Remember the movie "Poltergeist"? When Jo Beth Williams snatches her little girl from the clenches of the evil spirit they come back to this world, lying in the bathtub covered in a pink, coagulated gel. That gel was supposed to be ectoplasm. It has been said that human contact with this disgusting substance has caused illness.

[Editor's comment: Uh huh . . . right.]

Through time, however, ectoplasm has also evolved to mean an energy source that can be used by an entity as a blast, or something that can be thrown around or somehow used.

Personally, the newest definition seems more likely to me. It's not that I don't think spirits are powerful enough to create physical manifestations, it's just that the slimy stuff is a bit far-fetched. Also, the fact that it is toxic and causes illness is even more unbelievable. These kinds of things are what keeps the subject of ghosts and spirits in the realm of superstition, making it more of a subject to be feared rather than viewed with awe and amazement.

I prefer to think that we, as spirits, are awesome--not some horrifying freak show or something evil erupting from the depths of a dark underworld, spawned by Satan himelf. So I am inclined to believe the newest definition, ectoplasm as a blast of energy. Here's why:

Have you ever known anyone with a terrible temper? Have you sensed the vibe, albeit negative, coming from that person when that temper is manifest? To think that vibe isn't energy, and that somehow that energy could not possibly be measured is almost to say that emotions don't exist. We humans measure that energy all the time on an emotional or psychic level. All the time. That's exactly why we love being around positive, upbeat people and dislike being around negative people.

The fact that a disembodied spirit could muster up a ball of energy powerful enough to be detected by the physical world is plausible (to me) and regarding the human spirit as I do, actually quite logical. But everyone is entitled to their opinion, but as the editor here, I get to have my viewpoint on this page. [Heh, heh]

So this ghost video evidence could actually be ectoplasm in the newest sense of the word. But for me, leave the dang goo, Silly String and Jello to kids at slumber parties.

Take a look at this ghost video evidence and see what you think.