http://bls.gov

As you’ll see, despite the rhetoric by some in the Fed and the media, year over year inflation is quite mild.

But yes, the economy is slowing. Not a recession, but definitely below trend. The Fed kept interest rates too high for too long. They always mess things up. That and higher energy prices have kept GDP below trend for awhile now. Even Barney Frank railed on Bernanke in recent months about this. Barney got that one right.

Higher energy prices are not inflationary. If it were so, we’d see much higher CPI and PPI, and PCE. Which we don’t. Oil has gone from the mid-teens to the mid-nineties, and the CPI and PCE are barely above the flat line.

The core rate is lower. So higher energy prices haven’t influenced other goods and services in the economy. Despite the gloom and doom in the media. They’re wrong.

Ret. Col.

Obviously, beating a prisoner about the head and prolonged stress positions are torture. I do not deny that. It is ilegal and those who do it should be punished.

And I am not defending torture. I am raising the question of whether waterboarding is legally torture and therefore banned by U.S. and international law.

I have to go now, but hope we can pick up this conversation again.

Have a pleasant weekend all

Exley, we just say in the news last week that our treatment of prisoners included beating about the head, stress positions and kicking, so I’m not sure you’re on very firm ground here. What interests me is your motivation. Why would you or anyone argue that it’s ok to torture people? What do you gain by taking a position in favor of these techniques. What is your agenda in this regard? It seems kind of crazy, so I wonder if you have reasons why you so frequently and aggressively argue that Americans should be allowed to torture without paying the consequences that others have for these crimes.

“Exley isn’t sure if drowning and reviving someone repeatedly is torture.”

Waterboarding is not drowning somone. It is an interrogation technique that simulates drowning.

Now, if waterboarding is done “repeatedly” as you say, then that is indeed likely to be considered torture under U.S. law for repeated waterboarding would probably cause “prolonged mental harm,” which is considered torture under U.S. law (18 USC 2340)

”The whole point of the McCain Amendment was to close every loophole,” said Marty Lederman, a Georgetown University law professor who served in the Justice Department from 1997 to 2002. ”The president has re-opened the loophole by asserting the constitutional authority to act in violation of the statute where it would assist in the war on terrorism.”

Elisa Massimino, Washington director for Human Rights Watch, called Bush’s signing statement an ”in-your-face affront” to both McCain and to Congress.

”The basic civics lesson that there are three co-equal branches of government that provide checks and balances on each other is being fundamentally rejected by this executive branch,” she said.

”Congress is trying to flex its muscle to provide those checks [on detainee abuse], and it’s being told through the signing statement that it’s impotent. It’s quite a radical view.”

Congress added that amendment and Bush circumvented it with a signing statement. pure and simple.

Do you support this?

Freeman, That is not clear by any means. Article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

Waterboarding is not specifically banned.

The UN Convention Against Torture also does not specifically mention waterboarding.

Article 1
1. Any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions.

Moreover, 18 USC Sec. 2340, which legally defines ‘torture’ does not reference waterboarding.

http://www.H2onE2.com Glacial Respiration, Conceptual Ring of Ice, The End of Linear Western Religion
A Geological Exploration of an E2 Earthen Planet And the H2 Human Species
Author: B Billy Marse, Professional Geologist

Brief Description:
http://www.H2onE2.com is an exploration of the universe, geology, climate, biology, humans, psychology, folklore and ancient structures to uncover the beginning and disclose the end of linear western religion. The true DaVinci Code behind the bible is not a supreme spiritual power but a scientific record of climate change described as Glacial Respiration. The Greek philosophers originated the practice of communicating a hidden idea or message in the short story format, as a metaphor. In the bible, metaphors conceal historic climate change within the fanciful stories. The theory of Glacial Respiration explains the myth behind the Holy Grail, structures such as the Great Pyramids, Stonehenge, Easter Island and is the knowledge that was collected in the Jewish Ark of the Covenant.
The environmental changes of Glacial Respiration determine all biological evolution and can explain why higher forms of intelligent humans developed. Further, Glacial Respiration releases the secret hidden by the Knights Templars, Masonic Order and all religions. Uncovers an advanced Blue-Blooded semi-industrial Atlantian Civilization that was built and destroyed many times over for the last million years. The book ends with an explanation of how linear western religion will be physically ended and describes the construction of the doomsday device capable of fulfilling its own self defining prophesy, “Revelations”. H2onE2 is a mind-expanding experience that stimulates the soul, instinct, intellect and is an almanac to the past, present and future of humanity. Rise, awaken and evolve into H3 human consciousness.

The discovery:
As a Professional Geologist, I attempted to link the Dust Bowl/Great Depression to a pre-glacial condition or mechanism and ended up writing the book H2onE2. I felt that there was a strong connection between the Dust Bowl and transition back into Glacial Winter. I did notice that my professors scientifically crumbled every time I mentioned the relationship. I could not go back in time or locate indisputable proof. The proof came from understanding all educational disciplines including history and theology. I soon discovered that all religious text both eastern and western continually described significant climate change conditions relating to Glacial Respiration. For years I fought off mixing science and religion until I discovered that the origins of all religions were founded or created to help humans psychologically survive the harsh earthen environment. Without reason I soon accepted that the world’s complicated religions were the same. This came true and I continued to write and discover. Everything came into place as though I was unlocking a 10,000-year-old puzzle. I also realized this puzzle was opened before I discovered it, by someone else, some other group. If so, further understanding of this knowledge might be extracted from significant historical events. Lastly, this is the vital information needed to make future predictions.
ui5i5

Comment by Exley — November 9, 2007 @ 4:40 pm

Since we are both aware that bush ,the president with the least vetoes of any in our nations history,has never used signing statements in this fashion,it’s obvious you are willing to be disingenuos in your support of Fascism.

The signing statement is not a circumvention of the law. It is a statement explaining the president’s interpretation of the legislation Congress has placed before him. Legislation often carries with it ambiguous terms that are subject to interpretation. The signing statements are merely communications about how the president interprets the statute.