andy2000.org | ANDISHEH NOURAEE

Boston law enforcement triggered a city-wide panic attack today when they mistook a stealth marketing campaign for Aqua Teen Hunger Force for bombs.

"Based on the information we have, it appears to be a hoax," said Gov. Deval Patrick's spokesman, Jose Martinez.

Except it wasn't a hoax. A hoax is intentional trickery. Turner's ad people obviously did not intend to make passersby think that it's Aqua Teen ad gizmos were bombs.

I'm glad that the Boston police investigated things, but a misunderstanding is not a hoax.

or something like that . . .

Nine blinking electronic devices planted at bridges and other spots in Boston threw a scare into the city Wednesday in what turned out to be a marketing campaign for a late-night cable cartoon. At least one of the devices depicts a character giving the finger . . .

. . . Turner Broadcasting, parent company of Cartoon Network, said the devices were part of a promotion for the TV show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force." . . .

. . . "The packages in question are magnetic lights that pose no danger," Turner said in a statement. It said the devices have been in place for two to three weeks in 10 cities: Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Ore., Austin, Texas, San Francisco and Philadelphia.

Has anyone here seen the devices in question?

The February 5 edition of the New York Observer includes an obnoxious, patronizing, and bizarre quotation by Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) about his fellow senator and presidential candidate Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

Said Biden:

"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," he said. "I mean, that's a storybook, man."

Here's the audio.

Clean? Seriously?

This is not the first time that Biden has made a bizarre and patronizing faux-complimentary remark about non-honkys. Last year, Biden was videotaped saying to an Indian-American supporter:

"You cannot go into a 7-11 or a Dunkin Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking."

The comment will probably not hurt Biden's chance of becoming the Democratic presidential nominee. He never really had a chance.

There's been a bit of speculation, however, that candidates like Obama or John Edwards might consider tapping Biden as a running mate because of his foreign policy experience. This Macaca Moment certainly reduces the likelihood of that.

UPDATE: According to a cracker I know, I spelled honky wrong in the original post. Sorry, cracker.

This is from Tampa's Fox station.

She managed to get away and called 911. Police took her to the hospital and began a routine rape investigation . . .

. . . they started checking the victim's background, they discovered she had an arrest warrant out for her . . .

. . . The woman says she was not aware there was a warrant out for her, and her attorney says it appears to be a paperwork error . . .

. . . Still, the woman was put in handcuffs and taken to jail. She was not allowed bond, and the medical staff at the jail refused to give her the Morning After Pill even though it had been prescribed at the hospital.

"The medical supervisor would not allow her to take the pill because she said it was against her, the supervisor's, religion."

Read it all.

I don't think any Atlanta news outlets have picked this up yet.

DNA Testing Allowed in Atlanta Killings

ATLANTA Jan 30, 2007 (AP)— State lawyers have agreed to allow DNA testing of dog hair that was used to convict Wayne Williams, who has been blamed for the murders of two dozen children and young men in the late 1970s and early '80s.

Williams was convicted in 1982 of murdering Nathaniel Cater, 27, and Jimmy Ray Payne, 21, and sentenced to two consecutive life terms. Afterward, officials declared Williams responsible for 22 other deaths and those cases were closed.

The decision Monday to allow DNA testing came in a response to a filing as part of Williams' efforts to appeal his conviction and life sentence.

Read more

I didn't watch the show. Was this photo taken during the talent portion?

Today, the AJC reported that the municipal renovation of Decatur Square has lasted longer than planned, damaging several businesses on the square.

It's an interesting story, but I have to admit, I liked it much more when I read the exact same story in Creative Loafing two weeks ago.

Believe me, I'm not exaggerating the point just because I work for CL. The AJC story is a point-for-point rewrite for CL's. Remarkably, the AJC even managed to get a quotation from the exact same Decatur Square "woman-on-the-street" that CL did.

Jan 12 in the CL:

"It's been ridiculous, and someone should be ashamed of what the businesses near the project have gone through," Molly Badgett says. Badgett, who loves to shop in Decatur, has complained to city officials that the construction has hurt the area's independent businesses. "Two main condo buildings downtown have been completed in the time it's taken to barely scratch at the dirt on this plaza job," she says."

