The Potty Press finds a captive audience

When people are desperate to communicate, they find weird ways to do it. Smoke signals anyone? Morse code? Pig Latin? Text messaging shorthand?

Portland Community College, where I teach a couple of classes, got rid of its student newspaper two years ago. The Bridge, as it was called, never made any money, and no one with much knowledge about newspapers supervised it.

It was mostly an embarrassment that bled $75,000 in red ink each year.

Still, when edited and supervised well, student newspapers serve several important functions, not the least of which is to inform.

Last week, on a visit to the men’s room, I discovered over the urinal that PCC students had come up with a clever way to deliver the news. Each week they prominently post above the urinals and on toilet stall doors, a one-page flier called “The Potty Press” (see photo).

It consists of eight brief, boxed announcements. That’s just about all you have time to read during a between-classes pit stop.

And now for the I-just-couldn't-resist promotional slogans:

The Potty Press: The other toilet paper.

The Potty Press: The Bridge over troubled waters.

The Potty Press: What a relief!

The Potty Press: The news rush before you flush.

The Potty Press: It's there when nature calls.

Others come to mind, but I'll spare you.