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Should you investigate cemeteries?

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Very often in the paranormal field you hear of groups investigating graveyards and cemeteries. I myself have been to so many cemeteries I have lost count!

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But are cemeteries good places for us to investigate?

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Many people associate cemeteries obviously with death, therefore they assume that this associates with life after death as well. But is this the case?

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I know if I was dead and I was a spirit the last place that I would want to hang around is a gloomy old cemetery. Id rather find out what friends and family are up to, move around and have a good ..tim..e!

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Ask yourself this before you became an investigator how many ..tim..es did you visit a cemetery? I bet not a lot really. Why did you? Funerals? A deceased loved ones Birthday? Mothers/Fathers day? Or Christmas ..tim..e?

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For the most part cemeteries are dead! Pardon the pun. Not very many people go there, maybe a handful of people a day? And why would you? Cemeteries are not the most pleasant of places they are associated negative feelings, Grief, Sadness, Fear and above all the constant reminder that one day we are all going to die!

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This kind of low human activity present at a cemetery doesn’t lend itself to the best ingredients for a haunting or spirit activity. As ghosts are usually seen in places where people have lived, worked, spent their spare ..tim..e. In other words places where people frequent in life. A cemetery really doesn’t fall under this category unless you are a grave digger, undertaker or groundskeeper. 

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In my own experience I would have to say that cemeteries are some of the least active places in terms of paranormal goings on. I am not saying however that cemeteries are void of activity just they are less active than other places.

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The beauty of a cemetery is that they are very convenient and have a spooky atmosphere. They are convenient because they are open to the public and you don’t need special permission to go there. However laws in ....Australia.... state that you are not allowed entry into a cemetery between sunset and sunrise!

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A spooky atmosphere can be fun in the early days if you are a newbie but after a while this feeling wears off and you are left with the reality of a very quiet and often beautiful burial place.

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I have read that some investigators consider cemeteries vortex locations, a place where spirits can enter and leave our plane or existence and that somehow, human beings have chosen burial grounds subconsciously for this very reason. Interesting theory but study needs to be done to prove or even lend weight to this hypothesis.

Maybe the emotional states listed above could somehow be catalysts for possible activity at a cemetery who knows. Energies tend to attract like energies. But then are these energies ghosts or spirits?

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I would say most investigators start out in cemeteries as mentioned above because of the easy access. And also a popular held belief that because dead people are there means the spirits of ghosts of dead people are there also. Traditionally we take three days before our loved ones are laid to rest. This is under the belief that it takes this amount of ..tim..e for a spirit to become accustomed to it new state and move off into the next plane of existence if this is true then cemeteries would be a completely useless place to visit!

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Another technique I have heard can lead to some results is to visit a grave on the anniversary of the persons death. Again this need to be tried and tested before any claims can be made.

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So should we investigate cemeteries?

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In my honest opinion and experience and looking at it from an evidence gathering point of view, cemeteries are not the best places to visit. And since most investigators want to be there at night which is illegal without permission, this makes the whole situation even more difficult.

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They are however good training places easily accessible during the daylight hours to experiment with new techniques and new equipment. Having said that don’t limit yourself only investigating cemeteries there are so many old and interesting houses and buildings that will give you much better results than a sleepy old cemetery.

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Are EMF meters Ghost detectors?

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On many Paranormal Reality TV shows, Paranormal Websites, Paranormal Gadget shops you will find reference to EMF meters. Go on to eBay and type in Ghost detector and a long list of EMF meters will come up for sale. In just about any discussion on Ghosts the subject of EMF meters will invariably come up.

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Many researchers stumble around in the dark with lots of gadgets including EMF meters that apparently detect paranormal activity. I would say many of them don’t even know how their gadgets work let alone why they are using them? Which lead us to the question what are EMF meters and what are we reading?

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EMF stands for Electromagnetic field. What is an EMF you ask?

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“Electromagnetic fields are a physical field produced by electrically charged objects. Which affects the behavior of charged objects in the vicinity of the field.”....

