Happy Holidays from the Cemetery Gates

We at the Cemetery Gates want to wish everyone a safe and joyous Holiday Season!

Be sure to visit us often in the New Year as posts will begin to be more frequent(finally)

Resident Evil 5 for PS3 and Xbox 360

The latest installment of Capcom's Resident Evil 5 takes Chris Redfield former member of STARS, who joins a group only known as the BSSA to Africa. He continues to fight a plague infected population in a poverty stricken village. One familiar face is Wesker former leader of STARS and operative of Umbrella Corp. Resident Evil 5 has a new character named Sheva that is also available in co-op mode. Looking forward to seeing if the game holds up to Residen Evil 4 which was so successful they made a chainsaw controller for after it. I just wish the movies lived up to the video game franchise. Resident Evil 5's sreet date is March 13, 2009

Happy Halloween from the Cemetery Gates!

Happy Halloween 2008 to everyone! We hope you have a Spooktacular day while celebrating this ancient holiday!Cheers







cheers!

Looking for a special Halloween event?

If you are looking for some fun and spooky things to do this Halloween season be sure to check out the Haunt World website for state by state lists of all haunted houses (real and staged), pumpkin patches, corn mazes, amusement park haunts and all creepy events throughout The United States as well as Internationally.

This fantastic site compiles hundreds of the afore mentioned attractions complete with locations, links, reviews of your chosen attraction, and their own rating system for each and every attraction! With all the crummy, waste of money Halloween events popping up everywhere during this time of year, I highly recommend referencing Haunt World, and checking their informative reviews and ratings section.

Haunt World's ratings for each attraction are based on a scale of 1-10 Skulls covering the following criteria:

Scare Factor
Monsters/Actors
Originality
Sets, Detail, Theming
Special FX

Also at Haunt World you will find links for costumes, pumpkin carving techniques and templates, Haunted photos/videos, and even Halloween games to keep you busy!

Creepy Gnome Terrorises Town in South America

Teens capture video on their cell phone in Argentina of what is to believed to be a gnome walking the streets.

This grainy footage catches international attention of what looks to be a small man dressed in a pointy hat emerging from the grass, sideways. The nearbly town have locals terrified. Residences have seen the "gnome" only at night and at times following them.

Colonel Sanders Seen from Space

Just a few miles outside Rachel, Nevada near the top secret base known as Area 51 and the Extraterrestrial Highway. KFC also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken takes advertising to new levels for aliens everywhere by offering the worlds largest marketing image of Colonel Sanders. The logo of the Colonel contains 65,000 one-foot-square painted tiles. The image is large enough to be seen from space and can be viewed on Google maps.

Cemetery Gates and the Kingdom of Crystal Skull Vodka?

The Legends of the Crystal Skulls have captivated society for years. From scientist to archaeologist. Supernatural Enthusiast to Film maker. These fascinating artifacts are a definite mystery!

Actor, Writer, Parapsychology enthusiast, avid researcher of the Crystal Skulls, and Ghost Buster Dan Akroyd introduces us to something that is guaranteed to excite us all!

Crystal Head Vodka ($45.00-$50.00 USD) a Canadian, triple diamond filtered, 4x distilled Vodka made from the purest waters in Newfoundland recently hit stores after 2 years in development! Each hand filled bottle packaged in a unique skull shape design created by American portraitist and Crystal Skull enthusiast John Alexander.

Each glass skull is an accurate rendering of a human skull, and quite frankly the coolest designed bottle I have seen in recent memory! As an added bonus the Vodka is extremely good in both quality and taste.

A lot of care went into design of both packaging and alcohol, and the subject matter in which the Vodka was inspired by is truly relevant with us here at the Cemetery Gates!

For more information on Crystal Head Vodka, and an entertaining and informative "making of" video complete with a brief chat of the actual Crystal Skull mystery that the Vodka is inspired by, please visit the Crystal Head Vodka Website by clicking the link or click on Dan Akroyd's video below.

