Tonight on ParaNexus Universe Radio
The ParaNexus Newsletter
© 2009 by ParaNexus.org.
Editor: David Desjardins
This Newsletter is distributed free of
charge to anyone interested. Please visit
ParaNexus.org to subscribe. Serious ar-
ticle submissions welcome. Please send
submissions to admin@paranexus.org.
September 17, 2009
CONTENTS
Editors Corner
2 Recent Blogs
Gadgets and Gizmo’s
—Registry of Anomalous Events
2 •
Directors Notes
ParaNexus Non-Profit Incorpora-
tion Update
3 http://www.paranexus.org/forum/index.php?zc
What Do You Bring to the
Anomalous Research Table?
5 Membership Expired?
Ghost Hunters, Paranormal
Investigators &
Parapsychologists –
What’s the Difference?
7
Final Considerations
Closing Thoughts and Future
Concepts
9
Thursday, 9-17-09 • 9pm - 10pm Eastern
Bringing Credibility to the Anomalous Research Field
With Jennifer Lauer
Jennifer Lauer, Founder/Executive Director of the
Southern Wisconsin Paranormal Research Group, joins us
to discuss how investigators and researchers can add
credibility to the field.
Tune in at
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ParaNexus
• What do you bring …
• Your Share in Crop Circle Research
Getting going and moving on...
• Something Happened in 1875
• Watch Life Leave
These Blogs and others can be found at:
Not a ParaNexus Member Yet?
Join or Renew your membership now to take advantage of
many new membership benefits.
Visit http://www.paranexus.org/forum/index.php?page=36
Special Announcements:
Members – September/October issue of the
Journal of Anomalous Sciences
NOW AVAILABLE
1
 ParaNexus Newsletter

Editors Corner Gizmos and Gadgets – by Dave Desjardins CPI

by Dave Desjardins CPI A weekly review of the latest tech in paranormal research.
Another great week has passed
within the ParaNexus Universe, which
has yielded some fantastic blog and
forum posts. The Fake a Photo con-
test is underway; recent news of in-
corporation promises many great op-
portunities and raises ParaNexus to a
new level in dedication and profes-
sionalism within the anomalous re-
search field.
There are numerous websites and
paranormal communities to be found A bit of a departure from the norm on this week’s Gizmos and Gadgets in
on the wonderful world of the inter- that, I would like to take some time and focus on a ParaNexus resource that
web, but there is something that deserves more public exposure.
stands out with the quality of charac- A great deal of hard work has gone into ParaNexus since its inception to
ter and professionalism that can be make it a unique resource for both anomalous investigators as well as mem-
found in ParaNexus (no I’m not get- bers of the general public who may
ting paid to say this). I would strong- be experiencing or have witnessed
ly encourage anyone who is not a unexplained phenomena. One such
member and has a strong dedication resource is the Registry of Anomalous
to researching the paranormal to se- Events.
riously consider membership. Or at
the very least read more on what we This Registry is meant to provide a
are about and what we would like to unique database where professional
accomplish. investigators are able to cross refer-
ence varying anomalous events such
I personally, am excited to see as UFO sightings, abduction’s and
what the future has in store for the parapsychological events, in order to
community as a whole and we have better serve their clients, conduct
the membership to thank for building more thorough research and to better understand the human condition. Com-
ParaNexus to what it is today. I look bined with online submission forms for the public to submit reports of activity
forward to continuing to grow, learn or to request investigations from qualified, highly professional Certified Para-
and work with you all. Nexus Field Investigators (CPFI), the Registry has the potential to become a
Questions, comments or sugges- leading online resource.
tions pertaining to this newsletter or As much as we would like to see it happen though, databases such as this
anything posted herein, may be sent do not populate themselves. Success of the Registry is contingent on re-
to ddesjardins@paranexus.org. searchers to share their experiences and findings so everyone who has a pro-
fessional interest in the field may benefit from it.
Very basic information can at times be found in sporadic locations on the
internet, but never in one place and never of a detailed, reliable, scientific
nature. I have never seen an endeavor of this magnitude in the making with regards to all fields of anomalous research
combined and would like to watch it grow into the resource it has the potential to become. So with that said, the chal-
lenge is out and the Registry is ready for submissions. Together we can make it meet its potential but it will take some
patience, and dedication on our part. Links to the Registry may be found by clicking on either graphic within this ar-
ticle. In the words of Frank Sinatra – “Start spreading the news….”