Jan 27 in the AJC:

Downtown patrons, such as Molly Badgett, will believe the work is done when she sees no fence.

"They're like the Bush administration," she said of the city. "They'll keep telling you they're on schedule."

As my colleague John Sugg pointed out recently, this isn't the first time that the AJC has used CL reporting as a uncredited template.

Disclosure: 1. First of all, duh, I work for CL as a freelance writer and photographer. 2. I know Molly Badgett. When I worked for The Gove Network, she was a client.

The body of Artdrunetta Hobbs may have been found.

Hobbs, a 23-year old culinary arts student at Atlanta Technical College, has been missing since August. Police and volunteer searchers found human remains and a shotgun near the Southwest Atlanta park where Hobbs was last seen alive.

Because Ms. Hobbs looks like this:



instead of like this:



or like this:



or like this:



the general public doesn't give a fuck.

Mark Davis wrote on AJC.com today that Zoo Atlanta is considering a move to Lakewood Fairgrounds. Lakewood has about four times as much space for the zoo than its Grant Park location.

The most interesting part of the story, however, was this shocker from the third paragraph. Paraphrasing the zoo's president, Davis wrote:

If the zoo decides to remain at Grant Park, it likely will "reconfigure parking" — adding a parking deck is one possibility — to create more space for the zoo's animals, he said.

Incidentally, Mark Davis is the AJC writer who, two weeks ago, referred to the Georgia Aquarium's now-dead star Ralph as "the uninsured whale shark"

Thank you, Senator Chuck Hagel, for calling bullshit on all of his Senate colleagues. He and John Edwards are the only two people running for President worth taking seriously at the moment.

A longer clip, from which the above is excerpted, is available here.

(Thank you to blogger Bob Geiger for finding the clips on YouTube)

The Georgia Aquarium is owned by a billionaire and sponsored by several billion-dollar companies. With tickets for adults costing $24, it is designed to appeal to affluent people with disposal income to spare. More than 3 million people have visited the Georgia Aquarium, far out-pacing Aquarium management's most optimisic predictions.

That's all good. Really.

So why is Georgia Aquarium asking the state legislature for a tax subsidy government subsidy?

Because it can.

The Georgia Aquarium is right now asking the state legislature for a government handout. It wants to buy building materials without having to pay the same sales tax that you and I and every other business pay.

It's a good thing that small-government, welfare-hating, free-marketeering conservative Republicans are running things at the Capitol. I'm sure they'll tell the billionaire aquarium to quit begging and start paying their fair share.

Doh!

Georgia Aquarium may get tax break
Bill cuts building costs if aquarium expands

By
Published on: 01/26/07

The world's largest aquarium plans to get even bigger, and two lawmakers are behind a bill that could help it save millions in building costs.

The bill, filed Wednesday, would waive sales taxes on construction materials for the aquarium over the next four years.

Its sponsors are House Speaker Pro Tem Mark Burkhalter (R-Alpharetta) and Rep. Bob Smith (R-Watkinsville). Burkhalter filed the bill Wednesday.

The current sales tax is 7 percent. If the aquarium bought $100 million in steel, mortar and other materials, it would save $7 million.

Jeff Swanagan, the aquarium's president and executive director, asked for the tax break earlier this month, Burkhalter said . . .

. . ."The return on investment alone and the economic impact is exponential to our state," Burkhalter said. "I think everyone would agree the aquarium has really made Atlanta a destination city."

Read more

In Georgia, when people who need money ask for it, it's called welfare. When people who don't need money ask for it, it's called investment.

"This event and the promotion of tourism have helped in creating a soft image of Pakistan. Through this international competition, the people of Pakistan have rejected the extremists, giving them a clear message that they are keen to organise and participate in such healthy sporting activities.”

-General President (or is it President General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, talking about a marathon in Lahore, Pakistan.

Maybe that's the problem with Iraq. Maybe there just aren't enough healthy sporting activities. Anyone for midnight basketball?

Not surprisingly, the yammering about Wolf Blitzer's interview yesterday with (Vice) President Cheney misses the point entirely.

It's perfectly legitimate to demand of Dick Cheney that he attempt to reconcile his lesbian daughter's pregnancy with the fact that he co-runs a political machine that routinely tramples of the rights and dignity of gay people.

