text:
An insider's view of what is really happening in the Harris County Criminal Courts
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
The New Crack Pipe Policy
For those of you unfamiliar with the lingo, a crack pipe residue case is typically called a "trace case" by most criminal lawyers. The typical scenario is that a person is arrested for a Class C offense (in the poorer neighborhoods, that's usually a jaywalking, walking in the street where a sidewalk is provided, or a bicycling without a headlight). Once a patrol officer arrests the Class C scofflaw, the "search incident to arrest" will often times recover a crack pipe with no crack rock in it. However, a quick test with a field kit will show that the pipe tests positive for cocaine residue and voila, we have felony charges.
The reality of the situation is that the crack pipe once held a perfectly solid crack rock, but now it's gone. The way the statute reads allows for any amount of cocaine be filed as a State Jail Felony. In other counties, however, the cases can be disposed of with a Class C Possession of Drug Paraphernalia plea. In Harris County, the cases were often handled with 12.44(a) Time, which is a felony conviction punished with misdemeanor jail time.
The police are not happy with Lykos' new policy, and I understand why. Police Departments like to utilize the statistics of Felony Arrests, and if the D.A.'s Office isn't going to let them count crack pipe residue cases anymore, then those stats are about to take a severe dip. That ain't going to make the upper echelons happy, if you ask me.
My thoughts on Lykos' policy is that this was probably a good move, though.
Yes, you read that correctly. I agree with Lykos on this particular issue.
Filing crack pipe cases are a tremendous use of State resources that could be better expended on more serious cases.
And it isn't as if she is de-criminalizing drugs. The option will still remain for a police officer to file a Class C violation on a crack pipe holder and they will still have the power to take that person into custody (if they so choose). They just aren't going to get their felony arrest stat and the accused isn't going to spend the next several months in jail.
And the prosecutors at the D.A.'s Office can spend more of their over-worked time focusing on more serious cases.
Now I'm wondering what the Office is going to do with all the residue cases that are currently pending. I'm hoping that a lot of us are going to be getting our Class C offers immediately and we can get some of these folks home for Christmas.
33 comments:
"I'm hoping that a lot of us are going to be getting our Class C offers immediately and we can get some of these folks home for Christmas."
It's official, Murray has switched teams. Hope all of your crackhead clients enjoy their holiday's. Be sure and tell them Merry Christmas as they are carrying your 60" plasma out of your house.
- December 9, 2009 at 10:10 AM
If you have a crack pipe and are DWI will you get pretrial diversion?
- December 9, 2009 at 10:11 AM
I'm hoping that a lot of us are going to be getting our Class C offers immediately and we can get some of these folks home
So they can break into working peoples houses for Christmas
- December 9, 2009 at 10:14 AM
The problem is that Murray, Lykos and I live in stable neighborhoods that do not have crack heads milling around looking for stuff to steal 24 hours a day.
It is easy to say well just arrest them for burglary etc. The problem is that the crackhead picks the time for the break in. So he waits for no police no one to call the police etc. No leads to follow.
This will take away the police ability to stabilize marginal areas resulting in a rise in crime and lower quality of life for the working people in these areas.
Finally the police stat I am worried about is not the lowering of felony arrest but the rise in BMVs burglaries, thefts etc.
Also I always hear that this will allow us to concentrate oh other crime. Lets look back in a year and see if the jail time goes up for any other crime i.e BMV (almost no time now) burglary etc.
My guess is that time will no go up.
- December 9, 2009 at 10:58 AM
- A Harris County Lawyer said...
Actually, I live in the 5th Ward, thank you very much.
- December 9, 2009 at 11:25 AM
The new townhouses on clinton with gates and walls do not count
- December 9, 2009 at 11:36 AM
- A Harris County Lawyer said...
That's not quite where I live, but close enough. Either way, I'm a target to these thieving crackheads you mention.
- December 9, 2009 at 11:40 AM
If you have a little powder, make sure and snort it before the cops knocks takes you out of the car.
