{Begin Paranormal Studies Rant:}

Over the last few weeks, what with all the spotlights turned on things "paranormal" for Halloween and such, I've seen something that's growing in popularity with the truly stupid...

People e-mailing, "Facebook Messaging", posting on message boards, and other sundry modern communication devices stating one thing or another... usually making "demands"... stating, with glee, that they have a degree or even sometimes a doctorate in this, that, or the other thing.

No problem... but we (and many others) ask, Where did you study? or, more often than not, Where did you earn that degree?

You'd be shocked... or maybe not... at how many people do NOT answer these questions... or lie... or get angry at being asked.

There was a time when they'd pull something out of their butts like, Well, I have a doctorate of higher learning from the online university of no-study-send-money! meaning a lovely un-earned mail-order diploma... You know, the ones that anyone can get as the "final exam"... well, the only exam... well, the only thing the person had to do was send in a cheque, money order, or use their credit card et voila!

Heck, even some very popular television personalities, before "stardom came", tried to tack on the word "Doctor" (and I don't mean as in my favourite Time Lord) in front of their names... and Sue loudly called them out on it... and before TV came, their "accreditation" disappeared... and in fact, they went after another "ghost group" for using phony accreditations... oh the irony...

Sadly, since too many TRIED to take this "easy-out/pay-for-letters" route and now people tend to "Google" and learn about the place of academia which issued the degree, things have gotten much more awful as liars try to find ways to "vindicate" their supposed learning.

The FIRST moment we found of this was a magazine article in Toronto last year about a "ghost hunter" we were familiar with... it claimed he had a degree in psychology from The University of Toronto... which is not just a "real" and accredited place, but one that I have attended classes in myself. Heck, Sue did a speaking engagement at the university a number of years ago!

Now, although this "ghost hunter" uses a pseudonym, we did know his real name (thanks to his family who we've spoken to in the past,) and contacted U of T...

There were no degrees issued to anyone using either his real or "stage" name... not only that, but under his real name, there was only one student registered... and they completed exactly zero classes at all... none.

Now, over the last two weeks, we've had three people claim degrees with us and around us... and when asked, one not only refused to answer which school they attended, were nasty about the idea we had the gall to even ask in the first place.

The other two DID claim to be at specific universities... and when we checked, sorry... neither of them checked out at all in their specific claims of degrees.

Now, before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, we (Sue and myself... and our groups...) have and DO work with legitimate scholars... and when THEY are asked where THEY received their credentials, they offer them up quickly... and more often than not, a quick "Google" of their names will turn up some sort of evidence of their background... more often than not, they simply turn up on staff lists or alumni of the place where they studied... and you know what, we've NEVER ran into an angry person who didn't "like" us for asking and making sure of things...

Even then, when "Google" doesn't work, as shown, we still give the benefit of a doubt and e-mail the university or college the person claims and simply ask...

That's all.

Basically, Sue and myself... and our WHOLE team... have worked damned hard to gain a certain amount of respectability and genuine respect from many people... and call us whacky, but when someone claiming to be a "scientist" with a "degree" wants us to attach ourselves in any way to them, we like to make sure we aren't flushing so much work down the toilet because the "scientist" has his or her degree from The University of Ted's Basement - Laundry Room College.

There was a time when I railed that "paranormal research" was an area that anyone could claim "expertise" in and literally hang a shingle up and say, I'm spectacular! Trust me! and that was accepted... but that day seems to have moved on... This is NOT to say you NEED a doctorate to be an enthusiast, investigator, or researcher... but if you CLAIM some sort of education, you'd best be ready to prove to EVERYONE you've actually EARNED the right to make that claim... and like I said, prior evidence HAS SHOWN that "real" and honest people don't mind at all a little background check.

Here's something to consider too...

Sue has a friend and colleague in a prestigious US university... he is a doctor... a scientist... and he is on staff at said university.

He pointed out to Sue a truism... which is science is not a title... it is a method... and you don't need a doctorate or degree to practise science or be considered a scientist... you simply need to apply that method to your work.

Think about that...

It's true... and perhaps if those three people... and all those in the past had understood that, I wouldn't be sitting here thinking that THOSE people who did make those spurious claims are at best, liars... at worst, frauds and borderline (and possibly not-so borderline,) criminals.

There's no shame in not having a super-education... there's no fear in being learned only from self-study...

I'm a high-school kick-out... I did finish college, but my diploma (not degree) is in marketing... I did not finish university.

...and yet, I do work with universities... and colleges... and even museums... and they don't think lesser of me.

My "expertise" (and I avoid that term because the paranormal is "unknown"... and how can anyone be an expert in that which is "unknown"?) which SEEMS to be so admired is garnered from five key areas...

One is a legitimate decade of work available online for the world to see.

Another is that I have NEVER been afraid to ask for help and advice from those in authority... to ask a professor or teacher or historian or physicist for ideas and thoughts to improve my efforts.

The third is my own team... I gain insight and information from them always because no, I don't believe and probably never will believe that I know everything.

Fourth is the libraries... ALL libraries. If there's a text, periodical, or anything that I think or believe I should read, I find it and read it... and if it's something I have trouble with, I ask for help to understand it... which more often than not leads to more reading...

Lastly is that I never allow my own beliefs or thoughts cloud alternative ideas or thoughts. I remain neutral... and let the evidence carry me. Sometimes, it takes me nowhere... sometimes, it kills off a hope or personal belief (but that's okay, I prefer truth!)... sometimes it simply leads to better understanding... or often, just better and different questions.

That's it... the secret of "my success".

...and I didn't have to fabricate ANY claims of educational prowess.

So to those who feel the need to "fudge", "fib", or outright "fabricate", remember... we are checking... and more often than not, you really don't NEED to!

{Paranormal Studies Rant Ends.}