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4-16-10  "It's Over Prime...."

So, what could possibly keep me from updating this blog three months later than I like?  Simple; been working on a new reality series.  Okay, that's a little over stating it, but we start filming in Late May.  I will keep you updated.

I trust we will all see you at the Mount Hood Ghost Conference April 24-25th in Welches...?



Dave




1-10-10 “Oh what a night....”

I know, I know, it’s been forever since I have had a chance to visit this page yet again with my thoughts and feelings on things that are paranormal.  But you know, not only did Christmas slow me down, so did a big sewage flood that hit my apartment. 

My wife, kids, and myself fled our home of eight years and were shoved in a tiny one-bedroom apartment until it was fixed.  This was just two weeks before Christmas.  We spent both Holidays crammed in to this tiny little apartment, with all of our stuff stacked to the ceiling.  Our bed was destroyed in the process, meaning my wife and I now sleep on couches.  On January 1st, our apartment was repaired and we started moving back.  The process has been long (how do we own all this stuff??!) But we have managed our way threw it.  We were only gone about three weeks, but it seemed like forever.  It sure is good to be home.

Generally, I put the PLA aside during the Holidays, as most people are very busy with family obligations starting in November.  Not just clients, but PLA members are as well.  I pick things back up again in mid-January, that is unless we get a call or are currently working a case.  The case we are in the middle of right now has been very interesting, we are even calling in a Priest to bless the place, but it’s still be an interesting case to work.

In the meantime, we are getting our ducks in a row for the Mount Hood Ghost Conference in late April.  Yours truly will be giving a few presentations there, and if it’s anything like last year, then it should be a fun time for all.  A room filled with mostly like minded people discussing in a friendly atmosphere theories and beliefs.  It’s a good time for everyone, and I encourage everyone in the area to attend.

Over the passed few months, I have been speaking with a couple of TV producers who were interested in pitching the PLA as a possible ‘reality’ TV series.  During my conversation with one producer based out of New York, I was flat out told that there isn’t a cable channel out there who would be interested in picking us up as a TV show unless we were willing to fake evidence.  At this point, I said ‘Thanks, but no thanks...’ as all I wanted to do was to show how a real paranormal group gets the job done.  I didn’t want to fake a bunch of evidence for the sake of a TV show to make it more interesting.

This whole experience made me wonder exactly how real these so called reality paranormal shows are.  When watching them these days, and they get a big piece of evidence, I can’t help but wonder how legit it is.  Some shows have been rumored to take evidence from the same location  that had been collected by other groups and passing them off as their own.  Some shows are rumored to even have a group of people from the production company show up prior to the crew getting there and ‘gimmicking’ the location to get good evidence for a TV show.  The whole process is absurd, and insulting to those of us in the field who are interested in real research.  I have come to the conclusion that I don’t believe any paranormal show anymore unless it happens to be on PBS, as they are not beholden to ratings like every other channel on the market.


Dave Galvan





11-28-09   EMF-HYPERSENSITIVITY

There is nothing most misguided in this field than what people call ‘EMF Hypersensitivity’.  The PLA goes in to peoples homes, and we hear the client talk about living in a ‘fear cage’, and all the words that you hear on the TV shows. 

Let me tell you something, EMF Hypersensitivity (which I will hereby refer to as EMF-H) is one of the most over-diagnosed things in this field.  Let me explain.

Years ago, a certain ghost hunting TV series started up, and they started spewing certain terms that are now common in the field; EMF-H, Fear Cage, Matrixing, and so forth.  Then, everyone under the sun decided they wanted to be a ghost hunting, since they too can get rich and be on TV, so they too started using the same terms.  Mind you, most of these terms were used only by this show in-group.   Most of these terms were not, at the time, generally used by anyone outside of the team.  This is fine, I myself have a few terms I use within the group simply to describe things.  This is normal, and most groups do.

So, with that said, the term EMF-H as well as others were now being beamed in to peoples homes, and absorbed by the minds of those who dreamed of sitting in a haunted basement and having an experience.  When, of course, in actuality, you sit in a basement generally bored out of your mind as nothing usually happens. 

So, now, we have groups who are going in to peoples homes telling them their hauntings are not real, it is actually caused by high EMF.  When, as far as I am concerned, they have no business to even discuss that with the client, except in extreme circumstances.

Everyone and their uncle talks about the ‘proven’ medical studies about high EMF and how it actually can cause skin irritations, delusions and irritability.  The problem is, the ‘proven’ medical studies are not so proven after all. 

There are two studies that I am aware of that have ‘proven’ EMF-H, and both of those studies were not scientifically conducted.  Neither of them performed a ‘blind’ test.  Meaning, they told the people they were testing what they were doing, and what they were looking for!

Since this is the case, the people were most likely sitting there waiting for the effects to happen, and reacted like how they thought they should.  People reportedly saw ghosts, felt that people were standing right next to them, and one woman even claimed to have seen God!  The whole test was a joke.  These are the tests that are quoted when these ghost hunters say there is something to EMF-H.

On the flip side, there are two tests that I know about that were blind tests.  They told the participants nothing of what they were doing or what to expect.  Not a single person reported an experience. 

Ware does that leave EMF-H?  The same place ware we found it.  There is no reliable scientific evidence that it even exists. 

This isn’t to say that I don’t personally believe that there may not be something to it.  I believe in ghosts for goodness sake, the idea that it isn’t possible that EMF-H is a legitimate possibility is absurd!  However, I can’t help but feel that it is the most overly diagnosed issue in the paranormal field.  If the TV shows were to be believed, practically anyone who lives in a high EMF area is hypersensitive.  If that is the case, then why aren’t people who live under power lines, or next to substations seeing ghosts, or even God, every ware they look?  The idea that anyone without a Phd in a medical science is diagnosing people with EMF-H is unprofessional, and completely irresponsible.

Now that I am getting off my soapbox for a bit, PLA had a great Thanksgiving, and congratulations to PLA members Christine and Peter on their recent engagement.  I know if you have your way, you will be married and honeymoon in the most haunted location you can find!

This time of year generally slows down a bit for us, just less people calling and emailing us as they are away from home shopping or visiting family.  With this, it gives us all a much needed chance to catch our breath.  Generally everything picks up just after the New Year.  Even so, it has been a great year for us, and I am to say PLA is stronger now than anytime in our existence.  We start the New Year with a strong base for members, and a good list of clients behind us.

As we plan this years Mount Hood Ghost Conference, I am happy to report we will be there in full force, and many of us will be guest lecturers.  I hope to see you all there!!



Dave Galvan


11-3-09 “Keep on Rock’n in the Free world....”


I know it has been far too long since the last time I have written here, but a lot has been going on here at PLA HQ.  Not only did we just get over our busy season, a number of cases that have fallen our way because of that, but myself and my family did battle with the dreaded H1N1 flu that is going around.  Lots of runny noses and coughs that mommy and daddy have had to deal with, not to mention our own illness, which for me has been a month and a half long process.  I hope everyone out there is smart enough to get vaccinated against this before they actually get it.

The ‘Haunted Astoria’ project went off well, with our investigation of Pier 39 in Astoria.  We captured a lot of residual EVP’s and had a fun time with the locals.  Being 20 feet above the Columbia River helped with the ‘Shimkus Effect’, and giving how popular the PLA table was at the ‘Paranormal Fair’ that was on October 24th with all the results and findings certainly was a treat for me and my team.

Now that the busy season is over, we immediately head in to the dead season.  The calls and emails tend to dry up in the months of November and December, and pick up right after the New Year.  This is fine by me, to be honest, as I have hours of video I still need to review, and two books I am writing simultaneously.  I almost welcome the quiet right now.

I am working on a project currently, which I hope to tell you more about in the future, that will be a lot of fun if it comes to fruition.  There isn’t much to talk about currently, but if anything happens, you can be sure that I will let you all know.

Have a great Thanksgiving!!


Dave Galvan



9-22-09   The Shimkus Effect

There have been many discussions in this field about how to increase paranormal activity in a location, either for better or for worse.  Recently, with the help of my good friend Carrie Shimkus – who runs a group in Massachusetts called MAGIC (www.MAGICghosts.com) – I have stumbled upon a way that seems to make activity increase.

Carrie and I were once discussing a location she has been investigating, and how there have been a TON of activity there that she has recorded.  She casually mentioned that there is a stream that happens to run threw this property.  I casually reminded her of the paranormal belief that when there is naturally running water there is more activity.  A lot of people believe that to mean some kind of Wiccan philosophy of Mother Earth and all that.  Well, the next words that came out of her mouth practically changed the way I investigate.