Paranormal Investigator Certification Course (CPI)

A serious and professional academic course with certification available in a home study or structured class ver-
sion. Discounted pricing for ParaNexus members.
www.ParaNexusAcademy.org

2
 ParaNexus Newsletter

ParaNexus—Non-Profit Incorporation Update

By Doug Kelley CH, CSL, CLPI
ParaNexus Chairman, Executive Director

Hello ParaNexus Members and Guests!

We have taken a big step in the evolution of ParaNexus by filing our non-profit incorporation papers with the state
of Florida last Friday, September 11, 2009. Once the filing is complete (should be this week), the newly formed Board
of Directors will meet to adopt our bylaws, which are being updated with a non-profit corporation in mind. The new
bylaws as well as the new non-profit corporation organizational structure will be published on ParaNexus.org as soon as
this is done.
Our intent is to apply for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status with the IRS as soon as we can afford the $300 filing fee. With
any luck, this will be in the next month or so.
Among the benefits to ParaNexus as well as to our membership and the public will be our ability to apply for Gov-
ernment and private grants. Donors will also be able to deduct donations from their taxes. A further benefit is that we
intend to award small grants of our own to research projects. This, of course, will depend on having sufficient funds
with which to do so.
Currently, the primary source of income for ParaNexus is membership dues. While our overhead is currently very
low, increasing the number of members we attract as well as seeking donations and grants will help the corporation
accomplish its non-profit goals and provide more benefits to members. With this in mind, we would like to hear from
you. What benefits would you like to see added so that being a member of ParaNexus represents a worthwhile benefit
to you? If you have ideas, we would love to hear them! Please send them to admin@paranexus.org.
If you are currently a paid member of ParaNexus, we sincerely thank you for your support! Can you spread the word
about ParaNexus to your colleagues and encourage them to join? Can you display the membership banner prominently
on your website (if you are not already)?
If you are not currently a paid member, we would love to have you join! In addition to many benefits, you will also
be helping a worthwhile cause, that is, aiding in the enhancement and discovery of phenomena that has a profound
bearing on the human condition. Please visit http://www.paranexus.org/forum/index.php?page=36 for a full list of
member benefits.
There are also opportunities for those who may want to get more involved with ParaNexus as Board Members and
staff. We are on the ground floor of building a solid and long-lasting organization committed to excellence and are al-
ways looking for good people.
Specifically, we are in real need of two positions. 1. Someone with an Accounting background to become the Corpo-
rate Treasurer and a member of the Board, and 2. Someone with public
relations and media experience to increase public awareness of our or-
ganization. We are also in need of staff members with PHP and/or Visual
Basic programming experience. If you or someone you know might fit,
please visit http://www.paranexus.org/forum/index.php?page=170 for
more information.
Again, we appreciate those of you who have supported us since our
inception in February 2008, as well as those who have joined us as staff
members. We couldn’t have done it nor can we do it without you!
I will post more updates on ParaNexus.org as well as in next week’s
newsletter. Have a great week!
—Doug

