# That thing on Bush's back **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 29, 2004, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812 "2004-10-29T06:37:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/21 "2004-10-29T21:18:30Z")
> [@duality72](#): > > It’s definitely been sighted [more than once](http://homepage.mac.com/c.shaw/BushBulges/PhotoAlbum15.html), though I tend to only take the ranch and third debate sightings all that seriously. To me, the third debate “sightings” seem to be a good indication that it’s not anything insidious. After the widespread discussion about the bulge after the first debate, if it were some sort of cheat, it seems likely to me they’d have gone to much greater pains to make sure it never appeared again. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/22 "2004-10-29T21:20:20Z")
> [@bnorton](#): > > Also, at what point does sharpening a picture become altering it? If you adjust the brightness on an overly dark picture or change the contrast, is that “altering” it? Any change in the image is “altering” it, by any normal everyday definition of the word “alter”. I think, though, that what the author was trying to say is that there was no information added to the image. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/23 "2004-10-29T21:41:57Z")
That ranch photo is quite interesting. President Bush is wearing only a T-shirt, yet the rectangular thing is still obviously there on his back, so any dismissive talk about seams, badly tailored shirts, or folds in the jacket is irrelevant. Likewise, I doubt he was getting secret radio prompts on how to drive his truck, or that he was wearing body armor under his T-shirt. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/24 "2004-10-29T21:53:46Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > Any change in the image is “altering” it, by any normal everyday definition of the word “alter”. I don’t think it’s that unambiguous. What if the original photograph was taken through an orange filter and it was later color enhanced to bring it back to the natural tones. Which image is the altered one? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/25 "2004-10-29T21:53:49Z")
> [@Gary T](#): > > Georges de Paris, who made the suit Bush wore. He was wearing a _ **French** _ suit? :eek: Must have been one of those cheese eating surrender monkeys tied to his back 😃 ---
**Author:** ![caphis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@caphis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caphis)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/26 "2004-10-29T22:21:34Z")
“We still don’t know what the deal is what that thing in Bush’s back, but I tell you, if God has a sense of humor, it is something that can only be cured with stem cell research.” -Bill Maher ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/27 "2004-10-29T22:25:40Z")
[Georges de Paris](http://www.hillnews.com/news/012903/paris.aspx) has been an American citizen since 1969, and judging by the profile _The New Yorker_ wrote on him, is partial to Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/28 "2004-10-29T22:29:37Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > An [illustration](http://www.vitalityweb.com/backstore/TENSpain.htm) of how the pads and wires of a TENS unit are applied to the back (scroll to bottom of page). I have a TENS device, and A: You don’t wear the device itself on your shoulder - it’s worn with a belt clip much like you’d wear a pager or cell phone. Or a wireless microphone. In a scenario where I wanted to look “extra good” I’d tuck it into an inner pocket in the suit jacket rather than having it hang off my belt. B: The electrode pads and wires are quite thin and invisible under just about anything other than a tight T-shirt. C: Wearing what looks like just one pad on the inner edge of each shoulder blade is odd. Really odd. Normally, you’d have the pads arranged vertically as the muscle groups typically targeted with a TENS do not go across the spine. Actually, having the circuits running side to side across the spine can cause more pain that you thought you were going to relieve. Last-minute “tailoring” of a suit with gaffer’s tape is nothing new in the TV world or fashion photography, but for crying out loud, this guy’s the POTUS, and I’d like to think he’d have at least ONE suit that fits properly! It’s not like someone popped into the Oval Office and said “Hey, drop what you’re doing right now! We’re putting you on TV for a surprise debate in five minutes!” As for the NASA scientist’s efforts, pick any JPEG you want and do a sharpen on it. In fairly short order, you’ll start seeing odd things appearing in the image that aren’t really there. Nothing against NASA - these guys put man on the moon with slide rules, but why is NASA getting involved with this in the first place? As for a “cheating device” - huh? This isn’t \*Jeopardy \* or a spelling bee. Besides, 12 years ago, I had a set of “walkie talkies” that used in-ear speaker/mic buds. I’m sure the things have gotten smaller by now. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/29 "2004-10-29T22:40:35Z")
NASA is not involved. If you read the Salon article, you’ll see that it is a NASA scientist, working on his own time on his own computer, who produced the images. Anyway, what about [that picture](http://homepage.mac.com/c.shaw/.Pictures/BULGES/RANCHBULGE.jpg) of him in a T-shirt at his ranch? Gaffer’s tape again? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/30 "2004-10-29T22:44:22Z")
Could be a [Holter monitor](http://www.primarycarediagnostics.com/holter.html). Somebody commented in another thread that Bush looked like he might have had a mild stroke. Perhaps they’re monitoring his cardio. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/31 "2004-10-29T23:08:23Z")
With a Holter monitor, the electrode pads are placed on the chest, not the back. ---
**Author:** ![ScoobyTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@ScoobyTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScoobyTX)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/32 "2004-10-29T23:24:30Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Anyway, what about [that picture](http://homepage.mac.com/c.shaw/.Pictures/BULGES/RANCHBULGE.jpg) of him in a T-shirt at his ranch? Gaffer’s tape again? Looks like his shoulder blade to me. ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/33 "2004-10-29T23:32:13Z")
Dave Letterman said that we used to have another President with a lump, but, that one was in his pants. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/34 "2004-10-29T23:35:21Z")
[I thought I told you the first time…](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5424954&postcount=47) ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/35 "2004-10-29T23:49:11Z")
Maybe the Prez paid a visit to Deneva. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/36 "2004-10-30T02:20:28Z")
> [@bnorton](#): > > I don’t think it’s that unambiguous. What if the original photograph was taken through an orange filter and it was later color enhanced to bring it back to the natural tones. Which image is the altered one? The second one, of course. You have an original image, and another, different, image that is derived from it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/37 "2004-10-30T02:33:21Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > With a Holter monitor, the electrode pads are placed on the chest, not the back. Yes, but the recorder can be placed anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/38 "2004-10-30T02:40:34Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > The second one, of course. You have an original image, and another, different, image that is derived from it. Sure, but the second one is also a better reflection of reality. As I have said I don’t have a strong opinion on this, I just don’t feel it’s as cut and dried as some claim. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/39 "2004-10-30T03:28:51Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Yes, but the recorder can be placed anywhere. And probably the last place you would put it would be hanging in the center of the upper back. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812/40 "2004-10-30T03:50:01Z")
Maybe he just keeps forgetting to remove the coat hanger. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-thing-on-bushs-back/271812.md?page=3)