Press Release: Father of the Paranormal Dies
Press Release: Amityville Ghostbuster Hans Holzer dies Sunday aged 89.
Hans Holzer, known as the Father of the Paranormal, died Sunday at his Manhattan home after a long illness.
Dr. Hans Holzer, PhD, authored over 145 titles including Murder At Amityville, which was the basis for the 1982 film Amityville II: The Possession.
Having earned his PhD from the London College of Applied Science, he spent over five decades traveling the world to obtain first hand accounts of paranormal experiences, interviewing expert researchers, and developing parapsychological protocols and terminology such as ‘sensitive’ and ‘beings of light’.
Holzer had hundreds of national and regional talk show appearances, co-hosting/hosting programs such as Ghost Hunter on Boston’s Channel 2, NBC’s In Search Of with Leonard Nemoy (an Alan Landsburg productions), Murder in Amityville, Beyond The Five Senses in Louisville, KY, Explorations with Brownville Productions in Ohio, Radio including a continuous segment with New York City’s WOR with famed radio personality Joe Franklin who still is a family friend.
Father Paranormal
A Biography
Dr. Holzer pioneered and paved the path for the field of study of the science of unexplained phenoma. He was the first of his kind to mainstream the term ‘ghost hunter’ which became the title to his first book in 1963, ‘The Ghost Hunter’ which went into an unheard of eleven printings.
Writing genres included parapsychology, the supernatural, the occult, some fiction, poetry, religion and healing. Most famous for Amityville Horror II: The Possession, Ghosts, Americas Haunted House, The UFOnauts, The Journey of the Magi and Murder in Amityville: Fact or Fiction. Most of his titles can be found on http://www.barnesandnoble.com.
Holzer was a leading authority in the field of the paranormal, known as Father of the Paranormal. Having earned his PhD from the London College of Applied Science, he has spent over five decades traveling the world to obtain first hand accounts of paranormal experiences, interviewing expert researchers, and developing para-psychological protocols. He taught parapsychology at the New York Institute of Technology for a decade.
He was a member of the WGAE, Dramatists Guild, Producers Guild, SAG, Authors Guild, AFTRA ASCAP, Archaeological Institute, NY Academy of Science, NY Historical Society and Who’s Who In America.
Dr. Hans Holzer 1920-2009
———————————————————————————–
NOTES:
No matter what you believe, if you agree or disagree there is no denying that, Dr. Hans Holzer was a pioneer in the field of “paranormal research”.
This folks, is how you create a legacy.
Are you creating a legacy like Dr. Holzer or are you just chasing ghosts like so many others out there?
If you are in this field as a researcher, strive to not become one of the thousands that will eventually achieve nothing. Not even a trail or a crumb of who you are, were, what you did and why you did it, nothing.
Bravo to Dr. Holzer for doing a great job in creating your legacy in the field of paranormal research.
Sincerely,
Tonya H.
Paranormal Eyes
For Sale: Vintage and slightly haunted toaster?
Over the past nine years I have heard many stories about ghosts, strange events, spooky experiences and even haunted objects. If you do a quick Google search, it’s not hard to find a plethora of haunted items for sale and for auction. The fascination with these items is very popular and many of the 
haunted objects are selling for top dollar at auction sites. What’s the big deal with haunted items? Why would a person want to purchase them and who are these people that seem to have all the luck with finding these oddities? I have been reading a lot about these items and I have been paying attention to the writing styles that are behind them. Haunted Dolls are big sellers these days. I know grown men that hate dolls, because they are often creepy. The older dolls have the look of peeling paint and blackened eyes, fit for any horror movie. It seems to be the new thing to buy haunted. Perhaps people these days are lonely, bored or just crazy? Perhaps if they are like me, they would purchase these items just because the odds of them being haunted, well, it’s a fun gamble and well worth the risk. Who knows, it could be haunted!? What a great conversation piece to place on your mantle! It’s always fun to talk to people and hear their stories of how big of a sucker they were in purchasing online auction items. Some people are just collectors of strange objects, if funds were available, I would probably be one of those people.