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“The field is a combination of an electric field and a magnetic field. The electric field is produced by stationary charges, and the magnetic field by moving charges (currents); these two are often described as the sources of the field.” ....

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Hence our homes are rife with EMF’s simply because of the amount of electrical wiring and appliances the average home has.

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Some of the appliances that give off high EMF readings are Fridges, CRT Televisions/Monitors, Microwaves, Computers, Dishwashers, Power transformers to name a few.

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The Majority of EMF meters are only calibrated to measure between 50 and 60 Hz (cycles per second) which is the mains frequency of household electricity. This is only a fraction of the spectrum that EMFs can be measured. Especially in terms of researching paranormal activity where Ultra Low EMFs are some..tim..es present.

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Electromagnetic fields can be generated by AC or DC currents. Most of the commonly available EMF meters can only measure AC electromagnetic fields, which are usually emitted from man-made sources such as electrical wiring, while magnetometers and Natural Tri-field meters measure DC fields. Which occur naturally in Earth's geomagnetic field and are emitted from other sources where direct current is present.

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To get an accurate EMF reading using either an AC or DC meter a Tri field meter should preferably be used. As most basic model EMF meters only read one field. All three fields should be measured to get a true reading.

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Because most investigators use only a single field AC EMF detector most readings that researchers are getting are most likely caused by man made EM fields. Not from natural sources and therefore are unlikely to be caused by paranormal activity.

The KII EMF meter has recently become a very sought after item for paranormal investigators thanks to the boys from TAPS using it on their TV program. Although I don’t own a KII  I have it under very good authority that this device is far too unreliable to used for professional investigation. It is especially susceptible to RF (radio frequencies) and even a nearby hand held walkie talkie can set this meter off. Considering the amount of RF frequencies that are bouncing around the globe it would be unwise to use the readings of this meter as evidence of the paranormal.

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If all this is the case how did EMF meters become to be accepted as Ghost detectors?

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The use of EMF meters for detecting ghosts seems to be a recent trend and a commonly accepted device for finding ghosts with no clear origin.

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Laboratory tests have shown that people who are subjected to high EMFs report witnessing ghost and haunting type phenomena. And ultra low EMFs are some..tim..es regarded as a serious health concern

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In our experience at most places where paranormal activity has been reported some kind of unusual high EMF reading is recorded. These have been usually caused by man made electrical currents and devices.

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This brings us to two interesting theories…

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Are the owners of supposed haunted premises hallucinating? Seeing/hearing things that are not really there because of constant exposure to high EMF?

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Or

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Are the high EM Fields producing conditions that entities are somehow feeding off the EMF energy to manifest? A lot more study needs to be done to come to either conclusion.

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Although the EMF meter is an interesting tool to use in paranormal investigation readings gathered from it should by used with caution. And always rule out all artificial sources like, wiring and appliances before considering the reading paranormal in origin.

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Today Paranormal Investigation groups are popping up all over the country and all over the world. Which is not necessarily a bad thing in most cases for the vast majority of groups paranormal investigation is a part ..tim..e interest and people have day jobs as well.

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Even the mighty boys from TAPS still at least pretend to have day jobs as plumbers.

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Recently I have come across a few so called Paranormal Investigation groups which usually include Psychic Mediums who charge for their services. Some even that require a 50% deposit before they even set foot in you door!

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The question of this article is when is it right or ethical to charge for investigation services?

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Unexplained Australia Investigations has never once asked for money to conduct an investigation. Even though cost of equipment and fuel can at ..tim..es be quite high.

The only ..tim..e that I could envisage charging for an investigation is if the cost of travel or accommodation is so high and not something we could absorb ourselves. Furthermore there isn’t even any paid advertising on our webpage.

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But why?

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In my opinion the field of Paranormal is so fleeing in terms of evidence. How can one charge a hardworking person for services where there are no definite answers or solutions to their problem?

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Lets use a car mechanic as an example; My car is making a terrible screeching, squeaking noise when it is turned over. I take my car to a mechanics workshop I tell the fellow that I hear a squeaking coming from under my bonnet.