DAN AKROYD'S CRYSTAL HEAD VIDEO

There is a plethora of research information available online for these fascinating, possibly otherworldly objects. For some starter sights please follow the links below, and don't forget to check out Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, on DVD October 14th!

Crystal Skulls on Wikipedia

World Mysteries

Mendhak

I raise a glass of Crystal Head Vodka in a toast to Dan Akroyd for his continued fascination with the "invisible world" and continued support and belief in these fields. We need more of his type in the world.

Upcoming Films: Twilight

Based on the novel by Stephenie Meyer. Twilight is the story of a young girl named, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) who moves to her father's home in Washington when her mother remarries. She meets a young boy named, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) most known for his role as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Bella quickly learns Edward is nothing like the other boys, but a vampire. He is immortal with super strength and for something new to the Vampire genre, no fangs. They quickly fall in love and she discovers that her scent is much more powerful to him than any other human driving him to want to kill her. He controls his primal actions for their relationship to grow, until another coven of vampires arrive and Edward must protect Bella from them. Twilight will be in theaters November 21.

Possible Bigfoot body found? HOAX

Last week we wrote about the body of a Sasquatch that was reportedly discovered by 2 men in a secluded forest in Georgia. I am sad to report that the creature ended up being a hoax. For more on this story please head over to the website of Searching for Bigfoot Inc.,

Why people continue to waste time on elaborate pranks, fraudulently attempt to deceive the public and in this case extort money from Bigfoot organizations I will never understand. One of the perpetrators of this hoax was even a law man for Clayton County Police Department in Georgia. Pathetic.

I hope Searching for Bigfoot Inc., gets justice for the fraud these two individuals created, good luck to them.

Well, atleast we will always have...

Ghost on Asheville High Surveillance Camera

Is it a ghost or something else?

Asheville, NC; Captured on a high school surveillance camera an image of what looks like a floating apparition. The school faculty and experts are baffled at what might actually be a ghost.

Representatives of the Asheville Paranormal Society have studied the video, and they can't find a logical explanation or any definitive way to disprove the footage. One employee of the school district wants to accept it as being the shadow of a bat flying through the hallways and corridors of the school, yet it's movements are nothing like a bat.

One teacher accepts the morphing human image to be a former student or child wandering aimlessly through the halls of the high school.

CNN reports possible Bigfoot body found

Some more crytozoology news for you today.

CNN has listed an article that 2 men in Palo Alto, California claim to have found a body of a Sasquatch otherwise known as the Legendary Bigfoot cryptid.

The report states that: "Matthew Whitton and Rick Dyer, a pair of Bigfoot-hunting hobbyists from north Georgia, say they found the creature's body in a wooded area and spotted several similar creatures that were still alive. The carcass of the furry half-man, half-ape is 7 feet, 7 inches tall and weighs more than 500 pounds, they say. However, the two are not disclosing the exact location of their discovery to protect the remaining creatures."

The 2 men, in conjunction with a group called Searching for Bigfoot Inc. plan to release photo and DNA evidence of their discovery at a press conference, scheduled for Friday August 15th, 2008 from 12:00-1:00 pm at the Cabana Hotel-Palo Alto at 4290 El Camino Real in Palo Alto, California, 94306. The press conference is not open to the public.

For the most up to date information on this exciting news please check in with CNN and Searching for Bigfoot Inc. websites.

More information on Bigfoot can easily be found online.

Possible Chupacabra sighting caught on video!

A wonderful little bit of Cryptozoology news came through the wire today. We have a possible Chupacabra sighting caught on video from a DeWitt County, Texas Sheriff's Deputy.

In the video you can clearly see what could possibly be the long sought after creature as described in legend.

If you are looking for more information on the cryptid Chupacabra , I recommend visiting Wikipedia as well as the site Unexplained Mysteries.

For more on Crytozoology and a List of Cryptids please click on the links.

What do you think? Could this really be a Chupacabra?

