News I think I may need a bathroom break. Is this possible?

[El Hombre Invisible]

"I think I may need a bathroom break. Is this possible?"

The content of a note written by one Gorgeous George W. Bush to Ms. Rice at the UN today caught on camera. So the Leader of the Free World (TM) has to be told when to piss? That's classic! The irony is that I laughed so hard I wet myself.

 

[SOS2008]

The content of a note written by one Gorgeous George W. Bush to Ms. Rice at the UN today caught on camera. So the Leader of the Free World (TM) has to be told when to piss? That's classic! The irony is that I laughed so hard I wet myself.

You are bad--I'm sure his $#! don't stink though.

So...Bush asked for international help in the war on terror and efforts in Iraq. What do you think?

 

[russ_watters]

I have a really painful story similar to that. I was on the helm of my ship for our transit into Oslo, Norway (its about 5 or six hours through a fjord), and I keep alert by drinking soda. A couple of hours into it, I had to go really bad, so I asked the conning officer if I could be relieved (pun, inevitable) for a minute. He said "why don't we just suffer together." 4 hours later, after we docked, I was in so much pain that I couldn't stand up straight to get to the bathroom. I probably should have just reused that soda can...

 

[arildno]

I have a really painful story similar to that. I was on the helm of my ship for our transit into Oslo, Norway (its about 5 or six hours through a fjord), and I keep alert by drinking soda. A couple of hours into it, I had to go really bad, so I asked the conning officer if I could be relieved (pun, inevitable) for a minute. He said "why don't we just suffer together." 4 hours later, after we docked, I was in so much pain that I couldn't stand up straight to get to the bathroom. I probably should have just reused that soda can...

OUCH!
I thought you had enjoyed your stay here in Norway, not that you first and foremost associate it with a burst bladder..

 

[Pengwuino]

The content of a note written by one Gorgeous George W. Bush to Ms. Rice at the UN today caught on camera. So the Leader of the Free World (TM) has to be told when to piss? That's classic! The irony is that I laughed so hard I wet myself.

Can anyone say affair?

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

Why am I bad? I ain't $#!ing you, I just saw it on Channel 4 news just now. 'Sthe only reason I logged on tonight - to share the joy. It was almost the greatest thing I saw tonight, but the George Galloway / Christopher Hitchens dual that, bizarrely, took place in America beat it outright. Does anyone know owt about that btw? Like where, and more importantly, why?

Anyway... what? Bush asked for help. Yes. Tell him to poke it. Iraq is the responsibility of the people who destroyed it. Bush, Blair & co didn't want help with the politics, why clean up after them now?

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

I have a really painful story similar to that. I was on the helm of my ship for our transit into Oslo, Norway (its about 5 or six hours through a fjord), and I keep alert by drinking soda. A couple of hours into it, I had to go really bad, so I asked the conning officer if I could be relieved (pun, inevitable) for a minute. He said "why don't we just suffer together." 4 hours later, after we docked, I was in so much pain that I couldn't stand up straight to get to the bathroom. I probably should have just reused that soda can...

Not to worry, I'd have done the same (were I the conning officer, that is ). What is it exactly that you do?

I have no bladder stores to tell. I'm so woefully well-prepared.

 

[russ_watters]

What is it exactly that you do?

I'm an HVAC engineer - I design (test, troubleshoot, etc) heating and air conditioning systems. The story was from a past life when I was enlisted in the Navy.

 

[kyleb]

http://i.photos.reuters.com/Pictures/galleries/newspictures/2005-09-14T201816Z_01_UNS93D_RTRIDSP_2_SUMMIT-UN.jpg

"I think I may need a batroom break?"

That part is very clear, and I the second part looks most like:

"is this possible or..."

But that is pretty blurry and just the best I can make of it, and Bush is clearly writing the bottom part in cursive while the top part is in print; so my best guess is that Rice wrote the top part. What could there be to conclude otherwise?

 

[TRCSF]

Notice the random changes from uppercase to lowercase letters.

 

[kyleb]

Only in the top portion of the note. The bottom part gives me the impression that Bush has a very different writing style than what is at the top; no random capitalisation, smaller print, and cursive.

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

The case changes occur in the top portion. 'think' is in lower case, while most other text in the first statement is in upper case. The second statement is written all in lower case and smaller - I think that's just called running out of space.

 

[Art]

the joins between the 'th' in think and the 'th' in this look very similar.

