Oklahoma's Ghost Conference Returns April 23, 2011

We are very happy to announce that the Oklahoma Paranormal Conference will be taking place in 2011 after taking a year off. Last year, with the state of the economy we decided to not host an event. We take pride in working to provide a quality event for a reasonable price. We realize we have a lot of travelers attend our events so we do our best to offer travel discounts, host hotels and even discounts for those traveling from out of state.

We have been working with the El Reno Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of El Reno and the El Reno Main Street program to relocate the conference to a bigger and better venue. We have chosen the historically significant old Center Theater in Downtown El Reno. Smack dab in the middle of downtown conference guests will have food, travel, tours and shopping available within walking distance.

 

The event will kick off around 10:30 to 11 am on Saturday, April 23rd, 2011. We will post the speaker line up and day and evening events very soon. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale towards the end of January.Groups of 10 or more will be offered special discounts. Some vendor tables will be available if we feel that the items will  be of interest of conference patrons. In the evening we invite guests to choose from a variety of specialized tours hosted by the citizens of El Reno where all proceeds go towards historical preservation. Tours range from riding on one of the last standing cable trolleys to taking an exclusive walking tour of the historical buildings that are full of rich history and a ghost story or two. All tours are affordable and fun for all ages.

Ghostlahoma will offer some of the areas best speakers and presenters when it comes to subjects of the unexplained. Paranormal researchers, Historians, Photographers, Authors and even Crypto-Creature experts. We invite everyone to discover the state of "Ghostlahoma" in 2011 and see another side of our great state presented by individuals that have a reputation of skill, knowledge and fun and informative information.

 http://www.elrenotourism.org/  <--- discover why we have this event in El Reno, Oklahoma.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ON FACEBOOK!

We will keep you all posted!  

We wish everyone a safe and wonderful Holiday Season!  ~GHOULI Team

Strange Creature found on Deer Cam? Hoax!

Just this week I received a message in my in-box stating a very alarming message.

"I have recently been given pictures that were taken on a family plot of land in Wister oklahoma on Nov 30 2010 at aprox 1 45 a.m by a camera trap that was in place to track deer movements what was captured on the other hand was no flippin deer and was nothing short of creepy as hell it was a bipedal humanoid type thing that apeared to be attemting to investigate the pile of corn left for the deer and was startled by the camera trap cause it looked right at it I've attached one photo and would really apreciate any insight on this matter because there are some freeked out people here you may also contact me by phone at...."

So, I look at the photo and I will admit it's a very creepy image. The thought of something like "that" prancing around in the woods scares me a bit. I took a peek at the photo. First glance, photo shop job. Then I just started searching the net for unusual photos caught by a deer cam. Within seconds I find the same image, plastered all over the internet. This is a big deal on the internet right now. Some paranormal researchers are actually reporting it to be unexplained while others are realizing it's not what it appears to be.

Even local media is jumping the bandwagon concerning this strange creature. It makes you wonder what ever happened to the concept of investigative reporting. Here is an example of one media source that is ready and willing to believe anything that's posted on the internet.



Viral videos are everywhere on the internet. People fall for them all the time, even "professional paranormal experts". Genius marketing or someone that has a lot of time on their hands, or both. No matter what, it totally works!

Here is the original story posted about the creature. Same story, different place.

"A deer hunter at Berwick, Louisiana, has captured a strange image of something wandering through the Louisiana woods at night. The hunter near Baton Rouge reported to the media that he found this bizarre image on his deer stand camera."

The image was apparently a marketing gimmick created by a hunting company called Wildgame Innovations they posted the image on their Facebook page and created a small story to make it seem real. Then they changed the the source of the image to a production of a movie titled Super 8. But, the Super8 news website is denying the accusations of this viral video. I found it odd that Steven Spielberg would need assistance with promoting a film. It's my two cents that the Wildgame Technology has sold a lot of deer cams. Not only hunters are using them but ghost hunters are jumping on the bandwagon without taking a few minutes out of their day to research the truth about the image.

This deer cam capture has been "debunked" by the many people that are not ready to jump to conclusions concerning creatures and paranormal phenomenon. Creepy image indeed. And I'm not too ashamed to say that the woods do freak me out. I would much rather spend the night in a rumored haunted building compared to camping in the deep woods. Perhaps images like this is what keeps me away. I am totally aware that creatures like this are not real but it would be my luck to be the first to come face to face with something this freakish. I will leave the crypto-hunters to do their job. I will stick with investigating rumors of ghosts .

Do you believe???

