It might tip over and capsize if it's too overloaded!
April 1, 2010 11:28 AM Subscribe
Actual footage of Atlanta area congressman Hank Johnson discussing the potential perils of too many marines on Guam. You've gotta feel for the Admiral in this clip who I'm sure has more important, albeit less entertaining, things to do. Be sure to pay attention to who you're voting for next election.
Some are saying it's possible he was speaking figuratively, but if you look in the video, he's making a "capsize" gesture.
Some are saying it's possible he was speaking figuratively, but if you look in the video, he's making a "capsize" gesture.
This post was deleted for the following reason: maybe not a great idea, knowing the guy is dealing with a bunch of health problems that make him sort of weird. -- jessamyn
Ha! He's so fucking high!
posted by mr_roboto at 11:33 AM on April 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by mr_roboto at 11:33 AM on April 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
Are you kidding? He was speaking figuratively.
posted by spaltavian at 11:33 AM on April 1, 2010
posted by spaltavian at 11:33 AM on April 1, 2010
I was on Guam during the humungous earthquake they had there in the early '90s, and it did tip a little. The local government had to organize a population-wide island-righting effort to get the dang thing to float right again. I still have friends there, and they tell me there are island-righting drills in the public schools to this day.
posted by Pecinpah at 11:38 AM on April 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Pecinpah at 11:38 AM on April 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
I can't trust anything on the internet today.
posted by fontophilic at 11:40 AM on April 1, 2010
posted by fontophilic at 11:40 AM on April 1, 2010
Ha! He's so fucking high!
Isn't America like, an island too? And Florida? Maybe we should move Disney World to ... Kansas? Is that a place? What if Orlando breaks off? Torque? Toooorrrrrrque? You got any Mike and Ikes?
posted by uncleozzy at 11:42 AM on April 1, 2010
Isn't America like, an island too? And Florida? Maybe we should move Disney World to ... Kansas? Is that a place? What if Orlando breaks off? Torque? Toooorrrrrrque? You got any Mike and Ikes?
posted by uncleozzy at 11:42 AM on April 1, 2010
A metaphor for what? For spinning around and flying in the air?
posted by ardgedee at 11:43 AM on April 1, 2010
posted by ardgedee at 11:43 AM on April 1, 2010
He looks pretty stoned to me. But then maybe that's the "southern drawl" I've been hearing about.
Anyone of normal intelligence who has to spend a full 75 seconds dreamily establishing that "Guam is small" has got to have something in his system messing with the ol' synapses.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 11:44 AM on April 1, 2010
Anyone of normal intelligence who has to spend a full 75 seconds dreamily establishing that "Guam is small" has got to have something in his system messing with the ol' synapses.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 11:44 AM on April 1, 2010
Or.....are we getting april fools pranked by congress?
posted by Salvor Hardin at 11:45 AM on April 1, 2010
posted by Salvor Hardin at 11:45 AM on April 1, 2010
The local government had to organize a population-wide island-righting effort...
If you believe Pecinpah, I have a lovely bridge spanning NYC's East River for sale, along with some wonderful real estate in Florida.
posted by cleancut at 11:46 AM on April 1, 2010
If you believe Pecinpah, I have a lovely bridge spanning NYC's East River for sale, along with some wonderful real estate in Florida.
posted by cleancut at 11:46 AM on April 1, 2010
So, this congressman is either
1: Pranking us/someone
2: Delaying/wasting time, showing contempt, whatever
3: Is actually worried that an island, an ISLAND could TIP OVER cause there are TOO MANY PEOPLE ON IT.
4: In the words of Peggy Oslen "So high right now."
I don't know which is the better outcome.
posted by The Whelk at 11:48 AM on April 1, 2010
1: Pranking us/someone
2: Delaying/wasting time, showing contempt, whatever
3: Is actually worried that an island, an ISLAND could TIP OVER cause there are TOO MANY PEOPLE ON IT.