What was noteworthy about yesterday's interview was watching Wolf Blitzer's spine liquify on national television. Before he even asked the question, Wolf Blitzer was scared.

BLITZER: Your daughter, Mary. She's pregnant. All of us are happy she's going to have a baby. You're going to have another grandchild.

All of us are happy? Who's us? Why is that relevant? Why does "us" liking or disliking someone make it a more or less appropriate question. Basically, Wolf Blitzer is saying "Mr. Vice President, please don't be mad at me."

Blitzer eventually gets his question out, to which Cheney responds:

CHENEY: I think you're out of line.

At that point, Blitzer falls onto the carpet, rolls over onto his back, and pees on the rug.

Okay, not really. But his response was the dry equivalent.

BLITZER: We like your daughters. Believe me, I'm very sympathetic to Liz and to Mary. I like them both. That was a question that's come up, and it's a responsible, fair question.

CHENEY: I just fundamentally disagree with you.

BLITZER: I want to congratulate you on having another grandchild.

If you think I'm exaggerating, watch it yourself.



Note how frightened Blitzer sounds when he says that last line.

If you're afraid to ask uncomfortable questions, Wolf, get another job.

Why is Downtown so friggin' crowded today?

Motivational Seminar, Chicken Convention Jam Downtown Streets

POSTED: 9:18 am EST January 25, 2007
UPDATED: 9:44 am EST January 25, 2007

A motivational seminar and a poultry convention combined to create a traffic nightmare in Downtown Atlanta Thursday morning.

The one-day "Get Motivated" seminar, featuring speeches by former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Braves pitcher John Smoltz, talk show host Larry King, Gen. Colin Powell and former Disney chief Michael Eisner, began at 8 a.m. at Philips Arena.

Just across the street the World Congress Center is hosting the International Poultry Expo.

I have a couple of spare tickets to Foghorn Leghorn's keynote at the poultry convention tonight, if anyone wants to join me.



That's a joke... I say. That's a joke, son.

Two hours ago at Ikea, a fellow customer walked up to and asked "Excuse me, do you work here?"

This is what an Ikea uniform looks like:



And this is what I looked like when she asked me (hat and stubble included):



I should have said yes.

How do you say "Bad News Bears" in Lingala, Swahili, Bosnian, Arabic and Dinka?

On Sunday morning, when they were featured in a gripping New York Times front page story, Clarkston's Fugees youth soccer team didn't even have a place to play.

This afternoon, it appears that not only are the Fugees getting a field, but they're also getting a major motion picture.

Universal buys soccer story
Variety Exclusive: Studio ponies up $3 million
By MICHAEL FLEMING, DAVE MCNARY

Universal Pictures has netted rights to make a movie about youth soccer club the Fugees, an international team comprised of refugees who settled in Clarkston, Ga.

The studio has paid $2 million against $3 million for the rights to an article in last Sunday's New York Times by Warren St. John, who'll turn his article into a book that's part of the rights package.

Also included are life rights to the team's head coach, Luma Mufleh. Stuber/Parent's Scott Stuber and Mary Parent will pro-duce with Kennedy/Marshall's Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall. Tom Lassally will be exec producer.

And:

. . .U has also agreed to pay $500,000 beyond its deal price to build a soccer field for the kids.

I hope the kids and their families will get some money.

(Thank you, Barbara, for bringing the Variety story to my attention).

As if timed to help me promote my new column about the U.S. invasion of Somalia, the U.S. military acknowledged another attack in Somalia today.

A snippet from my column:

Last, but certainly not least, on America's hit list in Somalia is Fazul Abdullah Mohammed. Though never in custody, he has already been indicted in New York for his alleged involvement in the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. His FBI wanted poster helpfully points out that he "likes to wear baseball caps and tends to dress casually. He is very good with computers." The United States is offering a $5 million reward for the 120- to 140-pound suspect, making him one of the best values (by weight) on the "Most Wanted" list.

Read it all.

"Where is the Muslim Martin Luther King? Where is the “Million Muslim March” under the banner: 'No Shiites, No Sunnis: We are all children of the Prophet Muhammad.'”