 

[Art]

The case changes occur in the top portion. 'think' is in lower case, while most other text in the first statement is in upper case. The second statement is written all in lower case and smaller - I think that's just called running out of space.

Obviously he wasn't planning ahead... again.

 

[kyleb]

Heh, if that is all his writing then that is a slick jab. However, I'm still not convinced, the joins are clearly the same; but then my mother did exactly the same as well and I'm pretty sure she didn't write any of it. ;)

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

Heh, if that is all his writing then that is a slick jab. However, I'm still not convinced, the joins are clearly the same; but then my mother did exactly the same as well and I'm pretty sure she didn't write any of it. ;)

What the hell was your mother doing needing a pee in a UN summit?

 

[kyleb]

I suppose the intent of my wording wasn't clear but the "did" is in reference to the fact that she passed on years ago. That is also relevant to my rational for doubting she had a hand in any of the writing.

 

[Smurf]

What the hell was your mother doing needing a pee in a UN summit?

She didn't need to go before it started.. duh. She's an old lady cut her some slack.

 

[kyleb]

Again, my mother is dead; so it would be much obliged if everyone would cut her a little slack at this point.

 

[kyleb]

A funny update from Drudge:

REUTERS has acknowledged Bush 'Potty Note' photo was enhanced via Photoshop...

Note the implcation from Drudge doesn't jive well with the http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/newswire/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001137642 :

The white parts of the picture were overexposed, so a Reuters processor used Photoshop to burn down the note. This is a standard practice for news photos, Hershorn says, and the picture was not manipulated in any other way.

But unfortunatly, judging from the other information in the article, we will likely never have a report confirming whether or not Bush wrote the part at the top or just what is near the bottom.

 

[Art]

A funny update from Drudge:

Note the implcation from Drudge doesn't jive well with the http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/newswire/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001137642 :

But unfortunatly, judging from the other information in the article, we will likely never have a report confirming whether or not Bush wrote the part at the top or just what is near the bottom.

Why do you say that? the article explicitly says

Hershorn says Wilking saw Bush write the note and hand the note to Rice.

If the note was being passed back and forth why wouldn't the article say so?

 

[Art]

Confirmation that it was Bush who requested permission to go to the bathroom

Mr Bush, who had delivered his speech on terrorism, waited politely until Tony Blair had finished his address. Then, just as President Kerekou of Benin was about to speak, Mr Bush got up and left the room with his UN Ambassador, John Bolton. To avoid an apparent American walk-out, Dr Rice promptly moved into the President’s seat at the council’s horseshoe-shaped table.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1782805,00.html

 

[Lisa!]

Being famous is a big trouble most of time. Bush is a human anyway even if his policy says something else!

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

Bush is a human anyway even if his policy says something else!

You missed the suffix 'sub-' before 'human'.

 

[Evo]

I can't believe that there is actually a thread about going to the bathroom. Because he's President, he can't ask for a bathroom break? Do you people really have nothing better to do?

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

I can't believe that there is actually a thread about going to the bathroom. Because he's President, he can't ask for a bathroom break? Do you people really have nothing better to do? I could see elementary school kids snickering over this but, come on, this is so childish.

Yeah, who started this stupid thread anyway? Evo: it was deemed newsworthy. We're just a bunch of people with too much time on our hands. Journalists get PAID for this stuff!

 

[Art]

I can't believe that there is actually a thread about going to the bathroom. Because he's President, he can't ask for a bathroom break? Do you people really have nothing better to do? I could see elementary school kids snickering over this but, come on, this is so childish.

It's the irony of the 'World's Most Powerful Man' at a world summit asking if he can go to the bathroom. It doesn't lend itself to his PR image of the decisive leader.

 

[Evo]

It's the irony of the 'World's Most Powerful Man' at a world summit asking if he can go to the bathroom. It doesn't lend itself to his PR image of the decisive leader.

Well, he can't just get up and walk out of the room. What is he expected to do if he needs to go to the bathroom? Must have been a REALLY SLOW news day.

 

[Lisa!]

Yes, you're right Evo. He's president and can do lots of things, but we usually hav to sit and watch.(execpt when he's going to bathroom of course )

You missed the suffix 'sub-' before 'human'.

Oops, you know me. I always make lots of mistakes in my posts!

