http://oracle.newpaltz.edu/article.cfm?id=2061
FAMED GHOST HUNTER HAUNTS SUNY CAMPUS By Sasha Austrie, Copy Editor Ever seen a ghost buster? Not Dan Aykroyd or Bill Murray, but a real live ghost buster? On All Hallow's Eve, approximately 200 people came face to face with John Zaffis, ghost hunter. With lights turned off, a booming voice filled the quiet space of Lecture Center 100. This began a simple trip into the paranormal. A little after 8 p.m., an ordinary looking man in faded black jeans walked to the front of the room and gave us a glimpse into a world of ghosts, demons, and poltergeists. He admits his fear of the spirits, but somehow he finds them fascinating. ''Poltergeist cases are one of the most interesting things,'' said Zaffis. ''There is a lot of destruction, instantaneously.'' According to Zaffis, most poltergeist cases happen around children going through puberty. With more than three decades of experience, Zaffis has investigated thousands of cases in the United States, Canada, England and Scotland. The apparition of his grandfather in his bedroom at age 16 sparked Zaffis' interests in the paranormal. He studied with Ed Warren who is famous for cases such as the Amityville Horror and the West Point Poltergeist case among many others. Including Warren, Zaffis has worked with famed men such as Bishop Robert McKenna, the Rev. Jun and Father Malachy Martin, all of different faiths. He defines the paranormal as the ''Unknown.'' The echo of drums without a parade in sight, the rise and fall of footsteps that can't be explained, the constant slamming of doors, and occasional levitation are just some of the reasons why people contact Zaffis. He arrives at the location of the incident with his team from The Paranormal Research Society of New England, and an investigation is conducted. Zaffis works with psychics and mediums to determine whether or not a location is a haunted. He readily admits that he lacks psychic abilities. ''I'm not psychic, but can I feel things' Yes,'' said Zaffis. He may not see the ghost, but he can feel his energy being sucked out of him, ''You get very cold,'' said Zaffis. ''A bone chilling cold.'' During his two-hour lecture, Zaffis summarized some of the cases he had worked on. According to Zaffis, the most intense haunting that he has ever witnessed was of a funeral parlor rented by a family. The case caused him to consider leaving the world of the paranormal. ''I wouldn't take anybody's call,'' said Zaffis. There was only one call that he couldn't refuse: Father McKenna. ''He said, 'you are going to let it win. If you make it stop you from helping people, it wins,''' said Zaffis. Meagan Banker, freshman psychology major, believes in the paranormal. She claims that too many weird and unbelievable things have happened. ''When I was 9, my uncle that I was really close to died and I heard him call out my name,'' said Banker. Zaffis acknowledges that there are many people who practice his craft who are frauds. ''People do things and create things to make a few extra dollars,'' said Zaffis. Because of fraudulent ghost hunters and psychics, Lisa Zingone, a psychology major, is still trying to wrap her mind around the concept. ''I don't know if I believe in everything,'' said Zingone. ''But I do believe in spirits.'' Zaffis' first book ''Shadow's of the Dark,'' co-written by Brian McIntyre was released in 2004. For information regarding Zaffis and The Paranormal Research Society of New England contact http://prsne.com/ Nephilim's Paranormal Investigations - http://paranorm.cjb.net __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------ 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/
