PR at it's finest

I read today an article on the Jeffrey Dahmer Tour, the big one down in Milwaukee that retraced the nefarious killers steps and reminded people of the tragedy that this was (I'll link the article at the end).

It got me thinking...why do so many people protest the things we do as paranormal investigators? For ages, people have been fascinated by the human mortality, morbid as it may be. We've been drawn to the macabre and grisly truths that often goo unspoken. And this was one of them.

But I think it's all in the presentation. When KMPI brought Mush Bauers chair back to the Campbellsport Inn, we didn't make a big deal about the haunting aspect of it. Sure, it was part of it, but the truth was, it was only a small part of a bigger picture. The results have been nothing short of extraordinary. Business picked up for the Inn, and people came from cities, counties, and states away just to once again view the famous chair that Mush himself build and could be seen sitting in in his life. Just as they did when he was alive, just as they did for his funeral. And they continue to come.

Then again, comparing a man like Mush to Jeffrey Dahmer is just insane. Mush was a huge supporter of the community and the local kids baseball teams and athletic clubs. He donated much of his time and money to anyone who needed it, and has always been remembered as a great man. Mr Dahmer on the other hand, was a severely troubled individual, a recluse and a sort of reject of society who knowingly committed heinous deeds.

Still, the two go somewhat hand in hand. Both attracted the paranormal community as well as the community as a whole. Even our haunted house met with it's share of protests, some of which we thanked the people for their concern, and some of which we had to address more directly. The haunted house (Phantoms of Fond du Lac) was a touchy one, because of the level of gore involved, and again I think this is where the line is drawn. While the paranormal is often faced with traumatic deaths and ghastly historical events, many people would often just rather this all be left covered up. And the truth is, I think often we have to face a level of tactfulness and integrity to pull it off successfully.

In the case of the Campbellsport event people want to know if indeed someone does haunt the Inn yet. Rumors have flown around about this since the last owners back in the 70's. I received an email awhile back from the newspaper informing me of the calls she's been getting about it, so I know the interest is there, and we are meeting very, very soon with the owners to discuss what we found. And then, we will be meeting with the public, based on what the owners decide. And again, we have yet to encounter one protest on the issue, which is great!

So I think it really comes down to tact, and integrity. I think some groups that focus on the gore, and sensationalize the Hollywood version of a ghost or demon or zombie, tend to get frowned on publicly because, while we all have a secret draw to the paranormal, we all want it to be professional. And so maybe its me on my high horse, but when I see groups senstionalizing the darker side of paranormal, even in the name of "art" by putting it on tee shirts and stickers, I just know it's going to end up as a PR nightmare. As a general rule, my group has solved way more problems than we caused, and we've helped kick-start a number of events around the state now. So I really do listen when I complaint comes in about something we are doing, because even if what we deal with is sometimes a bit dark and scary, we try to shed a whole new light on the situation, that people can walk away more informed, and less afraid.

The haunted house? That's a different story! But it's also not paranormal ;)

To sum it up, for the groups out there reading this...keep it clean, and keep it real. Sensationalize the darkness, and turn it into a media frenzy, and you're inviting trouble that affects all groups everywhere. So be respectful. Of our clients, of our science, and of each other.


link to article:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/dahmer-tour-attracts-protesters-but-few-customers-jk4e38u-141314223.html

Flames of passion...they burn!

So this blog goes against the direction of the last, but in lieu of recent events, it seems a fitting tribute. KMPI got our start years ago, no one new me, we weren't big...it was just me and my crazed ambitions, and my semi-supportive girlfriend who, lets face it, for awhile thought I was probably suffering from an over-active imagination. When TAPs, or Ghost Hunters, first aired on Sci Fi network, it wasn't just some docu-drama, it was a voice for the many people and groups that, for the most part, were doing something unique and forward, and wasn't mainstreamed like it is today. Most people didn't believe it, or understand it, and there certainly wasn't such a fan-based sub-culture of science geeks, spiritualists, and skeptics that could get these three opposing forces in the world into one room at one time for a common theme or goal.

