Guns don't kill people, Dick does.

[angry.bob]

I just wish I could afford the $75,000 gun Cheney was hunting with. I wouldn't spend the money on that, but I wish I could afford it.

No doubt, I can guarantee that it's at least 375 times more accurate and reliable than a $200 shotgun you could buy at Walmart. Besides, if our country's rulers didn't have absolutely vital shit like $75,000 guns to buy, what other excuse would they have to relentlessly subvert our Constitution to make it easier to keep a chokehold on wealth and power?

[Margalis]

The Bush administration is like my friend Dave - lies just because he can, even if there is no need. It's an end in itself!

I like how the guy was basically just scratched and now he has shot lodged in his heart! That's a great evaluation there doctors. I'm guessing next they'll say he was already dead before he was hit.

This is like the stories about how Air Force 1 was targeted during 9/11 and that's why the president did what he did and went where he went. Instead of just saying "we thought it would be prudent to do X Y and Z" they had to make up some story that turned out to be completely false.

These guys are just allergic to truth or something.

[kaid]

While I dont see the point of spending nearly 100 grand on a gun I must say I have gone sporting clay shooting with both the walmart special and a VERY nice 2k over and under shotgun. The over and under gun made me look like I actually knew what I was doing out there. I was hitting at least twice as many with it as I was the walmart special and it had a much better weight and balance.

If one is going to have a hobby and really wants to do it getting a good quality gun is not a bad plan but 75k is silly.

edit
word of warning when popping open an over and under shot gun to reload do not crack it open while looking straight at it. Ejected hot shells to the face is not so fun. I didn't realize there was a spring ejector for the spent cartridges once you cracked it open oops.

kaid

[HaemishM]

Dick Cheney was the CEO of fucking Haliburton, and still has stock options. I think his stock options made more than 75k in 2003.

He can afford it.

BTW, the Daily Show coverage of this event was just fucking hysterical. Rob Corddry talked about the hunting ranch where they shot the quail, which apparently weren't wild quail, but farm-raised. Corrdry called them "witless, wingless quailtards" and I almost shit myself.

[Roac]

I loved the insert of Duck Hunt.  I cried.

[Furiously]

Could he have been under the influence at the time?

[penfold]

While I dont see the point of spending nearly 100 grand on a gun I must say I have gone sporting clay shooting with both the walmart special and a VERY nice 2k over and under shotgun. The over and under gun made me look like I actually knew what I was doing out there. I was hitting at least twice as many with it as I was the walmart special and it had a much better weight and balance.

Your're paying for a Master Craftsmans time. Just google for expensive shotguns and check out Purdeys that are engraved by Grifnee or the like.

I didnt actually see a link to the actual SG, so guessing its something like a Purdey btw.

[tazelbain]

Could he have been under the influence at the time?

Which is why the SS wouldn't let the police talk to him?

[Nebu]

Since I know you all want an update... I give you this.

This one struck me.

"I thought that made good sense because you can get as accurate a story as possible from somebody who knew and understood hunting and then it would immediately go up to the wires and be posted on the Web site, which is the way it went out and I thought that was the right call,"

Even after shooting someone the guy is most concerned about public perception and how he was effected. It could be the nature of the interview and it could be the stress.    It still seems that this guy is a pretty cold character.

[Paelos]

For the kind of public figure you're talking about, I don't think it's that abnormal for him to be thinking about saving his own ass in the public eye. He's a freaking politician. They eat, sleep, and breathe "image."

That also doesn't mean it's not a douchebaggy thought process.

[Murgos]

I'm not entirely convinced the local PD does have juristicion if the VP shoots someone.  The Secret Service or FBI seems more likely and I doubt if there is any legal requirement to contact the local town sherrif or state attorney.

Don't get me wrong, I see this as clear evidence that Dick is incompetent and probably shouldn't be any where near authority but from the PoV of the rules of law that we all live by I'm not sure there was anything done 'wrong'.

There was a radio talk show a friend was telling me about where the commentator was so fed up with this that he interviewed an 8 year old and asked her, "Which is a more important a news story?  The Vice President accidentally shoots someone or that Iran is building nuclear bombs." and the kids goes, "Nuclear Bombs."

There is a reason I pretty much ignore main stream news media I guess.