4: In the words of Peggy Oslen "So high right now."
I don't know which is the better outcome.
posted by The Whelk at 11:48 AM on April 1, 2010
I talked to a woman from Guam the other day who was extremely upset by the whole plan. I can understand why many people, especially natives of Guam, are unenthusiastic about a massive population and infrastructure increase that will exacerbate already serious environmental degradation and social problems. If speaking figuratively, which I think he was, the congressman has a great point.
posted by Derive the Hamiltonian of... at 11:49 AM on April 1, 2010
posted by Derive the Hamiltonian of... at 11:49 AM on April 1, 2010
Hmm, I wonder what kind of impact global warming actually will have on guam.
Here's a youtube comment:
posted by delmoi at 11:50 AM on April 1, 2010
Here's a youtube comment:
You obviously aren't informed of the issues on Guam. Metaphors like tipping and sinking are used all the time. The point is that the island cannot handle the expansion. And by the way the admiral is being misleading. The buildup will cause a 40% population increase over a period of 4 years. Definitely something the already strained infrastructure of Guam can't handle. And you know who's going to pay for those upgrades? The American taxpayer.Here's another interview with Johnson. And him talking about the Google Books settlement. He seems to generally speak reeeeaaaaly slowly in general.
posted by delmoi at 11:50 AM on April 1, 2010
5. he is speaking figuratively ...which is the BORING outcome
posted by The Whelk at 11:50 AM on April 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 11:50 AM on April 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm in the "speaking figuratively" camping. He was trying to make some quote-unquote clever remark about Guam being too tiny to accommodate so many soldiers, but it failed miserably.
It beggars belief that a grown person could seriously believe that Guam, or any other island that is not merely a large-ish tiddlywink floating in the rough seas, could literally capsize.
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:51 AM on April 1, 2010
It beggars belief that a grown person could seriously believe that Guam, or any other island that is not merely a large-ish tiddlywink floating in the rough seas, could literally capsize.
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:51 AM on April 1, 2010
Dude's got a monitor of some kind right there! Is that thing hooked up to the 'net? No? Here's the fucking size of Guam, then.
posted by WolfDaddy at 11:54 AM on April 1, 2010
posted by WolfDaddy at 11:54 AM on April 1, 2010
BTW, how many times have we had posts on here talking about the "collapse" of the US or North Korea or wherever else? Do people REALLY think that these countries are going to literally crumble around their citizens like the temple columns did around Peter O'Toole in Wolfgang Peterson's 2004 blockbuster Troy, or do we understand these remarks to be figurative?
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:56 AM on April 1, 2010
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:56 AM on April 1, 2010
Anyone of normal intelligence who has to spend a full 75 seconds dreamily establishing that "Guam is small" has got to have something in his system messing with the ol' synapses.
I dunno, senators and congresspeople generally waste a lot of time. And this guy generally seems to talk really slowly in general. Check out the video of him talking about Google books. He seems to have a pretty good grasp of the issue, but still speaks very slowly.
He's also the guy who defeated Cynthia McKinney in 2006, if you remember her.
posted by delmoi at 11:58 AM on April 1, 2010
I dunno, senators and congresspeople generally waste a lot of time. And this guy generally seems to talk really slowly in general. Check out the video of him talking about Google books. He seems to have a pretty good grasp of the issue, but still speaks very slowly.
He's also the guy who defeated Cynthia McKinney in 2006, if you remember her.
posted by delmoi at 11:58 AM on April 1, 2010
What the hell is a Guam?
posted by bstreep at 11:58 AM on April 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by bstreep at 11:58 AM on April 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
Dumbest post ever.
posted by ged at 11:59 AM on April 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by ged at 11:59 AM on April 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
Some are saying it's possible he was speaking figuratively, but if you look in the video, he's making a "capsize" gesture.