 

[Yonoz]

Well, he can't just get up and walk out of the room. What is he expected to do if he needs to go to the bathroom? Must have been a REALLY SLOW news day.

Come on - it's not like he could miss out on anything important...
Of course he's not all that bright but it's come to a point where it's like there's a contest on criticising and ridiculing him, regardless of any common sense.
This is not like a staff meeting at your local starbucks.

 

[Art]

Well, he can't just get up and walk out of the room.

Why not?

What is he expected to do if he needs to go to the bathroom?

Tell his aide he is going and then get up and go of course.

Why does he need to ask Rice if he can go? Is it usual for a boss to ask an underling if it is okay to do something? It may seem trivial but it appears to give an insight into how Bush's cabinet works with many tails wagging the dog.

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

Oops, you know me. I always make lots of mistakes in my posts!

Hey, not to worry. I get whole words wrong (I meant prefix, not suffix).

 

[Yonoz]

Is it usual for a boss to ask an underling if it is okay to do something?

Yeah.
It's called working together.

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

Working together? So Bush DOES need help to pee? Jeez, I was only kidding!

 

[Yonoz]

Working together? So Bush DOES need help to pee? Jeez, I was only kidding!

Have you ever set in a meeting where the subject is important to countless people? I've set in meetings where if someone didn't listen well enough there could be funerals the next day. You don't take bathroom breaks in these meetings unless you have someone close take notes for you, and I sure hope my head of state doesn't walk out on a meeting just as my welfare rights are being discussed.
Would you rather he walked out as if his presence there is meaningless? Seeing as his shortcomings are raised here so often, would you rather he would not consult his aides?
I do not like him all that much but it's like he's "fair game" regardless of the actual facts. Any kid who's done nothing more than go to school and surf the net a few hours a day passes judgment like they've managed a world-wide relief organisation. It's blown way beyond proportions.

 

[kyleb]

Why do you say that? the article explicitly says If the note was being passed back and forth why wouldn't the article say so?

Becuase of this:

Wilking shot about 200 images and sent two memory cards to the press room at the U.N., where Hershorn was working. Hershorn looked at the images on a computer and initially decided not to send any of them.

But a few hours later, he started to wonder about a note that Bush was seen writing in three of the pictures. Out of curiosity, he zoomed into see if he could read it.

The man was taking a lot of pic and wasn't focusing on the note in the pic in question so it is reasonably likely he cannot claim for certain that Bush was responsible for all of the writing. Obviously what you quoted is backed up by the pic, but it doesn't back up the suggestion that Bush wrote the whole note.

Confirmation that it was Bush who requested permission to go to the bathroom http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1782805,00.html

Now that makes it seems rather likely that it was Bush who wrote the top part of the note as well.

I can't believe that there is actually a thread about going to the bathroom. Because he's President, he can't ask for a bathroom break? Do you people really have nothing better to do?

It is all the asking that troubles me, "think", "may", "?"; that is hardly the mentality of strong leadership.

 

[TRCSF]

It sort of reminds me of when Jimmy Carter was attacked by a rabbit in his boat.

It's just plain absurd and quite embarassing.

 

[SOS2008]

Becuase of this:

The man was taking a lot of pic and wasn't focusing on the note in the pic in question so it is reasonably likely he cannot claim for certain that Bush was responsible for all of the writing. Obviously what you quoted is backed up by the pic, but it doesn't back up the suggestion that Bush wrote the whole note.

Now that makes it seems rather likely that it was Bush who wrote the top part of the note as well.

It is all the asking that troubles me, "think", "may", "?"; that is hardly the mentality of strong leadership.

Aside from that...if he wrote all of the note, it appears he printed the top half first, then added to it in cursive. The handwriting experts might have a field day with this. I'll try to do some research and see if/what this may indicate about personality...

 

[TRCSF]

Aside from that...if he wrote all of the note, it appears he printed the top half first, then added to it in cursive. The handwriting experts might have a field day with this. I'll try to do some research and see if/what this may indicate about personality...

The change from uppercase to lowercase letters for no apparent reason...

That's an offshoot of dyslexia. We were just talking about Bush's dyslexia the other day...

 

[kyleb]

Huh, I have dyslexia and have never been aware of that being a trait of the disorder, but then dyslexia is a fairly broad label that covers multiple causes and has wide range of symptoms as well.

Regardless, the change from print to cursive comes off as mildly schizophrenic to me.