She told me of a theory she had; if spirits, ghosts or whatever you want to call them are energy, which is why we can measure certain things on an EMF meter, then if there was extra water in the air it could make the energy easier to manifest.

The thought was a simple theory, yet one I never considered.  If you were sitting next to a body of water, be it a lake, or a stream, you are going to have more water vapor in the air.  Why wouldn’t the energy that manifests into something that we can record, or even notice, be more abundant?  It would certainly explain why lighthouses seem to be a trove of activity.

I decided to call this the “Shimkus Effect”, and then I went to do an experiment.

I purchased an humidifier from my local Goodwill for ten bucks and brought it to my next investigation; a private residence on the east side of Portland.  The humidifier was in full use that night, and I wasn’t disappointed.  It appears that I was able to capture a large amount of what appears to be residual EVPs.  Without further ado, I took the humidifier on a second investigation, this time in the suburbs of Portland, and had the exact same thing happen.  The amount of residual EVPs were noticeably larger in quantity then average.

I had a third investigation, which was rather impromptu, at the Oregon Coast.  I didn’t bring the humidifier with me, as we were investigating on the down-low since the owner of this hotel didn’t want us to attract attention.  I simply brought my recorders and my camera.  As it turned out, we didn’t need a humidifier, the hotel was 200 yards away from the Pacific Ocean.

The amount of residual EVPs were enormous!  I have never personally been in a location that has had so many residual EVPs.  At this point, I believe that my experimentations have given us enough decent findings to make this public.  While I certainly will agree that the results are far from conclusive, the Shimkus Effect has made me a believer in this particular theory.

It also begs a question; does added moisture in the air make it easier for residual energy to be recorded?  If it is a foggy night, and an act of violence happens, would the moisture in the air make it easier for the residual energy of someone screaming being heard a dozen or so years later?  Personally, I can’t see why not.  If it works one way, it most likely will work the other way as well. 

It should be noted that all the EVPs that I have recorded using the humidifier and the Shimkus Effect has brought us are what I believe to be in the ‘residual’ category.  There is no evidence thus far that this helps in what we call ‘intelligent’ hauntings, however I will still be experimenting with the humidifier.

With that said, I would like to announce here that the PLA will be participating in the ‘Haunted Astoria’ event on October 24th, and I would like to invite everyone to attend.  I will be giving more details half way threw October.  As for us, we will be heading back out to the basement of that haunted hotel at the Oregon Coast on September 25th, and you can be sure that I will report any more findings that I think could be the result of the Shimkus Effect.


Dave Galvan

8-25-09 "I make a living off the Evening News...."


For the passed few years, the ghost hunting phenomenon has sky rocketed thanks to all the TV shows that have been on all the cable networks.  For better or worse, there have been new blood brought in to the field, and new blood makes things more exciting.  More theories, more inventions, more ideas have come out within the passed decade in this field then any other time, and the new blood have given us all reason to investigate harder and even question our own devices and methods for hunting.

There are bad apples in every bunch, and while groups have popped up thinking that this is easy (granted it’s not hard, but running a group is not all it’s cracked up to be).  These groups tend to stay around for six to nine months, and then disappear in the woodwork like roaches in a sleazy motel.  I hate to sound negative about any other group, but I have run across far too many amateurs in this field who have no business hunting mice, let alone ghosts in a stranger’s house. 

This is all thanks to the TV shows out on the market today.  The problem with these shows is, they are about as real as Pro Wrestling.

I know, I know, I have admitted to a love of wrestling in the past.  Why should I compare?  Simply because what you see is not all that it seems to be.  It is what they call in the wrestling biz as a ‘work’.  Some people say ‘fake’, but I am not in a position to be that strong with my language.  Today’s blog, I will be discussing some of the TV shows, what I think of them, and how they compare to what ‘real’ ghost hunters do.

There is a fun British show called ‘Most Haunted’.  This one I find amusing simply because there is this funny British woman who walks around in the dark, asks questions and then screams.  The show really isn’t worth watching for the serious investigator, except they visit places in Europe that I would love to visit some day, and probably never will.  The history alone is worth your time, if you can take the camp.

The most popular paranormal show on TV these days is ‘Ghost Hunter’s’ on the SyFy Network.  This is the show that started it all for the most part, and is the one that gets most people in to thinking they can hunt ghosts.  This show is fascinating when it gets going, the problem is that it takes forever to actually get going.  There is usually a preface to the investigation, with two Roto-Ruter guys cleaning a hairball out of a drain (strangely enough, you never actually see them really working on anything.  They are usually standing over a drain, or a pipe or something holding a wrench) when they get a call from an attractive looking woman saying they have a new case in some place across the country and they need to leave tomorrow.  The situation is so ludicrous it’s laughable.  Are we to believe that these two guys can just make a phone call, and then get enough time off from work (without getting fired, no less) and then just hop in a minivan and travel across the country for what they seem to show as being a one day journey?  Are they able to miss that much work, and not have to worry about missing out on their health benefits?

After you get passed this initial, and poorly written, opening sequence, which always feels like it’s out of a bad porno, you get to hear a little bit about the case they are going to.  After which, you then see them go to the place, and investigate.  The rest of the episode is generally treated in a documentary style complete with investigators talking to the camera when necessary, and cuts to post-investigation interviews describing things they saw or experienced

The investigative process is my favorite part of the show.  Quite frankly, it always seemed to me to be the less rehearsed, least ‘worked’ part of everything about this show.  The horrible acting aside, it has been a show that has been a rock in this field.  It has gotten more people interested in the paranormal then any other show created for television.

With that aside, it pains me that this show is not as real as it may seem on the surface.  Those of you who have seen the footage of the ‘haunted jacket collar’ from last year’s Live Halloween show know what I am talking about.  If a group is so desperate for results that they will obviously ‘work’ evidence on a broadcast, then reality TV just went out the window, and we now have an episode of 90210 or WWE Smackdown!  I also tend to get a little annoyed by what I believe to be action by the network of putting younger, more attractive people on the show, and taking people who are average looking and throwing on a few layers of make-up to make them more appealing to the viewer.  This is not real, nor is it real life.  I find it insulting to the viewers intelligence, and I dislike the pandering.

After the Jacket collar incident, I rewatched some other episodes of the show, and I came to realize that some of the evidence that they have gathered is a little ‘convenient’.  One time, a full figure of a human was spotted on a thermal camera that walked in front of it, then turned around and walked back ware it was then hidden by a wall.  This image seemed waaaaaaaaay too much like that of a live person to be an apparition.

The other popular TV show at this time is called ‘Paranormal State’, and while it is rather entertaining as a show, it is far from accurate as to what ghosts hunters actually do.

The group, Paranormal Research Society, or PRS as they like to be called, travels this country fighting demons, battling curses, yelling at ghosts and just standing around looking pretty.  If ever there was a show ware everyone doesn’t look old enough to purchase beer, and was pretty enough to be on TV it is ‘Paranormal State.’

Their investigative process is more mediumilistic.  Meaning, why they do use some equipment on their investigations, they don’t tend to rely on them as much as they do their psychics and mediums.  The main problem, as I see it, is they always get it right.  I personally don’t believe a person of psychic abilities can always be correct 100% of the time.  I am a stay-at-home father these days.  I spend my day literally changing diapers, day in and day out, nothing but diaper changing, and even I can’t get it 100% perfect 100% of the time.  While the psychic walks in to the house, he/she always tells Ryan that he has never discussed anything about the home with them.  This appears to be the truth, however, I have it on good authority that the psychics are normally in town days before the filming is to begin, and that they do get briefed on the location prior to showing up; including having a hand drawn map of the home with notes of the activity written in the margins.

The show also likes to do things at what they call ‘Dead Time’, which they consider to be 3:00am, however it is generally filmed at 1:00am.  That is fine and dandy, I never really noticed a difference between 1:00 and 3:00am anyway, but why even mention it anyway other then add to dramatic effect? 