-The New York Times' Thomas Friedman from the column "Martin Luther Al-King?", published January 24, 2007

"Why isn't anyone doing anything about all the problems? We're living in a time with super computers and underwater sea stations and million-dollar laboratories. And still, everyday when I watch the TV news shows I see all sorts of problems!"

-The Onion's Edith Heare from the column "Somebody Should Do Something About All the Problems", published August 21, 1996

Friedman is upset that Danish cartoons caused more of a public uproar in the Muslim world than the civil war in Iraq has. What Friedman fails to point out in his column, however, is why that is. With the support of the U.S. government, the authoritarian regimes in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Pakistan, etc. have squashed civil, public discourse through the Arab and Muslim world. If an Muslim MLK sprouted up, a U.S.-backed government would jail him.

Discussing the absence of leadership in the Middle East without discussing the American contribution to the problem serves to distract attention from U.S. policy failures of the past 50 years -- failures made exponentially worse by the current White House.

All I'm doing is saying.

Tonight, President Bush will set a goal for the nation of cutting gasoline use by 20% in 10 years.

To understand what an idiotic non-goal of a goal that is, take a look at this Edmunds.com page offering tips on getting better fuel efficiency.

Some snippets:

"According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), replacing a clogged air filter can increase your mileage by 10 percent"

"You can improve your fuel economy by about 3.3 percent if you keep your tires inflated properly,"

"On the highway, the DOE says that every 5 mph you drive over 65 mph represents a 7-percent decrease in fuel economy."

In other words, what the President boldly proposes the nation do in 10 years, you can do yourself in about 10 minutes.

From a piece in Slate about the book Unspeak, by Steven Poole

We're drawn to the "semantically promiscuous" word, Poole writes, because it allows us to simultaneously express our tolerance for a group and our discomfort. For example: the homosexual community and the black community. People rarely refer to the heterosexual community, the white community, or even the Christian community, because in the United States and Britain, they are the "default" positions and carry the "privilege of not having to be defined by a limiting 'identity.'"

Tonight at Manuel's Tavern at 8pm, a group of local comedians perform a State Of The Union speech-themed show. Two of my favorite local comedians, Brian Bannon and Leonard Sharing are scheduled to perform.

As if the country needed an other reason to ignore the Catastrophe-In-Chief's speech tonight, the White House has gone ahead and leaked portions of it to press already.



Apparently, the country's need for improved energy security. You may recall, he said the same thing last year and proceeded to exactly nothing about it.

What's more annoying --

a) that local taxpayers are subsidizing the pleasure trips of people with plenty of disposable income,

b)or that Turner Field isn't served by the city's rail transit system?

The answer?

c) That MARTA is the largest metropolitan transit system in the country that does not receive funding from the state. That handicap makes it next-to-impossible for MARTA to function properly.

It's time to start hording!

Apparently, the world is running out of water.

The world is running out of water and needs a radical plan to tackle shortages that threaten the ability of humanity to feed itself, according to Jeffrey Sachs, director of the UN's Millennium Project.

Professor Sachs, who is credited with sparking pop star Bono's crusade for African development, told an environment conference in Delhi that the world simply had "no more rivers to take water from".

Maybe this explains Michael Vick's apparent reluctance to part with his water bottle.

While I'm on the subject -- What about sparkling water? Will I still be able to buy my precious La Croix?

From today's AJC.com:



It's so trendy, no one goes there anymore.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16755753/

Last week, several local news writers, sports talk hosts, and bloggers criticized and mocked Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick after Miami airport security confiscated a water bottle from him thought to contain marijuana residue.

Vick's loudest critic in print was the AJC's Jeff Schultz. In a January 18 column titled "It's time to let Vick go," Schultz wrote:

"Vick has a $130 million contract. He has lucrative endorsement deals (pending) that alone could feed and clothe small countries. Yet, he tried to sneak a fake water bottle that appeared to have been used to conceal marijuana past airport security.

Let’s put the debate on pot usage aside for a minute. What, Michael Vick couldn’t afford another secret spy bottle and dime bag when he got back home? (Quoting Spicoli as he smacked his head with a shoe: “That was my skull! I’m so wasted!”)"

Fast forward to this morning. According to today's paper, police lab tests on the bottle showed that it did NOT contain any illegal substances.