Because obviously if you're speaking figuratively, it's impossible to make hand gestures at the same time.
posted by delmoi at 12:00 PM on April 1, 2010
Because obviously if you're speaking figuratively, it's impossible to make hand gestures at the same time.
posted by delmoi at 12:00 PM on April 1, 2010
If he was speaking figuratively, what could he possibly have been trying to communicate? Has anyone ever heard environmental disaster described as "capsizing?" Would such a metaphor make any sense at all?
Love the Admiral's quick, oh-so-neutral, oh-so-deadpan response. "We don't anticipate that." This man knows how to suffer a fool.
posted by Western Infidels at 12:00 PM on April 1, 2010
Love the Admiral's quick, oh-so-neutral, oh-so-deadpan response. "We don't anticipate that." This man knows how to suffer a fool.
posted by Western Infidels at 12:00 PM on April 1, 2010
lol wtf?
posted by Perplexity at 12:02 PM on April 1, 2010
posted by Perplexity at 12:02 PM on April 1, 2010
He's apparently got Hepatitis C, has no idea how he got it (suuure), but is now kind of brain damaged because of it? Atlanta Journal Constitution article.
Whatever the cause, jesus .... way to make Congress look even dumber, Hank. Ever hear of medical leave?
posted by kenlayne at 12:04 PM on April 1, 2010
Whatever the cause, jesus .... way to make Congress look even dumber, Hank. Ever hear of medical leave?
posted by kenlayne at 12:04 PM on April 1, 2010
This is not as big a problem as he thinks. With current GPS technology, we can measure elevations to the inch. Should any tipping be detected, commando teams on call around the clock can be deployed with ballast filled trucks to drive to the necessary location on the opposite side of the island to restore the island to it's previous condition.
posted by digsrus at 12:06 PM on April 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by digsrus at 12:06 PM on April 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
AJC: U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson battling hepatitis C
I don't think we should mock the man for his disability.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 12:07 PM on April 1, 2010
He was officially declared free of the virus in January, but it has ravaged his liver, resulted in thyroid problems and other health issues, including depression, for which he's also being treated. To keep the disease in remission, Johnson is going through an experimental treatment that he said has been the worst part so far.From what I've read, the combination of liver damage, collateral thyroid problems, and depression, plus the medical treatments he's undergoing for all those things, have affected his mind, and he's got a reputation in Washington for wool gathering.
I don't think we should mock the man for his disability.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 12:07 PM on April 1, 2010
I once sat next to Representative Johnson at a function. He did seem sort of ... slow to me, but I honestly just thought he was shy. I know that's a weird thing to conjecture about a politician (not a class known for shyness) but he just seemed really socially awkward.
I remember wondering how on earth he got elected, and then realized that he was from an overwhelmingly Democratic district, and his primary opponent was Cynthia McKinney.
posted by lunasol at 12:08 PM on April 1, 2010
I remember wondering how on earth he got elected, and then realized that he was from an overwhelmingly Democratic district, and his primary opponent was Cynthia McKinney.
posted by lunasol at 12:08 PM on April 1, 2010
...and now we all feel bad.
Oh man. I feel really bad.
...This is why you should always preview, kids.
posted by lunasol at 12:10 PM on April 1, 2010
Oh man. I feel really bad.
...This is why you should always preview, kids.
posted by lunasol at 12:10 PM on April 1, 2010
...and now we all feel bad.
I don't The Whelk!
Feel bad for a politician? If he is that messed up he should resign while he still has some dignity.
posted by a3matrix at 12:15 PM on April 1, 2010
I don't The Whelk!
Feel bad for a politician? If he is that messed up he should resign while he still has some dignity.
posted by a3matrix at 12:15 PM on April 1, 2010
I respect the Admiral's deference and straight face.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 12:15 PM on April 1, 2010
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 12:15 PM on April 1, 2010
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*sharp inhale*
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
posted by The Whelk at 11:31 AM on April 1, 2010