Haunted objects, it’s a forgotten and slightly ignored subject in the paranormal field. It’s forgotten because the subject is slightly boring and there is nothing that “ghost hunters” can do! I too will admit that I would prefer to go into an old and creepy hospital compared to sitting for hours to monitor an old clock that’s believed to be haunted. One thing that a lot of 
researchers and even the skeptics are ignoring is the fact that there are a lot of reports of objects being cursed, haunted or have some kind of spirit attached. No, I’m not talking about the ones for sale on the Internet. I’m talking about the people that don’t call the ghost hunters; they just get rid of the object entirely. I have spoken with many people that have purchased or inherited an object, usually an antique of some sort and had a string of strangeness take place after the item arrived. Items such as books, clocks, old quilts, pieces of furniture, toys, photos, watches and even paintings area all deemed haunted. When the people obtained the items they were not afraid of them, not one bit. The experiences just evolved, that is what makes the stories more intriguing than a regular ghost story. Those that I have talked with over the years are more upscale and not the typical person that believes in such things as “ghosts.” They are not the types to call some t-shirt sporting ghost hunting team to visit their home either. The people are working citizens, educated and were not the least bit prepared to the string of mishaps that took place in their homes and lives. I have heard reports from sudden insect or rodent infestations after a small trinket was inherited. People have reported, strange noises, knocks on the wall, falling photos and even small fires. It is entirely possible that “bad luck” was blamed on these objects, so don’t peg me as a believer just yet. I’m not willing to accept the blame or the possibility of an innocent coincidence to justify someone’s strange events.
One of the most popular collections of haunted items is the traveling exhibit, featuring the RMS Titanic artifacts and replications. Many years ago, the 
Titanic exhibit passed through Oklahoma. I was able to walk through and see all the found treasures that were aboard the historical ship. The items that made me become totally conscious of the tragedy was items such as hair brushes, some with hairs still in them and personal jewelry, not to mention children’s clothing, it was indeed haunting. The Titanic exhibit was even showcased on SciFi’s Ghost Hunters/TAPS not too long ago. The “team” entered the exhibit in search of traveling exhibit ghosts because curators have been reporting eerie sensations, being watched and even cold spots. Well, anyone with a soul would have been affected by this exhibit, even ghost hunters. Being around personal items might create more than just an uneasy feeling; it’s a feeling of empathy, on a non-psychic level and of course the blatant and very harsh pragmatism that is involved with the exhibit, over 1500 people did parish. Ghosts or were heartstrings just being tugged at? These emotions can be mistaken for fear of course, how and why? I will leave that up to the person that is seeking ghosts, not thinking rationally about the environment surrounding them. The TV spirit hunters reported sudden cold spots in the exhibit while at particular locations; I looked on the website to make sure that they still had the ginormious Iceberg as a part of the display. Sure enough, Iceberg ahead! Ice is cold folks, especially in big chunks! Way to exploit a tragedy and turn it into folk lore for future generations!
Energy- It is totally possible that items can be some kind of “collector” of energies from the past. If someone prayed to a rosary several times in a day over the course of twenty years, it is possible that those persons “energy” could be somehow, be collected within the object. Anything is possible right? I recently read a story about a haunted bedroom set. She purchased a full sized bed, dresser and armoire. Once the woman settled into her not so 
new antique bedroom set, strange things started to occur. Nightmares, waking up in terror, voices and even the feeling of being cold, while under the blankets. She dealt with them for a while and finally realized her problems started once the furniture arrived. She sold it (not on Ebay) and the terror stopped. On a psychological level, even small changes can generate anxiety within a totally stable person. She was convinced that the bedroom suit had some kind of bad Mojo to it, but it could have been because it was different, different enough to cause interrupted sleep. Kind of like when you go stay at a friend’s house, or a hotel, maybe a B&B and you just have a lot of trouble sleeping. You brain is aware of what is going on, your senses are peaked but you are in that state of “cat nap”. It’s just uncomfortable. Throw in the belief of ghosts and you have a whole new batch of nightmares heading your way. More and more I have watched places and items, just because they are old earn a haunting status, because of its age and outer appearance. I have learned because some items or places are old, does not make it haunted, creepy maybe, but not haunted. I will be so bold to state this as a fact.