[Sky]

"The accuracy was enormously important. I had no press person with me." - Dick Cheney

"It was important to convey the truth...how could I do that?

[Murgos]

"The accuracy was enormously important. I had no press person with me." - Dick Cheney

"It was important to convey the truth...how could I do that?

It's been argued before that the 'truth' is whatever the majority perception of it is.  I think at some point, far enough up the chain, the truth is whatever the news media says it is because they dictate public perception.  Under that definition no politition can EVEN know the truth without a reporter to define it for him.

[Sky]

Err...the truth is what actually happened. You can't really change that. People's memories may change, their intentions may be shrouded in secrecy, but what happened is what happened, and that's the truth of it. Argue that all you'd like. It'd be a bullshit argument.

[Murgos]

Err...the truth is what actually happened. You can't really change that.

Poor Sky.  Doomed to go through life disillusioned and heart broken.

edit:

Let me add this.  You will never know what happened, not really.  Therefore the truth, for you, will be whatever combination of reported 'facts' you decide you like, probably most of those will be the ones that were presented to you in a way you found pleasing.

There may be an absolute truth to what happened in the reference of what molecules and atoms were where and doing what at each Planks Constant time quanta but according to Schroedinger and quantum physics thats probably only knowable to a certain probability anyway.

[Paelos]

There's the "Truth"  :-D and then there's the truth 

Murgos aka Lionel Hutz



I move for a bad trial thingy.

[Murgos]

There's the "Truth"  :-D and then there's the truth 

You can't handle the truth! 

[Sky]

You will never know what happened, not really.  Therefore the truth, for you, will be whatever combination of reported 'facts' you decide you like, probably most of those will be the ones that were presented to you in a way you found pleasing.

I've actually evolved my intellect to the point where I can handle knowing I don't know the truth of the matter. The truth for me won't be whatever spin is manufactured, the truth of this matter will remain unknown. Apparently this is an oddity? You have an odd view of truth, if I'm the disillusioned one.

[Nebu]

How is this news?

The president sides with Dick.  I'm still reeling with shock.  Now if 'ol George said he screwed up... THAT might make for some interesting print.

[Merusk]

The local station has Lampooned Aerosmith's "Janie's got a Gun" to "Dick Cheney's got a gun."  Highly amusing.  I'll try and find an mp3 of it.

[Riggswolfe]

I heard an interesting "commercial" this morning on a local radio station. Brokeback Cheney.

It had the shooting victim and his wife speaking in defense of Cheney, it went something like this:

Man: I like Dick
Wife: I like Dick too but you like Dick more than me
Man: But Dick sprayed me in the face

etc etc. It was twisted. I wish I could find a link to an mp3 for you guys. It was pretty funny.

[Margalis]

I don't get it.

[Ironwood]

Clearly.

[Alkiera]

You will never know what happened, not really.  Therefore the truth, for you, will be whatever combination of reported 'facts' you decide you like, probably most of those will be the ones that were presented to you in a way you found pleasing.

I've actually evolved my intellect to the point where I can handle knowing I don't know the truth of the matter. The truth for me won't be whatever spin is manufactured, the truth of this matter will remain unknown. Apparently this is an oddity? You have an odd view of truth, if I'm the disillusioned one.

I too disagree that 'majority opinion defines truth'.  There is always a truth to every situation.  It may not be possible for us to know what the truth of a situation is, but it doesn't change whether there is a truth or not, or what exactly the truth is.

Then again, I also disagree with moral relativism, so what do I know.

Alkiera

[Yegolev]

There is always a real truth, sure.  However, Heisenberg was not wrong.  Plus, you can act against the truth or against the world's perception of truth, with the latter being more likely to garner results... because people suck.

[Murgos]

Meh, my point was simply that the truth, for a politician concerned with stayng a politician, is whatever the media reports.  Sky seemed surprised that Cheney wouldn't assert what the truth was rather than wait for it to be told him by a reporter at a press conference.

I've seen people make the claim that whatever a politician asserts to be true must infact be false because otherwise why would he/she assert that?  It's tinfoil hattery at it's best, you know?  "That's what they wan't you to think so qed the truth must be something else."

It's your world, I'm just commenting on it.

Anyway, the 'facts' and the 'truth' are certainly not the same thing, dont believe me?  Go watch 12 Angry Men again, you missed something.