- December 9, 2009 at 12:50 PM
The problem here is that Lykos has implemented a local solution to a nationwide problem. It is an absolute truth that a large majority of crack users engage in petty and major crimes to finance their habit. The crack pipe simply represents the end result of the crimes committed to finance the habit. Discarding the felony charge for possession of the crack pipe does not eliminate the need of the crack user to steal in order to finance the habit. It merely eliminates the ability of the police to remove a crack addicted burglar from the street.
Having worked both sides of the courtroom (like Murray), I am sympathetic to the argument that residue crimes are excessive charges for an unusable amount of cocaine. However, I am also sympathetic to the argument that escalating crack use in a neighborhood is paired with rising burglary and theft rates in that same neighborhood.
It seems to me a more thoughtful approach to the problem of residue cases would be an increase in treatment programs, since possession of a crack pipe is just as symptomatic of a crack addiction as it is a crime spree to finance the addiction.
- December 9, 2009 at 2:11 PM
As long as we are locking up all the crackheads and forcing them to buy dope from the jailers in the county lockup, why don't we lock up all the the prescription pill and alcohol addicts too. Or are we only locking up the poor ones that can't afford rehab.
The crackheads aren't the people stealing the plasma TVs. They are the ones giving blowjobs for $10.
Please read about addiction before you show your ignorance and arrogance.
- December 9, 2009 at 2:15 PM
- BLACK INK said...
Jack Nicholson often jokes that his mother never saw the irony in her calling him a son of a bitch.
It wasn't so very long ago that the civil defense attorneys were pushing tort reform and with that reform came pink slips for many of the proponents.
So at least the Lykos reforms have a silver lining in that they will thin out the herd of criminal defense attorneys in Harris County.
However, a comprehensive risk benefit analysis down the road will undoubtedly reveal that the dynamics of crackheads and their pipes are not a simplistic one dimensional issue.
Lykos has merely negated an important law enforcement tool to promote a politically correct sound bite without a full appreciation of the real long term consequences.
So what's new?
- December 9, 2009 at 3:01 PM
I thought Republicans were supposed to be tough on crime?
I can't think of one new policy that Lykos has instituted that is law enforcement oriented. She gives sweetheart dismissals to wealthy DWI defendants if they pay enough to support corporations in the liquor industry, she grants immunity to reckless drivers that kill, and she stops the police from being proactive in crime suppression by taking away their best tool to keep criminals off the street. Everything of note that she has done has been to help out criminals and defense lawyers (and defense lawyers are apparently too stupid to realize that about 20% of their potentiual jobs will disappear with these new crime tolerant practices).
She is pandering to defense lawyers making DA employees the local public defenders office.
- December 9, 2009 at 3:28 PM
Anon 10:11 missed one:
If you have a crack pipe and kill somebody in a car while drunk, you will get immunity because those aren't prosecuted anymore.
- December 9, 2009 at 3:31 PM
I'm with Lycos on this one (wait, did I just say that?!). Anyone who's tried a crack pipe residue case knows no jury wants to give someone time in the State Jail (akin to the pen, except you don't get any early release for good behavior) for possessing cocaine you can't even see. It seemed like a joke to try a case like that when cases for rape, manslaughter, and possession of a kilo of cocaine were lined up behind yours.
But I do agree that Republicans may not be too eager to elect a Republican judge who seems to line up with the defense bar more than she does her own team (even though no one would characterize her as a team player).
- December 9, 2009 at 3:39 PM
Trace amounts that can't be seen are easily defensible since state has to prove knowledge on part of defendant, so we are only talking about relief for small amounts that can be seen. The whole purpose of the "possession" crimes is to prevent people from using or selling contraband. So in order to succeed at the purpose, it doesn't matter whether the amount possessed is a trace or a large amount, the defendant was using or selling contraband and has been caught. Why let the ones who are lucky enough to have already used most of it up get off while you still prosecute the ones that haven't used theirs yet ? Just because it's a pain to prosecute and the dockets are too large is no good reason to cease protection of the public.