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I leave the car with him I come back some..tim..e later turn the ignition and the squeaking is gone. He has fixed my problem! How do I know this because the horrible noises have gone? This is not the same with paranormal activity as it is known to fluctuate under different conditions.

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Let’s put this into the Paranormal Investigation context.

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I believe I have paranormal activity occurring in my house. I hear odd noises, I have odd feelings, and I have even seen things out of the corner of my eyes that frighten me. I call in an investigations group that includes a psychic medium who proceeds to walk around my house, tells me his or her feelings, thoughts, communicates with spirits and comes up with an unverifiable story as to what is going on in the house.

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At the end of the “investigation” the medium declares she has cleared the home puts her hand out and asks for payment. But how do we verify that the house is now clear?

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The activity decreases I hear you say? Does it or was it never there in the first place? Many things must be considered before a place is labeled haunted or for that matter cleared. We need to start with the occupants themselves.

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Are the people who live in the house stressed?

Are they fantasy prone?

Are they very suggestible?

Are they attention seekers?

Are drugs being used?

Is there some other cause for the perceived activity?

Are they religious or superstitious?

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One of the biggest causes for “perceived” paranormal activity is high Electromagnetic fields. (esp. Ultra Low EMF) Laboratory tests have shown people who are subjected to high EMF report ghostly and haunting type phenomena.

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Another explanation for supposed paranormal activity is psychological reasons. Chronic stress has shown to have adverse effects on people. Many people become paranoid when they are stressed and perceive things that are not there.

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Drug use is something else that needs to be considered. Are the occupants using recreational or prescription drugs? Both types of drugs can have an adverse effect on our perception.

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Are the people prone to suggestion? A small percentage of the population is very suggestible. This is the reason why stage hypnotists make good money from their shows.

Suggestion can be a very powerful tool for those who want to exploit it.

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Is this phenomenon something that a medium takes into account during and investigation or reading of a home? I would take a guess as to say rarely.

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Quite often many psychics are very self assured and even have a guru complex so what they say should be taken as gospel. There are no arguments, no questioning and no alternative theories. This can be a very dangerous thing. Not just financially for the exorbitant amounts some charge but because of the potential health hazards that some homes have and left if unchecked could lead to more serious life threatening conditions.

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Or another scenario…

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A Paranormal research group is invited into your home. They bring with them all kinds of devices, EMF meters, IR cameras etc. And they find very little to nothing which is usually the case with investigations, perhaps a dubious orb photo or unconvincing EVP recording. Pronounce your house haunted with very little evidence to back it up and have no way of helping you relieve you of your situation. Then the hand comes out asking for payment for an investigation that discovered little and you are still stuck with your original problem plus you are a little more financially worse off.

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The point I am trying to make here is how can you charge for something you cannot prove exits? Or cannot prove you cannot get rid of either.

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I could walk into your home could tell you that there is this and that there and because you are a suggestible, fantasy prone, easily led person you believe what I say!

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I announce that the house is clear of all negative energies and you believe that too! I put my hand out ask for a couple of hundred dollars cash and I am laughing all the way to the bank!

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This is the exact reason why religious cults are so dangerous, they attract suggestible people, lost souls, who need to be led and they are financially bled dry and then convinced to commit suicide by a charismatic cult leaders like Jim Jones (mass Jonestown suicides).

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Thankfully the majority of Paranormal Groups are non-profit and will gladly come to you home and check it out for you for free. They may even do a clearing but if it costs you nothing what is the harm? Just make sure that if you invite a group into your home they leave no stone unturned (esp things that can be hazardous to your health) and look at all possibilities before they label your home haunted.

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And one last question.

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Should paranormal groups make any money at all?

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I believe that Paranormal Groups should be able to make money to help them financially to buy expensive gear, travel, accommodation etc. But in my opinion not at the expense of a client.

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I don’t have a problem with groups making documentaries and selling the DVD’s, As long as the content is their own and they have the permission to show places where investigations were conducted.

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 I don’t even have a problem with groups creating ghost tours. These things are products and services that are entertaining and help further interest in the paranormal field.