I wonder if Mr. Schultz, or any of the people who beat up on Vick in print or on the air will have the decency to apologize. Actually, no, I don't wonder at all. I'm almost certain they will not.

Michael Vick's private and professional life are of no importance to me. I'm not a football fan. I'm simply annoyed because I'm sick to death of the writers and broadcasters who base conclusions on initial reports by police or any government spokesperson. Anyone who has ever been to an airport or read a police report should have known better. Ron Mexico been wronged.

My friend Caroline Monroe has just released her debut album.

I haven't actually heard it yet because I just found out 2o minutes ago. I have seen her live, however, and she has a beautiful, soulful, country voice.

Careful viewers of the photo slideshow on her MySpace page might be able to spot the back of my bald head crouched in front of the stage photographing her at Mulligan's. I was probably shooting this picture:



I hope she gets nominated for a Grammy and invites me to the ceremony. I already have a Bob Mackie picked-out!

Metal sculptor Duane Georges* is showing some of his work this weekend.

If you're even vaguely interested in metal sculpture, I highly recommend that you stop by and give his stuff a look. I'm a fan. Details below.

BARE HANDED ART presents
Duane Georges
Sculptures
Metal, Mesh and Madness
Opening Reception
Saturday January 20th, 2007
6-9pm
Directions:
METROPOLITAN WAREHOUSES
Space D-9
(FORMER CANDLER SMITH WAREHOUSES)
1-20 W to Lee Street exit,
left on Lee Street
right on Ralph Abernathy, right on Metropolitan
first building on your right
Inside the gate: follow signs: go through gate, take hairpin right,
pass the front of building, take first left, gallery is on your left
space D-9
Map:
http://www.metropolitanwarehouses.com/location/index.html
Questions call: 770/896-8479 and 404/644-1969

(*He sculpts metal.)

In 2003, Iran signalled the Bush Administration that it was willing to negotiate an end to its arming of fundamentalist militant groups in Lebanon and Palestine, help stabilize post-invasion Iraq, and negotiate a verifiable end to its nuclear weapons program.

What became of Iran's offer? The Bush Administration refused even to sit down and talk.

"But as soon as it got to the White House, and as soon as it got to the Vice-President's office, the old mantra of 'We don't talk to evil'... reasserted itself."

And what has happened since then?

Iraq has turned into an epic disaster, Hezbollah's power and influence has grown tremendously, Hamas controls the Palestinian government, and Iran's nuclear fuel enrichment program is approaching the mass production-stage.

And what does the Bush Administration want Iran to do now?

Observers say the Iranian offer as outlined nearly four years ago corresponds pretty closely to what Washington is demanding from Tehran now.

Ugh.

Doug Monroe is blogging for Atlanta Magazine.

Peachtree Screed is insightful, hilarious and pissed off (kinda like its author) and is essential reading for anyone interested in Atlanta politics and media.

Doug is a friend of mine, but don't hold that against him.

Labels: Atlanta blogs

2003

"Sixty years of Western nations excusing and accommodating the lack of freedom in the Middle East did nothing to make us safe -- because in the long run, stability cannot be purchased at the expense of liberty. As long as the Middle East remains a place where freedom does not flourish, it will remain a place of stagnation, resentment, and violence ready for export. And with the spread of weapons that can bring catastrophic harm to our country and to our friends, it would be reckless to accept the status quo."

-President Bush, November 2003

2007

Ms. Rice, who once lectured Egyptians on the need to respect the rule of law, did not address those domestic concerns. Instead, with Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit by her side, she talked about her appreciation for Egypt’s support in the region.

It was clear that the United States — facing chaos in Iraq, rising Iranian influence and the destabilizing Israeli-Palestinian conflict — had decided that stability, not democracy, was its priority, Egyptian political commentators, political aides and human rights advocates said.

-A particularly painful snippet from today's NYTimes.

Even by his own standards, President Bush is a monumental failure.

Gov. Sonny Perdue suggests he'll veto any bill that will allow Georgia shop owners and consumers to choose for themselves whether they want to buy alcohol on Sundays.

Personally, I think it's a great idea for the State of Georgia to meddle in our lives for the sake of appeasing religious fundamentalist voters. I'm looking forward to alcohol bans on Saturdays to "respect" the Jewish sabbath and Fridays for the Muslim sabbath. Let's ban pork BBQ and short skirts while we're at it.

