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alphasubzero949 · Jul 28, 2006, 03:53 PM

Senator open to TV chat about Internet 'tubes'

Mocked by comedian Jon Stewart for calling the Internet a bunch of tubes, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens said on Thursday he is open to going on Stewart's popular "Daily Show" for a rebuttal.

"I have a letter from a big scientist who said I was absolutely right in using the word 'tubes,"' he told reporters.

I can't wait to see this.

nredman · Jul 28, 2006, 03:55 PM

wow he's just going to open up a can of worms if he goes on the daily show

hickey · Jul 28, 2006, 03:57 PM

I might have to get cable again to watch this if it happens.

BRussell · Jul 28, 2006, 03:58 PM

Jon Stewart is a pussycat, I bet Stevens would have no trouble going on.

And, maybe I shouldn't admit this, but I never thought his "tubes" analogy was all that ridiculous anyway.

E's Lil Theorem · Jul 28, 2006, 04:02 PM

From the article:

One congressional aide said the show had explained the controversial Net neutrality issue "better than any corporate lobbyist or policymaker I know."

Funny, but sad, oh-so-sad.

Originally Posted by BRussell

...And, maybe I shouldn't admit this, but I never thought his "tubes" analogy was all that ridiculous anyway.

I didn't laugh at the "tubes" (tech people usually use pipes, I think), but at his entire analogy of dumping data on "trucks" and "tubes". Oh, the comment about how he said he received "an internet" from one of his aides very late was rather amusing, too.

In the end, "net neutrality" makes sense. But, here you have a politician who doesn't quite understand how the different components work trying to convince people otherwise. It's amusing.

::maroma:: · Jul 28, 2006, 04:03 PM

Oh man, I hope he's not going on that show in hopes of sparring with Stewart. For his sake he should go on to have some fun and make some jokes. Because if he tries to match wits with Stewart he will be sorely outmatched.

And I love that quote: "I have a letter from a big scientist who said I was absolutely right in using the word 'tubes,"

A "big scientist"? Hahahaha! And this from a friggin Senator? Sounds like a 12 year old to me.

alphasubzero949 · 04:25 PM

Video:

http://www.crooksandliars.com/posts/...nternet-tubes/

Gossamer · Jul 28, 2006, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by alphasubzero949

Video for those who missed it (QuickTime)

Just redirects to the main site.

alphasubzero949 · Jul 28, 2006, 04:25 PM

Try my edited link.

::maroma:: · Jul 28, 2006, 04:52 PM

Bahahahhaha! I didn't see the whole clip before. That was frickin funny.

Some of the things the Senator says makes it clear that he really doesn't know what he's talking about, but instead is rehashing what his aides have told him or something.

And I love the pics of an old prospector and Grandpa Simpson used for the Senator. Hahahahaha!

"I...Just the other day, got internet was sent by my staff at 10 o'clock in the morning Friday, I got it yesterday."

W-T-F??

demograph68 · Jul 28, 2006, 04:53 PM

i gotta get me some front row seats!

nredman · Jul 28, 2006, 04:59 PM

"The Internets are a series of tubes!" thats some funny **** right there

Charles Bouldin · Jul 28, 2006, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by hickey

I might have to get cable again to watch this if it happens.

Don't worry. If he does this it will immediately become the most watched video on youtube

mitchell_pgh · Jul 28, 2006, 05:14 PM

The internet *IS* like tubes.

That being said... there is NO saturation [bandwidth capacity] problem with the internet. This is one business [the telcos] trying to show their dominance over another [google.com, amazon.com, etc.]... and they are doing that by spreading FUD.

Also, internet usage isn't increasing nearly as fast as it once was.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine...ign_id=bier_tc

nforcer · Jul 28, 2006, 06:09 PM

I don't think this guy is competent about the subject material he has to make decisions on. However, it does take balls to want to confront someone who made fun of you like that.

Lateralus · Jul 28, 2006, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by alphasubzero949

Video:

http://www.crooksandliars.com/posts/...nternet-tubes/

Oh man, I haven't laughed that hard in weeks! Thanks for the link.

Kerrigan · Jul 28, 2006, 06:46 PM

That was the funniest internet I've seen all week.

Salty · Jul 28, 2006, 08:09 PM

Oh wow... someone should tell this senator that he's an idiot. Seriously he's voting against something he can't understand. That's just foolish!

Chuckit · Jul 28, 2006, 08:21 PM

His "tubes" analogy was vaguely similar to how it actually works, but it was still a stupid analogy.

Kerrigan · Jul 28, 2006, 08:24 PM

His biggest problem is public speaking. He probably knows a lot more about the mechanisms of the internet than we give him credit for.

villalobos · Jul 28, 2006, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by Salty

Oh wow... someone should tell this senator that he's an idiot. Seriously he's voting against something he can't understand. That's just foolish!

And sooo very unprecedented too.....

tie · Jul 28, 2006, 10:30 PM

I'm not sure what is wrong with the tubes analogy. I think we have far too high expectations for senators -- and for an Alaskan, we need to lower our standards a few extra notches besides. Why shouldn't he call an email an "internet" or talk about a "big scientist" he knows? This is no worse than Gore's infamous internet remarks, or say Kerry's recent 7-11 gaffe. Senators are out of touch, often stupid, and that's how it should be.

kupan787 · Jul 29, 2006, 03:01 AM

Originally Posted by tie

Why shouldn't he call an email an "internet"...