I was watching the show one time, and I must admit I was enjoying it.  I was really getting in to the show.  My wife came home, and sat down to watch it with me, and then after a few minutes she said, ‘Why does it feel like I am watching a movie?’.  The question was very valid.  The whole show, from beginning to end, didn’t feel like a reality program.  There was no documentary feeling, or no feeling like we are watching people from afar.  What it felt like was that there were 3 cameras on each person getting everything said from the proper angle, everyone was speaking with articulation and no one was talking over each other.  I understand the concept of editing it in such a way to not make it look like it’s off PBS, but the whole show felt so....dare I say....scripted.  Not every moment of every show feels like that, but a large portion of it.  People don’t act like this in ‘real’ life.  When people talk, they accidently talk over each other, or cut each other off when they talk.  It’s not normal for people to simply talk like they are being fed lines.

Every episode generally ends in a happy ending.  PRS is able to come up with a answer to their question, and are always able to get rid of what is there.  I hate to break the news to people outside the field, but this is totally not real!!  Sometime, you are able to get rid of what is there.  Sometimes you are not.  Sometimes you are able to get rid of it, only to have it come back.  Getting rid of ghosts is not like spraying for cockroaches.  There is no easy fix.  You don’t just spray some ‘Raid’ and the ghost is gone.  If it was that easy, people wouldn’t need to call people in my line of work.  They would be able to drive to their local Walgreen’s and purchase enough ‘Ghost-Repellent’ to make their lives easy, and I would be outside all night long looking for UFO’s.

The show is entertaining enough, it’s just not ‘real’.  It doesn’t feel real.  It feels like the WWE. 

I think I have spent enough time on my high horse.  Let’s get back to our regularly scheduled blog.

We recently drove to the Oregon Coast to spend a few hours within the basement of a hotel.  Please excuse the vaugeness of my description, however the owner wishes to keep things on the ‘DL’.  Like usual, the photos that were captured revealed nothing but a lot of dust in the air.  However, the EVP’s were amazing!  A lot of residual sounds, voices in the background, and angry spirit that was fighting with a member of my team, and one that was crying in pain in the old boiler room.  It was an amazing time that we had in there, and I consider myself luck that we were called to go. 

In the meantime, there is also some fun news in the Autumn front; we have two cases we are actively working on and it looks like we will be spending some time in Astoria soon.  I will update you more on that news as it becomes available.

Now that September is upon us, the kids go back to school and our streets become a little more quieter.  A know a lot of people out there who might be looking for something to do, and they may have some free time on their hands.  Consider this; take a garbage bag and walk to you local cemetery and clean up a little trash.  Nothing major, just pick up the cigarette butts off the ground, and the trash that blows in off the street.  It is nice when we remember our loved ones enough that we clean up after them even after death. 

Have a great September!


Dave Galvan




8-1-09 “California here we come....!!”

With the recent warm weather and the downside to hunting ghosts during the day anyway, it has been a rather quiet summer for the PLA.  However, with the coming of Autumn, it looks like business is about to pick up!

If you follow us on either Twitter or my personal account on Facebook, you no doubt have heard about our West Coast Tour coming up in November.  If you don’t follow us there (shame on you!) then you probably would like to know more.

In early November we will be starting up in Washington state and driving down I-5 to investigate anyplace and everyplace we can.  We have three places scheduled already; Manresa Castle in Port Townsend, Queen Anne Hotel in San Francisco, and the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena.  All these locations have documented hauntings in the past, and thankfully have been known to be ghost hunter friendly. 

Regardless, I have been very excited setting up these investigations for the group and I hope to schedule at least one more investigation on our tour.  If anyone has any recommendations, please email me at the link below.

I had a wonderful dinner the other night with Jeff Davis (www.ghostsandcritters.com) and his wife.  While discussing the current state of ghost hunting in the Northwest today, he mentioned to me about some of the groups out there that tend to be rather territorial.  These are groups that, for some reason or another, don’t want other groups coming in to their area and investigating.  I had a bit of a laugh with this, and thought to myself, ‘How does someone claim exclusive rights to a Hotel?’  Well, it seems to me that too many groups are a little big for their britches, and need to be taken down a notch or two.

With that said. I think I should mention that even more experienced groups seem to take themselves too seriously.  I recently left IPI over a dispute over free thought, mostly based on a blog I wrote here some months ago criticizing certain paranormal groups for being unprofessional.  It seemed that a certain IPI member didn’t like my wording of it, and complained to IPI, which in turned started a whole argument about my issues with these groups.  After it was all said and done, I decided that I didn’t want to be a part of an organization that not only puts up with these amateurish groups, but seems to encourage their existence.  So with that, I decided to turn in my user name and password.  This explains why you no longer see the IPI link on each of the pages.

I hope everyone has done well with the recent heat wave here in the Northwest.  I look forward to blogging about our next scheduled investigation going on in Late August: a haunted cottage.  Paranormal State did an episode there once, and from what the home owner tells me, one of the regulars ran out of the place freaking out about what she witnessed!!  Looking forward to it!!

Have a good one!!

Dave Galvan




7-1-09 “Oh Say Can You See.....”

So I am having an interesting time these days.  I was recently let go from my job – though I don’t really care as I hated the job anyway.  However, I do seem to miss the weekly (and I do mean ‘weakly’) income it gave me.  Be that as it may, I have spent my time split between the PLA and watching my two little girls.  They are too young for school, or any other type of pre-school.  So, Daddy gets to be their daily protector and provider, while my wife slaves away in the office. 

This has given me a chance to work on some projects.  First of all, you can purchase our new book Paranormal League of America Presents: Researching America’s Haunted Locations; A Paranormal History is now available for sale, and it will also be available on Amazon by mid-July.  I am working on a second book now, and it shouldn’t take as long as the year it took to write this first one......though who knows.

Be-that-as-it-may, I encourage everyone here to purchase 5-6 dozen copies of the book.  I have worked out a discount for readers of this blog; type in ZWFQEPVM in the discount code box, and enjoy $2 off the cover price.  This price should be good for the whole month of July.

As it stands, we have two investigations coming up; one out in Zig-Zag, on 40 acres, all outdoors (taking 10 people with me on that one) and the second one in August, in what some people consider to be the most haunted house in Oregon.  I have heard from the home-owner that when Paranormal State came out and filmed there for three nights that one of the regulars went running out of the house freaked out by what she was experiencing.  She never did go back in the house I might add...

This investigation will be done in August.  I’ve been spending my time putting new equipment together recently, and I want to make sure it is working 100% before I make the six-hour drive to this house.  Man-alive, do I wanna get something good!!

I will let you know how they all go.  Have a safe 4th...


“Mr. Cemetery” Dave Galvan


6-3-09 “You Say it’s Your Birthday!!”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PLA!!!!

It was one year ago this month that a few of us gathered around a table and signed all the legal documentation to merge our groups into a giant super-group.  At that table, the PLA was formed.

With that, I plan to give you the ‘State of the Paranormal Registered Non-Profit Address’

*Ahem*

Everything is great.

Seriously, we have more work now then we ever had (so much I had to give two cases to two other groups), we have been appearing on a variety of radio shows, had articles appear in magazines, been asked to speak at conferences, making plans for a couple of ‘paranormal getaways’, been asked to join IPI and the new Paranormal-Alliance, and most recently, was offered a TV show which I turned down.

Ya, I turned down a TV show that offered a ton of money for my group to be featured in it.  I need my head examined....

But besides that we are working on a couple of projects (of which you will learn more about in a month or so).  Being in PLA has been very exciting, and yet a lot of hard work.  Most people think this is an easy thing to do, but running a paranormal group is not all it’s cracked up to be.  The fun part, the investigating, is only about 10% of the work.  Rest of the time you are marketing, doing whatever you can to pay for new equipment – or trying to replace equipment that has been lost/stolen/broken – publicizing your group and trying to have intelligent conversations with people about ghosts., which can be a chore by itself.

For the month of May, we had 384 hits to the web site, every ware from Europe to India to Brazil.  All across America and Canada as well.  The word has gotten out; PLA is a group that people respect.

In the meantime, we are all busy with our upcoming investigations.  I will keep you updated on that when the happen.

Have a great day!


Dave Galvan




5-22-09 “She’s 68 but she says she’s 54.......”

Since Wensday it seems that everything good has been happening.  I have been offered to give some speeches out of state, I have gotten a couple of calls from people wanting us to go to their haunted house, and my 6 year anniversary with my wife is coming up.  When the sun comes out, it really comes out!!

So while I come up with a new list of clients, it appears that one of them is up in Canada.  This is great, however I have never ventured out of the country before, nor do I have a passport.  From what I understand, they are annoying to get, not to mention have to pay for.

