LOADED PARANORMAL: REVIEW 050

Review No.50 and I'm serving up LOADED PARANORMAL! This site is not a romantic meal for two its more of a quick burger from McDonalds. I'm not sure what to make of it to be honest, it kinda reminds me of an 80's Space Invaders Arcade game?

Its definately in its early stages with a couple of dozen members and not much on the content side of things - not really a site I'd visit again unless I got a heads up that things had changed. I hope I come across it again in 6 months or so and find it has calmed down on the graphics and has grown into an interesting and booming site.

For now though this site lacks any reason for me to check back on a daily basis.

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 3/10

UNITED PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS: REVIEW 049

United Paranormal Investigations, this site takes me back to the days of Geocities ... and they were not good days. Normally I can focus on the design if the content is weak or vice versa but what can I do when a site falls down on every possible element?

Is ugly and if you were to take away all the tacky flashing images you'd be left with very little content ... and this site is over 2.5 years old!

I really dont like giving negative reviews but thankfully their article "The Curse of Amateur wannabe Ghost Groups" made it very easy for me not to give a crap about what they make of this review.

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 1/10

Please people check out this site and tell me I'm not crazy for hating it!

UFO MEDIA: REVIEW 048

Time for another blog! UFO MEDIA is only a couple of months old but man does this guy know how to blog! Over 120 posts in 60 days is pretty impressive .... if only I had that much energy.

As I've said before UFO wouldn't be my main area of interest by any means but I can honestly say that I enjoy this blog. Its like a platter of tasty food where I can pick up a bit and have a taste. If I dont like it I spit it out and move on to the next piece.

Video seems to be a huge part of UFO MEDIA and sure why not? All I would ask is that the author check out Disclose.tv and see how that content suits - supporting the paranormal community is what its all about after all.

Design wise its a blog and theres really nothing too it but it really should be on the top of peoples list when it comes to quick, easy to digest bits of interesting info - its almost like having a personal assistant who clips newspaper articles for you.

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 6/10

TRUE GHOST TALES: REVIEW 047

True Ghost Tales, not a site I had seen before but have to say it after being asked to review it I got a good run and reading all the stories on it.

Its a nice easy-to-read site with a good layout, color palette and fonts. Sure its got ads on it and a few cheesy animated gif files but they aren't that hard to ignore and once you start reading some of the stories on there its hard to stop.

Its covers as broad a range of topics as you can get and the sections are well broken down, not every topic is to my own personal taste but thats the great thing, its easy to avoid the bits you dont like and focus on what you do.

Its not a ground breaking site but it doesnt really have to be. If I am being honest I have to say I went looking for negatives and was hard pressed to find any. That said the Casper section (as much as we all love that guy!) is a step too far with regards to content that just isn't needed not to mention that the youtube content is copywrited material ... but like I said I really had to get picky to find a negative.


The site also has a blog but despite having blog-like content it was missing something - it just doesnt feel or look like a blog.

All in all a good site with interesting content, perfect if you are in the mood for a leisurely read.

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 6/10

ULSTER PARANORMAL: REVIEW 046

Step up to the plate Ulster Paranormal! Or rather Connect 2 Ulster Paranormal as it is on the site.


Anyway first off I'm not sure I get why there is a difference between the site name (Connect 2 Ulster Paranormal) and the URL (Ulster Paranormal)? I mean I can understand it in cases where a decent or appropriate domain name can't be gotten but in this case simply having it as Ulster Paranormal is definately the best choice.

Its a better site than I thought when I first glanced at it before at the end of 2007 and it has a fair bit of content. The white on blue looks good and its a color palette that always makes me think of architects drawings. That said the choice of heavy/bold mismatched fonts is really working against this site.

Looking at the site without reading you would not know it was about the Paranormal, thats not nessecerily a bad thing as some sites really go over board with spiders webs, full moons and ghostly gif files. In this case though it does lack a bit of atmosphere.

The content is well written and the site covers enough ground. Apart from being a place for them to display there thoughts and findings it also offers people the opportunity to go along on an investigation themselves. I strongly encourage this as there are too many groups how close themselves off from the public except when it comes to seeking people to be in awe of their findings.

Its not my favorite site but then again I visit so many I have very high standards. Its a grand site though and in its early stages, here's hoping that more experience in running a site will lead to this one growing.

Just remember when viewing it to scroll through all the buttons on the left as its not too obvious hwo much there actually is on this site!

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 5/10

Its not often I do this but I must add a side note: As small a place as they say the internet is, and smaller again the paranormal community I was even impressed with myself to spot a picture of an Irish investigator (Anne McKinestry - I hope I spelt that right) who's groups site I review a few months back. From what I know the scene in Ireland isn't huge so I'm sure they cant help but bump into eac other now and then.

