TAPS, Ghost Hunters & Honesty

Apparently there have been a recent string of criticisms circulating the net, even some supposed video garbage claiming that the guys in TAPS faked evidence in their recent live Halloween show. I don't know why it bothers me so much that there are skeptics out there. As someone who has experienced paranormal phenomenon first hand, Ghost Hunters is the type of show I have been longing for as long as I can remember. The chance to sit back and feel somewhat assured by the experiences of others who have seen things similar.

While I don't claim to know the guys in TAPS personally, I can tell you that they have a reputation for the thorough work they do and have found more ways to disprove hauntings and so-called paranormal activity than any of the other wanna-be shows. As much as I love a good psychic, they don't rely on intuitives to declare a place as haunted and gather information from the other side.

Researching the paranormal is a risky business, and sharing the evidence one uncovers is always going to be open to criticism from skeptics and nonbelievers. I'm sure that TAPS has faced their fair share during their time together, and while it hasn't killed any of them, it has served to make them stronger. Anyone who has ever watched the series, or read the book Jason Hawes put out last year, can tell you that Jason Hawes himself has an incredible time declaring a property haunted. He and Grant Wilson both have trained their team members to look for alternative explanations, every day causes for what might be considered paranormal activity. They have long argued against the accreditation of things like spirit orbs as actual evidence of paranormal activity.

TAPS have changed the face of paranormal research for the better. They have provided well documented evidence time and again, called in experts for second and third opinions on cases and evidence both and they put their reputations on the line every time their show airs on the Sci Fi Channel.

They have done amazing work for years, and I hope this skirmish of boo-hissers and nay-sayers washes down the drain where it belongs. Yes, we're all entitled to our own opinions, even the fools who aren't happy unless they're crushing other people's excitement and happiness, but those on the second half of that spectrum can laugh now. It's the people who aren't afraid to believe that there's something more to all of "this" who'll be laughing later. That's a guarantee.

Dylan and Brenda vs Kelly and Dylan

During the 1990's, I did not watch Beverly Hills 90210. My friends and I were nothing like the characters on that show, and the drama we faced often seemed much more intensive than the things that go on on that show. Recently, I've taken to religiously watching all the old episodes on SoapNet.

Yes, SoapNet is the devil. Soap operas in general are very nasty things to get involved in because they are a stretch out there from real life. The glamorous characters make us feel empty and small. Every woman on these shows is incredibly beautiful (okay, Donna Martin didn't get attractive until after graduation. She had the most poofy and hideous hair in the world, but I digress...) The men are all either perfect and gorgeous or beautiful, exotic and dangerous. Let's face it people, Brandon Walsh was the perfect boyfriend every teenage girl wishes she had. He was intelligent, kind, thoughtful, encouraging and between him and Dylan McKay it's hard to tell which one of them is more like James Dean half the time.

We had a friend once who watched Little House on the Prairie every night while watching dinner because he said it was like his daily dose of religion. So, as my obsession with this show of my youth grew into monumental proportions, my wonderful husband made a joke that Beverly Hills 90210 was like my daily dose of religion.

From the church of Peach Pit, the big question that continually baffles me is what on earth would possess Dylan McKay to choose Kelly Taylor over Brenda Walsh? Yeah, sure, we all know Kelly puts out. She was the bit slut of West Beverly High before she met Brenda. Maybe Kelly changed her ways, but let's face facts people. Kelly Taylor is a bitch. Okay, so Brenda Walsh isn't perfect. She certainly has her own bitchy edge about her, but she was much more suited to Dylan's tastes academically. All he and Kelly ever seemed to do was fight and have sex. He and Brenda shared a love for poetry, drama, great literature and the passion for life itself.

I understand the need for excessive drama in a soap opera. And teenagers, having been one once myself and now being the mother of one, I can tell you that they really do trade off boyfriends and girlfriends and toss around the words, "I love you" as casually as they might say, "Can I have ketchup, please?" The point being that I can see where a high school Kelly and Dylan fling could carry off into the first few months of college, but after that break up when Dylan thought they should see other people I really think they should have called it a day and moved on with their lives.

