The Ghost Education & Research Center

The Soul Catcher 2

2008-10-17T00:19:00.001-07:00

The Ghost Education & Research Center uses a 8 camera Digital Video Recorder on its investigations to collect data on paranormal activity. We use this state-of-the-art piece of equipment to gather real time audio & high definition video to monitor on site or remotely a location that has alleged paranormal activity.

We call this piece of equipment "The Soul Catcher" and it's our second generation of newest equipment. In the early days of photography, people used to believe that cameras would capture someone's soul in the photographs. While technology has changed, the concept hasn't... as it's GERC goal to capture hard evidence of ghostly activity in crystal clear high definition video and imagery. If ghostly activity wasn't real, we wouldn't be spending thousands of dollars on equipment to prove it wasn't. It is real and that's why we're here.

The Soul Catcher can be remotely monitored and controlled via the internet enabling GERC to conduct both on site and off site investigations. This allows us to also have investigators in other states or countries assist us as we investigate a location, all in real time! Should one of the remote investigators see something, they can call us and alert us to what location/camera activity is taking place.

With 8 cameras we can overlap the viewing field and/or have a camera on two sides of a door in the event that an entity opens the door ~ we can show that no one was on either side of the door and that no foul play was involved. It is so easy to fake paranormal activity, it's so much harder to provide solid evidence that skeptics can't argue. We take this into account and go out of our way to make sure every angle and everything we do is professional and air tight.

The Soul Catcher also has 16 relays that can securely lock down a location and show that the room(s) have not been compromised or influenced by outside sources. This means that we can have sensors on both the doors and windows so no one can sneak in and contaminate our evidence. So if something happens, we can show that no one came in our out of the room at the time of the paranormal activity.

Using high definition cameras, there's no "Bigfoot/Lochness Effect" meaning that the photos/videos aren't going to be blurry. If something happens, we're going to show every detail as best as possible. This will allow us to study the scene and the event in more detail over and over long after the investigation has ended. We're in the business of documenting and researching paranormal activity & helping both the living and the dead if possible.

After all...If you're going to do it... Do it with STYLE!

Steven Wolff
Founder, GERC & STGHA

Halloween is around the corner...

2008-09-13T12:22:00.001-07:00

That means the temperatures will be getting cooler, the leaves falling and the number of traffic hits on our website goes up! Yes, it is that time once again where we see a huge increase in traffic and emails of people asking for interviews, asking questions, or wanting to know any good ghost stories or haunted locations. To anticipate your questions, I've listed the top 6 questions I normally get along with my answers. Enjoy!

1.) Are ghosts real?
Yes.

2.) How do you know?
Because I've been investigating the things they do over the last 7 years on hundreds of cases. You may argue that ghosts aren't real... but what is real is Paranormal Activity... the things that do go bump in the night. If it's not a ghost, then what? That's what we're here to answer.

3.) Does it cost anything for your group to investigate?
No. We do this free of charge because we're in the business of documenting and gathering evidence of paranormal activity. If you are a home owner or business owner and you believe you have a ghost, email us and tell us your story.

4.) Are cemeteries haunted?
Not as much as local businesses or homes.

5.) Are you willing to do an interview for the local news?
Yes, but you have to email me and we'll talk about scheduling.

6.) Where do you investigate?
We used to investigate the whole state of Oregon & Washington. Due to high gas prices, we're now only investigating the Portland & Vancouver, WA & surrounding areas.

Steven W.
Founder, The Ghost Education & Research Center
www.gercsa.com/Portland

Updates to the website

2008-07-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

I've updated the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page and the Steven Wolff Bio page, both which are very detailed. They can be accessed from the main page:

http://www.gercsa.com/Portland

About The Ghost Education & Research Center

2008-07-13T01:09:00.000-07:00

GERC was founded in April 2001 to document and research claims of paranormal activity and try to study the phenomenon as it happens. Some of the questions being researched are: How exactly are objects picked up and move on their own? How much weight can an entity pick up? Does the sound of disembodied footsteps suggest an entity has weight? What is the body temperature? Does changes in weather have an affect on the frequency of paranormal activity?

These and many other questions are being researched by GERC to not only gather hard evidence of paranormal activity but to understand what is happening in peoples homes & offices. Many people "ghost hunt" but not many people are doing research.
This website is designed to help anyone who is interested in learning more about the paranormal by using a grounded scientific approach which leans not to either side of the spectrum of hard core skeptics or even hard core believers but rather a neutral and open minded approach to investigating... an objective approach of letting the evidence, not one's beliefs or opinions dictate the facts about what is real.