Ghost hunters changed that. They came on like a fire storm, and in their wake, they left the trail they blazed wide open for people to come out of the closet and join the movement that IS the paranormal. Paranormal became true to it's name finally, "Along-side of Normal", or "Parallel to reality" instead of the ostracized group of teenagers tromping thru a cemetery at night. We became unified to a cause, part of something greater than ourselves, and the dark and macabre history so many buildings had tried to hide came seeping out in truths, bit by bit, by the investigators. The voices of the dead were echoing across televisions across the globe, we could hear them and the world could hear us. This wasn't just a hobby anymore, it was a way of life for many. And like it or not, TAPs became the example we all set forth...many of us differ in styles and beliefs and structures, but no group is immune to the shadows of the shows they watch.

That's not to say TAPs has it 110% right, either, but to finally SEE an example, let others create something from that mold. TAPs broke the ground for many of us, and it came back for season 2 and paved the way for the other shows to try to catch up.

Now, I sympathize with Grant's leaving, because as a group leader, I feel his pain. Whatever his reason, when he went to talk to Jason, you could just tell, the guy was burnt out. With everything, the travels and the shows and the TV filming and book signings and so on, the guy probably hasn't been able to take the time to watch his kids grow up or spend time with his family. And I can relate...burn-out is high in this field. Most groups are lucky to remain past their 1st or 2nd year. The fact that KMPI has held on as long as we have is impressive, for sure, but I feel for TAPs, because the immense popularity of the show probably magnifies the burn out rate ten-fold. I can remember a few times where I asked myself..."Is this even worth it anymore?" and honestly, I will probably again someday, but I always seem to come back. But the time and energy, the money and equipment, the sleepless nights, and the continual disappointment of cancellations and not finding anything builds up on you over time. No one is immune to that.

I believe Grant is leaving TAPs, for sure. Will he stay gone? Who knows. But anyone in this field who's been in this field long enough knows...you might suffer the occasional burn-out, but you never lose your passion for it. Maybe it was something at home. Maybe it was the new group dynamics. Whatever the reason, with a heavy heart, we all say goodbye to Grant Wilson from TAPs and wish him well on his new endeavors, but I think we all know he wont be gone long.

Renewed Flames of Passion

I'm a self-diagnosed sensitive, an empath of sorts. I have always felt what people are feeling, I get feelings and sensations I cannot see, and I tend to adapt myself to those around me.

Years ago, someone told me that I had lost my passion for the paranormal. That got me thinking...maybe I had. I mean, I had been to some really amazing places and seen really amazing things, but for a few years, it seemed like KMPI got stuck into a rut. No NEW clients, just a few tried and true places we had good relationships with, return visits, etc. We had such good results and a lot of fun, but it didn't seem like there was progress anymore. Like everything we did was just to maintain KMPI, and not grow and expand. And so, maybe I HAD indeed lost my passion. Maybe I was no longer amazed and wowed by everything I experienced, maybe there was no fascination left in it all for me...Or, maybe I just needed something new. A new location, something new, and exciting...something untouched, something to get the blood going again. But my group disagreed with me. They wanted to stay where we were.

The next few months would be filled with the challenges that decision brought me. A lot of heartache and struggles and re-inventing. And now, over a year later, I can finally say that I again feel excited to do investigations, to do evidence review, to just BE a part of it all. But it's not just the group...I think a lotof it was being tied down. I think we got comfortable as a group, and no one wanted to escape that comfort zone. But what is the paranormal without pushing the limits of science and spirituality? I think we, as investigators and hobbyists alike, need to have not only a passion for what we're doing, but also a little bit of insanity to push beyond the normal day to day routines and lives if we are to experience everything there is to experience. Each new piece of equipment we bring in, I find myself more and more intrigued and more and more interested.

In the next few months, we'll be doing more testing with the repaired ovilus, a few tactics, and the new ITC. We'll also get a video ITC unit up and running and hopefully, in the end, we'll have something to report. I already noticed something interesting about the ITC last night, and it's got my head spinning into physics and math that I can barely think anymore!