So many people believe in such things as ghosts, Bigfoot, phantom creatures and shape shifting beings from beyond but we have to ask why those same people choose to not believe an something called mass hysteria.

GHOULI is the only team in the state of Oklahoma and surrounding areas that are studying the effects of hysteria on a smaller scale, we call it group hysteria.


We modified  the Wikipedia version online of hysteria and crowd psychology. 

We started to explore this separate phenomenon as the popularity of Ghost Hunting started to flood the field of parapsychology. We played with the ideas and theories that one person can in fact make people feel, hear, smell and even be touched by ghosts. Many years ago, GHOULI team founder Tonya Hacker started testing these theories on location and during investigations. He efforts were very discrete and recently she has been vocal about the small tests she ran with her fellow paranormal investigators. These small series of tests have allowed her to develop and organize one of the most notable paranormal research projects in this generation of ghost hunting. It was very easy to manipulate the thoughts and feelings of those around us in both established-haunted and non-haunted places. We have recently completed a series of trials where some techniques were applied, we will share that data and final report as time permits.

So, do you believe what you see on TV? Do you believe what teams tell you when you go on a local ghost hunt or ghostly tour? Do you believe only because someone convinced you to do so or do you believe because you witnessed it all alone?

We are not attempting to say that there is no such things as ghosts or supernatural events. We have all witnessed something we can not explain at some point in life. We know that there does not need to be a puppet master pulling the strings with all witness accounts but we do want people to start paying a bit more attention. It's very easy to make someone believe but it does not mean it didn't happen to that person. Reality is open to translation and always should be.

Watch these videos and understand a bit more about the power of suggestion and hysteria.








Feedback welcome!


~ Tonya Hacker

Local authors and researchers meet and greet

On November 20th, in Enid, OK local authors meet up to talk to locals about their paranormal research and favorite haunting stories.

Tonya Hacker & Tammy Wilson authors of the Ghostlahoma book series spoke to a diverse crowd about their adventures in paranormal research. Tonya and Tammy both veteran paranormal researchers spoke about how they met up and became friends all over a unique EVP that was captured at Tammy's old home. The two women shared their favorite stories from the book and encouraged everyone to contact them if they have a location they would like to see highlighted in the next book that will feature places in Oklahoma where people can eat, sleep and drink with ghosts. The women also announced they will be kicking off a statewide campaign that will allow creative kids and teens to become published. The project is set to launch after the first of the year but already the women have had great feedback from schools, libraries and community centers. Tammy and Tonya are also known as the "Ghost Divas" and answered questions from the guests about the flood of TV shows that are currently on the air. The guests were curious as to how much of the TV shows were authentic and what is strictly for entertainment. Tammy and Tonya helped guests understand from a paranormal research point of view, that the shows are strictly for entertainment purposes.

Cullan Hudson author of Oklahoma book series Strange State and the Oklahoma Strange State Paranormal Blog kicked off the event as he shared tales from the Sooner state. Cullan spoke about some of his more memorable places he has visited, including the recent Hanobia Big Foot Conference. in southern Oklahoma. Cullan shared a few thoughts and theories of his own concerning recent reports of UFO's and the infamous Miami Spook lights in northern Oklahoma. Cullan explores all aspects concerning claims of the unknown. He does not focus on just ghosts, he covers it all.  Cullan also spoke about the enchanting Spiro Mounds and touched base on the historical and archeological significance and supernatural claims.


It's always nice to see authors and paranormal researchers come together to help intrigue and inspire the state of Oklahoma to grasp our rather young but often strange history.


Subscribe/follow this blog for more meet up's and small events in your area. If you would like to organize a small event, please contact us here on the GHOULI blog... email us here! 

Skirvin Hotel OKC where to stay?

GHOULI receives  a lot of requests concerning the Skirvin Hotel in Downtown OKC.
Perhaps they have heard about the rumored tale of "Effie" a distraught mother and secret lover plunging to her death out of pure uncertainty and heartache? Maybe they heard the hotels haunting tales because the NY KNICKS & LAKERS were so afraid that they lost a game over it? Maybe people are intrigued by phantom "ladies of the night" potentially visiting their room? No matter what the reason is, there is no denying that the Skirvin Hotel has a haunting past. Since it was reopened, the unexplainable claims are making their way to the surface. Both new and old stories are being shared online and some of them will make your skin crawl.

