A Beautiful Old Paint on a Wall - City of Woodstock - Ga

Right there on Down Town Woodstock, Ga you can see this beautiful painting on this wall where the artist express the old days back in the 1800...

Just Began, Great Game FALCONS vs PACKERS

Georgia Has NEW GOP GOVERNOR

January 11 of 2011 was the day set for the new Governor Nathan Deal inauguration. But because of the snowstorm rolling through the state, all nonessential inaugural activities were canceled, as it was announced Sunday.

The swearing took place in the House chambers at the State Capitol at 2 p.m. on Monday January 11.

The day was to start with a 9 a.m. prayer service at Mount Paran Church in Atlanta, but that was canceled. All tickets for Monday night's black-tie inaugural gala at Phillips Arena has been or will be refunded.

Because of the bad weather on the way to Atlanta on Sunday night, Deal encourages Georgians to stay off the roads and watch the ceremony live on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

“I am honored that so many Georgians want to take part in this historic event, but please, everybody take safety as your first priority,” Deal said Friday.

No seating was available for the general public or ticket holders inside the Capitol, where the inauguration took place.

Governor Nathan Deal (GA)

Current Office: Governor
Office Seeking: Governor (Won, General)
First Elected: 11/02/2010
Last Elected: 11/02/2010
Next Election: 2014
Party: Republican



Background Information
Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Sandra
4 Children: Jason, Mary Emily, Carrie, Katie
Birth Date: 08/25/1942
Birthplace: Millen, GA
Home City: Gainesville, GA
Religion: Baptist

Education:
JD, Mercer University, 1966
AB, Mercer University, 1964

Professional Experience:
Attorney, Private Practice, 1979-1992
County Attorney, Hall County, 1977-1979
Juvenile Court Judge, Hall County, 1971-1972
Assistant District Attorney, Northeastern Judicial Circuit of Georgia, 1970-1971
Captain, United States Army, 1966-1968


Political Experience:
Governor, State of Georgia, 2010-present
Deputy Whip/Representative, United States House of Representatives, 1992-2010
Switched from Democratic to Republican Party, April 10, 1995
President Pro-Tempore/Senator, Georgia State Senate, 1980-1992


Organizations:
Former Sunday School Teacher/Former Deacon/Member, Gainesville First Baptist Church
Board Member, Mercer University
Member, Advisory Board of Honors Programs, North Georgia College and University
Former President/Lifetime Member, Rotary Club

Snow Couple... At Least Having Some Fun....

My wife and I decided to have some fun as the snow gave us a break... So, here it is the Happy Couple!

Georgians' Enjoyment of Snow Over Time... (Really Funny...)

It is really amazing, how Georgians are not prepared

for this kinda snow and ice!!!

(Click on the picture to read it better...)

Bad Weather in Atlanta, the Worst in more than 10 Years....

After almost one year without publishing anything in this Blog, I decided to come back and post something about this massive weather that had affected almost all the 50 US States.

From the Carolinas to Texas, a massive winter storm has crippled much of the southeast in the past 72 hours.

Atlanta has been slammed by snow and ice, and Mother Nature has made sure there are not a lot of options for people trying to travel around the southeast. Delta Air Lines canceled at least 800 flights on Tuesday originating in Atlanta and the Northeast as the storm moved up the East Coast. AirTran canceled at least 50 flights. The airlines’ efforts to get all passengers to their final destinations could last into early next week. In fact another source says that “More than 2,000 flights were canceled out of Atlanta and states of emergency were declared in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee as ice and snowstorms swept the South since Sunday night. Up to 6 inches of snow blanked road and bridges, wreaking havoc with traffic and causing many accidents, reports the AP. "We don't have weather events like this," said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, whose city saw as much as 6 inches in parts. "I think the amount of snow we're getting is probably a 10-year event for the city of Atlanta."
 
It's been a slippery drive around much of the south. Like a car struggling up an icy hill, metro Atlanta’s climb back toward life as normal will be slow, uneven and potentially treacherous.You might get stuck in the icy roads  and streets if you don't be extra careful as you decide to drive out by now. 

State transportation crews cleared large stretches of the interstates and highways Tuesday, especially along the southern Perimeter, but they cautioned that refreezing was likely overnight. 

Ice will also persist on many surface streets, especially the less traveled ones, until temperatures climb and stay above freezing. And that won’t be until at least Friday afternoon, forecasters say. 