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 ParaNexus Newsletter
You Can Choose a Winner!
ParaNexus Fake-a-Photo Contest
I’m happy to announce that the ParaNexus Fake-a-Photo Con-
test is now open for entries! This contest was inspired by Stephen
Wagner at About.com and is designed to be a fun and educational
experience. This contest is open to everyone including non-
members. You can even participate in judging entries by voting for
your favorite fake photo!
As a contestant, your mission is to create a fake photo that will
stump the experts! Your subject can be any type of anomalous
phenomena including ghosts, shadow people, UFOs, aliens, cryptids
(such as Bigfoot), etc. You can use any type of software available
including PhotoShop, cgi software, etc. You can start with any par-
ticular photo and then manipulate and enhance it to produce your
final entry.
The overall objective of this contest is to educate and raise
awareness of what fake photos look like and how they are
achieved. This will aid anomalous researchers to better identify
photos that are faked, hoaxed, and/or are false-positives. The en-
tries from this contest will be published and available on ParaNex-
us.org for the benefit of all members.
The contest will begin on Thursday, September 3, 2009, 12am
Eastern, and end on Thursday, October 29, 2009, 12 pm Eastern. The winners will be announced on ParaNexus Radio on
Thursday October 29, 2009 at 9pm Eastern.
So, Are You Ready to Start Hoaxing?
For More Info, Contest Rules, Judging Criteria, and to Enter, Visit
http://www.paranexus.org/forum/index.php?page=193
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PRIZES
First Place Winner (determined by panel) will receive:
1. 1 year paid membership to ParaNexus ($39 value)
which includes all member benefits.
2. Your choice of the CPI or CLPI Course (digital on-
line version) on ParaNexus Academy ($55/$65 val-
ue). These prizes can be assigned to another per-
son if you desire.
3. A printed 1st Place Certificate showcasing your
achievement (U.S. residents only. A PDF certifi-
cate will also be emailed).
4. A guest spot on ParaNexus Radio on October 29,
2009 to discuss how you created your fake photo.
Second Place Winner (determined by panel) will receive:
1. 6 month paid membership to ParaNexus ($19.50
value) which includes all member benefits.
2. A PDF Second Place Certificate showcasing your
achievement.
3. A guest spot on ParaNexus Radio on October 29,
2009 to discuss how you created your fake photo.
Popular Vote Winner (determined by public vote) will re-
ceive:
1. 6 month paid membership to ParaNexus ($19.50
value) which includes all member benefits.
2. A PDF Second Place Certificate showcasing your
achievement.
 ParaNexus Newsletter
What Do You Bring to the Anomalous Research Table?
By Doug Kelley CH, CSL, CLPI
ParaNexus Chairman, Executive Director
“When you cease to make a contribution
you begin to die.”
—Eleanor Roosevelt
One of the biggest ongoing issues I have observed
over the years is that team members start out with en-
thusiasm and excitement and then slowly lose that en-
thusiasm until they end up just going through the mo-
tions. This can be a big issue for team Founders be-
cause they may need the help but don’t know quite
how to deal with members who cease contributing to
the team in meaningful ways. It’s even worse if these
members are personal friends. Some members—
especially new members—have been conditioned by TV
shows that anomalous research is always dramatic, ex-
citing, and fun. The truth is that, while there can be
moments of excitement, anomalous research is usually
uneventful—sometimes even monotonous. The unfortu-
nate result is that the interest of a member may fade
or, in an effort to add some excitement, he or she
starts seeing faces and spirits in every photo with a
dust orb or light streak.
Serious and professional anomalous researchers are
never motivated by drama; rather, they are motivated
by a profound and usually life-long desire to understand
the mysteries of life, our multiverse, and our exis-
tence. Those who continue past the initial excitement
phase do so because they have a calling, as it were.
The upshot is that these serious researchers evolve;
they learn to think for themselves; they learn to ques-
tion everything, and they are not afraid to change their
perspectives based on valid reasoning. Amateur investi-
gators who don’t fade away, on the other hand, don’t
evolve; in fact, they may even be opposed to broaden-
ing into other areas of anomalous research. They con-
tinue to pursue “ghost hunting” for the thrill, the dra-
ma, and the social aspects rather than for anything se-
rious. This resembles a “pack” mentality because it is
not currently politically correct in the ghost hunting
world to take a firm stand for such things as orbs being
dust, energy rods being the result of camera shake,
demons being mythological, or Ouija boards being an
impotent combination of cardboard and plastic (how-
ever, this is slowly changing).
5
As for investigators who have lost their initial inter-
est but continue to go through the motions, it is time
for a wake up call. We’ve all heard the phrase “life is
short.” But do we really think about it? The cold hard
fact is that no one has a guarantee that they will be
alive in one minute—let alone in one week or month or
year. The saddest day of anyone’s life is when they are
on their deathbed lamenting over the “woulda-coulda-
shoulda’s,” the “if-only’s,” and the “might have
been’s.” In other words, while the end of life is cer-
tainly sad, it is even sadder when someone realizes
that he or she wasted so much of their lives worrying
about petty matters and struggling to eke out an exis-
tence that they completely forgot to really live; they
lost the opportunity to focus on the most important
aspects of life, namely, what in the hell it’s all about.
Perhaps one of the biggest aliments to afflict humanity
is that most people take themselves way too seriously.
You can see this all over the planet with petty land dis-