How in the hell can Kelly Taylor be Dylan McKay's soul mate? I don't care if they do have some random child together in the new series. Dylan and Brenda belong together.

I hate to say it, but I think that Kelly was more suitable for Brandon. She balanced out his goody-two-shoes air with her sleazy past.

So to the writers of Beverly Hills 90210 and the new series rekindled, grow a brain. Dylan McKay is too complicated a character to be worthy of Kelly Taylor.

/end rant here!

Hey, Peter, Where You Going with That Denture Cream?

During the necessary, autumnal Type O Negative fest in my living room Saturday past, The Stripes and I had many leftover thoughts about the possible horrors that could have turned Peter Steele from an incredibly tall and sexy frontman:



into this sad, angry guy who, let's face it kids, sounds like my Uncle Lou without his dentures in. Okay, that's a lie. I don't have an Uncle Lou, at least not that I know of, but seriously, is Mr. Steele in need of a denture refitting?

The video evidence for my claim does not allow embedding, but you can view it here:

Where's Pete's Dentures???

Peter Steele's always had a very deep voice and a thick Brooklyn accent, but wow! What a difference fifteen years and a couple months in jail will do to a guy. But we adore him anyway. He speaks his mind musically, which is all the ever really mattered to fans in the first place, but seriously... he obviously needs a hug!

Destination Truth or Dare

Now, this is a game I'd play without having to think twice. I wouldn't even need a six pack of Sam Addams Oktoberfest, unless we were going to play Destination Spin the Bottle...

So, my Destination Dare was to scare up a picture of Josh Gates as a Zombie in Photo Shop. Now I'm no photo shop wizard, but I'm pretty pleased with the end result... well, not pleased. I mean I'd seriously run from Zombie Josh, but I still think it's zombieriffic. Ladies and gentleman:



And now, and open letter to Josh Gates:

Dear Mr. Josh Gates,
Please avoid the condiments next time you're in Haiti. *wink*
Sincerely
Ms. Beans

Now it's your turn... Destination Truth... or Destination Dare? *muahahahaha* (What? It's Halloween, I can laugh like that if I want).

Beans on the Voice of Steve G.

Swirly-eyed is actually a very good description of Steve G's special voice. I think the only adjective I might add to that description is "Tango-addressed" Swirly-eyed voice. Greenstripes and I established during one of our incredibly serious afternoon sessions that the Tango-addressed swirly-eyed voice of Steve must be Steve Gonsalves teacher mode. Instructional...swirly...I often ask myself, "Does Steve talk to Tango like that off-camera?"

We've been watching Ghost Hunters for years. We clung tight through the tense transition of tech-manager power from Brian F$#@ING Harnois to Steve "Spider Fear" Gonsalves, and I have to say that before Dave Tango came into the picture, there was no swirly-eyed voice to be heard. EVER! Does Tango bring out the swirly voice in Steve? Inquiring minds want to know.

Beans, out!

NOTE: No Steve Gonsalves's were harmed during the inquiry into Steve's voice.

Steve and Tango at their finest:

The voice of Steve

Some who know me might think that title to mean the voice of the mighty little green striped man who is often dancing in my head......but alas! tis not thee. This time. ahem. I would like to start out by telling readers that from this moment forward, I shall be referring to the Steve of Steve and Tango as "Steve of Steve and Tango". Actually, that might get a little tedious for my fingers to punch out everytime I make a reference. So, maybe I'll call him Steve G. just for the sake of argument. Another thing I will be clarifying from the very beginning is the voice of Steve G. that I like to call "the swirly eye voice". I know that voices and eyes are typically not connected, but if you have seen Steve G. in action, you will know exactly what I mean by the swirly eye voice. My bff, co-pilot through the land of thick and thin, the one and only true missus of the Beans, might have another term for it but since she was so kind as to include the voice of Steve in our intro, I thought I might take a moment to introduce my own terminology.

Forewarning: I often neglect to punctuate, capitalise, and spell correctly

Let the screaming commence!!!!