Tuesday, DOT officials’ advice was emphatic: “All motorists, especially large trucks, are urged to stay off the roads through today. If you must travel, extreme caution is strongly advised.” 

School administrators, for one, were listening. All major school systems, including Atlanta, Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett and DeKalb, will remain closed today, as will most universities. 

Around Atlanta the snow wasn't the only problem. Freezing rain, sleet and ice helped paralyze Atlanta area roadways. A Driver in Atlanta said, "People don't know how to drive, we're not prepared for this. Visibility is bad and the traction is really bad. I think citizens have gotten the message and know to stay home because the roads are very hazardous."     - Well, in fact most of the population prepared themselves for this  bad weather buying all food supply they could, and decided to stay locked home, not going any where.

– And according to a State Official the City of Atlanta has only 11 Plow Trucks, which   explain everything about the big mess in this huge City.
   

Some drivers were so overwhelmed they simply walked away from their car, as you see in some pictures, because their car wouldn’t move anywhere. The snow and ice is such a big problem, leaders around all Southern States were practically begging people to stay off the road, and stay home.

   
A travel nightmare for many who simply are not used to this kind of weather.Weather Mess in the South

The Bridge on Highway 9 (Roswell Road) - WasThe Old Covered Bridge

Look up to see the eight arch span of the old two-lane concrete bridge that opened in 1925 as part of the sixteen mile "Roosevelt Boulevard" (Georgia Highway 9) to Atlanta, named in memory of President Theodore Roosevelt who visited his mother's childhood home, Roswell's Bulloch Hall, in 1905. Prior to construction of the concrete bridge, a wooden covered bridge spanned the Chattahoochee River more than 70 years. John (Jehu) Hawery Wing built the first one during the 1850s. It was burned by a Confederate battalion leaving Roswell during the Civil War. Charles Dunwody built the second covered bridge (pictured here) in 1869. The toll for crossing was twenty five cents. The building on the left was a mill commissary. The two story buildings on the left was a boarding house. The 1925 concrete bridge was widened to four lanes in 1965, and later named the Archie Lindsey Bridge, in honor of the longtime Fulton County Commissioner. 

 

Today, this bridge is the one on Highway 9 or Roswell Rd, that connects Sandy Spring, GA and Roswell, GA - over the Chattahoochee River.

Chattahoochee River Race and Festival (Kayak & Canoe)

The Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper hosts the annual river appreciation event in one Saturday of the each year on the month of June.  The festival includes live music, kids’ activities, environmental exhibits, and race awards presentations.

The race begins at Garrard Landing Park at Holcomb Bridge Road and finishes at Riverside Park which is where the festival is held.  Beginning at 9am the race includes open and recreational categories, various age divisions, solo and tandem canoe divisions and kayak and sea kayak divisions.  Competitive paddlers will take on a 10 mile course and recreational paddlers will race an 8 mile course.

New last year were the two new categories of awards: Best Costume and Best Boat Decoration.

The festival at Riverside Park takes place from 10am to 2pm.  The live music is provided by the Watershed Project and always feature local musicians, such as Gareth Asher, Christopher Alan Yates, Amy Gerhartz, Brian Binsky and Emily Kate Boyd.

The event which is organized by the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, is designed to celebrate the river and create a sense of community of the metro Atlanta residents that use the Chattahoochee river.

Registration at the race costs $50 for solo and $70 for tandem boats and is available so long as spots are open.  All registered paddlers receive a gift bag, race T-shirt, a boxed lunch and a one year membership in the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.
Proceeds from the race help protect and preserver the Chattahoochee.

For more information go to Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper

Click Here For More Pictures by O.t. Manary

Peachtree Rd NW by the Underground - Atlanta, GA

Peachtree Rd SE & Ivan Allen Jr Blvd in Atlanta, GA

Peachtree Rd & 4th Street in Atlanta, GA

Snow Day in Atlanta... Yesterday Feb 12, 2010

Click Here For More Picture

Georgia Aquarium - The Ocean View: How This Window Was Made...

At Georgia Aquarium, you have the privilege to see the "Ocean" from the perspective as you were inside a real ocean. It is a fantastic experience, specially if you have your kids with you, because most of us have no opportunity or courage to diving in the deeps of the ocean. But here, in the majestic Georgia Aquarium, you can have that experience without getting wet, and that's the best part.

