Fernbank Museum Announces Holiday Programming, Events and Annual WINTER WONDERLAND Exhibition

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

HOLIDAY EXHIBITION:

On view from November 22, 2013 through January 5, 2014, the fourth annual Winter Wonderland exhibition includes more than 30 festive trees 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, Winter Wonderland: Celebrations & Traditions Around the World recognizes the diversity of celebrations, holidays, traditions and events that cultures recognize here and abroad. Cultures highlighted in the exhibition include cultures 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 23 from 10 am – 2 pm, where families can enjoy a special day of cultural and holiday-themed performances and activities inspired by Winter Wonderland.

HOLLY JOLLY FILM FEST:

The fun continues on Saturdays from November 30 through December 21 with the Holly Jolly Film Fest, hosted by Santa-saurus. See some of your favorite holiday films in Fernbank’s auditorium theater during this special family-friendly celebration. The festival includes film screenings, holiday-themed crafts, giveaways, a Dinosaur Dance Party with Radio Disney, and a chance to take a picture with the holly-jollyest dinosaur of all, Santa-saurus.

Screenings for the Holly Jolly Film Fest include:

Saturday, November 30
A Charlie Brown Christmas
10:30am, 11:30am and 1:30pm

Saturday, December 7
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
10:30am, 11:30am and 1:30pm

Saturday, December 14
The Year Without Santa Claus
10:30am, 11:30am and 1:30pm

Saturday, December 21
A Charlie Brown Christmas
10:30am, 11:30am and 1:30pm


HOLIDAY SHOPPING IN THE FERNBANK MUSEUM STORE:

Fernbank’s Museum Store offers a variety of gift ideas, including dinosaur merchandise, jewelry, activity books, science kits, games, toys, ornaments, and more. The Museum Store’s annual holiday sale offers an additional 10% off store purchases for members only from November 30-December 7, 2013.

MARTINIS & IMAX, FEATURING EVENING WINTER WONDERLAND 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: Celebrations & Traditions Around the World during Martinis & IMAX on November 22, November 29 and December 20 from 6:30 p.m.-11 p.m.

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 main Museum Store is available for shoppers without the need for a ticket.

Museum admission is $17.50 for adults, $16.50 for students/seniors, $15.50 for children ages 3 to 12, free for children ages 2 and younger, and free for Museum Members. Martinis & IMAX prices are $7 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.

Everyone's a Scientist at Fernbank Museum's Science at Hand Day Nov. 9

Oct. 31, 2013—ATLANTA—Astronomy, biology, chemistry—oh my! Which of the sciences will you try? On Saturday, November 9, 2013, Fernbank Museum of Natural History gives visitors a chance to explore everything that’s cool about being a scientist with its annual Science at Hand Day. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. visitors will discover a variety of scientific fields and investigate what it’s like to be a scientist. Guests will enjoy one-on-one opportunities to talk with scientists and community volunteers, learn more about sciences through hands-on activities, and more.

Scheduled Activities and Partners Include:*

Earthquake Engineering Research Institute - Georgia Tech Chapter

Build structures and test their stability in earthquakes. Simulate earthquakes and observe their impacts. Is there such a thing as an earthquake-proof building?"

Clayton State Chemistry Club

Marvel at the magic of chemistry—make electrons flow through clay, and separate mixtures to reveal beautiful pictures.

Clayton State SEEDS Chapter

Explore the science of ecology and how everything on our planet is connected.


Astronomy Club at Georgia State University

Investigate the wonders of our solar system and all the remarkable objects within it.

Clayton County Water Authority

Learn more about the water we drink and where it comes from.  Why are wetlands important for water, animals and plants?

Emory University – NSF Center for Selective C-H Functionalization

Caffeinated Chemistry? See what happens when a slow reaction gets a boost through a process called catalysis.

Georgia Tech Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

Experience a game that simulates a range of driving experiences. Also enjoy a "What's wrong with this picture?" game to show how designs can be confusing to users.

Georgia State Neuroscience Institute

What do brains do? Check out animal brains, and build one of your own out of dough.

NSF/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution

Get messy and hands-on with scientific paradigms. How would you expect sand to behave in water? What about cornstarch and water?

Authors of Roadside Geology of Georgia (Roadside Geology Series)
10am-2pm
Meet the authors of the new Roadside Geology of Georgia (Roadside Geology Series), Dr. Pamela Gore and Dr. Bill Witherspoon. Pick up your copy of the book in Fernbank’s gift shop and have it signed by the authors.

ArchaeoBus
10am-2pm
The ArchaeoBus is a travelling emissary for the Society for Georgia Archaeology, bringing dynamic educational programs to students and people around the state. Come explore Georgia’s Mobile Archaeology Classroom!

Walk Through Time with Roadside Geology of Georgia
1pm, A Walk Through Time in Georgia, Entry Level
See the Fernbank exhibition A Walk Through Time in Georgia in a new light as co-author of Roadside Geology of Georgia, Dr. Bill Witherspoon leads guests through the exhibit.  Meet at the exhibition Orientation Desk for what is sure to be a one of a kind experience.

All Science at Hand Day activities are included with Museum admission and are free for members. Tickets are $17.50 for adults, $16.50 for students/seniors, $15.50 for children ages 3-12, and free for children 2 and younger.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Tickets and visitor information are available at www.fernbankmuseum.org or 404.929.6300 (info) / 404.929.6400 (tickets).