I don't think I ever lost my ambition and passion....I think maybe it was stifled for a bit by routine and comfort-zones. But it's time, again, for us to push those boundaries and barriers and make KMPI all it is supposed to be. And I think I have the team who's passionate (and crazy) enough to help me get it there!

C.A.S.P.E.R.

The C.A.S.P.E.R. program is a new development that sort of began years ago, with a small haunted house and show in West Bend, and has grown and adapted itself to well beyond the aspects of paranormal investigating itself. The C.A.S.P.E.R. program is really so much more than what KMPI does, and while it remains affiliated with KMPI, and is largely sponsored by KMPI's members, it's really it's own entity.

C.A.S.P.E.R. stands for Community Activism and Supportive Projects for Education and Revitalization. That sound slike a mouthful but it's really just the tip of the iceberg. The name came easy, we wanted it to be known as sort of the helpful, friendly ghost-type of a entity, which it really is. The goal of C.A.S.P.E.R. is simply...to bring awareness and educate the community as a whole, to the paranormal community. To let them know who we are and what we can do for them. But it's also for the Community Activism, the Supportive Projects and Revitalization of the local businesses and economy. So many of the historical properties we deal with from time to time, are theaters, restaurants, and hotels. Many of them are owned by an individual or family, and in todays market,many of them are struggling.

The C.A.S.P.E.R. project is a simple one. We get called in or approach a company. We find out their thoughts on a plausible haunting of the building, see if there's even a remote chance of there being activity, research the property, and then we see what KMPI and C.A.S.P.E.R. can do for them. In exchange for a private (or public) investigation, KMPI will do some free-lance advertising and research into your company, maybe make a few suggestions for you to be able to draw people in. As a general rule, anywhere we go seems to garner a lot of attention just by itself. On our recent excursion we had a few people in the bar waiting around to talk to us. Sometimes, simply the interest is enough to get people in, and if people have a good time, they might recommend the buisness to others! That example is a simple one, so here's a better one:

Our most recent one, on-going now, is at the Campbellsport Inn, located in Campbellsport, WI. Our dealings with the FDL Historical society granted us access to ask for a favor...so we got the personal chair of Edward J Bauer, back for one short month, to the Campbellsport Inn. Ed Bauer ("Mush") was well known in this small town, world wide. He was listed in the guiness book of worlds records as the heaviest man to operate a bar, and at nearly 800 pounds, thats not too hard to believe! But almost as well known as the generous and likeable Mush, was his personally-built, custom leather chair, which he was known to be seated at every day for most of his time as the barkeeper. Now, ironically enough, we managed to bring this chair back on the anniversary of his death (was not discovered until after the dates were already set!) and so we took advantage of the situation, and ran a paranormal investigation...two of them, in fact, to test the theory on trigger objects. (Results pending review this week)

In addition, KMPI gathered up a lot of historical information we could find, newspaper clippings, stories and info on Mush's life and death, postcards, pictures, and even the historical ownership and building information of the Inn itself! We also handled the media release to the local papers and made flyers to put up around town for the chair being there.

The same day we brought the chair in, the parking lot stayed full nearly all day. Co-incidence? perhaps, but an increase in buisness that big only proves C.A.S.P.E.R. has worked for them in many ways...media, sales, advertising, and to top it off, they got to be a part of a paranormal investigation, one of the more popular "hobbies" sweeping the nation. Really it was a win for everything.

Phantoms falls into this category as well, although we didn't have a name for it yet, we knew this was where we were going with the program. Campbellsport might not garner the $20,000 jackpot that Phantoms did, and we cannot guarantee that you'll made tens of thousands of dollars with C.A.S.P.E.R., but in the right situation, C.A.S.P.E.R. DOES work, and CAN and WILL help a local business in some way or another.

C.A.S.P.E.R. events can be anything from a presentation, public ghost hunt, tours, haunted house, or private investigation, and beyond. It's limits are the imagination, and we're only limited by the size of your building and the number of our volunteers. For more information on what C.A.S.P.E.R. can do for you, head over to:
http://www.kettlemoraineparanormal.com/CASPER.html
...and fill out the form. My team looks forward to hearing from you and working for, and with you! More info on events we've done is located there.