MORE REVIEWS

Ok I'm back for another road of reviews! At the moment its a bit easier for me to do them in batches, it gives me time to go back and look at the sites a few times and solidify my opinions etc.

Sometimes it not always easy for me to spot requests when they are comments added to other reviews so if I miss you make sure to post on the most recent one or drop me a mail via www.paranormalizer.com

Remember folks to pop a link back to me here along with the review badge.


Cheers

The PARANORMALIZER

AFTER DARK: REVIEW 045

Oh exciting times! 6th (from 6thsensitive.com & 6thsensitive.blogspot) tipped me off to a new group - fresh meat! So here we go.


After Dark Paranormal Research are a "build from the bones up" type of group/site that looks like it gonna do a good job. They aren't jumping in with screams and hype, which is very refreshing. Taking things at their own pace they are sort of group that will do what they do whether someone is watching or not.

Now to the website:

Its a blog, simple as. No real design except for the banner which is clean and not unpleasant to look at. The content is good, easy to read and I'm liking the youtube clips but obviously would prefere people using www.disclose.tv and supporting the Paranormal Community.

I don't agree with everything they say on there site, Paranormal Terminology etc but who says I'm supposed to?

Its good and it'll hopefully get better.

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 7/10

Spirit Circles: REVIEW 044

Ok so its time to get around to some requested reviews, and I'm starting with an MSN Group page - Spirit Circles to be exact.

First of all let me say you are going to have to set aside an hour to view this page ..... its pretty full! Also even though I am reviewing the MSN Group this crowd have all the bases covered with myspaces pages, forums, chat rooms - you name it, they have it.

I have to say this really isn't my cup of tea and seems to be aimed at women and teenage girls, not that thats a bad thing. It seems to provide everything its members could ever want and at the end of the day thats what its all about.

For me though its cluttered, too flashy and almost impossible to read. The content seems to be there though, I just cant bring myself to read it while everything in the background either slows down the loading or threatens to give someone an epileptic seizure.

As much as I hate giving negative reviews ......

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 3/10

NEW YEAR - NEW REVIEWS!

Just stopping in quickly to say Happy New Years all those I have reviewed and all those I will be looking at in the coming year.

January is gonna be a busy month after a very quiet December with plenty of requests for reviews. Its a good sign when people are asking for them as it lets me know people are reading what I do. Who knows after 2008 we might even see a book of reviews ... so let that put a fire under the tails of those who plan on getting sites up and running!

HERE'S TO A GREAT 2008!

UPDATES: NOVEMBER 2007

Ok so the latest update to PARANORMALIZER.com went well but its definately highlighted that I need to look at the structure. No point reviewing other people's sites when mine is in poor shape!

I hope people are seeing some for of increase in traffic so if you have any comments feel free to post a comment.

Thanks.

ANYTHINGGHOST: REVIEW 043

Found ANYTHINGGHOST.com recently and have to say I'm enjoying it. Cute logo but generally a poor web experience. That doesn't really matter though as its the podcasts that are important here, once you download them and pop them on your MP3 player all is good - its made my train ride alot easier to bare. If you haven't seen it before now you are in luck, the archive is just sitting there with all the old shows - I'm 7 shows in and its not getting boring.

Lex (the host) comes across as a genuine guy with a real interest. He's laid back, easy to understand and doesn't make my ears bleed like some over-the-top presenters. This show also preforms a great service in that it is getting real people's stories & experiences out there.

Seeing as its not about the site I think he could afford to look at throwing some advertisements up, I know I would click on them. Being that these are free to download and listen to I think this site is a real find.

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 8/10

KAPS: UPDATE

There is no denying the guys over at KAPS are decent folk, they took the last review well and dropped by. Now that they have sorted the domain name and done some updates its time for me to drop by again.

The thing is when I dropped by ... I didnt like it. Sure the content is still good but how its presented is now just a little bit sloppy. Stuff just isn't aligned and the centred text and background image reminds me of the days of geocities back in the 90's.

These guys had no problems originally apart from the Url.

My suggestions:

- Lose the background image
- Put a set structure/grid in place
- Get a blog which can be updated quickly to keep peoples interest between investigations
- Decide on a set colour scheme and fonts


Sorry if it seems harsh guys but you guys are better than your current site!

REVIEWED SITES

Ok, I'd like to ask any sites which get reviewed on here to post the above graphic on the website with a link back to http://paranormalizer.blogspot.com

The whole idea of this blog and http://www.parnormalizer.com is to promote good sites and give constructive feedback. There is no charge to be listed on either site - its about supporting the Paranormal Community.

BFRO: REVIEW 042

So to get away from Ghost & Investigation Groups I decided to go review a site on one of my favorite subjects - BigFoot! Unlike UFO, Poltergeist, Mothman and other paranormal areas this creature seems to draw feelings of affection and an almost romantic aura for those who dip into the subject.