We take extraordinary measures to be a credible and well trusted source of information by constantly challenging what we know. We challenge ourselves and others to "prove us wrong" by not blindly accepting what we say as fact but to take the information we provide and do your own research, come to your own conclusions not based on religious upbringing or common belief but on what the evidence says.

To put it another way....

If our evidence says (1) plus (1) equals (=) what we think is (2), we're going to show you how we gathered both pieces of evidence (1) to come up with our theory ( there is no conclusion when studying the paranormal) of how and why we got the number (2).

Skeptics would argue that (2) doesn't exist and therefore we're a bunch of idiots for even suggesting that there are any other possibilities other than (1) and would proudly boast about it in a magazine self titled.

On the other hand, hard core believers would say that (2) exists just because and there is no need to prove how it came to be... it just is courtesy of the mother ship or divine being or even the easter bunny. Who knows?

Regardless what we believe, we have a pretty good idea we know the answer is (2). We don't know how it came to that point and before we can make any claims, we need to have the other pieces of the puzzle (1's) and make sure we got the right info in the right order so we can do the math and better understand what exactly is paranormal activity.

That's why we have been doing this over 7 years now because it is REAL. Not a figment of your imagination, not a piece of science fiction. Things do go bump in the night and when they do, we're there documenting it, studying it and asking why?

Steven Wolff
Founder, The Ghost Education & Research Center

Happy 4th of July !!!

2008-07-04T08:22:00.000-07:00

Everyone here at GERC & STGHA wish you a safe and wonderful holiday today! Remember to respect the fireworks if you're going to light them... It'll keep you from coffin! LOL!

Steven Wolff
Founder,
The Ghost Education & Research Center
The South Texas Ghost Hunters Alliance
www.gercsa.com

Paranormal State (TV Show) Is looking for local families who need help

2008-07-01T18:52:00.000-07:00

Anyone here in the Pacific Northwest who is experiencing paranormal activity in your home and would like Ryan and his team to come investigate are urged to contact us asap. Paranormal State is a TV show on A&E that is well respected by our group and if you believe your home, office or property has paranormal activity, drop me a line and we'll put you in touch with them. They are interested in helping people like yourself understand what is going on and try to capture evidence of paranormal activity. If you don't want to be on TV but still need help, GERC will still be happy to help you out as well.

Steven W.
Founder, The Ghost Education & Research Center

Why Ghost Boxes Don't Work

2008-06-30T05:12:00.000-07:00

If you browse the internet, you'll find the newest "trend" in ghost hunting is these "Ghost Boxes" that are supposed to create the ideal conditions for ghosts to talk back to you via EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon).

I haven't tried it myself but have seen how its done so I don't claim to be an expert on if these boxes work or don't work. That's not what this post is about. Some people are making a pretty penny off of pitching and selling them to newbie and wannabe ghost hunters who are new to the field. In fact, some people do have success getting them to work and capture EVPs. While the idea is pretty novel, there's just one problem with the device...

The Credibility of what you capture.

Because ghost boxes use a TV/AM/FM radio sweeper and a white noise machine to generate the necessary "noise" needed to make a EVP (theory), it undermines the genuine value of the EVP from being paranormal to being artificial (or "man made").

Now any skeptic or non-believer would have a field day with this, saying that those are just bounced signals from the enclosed TV/AM/FM sweeper. No matter how cool, unique or crystal clear the sound... it now considered Artificial... NOT paranormal.

You'll be hard pressed to prove that it's not. It's already difficult to prove the EVPs do exist outside of man-made influences. This will not help your case. That's like saying "I'm going to use Photoshop to edit or enhance my genuine "ghost" pictures. With how easy it is to make fake "ghost photos", your credibility just took another hit, even if you are credible.

The reason for this is that it is too easy to make fake ghost pictures, fake EVP's, fake paranormal activity, etc. that you can't trust what you see or hear any more. That doesn't mean that true paranormal activity, EVP & genuine ghost pictures exist, that just means its harder now to distinguish what is real (genuine) and what is fake.

That's why we at GERC go out of our way to eliminate any ammo that skeptics could use against us in our research. We already have a tough battle of standing out, being trusted and respected for the genuine evidence we do collect and take the necessary precautions needed to answer ALL questions a skeptic would ask.

