Good one, Nosfer! Way back when Jay and Grant first tried this trick, I went out and bought an Inova X-5, the same kind of flashlight that they were using, hoping to make a similar sort of video. I never did, and they shortly thereafter stopped using that kind of flashlight.

I suspect that a similar kind of effect is behind some of the K-2 conversations they've had.

Will have to pay attention during reruns. There were definitely a few different types of flashlight but I think the same principle of operation applies to each. The only one I am uncertain about is the one where they were on that farm and Jason originally had it clipped to his jacket and then they set it on platform of some sort. The difference in the first ones, though, was that they were just having the entity turn on the light, not on cue. Recall Wright-Patterson where it comes on on the floor. I think Jason is in the shot, but in that case all they have to do is film the scene long enough (often doesn't take long) and then just use the part where the light comes on.

When they get to interacting with it ("on the count of three" stuff) then I don't think you ever see them counting and the flashlight in the same scene. The one in the last season where Kris and Amy are using it in the bedroom/bathroom is a classic example of that. Same with GHA at the Stanley where a scene of the light going off is used more than once to represent two separate "interactions"

Perhaps Learjet could make a K-2 conversation video I'm ordering a DSP although I doubt that would be as dramatic!

Just so I'm absolutely, positively clear on this…what exactly is the TAPS "theory" on how these ghosts are interacting with these flashlights?

Are they stating that a ghost actually materializes (yet remains invisible) to press the button on the flashlight? That the actual fingertip of the ghost gains both mass and momentum and physically interacts with the flashlight?

Or are they stating that a ghost can stick his ghostly finger actually into the flashlight and can then somehow complete the circuit in order for the flashlight to turn on?

Or…is there a completely new or different "theory?"

I just want to know what I'm dealing with here…

Well one of the explanations I recall (not that it is the only one but the only one I can remember at the moment) is that by loosening the cap, barrel, head etc so that it is about to come on, then the ghost need only employ a small amount of effort to work the light. Physically? That was the assumption I was under from the original explanation given.

Since I believe energy has mass, if you subscribe to the "theory" that ghosts are energy…. Or, if the ghost "manifests", you know, sucks energy out of the atmosphere causing that cold spot, then the assumption of the energy by the entity should increase its mass, therefore….

Now, since the interaction with the K-2 is supposedly non-physical, I suppose another "theory" could be the entity itself becoming the bridge between the contacts, thus completing the circuit (or breaking the circuit) and toggling the flashlight. Assuming that the electrocution is trivial.

My big question, though, is since we know ghosts love batteries…I mean, look how many times they've drained them on these various shows…how come those flashlight batteries never go dead, I mean the entity is actually interacting with the object (which I assume requires some energy consumption and replenishment) but the batteries remain charged. Curious.

Of course, there are no theories. Barely even hypotheses. I think that the model they're going for is from the Patrick Swayze/Demi Moore movie "Ghost", where ghosts use telekinesis to move things around. Why not just put down a sensitive scale, though? You'd have an objective measurement then, and know exactly how much force a ghost could exert.

Jason: If you jump on this thing we'll know you're here.
Grant: Dude did you see that, it went up a gram
Jason: I saw that, did you see that?
Grant: Yeah, I saw that, did yo…oh right.
Jason: Jump on the scale again if you want us to leave.
Grant: Whoa, what the fetch?
Jason: Well we have to honor our promise, let's leave this one behind, too.
Grant: Yep, let's go. That was totally wild. I've never seen anything like that.
Jason: Me either! Let's go.

Let me think, how could I make a scale appear to register something by itself?

As far as the "theories" I don't think I've ever heard this flashlight one before GH, although it's sometimes introduced as if it was something that was tried by many people other than TAPS and that they are just using some tried and true, already proven, means of communication.

What bothers me is the obvious scene editing, the fact that you never see speaker and flashlight at the same time, and that they are so nonchalant about it. Especially the "cadets" Eric with a monotone "well that's interesting" Methinks not!

Nosfer said… "Let me think, how could I make a scale appear to register something by itself?"

