Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joanna on December 20, 2007 at 8:20am

I would assume there are costs involved with such events, and it would be an easy way to set an allowable amount of people for the event to work effectively, by only selling x amount of tickets.

On the other hand you're right - any yahoo with some cash to pony up could come along on an investigation, so how serious can it be? If there are too many people will the data collected even be reliable?

On the other hand - amatures like myself would never have the connections to get into these places so to just log some time investigating might be worth the price.

I know next month there is one at a supposed haunted hotel here in Minnesota. I think it's being put on by the guys who do darkness radio. It's like $150 for the weekend. It doesn't actually include hotel stay - but they are shutting the hotel down for the weekend just for the investigators. I would imagine some of that cash is going to the hotel to cover the costs of not having any guests that weekend. They also have like luncheons and breakfasts and seminars...is that worth $150? For some yes - others no.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by john on December 20, 2007 at 10:11am

Publicity is another thing about ghost hunting that i do not like.......The travel channel brings ghost hunters......ok......even on Taps sci fi........the looks on some of the owners faces are priceless when they are told a place is haunted......its very entertaining, its like they just put money in their pocket LOL........to me its kinda like being in a horrible codependent relationship.

then again.....lol....i could just be jealous and would trade places with any member in a heartbeat

thanks for your replies

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joff on December 20, 2007 at 8:26am

As long as the team isn't operating as a non-profit organisation there's no problem. It's when monies are being taken and not reported as income that there's an issue. Any hobbyist group that sells t-shirts, charges for investigations or sells tickets had best be looking after their taxes very carefully!

I personally feel investigations should be pro-bono. I understand equipment is expensive. I understand one needs to consider travel and time. But Investigators aren't selling a service - you can't possibly charge for NOT being able to professionally determine whether someone's home is haunted. Who can make that call?

It's the difference between Ghost Hunting & Paranormal Investigation. Charging for allowing strangers to attend a professional investigation is one thing and, in my own opinion, wholly unprofessional and inappropriate. Charging to let strangers attend a free-for-all ghost hunt is completely fine (as long as everything is above board and legal.)

TAPS is incorporated and can sell as many tickets to attend investigations or functions as they like. I honestly feel though that it reflects directly on their professionalism. Why don't we all rush over and pay to become members of the TAPS family while we're at it. They need the money - SCIFI isn't paying them NEARLY enough.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by john on December 20, 2007 at 10:26am

i think that the paycheck they get is probably very similar to reality shows.... I dont know how much taps gets but im sure it is not enough....and it might not ever be......many companies now use reality shows and pay very little to those that participate and that is basicly what Taps ghost hunters is......even though i loath all other reality shows.....LOL....i will not deny taps being one......... I noticed Brian from taps is advertising on myspace his ebay account that he is selling personal items from the shows.....which many celebrities now do.

It does seem that there is a comparison needed to be made between a church organization and the taps organization.....pay your tithe and be a part of our group of followers.......pay your dues and sell tickets and we will help you further your belief in ghosts

thanks my friends
jo

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bee on December 20, 2007 at 9:10am

Joff wanted to drag me into this.

In order to charge to allow people for excursions, merchandise, anything to cover your costs alone you need to be set up as a business. If my memory serves me correctly when I was able to find data, TAPS was a corporation. And an LLC one at that. (An LLC is a corporation type you take to further reduce your liability and is often recommended to companies who think they may be sued.) As long as they are paying sales tax for what they bring in ultimately they can do that.

However on their own site they state they do not charge to do investigations as it is covered by member dues. If they are taking in member dues, and are earning income for their corporation it brings up the question of how much data that they share is really for the benefit of the paranormal investigation community, and how much is just to try to turn a profit. Even 'non-profit organizations' earn money.

Business is business after all.

The issue I have is when small groups label themselves as non-profit, but haven't established any corporate standing, but still charge for trinkets they sell even if it is to buy better equipment, as this is illegal.

To avoid any confusion on our own website we have this statement:
"At this time the Silver Society isn't established as a Corporation or a non-Profit organization, so we do not accept outside donations. All of our equipment is purchased by us or is made available due to our professional vocations. All time is donated. If our status were changed due to the amount of time and money put into our research we would make a clear statement on our website. "

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by john on December 20, 2007 at 10:00am

i wish i had more time to post all my thoughts on this subject, there is so many ways of looking at it. Just strictly for a entertainment perspective, i see no problem with it, but for those that are really doing research and desire to understand and validate their belief in ghosts, it is not going to help matters. The equipment is so expensive that this almost supports the means of seeking outside funding. But, if your in it for personal experience then there is no equipment needed and there is no world that you have to tell it too either and why not just do it by yourself.....or is there some kinda need to go on a dungeons and dragons type adventure with your friends. Now that is maybe worth paying for.