We use Critical Analysis every step of the way because if we don't, our credibility, our reputation and years of our hard work would be damaged severely. Then, no matter what paranormal evidence or "proof" we gather, it would be dismissed because we haven't taken the steps necessary to gain and hold the trust and confidence of our peers.

Save your money and DON'T purchase any ghost boxes unless you don't care what people think. If that's the case, have fun with your experiment... for some it works beautifully. We know of a mother who talks to her son through their "ghost box".

Just know what hill your facing if you do indeed capture a EVP with it and try to pass it off as paranormal. There are people who thrive off of debunking the debunkers.

As someone once said...
"Knowing is half the battle"

Steven Wolff
Founder, GERC & STGHA

GERC 2.0 BETA!!!

2008-06-30T01:15:00.000-07:00

The Ghost Education & Research Center has upgraded our website to a more user friendly blog format. This format will hopefully allow us to have more open discussions with a variety of people who can share and enlighten us with their knowledge & information.

We encourage you to sign up, pass the word on, and to check back often as we'll do our best to keep you informed of the latest happenings, etc. going on in our world.

Welcome to The Ghost Education & Research Center 2.0!

Steven Wolff
Founder, GERC & STGHA
www.gercsa.com

Guest Book ( Please Sign !!! )

2008-06-30T00:22:00.000-07:00

This is our virtual guest book! Please sign it with your name and what state or country you live in and if you belong to any organization that is kinda like what we do.

Steven Wolff
Founder, GERC & STGHA

www.gercsa.com

-

Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP 101)

2008-06-28T02:34:00.000-07:00

Electronic Voice Phenomenon also known as EVP is not something new that just happened in the last 10 years or so. It's been around for a long time and only recently in the last few years has it had the spot light on it. There is a lot of controversy as to what exactly is an EVP.

WHAT PEOPLE THINK

Some people believe that EVPs are bouncing radio, Tv or cell phone signals that are captured on modern digital electronics or tape recorders. While we are constantly bombarded with radio, Tv and cell phone signals, those frequencies are not picked up by most recorders because of the frequency range they are in. This can be proven by taken any digital recorder, go to a quiet room, press record and then after a few minutes go back and listen to it. You'll find nothing but silence. So much for bouncing signals.

Another example that rules out the "bouncing signals" theory is that most EVPs that I've heard and/or captured myself are usually interactive. Meaning you ask a question, you get an answer (or interaction or response).

An example would be:

Asker: What is your name? And on your recorder you hear a female name
EVP: "Rachel"

Your EVP sample sounds like a womans voice which supports your EVP and the name is also a womans name. EVPs also capture the emotion of the entity that can be heard through their tone.

An example would be:
Asker: How do you feel?
EVP: "I'm sadddd".

One on a recent follow up investigation where we captured the voice of a woman, we talked openly to the entity in hopes of hearing her again. To our surprise we captured her voice AGAIN and she completed a sentence I started. I said talking to someone else "It would be very cool to turn around and play this" and she interjected "... And hear me." Which was very cool because it shows that 1.) the entity who made the EVP is listening and 2.) the entity is also interactive.

I said "entity" because the debate as to if it's a "ghost" or the "easter bunny" or "santa" has yet to be proven. How can I say it's a ghost when there's no evidence that it is. The only evidence we have is a interactive voice that is not from anyone in the room with us. It equally could be argued that it's the voice of the easter bunny or santa just as equal as it could be a "ghost". EVP's don't prove that ghosts exist... but they are believed to be the voices of the dead. How do we know this? We recorded a voice of a woman who passed away last year and her whole family 100% identified the crystal clear EVP as being her.

Without ever meeting or knowing her, I heard a voice sample taken when she was alive and compared it to the EVP we captured. It sounds identical to the voice sample.

Steven Wolff
Founder, GERC & STGHA
-

What you need to know before contacting any ghost group or ghost hunter

2008-04-10T22:19:00.000-07:00

Over the last decade there have been countless ghost groups who have popped up and even more "ghost hunters" who are interested in visiting places that are haunted. Anyone can call themselves "ghost hunters" or "paranormal investigators" but because that title is shared by many who are professional and credible, not everyone is.
Some people are looking for a cheap thrill and a good time with their friends. Some are looking to get scared.