Because that would be the same as calling a car a "road". Or calling a brick a "house". It is flat out wrong, and doesn't make any sense. When someone says something stupid and wrong, it is ok to correct him. Or in this case, point and laugh

belfast-biker · Jul 29, 2006, 03:02 AM

Originally Posted by Kerrigan

He probably knows a lot more about the mechanisms of the internet than we give him credit for.

Kerrigan, he called an "email" an "internet".

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say there's a possibility you may be wrong.

Kevin · Jul 29, 2006, 03:08 AM

I much prefer seeing Dennis Miller on The Daily Shill.

Now THAT is comedy.

Salty · Jul 29, 2006, 03:38 AM

I dono I could see it taking at least a couple days to send me the whole internet.... he seems on the ball.

Chuckit · Jul 29, 2006, 03:43 AM

Originally Posted by tie

This is no worse than Gore's infamous internet remarks

No, Gore's remark was much closer to the truth. Gore said he supported the policies that brought us the Internet — to my knowledge, he did.

voodoo · Jul 29, 2006, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

His "tubes" analogy was vaguely similar to how it actually works, but it was still a stupid analogy.

Yes, it was like an analogy made by someone of a subject he doesn't really understand. It was funny as hell though. Especially when he was shouting like a crazy old geezer.

..internets

V

goMac · Jul 29, 2006, 05:53 PM

For those who never heard the original speech, Stevens talked about how Netflix is filling the internet with streaming movies, right after he talked about how you rent movies with Netflix.

So he's not just a bad speaker. He really doesn't know what he's talking about.

Wiskedjak · Jul 29, 2006, 06:07 PM

I'm just left wondering how big this scientist is ... 300lbs? more?

Salty · Jul 29, 2006, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Wiskedjak

I'm just left wondering how big this scientist is ... 300lbs? more?

At least! He was probably genetically altered by another smaller scientist, but he's at least big enough to not fit into the tubes that makes up the internets.

Kerrigan · Jul 29, 2006, 06:35 PM

My internet is messing up, better call the plumber again.

hey!_Zeus · 07:08 PM

I noticed he had the twirling beach ball of death stuck in his tube.

I gots me some internets today.

Salty · Jul 29, 2006, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by Kerrigan

My internet is messing up, better call the plumber again.

better makes sure it's a big plumber. And not a dump truck.

HowEver · Jul 29, 2006, 07:30 PM

The Senator is merely detracting from the attempted passage of a bill that benefits large corporations.

Anything he can do to either debunk, or continue, the joke, gives the bill more opportunity to pass.

hey!_Zeus · Jul 29, 2006, 07:43 PM

The internets is more like an eavestrough and down spout filled with leaves and dead bugs and other assorted crap. Like MacNN.

Salty · Jul 29, 2006, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by hey!_Zeus

The internets is more like an eavestrough and down spout filled with leaves and dead bugs and other assorted crap. Like MacNN.

So you keep porn in your eavestroughs eh?

Charles Bouldin · Jul 30, 2006, 08:10 AM

Gore stated that he "took a lead role" in establishing the internet. What he said was true.

The 7-11 thing you're referring to was Joe Biden, not Kerry. Of course, it's possible Kerry did one two, but you can find the Biden foot-in-mouth episode on youtube. It's not that remarkable, Biden does that a lot.

the_glassman · Aug 14, 2006, 10:49 PM

http://trucktrucktruck.ytmnd.com/

Lateralus · Aug 15, 2006, 01:00 AM

LegendaryPinkOx · Aug 15, 2006, 01:25 AM

Originally Posted by the_glassman

http://trucktrucktruck.ytmnd.com/

badgers, mushrooms, and now big trucks and Ted Stevens. Those internets now-a-days are stooping lower and lower.

d4nth3m4n · Aug 15, 2006, 11:46 PM

also worth watching-

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-QHGU7P3jHo

spacefreak · Aug 16, 2006, 12:59 AM

Originally Posted by Charles Bouldin

Gore stated that he "took a lead role" in establishing the internet. What he said was true.

"I took the initiative in creating the Internet."

That was the phrase that pays.

- - e r i k - - · Aug 16, 2006, 01:46 AM

Originally Posted by spacefreak

"I took the initiative in creating the Internet."

That was the phrase that pays.

Political talk. Let's lay this one to rest shall we?

the_glassman · Aug 16, 2006, 12:53 PM

the_glassman · Aug 16, 2006, 01:03 PM

http://tubesdance.ytmnd.com/

nredman · Aug 16, 2006, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by the_glassman

http://tubesdance.ytmnd.com/

nice

the_glassman · 01:17 PM

If you want to hear what a fine public speaker he is. (Almost on the same level as Bush)
Listen here to the full unedited version here.
http://media.publicknowledge.org/stevens-on-nn.mp3
lol
Sounds like the ramblings of a Senile Old Man. Listen to the people say "Oh My God" in the background.
Oh and if you want to download the song.
http://content.ytmnd.com/content/3/7...9e93f4f41e.mp3

Y3a · Aug 16, 2006, 01:24 PM

So, if the internet sucks, then they must be using vacuum tubes?

itai195 · 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by tie

Senators are out of touch, often stupid, and that's how it should be.

Yes, they are so much easier to manipulate that way. There's nothing too wrong about the tubes analogy, but the dump truck analogy was ridiculous and obviously something fed to him by lobbyists against net neutrality. That makes it pretty clear he has no idea what he's talking about. Either way, Jon Stewart is in the comedy business, so his criticisms don't have to be completely accurate as long as they're funny.

Also, an e-mail sent to the senator by his staff probably never touched the public Internet....