- PLEASE READ THIS UPDATE BEFORE EMAILING ME
-
- This update covers three areas:
-
- 1. Please do not email me about my statements made
above as compared to the current show. The above article was written back
in September 2005 and should NOT be compared to the current show.
-
- 2. There is an error I made regarding the two lead characters
of the TAPS show. Lead characters are actually Jason and Grant.
-
- 3. As for the stated lack of doing real research
at haunted sites for more than 2 hours (on the average) as far as I know
that still goes on. No real determination of any site being haunted (or
not haunted) can made using such limited data. It's just plain bad
science. Is there an unwritten law or requirement that lights have
to be out for a haunted site to manifest iteself? I think not. Theatrical
license is more likely the reason for this. Perhaps producers are thinking
this is what the average person expects.
-
- Thankyou.
- Ted Twietmeyer
- -----
-
- The TAPS show airs on the Sci-fi channel on Wednesday
nights. Often two episodes are aired in serial fashion. But what is it
we are watching? What does it mean? It's time we looked at this a bit closer.
-
- For those who have not seen the show, TAPS (The Atlantic
Paranormal Service) is a service run by a pair of plumbers (yes, real working
plumbers) mysteriously only listed as Jason and Steve in the show's credits.
The show is never protrayed as fiction, and utilizes some of the latest
in high tech equipment to record strange events. Restaurants, a lighthouse,
hotels and historic sites in New England and mid-Atlantic states are the
typical locations for the show.
-
- Property owners or caretakers call the service looking
for TAPS to provide proof positive of activity. Jason and Steve have two
or three others help them collect the data late at night, on location at
the site of interest. Near-infrared, thermoscan cameras, still digital
cameras and other devices are used to record events. At some point in the
show, production cameras go with them on Roto-Rooter house calls, rubber
gloves and all. Some scenes look like out-takes from another TV show, titled
"Dirty Jobs." Overall, to the trained eye it gives a strong impression
of an extended product placement insert for the well-known national plumbing
company.
-
- Instead of meeting in a converted house trailer, in TAP's
2005 season they now meet in a tiny building located on a commercial street.
The actual location is never discussed. Apparently now the sci-fi channel
is pumping some funding into the show, to give it a face-lift.
-
- Without further delay, let's look at how they collect
data in what some call a fringe area of science. Data collection at haunted
locations inherently presents technical challenges, even to those well-educated
in the paranormal. If someone was considering calling these guys, they
might want to review the various facts about the methods used as described
below.
-
- 1. A pre-production interview with the client is not
shown, but it is discussed very briefly at the beginning of the show. A
brief verbal thumbnail sketch of what they are looking for is given, probably
because of time limits for show length.
-
- 2. Video cameras are set up which have their own infrared
illuminators, apparently with very little planning ahead of time.
-
- 3. A thermoscan camera is rarely used, even though it
could provide a visual image of a "cold spot" that clients often
describe.
-
- 4. Recording of late night phenomena (according to TAPS)
doesn't require a month of recording, or even a week. Only few hours of
just one night. It is apparently chosen at random for convenience of all
involved, and not based on any pattern of activity. This is all the recording
for audio and video that is done. A one night walk-through of two teams
using handheld thermometers, cameras and other instruments is performed.
Real paranormal professionals require many nights and days of recording
and observation. I cannot recall anyone, anywhere ever describing paranormal
activity taking place every single night of the week.
-
- 5. EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) recording is also
used to a limited degree. On site recordings often have far too much chit-chat
between investigators, drowning out any potential voices or usuable audio.
-
- 5. Two of the technical crew (Steve and another crew
member) are given the tedious job of sitting and staring at monitors back
at the TAPS office or in a hotel room, for many hours looking for anything
out of the ordinary. Anyone who has done this with long video or audio
tapes, will confirm that fatigue sets in. It's very easy to miss something
important. Or see something that isn't there. If a real event appears on
the screen for a second or less (which is often the case) it can easily
be missed.
-
- 6. Jason and Steve then make a summary of the observations,
and return to the site they collected data from. This is usually called
"The Reveal." Their conclusions are given in person, on camera
to the caretakers, managers or owners who called them in. On at least one
show, they just called them on a speaker phone and gave the person a quick
summary.
