Chat with Ron Kolek of the New England Ghost Project

Bostondotcom: Hi everyone. Ron will be ready to chat in just a few minutes. You can begin to ask questions now. Happy Halloween!
Ron_Kolek: Ron Kolek here,
Ron_Kolek: Welcome to Ghosts of New England on Boston.com.
Ron_Kolek: I am here to answer your questions on the paranormal, ghost hunting, and ghosts of New England to the best of my abilities. So if you have a question, fire away.

Jane: Where can I go in Boston if I definitely want to see a ghost?
Ron_Kolek: Good Morning Jane,
Ron_Kolek: The only place to go to definitely see a ghost is the movies.
Ron_Kolek: Spirits for the most part don't choose to be seen unless they have a reason. With over 200 investigations under my belt seeing a full apparition is rare. However they make their presence known in other ways.

Lizabee: Dear Ron - we have lived in our 200 year old home for 12 years now. It is what we like to call "occupied"... when my husband is outside working, he always hears someone call his name... "Tom, Tom" in an insistant woman's voice. There were two Tom's living there for almost 70 before us. Is she calling my husband? or is (Margaret) calling her husband and/or his namesake? It's as if she's stuck in some sort of time loop. My husband, Tom doesn't come in anymore and ask me why I am calling him... he's gotten so used to it. He's seen someone or something several times and I have experienced someone sitting down on the edge of our bed. Sometimes there is a faint whiff of cigar smoke out in our barn.. neither of us smoke!
Ron_Kolek: Hello Lizabee,
Ron_Kolek: It's hard to say who the particular spirit is without further investigation. There are two types of haunting Residual and intellegent. A residual is like a time loop the intellegent haunting will interact with you.

Peter: What's the most haunted place in downtown Boston?
Ron_Kolek: Peter,
Ron_Kolek: We, The New England Ghost Project, have not conducted to many investigations in Boston, so it is impossible for me to help you there. Best bet, check the internet. Casper: What are some haunted areas around Newburyport and Haverhill MA?
Ron_Kolek: Nice name Casper,
Ron_Kolek: Check out Old Hill Cemetery in Newburyport. You can actually see into some of the graves.
Ron_Kolek: Buttonwoods, the Haverhill Historical Society's home is definitely haunted with two or three ghosts. Also Bradford College.

David: What's the most realistic horror movie you've ever seen?
Ron_Kolek: David,
Ron_Kolek: Ghost with Whoopie Goldeberg. Although it is not real horror, it is a fairly accurate portrayal of the spirit world in my opinion, but since I have not been to that side (other than a near death experience) it is only my opinion.

six_feet_under: True or false: Ghosts are pale in color and human-shaped.
Ron_Kolek: Het six feet under,
Ron_Kolek: If I only have two choices,
Ron_Kolek: It's false.

Katiekat: Hi Ron! I have a few books on haunted locations throughout New England. What places have you experienced the most spiritual activity?
Ron_Kolek: Some places are difinitely hotter than others.
Ron_Kolek: My favorite place is the Windham Restaurant in Windham New Hampshire. If I ever have a media event, I always take them there. The place is smoking, it's never let me down. Customers and staff are constantly telling me their experiences.

wally: Hi, I was wondering if you know of any ghosts in Franklin or Hingham MA
Ron_Kolek: Sorry Wally,
Ron_Kolek: We haven't done too many investigations in that area.

Boo: Ron, have you ever investigated the Lizzie Borden house in Fall River, and if so, what were your findings?
Ron_Kolek: Boo Who?
Ron_Kolek: We have not, but my someday. I have had the owners on my radio show, so I know all the stories. We try to stay away from the most known places, because we know the stories and are afraid that they may influence or results.

Thriller: What's the most scared you've ever been, Ron?
Ron_Kolek: Thriller,
Ron_Kolek: No thrills here, I have never been a fraid of the dead (can't afford to). It's the living that scares me. I remember one case that scared me, the client was just out of prison for killing hius best friend, that scared me.

redsox04: Is there any new technology for capturing spirirts?
Ron_Kolek: Go redsox,
Ron_Kolek: Oops, too late.
Ron_Kolek: Digital imaging may be, seem to capture lot's of orbs is it a flaw in the technology or have orbs been always there and we now have the technology ti capture them.