And for those who follow the interweb, feel free to add us to your myspace, as well as Twitter (under P_L_of_A) and FaceBook (Don’t have a company listing there, just my personal account, ‘Dave Galvan’)

Looking forward to seeing Star Trek soon.  I hear it’s rather good. I’m a big nerd at heart, so I’ll let you know what I think.

Either way, Working hard on a few projects right now.  I will let you know more when I can.



Dave Galvan



5-7-09 “Your old world is rapidly age’n......”

The past week has been rather hard on me, whether I will admit it to myself or not.  The death of my old friend Buddy Rose seems to have been weighing heavily on then back of my mind in ways I hadn’t expected.  I spend my life talking to dead people, I just don’t want any of those dead people to be anyone I have ever met.

Be that as it may, it has effected me none-the-less.  So, if you don’t mind, today am going to spend some time talking about my old friend before I get down to business.

I first met Buddy years ago.  It was an over the phone friendship at first.  My friends and I were doing this documentary that we never finished, spoke with Buddy about having him work with us on doing an interview.  He was so supportive of the project, he arranged for us to get Dean Silverstone, Buddy Wayne and Ed Wiskowski to be in this project.

Over the next few months, Buddy and I would spend hours late at night talking on the phone.  He would tell me stories of working here in the Northwest, as well as working in the WWF (now WWE) and Sacramento.  His stories of Lonnie Mayne were priceless.  As well as his stories of Andre The Giant and the Owen family.  He loved the fact that Terry Funk, one of the true legends in the business, gave him his name ‘Playboy’ Buddy Rose, and was a master of spinning a story into myth.

I made the mistake of playing chess against him once.  That was a two minute massacre.  Buddy may have been just a ‘pro-wrestler’, but his intelligence was not to be underestimated.  He was a marvelous chess player, and loved to play Blackjack.  He went to the local casino often, and more often then not, he came home with a profit.

Our friendship grew a bit over the months.  So much so he invited myself and a friend to a WWE RAW taping at the Rose Garden.  There we were in Paul Allen’s personal suite watching the show, eating good food and enjoying each others company in the presence of other wrestlers and friends.  Buddy even said the line of the night; when Rob Van Dam kick Booker T in the face stiffly, Buddy said, “Someone better tell RVD that wrestling’s a work!”

That show we watched also happened to be one of the last times I saw him.  I pinched a nerve in my back, and my health was starting to fail because of it.  I was having a hard time walking, let alone moving, and I had to step away from the documentary project.  When the son of the late Portland promoter decided he didn’t want us to use any of the footage that Portland Wrestling had to offer, we put it on hold for a bit while I healed from my surgery and tried my best at getting back into normal life.

During that time, Buddy and I fell out of touch with each other.  I always knew that he would be there when we decided to pick the project up again, even though it didn’t seem like it was going to happen for one reason or another.

Buddy’s passing a few weeks back of natural causes at the age of only 52 gives one thought.  He was only a decade an change older than I am, and ones health should be paramount in their life.  We all take our life and everything that goes with it for granted.  No matter how much we look back, no matter how much we try to look forward, we all end up being just shy in what we want to do, and what we think we need to do.

I will miss Buddy.  The laughter and the stories of ones lifetime echos threw-out the ages until it culminates in old age and myth.  I am fortunate enough to have had Buddy in my life, albeit for a brief time, but I will always remember out late-night talks, the laughter and the love.

Thanks for baring with me. 

Now on to paranormal matters.  As the PLA team gets ready for two investigations back-to-back, it brings to ones mind about things.  We have all worked hard (well, not me.  I just sit around the house for the most part ;)   ), and I am happy it is being rewarded with some quality cases.  You see, for those outside of the field, or those who only watch it on TV, people generally don’t understand that the investigation is the fun part.  There is soooo much work that goes into running one of these teams, that after a while one has to questions ones sanity for being in one.  Let along running one.  Finally going to a clients home and setting up the audio and video, all the other equipment, and sitting there in the dark trying to make any type of contact, that’s what gets the heart pounding.  That is the reason why all of us are in this field to begin with.

With that said, I have enjoyed the time the team spends together, and I have enjoyed speaking with clients. 

Speaking of team members, I must admit, I pinch myself when I consider the PLA team.  For too long, we would have volunteers come and go as if doing this is a chore.  As if asking someone to do something more then what they see on TV is a crime.  I am sooooo happy that we have team members who actually came into this group expecting to do something more then run around in a haunted house and get scared. 

Too many people out there like to give themselves titles, like ‘Demonologist’, or ‘Paranormal Investigator’.  I have said it a million times, I hate these kinds of titles.  Anyone can call themself a ‘demonologist’, anyone with a website can call themself a ‘paranormal investigator’.  These people are those who take themselves too seriously, and enjoy talking about what they do more then actually doing it.  Oh, we all enjoy talking about what we do.  At least to people who don’t think we are total whack-a-dos. But the difference is we talk about these things to further the field, to assist in seeking answers, and to do everything we can to help the client.  We don’t add these titles to our names to impress people or to make ourselves feel more important.  We simply take out clients and help them best we can.  I’ve said it once, I will say it 1000 times, there are no experts in this field.

And with that said, we need to focus more on research and development for more tools and equipment to help us investigate.  If we can gather more evidence with anything other then recording devices, and the gadgets we all see on the TV, then it will better the field and make it batter for everyone.

Thank you for hearing me rant today.  We now return you to your regularly scheduled internet.....


Dave Galvan

4-29-09 “Doom, Despair, and Agony on me.....”

My old friend ‘Playboy’ Buddy Rose died the other day.  For a man who spent his whole life being booed, he was easily one of the nicest men I have ever met.

The Mount Hood Paranormal Conference has come and gone, and I would have to say I had a ton of fun!!  I don’t think as many people showed up as one would have liked, but on the other hand, a smaller more intimate conferences does make it easier to make friend.  It was nice to meet our friend from APART, WPI, MAPS and TEPS.  So many paranormal groups out there that sometimes its hard to remember them all!!

In the meantime, we have gotten so many investigations out of this conference, it’s hard to organize ones thoughts on the matter.  Never thought we would have too many cases!!

I will have to sign off for now, I hope to write more later.  Have a great week


Dave “Mr Cemetery” Galvan



4-5-09 “Take the Last Train to Clarksville.....”

And yet another month has passed us since we last spoke.  This will be my last blog entry no doubt til the Mount Hood Ghost Conference.  I would like to encourage anyone and everyone who can attend to attend.  This will be the premiere ghost conference in the Northwest, and the best thing about it is that it’s free of charge for all to attend!

So what, do you ask, am I going to talk about this month?  The conference in detail?  Nope.  The demonic case that we are currently working on at the Oregon Coast?  Nada.  The paranormal radio show I will be on in a few weeks?  Don’t think so.

This month, I am going to be bitching talking about paranormal groups.  That’s right, I am going to be talking about, complaining about, yelling about the same type of groups that I founded, and that I direct.  Today, I am going to be talking about my colleges in the field.  Well, some of them at least.

Recently, we were brought in to work a case.  It seems that a different group was originally called in.  They showed up to do their investigation, at 2:00 in the afternoon.  They left at 5:00PM.  During their investigation, they sat there and meditated.  They didn’t record any audio or video.  They took no temperatures, or even cared enough to stay more then 3 hours.

Since then, they have not contacted the client.  They have not called.  Haven’t emailed.  Haven’t sent a snail mail.  Nor have they showed up on her door step telling her what they found.

Most of these groups today watch TV.  They see shows like Paranormal State, or Ghost Hunters, and they find it fascinating.  They want to go out and catch their own ghosts.  They want to go to peoples homes and hunt the ghosts, then they want to take the evidence and put it on their web site and show the world how cool they are.  These people have no interest in actually helping people who are haunted..  There are families, many families out there who are having some sort of paranormal problem, and these groups come in, gather their evidence, and then they leave.

They have no desire to help people, nor do they want to advance the field.  They don’t want to try to find new equipment to help people in their investigations.  They don’t even have a clue on how to get rid of the spirit that may have made your house a home.  Getting rid of ghosts sometimes isn’t easy, but don’t you think that people should have some clue on how to get rid of these things before they form their own group?  Don’t you think people out there should do everything they can to advance this field?  To try to make it easier for some of the other groups out there?  Nope.  These groups are trying to gather their evidence, and that’s it.  They are not ‘ghost hunters’, they are ‘Evidence Hunters’.  They are out there trying to get their evidence, and they are not trying to do anything else.  They act high and mighty around people who do not know any better, and they act high and mighty around those who do.  Contrary to what anyone will tell you, there are no experts in this field.  There are people with experience., and that’s the best you can do.

