A Glass Half Empty - RichardFromShiner's Blog - Victoria Advocate http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner I have absolutely no idea why someone like me would even start a blog. I don't know anyone famous. I don't do anything interesting, in fact, I'm really quite boring. I have absolutely no idea why someone like me would even start a blog. I don't know anyone famous. I don't do anything interesting, in fact, I'm really quite boring. en-us The TAKS HELL Discussion http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/7276 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/7276 <p>Your High School Student not going to get to wear a cap and gown even though they passed ALL their graduation requirements including the dreaded Senior English Paper?</p> <p>Your Junior High Student&nbsp;losing out on&nbsp;ALL extra curricular activities so that they may attend special after/before school &quot;cram sessions&quot;?</p> <p>Your Elementary Student coming home with stories of students crying in class because the teacher tells them they are not going to the next grade?</p> <p>You say you don't give a rats a$$ because you don't have any school age children? Well you better start caring because thanks to YOUR tax dollars, even MORE of your tax money will be needed in the near future to support 60% of the next generation that does not have even the most basic requirement to hold a semi-decent job: A High School Diploma. Are&nbsp;YOU prepared to feed 2/3rds of Texas?</p> <p>Welcome to TAKS Hell. Its the latest in an ever increasing testing sensation which started to get out of control with TAAS.&nbsp;<u><strong>Thanks to TAKS testing, Texas children now have less than a 40% chance of EVER attaining their high school diploma</strong></u>. This is a statistical fact coming from PH D's of UT and Rice in a recently released study. At the same time, it has not even resulted in even a 1% increase in scores of any objective of the SAT.</p> <p>Please take a moment and share YOUR child's TAKS Hell. What are they going through? What has the emotional cost been, or the loss of other activities or meaningful learning? No story is too small.</p>


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 girlsleeping.jpg RichardFromShiner Apparently the Terminator is no longer Science Fiction http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/7107 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/7107 <p>You would think that after what, 3 Terminator movies that military experts would&nbsp;agree that&nbsp;giving a robot things like full auto weapons might be a bad idea.</p> <p>Well I saw this story from Iraq. Ladies and gentlemen I bring you, The predecessor of the T-400...</p> <p><a href="http://gizmodo.com/378523/combat-robot-attempts-rebellion-against-human-masters-in-iraq-army-pulls-plug-for-10+20-years">http://gizmodo.com/378523/combat-robot-attempts-rebellion-against-human-masters-in-iraq-army-pulls-plug-for-10+20-years</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>


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Caption: "I take my orders straight from the governor of California..."
Credit: RichardFromShiner


Title: term.bmp
Caption: "I take my orders straight from the governor of California..."
Credit: RichardFromShiner

 term.bmp "I take my orders straight from the governor of California..." RichardFromShiner International Olympic Committee Ruined all the Fun :( http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/7094 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/7094 <img alt="" src="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20080406/britain-olympic-torch/images/b4448f4d-22ec-4bd3-a6af-692243250a76.jpg" /><br /> <br /> Well when I saw on the news that someone in France tried to put the Olympic Torch out with a fire extinguisher, my morbid curiosity got the better of me. I was glued to the tv this afternoon like no other afternoon since that white SUV took a stroll down the freeway in California a few years back.<br /> <br /> <img src="http://www.aking.missingsaddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/OJ.jpg" alt="" /><br /> <br /> I'm not sure who the PR person is for those Tibetin monks, but it seems as though the whole world has rallied around their cause - which I'm not exactly sure what it is they want, but obviously it can be obtained by extinguishing the flame of a single torch.<br /> <br /> <img src="http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/images/carville.james.jpg" alt="" /><br /> <br /> Maybe its a global warming thing? <br /> <br /> <img src="http://tusb.stanford.edu/Al_Gore_i_An_Inconv_100607o.jpg" alt="" /><br /> <br /> Anyway, I just knew that Americans could outwit those French and come up with a much more clever way to douse that flame (water balloons?) and so there I sat at my desk after school - eyes glued to CNN waiting for something to happen. Well first the route was shortened, then it was changed, and then the closing ceremony was completely canceled. I just knew that something hilarious was going to happen, but those guys in blue jumper suits spoiled everything.<br /> <br /> <img src="http://www.focusfreeski.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/canceled.jpg" alt="" /><br /> <br /> Now I know why you hardly ever see pictures of people laughing in China :P<br /> <br /> <img alt="" src="http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/china-toy-factory.jpg" />


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Caption: In case of Olympic Torch, pull pin, aim, then...
Credit: RichardFromShiner


Title: Fire_Extinguisher.jpg
Caption: In case of Olympic Torch, pull pin, aim, then...
Credit: RichardFromShiner

