h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I don`t believe that dowsing has anything to do with the subject of ghosts or haunted houses, does it?
I think Wulfric is absolutely correct when he says:
"There are, sadly, some people who don't want the facts as this will alter their perception of the world." I agree 100%. Never let the facts get in the way of of your beliefs.
There HAVE been scientifically controlled experiments at the scene of reported hauntings and NOTHING has been seen or photographed -but people still believe what they want to believe!
The problem I have with ghosts is partly the huge number of people that have died since recorded history should mean that we would ALL be falling over the bloody things if they existed at all! I have never seen one in over 47 years. No-one I know has ever claimed to see one. There is NO recorded evidence AT ALL for their existence! None. Not a sausage, bugger all.
Its amazing how many anecdotal stories originate at night when people are coming home(probably a little worse for wear or tired) or in bed, when people have been sleeping and may in fact be dreaming.
I once dreamt that a cat was sitting on my chest and thought/believed it was very real- but I was asleep (and have never had a cat). If I were susceptible I could choose to believe it was a ghost, but I know I was dreaming!
I have no wish to mock anyone, just drag you all (kicking & screaming) into the 21st.century where science WILL answer all your questions.

"I have no wish to mock anyone, just drag you all (kicking & screaming) into the 21st.century where science WILL answer all your questions."

Yeah maybe but if they do it all in the next hundred years I will be very much surprised.

I was not worse for wear or asleep~~which is why I did not mention it to the hubby~~He had to have felt it, so I waited...... eventually he could not stand it,he had to say something

I suppose it could be said that my and my family's experience was case of mass hysteria. But neither H or No1 son admitted their fears together, at the same time.

Whether anyone believes the story, or not, it was a true account of our experience.

With reference to the reply of my last posting about car lights casting shadows to explain the shadows in my neighbours kitchen, there are no cars in his back garden, in fact there are no vehicles capable of shining any lights into the rear windows of his house as his garden is very long, backs onto a river, then a footpath and finally allotments.
I am half sceptical about these things, but I won't rule out the possiblity of these 'occurences', as my neighbour is very down to earth and isn't easily influenced by stories of the paranormal...

"The problem I have with ghosts is partly the huge number of people that have died since recorded history should mean that we would ALL be falling over the bloody things if they existed at all! I have never seen one in over 47 years. No-one I know has ever claimed to see one. There is NO recorded evidence AT ALL for their existence! None. Not a sausage, bugger all."

Actually, there is. People claim to have seen them. Believe it or not that counts as evidence otherwise our legal system wouldn't be able to work.

And there is recorded evidence. They're called photographs. True, they might be fakes but unless you can prove it you're taking something of a leap of faith.

Incidentally, "ghosts" if they exist are not necessarily the "spirits of dead people". Many of the ghost-sightings I have heard of point to nothing of the sort. Very often the "ghosts" are just indistinct apparitions.

Something worth remembering. People used to see "Will o' the wisps" on the moors at night. Unusual lights floating above the ground at night. They were given supernatural associations and it was claimed that they were there to "lure" the inquisitive into bogs.

It was possible to dismiss these easily. Photographs could be "fakes", the viewer could be "drunk" or have experienced a "temporal epilepsy". Maybe it was just "the moon reflecting in the water".

Our current "sceptics" would claim all of the above as conclusive proof that these things didn't exist.

Then suddenly, someone discovered a rare phenomenon. It's called "Ball lighting" (a friend of mine has apparently seen it) and happens when a "ball" of electricity forms above the ground after a lightning storm before disappearing. Thus, the mystery of the "Will o' the wisps" is pretty much solved.

And the "sceptics" should have been true to their supposed roots and not been so hasty to dismiss these apparitions that science eventually caught up with.

"Randi just said something to the effect of "of course if you do enough experiments you'll run across coincidences" and walked away with a dismissive wave. It was at that point I lost all respect for his so-called "objectivity"."

Randi is apparently pretty notorious for "ignoring" any experiment that doesn't go his way. The sad fact is he's probably the opposite side of the same coin as the "supernaturalists" he decrys.

I though will o' the wisps were marsh gas igniting, rather than ball lightning?

Thats what I thought...

"There is NO recorded evidence AT ALL for their existence!"

Recorded evidence... Hmmm...

http://www.ghostweb.com/evp.html
http://tlewis777.tripod.com/G.H.O.U.L.I/id18.html
http://www.survivalscience.org/evp.shtml
http://www.dreamwater.com/aaevp/

I thought it was Kenneth Williams!!

"I though will o' the wisps were marsh gas igniting, rather than ball lightning?"

I'd heard that will o' the wisps were static glowing lights. Marsh gas would be more likely to be brief flashes (igniting on what, incidentally?).

Might also be an explanation, tho'

Incidentally, I also saw what seemed to be ball lightning being touted as a "ghost" on one of those awful ITV "world of the strange" programs a year or two ago :P.

Nah... will O' the wisp is pretty most commanly attributed to Marsh Gas...

Apparantly the Tudor pile I used to live in had 3 evil ghosts and one good ghost and the reason I have depression is because the evil ones persessed me...
Hmmm.

I have nothing to add at this point. How frightening is that!!

"Nah... will O' the wisp is pretty most commanly attributed to Marsh Gas..."

Assuming this is a proven theory and not one of the "easy explanation" theories I mentioned above I want to know a couple of things out of curiosity:

1) Does it keep glowing or is it repeat-flashes?

2) What on earth does it ignite on?

I'm interested

In answer to the second clause... it ignites on contact with the Oxygen found in air...
in response to the first part... as far as I'm aware it varies according to the condition unique to each occaision...

What ever happened to the famous Amityville house? That was loosely based on a true story. That house seemed "haunted". Just because there are spirits I do not consider it a haunting. That *A* house had nasty spirits more along the lines of a "haunting" rather than friendly spirits.

"In answer to the second clause... it ignites on contact with the Oxygen found in air..."

Wonder if that means the legendary weapon "Greek fire" had a similar constituent to marsh gas

I seem to recall speculation that 'Greek Fire' most likely contained Phosphorous...
So no I doubt they share chemical properties...