The BigFoot Field Research Organization site has been going for quite some time and unlike alot of others it is still updated regularly.

The site pretty much has it all - research, news articles, facts and it was great to see a map which represents documented sightings over the last number of years.

Its also an admirable resource for gathering together all the well known and lesser know images and video footage - it really is the only Bigfoot site you need to visit!


Of course there has to be bad points and unfortunately this site does fall down in a few places. There are links within the site that led to nothing. The "Reports Database" link is dead, as is the link back to the homepage here "BFRO Home".

I know content is vital on a site like this but so is ease of navigation, which this site lacks. A over style or design element would really improve the site too.



Along with the design and navigation it would be great to see a forum added, especially at a time when they are so popular and serve as a place were enthusiasts can get together and talk no matter what their geographical location.

I would loved to have given this site a score of 10 but hopefully I'll be stopping back in the future and can give them those extra 3 points.

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 7/10

KAPS: REVIEW 041

KAPS, another new group website. This one is doing it right, not running before they can walk. Its so clean and well laid out but thats not simply because they have very little content. It looks like even when they do start adding to it that the formate will cope well.

Their section on investigations looks good, I especially liked their EVP from Waverly ... good catch guys. I even signed up to the forum which is rare enough simply because I view so many sites.

Anyway the hits counter shows just how new this place is but heres hoping we see this place taking off.

One change I see they have coming is the domain name ... domains and hosting are cheap enough now days and well worth the money. Obviously I would recommend a blog thats editable by the members of the group - its an easy way to post quickly and can get a growing group alot of attention.

On a funny note thought its called KAPS (Kentucky Area Paranormal Society) but the URL says KentuckyRegionalAreaParanormalSociety ... KRAPS! A name which really doesn't apply here.

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 7/10

N.I.P.S: REVIEW 040

NIPS ... don't you just love the name? Makes me think of nipples! Anyway its Northern Ireland Paranormal Society coming in for review No.40.

Yuck! I hate the logo ... someone delete their copy of Photoshop ASAP.

Actually apart from the hideous logo the site is pretty good. I must say I am a fan of their approach and can even point out that I have seen this group (or rather a few of its members) develop from a few groups back.

They've done the right thing is polishing up the group since its last incarnation but I see some phrases and statements slipping in that kinda take away from the appealing casual approach of the past.

"We use the most up to date Digital Voice Recorders on the market today to capture EVP" - they don't need to make statements like this to impress people, especially when they use pretty much the same equipment as most groups. I know whats available to people and I know that the top of the range gear is out of most groups budget. Be happy in knowing that you are doing the best with what you have and that no one expects ground breaking science.

The site is nicely put together and all the clips (audio/video) are good clean quality. The spacing and layout of the pages aren't difficult to follow. If I was to give any advice it would be to keep doing what you are doing but please change that logo!

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 7/10

LEINSTER PARANORMAL: REVIEW 039

Ok so its not very often I am sent a link to review, I normally go searching myself, so when someone suggests an up and coming website I have to take a peak.


Ok so at first glance Leinster Paranormal has got a nice simple design but not much content .... at second glance its still got a nice simple design but not much content. Still I will review it for what it is.

First off I have to say I do like local groups with local names. It means they have set themselves a manageable area rather than trying to take over the world! With no crazy or wild claims this group seems to have a relaxed and level headed approach do what they can to gather information without jumping to conclusions .... they present what they find and let you judge for yourself.

One thing that is missing that I usually like is a page with a bit about the groups members. Its nice to know a bit about the who & why and makes it all the more approachable. The forum is a nice touch because it gives you the chance to put questions to the members, who seem open to taking peoples ideas and comments onboard.

A bit more about the investigations would be good too rather than just presenting bits and pieces they do find. Sometimes its good to here what has been reported to have been experienced and following the investigation what wasnt found.

So thats it! I guess we site back and watch this fledgling group grow ... or not.

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 5/10

City of the Dead: Review 038

Not my typical review but just back from a break I thought I'd review some of what the city of Edinburgh has to offer!


I've done Black Hart's City of the Dead Tour a few times now and to be honest I'll do it everytime I head back to Edinburgh. Having read Jan's book The Ghost That Haunted Itself after my first trip I knew this walking tour had potentially alot more to offer than the usual Theatrics. You can find out all about their tours and the Mackenzie Poltergeist on City of the Dead as well as other tours by Black Hart.

The website itself is there purely to give info about the tours, the experiences of those you give the tours and those hundreds of lucky people who've gotten more than just a bump in the night.

With a gallery showing injuries & peoples own accounts you know there's more there than just people trying to make a living from the dead.

