Fernbank Museum Rings in the New Year with Noon Year’s Eve

ATLANTA, December 17, 2014 – Fernbank Museum of Natural History (fernbankmuseum.org) announces a New Year’s celebration appropriate for the entire family. On Wednesday, December 31 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Fernbank will host games, a craft, a resolution station, DJ Willy Wow and a balloon drop. The event, celebrated at noon instead of midnight, caters to youngsters who cannot always celebrate past their bedtime.

At noon, guests will be invited to toast to the Noon Year with their very own “mocktail” made from GoGo Squeeze Applesauce as over 2,000 balloons cascade from the ceiling of Fernbank’s Great Hall. DJ Willy Wow will lead the countdown to the Noon Year, along with hosting games and dancing throughout the event.

It would not be a proper New Year’s celebration without party hats, and guests will be able to craft their very own using cups, tinsel and twine. As guests celebrate the Noon Year, they will also be invited to learn about New Year’s traditions from around the world through a special matching game. The event will also include a festive New Year’s Eve-themed dinosaur photo-stop.

To round out the event, families will have the opportunity to share their resolutions at a special “resolution station,” where they will be encouraged to take a selfie to share on social media using #FernbankMuseum.

Museum tickets, which also include special exhibitions Winter Wonderland and Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear, are $18 for adults, $17 for students and seniors, $16 for children ages 3-12 and free for children aged 2 and under. Value Pass tickets, which include Museum admission and one IMAX film, are $26 for adults, $24 for students and seniors, $22 for children ages 3-12, free for children aged 2 and under and $8 for members. The Museum is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Parking is free. For tickets, call 404.929.6400 or visit www.fernbankmuseum.org.

About Fernbank

Fernbank Museum of Natural History, a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization, inspires life-long learning of natural history through immersive programming and unmatched experiences to encourage a greater appreciation of our planet and its inhabitants.  The Museum is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Parking is free. For tickets, call 404.929.6400 or visit www.fernbankmuseum.org.

Empress Michelle Doesn't Work Here

A few years ago I had a student in my class who saw racism behind every corner.  His seat was on the aisle which meant he was a row leader.  Row leaders were responsible for passing papers and other material down the row to his team mates.  Row leaders were also responsible for making sure all material was handed back at the end class so I could collect these things in an organized fashion. 

When I would hand things to the row leaders I would say "Please hand this down to your team mates."  At the end of class I would thank the row leaders for their help.  I always used please and thank you to model appropriate behavior and respect.

When I would ask this particular student to hand things down to his team mates he would say, "You just asking me to do this cause you're racist."  If he didn't have a pencil or a pen, he'd say, "I don't got nothing to write with cause this racist school is oppressing me.  School is supposed to be free you know."  I would always provide him or anyone else with free pens or pencils but still I'd have to hear his spiel.  It seemed he was looking for attention and hoping to get some laughs from his classmates with his comments.

 At first, I ignored him.  I felt he was trying to get my goat and I was trying to extinguish the behavior by ignoring it.  After a week or two it finally got to me.  So one day after I handed out the material for that particular class I knelt near his desk and asked him to step into the hall.  

He looked at me with this big smile and then sauntered out of the classroom.  "SQUEEZE me I think  she wants to see me." he said to his classmates in attempt to bring attention to himself.

Once out in the hall I told him that I was sorry.  This kind of threw him.  It was probably the last thing he expected and he certainly couldn't figure out why I was sorry. 

I told him that I liked him but I was concerned because I was obviously saying or doing something to make it appear as though I didn't like him because my actions appear racist. 

Now he seemed really confused.  "Ms Cope," he said "I like you too.  You don't treat me bad or nothing."    

"I don't?"  I replied.  Then I'm really confused because you have let me know on several occasions that your role of row leader has some racist aspects and if that's so I want to change this.  I don't want you to feel uncomfortable coming to my class."

He looked down for a second and said, "I don't Ms. Cope.  I'm just saying.  You know Whites are racist but you awl right."  

I put out my hand for him to shake and said, "Please let me know if I ever say anything or do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable OK?"  

For the most part the chants of "That's Racist" stopped.  Every now and then he'd say it but then immediately say "Just kidding Ms. Cope.  You know I love you."

Memories of this young man came rushing back to me recently when I heard Michelle Obama cite an alleged example of racism at a Target Store.  Empress Michelle recants how a "RACIST" woman asked her to help  get something down off a shelf because the woman supposedly believed that Michelle worked there.  (What gave it away the Secret Service guys talking into their wrists?)  Obviously the ONLY reason SHE was asked to help get that item off a high shelf was because SHE is BLACK.  

Great story, unless you happen to remember when she first told this story back in 2013.  In this recounting of the story, a woman asked Michelle for help because Michelle was taller and thus able to reach the item in the detergent aisle.  The woman also used the words "EXCUSE ME" before asking Michelle to do her a favor.  