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In ....Australia.... to receive any money for any product or service you have to have an Australian Business Number (ABN). This complicates things further and tax returns need to be done and members have to go in as partners on the “business”. Will this in turn make more groups think it is ok to charge for their investigations?

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In conclusion if you are experiencing things in your home that you suspect are paranormal. Before you call a medium or a paranormal investigations group do your homework on the group prior to inviting them into your home. It may save your ..tim..e and your money!

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Read this news article first!

Police will have power to secretly search homes

These laws are an absolute joke, they are taking advantage of the so
called BS anti terrorism laws set up by our previous Bush
Administration adoring federal government. Entering our homes without
us knowing and surveillance for us up to three years reeks of the
Gestapo secret police of the Nazi Germany.

If police are allowed to enter our home in secret what is stopping them from planting evidence?

These
laws along with upcoming internet censorship laws that rival only Red China's
is just one more example of our freedoms being taken away from us so
slowly we don't even notice what is happening to our country.

NSW
is already known as the Police State by the people of other states and
territories of Australia. Take notice next time you cross 
into QLD count how many speeding cameras you see before and after the
border.

This is just one more example of the government tightening their grip on our liberties.

Spead the news around we need to do something about these Facist Laws!

Although I don't live in Newcastle per se, I live about half an hour to the north. I have for a long time considered myself a Novacastrian (What Newcastle people call themselves). My Grandparents lived there and much of my family and extended family still do in the greater Newcastle area. I don’t get into Newcastle as much as I used to and most of the time it is to play a gig.

I spent much of Monday just walking around and re-visiting many places of interest I hadn't been to in years. And a few little things come to mind.

Newcastle since the closure of BHP in the 90's has struggled to redefine itself. Although Newcastle is the world’s largest Coal Port, the city is striving to become a tourist destination, which is quite logical as it has beautiful beaches and is the gateway to the Hunter Valley and Port Stephens. But if this is the case Newcastle has a lot of cleaning up to do! Apart from many of the new developments that are going on, there are still so many old buildings that are in dire need of repair. Some parts of town look like a ghetto.

Pub and Nightclub owners in Newcastle have recently been feeling the pinch from licensing police and the regular boys in blue. I believe that the recent crackdown in Hunter street on Friday and Saturday nights (which is a tradition for all Novacastrians) is city hall’s attempt to clean up the town so tourists can walk the streets safely at night.

The thing that upsets me about Newcastle is the lack of care for its historical places. I first visited the WWII gun emplacement at Bar Beach. I was disgusted in what I saw. The whole structure had been "tagged" with graffiti and the iron door to the magazine had been kicked in, which smelt like rubbish and urine. I had first visited this place back in the late 80's when I didn’t even know it was there. A friend took me there and the place was in pretty good condition at the time for its age. Earlier this year I visited the gun emplacements at Tomaree Headland Port Stephens which are of the same vintage, these emplacements were immaculate compared to the Bar Beach one.

Next was a stop to Shepherds Hill just above King Edward Park, now there are some lovely historic homes there which are in excellent repair. However the Shepherds Hill military installation was not as fortunate. Shepherds hill was part of the Newcastle military defense system during WWII. This also included the famous Fort Scatchely and the lesser known Fort Wallace at Stockton.

Shepherds hill is interesting because the main gun was hidden behind the Machine Gun bunker and it was also countersunk into the ground where it would pop up, fire and go back down to reload. This gun however was never fired in “anger”.

Most Newcastle people know about the apparent shelling of Newcastle by the Japanese in WWII but what many people don’t know is that the whole thing could be a conspiracy? …of sorts.

There is a rumor that the Gun at Fort Scratchley fired at a Japanese Submarine they thought they had seen out towards Stockton beach. The Fort Scratcley gun fired a shot,…The Fort Wallace gunners thinking they were under attack fired back, the shells landed in Cooks Hill Newcastle. The whole debacle was turned into war propaganda. “Japan attacks Newcastle Steelworks.” The production at Newcastle Steelworks after the “attacks” went up by 200%. Not a bad job turning a potentially embarrassing mistake into war time propaganda.

