Dyre Portents The Rantings and Ravings of a Radical Moderate Statistics Unique Visitors: Total Unique Visitors: Outgoing: Total Outgoing: 0 0 113 6929

Articles from Dyre Portents

San Fransisco Straw Poll Cancelled 2007-12-06 00:22:36 Due to too many Ron Paul supporters showing up. Apparently the headline speaker there was stumping for Fred Thompson. ...

Woot! 2007-12-05 22:59:19 Looks like I'm getting hitched. ...

Can't blog. Baking. 2007-12-05 01:00:41 Tomorrow is The Misses' birthday and I am baking her cake tonight. However, because I'm me, I decided to make this a birthday to remember. How do I plan on doing that? By writing a proposal on the cake and working an engagement ring into the decorations. Low romance factor but a high originality/surprise factor so I think it evens out in the end point wise.You'll know how things went if I blog tomorrow. No post = noThis post will self destruct. ...

NIE: No Nukes in Iran 2007-12-04 01:31:02 A declassified version of the 2006 national intelligence estimate of Iran was released today and according to it Iran has no nuclear weapon program and could not achieve that capability (on its own) before 2010.From the NY Times:WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 — A new assessment by American intelligence agencies concludes that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and that the program remains frozen, contradicting judgment two years ago that Tehran was working relentlessly toward building a nuclear bomb....The assessment, a National Intelligence Estimate that represents the consensus view of all 16 American spy agencies, states that Tehran is likely keeping its options open with respect to building a weapon, but that intelligence agencies “do not know whether it currently intends to develop nuclear weapons.”...The new report comes out just over five years after a deeply flawed N.I.E. concluded that Iraq possessed chemical and biological weapons programs and was determined to restart ...

Inevitability Denied 2007-12-03 00:01:11 According to the latest poll from the DesMoines Register Hillary Clinton is now lagging behind Barack Obama. Amongst GOP contenders Huckabee is the front runner enjoying a 5% lead over Romney. Here are the numbers of the top three contenders for each party:DemsObama 28%Clinton 25%Edwards 23%RepubsHuckabee 29%Romney 24%Giuliani 13%Considering the results of the recent NH polls it looks like Clinton is going to have to fight for every single vote. Obviously the wonks didn't learn anything from declaring Dean inevitable during the last presidential election. Bad news for wonks. Good news for the American people. Apparently we'll actually have the luxury of choice in the primaries. ...

Murtha Backs the Surge 2007-12-01 13:39:15 Looks like hades is a little frosty today.From the Pittsburg Post-Gazette:Murtha finds military progress in trip to IraqWASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. John Murtha today said he saw signs of military progress during a brief trip to Iraq last week, but he warned that Iraqis need to play a larger role in providing their own security and the Bush administration still must develop an exit strategy. "I think the 'surge' is working," the Democrat said in a videoconference from his Johnstown office, describing the president's decision to commit more than 20,000 additional combat troops this year. But the Iraqis "have got to take care of themselves." Violence has dropped significantly in recent months, but Mr. Murtha said he was most encouraged by changes in the once-volatile Anbar province, where locals have started working closely with U.S. forces to isolate insurgents linked to Al Qaeda. He said Iraqis need to duplicate that success at the national level, but the central government in Baghdad ...

Clinton's Support Eroding in NH 2007-12-01 13:38:56 Oddly enough it seems to be going to second tier candidates...From Fox News:A FOX News poll of likely New Hampshire Democratic voters finds that Clinton has the support of 30 percent followed by Obama at 23 percent. Edwards comes in third with 17 percent, Richardson receives the support of 12 percent. All other candidates receive 3 percent or less. Although Clinton has a slim advantage in the trial heat, slightly more Democratic primary voters say they would be very or somewhat satisfied if Obama (74 percent satisfied) were the party’s presidential nominee than if Clinton won (69 percent satisfied)."We seem to be seeing a softening in the Clinton vote everywhere," said Opinion Dynamics CEO John Gorman. "The inevitability of a month ago has been replaced by serious sound thoughts. What’s interesting is that this seems to be not a surge to second place Obama, but reexamination of candidates even farther down the list. Edwards is closer to Obama than Obama to Clinton and ...

U.S. Food Banks Going Broke 2007-12-01 11:23:31 Apparently tighter inventory controls by retailers, the mortage crisis, stagnant wages, lack of grain surpluses and higher gas prices have combined to create a perfect storm.From the NY Times:MANCHESTER, N.H., Nov. 26 — Food banks around the country are reporting critical shortages that have forced them to ration supplies, distribute staples usually reserved for disaster relief and in some instances close. “It’s one of the most demanding years I’ve seen in my 30 years” in the field, said Catherine D’Amato, president and chief executive of the Greater Boston Food Bank, comparing the situation to the recession of the late 1970s. Experts attributed the shortages to an unusual combination of factors, including rising demand, a sharp drop in federal supplies of excess farm products, and tighter inventory controls that are leaving supermarkets and other retailers with less food to donate....“Donations are down, and people who need help is up,” said Liz Carter, executive ...