putes, religious intolerance, and general tribal warfare.
It reminds me of a bunch of little boys in a sandbox all
fighting over where their own corner begins and the
other’s ends. I love the words of Plato, “Nothing in the
affairs of man is worth worrying about.” Regardless of
technological advances, those words are as true today
as they were 2,500 years ago.
So what’s the point of all this? The point is that life
is far too short and precious to waste doing something
you just can’t get into. If you are an anomalous re-
searcher, what are you bringing to the anomalous re-
search table? Is your interest fading, or do you still see
the value of what you do? Are you still making a mea-
ningful contribution to your team and the field, or have
you started that slow and draining (for your team
mates) downward spiral that ends with you quitting or
being dismissed?
The intent of this article is to encourage those who
may have become unsure of their interest in paranor-
mal research or who have become discouraged (and we
all have at some point), and to recommend one of two
paths: If you are going to be an anomalous researcher,
then damn it, be an anomalous researcher! If you’re
not, then do yourself, your team, and the field the
courtesy and honor of moving on.
 ParaNexus Newsletter
So, how do you know which path to take?
Serious anomalous researchers don’t do this for the
money, the glory, or the fame; they do it because that
is who they are and what they do. It’s in their blood.
They do research with or without a team. They can’t
quit because some deep part of them yearns for an-
swers. Even though they may get discouraged at times,
they realize the importance of what they do even if the
world ignores and demeans them. This higher purpose
fuels and nurtures their spirit. If this describes you,
then align yourself with other serious researchers of
like mind. This will invigorate you and help you to ac-
complish your purpose. And you never know… you just
might participate in breakthroughs that will enhance
humanity’s understanding of itself!
On the other hand, if anomalous research is not for
you, you already know it. How? Several factors charac-
terize the investigator who probably needs to do them-
selves a favor and move on. These factors include
dreading team meetings, being late for investigations,
half-heartedly carrying out assigned responsibilities or
putting them off completely, not answering emails or
calls from the Founder, not returning messages, forget-
ting about team meetings and/or investigations, being
contentious, and a general attitude of indifference.
One of the reasons a person like this may not move on
is that he or she doesn’t want to hurt other’s feelings,
or they fear losing friendships. The truth, however, is
that this kind of person is already hurting relationships
because team members and others are aware of it and
likely resent this person for not towing the line. In real-
ity, this kind of person takes more than they give, and
anytime someone takes more than they give and is un-
willing to change, the relationship is over. If this de-
scribes you, you have a choice: You can either take
care of the problem now, or suffer longer and still take
care of it later. Either way, you will take care of it
eventually, or it will be taken care of for you.
Another way of knowing whether you should keep
doing this or whether you should move on is to ask
yourself why you started doing it in the first place. Why
are you an anomalous researcher? What do you get out
of it? What do you hope to gain? What does the world
stand to gain?
Everyone who works with a team must bring some-
thing of value to the team table. And if they don’t,
they only make things harder on others. Ask yourself
what you bring to the table. Is it something of value? Is
it meaningful? Does it make a difference?
6
Early 20th century pioneering aviatrix and author,
Elinor Smith Sullivan, once wrote, “It had long since
come to my attention that people of accomplishment
rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They
went out and happened to things.” Elinor was 89 years
old back in 2000 when I spoke with her and, to the best
of my knowledge, is still alive today. Elinor is a splen-
did example of a person who knew what she wanted
and went out and “happened” to it! —Read more about
Elinor Smith Sullivan at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elinor_Smith.
If you are going to do anomalous research, then be
about it. Go “happen” to it! If you’re not, then you
owe it to yourself and others to move on and go “hap-
pen” to something else you find of higher meaning and
value.
________________________________________
Relevant Quotes
• “In the end, it's not the years in your life that count.
It's the life in your years.” —Abraham Lincoln
• “I discovered at an early age that most of the differ-
ence between average people and great people can be
explained in three words, “and then some.” Top people
do what is expected of them and then some. They are
considerate and thoughtful of others, and then some.
They meet their obligations and responsibilities fairly
and squarely, and then some. They are good friends
and then some. They can be counted on in an emer-
gency and then some.” —James Francis Bums
• “There is not much left to do but bury a man when
the last of his dreams is dead.” —Doug Hooper
• “I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do every-
thing; but still I can do something. I will not refuse to
do the something that I can do.” —Helen Keller
• “It's not your blue blood, your pedigree or your col-
lege degree. It's what you do with your life that
counts.” —Millard Fuller
• “The man who follows the crowd will usually get no
further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is
likely to find himself in places no one has ever been.”
—Alan Ashley-Pitt
• “Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die
even the undertaker will be sorry.” —Mark Twain
• “Whatever you are, be a good one.” — Abraham Lin-
coln
 ParaNexus Newsletter