Events, activities and chances to win are also posted on Facebook (facebook.com/FernbankMuseum) and Twitter (@fernbankmusuem).

Support for Fernbank’s Science at Hand Day provided The GM Foundation.

*Activities are subject to change without notice.

Fernbank Museum Becomes Fernbank Boo-Seum for Annual Halloween Event

Dust off those costumes, practice your monster-mash and prepare your teeth for sugar overload. Fernbank Museum of Natural History will be full of festivities as it hosts the annual family event, Fernbank Boo-seum, on Saturday, October 26, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will include Halloween-themed activities, tricks, and treats for kids in costumes.*


Activities include: **

Halloween Treats
Beginning at 10 am, while supplies last
Look for special treat stations throughout the Museum. Treats vary from candy to small toys. (May contain small parts.)

Radio Disney
noon – 2 pm, Great Hall
Enjoy kid-friendly entertainment for the whole family.

Games
10 am – 2 pm, Great Hall
Try your hand at Scary Boo-ling, Pin the Eye on the Monster, Monster Toss and more. We’ll also have a Creepy Coloring Corner perfect for little monsters.

Georgia Bubbleman
10 am – 1 pm, Dinosaur Plaza
Those aren’t ghosts floating around the plaza. They are giant bubbles courtesy of the Georgia Bubbleman.

Giggy Mascot
10 am – 2 pm
Fernbank’s own dinosaur, Giggy, will be roaming throughout the event for fun and pictures.

Dem Bones Counting Contest
10 am – 2 pm 
Check out Argentinosaurus, the world’s largest plant-eating dinosaur. Tell us your best guest for the total number of bones in Argentinosaurus for a chance to win a special Dinosaur Prize Pack.

Temporary Tattoos
10 am – 2 pm 
You don’t have to be a one-eyed, one-horned, flying, purple people eater to enjoy these whimsical temporary monster tattoos.

Cost: All Fernbank BOO-seum activities are included with Museum admission and are free for members. Admission to Fernbank is $17.50 for adults, $16.50 for students and seniors with ID, $15.50 for children ages 3 to 12 and FREE for children 2 and under.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. For tickets and visitor information, visit www.fernbankmuseum.org.

*Treats available while supplies last.  



**Activities subject to change without notice.

Ted Cruz's Epic Filibuster Against ObamaCare Ends

Ted Cruz's Obamacare ended his extended  oratory after twenty-one hours.  Shortly thereafter John McCain ripped into him insisting that the people had spoken and we shouldn't try to be closing down the government.

Perhaps McCain didn't read the legislation sent by the House which seeks to defund Obamacare while at the same time keeps open the government and allows it to continue running.

I for one am proud of my Senator from Texas because he has demonstrated that he has the cajones to stand up to the entrenched bureaucracy of elitists on both sides of the aisle. Cruz refused to be bullied by Harry Reid, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, or Lindsey Graham.  

I stand with CRUZ.  He's absolutely correct when he states that Congress needs to do a better job at listening to the people of America.  

Make DC Listen

Ted Cruz, Republican from Texas, began his filibuster at 2.40pm  ET today.  Cruz has vowed to speak as long as possible to stop the “cloture” vote in hopes of putting the brakes on Obamacare.

While Cruz acknowledges that his efforts will do little to block Obamacare funding, he makes clear that he is echoing the voices of his constituents that have been pleading to "make DC listen".

Cruz dressed down his fellow Senators by letting them know that  the American people are frustrated because their elected officials do not listen.

"Most Americans could not give a flying flip about a bunch of politicians in Washington.  Almost all of us are in cheap suits with bad chair cuts."

Polls tend to show that a pluality of voters disapprove of Obamacare and do NOT trust the government to run their healthcare because it was sold to us on fairy dust and lies.  Many Americans understand Obamacare is too intrusive on our privacy and they do NOT wish to have the government deciding their family's healthcare.  Many Americans have already had their insurance rates raised and seen the quality of the medical care reduced.

There are many polls that show that Americans don't trust the government to run their healthcare; Because it was sold to us on lies; Because it's too intrusive on our privacy; Because its not even implemented yet, and it has already raised insurance rates and reduced the quality of my medical care; Because Americans don't want the government deciding my family's healthcare; Because it is a threat to jobs and our economy

Ted Cruz can't hold the floor for more than 15 hours according to Senate rules

Democrats, who control the Senate, said they plan to move ahead with a bill that would fund the health care program--and the rest of the federal government--through December 15th.  If the GOP-controlled House which voted to cut Obamacare funding balks, the federal government will shut down October 1st.

Americans for Whatever Barack Obama Wants

Who doesn't love the smell of Kool-aid in the morning?  Let's get that money rolling in Comrades!

Baby Levon Body Removed From Mohawk River

A container with what appears to be an infant’s remains inside  was recovered from the Mohawk River in North Utica police said.

Police Chief Mark Williams did not reveal too many details during a news conference outside the Utica Police Station, . He declined to say what type of container the remains were in, where they were found in the water and whether anything had been done to keep the container submerged.

Police are awaiting an autopsy to confirm whether the body is Levon who has been missing since May 29.