I am going to transcribe how the window's wall on the ocean at Georgia Aquarium was made, and why acrylic was chosen instead of glass. Here it is:

• Acrylic is up to 17 times stronger than glass.
• The acrylic used on this window weighs 120 tons (108.9 metric tons).
• The window area is 63 feet long (19.2 meters), 26 feet high (7.92 meters) and nearly 2 feet thick (0.6 m).
• This window holds back 6,300,000 gallons (23,848,090 liters) of artificial seawater.
• The window was made up of six panels by Nippura in Takamatsu, Japan.
• Six panels chemically bonded onsite, and heat treated to 185*F (85*C) for a period of a month, make up this single view on the big Ocean. 

More of Georgia Aquarium

The Entrance for the Georgia Explorer

A Green Snake

Jelly Fish 

The Ocean Voyager

The Ocean View

Click Here For More Pictures

Georgia Aquarium

The Georgia Aquarium, located in Atlanta, Georgia at Pemberton Place, is billed as the "world's largest aquarium" with more than 8.1 million US gallons (31,000 m³) of marine and fresh water housing more than 100,000 animals of 500 different species. The aquarium's notable specimens include four young whale sharks, three beluga whales and two manta rays.

Funded mostly by a $250 million donation from Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus, the aquarium was built on a 20 acre (81,000 m²) site north of Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. Marcus credited his 60th birthday dinner at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in 1990 as among the inspirations behind his desire to build an aquarium in Atlanta.

Tubing - Chattahoochee River in Helen, GA

Helen offers a wide range of attractions and outdoor activities. The area's natural setting lends itself to many activities including hiking, biking, swimming, camping and tubing or rafting on the river. Museums, waterfalls, and amusement parks are just some of the attractions that are sure to entertain the whole family.

Approximate distance in miles from Atlanta Georgia to Helen Georgia is 75 miles or 120.68 Kilometers.

Helen, GA - An Old Cadilac

History of Helen Georgia - Our German CIty

How did Helen become what it is today? 

Prior to 1800, this area was the center of Cherokee Indian culture, with villages scattered throughout Nacoochee and what is now known as Helen valleys. A townhouse was located on top of at least one of the four ceremonial mounds in Nacoochee Valley. In 1813 the Cherokees approved construction of the Unicoi Turnpike, a wagon road through their Nation from the Savannah River headwaters to northeast Tennessee. This trail, now Highways 17 and 75, ran through the valleys toward Hiawassee. The Cherokees left the area on this “Trail of Tears”, and were replaced by white settlers.  

Gold was discovered on Dukes Creek in Nacoochee Valley in 1828. The Great Georgia Gold Rush belt was bound by Dahlonega on the west and Nacoochee-Helen Valley on the east. Thousands of miners came into the Valley and mined in the foothills for over a century, generating thousands of pounds of gold. The historic England Gold Mine, site of Helen's current gold mine, and Hamby Mountain were mined extensively. Mining operations ceased by the end of the century, and settlers moved on.  

Timber officials came into the Valley , saw huge virgin timber, and built a great sawmill, Matthews Lumber Company. Simultaneously, the Gainesville and Northwestern Railroad came up the Chattahoochee River to Helen. In 1913 the Valley was named "Helen”, after the daughter of the railroad surveyor. The lumber company, located in the center of Helen on the Chattahoochee River, continued sawmill operations until 1931, shipping to Europe and the U.S. until all timber was cut. Settlers again left for opportunities in other places. By the 1960's, there was nothing left except a dreary row of concrete block structures.  

In 1968, local businessmen met to discuss what could be done to improve their town. They approached a nearby artist friend, who had been stationed in Germany. He sketched the buildings, added gingerbread trim, details and colors to the buildings, giving an Alpine look to the entire town. In January 1969, business owners and local carpenters began turning ideas into reality. Now all downtown stores have been renovated and many buildings and cobblestone alleyways added. Faces of buildings were painted with scenes of Bavaria and North Georgia, mirroring the migration of early settlers.  

Helen has accomplished much; it has created a new town and industry, providing jobs for more people and boosting the economy of the entire area. Helen also commemorates its historic past when the early settlers came to this remote area. A village with mountain heritage and a touch of Bavaria, Helen has created a unique experience for its visitor.  

So…this is the story of Helen, the miracle of a small, remote mountain community who revitalized itself in various ways throughout several centuries, and who today hosts millions of visitors each year.

(Sources: Helen, GA)

Small Wedding Chapel - Helen, GA - So Cute!

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This last shot is on the side of the Chapel where the new couple can take a lot of nice pictures. 

Beautiful Windmill in Helen, GA

This windmill is part of Helen's point of picture when you are visiting that beautiful German alike Georgian City.