C.A.S.P.E.R. is really about people helping the local economy in a rough time, and getting the message of who we are and what we do out to people. It's a great way to unify the public with the paranormal community, since sometimes people might feel we've sort of formed our own clique, and arent sure about what all goes on. C.A.S.P.E.R. is about transparency and a mutual respect between people of all walks of life.

And so far, it's been met with open arms and has had amazing results!

Been a long time, my apologies

Sorry guys, been a crazy few months. Personal lives, being sick, jobs...that's not even into the paranormal! Sometimes we get so swept away just trying to keep up, I forget to update the blog!

Last year ended on a really high note. In December, we finally met and worked out a battle plan. We met our three newest members, Bekki, Dave, and Jenn, and we sat down to do some major brainstorming. As it works out, it payed off! Our first big investigation of the year was at the Old Baraboo Inn. We're STILL reviewing that information (three weeks later) since it was an overnight investigation, and we let the equipment run all night. That's 6 cameras, 6 recorders, and 4 digital cameras, not to mention all the emf and temp readings! Over 16 hours worth! From roughly 6pm until 10am the next day! Over all, it was a success. We ran into a few trip-ups but over all, the team did pretty well and we worked through everything really well.

Our current project is one I started months ago, and has finally come around to being a reality. The Campbellsport Inn, formerly the old Amber Inn of Campbellsport. Rumors are abound of the former owner still haunting the place in a light-hearted way, playing tricks and trying to be noticed. We were given the AMAZING opportunity to test out the trigger object theory with a very personal item of the late "Mush" Bauer himself, and one cannot imagine a better way to test the object unless I had his personal underwear! Mr. Bauer was a legend in his own right, tipping the scales at nearly 800 pounds and being in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the largest bartender and hotel operator in the world! Hundreds of friends, family, and fans came to Campbellsport just to see Mr. Bauer, and we hope hundreds MORE come back to check out the Campbellsport Inn's menu and fine bar! During the month of February, the chair will be there open to the public for viewing. Hopefully the little bit of PR we can bring him will draw attention to his business and kick-start the economy in town a bit! ;)

And up next is...oh, wait! I can't spill that just yet! But it's going to be big, and new, and quite public soon enough! We also have another 4 business investigations pending for a date and a handful of private homes pending as well. Not to mention our usual lineup of annual appearances and events, including the 2012 Phantoms of Fond du Lac! Last year, your support helped us raise OVER $20,000 for the Solutions Center (and there-by kept the homeless shelter open last winter!) and the Fond du Lac Historical Society! he support and funds were much needed and well received throughout the community, and I anticipate this year to be bigger, better, longer, scarier, and just as much fun! We're opening more buildings, have a bigger budget, and a bigger crew already!

I cannot express my thanks to everyone who made last year, and this year, possible for KMPI. From the people who supported me emotionally and believed in my crazy ideas, to the people who gave me the kick in the butt I needed to pour my heart and soul (and what was left of our bank account!) into the event. I personally thank you all.

Look for more from me this year, I'm going to try to update this blog weekly, if not bi-weekly. Hopefully some topic will pop up for me to go on! ;)

Hooray for New Beginnings

We're starting to get quite excited about Phantoms of FDL. As it starts to grow around us, we're getting glimpses of how great it can be. Hopefully we can get everything to work out and we can raise money for the FDL Historical Society and the Solutions Center!

We're going to begin the set-up on Monday, Sept. 19th. Each day we're getting new activities together or finding new sponsors. It's quite exciting. Besides the Haunted Village, there will also be Sherman the Friendly Dragon. And on Sundays there will be pumpkin painting, scavenger hunts, things for sale, and other activities in the works. Our website is changing every few days, so be sure to check it out at www.phantomsoffdl.com. ALSO, 'like' us on Facebook here. There will be news only shared through social media that you will want to know!

Next week we will be working on interviews for local newspapers about the event. Be sure to keep a lookout on the papers in the FDL area to see if you can spot the articles about Phantoms and KMPI.

Phantoms is keeping us immensely busy, so we've been slow on investigations right now. We know it will pick up again right after Halloween and can't wait to try out some new things.

