Even for an arm, which it is quite obviously not supposed to be a visual analogy for, the washington monument is out of proportion, at least in my experience. Maybe as a step toward realism and transparency in government, as a part of gov2.0, we should shorten the washington monument so that it is in proportion with a normal healthy body part, or even the whole body, which would make it not gender specific.
Last summer we had an earth quake in Washington DC which cracked the top of the Washington Monument so that it is still closed I think. This restructuring would take care of the problems they are having with securing the cracked architecture. Peripherally the Washington Cathedral was also cracked at the top and is still wearing a big black bad guy hat structure while they work on it, which looks really funny on the horizon.-- JesusHChrist, Mar 26 2012 washington monument http://sc94.ameslab.gov/TOUR/washmon1.gif [JesusHChrist, Mar 26 2012] maybe it isn't totally out of proportion to an arm https://encrypted-t...B_4yw6VedC4Jg03jlWv [JesusHChrist, Mar 26 2012] cathedral earthquake damage http://www.google.c...ved=1t:429,r:29,s:0 [JesusHChrist, Mar 26 2012] something like this http://www.google.c...je0QHThsjYBg&zoom=1 [JesusHChrist, Mar 26 2012] Any flavor you want... Chew_20chew_20chew [2 fries shy of a happy meal, Apr 01 2012] I have wondered about the Washington Monument before. If someone were to see it for the first time, not knowing what it was called, one might assume it is a tribute to rocketry or french fries.-- Grogster, Mar 26 2012 There are always a lot of signs that state *Washington slept here*, so maybe it's not so out of proportion...-- xandram, Mar 26 2012 One could save some money and silence critics by simply lowering the extant monument into a hole.-- bungston, Mar 26 2012 How about building loads of low- and medium-rise buildings on that empy grass area, that would make the spike less visually intrusive. Perhaps a power station.-- pocmloc, Mar 26 2012 What's really interesting is literal textual interpretation and symbolic worldly interpretation.-- rcarty, Mar 26 2012 If you must reduce it, I suggest removing the bottom part rather than the top part. Not only will this retain the momument's visibility from afar, but it will also free up some of ground beneath.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 26 2012 Napoleon would approve. Washington was just too tall. And don't get me started on Lincoln...-- RayfordSteele, Mar 26 2012 The problem with truncating or putting in a hole is that a lot of spectacular marble is lost to sight.
Rather, the monument should be tipped at an angle and allowed to rest on an adjacent hill. A low-lipped furrow could be carved in, and visitors could honor our first president by sliding down his monument on mats made to resemble giant 1-dollar bills.-- bungston, Mar 26 2012 It'd be a splendid campaign promise for a small- government conservative, assuming such a one got anywhere near the presidency: "If elected, I will reduce the average height of national monuments by 15%"-- mouseposture, Mar 26 2012 JESUSHCHRIST That link is sick.Sick!-- blissmiss, Mar 27 2012 Rather than lower the monument, a hydraulically-raised area of the park coul be elevated to meet the viewer's expectations of 'normal' monument size. Insert a quarter (or several, given the current economic climate) and you can raise or lower the park to placate your 'monument' envy.-- Cedar Park, Mar 28 2012 If we just paint it as a giant HP pencil, no one will mind if the tip gets sharpened every once in a while.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 28 2012 It'd probably just be cheaper to give a cash reward to tall people to marry other tall people and (regression towards the norm notwithstanding) eventually it would make the population fit the proportions of the Monument.
Or just use a rack. Whatever.-- not_morrison_rm, Mar 28 2012 I don't understand the concept here. Relative to what? If you have a giant phallus monument of course it's going to be larger than the real thing. Are we trying to make in into a giant anatomically correct model of an average penis? Not a bad idea, big tourist draw. Make it the largest in the world and you will have something.-- WcW, Mar 29 2012 Good idea, and it tells us the correct height for the Washington monument. It should be scaled to match Washington's head on Mount Rushmore.
In fact, if we interpret with maximal cynicism all this business about competing for high government office, and then getting a monument erected to you, or an airport named after you -- then all statues of American presidents should include their penises. Like Greek herms.-- mouseposture, Mar 29 2012 Mt.Rushmore, with penises. This made my day. So. Perfect. And so possible. I will not forget this image. Screw the cost, this needs to be done.-- WcW, Mar 29 2012 //a giant HP pencil// They do flavours??-- MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 29 2012 What if it's not a penis?-- pertinax, Apr 01 2012 //a giant HP pencil// They do flavours??//
Sure. [link]-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Apr 01 2012 random, halfbakery