"You can do it. We might help, if you act right."

-The pleasantly grumpy paint-mixer man at the Home Depot next to my house.

According to this AP story, the Pentagon has been selling "surplus" weapons to Iran. Nice.

"But if we manage to forget that, sometimes, doing things that terrify people is the only recourse to injustice, there is no point in having a Martin Luther King Day at all."

From Rick Pearlstein's rambling but thought-provoking essay on King at The New Republic's web site.

The essay is titled "Conservatives still don't get Martin Luther King," a title I'd argue is only partially right. Conservatives don't "get" him. Neither does anyone else, really.

So what if there's a pile of cushions on my favorite spot on the couch. I'll make due.

Zoo Atlanta's star attracition, baby panda Mei Lan, is making her public debut just one day after the Georgia Aquarium's star attraction, Ralph the uninsured whale shark, died mysteriously.

I'm telling you, I don't trust that panda one bit.

Labels: Panda Murder

And I thought I was the only person joking about the Georgia Aquarium's recent problems . . .

Today's AJC.com story about the death of the Georgia Aquarium's whale shark, Ralph, refers to the creature as "the uninsured whale shark".

In case the AJC's web editors correct the typo/joke, here's a screen capture.

Ralph The Whale Shark resigns abruptly as Georgia Aquarium star attraction, leaves with 210M clam severance package
ASSOCIATED PRESS
January 12, 2007

ATLANTA – Dogged by criticism of his hefty krill-intake and his exhibit's declining attendance, Ralph the Whale Shark abruptly resigned his position at the Georgia Aquarium after two years at the helm of the world's largest aquarium (by volume of water), the aquarium said Wednesday.

But he didn't leave empty-flippered: the Atlanta-based aquarium said Ralph would receive a severance package worth roughly 210 million clams, an amount decried by some lawmakers as a golden fishing net that sends the wrong message to sea life.

“It's a sign of being totally out of touch,” said Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., the incoming chairman of the House Financial Services and Seafood Committee. “They don't understand the extent to which they make the seafood public angry.”

Ralph's severance package home deliveries of popcorn shrimp and seared ahi tuna valued at roughly $77 million. An aquarium spokesman said that Ralph was responsible for his own lemon-butter, cocktail sauce and wasabi.

According to two reports, an Atlanta police officer involved in the raid that led to the shooting death of 88/92-year-old Kathyn Johnston has admitted to lying about drugs being sold from Johnston's Neal Street home.

My friend and colleague John Sugg at Creative Loafing reported it first. A similar story appears in today's AJC.

I wonder if they're ordering a bunch of these.

I'm moving to Decatur tomorrow. Aren't you impressed?

"Had we been physically in charge at that point we would have done things differently,"
-Major General William Caldwell, speaking today about Saddam Hussein's execution.

Naked pyramids?

Perhaps some duct-taping?

The best column I wrote in 2006 appeared in the least read copy the newspaper. Deep down, I must love failure.

Anyway, here it is, my favorite column that I've written in a long while.

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 2, 2007

President Bush Attends Funeral Service for Gasper at the Georgia Aquarium
Georgia Aquarium
Atlanta, Ga.

11:20 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Marcus, the Marcus family; distinguished sea creatures, including our still living beluga whales; and our fellow citizens:

We are here today to say goodbye to a great whale. Gasper was born and reared in the sea. He belonged to a generation that measured whales by their honesty and their courage. He grew to manhood under the roof of a loving mother and father -- and when times were tough, he took part-time jobs to help them out. In Gasper, the world saw the best of America -- and America found a whale whose character and leadership would bring calm and healing to one of the most divisive moments in our nation's history.

Long before he was known in Atlanta, Gasper showed his character and his leadership. As a star football player for the University of Michigan, he came face to face with racial prejudice when Georgia Tech came to Ann Arbor for a football game. One of Michigan's best players was an Wild Atlantic Salmon named Dave. Georgia Tech said they would not take the field if a salmon were allowed to play. Gasper was furious at Georgia Tech for making the demand, and for the University of Michigan for caving in. He agreed to play only after Salmon Dave personally asked him to. The stand Gasper took that day was never forgotten by his friend. And Gasper never forgot that day either -- and three decades later, he proudly supported the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act in the United States Congress.