Urban Legends: Ghost in the Television

For years, I've watched movies like Poltergeist and The Ring about supernatural beings living beyond the white noise of a television set. One such Urban Legend is hooking the video camera to the television and record the screen to find faces and images of people looking back at us.

Many skeptics believe it's a cross-signal or frequency distortion with a network station. But others believe it could be the deceased from the other side broadcasting to us in hopes of making contact or a ghost trapped within the television itself. So to test this theory, all that's needed are the cables that came with the home video camera. Since digital video and even VHS tape camera recorders include a cable to plug the camera into the television to show recorded home movies of friends and family, what if a home movie was made of the television instead?

Now, I should warn the possible permanent damage to the television and camera. I don't recommend doing this at home. WARNING!! The following video has FLASHING IMAGES!

Protective Tips for the Ghost Hunter

While many ghost hunters may never have an experience with an evil entity, there are others who are unlucky enough to come across these spirits.

Ghost Hunters will certainly be more susceptible to the dark spirits if in their own lives they focus on negativity, if they have addictions or are mentally or emotionally unstable.

I have some suggestions that you may find beneficial before doing an investigation.

1) Always go into an investigation calm, cool, collected, and with an open mind.

2) Focus on exactly what it is you want to accomplish with your investigation.

3) Do your homework on the location you are investigating to learn of any known hauntings, specific areas with high spirit activity, or areas recommended to avoid. Learn the history about the location if possible. This will give you direction and focus for your investigations.

4) Always introduce yourself to the spirits at a location and ask their permission before taking photos, EVPs, or video recordings. I have personally found that if a spirit does not wish to be impeded upon or otherwise involved with an investigation that you will have a feeling or a sign. As mentioned in point 2, it is always imperative you remain focused, so you can notice the signs the spirits are giving to you.

5) Respect the dead. When walking through cemeteries, crypts, and haunted locations always remember to show respect to your surroundings. Try to avoid walking across graves if at all possible or ask permission if this is necessary. (Avoid stepping on graves. It is seen as disrespect and the ground could collapse into a cave-in.)

6) A prayer of protection is always recommended to help keep the Ghost Hunter safe in his/her investigations. These prayers can help to ensure that Ghost Hunters do not bring any unwanted entities home.

7) If you or another member of your group has a bad feeling about a location and your investigation and prayer of protection does not solve the issue, it's always recommended to abandon the investigation.

Everyone of us come from different walks of life and has many different religious views and practices, so not every prayer you come across may work for you. I recommend finding a prayer that has meaning to you as a person, whether its an actual Catholic or Wiccan affirmation, chant, or simply a mantra that has protective meaning to you.

One of the more effective and commonly used prayer amongst Ghost Hunters is the Prayer to Saint Michael. As long as you believe in what you are saying, this short prayer should work to protect you and your group.

Michelle Myers at Ghost Hunting Secrets recommends the following to individuals who are comfortable with saying prayers and affirmations:

• "I am sealed from all imperfect energies."


• "I am divinely protected and guided. Any spirits that I encounter will remain bound to the confines of the cemetery/house/location."


• "May all that is not in accordance with the highest will of God, within and without my entire being, be immediately transformed into divine light."
  
• "In the name of God, please protect and guide me as I investigate [insert your location here]. Amen."

For Michelle's complete post on the topic please check the Ghost Hunting Blog.

There are many forms of protection spells readily available to you, easily found on the Internet, your local book store, priest, or spiritual person. It is up to each individual if they choose to use them or not.

By taking the above points into consideration, it should help you to have a safe and fruitful investigation.

Happy Ghost Hunting!

Upcoming Films: The X-Files: I Want to Believe

After ten years of waiting, The X-Files is finally back!
The plot line is kept as much a mystery as the plot lines in the television series. Other than the trailer and what we know about the popular series, Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) return to the roles of one of television's most famous FBI investigators.