The Skirvin Hotel is not "scary", unless you have a great imagination and perhaps a basketball game the next day. Thousands of people spend the night in the hotel each month without ever witnessing a paranormal event or unexplained occurrence. Some of those people are staying in the hotels "hot spots" and never miss out on a wink of sleep. It's not scary but it is one of the most highly recommended destinations I give to adventure minded travelers concerning the OKC Metro Area. The hotel is friendly and makes everyone feel at home. It doesn't matter if you are hosting a child's slumber party, business meeting or having a romantic get-a-way, the Skirvin is top notch when it comes to accommodations and service.

We have been monitoring reports of ghostly phenomenon since the book "Ghostlahoma" was released, which was around the same time the Skirvin opened it's doors. Our team conducted a private trial at the hotel and learned a lot about the potential of ghostly activity. There is not a lot there, but when people least expect it they may get a blast from the past.


Areas in the hotel where we recommend you make your reservations.

Any room on the 5th floor, west wing of the hotel.

• 9th floor central area.
• 7th floor central area.

• Ballroom- If you can get permission or an employee to show you around the ballroom, we highly recommend you visit that part of the hotel. 

• 2nd Floor- Mezzanine- You can not get a room here, but take your time and enjoy the 2nd floor of this magnificent hotel. Stay to the west of the building. 

• 10th floor hallway and central areas- Middle suites.

At night- see if you can hear talking, movement or a baby crying. Granted, there could be a real live baby/family in the room next to you, use common sense.

The key to witnessing something paranormal at the Skirvin hotel is to not expect anything. Just enjoy the hotel without looking for ghosts. We do not recommend anyone walking around this place with EMF meters, video cameras or any other kind of cheesy gadgets. You will be amazed what you possibly can get if you just run an audio recorder. Outside of potentially disturbing the other guests, the Skirvin does not need "ghost hunters" walking around it's more classy than that. The hotel is more receptive to people that are there, enjoying the hotel and having a few cocktails in the Red Piano Lounge.


Learn more about the Skirvin Hotels Haunting history on the net or grab a copy of "Ghostlahoma" and let us know how your stay went! shoot us an email or post your story right here on this blog!


~ 
Tonya Hacker

Enid Oklahoma - Hosts Spirits of Oklahoma this weekend.

Join Oklahoma Paranormal researchers and story tellers this Saturday!

Tonya Hacker and Tammy Wilson- Authors of "Ghostlahoma" share some of their favorite and most memorable encounters with the unknown.

Cullan Hudson- Author of Oklahomas Strange State book will talk about his most interesting paranormal research assignments. Marilyn Hudson author and Ghost Story Teller will be there too! Fun time for the whole family!


Garfield County Public Library in Enid hosts SPIRITS OF OKLAHOMA with paranormal
Oklahoma authors and ghost hunters with a special event on
Saturday, November 20th at 11:00 AM. All ages!

Click here for calendar.

Ghostlahoma Authors challenge youth to write!

Tammy Wilson and Tonya Hacker will soon launch a statewide campaign to motivate children and teens to start reading and writing about Oklahomas haunting and often strange history! 

This campaign will allow a lot of kids to be published authors before they even graduate high school!

Working with Whitechapel Press the authors are excited about teens being able to learn more about Oklahoma History, one ghost story at time!
If you would like your school to be involved in the “Ghostlahoma- By kids” version, please contact Tonya Hacker at tonyahacker@gmail.com or if you are in Northern Oklahoma or Tulsa area, contact Tammy Wilson at tammylynwilson.gmail.com


Sincerely,
Tonya Hacker

Halloween Wrap up!

We hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween 2010! We also hope you took some time to spend with friends and family this year! Just a quick note. You did not see GHOULI on the local news this year because we are working to shed the TV/Media image that has been pegged upon us. Although our team does not have a goal to "get on TV", we are asked very often by media to participate in such projects. We take pride in not wanting to be a popular team. We have earned our reputation as a reliable and unbiased resource for claims of the unknown in the state of Oklahoma because we do not offer a "TV ready" appearance. We work closely with property owners and historical communities to make sense to reported haunts and we will continue to do so. We are proud to be able to visit meet and talk with some of Oklahomas most influential historical and and non-historical property owners and coordinators. We do want to show our support to a couple new faces that did make it on the local news this year. AbandonedOK.com and Cullan Hudson, author of Oklahomas Strange State book and blog series. We are happy to support them while they allowed a peek at another side of Oklahomas history, minus the "gizmos, gadgets and matching t-shirts" that Oklahomans are accustomed too seeing this time of year. They did a great job while offering an alternative to what has become the norm within the paranormal community.