I really do value your opinions and you all seem to have real good ones.

thanks my friend

jo

KUDOS to groups that do not profit off of investigations!!!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by HauntedWebby on December 21, 2007 at 7:55pm

I charge in October for entertainment Ghost Hunts; open to anyone. I'd never think about charging for a paranormal investigation, nor would I let just anyone join.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by john on December 26, 2007 at 8:53am

Now that sounds like a cool idea, I really would luv for everyone to make lots of money at doing what they like to do, its probably no different than paying psychics or mediums....or any kinda so called spiritually connected person. Most of this type of entertainment comes with a disclaimer. And in that sense i see nothing wrong with it but yet, if your known publicly as an entertainer type with that disclaimer then when you bring real results to the public will it be falsified based on you having those entertainer ghosts hunts? Or would that even matter at this point since there is still money to be made with the entertainment ghost hunts....and for the true fans this would be even greater publicity and more money that you can harvest from them woo hoo!!.....the main thing im really worried about is some one fostering beliefs in people that make them worry about something other than their personal reality and hell that could be any marketable product out there....even the local strip club where a man spends money that he could be saving for his kids health insurance or to buy his wife a gift for putting up with him, LOL....however he spends his money is his own personal choice but at the end of our lives when we all have high blood pressure and our brains cant hide the guilt feelings that we have been supressing all these years then will the individual bringing this type of product to the public feel guilty and basicly haunted with your own feelings of living a lie and causing other people to be distracted also. I mentioned spending money on health insurance and that is a great example on its own....the prices of insurance and medical expenses have long surpassed the point of diminishing returns, instead of people going into business for themselves and having the opportunity for greater income, the insurance premiums are so high and the prices of health coverage is so mountainous that is scares many would be future millionaires out of following their dreams and then they die but not physically but mentally as Abraham Lincoln said that a man dies early in his life and then is buried many years later..........Theres a great many things out there that can control us if we give into and except certain beliefs and i feel the belief in ghosts may be one of them and maybe its just the excuse we are looking for not to do something else with our lives. LOL....in my own life i have a hard time figuring out what to do with what little time i do have outside of work and family. Is this time that i need to actually just spend on my own interests or is it time that i need to put toward a greater good and is that greater good searching for ghosts? I do not know!!

Thanks for your reply my friend and i am looking forward to going on a paid ghost hunt with you eventually.
later cuz
j.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by lcollins38 on December 26, 2007 at 10:31am

wow , were do i start..well i think as long as the group is doing things all leagal and everything,then they dont have any problum..is it a good thing to charge .well i have to say we all have our ideas to what we feel are exceptable practicess in this feild..we all no ya cant charge clients for investigations but is it just as unethical to sell ghost tours say or haunted walls threw cems..i think a lot of groups do these things to stay under the fray of everyones opinion about charging in the first place..it is a very good way to bring income into the groups for new equipments and other exspense's we all no can kill a group in no time..i guess its just survival of the fittest..

besides i beleave scifi is paying a nice little sum to have them on their channels anyway but our case manager was at the lilydale with jason and grant in the fall and i beleave she paid 45 buck to go..i no 10 of it went to the counsel there but the rest went to jason and grant..or at least thats the way i think it went ...i no the taps guys say they are plumbers with rototooter but using them as a sponcer to the show ,can or should we consider that unethical too..
i would think if a group can follow all the laws and not be charging folks for something they cant prove one way or another as haunted or cleansed ,and yet still make it in this feild .while using just scientific methods..i dont have any problum with them making an income for the group..but not as a private way of making a living tho..




lauren

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by john on December 26, 2007 at 8:45pm

I can actually see Grant and Jason and maybe the whole taps team start endorsing products that they use on the show and then maybe even getting a reebok or adidas clothing endorsment out of it also LOL.....jk....but seriously I could see this happening in the future as they get even more popular. I never thought about roto rooter being on there as a advertising tool but yeah, it is. I really love the show, i really wish there was a person on the show that could look through people and tell if they are lying, a skeptic, that dont believe in anything paranormal at all and one that is willing to at least be part of the team and it would be great if this person was a psychologist and kept track of each members personal life so none of that can be manifesting in the teams investigations......also....just based on the vibrations that Steve and Jason pick up from time to time i would bet a whole lot of money that both of them have high blood pressure and their bodies are whats really vibrating.

i hope the whole team earns millions but for sure make it known that there is no promise that ghosts are real but still under investigation and always trying to be debunked

thanks for your replies, i feel that with taps there would be private livings being earned from their investigations, but i dont see how they could do this full time if they didnt earn money from them but i do think it makes it feel more like a carnival side show.

i guess im more understanding of the reasons people charge for joining in on investigations........i however would feel guilty for charging any one.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by HauntedWebby on December 31, 2007 at 8:37pm

A ghost hunt and a paranormal investigation are two different things. A ghost hunt is an entertainment thing. A paranormal investigation is scientific research.

If you are going to charge you need to call it a ghost hunt with a disclaimer that is it entertainment. When I do ghost hunts I tell ghosts stories, some of which are not always true … but entertaining. Then I kind of chuckle when people show me ‘evidence’ that my stories are all true.

If you charge on a paranormal investigation then people expect results and someone could compromise the investigation to show desired results. When I’m in an investigation I give no information before hand so that people have pre-defined boundaries for the investigation.

Makes sense?

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by john on January 3, 2008 at 6:05pm

Yeppers, makes perfect sense. I agree totally. Thanks for the enlightenment.

have a great new year my friend!!

cuz
jo

▶ Reply to This

• 1
• 2