Funny you guys should mention scales. Just last week I bought very sensitive scales to weigh coins with. The digital readout has resolution of 0.01 grams. They are so sensitive that they will register if I breathe on them! However, I have noticed that sometimes it fluctuates a bit, around +/- 0.03 grams. Obviously this is a ghost trying to get my attention! They could use this on the show and on the count of 3 make it change!

So yeah, if ghosts could exert even the slightest pressure on the flashlight switch, the scales would move for sure.

http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/how-much-does-the-soul-weigh-0483/

Oh look, since souls weigh 21 grams, I could just get one to sit/stand/lay on it.

Learjet said: "Just last week I bought very sensitive scales to weigh coins with. The digital readout has resolution of 0.01 grams."

Have a very similar set (same purpose) and have noticed while I have an object sitting on the pad that it will change. I attributed this to the object being around the 0.005 gram mark and it was just hopping around between the nearest hundredth. I had not considered the paranormal aspect, though, how close-minded of me!

A few years ago we had one in the lab that was much finer resolution (I want to say one ten-thousandth of a gram) The weighing surface was actually in an isolation chamber because just air currents and such would nullify the accuracy of the reading. And, yes, I used it a few times for some super-accurate measurements for a particular series of pieces I was studying lol.

Now, that scale would have been interesting to set up with a data logger in some "haunted" location, but it would have been a pain to haul around (and of course recalibrate each time after it rode around in the van)!

One ten-thousandth of a gram! Holy micro effort Batman! Forget the stupid flashlight trick, EMF, thermal, EVP or temperature rubbish. This should be able to detect a ghost fart a mile away! But best to use my cheap Chinese scales as they come with built in ghost, and we all know this is the type of meter these ghost shows love to use.

Seriously though, if ghosts (should they exist) could interact with the physical world, one would think those lab scales would be the first line of detection equipment. Or even my el-cheapo ones if minor fluctuations were ignored.

"But best to use my cheap Chinese scales as they come with built in ghost, and we all know this is the type of meter these ghost shows love to use."

Interesting, isn't it? Old scratchy tape-recorders yielding better EVPs. The el-cheapo quality K-2 providing some of their best interactions. Weren't they using a Magnii at one point and not letting people know that the numbers they were seeing were all at 60hz? Good meter but when used and interpreted properly, there is much less evidence to get wowed about.

I do recall GHI having a conversation using a fairly decent Tri-field meter at Pucksley I think? Over on the TAPS board I did a pretty thorough analysis of the questions and results from the meter during Donna and Shannon(?)'s "conversation" though, and there were some problems…it turned out to be not quite as impressive.

I've been using a logging thermometer for a few years and have only had really two puzzling things, one of which I solved, one of which is still unknown and has not repeated (temperature increase, not decrease) And that's over quite a long span…not just going in for a night or two and calling it good. I think it's only been in the last season that someone finally thought about actually logging temperature (briefly, for an episode or two) rather than just saying "dude it got cold here!"

If I recall correctly, it was a year or two after they starting playing with the flashlight that they got around to admitting they were unscrewing it to make it more sensitive.

In fact, I believe there was one early episode where they had a discussion during the review about if they could see the end of the flashlight turning.

Ring a bell for anyone ?

I believe that Wright Patterson was the first time we saw the SFT employed. When setting it up, we hear:

Jason: How about this? Nice flashlight. You can push the button on the bottom. Make it light up.
Grant: Jay tried an experiment we've tried many, many, many times (yeah right, why had we never seen it until now?) with the flashlight, where you set it up so that it's, it's easy for a spirit to be able to manipulate it with very little energy.
Jason: I'll put this right in here for you (puts flashlight into doorway)

Now, what is odd about this little dialog? Well, you need to see the video, as well. Jason makes his first statement. Then they CUT AWAY to Grant explaining about the SFT. Then they CUT BACK to Jason who is now holding the flashlight like it's a lit stick of dynamite. He sets it down like he expects the thing to explode in his hands.

I propose that the CUT AWAY to Grant to give the little explanation was so that they had an excuse to take the camera off Jason, ie, make a scene cut, during which time Jason loosened the light to get it into the same condition (doesn't matter which end is loose) as the flashlight I show in the video above.

