SCEPCOP Forum

What do we think of the stories from Gary, Indiana?

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/2014/0 ... -up-a-wall

http://archive.indystar.com/article/201 ... oya-Ammons

I hate to sound like some skeptical wet blanket on this particular case but I tend to look for logical possibilities first, then do a paranormal thing later.

As to the flies and footsteps.... Been there, done that. An animal living in the walls or residing in the hidden spaces of a home can sound exactly like footsteps. Should that animal die..... you get flies, and plenty of them.

As to the rest of the article, I don't know what to make of it. There's not enough information.

There's certainly a lot of 'info' and personal accounts from ppl in the various stories doing the rounds -- perhaps google the name alone -- but if we take the info at face value and exclude a hoax for the moment it is quite interesting.

http://www.google.com/search?&q=latoya+ammons

There is a lot of confirmatory bias possible in the subjects -- e.g. flies and 'Lord of the Flies' and all that stuff, if you tended towards superstition. Some of it sounded like a rehash of the claimed Amityville events -- flies, levitation etc.

Footsteps and loud banging directly on the basement door -- I doubt that would be an animal -- animals tend to scratch and scurry and chew.

I personally doubt the Biblical accounts and cosmology of 'demons' etc, I do believe in malicious ghosts and poltergeists of human origin. Crucifixes and oil and salt and all the rest of it are very unlikely to work, unless the ghost had a deeply held belief in Christianity in life. I have other theories of my own about how 'exorcisms' or house cleansings might work to drive difficult spirits away.

Oh, that Zak Bagans! He constantly amazes me with his dumbass life choices.

This guy I think it was said one of the team he was with at one site was knocked out cold at one stage by a ghost. Serious poltergeist activity can be dangerous and life-threatening, apart from being freaked out by apparitions. They seem to like inhabiting certain aged structures, I suppose it's possible to demolish and rebuild something completely different, but I know ghosts that just like to hang around an area regardless of what is demolished and erected.

http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/video/wa ... australia/

There was an article 2 days ago on that anecdote on news.com.au (saw it in the paper) but I'm having trouble finding it online.