By the way, that group that I was talking about earlier, they still haven’t contacted the client.  We were called in three weeks after the client realized that they weren’t going to get any real answers.  Within two weeks, we diagnosed her problem as a demonic entity, she got a priest to get rid of it and now I am working to close the demonic portal 100 yards from the home.

If this group had any organization and actually cared, they would have realized they were sitting on a case that all investigators dream of investigating. 

See you in Welches.


Dave Galvan



3-11-09 “I’m Gonna Live Like a Free-Roll’n Soul....”

I must truly say I don’t update this blog as often as I would like.  It seems to me there just isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done one wishes.  Seems to me we need a larger planet so the days are longer......let’s work on that.

Since I last wrote to you all, we have had two major investigations, and even though two in one month doesn’t sound like much, I can guarantee you that it surly is!  It takes a good two-weeks just to go over the evidence that we acquire, and then the hand-holding of the client (sorry, you’re not haunted.....you just need your medication adjusted!) which is needed or else they could do something drastic (like pay for a “medium”).  It is a vicious cycle in a way.  For every piece of decent evidence you do get, it seems you just spent $50 to acquire it.  I love this field.

Many, many years ago, I used to be babysat by this elderly couple.  They were in vaudeville back in the day, and would delight us children with magic tricks, jokes and the odd song or two.  They also told wonderful stories about life in show business; the time Harpo Marx would chase the dancing girls backstage, when Jack Benny forgot his violin in the previous city, or the time they had to improvise for 45 minutes following the end of their act because Red Skelton was backstage vomiting due to stage fright.....

I sometimes wished I would have written down some of those great stories, I think they would have made a hell’uva book.  Almost like lost stories from the road.

With that said, I have decided to write down some of the more exciting stories that I have to tell and publish them.  Not sure how long it will take, or when it will be done, but I think that this volume would be enjoyable reading for all.  From the book that flew out to me and hit me in the back, to the pot smoking ‘ghost watchers’ to thoughts and opinions on the state of ghost hunting today.  Think of it as a memoir, if you will.

BTW, if you haven’t already, go see ‘The Watchmen’.

Lastly, I was on this case recently to the Oregon Coast when it dawned on me that hunting ghosts is almost like a poker game.  You get the hand that is dealt to you, and you make with it what you can.  Sometimes the ghosts cooperate, sometimes they don’t.  That’s just luck.  Sometimes it’s your skill in being able to determine that there is something there or not.  Your ability to get whatever there to say something, anything at all.  To record that activity that we all need to record, to prove to the client they are not crazy.  That there is something there.  That they can stop worrying now that you have come up with something......an hopefully a game plan to get rid of it......


Dave Galvan


2-13-09 “The Pumps Don’t Work Cause the Vandals Took the Handles.....”

It’s mid-February already.  Can you believe it?  It seems like yesterday we were approaching Thanksgiving, and now it’s Valentines day.  Good gravy, ware does all the time go?  In four months, PLA will be officially one-year-old as a paranormal group.  Seems like yesterday we formed.  Last blog entry, I mentioned that we were on target to break 230 unique visitors to the website.  That week, we actually got up to 338!  That broke our previous weeks record by a substantial margin. 

We are quickly approaching the Portland Paranormal Conference/Mount Hood Paranormal Conference/Mount Hood Ghost Conference, and the buzz is growing steadily.  If you haven’t already, feel free to click on the banner at the top of the page to get more information on the conference.  If you have checked it out, I trust that you liked what you see and I will hope to see you there.  Topics at the panels include Cemetery Walking, Cemetery Safety, Frank’s Box demonstration, How to Ghost Hunt on the Cheap, Houdini, as well as a Ghost Photo Contest.  This is a free conference for everyone to attend, and some of the best known paranormal groups from across the Northwest will be attending.

Having already mentioned that for the 100th time here, I also want to bring your attention to www.paranormalunderground.net . This is a great internet magazine site that has some articles written by yours truly, as well as a host other very talented paranormal investigators who seem to have way too much time on their hands – like myself.  A fun, free internet magazine for all to read.

I am very happy to say that I recently found employment.  Granted, working a clerk at a local store isn’t very exciting, but it’s nice to find a job in this economy.  I can’t imagine some of these towns across America that have 12%+ unemployment.  It amazes me that the crime rate hasn’t gone up as much as it has.

I was recently speaking with a person who considers himself a ‘skeptic’ in this field.  I never have problems with skeptics or non-believers.  I am not trying to convert the masses with my beliefs.  That is not my mission in life.  My main problems are most people who are non-believers consider themselves skeptics.  There is a distinct difference; a skeptic will be skeptical in the evidence that is presented them, yet is open to something actually being there.  A non-believer simply doesn’t believe in it.  These are two different things.  This is why I has a problem with the magazine Skeptical Inquirer.  Most people there are not skeptics.  They are simply non-believers who call themselves skeptics.  There is nothing wrong with being a non-believer.  I don’t believe in a lot of things a lot of people believe in.  But I call myself a ‘non-believer’.  I don’t kid myself or anyone else by calling myself a ‘skeptic’.

After our most recent ghost hunt, I have decided that I need to add a few more people to the PLA ranks.  If you are interested in joining up, feel free to call or email.

With all that said, I hope you all have a great Valentines Day!


Dave Galvan



1-30-09     “It’s pretty, but is it real......”

And we come to the end of yet another month.  Every year that passes it seems that it goes by a little faster.  Just think, we have about nine months until the Christmas shopping season.  If there are any retailers left for us to shop at. 

This week, I am very proud to say, we will surpass our weekly record of unique visitors to our website paranormalleagueofamerica.org.  We are currently projected to have over 230 individuals view the contents of the website, which will surpass our previous record of 198 made just last week.  I am happy to see that people are being driven to the website in record numbers weekly, and more people are paying attention to the hard work that we have been doing.  I remember when the site launched just a number of months ago, and I was happy when 12 people knew it existed.  Now, it seems that 20 times that original number is possible in just 6 months.  Nice to feel loved!

I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from my previous blog entry.  Excited that a number of you enjoyed it.  So, it is with a heavy heart that I revisit some themes, and I must make a confession.  I am, and have always been, a pro wrestling fan.  More so in the past then currently, but I do still watch it on a regular basis.  I remember growing up and was thrilled with the action in the ring of Stan Stasiak, Billy Jack Haynes, Buddy Rose, Rip Oliver, The Dynamite Kid, Curt Hennig and many others here in Portland at the Ol’ Portland Sports Arena.  That was back in the day when the business was rather protected from outsiders, before the internet.  Today, the business is a shadow of what it once was, but there are still great workers in the business.

A number of years ago, some friends of mine and I even started making a documentary about Portland Wrestling.  A history of sorts.  We traveled up and down I5 interviewing former wrestlers, announcers, promoters and the like, with dreams of editing the film and putting it in film festivals.  Unfortunately, my health proved to be something less the perfect.  I blew a disc in my lower back, making it difficult to move at all.  The pain pills given to me kept me from screaming every time I sneezed, but made it impossible to move, or even sit.  I eventually had it taken care of, but it seemed like every time I was ready to revisit the project, something else came up; I would need back surgery, we had a baby, I needed back surgery a second time, then a third time, then we had another baby.  It never ended.  The project just sort of stalled, then died while my friends got on with their lives.  One of them got divorced and remarried, the other.....well, he just got distracted. 

So why am I telling you all this?  Well, my love of those days are a fond memory for me, but it also proves a point.  I, a man who yelled and complained about fakers in the paranormal field, am a fan of fakers in a sporting field.  Truth be told, I do believe that other so-called sports aren’t as legit as they say they are, but who can tell (NBA refs?  Come on, you guys are blind!!), and it appears that a number of people agree with me on this, but I digress.

Pro-Wrestling is to sports what a magic show is to entertainment.  We all know that the man in the bow tie isn’t really sawing a woman in half, but we can suspend out disbelief long enough to enjoy the show.  Pro wrestling has it’s moments of realism (sorry critics, but there have been too many injuries and deaths in the ring for your cries against it to be taken seriously in my book.  I respect that you don’t like it, that’s fine, I hate NASCAR), but the outcomes are predetermined, and most of the guys hang out after the show.  To quote Orson Welles one more time, “It’s pretty, but is it real...?”