Ghost Hunter, Paranormal Investigator & Parapsychologist –

What’s the Difference?
By Jennifer Lauer
Janesville Paranormal Research Examiner
Lauer is the founder and executive director of the Southern Wisconsin Paranormal Research Group (SWPRG).
Founded in 1999, the SWPRG has been recognized as one of the country’s leading paranormal research organiza-
tions. Lauer co-authored the book Investigating the Haunted: Ghost Hunting Taken to the Next Level, which is a
textbook for advanced paranormal research and investigation. Lauer is also on staff and teaches paranormal educa-
tion classes at two northern Illinois colleges.
Website: www.SWPRG.com

Ed’s Note: The following article is re-published with the author’s express written permission. Thank you Jennifer, your outlooks and profes-
sionalism are greatly appreciated and we look forward to reading more from you. I would like to encourage our readers to view the original
publication at: http://www.examiner.com/x-19029-Janesville-Paranormal-Research-Examiner~y2009m9d5-Ghost-Hunter-Paranormal-
Investigator--Parapsychologist--Whats-the-difference and take the quick poll located the bottom of the article. – D.D.

How many times have you heard the terms, "Ghost

Hunter", "Paranormal Investigator" or "Parapsycholo-
gist", and think they were all the same? Most people
would assume they are, but is there really a difference
between them?

The answer is, "ABSOLUTELY"!! There are several

aspects of each of these titles that express what these
people do and how they look at the field. Let's take a
look at each of them. The following is a simple break-
down of the elements which make up each one.

GHOST HUNTER PARANORMAL INVESTIGATOR

It seems that this title would pretty much say it all.
To hunt ghosts would imply that these individu-
als assume there are ghosts and they are on a quest to
find them.
These individuals are usually hobbyist and their in-
vestigations generally consist of walking around a cem-
etery late at night with a flashlight, a camera and pos-
sibly a single axis Electromagnetic Field Meter (EMF)
and hoping to see something that will scare the beje-
beeze out of them. They are simply thrill seekers with
little to no education in the field of ghost research and
investigation. They usually watch all of the Ghost Hunt-
ing shows on TV and accept them as the actual reality
of the field.
The term "Paranormal Investigator" can include any-
one interested in many areas of the paranormal such as
Aliens or UFO's, Cryptozoology and yes, even ghosts.
The key word in this title, however, is "Investigator".
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary describes an "Investiga-
tor" as someone who will observe or study by close ex-
amination and systematic inquiry: to make a systematic
examination: to conduct an official inquiry.
This tells us that these individuals attempt to rule
out all possible natural explanations, are critical think-
ers, are open minded and inquisitive, do not make as-
sumptions and do not just assume ghosts exist, they
take a scientific approach to their research and are
well versed in a variety of other areas of related fields
such as Parapsychology, Psychology, Anomalous Psy-
chology, Abnormal Psychology, environmental,