We apologize for any negativity that had to be witnessed on this blog. We're choosing to put it all in the past where it was before it was dredged back up. We have so many exciting things going on right now that we don't have time for such foolishness.

We will post more news and updates as it becomes available!

P.S. - Michael will be at the screening of season 2 of Paranormal Generation tomorrow night at 7 pm at Brookfield Public Library. It should be fun, so be sure to check it out if you can. If you can't make it, you can always catch episodes online as they are available.

Review of Ghost Radar app for Android

We've been playing around with the free Ghost Radar app for Android devices for a couple of months now. You might be wondering how it works. Here's what the company that made it says:

Ghost Radar is a portable application designed to detect paranormal activity. Currently supported portable devices include the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, BlackBerry and Android devices. Ghost Radar attempts to detect paranormal activity by using various sensors on the device on which it is running. Like traditional paranormal detecting equipment Ghost Radar employs sensors that measure electromagnetic fields, vibrations, and sounds. However, traditional paranormal equipment can be easily fooled when simple mundane bursts of normal electromagnetic fields, vibrations and sounds occur. Ghost Radar sets itself apart by analyzing the readings from sensors giving indications only when interesting patterns in the readings have been made.
Ghost Radar employs a proprietary algorithm to analyze the quantum flux. This application does NOT detect EMF nor gravity. Readings for various sensors are analyzed to detect QUANTUM Fluctuations. Interpretations of the sensor readings are displayed graphically as blips on the radar along with numeric and textual readouts on the VOX. Use your Ghost Radar to hunt for odd changes in the flux. Hunters of all types may find anomalous areas of their environment where readings simply can't be explained. You be the judge. Are the results of your hunting evidence of paranormal activity?
The theory of what is happening is that intelligent energy can be made aware of their ability to influence the sensors of the mobile device. The various readouts are an interpretation of certain readings from the sensors. An intelligent energy should be able to influence the readouts and communicate with you. What those readings mean and how you interpret them is up for debate.

You can find out more about it on the company site, spudpickles.com.

The first time we tried to use it, we had some amazing results. We were checking out a local cemetery (DISCLAIMER: We were there during the OPEN hours. Please ALWAYS follow the posted rules of places you investigate!) Both Michael and I figured the app was just a game and wouldn't be worth it. But I turned it on anyways. I watched 'blobs' show up on the screen, but nothing else happened. I held it for fifteen minutes and it did nothing for me except show blobs of color.

I handed it to Michael, exasperated with it. I told him it was a waste of time. He figured he would try it out as well just to make sure before we scratched it off the list of useful tools.

Well, what do you know, it starts talking for him. At first it just seemed like random words that made no sense. Then he started trying to figure it out. It said 'congress', 'deadly', and 'chemical'. He found a grave near an American flag, the last name being a different spelling of a chemical that could kill. The app kept on talking, and mentioned 'money' and 'animal'. He figured it was gibberish again, but then saw a statue of a lamb, and right in front of it was a quarter. The app said 'take' and when he went to walk away, it told him 'fail'.

All of this can be just written off as coincidence, but it was really weird to see. It did NOTHING for me, but then led Michael to money. It seemed to respond to his replies as well.

So, we decided that the app could *possibly* hold some merit. We have added it, and an Ovilus, to our inventory. We use them, but realize they may not be reliable and we should always back up any findings with other forms of evidence.

Since that awesome experience, the app is just spouting off gibberish to us. We haven't been able to make sense out of anything said like we were that day. Interestingly enough, though, it still barely responds to me. When I'm holding it or near it, it talks very little. When Michael has it, it becomes a little 'chatterbox' (slight pun intended LOL).

Our recommendation? Try it out if you have a device that supports it. But don't put too much stock into it. It's extremely likely that you might put meaning to words that it gives you, making something out of what is most likely nothing. BUT it's also possible that it might actually work some time. Hey, it's free. And the paid app  (with a bit more to it) is really cheap. So it would be silly to not give it a chance and add it to the tools that you already use.

Next up to review will be the Ovilus after we've had more time playing with it. We have an exciting investigation coming up next week, so we'll see how it performs then. ;)