If you think you know what the story is about, try your luck at The X-Files Fan Forecast Contest at for your chance at autographed movies posters, DVDs and props from the movie. Just go the official website by clicking on the movie poster above for details. The X-Files will be in theaters July 25.

The Zombie of Montclaire Moors

Here is an interesting item for those of you wanting to add a little extra haunt to your garden!

Whether you are looking to put some fright into the kids around the neighborhood, getting ready for the upcoming Halloween season, or simply attempting to spruce up your lawn with something other than a cliched gnome, follow the link below:

The Zombie of Montclaire Moors Sculpture.

This resin sculpture by British artist Alan Dickinson measures 31½"Wx19½"Dx8"H (3 pieces)weighs 13 lbs, and is incredibly death-like in look. I can't wait to order my own Garden Zombie!

Upcoming Films: Death Race

Now Death Race is not Death Race 2000 as the trailer shows. That can be good, but from remake history it's usually bad. Written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, Death Race is the story of an ex-con forced to compete in a brutal car race in which inmates must kill one another to win. The gritty locations and the suped up cars look great, but will is hold up to Roger Corman's Death Race 2000?

From what I've summed up, the difference between this modern take and the original is that the warden of the prison runs the show instead of the president of the United States did in the original, and the world is limited to Terminal Island much like The Running Man. I wonder if Paul went this route to avoid a political message and the off-the-wall killing of the weak and feeble for extra points like Death Race 2000 did.

But looking back at the original, that's what made the movie so different and completely hilarious. I couldn't keep my eyes off the screen just knowing that some innocent pedestrian can be seen as a point score for the drivers. Either way, I'll give Paul's version a chance, especially to see our hero don the mask that was once worn by the legendary Frankenstein, which was the name of our hero in the first movie. Death Race will be in theaters August 22nd.

Book Review: The Werewolf Book by Brad Steiger

A regular guest on George Noory's Coast to Coast AM, Brad Steiger has completed over 150 books on everything from the occult, folklore to the supernatural. The Werewolf book is an encyclopedia on everything about werewolf lore in classic films like an An America Werewolf in London, the mysteries about shape-shifters, children raised by werewolves and pop culture.

I picked up this book as a reference guide and my interest in the werewolf lore. What I didn't expect, is that it covers the minds of history's serial killers like Richard Ramirez the famous Night Stalker and Jeffrey Dahmer. Steiger ties in their mental states in relation to a man under the influence of some dark and sinister process similar to a man growing insane at the sight of a full moon.

The Werewolf Book goes beyond the myth by covering topics on cannibalism, witchcraft, ghosts and the many Hollywood films feeding the public's interest on the subject. My only complaint is that the encyclopedia book, like many books of this type grow slowly outdated due to the content. It was published almost ten years ago in 1999. It's certainly a good time to release an updated edition on the past ten years of films on the subject and the public's growing interest for the unknown.

I Ain't Afraid of no Ghost!

Here is a little something to look forward too...

Ghostbuster's: The Video Game


That's right, the "original" Ghostbusters are back this fall in a brand new video game published by Sierra Entertainment and developed by Terminal Reality!

The premise of the game has you, the user, joining the Ghostbusters as a new recruit to help rid the city of Manhattan from ghosts, demons and other supernatural beings.

The game script was penned by the original creators, and each of the 4 main actors (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson) have reprised their roles as the Ghostbusters voices.

This game looks promising for Ghostbusters fans and Ghost Hunter aficionados alike. We here At the Cemetery Gates can't wait to check this out in the fall, and will definitely be doing a full review!

For more information on this upcoming title, click on Ghostbusters: The Game.

Ghosts of Alcatraz: San Francisco, CA

There are many tales of the famous Alcatraz prison, from Al Capone to Machine Gun Kelly and the famous escape that Hollywood films have re-enacted over the years. But what some may not know are the strange ghostly accounts that have been occurring all over the prison. One tale I wanted to investigate was the ghost of Al Capone.