 Fire_Extinguisher.jpg In case of Olympic Torch, pull pin, aim, then... RichardFromShiner All I Really Need to Know (Satire) http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/6829 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/6829 <p>All I Really Need to Know I Learned from <strike>Kindergarten</strike> the U.S. Government?<br /> <br /> </p> <p>1. Learn to Paraphrase - by Tim Goeglein (amazing what a difference those little &quot; &quot; can make?)<br /> <a href="http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0803/S00045.htm">www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0803/S00045.htm</a></p> <p>2. How to Balance a Checkbook - by Robert Mrazek ($24K in late fees ouch!) <br /> <a href="http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n7_v44/ai_12127933">findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n7_v44/ai_12127933</a><br /> <br /> 3. Proper Airport Etiquette - by Bob Filner (So where IS my damn bag?) <br /> <a href="http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0807/448937.html">www.wjla.com/news/stories/0807/448937.html</a><br /> <br /> 4. How to Text - by Kwame Kilpatrick (14,000 in 2 months? wow a cell phone Liberace) <br /> <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-24-detroit-mayor_n.htm">www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-24-detroit-mayor_n.htm</a><br /> <br /> 5. Defensive Driving - by Carole Migden (not once, but twice in 1 day lol)<br /> <a href="http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1879475/posts">www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1879475/posts</a><br /> <br /> 6. To Vote - by the Texas Legislature (we push all the buttons in elevators too!)<br /> <a href="http://www.metacafe.com/watch/854050/texas_voting_scandal/">www.metacafe.com/watch/854050/texas_voting_scandal/</a><br /> <br /> 7. Playing Fair - by Newt Gingrich (pot kettle black)<br /> <a href="http://www.newser.com/story/581.html">www.newser.com/story/581.html</a><br /> <br /> 8. Taking Responsibility - by Paul Wolfowitz (SHE did it!)<br /> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/05/15/wolfowitz-blames-girlfrie_n_48485.html">www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/05/15/wolfowitz-blames-girlfrie_n_48485.html</a><br /> <br /> 9. Tell the Truth - by Dennis Kucinich<br /> <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,307117,00.html">www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,307117,00.html</a><br /> <br /> and #10. Shopping! - by Claude Allen<br /> <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11770707/">www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11770707/</a><br /> </p>


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 6a00cdf3a2c145cb8f00e398a19bdf0004-320pi.jpg RichardFromShiner Is this ALL that separates the "good" from the "greats"? http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/6725 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/6725 Saw this at a teachers' in-service today. Its inspiring even though it does have its shortfalls for not taking heredity or environment into consideration. But maybe I'm being too picky?<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.212movie.com/">www.212movie.com/</a><br /> <br /> (link opens a movie/slideshow)<br /> Salud Comandante Fidel Castro http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/6660 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/6660 Well as you may already know, Fidel Castro retired as el Presidente. Was he truly such a terrible person that the West makes him out to be? When one mentions Castro, one immediately connects him with the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Bay of Pigs, and possibly even the&nbsp;JFK assassination.&nbsp;Well, what else was there to this individual?&nbsp;Here are some interesting&nbsp;things I found about Fidel's Cuba &ndash; so judge for yourself:<br /> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Outlawed foreign land ownership of Cuba</p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Free Eduction for all Citizens, including Universities</p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Free Health Care</p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Closed the Gambling Industry</p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">98% of the Workforce is a member of Labor Unions</p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Humility &ndash; He refuses to take credit for events and programs that he rightly credits to the Cuban people and their government</p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">In August of last year (2007), Fidel predicted Clinton/Obama as the winning ticket... hmm</p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><img alt="" src="http://z.about.com/d/usliberals/1/0/1/2/ObamaHillaryWinMcNamee.jpg" /></p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">&nbsp;</p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">And before he became President,&nbsp;Fidel was once given a tryout by a major league baseball team... well actually this might be one of those urban legends...</p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><img alt="" src="http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/2661353.jpg?v=1&amp;c=ViewImages&amp;k=2&amp;d=6E41E83E90A345BD3DBE2B891F0B2DCCA55A1E4F32AD3138" /></p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><img alt="" src="http://www.theodoresworld.net/pics/0706/castrodeadornotImage3.jpg" /></p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><img alt="" src="http://www.americandrivelreview.com/castrowink.jpg" /></p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><img alt="" src="http://www.larrytt.com/celebrities_playing_tt/fidel_castro1.jpg" /></p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><img alt="" src="http://pictures.deadlycomputer.com/d/10927-1/Fidel+Castro1.jpg" /></p> <p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Thanks for the memories... SALUD!</p>


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 ap850301068.jpg RichardFromShiner Making up my mind about Ron Paul http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/6522 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/RichardFromShiner/6522 <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">I&rsquo;ve never been sure what to make of all the news I read from time to time about Ron Paul, so when I learned he would be holding a rally last weekend, I decided to make a road trip to Victoria to hear him speak and make up my own mind about him. Besides, I had a couple of bags of clothes to drop off at Good Will anyway, so the trip wouldn&rsquo;t be a total loss.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Now, I don&rsquo;t think too much of our government leaders nowadays, so I was going into this with extremely low expectations. I arrived just before 3pm <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</span>and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</span>I&rsquo;m not too good at estimating crowds, but that old HEB parking lot was full of cars and people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>His speech was really good. I was especially impressed that he didn&rsquo;t read to us and talked &ldquo;straight from the cuff&rdquo;. His ideas on such things as the economy, income taxes and foreign policy are based on the Constitution and how the founding fathers intended things to be. His message identified the problems our country faces and what should be done to put our country back on track. If you want the details, I&rsquo;m sure his position on things are explained on his website, but the main theme of his speech is personal freedom.</span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Afterward, I spotted someone I recognized from the Advocate Blogs and said hello. It was pretty weird running into someone I recognized from online. That&rsquo;s not something that happens a lot. Or does it?</span></p>


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Caption: Mr. Skeptic himself blending in with the unsuspecting crowd...
Credit: RichardFromShiner


Title: ronpaulcrowd.JPG
Caption: Mr. Skeptic himself blending in with the unsuspecting crowd...
Credit: RichardFromShiner

 ronpaulcrowd.JPG Mr. Skeptic himself blending in with the unsuspecting crowd... RichardFromShiner