-
-
- BEING HAUNTED CAN BE BOTH GOOD AND BAD
-
- If you sell real-estate in many states of the USA, you
must declare whether or not a building or property is haunted to the buyer.
This is true in NY state, too. Yet despite the negative stigma that a haunted
property can have, the effect can be quite the opposite for commercial
purposes. For owners of bars, hotels, restaurants, etc... it can be a great
marketing tool encouraging people to boast "we've had our property
checked professionally, and it's haunted." For commercial properties
like bars, hotels and restaurants, haunting adds a certain element of charm.
For private real-estate, it can be a curse that won't go away when you
want to sell. And if the owner of an establishment finds out that their
place of business is NOT haunted after they have told everyone for years
that they are? Serious embarrassment or even legal problems can result
after a negative conclusion is aired on the show. One can just imagine
the disclaimers and agreements not to sue that one must sign before production
of the show begins.
-
- THE BIG QUESTION - WOULD YOU CALL TAPS FOR YOUR HAUNTING?
-
- Given the mixed possibilities of having a property declared
on national television as haunted (or not,) would TAPS publicity help anyone's
business? If someone was looking for publicity, being on the show would
be almost useless.
-
- Consider this: Can anyone recall the name of a family,
bar, hotel, restaurant, historic site or other facility that has been investigated
on the show, and declared by TAPS experts as "haunted?" The show
presents some interesting entertainment for a certain demographic.
-
- Being on the show is quite a different matter. Your reputation
can be damaged if you claim your business or home is haunted, and TAPS
finds nothing conclusive. And this is their overwhelming conclusion for
most sites they visit and "analyze." Something to think about
before contacting them to be a guinea pig on their show, at your reputation's
expense.
-
- A better answer? It would be far wiser to call a college
or university with a well-equipped paranormal department that will do field
research. Or, another reputable and confidential group which uses good
scientific methodology, who will keep the results private. This is important
psychologically whether the results of the research determine it is haunted,
or not.
-
- And the bottom line? Negative TAPS findings of paranormal
activity as a result of just one night's observations, might be taken by
some as fact. It could cause them to think the problem is in their head,
leading them astray from the real problem. False positives could also result
in people moving out of a home that has nothing wrong with it.
-
- Ted Twietmeyer
- http://www.data4science.net explores many areas of science
that mainstream science ignores, often for lack of funding. It is not covering
hauntings as of this writing.
-
-
- Update - Comment
- Ted Twietmeyer
- 9-27-6
-
- My description of TAPS as "The Atlantic Paranormal
Service" was intended as a play on words. It actually means "The
Atlantic Paranormal Society."
-
- I have already received a number emails from people that
completely agree with
- my assessment of TAPS effectiveness, and I thank them
for taking the time to write me.
-
- After being encouraged by a rense reader to look at their
website at http://www.the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com it just confirmed
my statements.
-
- (Yes, I really do read all emails from readers.) Brian,
their former "tech" guy had some personal problems that caused
him to resign from the show. So what do the people of TAPS do? They publish
a "magazine" about their "operation" for lack of a
better word. And there on the front cover of the current issue is a picture
of Brian with the title "Brian's paranormal CRASH." (See picture
below.) We should congratulate the TAPS people for lowering themselves
all the way down to tabloid level, by capitalizing on another's misfortune.
-
- Brian was honorable, and HE decided to resign before
his problems deeply impacted others.
-
- Would you want a "society" made of clowns like
this coming to YOUR home? Or even doing your plumbing? If so, then you
could end up as tabloid fodder in next month's issue. Perhaps they are
a "social society" and they feel Brian just doesn't "fit
in." They have proven themselves capable of bickering with each other
on camera (which has been kept IN the final cut of the show,) unscientific,
nonsensical and ruthless against THEIR OWN PEOPLE. Even off air they trash
each other, which their tabloid trash proves without doubt.
-
- To intentionally character-assassinate Brian like this
makes them as low as animals that eat their own young.
-
- I hope Brian sues the crap out of them. He never deserved
that kind of treatment and he has my support, and the support of many rense.com
readers.
-
- Ted Twietmeyer
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