As the story goes, Capone's health was failing due to illness, yet he played the banjo for the prison band. Due to Capone's deteriorating mental state and to avoid fights out at the prison yard. He was given permission to practice in the shower room. An Alcatraz park ranger recalls hearing the distinct sound of music playing in the shower room. It sounded like a banjo. He had no other explanation for this, but many familiar with the history of Alcatraz do.

I headed for the showers and surprisingly enough, it is the first room I entered for the Alcatraz tour. Now the room is much larger than expected with a winding path around the showers to the awaiting tour guides. The audio is tough to navigate due to the acoustics of the room, so recording would unfortunately capture every voice and noise possible. The tour was about to start, I set up a digital recorder and tried to capture the music first hand.

Book Review: The Serpent Grail by Philip Garnier and Gary Osborn

Ever wondered what the two snakes that symbolize medicine represent?
Caduceus

The Serpent Grail investigates the history of the serpent and its influence on mythology, religion and science. Garnier and Osborn delve into such fascinating myths as the Philosopher's Stone, the Elixir of Life, the Naga Serpent Lords and the Holy Grail, explaining the possible connections of their existence through symbolism, photographic documentation and historical accounts. They examine the cultural affects of the serpent and the power that it has on cultures across the world. I thought their research makes a strong point, that we don't understand everything about the mysteries of serpents and snakes. And the possibility that they are the link to eternal life and divine healing.

Book Review: How to be a Ghost Hunter by Richard Southall

A vast compendium of knowledge for any ghost hunting enthusiast. Southall's book breaks down the ghost hunting field to lamens terms by defining what a ghost hunter does from a hobbyist level to a professional driven to create a ghost hunting organization. How to be a Ghost Hunter differentiates the paranormal forms in thorough, yet simplistic definitions by explaining auditory sounds and physical manifestations. He even goes over equipment choices when starting out, and the political side of counseling clients and dealing with naysayers. The price is well worth the knowledge that he offers in this guide.

Mountain View Cemetery - March 30th, 2008

Mountain View Cemetery - March 30th, 2008

Mountain View, located in Alta Dena, California is a small cemetery established in 1883 and is one of the oldest public cemeteries in the San Gabriel Valley.

The Cemetery has been used as filming locations for many television shows and movies throughout the years and is located just a few miles North of Pasadena.

I had my camera and Digital Voice recorder (DVR) handy during my visit. On the afternoon of March 29th, 2008 I witnessed a burial taking place in the farthest end of the cemetery. I didn't think much of it, as I was walking around taking my usual photos and voice recordings, but decided to come back the next afternoon and take some recordings of the newly deceased.

March 30, 2008 I approached a burial site and asked for permission from the spirits to take photo's and recordings then set upon my work. The day was grey with light rain on and off, but not cold. As I came closer to the grave site, I noticed a fairly substantial drop in temperature, as I could now see my breath. It was very still in this location and I got the feeling that I wasn't alone.

I asked out loud if any entity was present, specifically the recently deceased and if so encouraged them to speak. I finished my recordings, snapped a few photos and went about my day. It was until 7 weeks later that I sat down to go over my pictures and voice recordings.

Many of the photos taken had very clear "orbs" or "wisps" of smokey air, but it was the DVR that caught my attention. During the recording, I had asked if the recently deceased were still present. At this point in the recording, I began to here some very odd sound distortions, almost moans that were audible for approximately 30 seconds. I am in the process of getting these uploaded to the computer, and I intend to put them in slow motion to see if there are any audible words, but it was definitely an exciting discovery.

Was this recording an actual conversation with the dead? Or was it simply the wind? Perhaps I won't ever be 100% certain on this particular recording, but I can tell you that I felt a strong and sad presence near by.

Feel free to view the pictures section on the Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/atthecemeterygate under the topic "Mountain View Cemetery" for any photo's relating to this and other investigations in this location.

For more information and history click on Mountain View Cemetery.

For a list of notable burials in Mountain View Cemetery click on Find a Grave.