We are very busy these days. We are wrapping up one of our research projects and the data collected will be shared very soon. We want to thank everyone that participated in this research trial and we hope you had a great time with this unique experience. We are also working on part 2 of a our book series "Ghostlahoma". We would love your feedback and any contributions you may have to offer. We are excited to announce that the Oklahoma state Paranormal Conference will be held April, 2010. There will be some great changes to the event and as always the event will be affordable and fun for all ages.

New blog and website- thank you for your patience as we move things around and shake things up a bit concerning the www.ghouli.org website. We are working to make things easier for everyone, more fun and interactive! 

As always... we will not post or share our investigative locations on the internet. If you are interested in becoming a GHOULI team member, just contact us. We do not require you to pay dues and all members are volunteers and are treated like adults. All we ask is that you work to obtain locations and research history. This is not a "job" or paid position. We all do this on our free time :) family first!

Sincerely,

Tonya Hacker

Overholser Mansion to offer up some scares!

Overholser Mansion, Oklahoma City, OK, Oct. 28,29,30, 2010

Two sessions each day: 7:00pm and 8:00pm

Listen to scary stories told by our friend, Oklahoma storyteller Marilyn A. Hudson , aka 'The Ghost Teller", followed by a tour of the historic 1903 mansion - at night. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children.

GHOULI team members have been encouraged to volunteer at these events... we might just see you all out there. Great fun for the family.

Note: this event may not be suitable for very young children. Make your reservations now as space is limited. Call 405-525-5325 to RSVP.


Sincerely,


Tonya Hacker

WANTED

WANTED: We are currently looking for Oklahoma's favorite places you can eat, sleep and drink with "ghosts" or anything else that falls into a category of "unexplained"

----->>>>>This book is Family and tourism friendly!

Looking for Unusual tales across the Sooner State. All locations must fit into the outline. Hotels, Motels, Bars, clubs, B&B's, Diners & restaurants... Please contact Tonya to have your location added to the book. Contact me at tonya@ghouli.org OR right here on Facebook.

PLEASE SHARE & help the word get out that I am needing locations for part 2 of "Ghostlahoma" book series.

NOTICE: ALL LOCATIONS MUST BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! THIS SERIES WILL BE TRAVEL FRIENDLY!

PUBLICATION SET FOR OCTOBER 2011 email today tonya@ghouli.org

I caught a ghost on my friggin PHONE!!!!!!!!

It seems that ghosts are making more and more appearances on camera phones these days. Technology is great, but I must say that people need to not be stupid about it.
There are applications (tools for high tech phones) that mimic what is seen on TV and in the paranormal field. There are ghost detecting applications, apps that mimic the oh so popular ovulus and the biggest one of all is the ghost in a photo application. This application has fooled some uninformed journalists that have made the bogus images front page news in their local papers. It's a sad day when the paranormal field is so popular that people have to utilize phone applications and try to pass it off as some kind of paranormal evidence. Trust me, there are probably teams out there right now sharing a photo of a full bodied apparition with some unsuspecting and uninformed group of believers. 

 The above photo was sent to me today. The woman believed it was the real deal. There was a story in place and it seemed so paranormal! Upon further inspection, which I must say I believe I set in record time, about 2 min but I'm not bragging or anything... this person even faked the "orbs". Seriously, who in their right mind would ever want to fake an orb? 

ORBS ARE NOT GHOSTS AND THEY ARE NOT UNEXPLAINABLE!!!!!!

Even the makers of IPhone and Ipod touch admit it is a joke. The sad thing is, people want to believe so much that they are not staying current with technology. These are the same group of self proclaimed "science" that boasts and brags about having piles of technology available to them when they "hunt ghosts".

Lesson here. Stay current. If it looks like a full bodied apparition than it probably is not. If someone emails you or sends you an apparition photo, please get into the habit of comparing to the millions of Phone App ghosts that are floating around the internet like a swarm of deranged  locusts on a hot sunny day in the prairie.


Want an application to fool people? Maybe even those "scientists" that you may pay big money to see speak at some ghostly get-a-way? Click here for many FREE applications to play with.

Want to comment on our NEWSOK Blog? CLICK HERE

Novemeber 6th!

Is one of the final investigations that will be open to the public.  We ask that you reserve your spot as soon as possible. This will be the smallest of the groups so space will be limited.
This is the week right after Halloween. We did not have the trials closer to Halloween mainly because we are looking for people to participate according to the protocol and not be seeking out a "Halloween adventure". Only the truly interested encouraged to participate.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

LOCAL PARANORMAL TEAMS- If your group is wanting to participate contact us directly.