Because we all are in the same proverbial "boat" what one person does affects the others who follow behind. This means if they foolishly make a scene at a local haunted business that's known to have ghosts then the owner is probably going to turn down any other investigator who legitimately wants to investigate that place later on. This could be a huge missed opportunity. However the same can be said if they conduct themselves professionally then the owner of the property might think that all ghost hunters are the same.

People who have legit concerns often have no where to turn and seek out these investigators with no clue or idea what they maybe getting themselves into. They are trusting these individuals to come into their homes or businesses to "do their thing".

The problem is, how can you trust them? How can you trust that someone in their group isn't going to steal something when the lights go dark? Statistically, most robberies are done by people who've been in your home or office at least once before. This should be alarming news and should be a wakeup call not to be afraid of "ghost hunters" but to serve as a standard in which all others are measured.
Actions speak louder than words. People can say all the right things that you want to hear and can even make the most professional looking website. That doesn't make them legit, trust worthy, or credible.

Actions do.

What they have done, who they have helped, what purpose does their group serve and do they show an interest in helping you even after the investigation? Do your homework... take some time out and research that group that you want to contact.
Have they been around a long time or just appeared out of no where? Visit this website called Archive.org and read old web pages that they used to have to see if they truly have been around.

You'll be amazed at how much information you can find about a group by just visiting Google.com and typing that groups name in the search bar. You'll probably find comments, blogs, praise or complaints from someone about them and this could mean saving you a lot of time and headaches.

Once you're comfortable with your research, contact them and tell them what's bothering you and see if they are anxious to beat down your door to investigate or if they are patient with you and want to answer your questions. Yes, we all are in the same business of investigating paranormal activity and we're all hoping to see or experience what you've been experiencing but are they going to make you feel used and abused or are they legitimately concerned with helping you overcome your anxieties?

Remember, sometimes the loudest words are the ones that never need to be spoken.

Steven Wolff
Founder, The Ghost Education & Research Center

Are you a Parent of a Psychic Child?

2007-09-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

Does your child see things that aren't there? Does your child know things that they shouldn't know about someone who passed away a long time ago? Do you feel that your child is not imagining things but maybe gifted with abilities that you can't normally talk about to other people?

Many parents feel they have no where to turn to help their children. They often feel like they are carrying a deep dark secret like there is something wrong with their child. They can't take them to the doctor or school counselor because it's not something you normally talk about and maybe prescribe them with medication for an illness that they may not have.

Here's the facts: There are some gifted children with abilities to see & hear spirits who passed on, some who can sense when bad things are going to happen and some who see auras (colors emitted by people and living objects).

These children often feel isolated, alone, confused and scared because they don't have anyone they can talk to about their abilities for fear of rejection or being ridiculed. Regardless what people or skeptics think is real or not real, your child still has to live with the abilities they have, good or bad.

So what's a parent to do? The answer is support them. Be a loving parent and listen to your child. Support them even if you don't believe or understand what's going on because its very real for them and they are counting on you to accept and love them as they are. They may feel broken or that something is wrong with them. In fact, its just the opposite.

Imagine the parents of MOZART. He was gifted too but that didn't mean there was anything wrong with him. It's how you use your gifts that matters and instead of denying or repressing them, encourage them to get in touch with others who may have the same abilities.

If you can find someone in your home town that is going through this too, then get in touch with them and share stories. You'll find a lot of things in common. If there's no one or no group, start one! Advertise on Craigslist.com or form a Yahoo Group. It's easy to do and free to make. If you have questions or concerns & just want help, feel free to email GERC & we'll be happy to help you as best we can.

Steven Wolff
Founder,
The Ghost Education & Research Center
www.gercsa.com

I Think I Have A Ghost....

2001-04-02T00:36:00.000-07:00

If you are experiencing things you cannot explain, things that used to NOT happen but now are and are not sure if its a figment of your imagination or not, then you probably need to contact us and tell us your story.

We are here to listen to you and your concerns and if necessary, conduct an investigation to better understand what's going on and see if we too can find out what is going on in your home or office.

Our services are 100% FREE, no hidden catch, no doctors or psychiatric doctors fees, no equipment fees, no gas fees. NADA!

We're in the business of helping people deal with their paranormal activity. Usually there is a reason why the paranormal activity is increasing and we're usually the ones who can help find out why. We've been doing this for over 7 years and have helped hundreds (if not thousands) of people with their concerns.