I have now come full circle.  There are plenty of fakers in the world all around us.  Spend an afternoon watching C-Span, and you will normally see a building filled with fakers.  Plenty of fakers in the kitchen these days (my wife and I went out to dinner recently to a well known restaurant here in Portland.  She order the $30 salmon filet, only to get served a dry, tasteless piece of fish that was obviously frozen at one time or another...)  Turn on the news and I hear about how pharmacies are unknowingly selling fake prescription drugs to people that everyone thinks are real.  People own fake knock-offs of clothing and textiles, Not to mention the things we see on Ebay that are claimed to be real. 

I will get off my soap box and let you get back to your business.  I currently have about 19 hours of audio and video I have to review from our most recent investigation.  All this time and money we have to put out, and we don’t charge a penny.  Sometimes I question my sanity about that.  Why do I do it?  Oh ya, I’m a lousy faker...


Dave Galvan



1-16-09    “It’s pretty, But is it art....?”

I want to start off before I forget to thank a friend of mine.  She asked that I not mention her by name, but she knows who she is.  She recently assisted the PLA team in ridding a private residence of some nasty ghosts that were terrorizing some members of a house.  Thank you my friend, I owe you one of my patented seafood dinners.

This very case has consumed me like no other case I’ve had in some time.  We have been working on it since before Thanksgiving, and we are about to close the book on it, thank goodness.  On Friday night, January 16th, we will (hopefully) be performing our last investigation at this home.  The spirits were very active during our first investigation, moving a coffee table and even calling us by our names via EVPs.  I must admit, I have been doing this since 2002 and I haven’t run into anything like this in a private residence in quite some time.  Usually if we are lucky, we get a residual haunting.

Be that as it may, our cases have dried up a bit, which isn’t unheard of this time of year.  I have been passing the time writing for Paranormal Underground.net, feel free to check out their latest issue which has an article written by yours truly.  I have also spent a lot of time focusing on the Mount Hood Paranormal Conference, which the PLA will be represented strongly, and the panels I will be hosting (pardon the cheap plug).  I have also be corresponding with a number of paranormal groups around the nation recently, and one thing we have noticed is how investigations are actually up in the past 6-9 months or so.  It’s strange to think that there are more investigations going on now then any other time.

One of the main problems those of us in the field are always fighting is the reputation as charlatans.  There are plenty of whack-a-dos in paranormal research, and those of us who have taken it seriously for years are always finding out about those who bring their Ouija boards and dowsing rods to a home and stamping it haunted.  Or those who charge people to do an investigation.  These people are borderline fakers.  Of course, if you didn’t have a paranormal market, then fakers would not exist.  But, if you didn’t have a housing market, then crooked bankers and contractors wouldn’t exist either.  One group I heard of was recently caught making up evidence on the spot at a home, and then once they were caught read handed they even doctored more evidence to make it look like they didn’t.  I suppose this would make this group a fake........faker...........

Experts in any field are always treated with some type of godlike belief that they know everything in their field.  The problem is that a lot of times even experts can be fooled by fakers.  Experts can even be gods gift to fakers.  Most people enjoy watching experts of the establishment made fools out of.  There is a myth that experts have the knowledge of the computer and the infallibility of a choir boy.  I must admit that I enjoy watching some of these people trip over themselves, if I feel they deserve to be tripped.  This field that those of us hold dear, this science – or pseudo-science depending on your outlook – is something that we take very seriously, and will do anything to prove that there are things in this world you can’t explain.  After all, no one could explain gravity, cloning, thunder or even germs at one point in the history of mankind.  I do believe that ghosts are a natural occurrence that people know less then 1% about the phenomenon today. 

One nod from an ‘expert’ and any place is haunted.  One nod from an ‘expert’ and any structure has a poltergeist/demon/level 5 vaporous phantom figure.  To quote Orson Welles, “It’s pretty.  But is it art....”  A faker, like some of these groups, makes fools of the experts.  But who are the experts?  Me?  Well, I have experience, and I have opinions like any others, but I don’t think there are really any experts in this field.  But I do know who the fakers are.  Heck, even Michelangelo was an art forger at one point in his life, and look what he ended up doing after he went straight.  Art forgery itself used to be admired as an art by some.  Michelangelo even used smoke on some of his artwork to age them, to make the experts believe they were legit. 

So ware does that leave the very people we have sworn to protect and shield from unwanted ghosts and boogie monsters?  Well, I always felt that a home owner should simply find a person/group they feel like they trust to let into their homes, ask for references, and make sure that they aren’t going to charge the anything.  This way, if they haven’t proven anything there, what have they lost?


Dave Galvan


1-1-09

2009 is now upon us, and one can’t simply help but reflect on times past.  This passed year gave us the blessing of our second daughter, who has reminded my wife and I the joys of parenting.  We’ve also been fortunate enough with our family and friends who continue to be happy and healthy in their lives.  I’ve also bee laid off twice this passed year, but hey, who’s counting?!

2008 also seemed to be the year of the paranormal.  PLA, upon it’s inception, was always designed to be an gathering place of like-minded people who wanted to learn the facts about paranormal happenings and such.  While we have seen a number of people come and go from the group, the core values and beliefs are still there and intact.  PLA has grown by leaps and bounds since the big merger earlier this year, and our case loads have grown too.  It’s very comforting for me to know that our reputation is strong enough to validate our existence, and that people are trusting us enough to ask for our assistance. 

As we look forward to 2009, this year is going to be great for everyone involved.  We will have a strong presence at the Mount Hood Paranormal Conference in April (feel free to click on the link at the top of this page for more information on this free conference), and I have been asked to give two presentations.  We also have a number of cases we are working simultaneously, and will continue to strive to make the world a better place for those of us who simply want to know the facts.

Happy New Year.


Dave


12-09-08  Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho, Hooooo.....Dashing Threw the Snow.....

It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a month since I’ve had a chance to update the blog.  Normally after Halloween ghost hunting starts to dry up until after the New Year, 2-13-09 “The Pumps Don’t Work Cause the Vandals Took the Handles.....”

It’s mid-February already.  Can you believe it?  It seems like yesterday we were approaching Thanksgiving, and now it’s Valentines day.  Good gravy, ware does all the time go?  In four months, PLA will be officially one-year-old as a paranormal group.  Seems like yesterday we formed.  Last blog entry, I mentioned that we were on target to break 230 unique visitors to the website.  That week, we actually got up to 338!  That broke our previous weeks record by a substantial margin. 

We are quickly approaching the Portland Paranormal Conference/Mount Hood Paranormal Conference/Mount Hood Ghost Conference, and the buzz is growing steadily.  If you haven’t already, feel free to click on the banner at the top of the page to get more information on the conference.  If you have checked it out, I trust that you liked what you see and I will hope to see you there.  Topics at the panels include Cemetery Walking, Cemetery Safety, Frank’s Box demonstration, How to Ghost Hunt on the Cheap, Houdini, as well as a Ghost Photo Contest.  This is a free conference for everyone to attend, and some of the best known paranormal groups from across the Northwest will be attending.

Having already mentioned that for the 100th time here, I also want to bring your attention to www.paranormalunderground.net . This is a great internet magazine site that has some articles written by yours truly, as well as a host other very talented paranormal investigators who seem to have way too much time on their hands – like myself.  A fun, free internet magazine for all to read.

I am very happy to say that I recently found employment.  Granted, working a clerk at a local store isn’t very exciting, but it’s nice to find a job in this economy.  I can’t imagine some of these towns across America that have 12%+ unemployment.  It amazes me that the crime rate hasn’t gone up as much as it has.

I was recently speaking with a person who considers himself a ‘skeptic’ in this field.  I never have problems with skeptics or non-believers.  I am not trying to convert the masses with my beliefs.  That is not my mission in life.  My main problems are most people who are non-believers consider themselves skeptics.  There is a distinct difference; a skeptic will be skeptical in the evidence that is presented them, yet is open to something actually being there.  A non-believer simply doesn’t believe in it.  These are two different things.  This is why I has a problem with the magazine Skeptical Inquirer.  Most people there are not skeptics.  They are simply non-believers who call themselves skeptics.  There is nothing wrong with being a non-believer.  I don’t believe in a lot of things a lot of people believe in.  But I call myself a ‘non-believer’.  I don’t kid myself or anyone else by calling myself a ‘skeptic’.

After our most recent ghost hunt, I have decided that I need to add a few more people to the PLA ranks.  If you are interested in joining up, feel free to call or email.

