I haven't talked much about the review part of the episode in other posts but I think this one is worth mentioning. In this review, beyond the investigated cases, the team talks pretty critically about the other videos: a potential UFO case (they can see a piece from the top of the object that eludes to this not being extraterrestrial), a potential poltergeist (lots of theories of how this is faked, and I HAVE to agree, definitely faked!), and an "alien" crossing the road (this I love because of Bill's great deduction of a composite of two videos). I think the team did a great job of picking the two cases here with potential credibility!
Off the Deep End - Raystown's Ray, Pennsylvania's Loch Ness Monster:
While I enjoy cryptology cases, I have a hard time with lake monsters. I can see how an animal could survive in a large lake without being cataloged but these types of animals are just SO big, how is that possible? You would think that with all of these cases worldwide, someone would have found better evidence. But, then again, its not much different than Bigfoot-like creatures and that does somehow seem possible. One neat aspect of pursuing my marine biology degree (no, I did not become a marine biologist...that's a story for another time!) was the possibility of finding a new species of fish or mammal; so for all of those biologists out there, I hope you blow every one's minds with finding one of these creatures!
The first test the team (Ben, Jael, and Austin) conducted was using a stray log. Ben and Austin searched the lake for a log that could pass as "Ray" and found one that had a branch sticking out of the water, which could look like the neck and head. I'm sure, I hope, they looked for and tested more than just this log. It looked somewhat similar but didn't quite look like the picture evidence. But, to me, it seems that another log (or other item) could be the culprit.
The next test was creating their own Ray out of PVC pipe and boards painted black. They did a really good job! But I love Austin's comment: "...we don't go after really good, we go for perfect." Determination!! The team decided that with all of the eye witness accounts and the effort it would take to pull a hoax off like this, it wasn't good enough to prove it faked.
The final part was a night time investigation, complete with a sweep of the lake and dives to find better evidence of an actual creature. These types of investigations is where I give the team serious props. I love myself a dive more than the next diver...but at night, in obviously cold water, right where Austin sees a huge hit on the depth finder; it sends shivers down my spine! And go Jael for man-handling that huge carp for bait!
Houseguest - Ghost Writer on Polaroid:
This is a most interesting case that has been around the paranormal circuit for a while. A homeowner, who had experienced some strange phenomenon in his house and thought it might be haunted, had received a Polaroid camera one Christmas and discovered strange light anomalies and then writing on the pictures. The writings were actual answers to questions asked before snapping the pictures.
The team (Bill, Larry, and Chi-Lan) first talk with the homeowner to hear his story. He explains how it all started and shows him the area where the pictures are taken. Psychics have told him that there is a vortex where the spirit(s) enter and that there is possibly someone buried under the house. I learned from some internet research that the Fox show, Sightings, came to the house and discovered through the parapsychologist and an archeologist that the site had once been a Native American kiva, or ceremonial center, as well as the possibility someone was buried under the house.
The team starts the investigation by taking photos themselves, unfortunately without results. From reading, it sounds like it doesn't happen all of the time and not for everyone but eventually most people get results. Maybe if the team had been able to stay longer they would have seen writing? They then test the theory that it can be replicated through a tedious exposure technique. I love to see Chi-Lan shine in these moments with her photography expertise! She was describing the process, and she made it sound so easy, but my eyes crossed just listening! Just do this, and then this, shake this, do a little dance, and presto! Anyway, when the team tried this technique it produced interesting results. Not only were they not able to replicate the photos, they got some crazy, unexplained, light anomalies. Maybe the entity did not want to participate? Maybe an evil entity was blocking what the benevolent entity was trying to say? I guess we'll never know. Maybe the homeowner could ask for the answer to this question!
The team's final attempt to debunk the case was to see if they could reproduce the ghost writing shown on the evidence video. For this, they used a plexiglass window, wrote words on the window, and taped the photo session video through the window, expecting the writing to appear on the photo. The problem with this test was all of the light reflecting; they couldn't get it to look just right because of this. There was obviously plexiglass there and no evidence of that in the original video. Besides, how do you account for the photos taken when the video wasn't recording?
Bill and Larry then willingly offer to go under the house to try and find this supposed buried body. They hire someone to use ground scanning equipment to find where something might be lurking. The scanner and Chi-Lan guide the guys as they army-crawl under the narrow passages of the house. After finding some hits on the scanner, they start digging and find bones! Too bad they were just cow and chicken bones :-( But, this does fit with the story that it was once home to Native American rituals.
The end result of this case is that it is unexplained. It cannot be easily reproduced and the video does not seem to be faked. Its another one of those strange cases that only happens at this particular location, which is really odd to me. To the skeptics out there: I would love to see you try for yourself!
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