This incident must have been a milestone in the Empress' life.  I suppose now that she has had time to think it over she realized that her act of kindness was actually her submissive reaction to overt racism.  It truly amazes me that Michelle can play the victim from a simple request for help.

Not So Social Media

Another day another stupid social media comment made by someone who should know better.  This time a police officer who decides to reference the Eric Garner incident in his tweet.

Lest we not forget the recent rant from a former Duncanville High School teacher who sent the following tweet out into the tweet-o-sphere telling "crackers" to kill themselves if they disagree with her opinion on recent events in Ferguson.

Vinita, don't hold back.  Tell us how you really feel.

On second though Vinita you might want to ramp some of this back

Not to be shown up by a mere teacher, an assistant high school principal from Norfok, Virginia , Amy Strickland decided to post her version of  every white girl's father's worst nightmare.  

.

Sadly these are all post from GROWN-UPs who are educated and supposedly know better.

Taliban Terrorists Attack School

The evil cowardice of the "religion of peace" has shown itself again as an hours-long siege took place at the Army Public School and Degree College today in Peshawar.

When the siege ended early Tuesday evening, at least 141 people — 132 children plus nine school staff members — were dead. More than 100 were injured, many with gunshot wounds.

According to NBC News there were at least 10 attackers wearing police uniforms and suicide vests. They burnt a teacher in front of the students in a classroom.  Let me repeat that. “They literally set the teacher on fire with gasoline and made the kids watch.” 

The Principal of the school was also burned alive.  Her crime?  She was the wife of an Army Officer.  

Terrorists seen to love the soft targets, whether it is a school full of children, a mall full of shoppers, or a busy café.

Sometimes a crime is so horrifying you are at a loss of what to say.  Sending love and prayers to the those who are the victims of this horrendous tragedy. 

O GOD of mercy, bless all who live in the face of acts of terrorism.  Grant them courage to go about their daily living.  Give them hope that one day the hostility will cease.  Guard the defenseless, especially the children and the elderly, the infirm and the weak.  Bring peace to their homes and faith into their hearts.  Amen. 

Due to popular demand, the captivating giant screen film Jerusalem, presented by National Geographic Entertainment, returned to Fernbank’s IMAX® Theatre on November 21. Jerusalem has now surpassed $7 million in box office sales worldwide. This success is due in part to the film’s success at Fernbank, as the Museum has remained a top 10 grossing theatre worldwide. This special film is showing in conjunction with Fernbank’s Winter Wonderland exhibition, making the Museum the perfect place to spend the holidays.

Jerusalem is a place like no other: sacred to half the people on earth; fought over more than any other site in history; conquered and destroyed, rebuilt and reinvented repeatedly over 5,000 years. Now, for the first-time ever, a new giant screen film adventure presented by National Geographic Entertainment immerses audiences in a spectacular cinematic journey—soaring high above the Holy Land and plunging deep into the vibrant Old City—so they can experience as never before the iconic sites cherished by billions.

Jerusalem, now showing at Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s IMAX Theatre through February 12, is a breathtaking new film that explores on a grand scale the intersection of science, history and religion in this ancient, enigmatic place.

Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch ("Star Trek into the Darkness," PBS’s "Sherlock"), Jerusalem gives audiences a rare glimpse of the storied city, as well as exclusive access to iconic holy sites—including the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Jordan River, the Sea of Galilee, and the mountain fortress of Masada—and to little-known parts of the region.

Special access is one of the unique aspects of the film. Filmmakers were granted permission to capture aerial images over the Old City of Jerusalem, and throughout the Holy Land. A strict no-fly zone has existed over the region for many years, restricting low-altitude filming. Once secured, the filmmakers launched a major campaign in both Hebrew and Arabic to notify the public weeks before filming began.
 “Jerusalem embodies National Geographic’s commitment to tell visually compelling stories that foster greater understanding and appreciation of world cultures, history, science and geography,” said Lisa Truitt, president of National Geographic Entertainment, the film’s distributor.

"Through the unrivaled beauty, visceral nature and incredible technology of giant screen cameras, we were able to compose the images and move the camera in a way that makes you feel as if you are experiencing Jerusalem first-hand," said Daniel Ferguson, Writer/Director. "We were thrilled with the opportunity to provide audiences with the story of the Old City on this grand scale, and offer unique perspectives, aerials and access to this part of the world in a way you could never get in any other format."

Jerusalem presents the story from many perspectives—interviewing a prominent archaeologist and following real-life inhabitants of the ancient city to explore the enduring appeal of this unique crossroads of civilization.

With thousands of archaeological sites, Jerusalem is one of the most excavated cities on the planet, with so much more waiting to be discovered. Since 2010, the Jerusalem production team has followed several of the most impressive excavations in and around Jerusalem, documenting their progress as well as the tools used to uncover and understand the past.