Design wise its functional and nice enough to look at but a bit of consistency with the quality of the graphic would be nice.

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 7/10

ParaCom: The Reply

Its always great when someone takes time to reply to a review - at least then we know they are willing to listen.

Hi Earl

Many thanks for your review.
I do agree with you that we may appear to be a little elitist, this is not intential & we will review in a bid to correct that appearance.

We do appreciate the groups who are...rough around the edges & certainly do not wish to catagorize them in any way.

I will have a look into things to see if i can ease the site & its content a little.

Thanks Earl

Take care

Admin

ParaCom
Community Watchdog

http://paracom.kk5.org

Cheers for the reply guys & keep up the good work.

ParaCom: Review 037

ParaCom: Community Watchdog .... good idea. There's a feel to it I really like and other parts that might make me worry. Watching the prices of venues in a great idea and could really make a differnce. What does worry me is that ParaCom could come across as a bit elitist and push out the enthusiasim of some of the newer rough around the edges groups.

The site could do with some work and I'd even do up some proper banners for them myself but I suppose whats important is what these guys are aiming for. I can see their logo on alot of sites in the future if they play it right.

Apart from this review I can see myself dropping these guys a mail and lending myself to this worthy cause.

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 6/10

Alien Hub - Still getting better!

I have to say its great to see ALIEN HUB taking steps to make their site even better!


I reviewed ALIEN HUB site back in March and it got the high marks it deserved. The thing is they continue to do what they can to make the site better for the people that use it. A step up to using vBulliten will go a long way as this site gets bigger.

These guy need some more attention if its gonna grow and start really challenging the likes of GhostVillage with regards to numbers. So lets all do what we can!

AllAboutGhosts.com: Review 036

Allaboutghosts.com pitches itself as a resource for on line accounts of ghostly experiences represented in pictures, EVP, video clips and stories etc.

The community aspect of the site centres around an on line community at http://spiritkeep.net, a newsletter and a “contact us” section.

The site lives and dies on its bank of pictures and videos. Many of the links are broken, so trying to review their EVP, Photos etc is fruitless. The site owners apologise for this on the front page, but the lack of content renders the web site useless to anyone trying to explore the paranormal.

It is a pity as the general idea is reasonably good, there is a good breakdown of topics and listing of possibly haunted locations but once again the links don’t work.

The site attempts to promote some level of up-to-date content to entice users to visit the site on a regular basis.

• Featured Photo
• Featured Story
• Featured Site

Are all good ideas but once again the links are broken and the site fails to deliver. There are a number of advertisements on the site and these links still work, I take it that if the promised content was maintained, the commercial aspect of the site would deliver some revenue.

Aesthetically the site appears dated, but the logo is original.

Overall if the owners return to work on the site and finish what they started, this could be good resource and focal point for both posting and reviewing paranormal content, but as it stands it is a poor quality site with a bit of “watch this space” thrown in.

THE PARANORMALITES REVIEW: 3/10

Jane Doherty: Review 035

Its not often I will choose a website for a psychic but statements like "Jane's stomach reacts to spirits" are going to get my attention!


I'm not going to review her or her site based on one claim of course, to be honest she's around a while and deserves a bit more respect.

Fact is the site is very well put together. It doesn't reply or either the old spooky feel or the usual psychic design of clouds/doves/angels etc. Its put together like a website for a tv show, and why not Jane has had her fair share of media attention.

It offers a bit more than the usual medium/psychic page and thats probably got something to do with the fact she does investigations (free of charge) on a fairly regular bases. It covers a bit on EVP, UFO, seances etc but the site needs some updating, not to mention the abandoned blog.

So where as the belly ghost detector might not sit well with me overall its a good site.

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 7/10

Up the Game

At 34 reviews I'm a little behind where i would have liked to be but things are definately going well.

My plan now is that when I get to 100 reviews I am going to send out an email to all the sites I've reviewed. Those that reply will be put into a draw for a prize ... which is as of yet undecided.

I'll aim to have 3 of these draws a year which means me getting my finger out and doing at least 300 reviews a year!

Encounters With The Unexplained: Review 034

Encounters With The Unexplained, as this blog is like that quirky friend you had that everyone like and your parents wanted you to marry. Alot of blogs (this one included) don't get to many comments posted on them but thats not the case with Encounters With The Unexplained. There seems to be a fairly friendly little circle of blogs that pop in on each other and this one is part of that.

Being that its a blog theres nothing groundbreaking you can do with the layout or design so it comes down to content. Encounters With The Unexplained is an easy read with a nice mix of subjects from around the world. How the stories are posted and put across has a cheery feel to it, even if the subject matter is dark.

Pleasent, unoffensive and easy to read.

THE PARANORMALIZERS REVIEW: 7/10