With all that said, I hope you all have a great Valentines Day!


Dave Galvan
but this year seems to be the exception to the rule.  Since Halloween we’ve investigated a couple of businesses, which didn’t get us anything, and a private residence which gave us some amazing results.  A slew of EVP’s, and a coffee table that moved.  Unfortunately, it also has a freaked out family that has no ware to turn for help.  We pride ourselves in assisting people in getting rid of their spirits, and we have had some decent results.  However getting rid of ghosts isn’t like spraying for ants.  It’s not like you can push a button and just up and get rid of what’s there.  Sometimes, what you think will get rid of them will do nothing but piss them off and activity gets worse.  This is a horrible feeling as an investigator, and I must admit that I take that rather personally.  I like to think that I can offer some sort of help to people, so we try and try using methods that have worked in the past, and usually we do show some results.

Be that as it may, I have spent a lot of my free time preparing for the Mount Hood Paranormal Conference.  This is the premiere paranormal conference here in the Pacific Northwest, and if you are interested in attending this free conference April 25th-26th feel free to click the banner link at the top of the page.  Yours truly will be giving two seminars, one on ghost hunting on the cheap (a must in this economy) and another on how to maximize your results walking cemeteries. Paranormal League of America will have a table at the conference, so feel free to come by and say hello.

I’ve recently become unemployed, so while I look for that always important day job to feed my family I am also looking for volunteers.  If you are interested in the paranormal, like to do research, and enjoy working for free (yes, that’s a plus), feel free to email me at the bottom of our page.

If I don’t get a chance to update this until after the Holidays, I hope everyone has an enjoyable time, and remember to hug your family.


Dave Galvan


10-24-08 All the Leaves are Brown, and the Sky is grey....

I’ve been doing some work to the site recently, just a small face-lift to make it look a little prettier, and I have been thinking about exactly why ghosts are hard to photograph.  Seems that sometimes they want to be seen, other times no matter what you do you can’t seem to get one to show themselves.  I’ve been in a number of scenarios ware you just have this feeling that you are being watched – not alone – and you ask, beg, plead for something to show up in a middle of a picture that you take.  Something that almost seems like a holy grail for ghost hunters...

That happens all too much for me.  I’ve gotten more EVP’s than I can shake a stick at but I just can never seem to get a spirit to show up on camera.  It’s really annoying.  When some of your friends look at you like you are crazy because you talk to dead people in your spare time, it would be nice to show them something once and a while as proof of your sanity and belief in the paranormal. 

Be that as it may, I was talking to a couple of friends of mine who will be attending the Mount Hood Paranormal Conference, the premiere paranormal conference on the West Coast, and we were planning on having dinner.  Our wives haven’t met yet, and we are looking forward to pawning them off on each other so we can sit there and talk ghosts, poker and memories of Wrestlemania past.  Which are very interesting topics by themselves, mix it with some giddiness and they tend to get rather obnoxious, like a couple of little school kids.

Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well.  With the economy diving daily, It’s hard sometimes for people to remember the simple things in life that keep people happy.  With the election coming up, I trust things will get better economically then it is now.  PLA being a non-profit corporation, it is illegal for us to endorse any particular candidate for elected office, however I can’t help believe that no matter who get’s elected President people will automatically start feeling better.  It happened back in ‘92, it can certainly happen today.

Anyway, please remember to get out and vote!


Dave Galvan

10-5-08  Think about the Future!!!

I’ve been fighting it since we rolled out our website.  I know, maybe I am a little bit on the fuddy-duddy side, but I just thought the whole idea was too teenie-bopper.  Too kiddy.  Too.....Hannah Montana....

PLA now has a Myspace page.

Why did I change my mind?  Because everyone was asking us to get one!!  Ok, maybe not everyone, but enough people to make me think it might be a good idea.  So go ahead and look at it.  I’m sure you are just dying to see.......

PLA ON MYSPACE

Ok, nothing exciting just as yet, but it will allow us to recruit some good volunteers (who always seem to start off good, then always disappear like Jack Benny when the dinner check arrives.)  It will also allow us to do more networking, which you can almost not have enough of...

Speaking of networking, I keep forgetting to mention that the PLA will have a presence at the Rose City Paranormal Conference, a link you can all get to at the top of all the pages.  The dates are April 25-26.  I know you will all make it there, since it is free to attend.  I have been asked to give a couple of presentations as well as have a table at the event, so you can all come by and meet myself and the whole PLA crew!

Dave

9-17-08 Whatever gets you threw the night.....

I trust everyone had a safe Labor Day.

Our tour of the North Oregon Coast was an amazing success.  Five separate investigations done on five nights.  Five separate nights on top of that examining hours of audio and video footage.  And what we found was absolute gold.  We found nothing.

That’s right, five separate investigations and nothing was found.  That sort of thing is very common, but what is more common is that most investigators out there actually give up if they don’t find anything that remotely resembles a ghost.

Not me.  I actually enjoy not finding anything as much as I do finding something.  To me, it’s almost knowing that I am one investigation closer to finding something real.  A lot of the newbies in this field just stop doing it if they don’t find anything that they like.  I have seen too many volunteers come and go because when we go to someone’s house and hang out in a basement and they don’t get touched.  They don’t get attacked or any results that they see on TV.  Those TV shows are something I want to talk about in the future, but one of the negative things – and believe me, there are a number of negative things about these shows – is that people watch these shows and think they have what it takes to hunt ghosts.  It was exactly the same thing a few years back when the poker craze started.  Everyone and their uncle went out and thought they could beat Johnny Chan in a game of Omaha.  What happened is they went to a casino thinking they were going to get rich, but ended up going home broke.  Their pockets emptied by people who actually know how to play.

It used to be 80% of investigations could be easily explained, now it’s closer to 90%.  It appears that volunteers aren’t the only ones who watch the TV shows, because I get clients who talk about them all the time.  And since these shows plant seeds in peoples minds about that noise they hear in the attic, it means we have more crap we have to weed threw to get to that investigation that actually has meaning. 

Regardless, it is our responsibility to follow-up on every call and every email.  People think they may have a problem, and those of us who know how to assist have a responsibility to do just that. 
Now if you will excuse me, I need to go catch up on some sleep....


Dave

8-26-08   Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha Changes.....!!

It’s been a while since I’ve hand the time to sit down here and put some thoughts on this page.  I’ve recently started a new day job, been spending some time playing with my kids, and witnessed my first exorcism.

Ya.  An exorcism.  Ok, it wasn’t like the movies with three priests and a few nuns and a lot of holy water.  I am using the word exorcism loosely.  I happen to be acquaintances with a lady who is a Wiccan Priestess who was nice enough to allow me to witness this ritual.  I must admit, it wasn’t totally what I was expecting; It’ll take weeks to get that awful incense smell out of my clothes! 

Needless to say It’s going to take me a while to watch that video tape to fully understand what I saw.  What was there that my afore mentioned friend was trying to rid that dwelling of was, shall we say, not human nor was it ever human.  I truly believe that whatever it was never walked this Earth as a human.  It’s going to take me time to analyze this footage and the audio to know exactly what it is that I have evidence wise, and some soul searching to figure out exactly what I feel happened that day.

Be that as it may, I am afraid that I have neglected the website some.  We’ve had so many personnel changes over the past few month I can hardly keep my head on straight!  I was talking to Paul Simon, my co-founder, about some regular business a while back, and he was informing me that we currently have five places on our six night tour of the North Oregon Coast.  There goes being a regular tourist!!  Guess we won’t have time to enjoy any of the beach, as those of you who know the Oregon coast know that night time isn’t when you want to walk the sand.  Not unless you like to dress in layers!!

We will be adding some content to the site within the next couple of weeks.  I have completly ignored out ‘investigations’ section, and I promise that within the next couple of weeks I will have gone through at least one box of files that are sitting next to my desk.  Then we should be able to put some of those great EVPs that we’ve collected over the years to some good use for you all to enjoy!

Have a safe Labor Day!


Dave

8-3-08 Do I have to do this all over again......

I know the last time I was here, I told you I would talk a little about being conned, but I am afraid I’m going to have to put that off a while longer.

It feels like deja vu all over again while I make the following announcement; the PLA would like to wish Rene and George Rodgers the best of luck in their new life in Kansas.  Rene and George are veteran investigators who have amassed a respectable reputation in the community   They have investigated all over America, Canada, Mexico and Europe. 