The film features renowned archaeologist and religious studies professor Dr. Jodi Magness of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who explains the many layers that chronicle this important crossroads of civilizations.  In the film, Dr. Magness leads a group of students through an ancient water tunnel beneath the biblical-era city of Jerusalem, which conveyed water from the Gihon Spring outside the city walls to the residents of the city in the event of a siege by an invading army. She also gives audiences a tour of excavations around the Western Wall, marveling at one of the greatest feats of engineering in the ancient world.

Audiences will also meet three teenagers who call Jerusalem home—Farah Ammouri, Revital Zacharie, and Nadia Tadros—from each of the three major world religions that share the Old City.  From the Damascus Gate and the Dome of the Rock, to the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the girls each reveal the Holy City from their own perspective.

For those of the Jewish faith, Jerusalem represents their homeland.  Every synagogue in the world faces Jerusalem, and three times a day, Jews pray towards the temples that once stood here above “the Kotel” or Western Wall. They believe prayers pass through the Kotel to God.

For Christians, Jerusalem is the place where Jesus was arrested and sentenced to death nearby in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Via Dolorosa, or ‘Way of Sorrows,’ is said to be the path Jesus took on his way to crucifixion.

For Muslims, Jerusalem is the city of the prophets. Muslims believe that Mohammed was taken on a miraculous journey from Mecca to Jerusalem where he ascended to Heaven on a ladder of light, which they associate with the “Dome of the Rock."

Using the highest resolution cinematography in the world, Jerusalem captures each of these beloved places and takes audiences there as never before. For thousands of years, people of different faiths have been drawn to this Holy City. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Jerusalem.

The 43-minute large format film was executive produced by the late Jake Eberts, legendary producer of movies such as “Gandhi,” “Chariots of Fire,” and “Dances with Wolves”; produced by Taran Davies, George Duffield and Daniel Ferguson; and written and directed by Daniel Ferguson. Large format industry veteran Reed Smoot, ASC, is Director of Photography
.
Jerusalem will show daily at Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s IMAX® Theatre from November 21, 2014 until February 12, 2015. IMAX tickets are $13 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, $11 for children 12 and younger, and $8 for Museum members. Upgrade to a Value Pass (includes IMAX and Museum admission) to see Winter Wonderland and enjoy two great global experiences with one visit. (See Value Pass prices at fernbankmuseum.org).

Fernbank Museum of Natural History and the 5-story-tall Rankin M. Smith Sr. IMAX Theatre are located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Tickets and visitor information are available at www.fernbankmuseum.orghttp://www.fernbankmuseum.org">www.fernbankmuseum.org
> and 404.929.6300.

Fernbank Museum Announces 75-Acre Expansion to Visitor Experience

Today, Fernbank Museum of Natural History is announcing significant expansion plans, which include 75 acres of outdoor experiences. The announcement largely focuses on 10 acres of all-new outdoor experiences, environments and activities, set to open in summer 2016 along with expanded access to Fernbank Forest.

The new outdoor adventure experience will occupy the 10 acres of mature woodlands behind the Museum’s terrace overlook. Fernbank’s expansion will allow visitors to experience the same level of immersive, fun and engaging programming Fernbank is already known for in a new, outdoor setting.

The outdoor expansion will offer incredible new experiences for all ages as visitors explore extraordinary landscapes along with a five-story change in elevation—from dramatic vantage points high in the trees to footpaths winding through rugged, ever-changing terrain. Experiences will include dramatic tree pods, imaginative play areas, immersive ground trails, unique sensory stations, elevated adventure nets, hands-on water cycle activities, a restored wetland, and “floating” walkways.

“We are thrilled to expand our offerings with this new outdoor attraction. This is a rare opportunity to connect our visitors with a truly authentic nature experience, right here inside the city," said Susan Neugent, Fernbank president and CEO. "This is the most significant development at Fernbank since the Museum opened, and we can’t wait for our visitors to experience this fun and invigorating encounter with nature."

The new permanent feature highlights Fernbank’s extraordinary environmental legacy, which began 75 years ago when Trustees organized to preserve Fernbank Forest, one of America’s largest old-growth urban forests.

The outdoor adventure area will open in conjunction with increased access to the 65-acre forest. Construction for the outdoor adventure will not impact Fernbank Forest, where the Museum is currently leading a research-based restoration that includes removal of more than 45 harmful invasive species and restoration of many native species that have largely disappeared.

Fernbank’s outdoor expansion will be included with museum admission at no extra charge and will be free for Museum Members. To learn more about the Fernbank Forest restoration and the upcoming experience, visit www.fernbankmuseum.org.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Directions and other visitor information can be found at fernbankmuseum.org.

