http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2005/10/10-13-05tdc/10-13-05dnews-01.asp
[ Thursday, Oct. 13, 2005 ] Talk of ghosts and the supernatural comes to Penn State By Bethany Fehlinger Collegian Staff Writer Paranormal enthusiasts and ghosts will never be the same. The fourth annual National Paranormal Conference (UNIV-CON) held at Penn State this weekend will once again educate and excite people and students about everything involving spirits, demons and ghost hunting. Ryan Buell (senior-journalism) said when he founded the university's Paranormal Research Society four years ago, he knew instantly he wanted to try a conference -- even when others told him it would take five years to get it off the ground. Buell, who is the director of the research society, said he has held four conferences in four years and uses them to educate, scare and entertain. "I like spreading the knowledge of the paranormal," Buell said. Buell said UNIV-CON "boomed into the spotlight" after the first year, and so far, this is the only paranormal university conference he can find across the United States. About 150 people are coming to the conference from out-of-state, some who will travel from Florida or Arizona, Buell said. Last year, about 500 to 600 people attended UNIV-CON, 400 who were students. Buell said he is expecting 700 attendees. Buell and Adam Blai, university disability specialist and research society adviser, will kick off UNIV-CON by talking about their experiences in ghost hunting and working with the Roman Catholic Church about exorcisms. They will also give 'dos and don'ts' of ghost hunting -- such as not to use a Ouija board -- and present evidence of their experiences. Blai said one of his many paranormal encounters happened in the bedroom of a house during the initial walkthrough. He said he exited the room and upon immediate re-entry, the temperature of the room dropped 10 degrees in two minutes, almost to the point when Blai said he could see his breath. A loud noise like a pistol shot went off in the hallway, causing everyone to jump, but no evidence of damage was found. When entering the room a third time immediately after the noise, the temperature was warm again. However, the weekend conference isn't about convincing people that paranormal activity exists, Blai said. "You can't convince somebody until they experience it themselves," he added. Buell's and Blai's lecture will begin at 7 tonight in 100 Thomas. The conference's other three lectures for the weekend will also be held in the Thomas Building. On Friday at 8 p.m. Lou Gentile, a demonologist and paranormal radio talk-show host, will reveal evidence of the existence of demons to the audience in Thomas. Buell said Gentile presented a lecture at the 2002 conference and some girls ran out screaming from the pictures shown. "The truth is scarier than the media," Buell said. In addition to the lecture, Gentile is escorting some participants to investigate Schwab Auditorium and the Old Botany Building and promises to collect some evidence on the present hauntings. Buell said the peak of the conference will be on Saturday at 8 p.m. when Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson from the Sci-Fi Channel show Ghost Hunters will give a talk. Hawes and Wilson are two plumbers in Rhode Island who investigate ghosts at night around the United States. Buell said they will be showing their best evidence clips that were not on television. Following Hawes and Wilson's talk will be the 1973 Exorcist actress Eileen Dietz, who will reveal some of the strange activity that went on during the production of the film. Dietz played the body double for the possessed parts of the character Regan in the movie. Other events during the weekend are workshops in the HUB-Robeson Center during the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday until 4 p.m. on some areas of the paranormal, such as real-life vampires, and how to ghost hunt. The event is free to students. Non-students can purchase a weekend pass for $29 or pay individually at each event. Prices range from $5 to $10. Nephilim's Paranormal Investigations - http://paranorm.cjb.net __________________________________ Yahoo! Music Unlimited Access over 1 million songs. Try it free. http://music.yahoo.com/unlimited/ ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/98XolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Visit our Psychic/Paranormal message boards at http://www.skatemd.com/forums/index.php Arcade, Journals, Chats, Boards, Fun! Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/paranormal_stuff/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