hex0100: Ron, do you feel that the number of reported hauntings increases at this time of year or does it remain roughly the dame all year round?
Ron_Kolek: Hello Hex,
Ron_Kolek: Ghosts, spirits, or hauntings happen year round. There is more attention to them because of Halloween both by the media and indiviuals. Just like the Christmas season puts people in a charitable and giving mood, Halloween gets people into the spirit of thinking about scary stuff and ghosts

SYF: Is it possible to capture images of ghosts on film?
Ron_Kolek: SYF,
Ron_Kolek: Definitely,
Ron_Kolek: It is done every day, most of the time by mistake, but it does happen.

saucy: Hello Ron. Boston's Chinatown section is supposedly full of ghosts. In particular, the reatauran which used to be a movie theater on Washington Street. Also, Moon Villa reataurant is supposedly haunted by a former cook who died there. Have you ever heard of these locations, or visited/studied them?
Ron_Kolek: Hey saucy,
Ron_Kolek: I have not, but it sound interesting. wally: I had a friend with a big old house on Downer Ave in Hingham who swore it was "inhabited"
Ron_Kolek: Wally,
Ron_Kolek: There are many haunted houses, only an investigation can verify it.

Rebecca: Hi Ron, how did you first get involved in the NE Ghost Project?
Ron_Kolek: Rebecca,
Ron_Kolek: That requires a wicked long answer.
Ron_Kolek: I have a degree in Environmental Science and never even thought about ghosts, until a near death experience and other circumstances. (Short Answer)

hex0100: Ron I've noticed that despite there being many so called haunted locations in Boston very few ghost hunting organizations seem to focus on the city. Why is that?
Ron_Kolek: hex,there are so many places to investigate, why drive into the city. I have investigated a couple of places including one in South Boston, where an exorcism was performed.

Emily: Ron, have you ever been to the Jared Coffin house or any of the other haunted locations in Nantucket?
Ron_Kolek: Emily,
Ron_Kolek: I'd love to do something on Nantucket, but logistically it would require special planning.
Ron_Kolek: I did have a guy from the Ghost tours there on my show once. He was interesting

redsox04: Have you ever collaborated with TAPS or the New England Paranormal Society?
Ron_Kolek: Redsox,
Ron_Kolek: We ahve never worked with Taps, although we were once on the same tv show together.

morticia: Do spirits/ghosts/poltergeists ever get territorial? What is your take on "most Haunted" on the Travel Channel?
Ron_Kolek: Ah mortica please don't speak french (Adams Family)
Ron_Kolek: Some spirits are ground, meaning they cannot seem to be able to leave a certian piece of property.
Ron_Kolek: Love Most Haunted, watch it all the time.
Ron_Kolek: Check out Dead Famous on the biography Channel.

pinke_v: Hi Ron, any happenings around Beacon Hill? I know they recently found an almost intact slave house in a basement
Ron_Kolek: pinke,
Ron_Kolek: It is hard to tell if some of the politician down there are alive or not. (poke em with a stick) I have't heard anything about that, but I know the White House is Haunted

The_Good_Witch: What do you think about the show Ghost Whisperer? Is it an accurate portrayal?
Ron_Kolek: Hello Good Witch
Ron_Kolek: Since I am Not a psychic, I cannot really say. Maureen our medium/psychic investergator could tell you. Pop an email at neghostproject@comcast.net I do know a lot of it is Hollywood. Did you know they used an evp from our evp specialist, Karen Mossey, in the show?

redsox04: Will you be doing any investigations tonight? If so, where?
Ron_Kolek: No, night off.
Ron_Kolek: I will be watcing our Halloween special on Amecian Builder tonight CN8 Comcast Channel 3.
Ron_Kolek: Our investigation of New London Ledge Lighthouse.

j: ron have you ever been followed back by a ghost after an investigation. I mean as in days later at a different location, say your home, by the same entity?
Ron_Kolek: No J,
Ron_Kolek: We take precausions. We are big on protection.

Rebecca: Ron, have you ever been to any locations in western mass?
Ron_Kolek: Rebecca,
Ron_Kolek: We have investigated the Houghton Mansion in North Adams several times

ames: I've seen a ghost in its human form--did the spirit want me to see her as she was, or was this something I could see simply because I can?
Ron_Kolek: Ames,
Ron_Kolek: Hard to tell.
Ron_Kolek: Sometime they want you to see them sometimes they don't. You may also have a gift

Im_at_work: Are there any clues that the average person might pick up on that might indicate the presence of spirits?
Ron_Kolek: Yes,
Ron_Kolek: Sudden cold spots, seeing shadows, a heaviness in your chest, and your hair standing up to name a few.