FORMER DC MAYOR MARION BARRY DIES AT 78...

DC's very own "Mayor for Life" passed away this morning at age 78.

LaToya Foster, a family spokeswoman, said Barry was discharged from Howard University Hospital at around 6:30 p.m. but said she believed Barry had stayed at the hospital watching television for a time after his discharge. His driver, she said, took him to get something to eat before taking him to his home.

Barry collapsed while walking into his home, Foster said. The driver called for paramedics, who took him to United Medical Center. Cora Barry came to the scene and accompanied him in the ambulance, Foster said.

Barry arrived in cardiac arrest and could not be revived before expiring.

Barry started out as a good politician, but overtime he became increasingly arrogant and corrupt.

Barry started out as a good politician, and over time he became increasingly arrogant and corrupt, climaxing with the outrageous video of him using cocaine while cheating on his wife. He fell into every single stereotype possible.  

The Emperor's Amnesty Speech

My synopsis of the Emperor's speech last night

I have my pen and my cell phone and I've heard what the voters have to say and I'm going to do what I want anyway.  Thus it is written..... Thus it shall be done.

Our response should be:

WHEN, President Obama, do you mean to cease abusing our patience? How long is that madness of yours still to mock us? When is there to be an end of that unbridled audacity of yours, swaggering about as it does now? Do not the nightly guards placed on the Palatine Hill—do not the watches posted throughout the city—does not the alarm of the people, and the union of all good men—does not the precaution taken of assembling the senate in this most defensible place—do not the looks and countenances of this venerable body here present, have any effect upon you? Do you not feel that your plans are detected? Do you not see that your conspiracy is already arrested and rendered powerless by the knowledge which every one here possesses of it? What is there that you did last night, what the night before—where is it that you were—who was there that you summoned to meet you—what design was there which was adopted by you, with which you think that any one of us is unacquainted?

(from the first oration against Catiline by Cicero)

Winter Wonderland at Fernbank Museum

This holiday season, Fernbank Museum of Natural History features several ways to celebrate with fun and unique events. Fernbank’s holiday programming includes the Winter Wonderland: Celebrations & Traditions Around the World exhibition, a Winter Wonderland Celebration Day, Winter Wonderland evening viewing hours during Martinis & IMAX®, Holly Jolly Activities and holiday shopping in the Museum Store.

Winter Wonderland

On view from November 21, 2014 through January 11, 2015, the fifth annual Winter Wonderland exhibition includes two floors of festive trees and displays decorated by cultural partners to reflect traditions and holidays celebrated by cultures everywhere. Twinkling with lights, glimmering with color and shining with a variety of cultural objects, more than 30 trees and other displays recognize the diversity of celebrations, holidays, traditions and events from around the world. The exhibition highlights cultural celebrations from North America, South America, Africa, Europe, The Caribbean, Mediterranean and Middle East.

Winter Wonderland Celebration Day

Special festivities kick off with a Winter Wonderland Celebration Day on Saturday, November 22 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., where families can enjoy a special day of cultural and holiday-themed performances from The Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker Ensemble, the Chien Hong School of Kung Fu and Peruvian group Apu Inka.

Holly Jolly Activities

The fun continues on weekends from November 29 through December 21 with Holly Jolly Activities, featuring a Puppet Factory hosted by The Center for Puppetry Arts on Saturdays from noon until 2 p.m., winter-themed Tadpole Tales on December 27 and 28 at 1:30 p.m. and classic holiday cartoons every weekend. Films include:

A Charlie Brown Christmas on November 29-30,

‘Tis the Season to be Smurfy on December 6-7,

A Flintstone  Family Christmas on December 13-14,

How the Grinch Stole Christmas  on December 20-21, and

Disney's Sing Along Songs: Very Merry Christmas every weekend from November 29 – December 14 and daily from December 19–24.

Martinis & IMAX® Evening Viewing Hours

Adults can enjoy music, films, small plates, a nip from a yuletide toddy and more as they enjoy evening viewing hours of Winter Wonderland during Martinis & IMAX® on November 21, December 5, December 12 and December 19 from 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Holiday Shopping

For those searching for a perfect gift, Fernbank’s Museum Store offers a variety of gift ideas, including dinosaur merchandise, jewelry, activity books, science kits, games, toys, ornaments and more. Fernbank also offers gift memberships and gift certificates. The Museum Store’s annual holiday sale offers an additional 10% off store purchases for Museum members on December 6 and 7, 2014.

Tickets and Other Information

All Winter Wonderland activities are included with Museum admission and are free for members. Evening viewing hours during Martinis & IMAX® are included with cover charge tickets as well as with IMAX® film tickets. The Museum Store is available for shoppers without the need for a ticket.