Last Call 2007-11-30 21:56:07 Over at TMV Pete Abel has put in his last call for moderate Republicans and Independents to sign The Letter (full text below). Simply put if you believe that America would benefit from a more moderate Republican party please take the time to sign it by emailing Pete at abel.replyATgmail.comDecember 3, 2007 House Republican ConferenceRepublican National CommitteeRepublican Governors AssociationLeading GOP Presidential CandidatesNational Republican Senatorial Committee We, the undersigned, are moderate Republican and Independent voters who represent a growing force within the electorate. Republican candidates will need to increasingly reckon with us in the months and years ahead, as we mobilize for no purpose less dramatic than the rescue of this Party and the refocusing of its platform on the bedrock principles of individual liberty and limited government; lower taxes and free markets; a strong national defense and collaborative foreign policy. We intend this letter as an encouragement ...

Huckabee Surges in Iowa 2007-11-30 11:20:50 Apparently that Chuck Norris endorsement did the trick.From the LA Times:DES MOINES — With 34 days remaining, the Republican presidential race in Iowa has broken wide open, as Mike Huckabee surges into contention with the longtime front-runner, Mitt Romney.Polls show the two former governors running nearly even in Iowa, which will cast the first votes of the 2008 campaign, despite Huckabee's meager resources and the large amounts of time and TV advertising that Romney has lavished on the state. Earlier this month, surveys had Huckabee trailing Romney by double digits.Huckabee's strong showing, one of the biggest surprises of the presidential race, is threatening the foundation of Romney's candidacy and has shaken up the GOP contest across the country.On Thursday, Huckabee savored strong reviews for his performance the previous night in the CNN-YouTube debate, at which the former Arkansas governor delivered one-liners, played up his humble roots and proposed abolishing the IRS in f ...

WaPo Swiftboating Obama? 2007-11-30 08:46:29 They certainly aren't doing anything to dispel rumors that he's a Muslim. In fact they are propagating them. Case in point:Foes Use Obama's Muslim Ties to Fuel Rumors About HimIn his speeches and often on the Internet, the part of Sen. Barack Obama's biography that gets the most attention is not his race but his connections to the Muslim world.Since declaring his candidacy for president in February, Obama, a member of a congregation of the United Church of Christ in Chicago, has had to address assertions that he is a Muslim or that he had received training in Islam in Indonesia, where he lived from ages 6 to 10. While his father was an atheist and his mother did not practice religion, Obama's stepfather did occasionally attend services at a mosque there.Despite his denials, rumors and e-mails circulating on the Internet continue to allege that Obama (D-Ill.) is a Muslim, a "Muslim plant" in a conspiracy against America, and that, if elected president, he would take the oath of off ...

Of Note 2007-11-29 12:00:32 Michael J Totten is back in Iraq and blogging from Fallujah.Over at The Glittering Eye Dave Schuler takes a look at what the Middle East was like prior to Israel.At Sideways Mencken Michael Reynolds gives his take on the GOP candidates. ...

Ron Paul Won't Run as an Independent 2007-11-29 12:00:08 Last night on the YouTube debate Mr. Paul gave the most concrete answer to date."I have no intention of running as an independent."There is one loophole in that statement though. Would he run as The Constitution Party's candidate? ... Ron Paul

Ron Paul's Kucinich Moment? 2007-11-29 11:56:42 Last night on CNN's YouTube debate Ron Paul answered the question, "Do you believe in a conspiracy to make a new (North American) union? While his answer wasn't as damning as Kucinich's UFO statements it certainly didn't help Paul out any. ... Ron Paul

Featured Post: It's Lonely at the Top 2007-11-28 01:26:03 Below is an article from author Helene Beauchemin one of the authors of the book Winning Without Compromising Yourself. In addition to having the author available throughout the day to respond to your comments there is an ongoing contest related to this post. Grand prize winner receives a copy of the book Winning Without Compromising Yourself and other prizes are available.( See rules for details.) It’s Lonely at the Top: When a Professional Coach Can be of Value Who do you safely share your doubts and anxieties with when you are at the top of the pyramid? Colleagues? Staff? Family? Friends? Many leaders have learned to rely on family and a few trusted friends and associates as a safe place to bare their soul as well as explore new possibilities when faced with the huge responsibilities that their positions entail. These relationships are invaluable to the well-being of the leader. However, these same people, because of their caring for you and their knowledge of the dema ...