Now back to Shepherds Hill. A good thing was that not much graffiti was on the outside of the bunker however, again one the iron doors had been knocked down and people had gotten in and the familiar scent of rubbish and urine was present with the graffiti on the inside. The rest of the structure was in pretty good repair.

Walking back I noticed that a steel grille had been pulled off the magazine storage and plenty of rubbish in the gun emplacement in the ground.

These historic places are part of our local Heritage and if Newcastle is to become an international tourist destination as I suspect the powers that be would like. These places mentioned above are of great interest to tourists. However to us locals they are just part of the scenery something to be taken for granted and are treated as such.

My next stop was Christchurch Cathedral, I have been here on a number of occasions too. The church is a lovely building with its dark gothic style and is in good repair and is well looked after as most churches usually are. This is the fourth church building to stand on these grounds this current one was finished in 1979. But what breaks my heart about this church is its cemetery. A decision was made in 1970 to desecrate the cemetery to make room for a government car park. Bodies were left in the ground and the majority of headstones were used as land fill.

An interesting note is that the Headstone of the famous Port Macquarie Commandant and North Coast Entrepreneur Archibald Clunes Innes who served as Police Magistrate in Newcastle until his death was returned to the Port Macquarie Historic Burial ground where the rest of his family lay. His mortal remains lay “somewhere” near Newcastle’s Christchurch Cathedral. It’s a pity the powers that be around 1970 did not recognize the importance of the founders of this historic city. Only a handful of headstones were preserved and moved up the hill closer to the Church. Burial records of the cemetery where lost and numbers of people buried there are unknown.

I then moved into the inside of the Church which I hadn’t been in for many years, I was completely awestruck when I entered the church I instantly felt the need to drop to my knees and pray and I am not a Christian! The energy coming from within the building was amazing, and it really is a beautiful building inside with amazingly high ceilings and gorgeous gothic arches which you would swear were medieval in origin. Apart from the main altar the church has several chapels as well, one of particular interest the Chapel of St Michael the Warrior which is dedicated to the soldiers of both world wars. Christchurch Cathedral really is a beautifully building regardless of your religious beliefs I urge you to visit there if you are ever in town.

I then jumped in my car and headed for Hunter Street, I know currently Newcastle city is in a state of transformation but it is just not the same as when I was a teenager. Back then going into town was what you did. In the mid to late 80’s Newcastle city was a bustling CBD where it had everything. Unfortunately the earthquake of 1989 ruined much of the city physically and financially. Many businesses moved out the suburbs and the shopping malls became the place of business. However the future of Australia’s second oldest city looks brighter as many companies are investing in the town, many units and buildings are going up, sometimes I don’t even recognize parts of it.

I think the biggest challenge for Newcastle in the future is the transformation physically and mentally from being a dirty, hard, working class city to a clean beautiful international tourist destination. Only time will tell.

You know your pushing 40 when...

1. Your Doctor inserts a finger in your butt and doesnt call you the next day! Next time you see him you know whether to give him a hug, a kiss or give him chocolates and flowers!

2. A Nurse on the other end of the telephone tells you when you can have your last Ejaculation for the week!

3. You Listen to the Adult Contemporary Easy Listening Radio Station and you think the Music is Cool!

4. You think an EMO is a rare Australian Animal.

5. You begin have panic attacks and technofear when trying to use the new HI FI System.

6. You see teenage girls in retro 80s fashion and you have flash backs to high school trying to hide your Hard On in PE!

7. You mistakenly perv on your mates 16 yo daughters as they walk down the main street!

8. You and your mates who you used to get drunk and take drugs with stand around and talk about how bad todays teenagers and twentysomethings behave!

9. Take an interest in politics that doesnt involve the legalisation of Marijuana!

10. Your teenage daughter comes home and tells you that she put a Condom on a Dildo at School today in Health Class!

This is all pretty self explanatory... We didnt get a lot if any evidence on this investigation there are a few amusing moments. Enjoy it for what it is...

Murray UA