Museum admission is $18 for adults, $17 for students/seniors, $16 for children ages 3 to 12, free for children ages 2 and younger and free for Museum Members. Martinis & IMAX® prices are $8 for cover charge or $13 for an IMAX® film ticket, which includes a free cover charge.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Tickets and visitor information are available at www.fernbankmuseum.org and 404.929.6300. Fernbank Museum will be closed on Nov. 27 and Dec. 5 but will enjoy regular, daily operating hours throughout the remaining holiday season.

Winter Wonderland is made possible in part by the Nissan Foundation to support cultural learning.

The Winter Wonderland Celebration Day is sponsored by Publix Super Markets Charities Inc.

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The President Who Would Be King

A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, “We do not want this man to be our king.” But when he returned after obtaining the kingship … [He said] “Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me” (Luke 19:12,14, 27-28).

Despite the fact that the Democrats were lost on a large scale in the last election, President Obama has decided to take his "pen" and RULE by Executive Order.  

Once upon a time his highness said:  I can just suspend deportations through executive order, that’s just not the case, because there are laws on the books that Congress has passed. we’ve got three branches of government. Congress passes the law. The executive branch’s job is to enforce and implement those laws. And then the judiciary has to interpret the laws.

There are enough laws on the books by Congress that are very clear in terms of how we have to enforce our immigration system that for me to simply through executive order ignore those congressional mandates would not conform with my appropriate role as President.  I’m not a king. I am the head of the executive branch of government. I’m required to follow the law.

It appears that all that gobble-de-gook about following the law is now out the window.

Obama has invited senior lawmakers to the White House for dinner Wednesday night so that he can explain his plans to use executive authority to change the nation’s immigration laws.

His Majesty invited Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the leaders of the congressional Asian, Black and Hispanic caucuses, but did not invite Republican leaders to  the meeting.

The Emperor's immigration order would provide illegal immigrants with the exact benefits Congress has repeatedly rejected:  Social Security numbers, photo IDs and work permits--which will allow them to legally compete for the scarce number of jobs in this failing economy with Americans allowing him to fiddle while the US economy burns.

Then again King Obama sees all of us peasants as STUPID AMERICANS.  Just ask Gruber he'll tell you.  

Swept Up In Blog Sweeps

Here are some of the blog sweepstakes I've entered today:

*  The folks at The Best of Disney are giving">http://is.gd/DxM6Zi">giving away
a 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival – Disney Trading Pin Set
* The Folks at WDW Hints are giving away a $25 Disney Gift Card AND a choice of either a Frozen Calendar or Mickey Mouse Calendar

*  Win a Disney Themed Halloween Wreath.   This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 and older. The theme of the wreath may vary but it will be Disney and it will be Halloween.

*  Win one for your family! Spend two nights at Nickelodeon Suites Resort, a wild, wacky, and family-focused hotel with 24 acres dedicated to imagination, play and exploration. Make the weekend even more special and experience the magic of Walt Disney World with a $500 Disney gift card!

A Timeless Affair at Fernbank Museum

ATLANTA, September 16, 2014 – Fernbank Museum of Natural History ­­­­­­­will host its annual black-tie fundraising gala, A Timeless Affair 2014: The Witching Hour on Saturday, October 4, 2014 from 7 p.m. to midnight. The evening will honor the dedicated support of Maria and Ralph de la Vega.

Event Chairs, Burch and Mark Hanson and Amanda and Jody Tucker, along with a stellar Planning Committee, are organizing a night of enchantment that includes live music from The Rupert’s Orchestra, a sunset cocktail hour, seated dinner with wine service and open bars, silent and live auctions, dancing and a private viewing of the fall exhibition Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear.

A Timeless Affair 2014: The Witching Hour draws inspiration from this incredible new special exhibition, which examines how the body and brain work together to respond to the universal emotion of fear. The Goose Bumps exhibit features a variety of exciting, scientific and risk-free activities, including falling backwards, mysterious boxes, sudden noises and other interactive ways to safely test why we have fears.

“It is truly a joy to be a part of such an influential organization that contributes so much to our community,” said event chair Burch Hanson. “We are so proud of this event, and we know that the guests at Timeless this year will have a fantastic time supporting their community.”

As always, this gala will provide Atlantans with the opportunity to have an amazing time, while also furthering Fernbank Museum’s mission to educate and inspire all ages through world-class cultural and scientific programming.

“We are so grateful to serve the community through Fernbank Museum,” said event chair Amanda Tucker. “It is our hope that you will come experience this special cornerstone of the Atlanta community during this special event.”

Patron levels begin at $1,600 and tables of 10 begin at $12,000. Individual tickets are $500. Learn more about this enchanted evening by visiting the website. For tickets, please contact Catherine Stolarski at 404.929.6376 or development@fernbankmuseum.orghttp://www.development@fernbankmuseum.org">development@fernbankmuseum.org
>.Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Directions and other visitor information can be found at fernbankmuseum.orghttp://www.fernbankmuseum.org">fernbankmuseum.org
>.

Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear Opens September 27, 2014

Are you curious about coulrophobia? Paranoid about pyrophobia? Avidly avoiding aviophobia? Regardless of its source, we all share the same biological response to fear. Fernbank Museum’s newest special exhibition, Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear (on view September 27, 2014 –January 4, 2015), will provide a thrilling opportunity to test what sparks the instinct of fear in a fun and safe environment.

Goose Bumps! is the first comprehensive exhibition on fear that engages visitors through a series of interactive and immersive challenges. Guests will have the opportunity to watch a play-back video of their reaction to a sudden “bang,” test their fear of falling backwards, reach into an eerie box of unknown contents, and explore whether fear keeps us safe or hinders our survival. 

“Most people know what scares them, whether it’s an instinctual or learned fear,” said Lynn Anders, Fernbank’s Education Programs Manager. “But most people might not pay attention to the physical responses—beyond getting goose bumps—that our bodies go through when we feel frightened. This exhibition lets you safely experience a hint of fear while explaining why that reaction happens.”

The Goose Bumps! experience begins in the Fear Lab with an introduction by the kid-friendly “host” Mr. Goose Bumps. The Fear Lab demonstrates how the brain and body work together through hands-on activities, video and exhibit interactives.

The Challenge Course allows guests to face four common fears through immersive displays. The first challenge, Fear of Animals, dares guests to reach into concealed terrariums that might house a creepy-crawly creature. In Fear of Electric Shock, the challenge comes from the anticipation of getting zapped by a jolt of electricity. The Fear of Loud Noises challenge demonstrates how this instinctive fear can help keep us out of harm’s way. And the Fear of Falling challenge allows guests to experience a sudden loss of support (while safely strapped in) and then watch a video recording of their reaction.

Additional interactive elements also provide opportunities for guests to explore the facial expressions of fear; participate in a virtual predator vs. prey game; discover how fears, both real and perceived, can be spread and the impact they have on society; and how to cope with fear in extreme situations.

“Goose Bumps! is a truly interactive experience, allowing guests opportunities to safely investigate their own fears, as well as those of their friends and family,” Anders said.  “Like the allure of extreme sports and haunted houses, this exhibition piques the curiosities of people as they learn more about why we experience fear—and it garners a lot of belly laughs when competitive friends and families enjoy the experience together.”

Special Programming

*  Celebrate the opening of Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear on Saturday, September 27 with a day of family fun, including hands-on activities, games and more.

*  Enjoy a frighteningly fun time at the annual family Halloween event Fernbank BOO-seum Trick-or-Treat on Saturday, October 24.

*  Enjoy an adults-only night of spooky fun at Martinis & IMAX® Fright Night on Friday, October 31.

Evening Viewing Hours

Special evening viewing hours will be available during Martinis & IMAX® on Fridays from 6:30-10 p.m. Separate ticket purchase required. Tickets to Goose Bumps! during Friday-night Martinis & IMAX® are $11, which include the cover charge, are free for members, and are $18 when combined with the purchase of an IMAX® ticket.

Ticket Information

Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear is free with Museum admission. Museum ticket prices are $18 for adults, $17 for students/seniors, $16 for children ages 3-12 and free for children ages two and under. Discounted tickets are available for groups of 10 or more. Fernbank members receive free Museum admission as well as discounted IMAX® tickets. Annual family memberships begin at $120.

Special Group Opportunities

The highly engaging atmosphere of Goose Bumps is even more fun with groups. Special tickets prices are available for both educational and non-educational groups of 10 or more. Details available online at fernbankmuseum.org/goosebumpshttp://www.fernbankmuseum.org/goosebumps">fernbankmuseum.org/goosebumps
>.
About Fernbank Museum

Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. For tickets and visitor information, visit fernbankmuseum.org or call 404.929.6400. Visitors can also connect with Fernbank Museum by downloading the Fernbank app, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear was developed by the California Science Center and supported, in part, by the Informal Science Education program of the National Science Foundation under grant ESI-0515470. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the National Science Foundation.

# # #

#WhyIStayed

 

Today the Hashtag #WhyIStayed was trending so I added my contribution.  I was shocked at the reaction I received.  I was even interviewed on twitter by the folks on the Opie & Andy Show

https://twitter.com/thriftymaven/status/509285173075402752

I was also asked if I minded if a Huffington Post writer could use my tweet as part of her article.  I agreed and you will find it here.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/09/whyistayed-twitter-domestic-violence_n_5790320.html

I was also contacted by the @CNNWire.

My story appears here:

http://elitedaily.com/women/survivor-of-domestic-violence/748567/

Let me share with you why I stayed.  I tried to keep it short so I left out various events but I want to share this with you so that you know you can leave.  It won't be easy but it can be done.