Southern OK ParaCon- October 30th

Just in time for Halloween!

Tonya H. of GHOULI will be speaking at this event.

Hope to see you there!

PS- To eliminate any confusion, GHOULI will be hosting the Oklahoma Paranormal Conference in El Reno in April, 2011. The new name of the GHOULI event is "Ghostlahoma!".

New home page!

Because blogging is easier, we are redirecting our home page to this site. We are excited that we will be able to give quick and easy updates as we need to, without having to log in and redesign a webpage. This site also allows live feed from the GHOULI Facebook account ! It will empower our members to write more informative articles and how to's when it comes to paranormal research. It will also allow us to share some great stories and updates when it comes to investigation locations. It will also allow us to analyze "evidence" that is collected by our team and across the internet. We are excited to have a fun and interactive home page where it's easy to follow and read!


Sincerely,

The GHOULI Team

Public Events

We work hard to bring the public into our research, we work just as hard with finding fun ways to bring people to some of Oklahomas most forgotten places and history. Public Ghost Hunts, Conferences, Workshops, Slumber Parties, Speaking engagements to hands on and one teaching. We try to show the rest of the world that not everything you see on TV is real. Our goal is to educate the public and those interested in paranormal phenomenon. 

Click to learn more about Public Events that are taking place!

Cognitive Trials by GHOULI

WHAT IS A COGNITIVE TRIAL? The point of Cognitive trials  in a nutshell,  is testing the public's ability to determine, test judgments/ misjudgments, impressions, mass hysteria, PSI ability, impressions and mental conceptual views towards potentially haunted locations or non haunted locations that may be rumored to be haunted.

How it is applied- Paranormal research/Parapsychology testing is imperative to our field of research. Technology is not the baseline for all paranormal research and should never be limited . Testing in non-haunted and rumored haunted locations allow the researcher to apply outside opinions from those that are  involved or not involved with paranormal research. The statistical data you will collect on the trial can be applied to any informal form of "investigation" typically collected by a “team” of paranormal researchers. Collecting data that is from more than one group of individuals and their beliefs is beneficial to the location and provides accurate and unbiased information to be formulated into a chart or data outline to validate a buildings psychological and physical and mental influence. The more people involved in the study, the stronger the numbers will be. This is why the trials are open to all walks of life within the general public. It is also crucial to host trials in locations where "history" or "haunted history" is not published or well known. 

What do you do?- Trials are not a “tour” or  any kind of form of a “ghost hunt”. The research is collected from the participants, not the team of “ghost hunters”. The statistical data is formed from the feedback of the participants and allows people to learn hands on how legitimate paranormal research is conducted. The trials are a lot of fun and allows participants, no matter what they believe to be involved with a study that makes sense to the true scientific community. As a participant, you will be guided through two series of tests. We encourage everyone to participate to the fullest and be a part of how the project concludes. We will not make you sit and listen to how “great our team” is (or is not), we will get started and have a lot of fun while the tests take place. Nobody will be sent in or left alone or put into any kind of danger. There are not scare tactics or staged hoaxes that are very common with public “ghost hunts”. You are encouraged to bring a video camera, camera  and/or audio recording device. These items are optional and can be used during the second part of the trial. Please bring a flashlight.

We ask that participants are ages 16 & up. MATURE teenagers are welcome. Teens that goof off or disrupt the trial will be asked to leave without a refund. NO EXCEPTIONS. Teens must be accompanied by a PARENT. This is not a “thrill seeking” public event. It is an opportunity to be involved with paranormal research and is very intriguing to those that have a sincere interest with subjects of the unexplained. Skeptics are welcomed and encouraged to participate.

*If you are with a ghost hunting team please let us know in advance.

* If you have participated in a prior trial please let us know. We are excited to have you back!

Data and information about the trials will be shared via email correspondence. The location of the project will not be released to the public or posted on the internet. We ask that locations be kept confidential until the trial is completed. A breakdown of statistical data and conclusions will be offered to the public on this site via PDF file.  Again, this is not a thrill seeking ghostly adventure where tour guides scare the bejesus out of you for entertainment. Although these trials are a lot of fun , informative and exclusive we are confident that you will walk away with a feeling of accomplishment and awareness. No matter what your belief may be, we feel that you will enjoy participating in this trial.

Cost to each participant is $15 each. This allows us to pay for printed materials and supplies you will need during this trial. Estimated time frame for each trial– 7:30 to 11PM. A memorable evening out!  Contact us if you have questions.