Gasper showed his character in the uniform of our country. When Pearl Harbor was attacked in December 1941, Gasper was fresh out of Yale Law School, but when his nation called he did not hesitate. In early 1942 he volunteered for the Navy and, after receiving his commission, worked hard to get assigned to a ship headed into combat. Eventually his wish was granted, and Lieutenant Gasper was assigned to swim underneath an aircraft carrier, USS Monterey, which saw action in some of the biggest battles of the Pacific.

Gasper showed his character in public office. As a young amusement park attraction, he earned a reputation for an ability to get along with others without compromising his principles. He was greatly admired by his colleagues and they trusted him a lot. And so when Bernie Marcus needed to replace a drug-addicted beluga whale who had resigned in scandal, he naturally turned to a whale whose name was a synonym for integrity: Gasper.

Gasper assumed office at a terrible time in our nation's history. At home, America was divided by political turmoil and war. Amid all the turmoil, Gasper was a rock of stability. And when he put his fin on his family Bible to take the oath of office, he brought grace to a moment of great doubt.

And so, on behalf of a grateful nation, we bid farewell to our star beluga whale. We thank the Almighty for Gasper's life, and we ask for God's blessings on Gasper and his family.

END 11:27 A.M. EST

Gasper video inquiry promised
Tue Jan 2, 2007 1:11pm ET

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Thousands of Georgia Aquarium sea creatures vented their anger on Tuesday over beluga whale Gasper's execution as aquarium officials promised an investigation into illicitly filmed footage of whale handlers taunting him on the gallows.

An aquarium official said he nearly halted the hanging over the jeering, which has inflamed interspecies passions in the city.

In the video, widely seen on the Internet, observers chant the name of Zoo Atlanta baby giant panda Mei Lan as Gasper stands on the scaffold, a sickly whale appearing dignified in contrast to the uproar below him.

© Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved.

The death of Gasper, one of the Georgia Aquarium's beluga whales, is sad.

The AJC.com's reader "guest book" for Gasper, is hilarious.

(thanks to Matt spotting this page)

Below is a small sampling what some people have posted so far:

"Gasper was the "James Brown" of the Ga. aquarium and will, like James, be remembered always."

"I'm glad his last year was spend with lots of love and attention by staff and people who visited with him....Gaspard will be missed..."

" Dear Gasper, Of all the whales I've known, you were the best."

"Thank you Zoo Atlanta for bringing Gasper to us."

"Gasper no more suffering, you are in the glory ocean. I smile for you!"

"I so much enjoyed watching Gasper "flirt" with a tiny girl at the big window one day."

"May Gasper swim freely in the blue sky of heaven above."

"Sad to hear of your untimly passing.You now join my Mother and Father in Paradise in that aquarium in the sky."

"We know you are in a better place now !! Say hello to Jazz and Elvis !!"

"You were an inspiration to us all!!!!"

"Take comfort in knowing that now you have a special guardian angel to watch over you."

"Gasper was the first animal I met at the Georgia Aquarium. From him I learned that a marine creature can possess intelligence, intuition, and the ability to extend kindness to others. What else would we expect from one with "a heart as big as a whale?""

"Gasper, you will be truly missed. Although, we hadn't yet visited the Aquarium, we visited the website several times."

"We will miss you Gasper. You are free to swim."

"The hardest part of having pets is knowing someday we have to let them go--but--it is made easier knowing we shared a bond with them & there were happy moments shared."

"You were such a happy little guy and made others feel the same. I know you're in a much better place now...still swimming and blowing bubbles."

"It's sad to loose a friend."

"I loved this whale!"

"We visited the aquarium for a 2006 kickoff meeting with Verizon Wireless. Gasper was a sight to see."

"I am so saddened to hear of Casper's death. My thoughts and prayers are with his caretakers."

My goals for '07:

*Gain 15 pounds before the swimming pool opens.
*Spend less time with my friends and family.
*Watch a lot more TV, read less.
*Put off some important projects around the house.
*Go deeper into debt.
*Start smoking.

Wish me luck.