7 talking points and 4, or was it 5 quotes... yeah, no passion in your comments! :) All in good paranormal fun Tim!

Melissa

It's late and I'm tired, but call me crazy (too late for that I'm afraid), but I could have sworn that I just saw an episode of the show Paranormal State that could have possibly tied in with this thread. The team was investigating a B & B in Gettysburg with reported paranormal activity. The owners use reenactors and people in period dress to reenact something that happened at the house. Apparently, there is an increase in the amount of activity after these reenactments are done. I was only able to catch the last ten minutes of the episode. Can anyone tell me if there is a way to review this episode? I am quite interested to see if anything that was said would tie in with the topic of this thread. The link for the house that the investigation was done at is as follows:

http://www.tilliepiercehouse.com/

There is nothing on their site about it, just two seperate investigations, one by Mark Nesbitt.

I saw the same episode of PS - and I think we have a mole in GV, or they are secretly taping us and using our ideas in their own show...or finally, PS is on to a decent idea!

Of course, it could be none of the above, but it seem like many para groups are moving in the same direction now. And, as far as period dress goes, seems to produce results.

Melissa

I'm glad that you had the chance to see it at least. I caught the last 10 minutes and thought I would get lucky if I hit the record button on my DVR. On occasion, it will "catch up" with where it left off at allow me to watch the program in its entirety - no such luck this time! At least I know that someone else can vouch me for the content.

I would never be against trying period dress, in a variety of ways...in order to try to "spark" or increase paranormal activity. Seems like a reasonable idea...and worth trying.

But as for "testing the theory," I don't think the theory could be effectively tested.

The frequency of paranormal activity is so low, even at a place like the Wornall House...that you could have 20 investigations, and really only have one or two "interesting" or "compelling" results. The paranormal is so perception based...and so dependent on interpretation, right-time-right-place, and just seemingly random, that I can't imagine having enough results to come to an educated conclusion.

The other problems, is the complete lack of controls. O.K. One investigation has period dress...another does not. But you can't make all the factors exactly the same for both investigations. Weather, moon-phase, sun-spots, fluctuations in the earth's elecromagnetic field, mood of investigators, where investigators stand, spend time, what investigators specifically say or do, events at the location earlier in the day, earlier in the week, and about a 1,000,000 other factors would all differ. So, in a sense...I don't think its possible to "test the theory."

I do think its a good idea to try period clothes in some regard on an investigation, but I can't see a way to scientifically test the theory.

Mark

Thanks for putting it all in perspective for me. Just like in a lab, you would not have a "control" in which to compare and contrast your results to. This gives a lot to consider in regards to this.

Still worth giving a try though!

Mark

Ever since this discussion got started, my husband has been "itching" to try this out at the Wornall House tour in October. I told him that it would probably be a no-can-do as this is meant to be more of an educational tour instead of a "let's run with an untested theory in what would could be classified as an education/investigation." I hope that sounds right to everyone the same way that I am thinking it.

Hi Kim, gotta check with Mark and Trish.

Not too worried about it. Jim just threw it out as an idea to me when we originally signed up for the investigation/ class (as I am referring to it). I told him that doing it that way may best be reserved for another time and place when the group is not trying to be so "spongey" amd absorb all of the info that will probably be given out that night. He would probably be willing if you would like. I am just more concerned with the noise that the heel plates make.