Thinking- When we obtain something new, we subconsciously remember the day, if it was a fantastic gift, you will remember it more, it’s that simple. People have things that are strange and odd take place all the time, throw in a rusty old tea set and watch the imagination can run wild. Awareness is what is taking place, later putting two and two together, and then even as more time passes by, making a full fledged mystery out of it, mystery means “ghosts” in today’s society. Today, it’s easier for people to admit they have a ghost or haunted object, before they would ever admit that they are forgetful, having sleep problems and should probably see a doctor. It is possible these have allowed their imaginations to run wild because they have a new creepy doll sitting in their living room. That’s what you get for buying creepy dolls! The best part of a haunted item is that the majority of reports are that when the people “get rid” of the item, the haunting, bad luck and curse seems to stop instantly. Sure, it can be in their minds, but then again, there is always a possibility!
I am a proud owner of a vintage ventriloquist dummy that was sold not as “haunted” but just as “it’s creepy, and it scares my kids, I need to get rid of it”; it was given to me as a birthday gift. Of course in the right hands, the dummy would be a full fledged demonically tuned haunted doll ready for 
sale on the Internet, with a hefty price tag of course and totally worthy of contacting those as seen on TV ghost hunting teams! The doll sets proudly in my living room. I have yet to have any disturbances, but its faded little eyes do follow you wherever you are in the room!
On this blog, I would like to open it up for you to post your theories, stories and ideas about haunted items. Is it a paranormal-psychosomatic or is there something else? Please share your story & thoughts.
Here is a listing of items that are for sale on the internet if you are willing to become a collector of haunted items.
Oh, if you need “removal” of your haunted items, contact me I will come and pick them up for you!
- http://www.squidoo.com/dollrobert
- http://reviews.ebay.com/HAUNTED-DOLLS-AND-THE-SHAKEN-BABY-SYNDROME_W0QQugidZ10000000001040944
- http://www.warrens.net/annabell.html
- http://www.melodief.com/ghosts/contributions/clock.htm
- http://www.squidoo.com/tales-of-haunted-grandfather-clocks
- http://antiques.about.com/cs/holiday/a/aa102203.htm
- http://interiordecorating.suite101.com/article.cfm/haunted_furniture
- http://www.johnzaffisparanormalmuseum.com
Oh, want to buy more than just a haunted item? Try buying a haunted house?
http://www.sdparanormal.com/Haunted_House_Listings.html
PS- before you attempt to exploit your house to sell in this type of fashion, remember that stigmatized property takes 50% longer to sell and will depreciate the value tremendously! Think twice before you attempt to rake in the “big bucks” with a bogus haunted property.
Bring home the psychic!
While opening the press release I started to read, then I started to laugh and then I took a moment to reflect on how crazy things (and people) are these days, in and out of the paranormal field. I will type excerpts from the press release and offer my opinion.
“Have you ever thought of being your own psychic?”
Wow, what a great question! Who doesn’t want to be psychic these days? How convenient it would be to be able to have the upper hand on life, death, and fame and of course the lottery!
“Inspired by so many people who are now seeking spiritual solutions, Los Angeles psychic, Tori Hartman created a way for people to create the future they choose.” Just watching the news these days, people are bombarded with economic worry and angst about their future. It’s not a secret, but reading this headline makes me feel as if I was back in the 1930’s, during the Dust Bowl as citizens at their wits end paid money to self proclaimed “rain makers”. There are some things in life we can not control or create, no matter how good the marketing campaign may be. Choosing a persons future has nothing to do with being a psychic, or anything that smells psychic. It’s about working hard towards a goal to achieve it, there is no other way of putting it!
“The person that you go to for answers has created products that help you find your own.”
My own what?!
“Increasingly, customers seek Hartman’s “Do-it-yourself” aroma-therapy Intention Candle Kits. In fact, Hartman reported a 50% increase in overall sales by the end of her first quarter in 2009″
Well, here is the problem. People like for their homes and offices to smell nice people use candles and even the newly on the market electric oil products There are many things on the market that can make a place smell “psychic”,I mean nice. So, it appears this woman is nothing more than a candle dealer that has discovered a gimmick to sell products. Good for her, I guess? Times are tough all over, but I have to ask, why lie about what a product can do?
“My work is about empowering others to do psychic work without me.”
Said Hartman, “What could be better in a tough economy?” I totally understand that life, as a potentially bad psychic can be rough. But exploiting peoples tough times for personal gain? Yeah, I thought psychics were into that little thing called “karma”?