They say you repeat what you know and that was certainly true for me.  I grew up in a violent home and I desperately wanted someone to love me, someone to care about me, someone to protect me.  When I was nineteen years old I thought I met that man.

At first it was like a fairy tale including the handsome prince.  Lots of girls noticed him but he was only interested in me.  He told me I was beautiful and showered me with attention and then just as suddenly it all stopped.

I didn’t understand but he outlined the problems in our relationship.  I was spending too much time working and going to school and not enough time with him he told me through his tears.  I quit college that week as well as quitting my part-time job. 

From that point on it was a matter of what didn’t suit him and how I would prove my love.  I allowed him to control what I wore, how I would conduct myself, and with whom I would associate with.  Violations would be met swiftly at first with threatened break-ups and accusations that I was pushing him into the arms of other women. 

The arguments were loud and threatening but later when he decided that I had caused him to go too far he’d hold me in his arms and sob “I don’t want us to fight but if you didn’t …….” (fill in the blank) 

The pushing and shoving began after we married.  I would walk around almost as silent as a Trappist monk so as not to raise his ire but you could feel the tension in the home begin to rise as he would let me know how stupid I was or how much prettier some strange woman was than me.  Finally he would pick an argument which eventually led to pushing and shoving or banging me against the wall before he stormed out of the house to be with his friends or another woman.

When he’d come back the “Honeymoon Phase” was in full force with flowers and tender words.  The promises of change and love would make me wonder we had ever fought over such petty things.   It was during one of these honeymoon periods I got pregnant with our son.

At first he was excited about the pregnancy but in quick order that changed. I came home from work one day to find another woman in my house and the next thing I knew I was thrown to the floor and kicked over and over.  My crime was yelling at her.

I was hardly able to move and I almost miscarried but he wouldn’t take me to the hospital and threw our phone over the balcony.  I left a few days later when I felt well enough to get around and headed to my Grandma’s house. 

He arrived later to let me know he would take my baby from me if I didn’t come home.    Days later through tears he told me he’d kill himself if I didn’t come back.  Then a few later he begged for a chance to be the husband and father he knew he could be. 

That didn’t last long.  When I went home I was not allowed access to the phone but he would talk to his girlfriend and degrade me while I carried his child.  If I complained he’d get in my face telling me that I was crazy there was no girlfriend. He’d say I was stupid to think anyone else would want me.  He reminded me that I was lucky to have him.

My son was born prematurely and had to remain in the hospital which my ex-husband used to his advantage. He swore he’d use that in court to get custody.  With my post partum blues, a baby who almost died when he was born and the verbal abuse I thought about killing myself because I felt like a failure.

The night he almost killed me, we were putting our bed frame together when the phone rang.  I’d been allowed phone privileges and so I reached for the phone.  It was his girlfriend and I said, “Please stop calling here.” And I began to cry as I slammed the phone down.

He demanded to know who was on the phone and I snapped “your girlfriend that doesn’t exist.”  That was it and all bets were off.  He pushed me into the wall and my head bounced back toward him.  This angered him and he pushed me down again.  This time he had me on the ground kicking me, sometimes in the head but aiming for my stomach which still had stitches from my c-section.  I tried to crawl away but he kept kicking and yelling at me.  Somehow I got up and I made a dash for the door.   In that split second I tripped forward just as a slat from the metal bed frame wooshed past my head and embedded itself in the wall.  Years later I still have a photo of that whole with my head next to it that I had a friend help me take to remember how close I had come.

I screamed “Please don’t kill me.”  I was bruised and bleeding and I prayed that he just make the last blow quickly but he stepped over me and walked out screaming at me “Why can’t you F’ing see what you do to me.  Why do you have to push me like you do?’

He left before the police got there and back then cops would not arrest unless they saw the abuse happening.  I got a friend to help me grab as much as I could the next day and fled. I took photos and filed charges.

I had a week of respite before he called begging me to come back but I refused to speak to him.  I just couldn’t keep living like this and I refused to put my baby through this. 

I got the courage of a momma bear and began the baby steps towards my future.  I worked two jobs and got an education degree.  Truly I was stronger than I ever knew but I wouldn’t have been able to do it  without my faith, family, and friends that stood by me and encouraged me. 

Fernbank Museum Changes September to Shark-tember

Fernbank Museum of Natural History (fernbankmuseum.org) is turning the month of September into “Shark-tember” to celebrate the IMAX® film Great White Shark. Shark-tember will include an entire month of activities, crafts and fun giveaways!

 

Throughout September, Fernbank will be hosting Shark Tooth Sundays, a special shark tooth giveaway offering the first 150 children visitors each Sunday a free souvenir from their favorite IMAX® film. Guests are also encouraged to drop by the Museum store for more shark-themed goodies.