When I pitched the idea of the PLA, I wanted a group of seasoned veterans who knew how to investigate, research and analyze.  We were all tired of not being able to find a reliable group of volunteers who were willing and able to not only investigate, but also willing and able to do the real work; website, research, analysis.  So when I came up with the idea of a Paranormal supergroup, Rene and George were the first people I thought of. 

They will be missed.

In the meantime, with the influx of volunteers PLA has it covered.  We have been training new group of people to be able to easily slide into almost any position we need.  Our training is second to none, and can be intense.  Fortunately, we’ve had some great trainers come with us to assist.

Next week, something completely different.....


Dave

7-24-08   Old Man Take A Look at my Life, I’m a Lot Like You....

Whenever people ask my hobbies I always kinda answer, “I talk to dead people”.  Generally that gets people looking at me like they wanna know more.  I then tell them that I hunt ghosts.  I get two different reactions; a) people who think it’s col, who then go on and tell me their own experiences.  b) people who think I’m a whack-job.

I’ve been called a witch, a heretic, a devil worshiper, and just plain crazy.  I don’t advertise that I hunt ghosts to everyone I see.  It’s not like I use it to pick up girls (and my wife thanks me for that).  No, I mention it because sometimes when I say it I get people who pull me aside and say they have a problem, or they know someone who does.  This is why I mention it to people in public.  People all around us need help, but they don’t know ware to turn, and they don’t want to say anything to people as not to look like a whack job themselves.

To the people who think it’s cool, usually they have their own experiences to tell me.  I’ve been doing this for years, and I have only seen a full figured apparition once.  I’ve been touched a few times, but only seen one once.  I’ve had three legit poltergeist cases, and a ton of residual experiences.  Mostly the people are just imagining things.  But I digress....

Recently, I was laid-off from my day job.  This has been a mixed blessing of sorts, while I always could use the money, I always like to spend my time with my kids.  While we have enjoyed our days at the park and playing in the backyard, I have always put a little time aside to work on PLA business.  Our current caseload on our Oregon Coast tour is a perfect example.  Been spending a lot of time talking to the owners of museums and B&B’s scheduling time with them.

That’s it for now, next time I’m going to tell you a story about how easy people think you can be conned.....


Dave

 7-12-08    Come Gather Round People, Ware Ever You Roam.....

It’s with a sad heart that I announce that Orson B. Smith has decided to leave the Paranormal League of America.  Orson was instrumental in the creation of this group, and helped me organize everyone when I initially came up with the idea of merging multiple groups together into one super-group.  We knew he wouldn’t have much time to dedicate to organization and creation, when the time came, but his experience is vast and respected all across this country.  Orson has decided to leave so he can spend more time with his family.  A decision I respect and agree with.  I have a family myself and we all know the kids grow up way too fast.

I came up with the idea of merging groups together when I was with Pacific Northwest
Paranormal (now defunct).  I got into this conversation with all PLA’s  founding members about how difficult it is to find volunteers to assist us in the day-to-day building of a paranormal group.  When it comes to finding someone who wants to run around a dark scary house, yes, those people are easy to find.  But, people don’t want to do the real work.  They want to just do the fun stuff and not actually help you build your paranormal group.  The result?  One or two people do all the work.  And they probably have a day job and a family to boot.....

When I came up with the idea to merge a few of the groups out there, I approached Orson first, knowing that if I could convince him to do this, it would be easier to convince everyone else.  The two of us merging would make a couple people take notice, but if we could convince a few others?  Well, that would be perfect.  After Orson and I agreed, he almost singlehandedly got everyone else on board.

Orson started his ghost hunting life in 2003 forming Pacific Coast Spirit Seekers after spending the night in a haunted location on the Oregon Coast.  He traveled up and down Interstate 5 going to places a lot of us in the business dream of.  When most people were just buying their first audio recorder, he was out there in the middle of the night getting EVPs.  He is respected by myself and all others in the business.

We wish him the best of luck in the future.

With that, we have been happy to say that the PLA’s current schedule is fitting in a tour of the Oregon Coast.  We are putting together an itinerary up and down the cities of the Pacific Ocean which is actually starting to impress.  Hopefully, we can afford the gas it takes to drive it!!

We will start  in Southern Oregon, and make our way up to Astoria.  Stopping along the way to eat and maybe get a little sleep (since we are up all night, we will be getting less sleep on this trip then we will if we were with our families!)  The tour is tentatively scheduled for the first two weeks in September.  If I survive it, I will fill you all in, and hopefully we will be posting all that cool evidence.


Dave

6-21-08 All You Need is Love....

About a year ago, I was sent to investigate the home of this lady who was convinced that she was being haunted by the ghost of her long dead husband. I was sent there by a friend of a friend who heard that I investigate these sort of things. I was walking with a cane at the time, I had ripped a disc in my back and what was left of it placed itself right on a nervethat was next to it.

When I arrived at the lady's house, the friends' of hers that requested my opinion on the matter were already there waiting for me. I greeted the lady, who was in her early-80s, and her friends and listened to her story. She was hearing noises in the walls, she said they sounded like her long dead husband was trying to contact her. She believed that since this was the same wall she had all his pictures on. I hobbled over to the wall in question, and I started to lightly tap on it. Not sure why, but I guess it was just something that I did. Sureenough, We shortly started to hear the scratching of something coming from within the wall.

Mind you, due to the pain going on in my lower back I was high as a kite on Percocet and was trying to think the best I could, but I almost passed out when I looked down and saw mice droppings on the floor behind the couch. The lady didn't need an exorcist. She needed an exterminator.

Dave Galvan

3-18-08 The Times They Are A' Change'n!

It's been almost a month before I started my two month sabbatical from ghost hunting. I was able to pry myself away from the busy ghost hunting life just so I can be there for the birth of my new baby. It's been an interesting time for my family, a time of adjustments and change.  Either way, the new normal that we are adjusting to is exciting, and tiring. One of these days I will get some sleep.

Be that as it may, I have spent my time increasing my research into the field, and enjoying other hobbies in my life. About a year ago I went on a giant Orson Welles kick renting every movie of his I could get my hands on. I have come to learn and love the style, the amazing look this man made in his films. For those film fans out there, go rent F for Fake and the comprehensive version of Mr. Arkadin. Two brilliantly made films that not to many people have even heard of.

In the meantime, I have been reading a lot of books on the subject of ghosts and hauntings. It amazes me how many people out there think they really know the answers to things that no one hardly knows the questions too. There are so many shlocky books by people no one has ever heard of. I often wonder if some of these books were written over a weekend bypeople with wild imaginations. 

Some of these people claim to be mediums or psychics and say they can see things that you and I don't see. These people claim they know what's on the other side. Answer questions for people for a modest fee. As far as I'm concerned, if these people had any gifts at all they would be getting people lottery numbers for a cut of 50%. I am not saying I don't believe there are people out there with gifts that we don't understand. I just don't believe that everyone who says they have abilities actually have them. Especially if they are charging people$300 for a half-hour for a 'reading'. I'm all for capitalism, I just have a problems with exploitation.

By far the best book I have read recently on the subject is Will Storr Vs. The Supernatural. This is a man who started researching the supernatural as a freelance writer for Blender, and ended up getting so fascinated with it he spent a good year with ghost hunters, interviewed exorcists, spent a week in England's most haunted castle, and went toe-to-toe with so-called mediums and psychics. His research was vast and impressive, his eye for fraud intense and his ability to absorb information impressive (he even seems to understand thedetails of String Theory if that's not impressive enough!). Anyone interested in the paranormal needs to check the book out.

Finally, I would like to quickly talk about something I saw in the news recently. There is a ghost hunting group out of New York which got a lot of publicity recently because they are here to 'help people'. However, they are helping people by charging them $20 and hour to investigate their home. Like I mentioned before, I am all for capitalism, but this group is strongly approaching scam status in my eyes. The article I read online talked to them about their experience, and it mentioned that they got all their experience from watching episodes of Ghost Hunters and Paranormal State. They got their experience hunting ghosts by watching television? Do carpenters get their experience watching This Old House? How about learning how to be a truck driver by memorizing every line in BJ and the Bear? I'm sure I could pass medical school by a weekend marathon of St. Elseware and learn
how to be immortal by watching Highlander. Whoever would pay them anything should have their head examined.

Dave Galvan

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If you need our help, and would like to talk with someone, call Dave 503-933-4759, or email us at help@paranormalleagueofamerica.org .