Reading into the Press Release, Hartman is quoted more and more. She uses phrases like “Bring home the psychic!” and “she has helped high-profile entertainment clientele, such as Jeff Lewis of Bravo’s Network Flipping out”, I have never heard of this high-profile person, I had to Google him, and I’m still not impressed. “She created her line so that anyone and everyone could access the immense focusing power of the universe to create their dreams.” Am I the only one that believes that people make dreams happen, not candles?
She claims the candles she sells are “psychically” scented with aroma-therapy to activate the energy of one’s intention. ” Key word found! Intention! Intention is not for sale! It’s free to anyone that can dream it up. You can stop at your local retailer, pick out your favorite candle, light it up and sit and pray or meditate for hours focused on your intentions and maybe even psychic abilities. The funny thing to me about this Press Release is that there are no special magical oils mixed with these candles, no pixie dust or leprechaun blessings, just aroma or some sort.
Visiting Tori Hartman’s website, I was intrigued until I noticed the pricing was on average, a 50 bucks a whack to “get you in tune with your spirit guide” candle, not to mention the other candles that seem to have an unmentionable magical ingredient. Prosperity, House Blessing, Healing, Divine Love (not just regular love), and of course Inspiration. If I am not correct here, but at my local grocery store, I have walked by many of these same types of candles and they are only $5 each.
Psychics- Being a paranormal researcher, I am often surrounded by those that feel they have some kind of psychic ability. Some “ghost hunters” out there claim to talk to dead people while on investigations. I have known some of these people for years and I recall, very vividly that they were not “psychic” a year or two back. Perhaps they too have stumbled upon these magical pixie products that have help them create their psychic abilities? I have also noticed that with some paranormal researchers, when things “get boring”, they instantly become psychic. It creates a lot of hysteria which in turn creates confusion that later is to be declared as “ghostly activity”. Not just anyone can just become “psychic.” I am tired of meeting people that claim to possess this super hero like power, really, you are talking to your dead Aunt Flow, prove it, make her say “Kiss my grits” or something! Prove it! But then again, I would not say that there is no such thing as psychic ability. I do know the better psychics are not out “hunting ghosts”. They already see dead people, so why must they “hunt” for them? Most respected psychics out there, are not ghost hunters, and they will also argue that the ability can not be taught that it was something they were born with it.
Intention: Since January 1st, I have woke up everyday and told myself that I am in fact psychic. Why? I want to see if I become psychic of course! I am just convincing myself that in fact I will see dead people. I figure if a person lies to themselves over time, they will become convinced, that’s typically how it is, right? For example, many people that blame little mishaps in their home and they instantly believe it to be a “ghost” because they watch too much paranormal TV. Over time that ghost becomes more real and even takes on a identity of it’s own. Sometimes the belief is so real, that it can even make professional ghost hunters witness unexplained activity. This applies to all ghost hunters, psychics and even candlestick makers. If you believe enough, it will come true, for you.
I have a long running product in my house, I call it “Specter Spray”. It’ s a home made aromatherapy (modified febreezey product) spray product that I have used over the years. After I ventured into dark spooky places during my paranormal research assingments. Just a quick spray, to keep the “ghosts” away, out of my house and away from my family. I would spray the repellent and guess what? No more boogie man! The spray even works on monsters, trolls and those “bad” clown fairies that live in the closet. This repellent works just fine for my 9 year old and I will continue to use the spray until she officially no longer believes in Santa Claus. If you are interested in purchasing “Specter Spray” contact me here! It works! Ask my kids!
Seriously folks, I do believe in a few things that are unexplainable, maybe even supernatural. But I do ask that you do not throw your money away on self help products like these. Fifty bucks a whack, use that money wisely in these tough economic times. Invest your money, give it to a local charity, put it away for a rainy day, perhaps purchase a therapy session at your local psychiatric office? Just because a self proclaimed psychic says it’s a good idea, does not make it a truth or worth a shot.
If you do in fact believe everything that a psychic tells you, I have a message from the other side for you. My personal psychic tells me that everyone needs to start thinking critically about supernatural claims and that people need to start using common sense. Believe this or go buy over priced candles! Your choice!
Sincere Blogger,
Tonya Hacker
Paranormal Eyes
Send me all yoru paranormal goodies! Good and bad! tonya@ghouli.org