Pats_Fan: Do you use thermo-imaging in your investigations?
Ron_Kolek: Ah the Pats, there's a winner,
Ron_Kolek: We do, Thermal Dan, a firefighter, is our expert

casper: What is your take on UMASS Dartmouth (used to be southeastern massachusetts university), is it haunted?
Ron_Kolek: Sorry casper, no clue

casper: do ouija boards really work?
Ron_Kolek: Yes they do!

Lisa: Hey Ron, I had a great time at your Fright Night in Windham last night. Tell Maureen she was in my dreams last night!
Ron_Kolek: Hi Lisa,
Ron_Kolek: Glad you did.
Ron_Kolek: A least it was Maureen in your dreams and not me, that would be scary

Shari: My brother, his wife, and their 16-year-old daughter live in Connecticut outside of Hartford. They didn't believe in the paranormal until about five years ago when odd things began happening. It began with shoes being stacked. And has progressed to more sophisticated events, including coins being tossed at them from nowhere. When they pick up the coins they're hot to the touch, but quickly cool down. It also seems to have a sense of humor. My brother was reading the paper while it was banging and he yelled at it to "go to the damn light, already." About five seconds later, something wacked his newspaper. My question is are these things capable of harming people?
Ron_Kolek: Shari,
Ron_Kolek: I do belive in evil spirits and demons and have actually faced them before. So depending who or what is there - Yes

Rebecca: Ron, what types of experiments are involved in performing an investigation?
Ron_Kolek: Rebecca,
Ron_Kolek: We are constantly trying new thing, It is an unkown field and a lot to be discovered. Too many to discuss here. Bostondotcom: Hey everyone -- we're going to start to wind down here. Make sure to submit a question if you haven't already. Thanks!

beanbag: have you ever converted a non-believer?
Ron_Kolek: beanbag,
Ron_Kolek: I know of one for sure, Vess from the Windham Restaurant

boo_: I understand that certain crystals such as quartz provide a structure that can trap energies and replay them (loop-haunting). Are most of your cases this kind of loop-haunting?
Ron_Kolek: no boo,
Ron_Kolek: most are intellegent haunting

Tues: How do you define the term "ghost"?
Ron_Kolek: Hey Tues,
Ron_Kolek: To me ghost means any paranoral apparition, sorry I'm not PC on this.

ames: why does it seem as if some can communicate with spirits, and the average person can't? Are there special talents that one might have to communicate with spirits, or is it more at the whim of the spirit who it chooses to communicate with?
Ron_Kolek: ames,
Ron_Kolek: Maureen our psychic, tells me we all have the ability. Sometimes it has to be developed and for some it just comes easy, like playing a sport or learning a musical instrument.

Rebecca: Hi Ron, do you find that spirits are choosy about who they appear to? (ie, people who are more willing to accept their presence?)
Ron_Kolek: Rebecca,
Ron_Kolek: They try to appear to people who are wiiling to listening, why waste your energy on someone who wouldn't believe if a spirit came up to them and slapped them in the face.

j: Ron, my uncle died a few years before i was born in 1974. Two days after his death, my grandmother heard the door open and close around 3 a.m and heard her sons voice say "mom I'm home." She thought it might have been a dream when early the next morning my mother living there at the time said she heard that as well. They've never had any other contact since. my question to you if you know is, Do recently departed spirits have a stonger ghost presence soon after death? and move on soon after
Ron_Kolek: Hey j
Ron_Kolek: The most common sightings of ghosts are called messenger ghost. Where a spirit will appear to a love one to let them know they are okay, to deliver a message, or to see if everything is fine with there loved ones.

Bostondotcom: Folks, thanks for joining us today. And thanks to Ron Kolek of the New England Ghost Project for chatting. A reminder that we have a live psychic chat at 1 p.m. with Joann Gerber. Joann can predict your future and has the ability to talk to spirits. See you then!

Josephine: Ron, although I know you can't predict the appearance of apparitions, where's the best place to bring a skeptic for convincing in the New England area?
Ron_Kolek: You would have to visit many places, Check out Jeff Belangers book The Encyclopedia of haunted places