No questions or asking the entity to light up the light. That way they can show it with someone in scene.

Funny is that after it lights up, Grant says:

"We've got EMF readings here. Six point three, two point one, three point nine, seven point six, four point eight"

What is odd about that? Well, recall during the GHA Stanley episode when the light went off…the EMF wasn't doing squat!

If you watch the footage after the commercial break when they show the light more, you will see it do some flickering which is very indicative of an intermittent contact, my own light did that to an extent as well.

Back to the Stanley episode of GHA. I'm looking at the initial session and notice a really quick on/off blip of the light. Very indicative of the intermittent contact condition. That's not what I really wanted to get at in this post, though. They have a shot of the flashlight with the thermal. It's fairly brief, but it is AFTER an on/off occurrence, and just before they move it to the window for the horribly edited scene there.

The flashlight is quite warm. The warmest object in-scene, in fact. Does anyone recall which episode of GH it was in that the flashlight was "wicked cold" after trying this stunt? Of course they never showed us any proof of that with thermal or any other temperature-measuring means.

If anyone can recall episodes where the SFT was used, post them here and I'll start a list and review each for anomalies. One that had some serious editing problems was the Cuban Club or whatever that one was. I already have Wright Patterson cued up. I believe that was the first time they used the trick.

Since the "SFT is making a big comeback and is being used as evidence of a haunting in the most recent episodes. I think it deserves a new look and explanation of how it is total BS.

1st SFT

SE 4 EP 6 "Wright Patterson" First use of "SFT". J & G never explain that they unscrew the back of the light. Grant only states that they make the light easy to manipulate while he is explaining how the flashlight is set up there is an edit and it seems like they edit out the rest of his explanation but later ha says you have to push the button to turn it on. In the reveal Jason is starting to explain the flashlight set up to the client and the camera cuts to the client while he is explaining and you can see his hands and can tell he is saying how they unscrew the back but the voice over is saying "well we laid the flashlight, and it was off"

2nd "SFT"
SE4 EP25 "Clovis Sanatorium" Grant does explain how they set up the flashlight in the reveal.

3rd "SFT"
SE 5 EP 4 "Club Dead" Britt and Grant Light standing on end, Brit says light turns, freezing cold they communicate with a boy 9 yrs old all with the flashlight they determine sex and age.

4th SFT
SE 6 EP 11 "Haunted Hotel"

5th SFT
SE 6 EP 13 "1875 Inn"

6th SFT
SE 6 EP 14 "A Shot In the Dark"

Help me out if I missed any

Thornbury farm: Flashlight cold after the ghost plays with it. (according to J&G)
New Hampshire Gothic:
NJ Bar and Grille (Ghosts in the attic):
Oak Alley: Flashlight cold after ghost plays with it.
Wright Patterson: Flashlight cold after ghost plays with it. High EMF readings according to Grant.
Stanley (GHA): Thermal shows flashlight as hottest item in frame, EMF dead
A Shot in the Dark: K2 makes not a flicker.

As I mentioned above, thanks to them having the thermal on it at the Stanley, and having an EMF right next to it, we know that the coldness is just them Lying and we know Grant's high EMF at Wright Patterson (which we don't see a meter, just his statement) is also Lying. From the dead K2 in A Shot in the Dark, we have more evidence of Grant's high EMF statement at Wright Patterson being nothing by Lying.

At Club Dead there is some very suspicious editing which throws the whole scene onto the scrap pile for me as far as evidence. Check my post #34 here:

http://www.skepticalviewer.com/forums/ghost-hunters/club-dead-s05e04/page-2

Another one

SE 6 EP 8 "Inn of the Dead"- Amy and Kris

Yes, Inn of the Dead, another one showing a very convenient split screen or simply voice overs.

When I went back to Waverly Hills after the first time that TAPS had used the SFT the guy that was letting us in for the over night stay informed us how everyone coming in to investigate lately had been doing the SFT all the time! I know some groups that swear by the SFT and every time I try to explain to them what is actually happening they start to tune me out and then get an irritated look. I guess you have to just let some people run with it for awhile before they will stop and try and understand the concepts behind it.