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 ParaNexus Newsletter

geological, sociological and others. They not only use
good quality equipment when conducting an investiga-
tion, but they also know what the equipment is used
for, how to use it properly and how to analyze the data
they receive and correlate it with other types of evi-
dence to have a greater view of a situation. If no evi-
dence is apparent within the data, they take it for
what it is. Good or Bad. They do not attempt to make
it fit their hypotheses.
PARAPSYCHOLOGIST
A Parapsychologist is an individual who
has advanced graduate degrees in parapsychology, psy-
chology or other related areas with an emphasis on a
parapsychological topic. They study experiences which
are not within the area of known human capabilities.
These experiences include ESP, PK, Survival and more.
They attempt to explain the phenomena within the
context of mainstream science using the scientific me-
thod in a laboratory setting. Their results are usually
published in peer reviewed scientific journals. They
are the real "Scientists" in this field and have done
some great work making the unknown more unders-
tandable.
So, as you can see these individuals are very different
from each other. If you were gonna be one of these,
where would you see yourself fitting in? Would you
find yourself as a Ghost Hunter? A Paranormal Investi-
gator? or a Parapsychologist?


Do you have a topic that you
are passionate about? Some-
thing that you feel should be
said?
A comment, criticism, or opi-
nion on the field of paranor-
mal research or its future?
Make your voice heard in the
ParaNexus Newsletter.

All submissions may be sent to

ddesjardins@paranexus.org



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 ParaNexus Newsletter

Final Consideratons – by Dave Desjardins CPI

Closing thoughts and future concepts.

One of the topics discussed briefly at the staff meeting, held 13 Sept, 2009, was the possibility of ParaNexus appa-
rel. What better way to get a feel for the potential of such items than to put it out for consideration to our readership
and members. On Friday, 18 September 2009, I will be placing a post in the public General Discussion forum to address
this possibility (yes most likely in the form of a poll. I do love those polls). In the mean time, I would like to ask that
you all give some thought as to what you might like to see in the way of clothing, hats, t-shirts, golf shirts, suggestions
welcome (within reason of course).

Although this proposal is still in the discussion phase, if a demand is recognized and product(s) identified, we can
potentially step up the process and get the wheels of industry grinding along at a happy pace. Take some time over
your morning coffee, or if you’re like me, the wee hours when you just can’t get back to sleep, think it over, keep an
eye on the General Discussion forum and let us know your thoughts and ideas. I’ll post additional “reminders” in up-
coming issues. Until then, I look forward to your replies.

ParaNexus Sites

www.ParaNexus.org www.ParaNexusAcademy.org

Join Today!
ParaNexus is a global professional association of dedicated and
progressive parapsychologists, ufologists, and enthusiasts focused
on researching and understanding the human condition through
the scientific study of anomalous and psychical phenomena, its
reality, its reach, and its impact on humanity.
The ParaNexus Academy offers a growing list of paranormal and
personal growth courses that are affordable and comprehensive.
Our instructors are skilled and knowledgeable in the topics they
teach. All courses are conducted online and may feature live
video sessions, online content, instructor articles and books,
and additional activities and material.

ParaNexus Universe Radio Program www.ParaNexus.org/store

www.ParaNexusRadio.org
Thursdays • 9pm EST The ParaNexus Resource Shoppe provides aids to research and
investigation including training courses, log books, ID Badges,
Join Doug & Grant for interesting guests and interesting topics. and more.

9
 ParaNexus Newsletter

ParaNexus Members Get Free Web Hosting!

Learn more at http://www.paranexus.net/mem-hosting.php
Join ParaNexus at http://www.paranexus.org/forum/index.php?page=36

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