 

On Saturdays from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. the Museum’s educators will host special shark-themed activities as part of Weekend Wonders. This program will encourage children to learn more about these magnificent creatures and their ocean home through real artifacts, crafts, investigations and more.

 

Fernbank will be hosting special shark-themed versions of Tadpole Tales on September 20 starting at 11:30 a.m. and September 21 starting at 1:30 p.m. This fun program is allows preschoolers to enjoy a story with a Fernbank educator along with a special activity or song.

 

Did you know that the shark tooth is Georgia’s official state fossil? For more fun facts like this, stop by our shark-themed Fossil Discovery Cart. These Science Discovery carts are led by the Museum’s youth volunteers who engage guests in hands-on discoveries and discussions. 

 

Great White Shark takes viewers into the world of one of the most intriguing creatures on earth while showcasing the beauty, power and importance of great white sharks within the ocean’s ecosystem. Fernbank’s five-story IMAX® screen puts visitors eye to eye with great white sharks in what’s possibly the most realistic shark diving experience you can get on land.

 

More details and Shark-tember activities are available at FernbankMuseum.org. 

 

 

Purchase tickets online or by calling 404.929.6400.

 

Great White Shark will show daily at Fernbank’s IMAX® Theatre from June 13-October 16, 2014. Extended show times available Fridays during Martinis & IMAX®. IMAX® tickets are $13 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, $11 for children 12 and younger, and $8 for Museum members. Add a Museum ticket as part of a Value Pass for extra savings (see Value Pass prices at www.fernbankmuseum.org). (most of these activities are provided with museum admission so you’d be better off listing Value Pass tickets and not IMAX tickets.)

 

About Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s IMAX® Theatre

Fernbank Museum of Natural History and the 5-story-tall Rankin M. Smith Sr. IMAX® Theatre are located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Call 404.929.6400 or visit fernbankmuseum.org to purchase tickets.

FERNBANK MUSEUM TO OPEN ‘PANDAS: THE JOURNEY HOME’

On September 2, Fernbank Museum (FernbankMuseum.org) will premiere Pandas: The Journey Home on its five-story IMAX® screen, giving audiences a unique glimpse into one of the most incredible conservation efforts in human history. Pandas: The Journey Home, a groundbreaking natural history film, captures the highly endangered giant pandas living in Wolong National Nature Reserve in the People’s Republic of China.

 

The giant panda is one of the rarest species on our planet. Shy, elusive and gentle creatures, they once ranged in great numbers between Beijing and the Himalayas. But now, after centuries of human expansion and destruction of their habitat, the giant pandas are on the brink of extinction, with fewer than 1,600 remaining. The giant panda scientists’ goal: to increase the numbers in captivity and, far more ambitiously, to return pandas to the wild—in their natural home.

 

Narrated by actress Joely Richardson, the 40-minute large format film Pandas: The Journey Home follows the pandas at a significant milestone in their history. After decades of captive breeding, the Wolong National Nature Reserve has hit its target number of 300 giant pandas and now must tackle the challenge of reintroducing breeding populations of the species into the wild.

 

Filmmakers were given unrivalled access to the Wolong National Nature Reserve with the support of the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association and the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda. With permission to film the rare release of a giant panda bred in captivity, the film follows follow a group of giant pandas being prepared for the wild in a mountain habitat, a first for a Western film crew. Alongside the natural breeding program, the film also captures the captive breeding program, including footage of newborns, young giant pandas playing, and methods of encouraging giant pandas to mate. With this iconic creature so close to extinction, Pandas: The Journey Home is an extraordinary picture of how giant pandas live and the astonishing measures conservationists are taking to ensure their future.

 

“Pandas: The Journey Home will give audiences insight into the extraordinary strides that have been made towards saving the giant panda in the wild, but will also convey that much work has yet to be done,” said Lisa Truitt, president of National Geographic Cinema Ventures (NGCV).

 

Directed by Nicolas Brown (Human Planet) and produced by Caroline Hawkins (Meerkats 3D), Pandas: The Journey Home, is an Oxford Scientific Films Production for National Geographic Entertainment and Sky 3D, in association with the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association, Wolong Panda Conservation Centre, CCTV9 and Nat Geo WILD.

 

“Fernbank Museum is thrilled to be able to offer such an important film to the Atlanta community,” said Lynn Anders, Fernbank Museum’s Animal Programs Manager, “This film will provide the opportunity to learn more about these fascinating creatures and how we can all impact the conservation of endangered species across the world.”

 

IMAX® tickets are $13 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, $11 for children 12 and younger, and $8 for Museum members.

 

Fernbank Museum of Natural History and the 5-story-tall Rankin M. Smith Sr. IMAX® Theatre are located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Tickets and visitor information are available at www.fernbankmuseum.org and 404.929.6300.