You're not crazy, losing your mind, or isolated because you don't know anyone else in your predicament. Fortunately for you, WE DO know many people in your predicament and like them, are able to help you. Not all correspondence with us means you have to have us come out and do an investigation. Maybe there's a question you have that will make dealing with your situation a little bit easier.

However, we do welcome the opportunity to come out and investigate your home, business or property if you think you have paranormal activity or believe you have seen a ghost. Remember, we've been doing this actively for over 7 years... things DO go bump in the night, whether you believe in them or NOT.

TO CONTACT US ~ EMAIL US AT:
Gercsa@Gmail.com

We conduct investigations in the Portland, Oregon & Vancouver Washington areas as well as the State of Texas. Our sister group, The South Texas Ghost Hunters Alliance (STGHA) covers almost every major city in Texas. Because we do, it's very important you tell us what City State you live in so we who's closest to help you.

However, due to high gas costs, your chances of getting us to come out maybe limited depending on how far out you are from us. Remember, we do this free of charge at our own expense. Should you want to help us with this, please let us know.

Terms & Conditions Of Using Our Website

2001-04-01T23:56:00.000-07:00

FORWARD FROM STEVEN WOLFF:
Sadly, we've learned the hard way that with all good intentions, you still have to cover your butt to keep from being sued, harassed, etc. SO BY USING THIS WEBSITE YOU ARE LEGALLY & DIGITALLY BINDING YOURSELF TO THE FOLLOWING CONTRACT. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY.

LEGAL:

By contacting The Ghost Education & Research Center (GERC), Any of its members, personnel, etc. You acknowledge that everything you say will be saved and documented for research & statistical purposes. You also agree that all conversations, correspondence, etc. instantly becomes the intellectual rights & property of GERC unless copyrighted by another source in which that copyright overrides this contract.

By allowing The Ghost Education & Research Center, Any of its members, personnel, etc. to come on your property to conduct an investigation, interview, or meet with you that any audio, visual, documentation, or recording of any kind instantly becomes the intellectual & physical property of GERC. You give up all rights, powers, legal action, etc towards GERC, Any of its members, personnel, etc. This means you cannot and will not sue GERC or any of its members, personnel, etc. in a court of law for ANY reason.

EVIDENCE COLLECTED

Any evidence we collect be it audio, visual, photographic, digital or on any other kind of medium becomes the property of GERC. We have the right to use, with or without your consent what ever evidence we collect as we see fit. This means we can post it on our website, on other websites or share publicly or in private any evidence we collect. We are in the business of understanding and researching paranormal activity and the only way we all can learn is through networking our knowledge and evidence together.

PRIVACY

We will do everything we can & make every effort reasonable to try and protect your identity but do not guarantee anything. In this day and age, information and identities can be stolen from people who are determined to get your information. However, we do our best to keep your personal information, address, email, etc. confidential and limited to a few individuals within GERC or other paranormal groups. We value your trust, your confidence in us, and your respect and will do our best to keep it long after the investigation. Should something come up, we urge you to contact us and let us know any concerns you have so we can work together to resolve them peacefully.

Anything not included in here, left out, etc. is assumed to be included and falls under the same protection of this legally binding contract. If you do not wish to be bound by this contract, leave this website immediately. All legal matters should any arise will be handled in the State of Washington in the city of Vancouver, USA.

About The Ghost Education & Research Center

2001-04-01T23:02:00.000-07:00

The Ghost Education & Research Center was created in April 2001 by Steven Wolff, founder of the South Texas Ghost Hunters Alliance (STGHA).

It's purpose is to not only collect evidence of paranormal activity but to also research & analyze this phenomenon. Using state-of-the-art equipment, GERC goes through great detail to establish a controlled environment in which if something out of the ordinary happens, GERC can focus on the event as it happens to better understand what is transpiring during paranormal activity.

GERC services are free of charge and will continue to be because paranormal activity happens in homes, offices and on properties... places we couldn't normally investigate unless given permission by the owner(s). Why would we charge for something we want to gather data on?

GERC is a non-profit organization that is not registered with the IRS. All expenses, including gas, equipment, time, lodging, food, etc. is all out of pocket. Donations are gladly accepted but not required. We are in the business of helping people with understanding what's going on in their homes or offices and in turn we are granted access to the locations of the alleged paranormal activity so we try to document & collect all kinds of scientific data to learn from.