenominon of the bafflingly inexplicable Brown Mountain Lights. Also discussed was the Devil's Trampling Ground, which is a "big dirt circle" which sadly has become a place of litter and disrespectful underage drinking parties, drugs, etc.
As to where they'd love to investigate, the two narrowed it down possibly to Pennhurst and/or Leap Castle in Ireland, and Bobby Mackeys as well as Mansfield Reformatory, the latter to which Kat has investigated. Chris wasn't thrilled with learning that the place has bats, as Kat had pointed out. According to Chris, being over six foot, for some reason bats seem to tend to uncharacteristically "go after" his head.
Asking up to what they're attending, they declared ConCarolinas in Charlotte June 2-3 at the University of Hilltown, at which Dave will be doing a panel. In September they'll have a booth at ScareFest which they're attending for their first time.
Their favourite tool is the FLIR thermal imager, agreeing with me that It's Cool, as well as their full spectrum camera/s.
They provided their website; their State Paranormal Investigations email as well as Dave Hodges' email along with Dave Hodges Facebook profile, plus, obviously the group's Facebook page.
Kat gave out her website, and I gave out our show's various online locations: my hub page, the show's official site, that we're findable on Facebook, et al.
I reported that the next Saturday's guest would be Craig Campobasso, author of The Autobiography of an Extraterrestrial: I Am Thyron.