 

[Art]

The change from uppercase to lowercase letters for no apparent reason...

That's an offshoot of dyslexia. We were just talking about Bush's dyslexia the other day...

Or simply a symptom of the stress caused by an urgent need to go to the bathroom.

 

[Manchot]

Seriously, that man must do little to no writing. The willy-nilly switching between print, cursive, uppercase, and lowercase disturbs me greatly, as does the fact that he ended a declaratory sentence with a question mark.

 

[El Hombre Invisible]

Have you ever set in a meeting where the subject is important to countless people? I've set in meetings where if someone didn't listen well enough there could be funerals the next day. You don't take bathroom breaks in these meetings unless you have someone close take notes for you, and I sure hope my head of state doesn't walk out on a meeting just as my welfare rights are being discussed.
Would you rather he walked out as if his presence there is meaningless? Seeing as his shortcomings are raised here so often, would you rather he would not consult his aides?
I do not like him all that much but it's like he's "fair game" regardless of the actual facts. Any kid who's done nothing more than go to school and surf the net a few hours a day passes judgment like they've managed a world-wide relief organisation. It's blown way beyond proportions.

I don't think you got the point. It isn't that Bush had to flush out his terrorists in the middle of a UN summit - although maybe he should lay off the booze on these occassions - but that he had to ASK Rice if he could do so. This is where there is some division - it is not a question of whether this is good, bad, right, wrong, telling, irrelevant, short, tall, fat, thin, whatever the flaming hell you over-sensitive, ill-humoured types are ranting on about... but whether it was FUNNY! More importantly, whether it was funny WHEN DRUNK, as I was when I started the thread. I wasn't starting this to examine the ethical ins and outs of Bush's bladder's bloatedness - it just made me laugh! Others laughed too, others didn't. Takes all sorts, etc. But defending the man's right to ask if he can pee is just... too... sad. Lighten up!

 

[Yonoz]

I don't think you got the point. It isn't that Bush had to flush out his terrorists in the middle of a UN summit - although maybe he should lay off the booze on these occassions - but that he had to ASK Rice if he could do so. This is where there is some division - it is not a question of whether this is good, bad, right, wrong, telling, irrelevant, short, tall, fat, thin, whatever the flaming hell you over-sensitive, ill-humoured types are ranting on about... but whether it was FUNNY! More importantly, whether it was funny WHEN DRUNK, as I was when I started the thread. I wasn't starting this to examine the ethical ins and outs of Bush's bladder's bloatedness - it just made me laugh! Others laughed too, others didn't. Takes all sorts, etc. But defending the man's right to ask if he can pee is just... too... sad. Lighten up!

Right, sorry.
Sometimes the border between humour and seriousness is a little fuzzy here.
I do believe some of the critics were discussing this seriously.

 

[loseyourname]

So now we're performing psychoanalysis and handwriting analysis on a note regarding the need to use a restroom? This is even more absurd and surreal than the note itself. I feel like I'm dreaming as I read through this thread.

 

[selfAdjoint]

So now we're performing psychoanalysis and handwriting analysis on a note regarding the need to use a restroom? This is even more absurd and surreal than the note itself. I feel like I'm dreaming as I read through this thread.

Ain't it the ever loving truth!

 

[SOS2008]

So now we're performing psychoanalysis and handwriting analysis on a note regarding the need to use a restroom? This is even more absurd and surreal than the note itself. I feel like I'm dreaming as I read through this thread.

I saw it as entertainment, but I am surprised the thread has gone this long. But then it has been the tendency in this forum to analyze the tiniest things to extreme (like the slight nuance in meanings of words, etc.).

 

[loseyourname]

I saw it as entertainment, but I am surprised the thread has gone this long. But then it has been the tendency in this forum to analyze the tiniest things to extreme (like the slight nuance in meanings of words, etc.).

Oh, it's certainly funny, but I don't exactly see it as letting me into the inner workings of Bush's mind.

 

[Evo]

So now we're performing psychoanalysis and handwriting analysis on a note regarding the need to use a restroom? This is even more absurd and surreal than the note itself. I feel like I'm dreaming as I read through this thread.

Yep, this gets my vote for the most meaningless and absurd thread in PF political forum history.

 

[motai]

Confirmation that it was Bush who requested permission to go to the bathroom http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1782805,00.html

Gotta love the title on this opinion article...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,542-1782938,00.html

P is for Presidential