- December 9, 2009 at 5:20 PM
Maybe this will mean they don't need 4 prosecutors per court any more. Lykos needed a way to trim the budget to pay for the remodeling. Still plently of dead weight left in the office that would be easy to pick from.
- December 9, 2009 at 5:29 PM
Lykos is doing nothing more than legislating from her bully pulpit, again... Perhaps the police should arrest the crackheads, drive them to Pat Lykos' neighborhood, and drop them off with their class-c crackpipe summons.
I know that there is a great deal of dissent, but ride a long with a police officer in a shitty part of town on a friday night. You will change your mind a realize what a bad idea this is... AND I'm a defense atty!
- December 9, 2009 at 5:49 PM
anon 2:15
You're right. They aren't stealing plasma TV's. They're stealing copper from a/c units. They're breaking into cars and stealing stuff that people are dumb enough to leave in plain sight. They're walking into banks and trying to cash stolen checks. And, they're giving blowjobs for $10.00.
- December 9, 2009 at 9:02 PM
The problem here is that Lykos has implemented a local solution to a nationwide problem.
Uhhhhh, I don't know about nationwide, but you may want to read up about the "local" part. Harris County was in the minority of counties that file felony charges for residue cases.
I hope you're not a prosecutor.
Lykos is doing nothing more than legislating from her bully pulpit, again...
Actually, making felonies out of misdemeanors is legislating from the bully pulpit. This is properly classifying a paraphenalia case as a misdemeanor, like it is on the books.
- December 9, 2009 at 9:28 PM
Actually, juries are quite interested in these cases. Believe it or not, they were handing out hefty sentences (10-15 years) to habitual offenders in the months preceding this decision. Juries get it -- crackheads deprive their right to live in a crackhead free world. And yes, by the way, crackheads will break into your home, business, or other structure and steal your plasma TV. You can play ignorant and look at a crack pipe case in a vaccum and see it only as a crack pipe. You can also take a big picture look and see a crackpipe case as an affront to the peace and dignity of the State, which it is. None of us, including Murray, have a crackhead in our front yard right now. Try living like that and then weigh in on the issue.
- December 9, 2009 at 9:35 PM
- A Harris County Lawyer said...
Actually, I do have a crackhead hanging out in front of my house.
- December 9, 2009 at 9:39 PM
- Eric J. Davis said...
You, my man, are officially a defense lawyer.
I live in 3rd Ward.
- December 9, 2009 at 9:46 PM
In front of your house, not IN your house, Murray. :)
- December 9, 2009 at 9:47 PM
"That's not quite where I live, but close enough. Either way, I'm a target to these thieving crackheads you mention"
I figured I was close.
My guess is that in about six months the streets in front of Murray's and my house will look like a scene from Night of the Living Dead Crack Zombies everywhere.
- December 10, 2009 at 12:56 AM
- jigmeister said...
Just food for thought (or fodder for argument): Presently a large percentage of law enforcement resources are dedicated to petty narcotics enforcement. Not just narcotics officers, but numerous task forces. If those officers were assigned to follow up on property crimes, burglaries,and hijackers would the solve rates for those crimes go up? What percentage of burglaries are investigated sufficiently? When my home was burglarized years ago, I made sure that prints and photos were taken, but then I was in the business and called in favors.
I disagree with those that say we have switched teams. I'm not sure it was the same people using the crack pipes that were travelling to the burbs to commit burglaries, more likely the meth heads these days. The crackhead riding his bike without lights wasn't the guy committing the burglaries; they have pickups to carry away the loot.
Just saying: If something hasn't worked after 30 years of trying, try something else.
- December 10, 2009 at 7:52 AM
Jigmeister, I agree with you. And I think the new policy could be ok. The problem is that she announces a sweeping policy with no exceptions. It was an effective tool for law enforcement officers when they have suspects they believe are involved in capital murders, etc, to pick them up on a crack pipe case, and continue to investigate. Now there's no way to do that. Not to mention dealing with all the complaints from the people that live in these neighborhoods....but let's not learn from experience....
- December 10, 2009 at 9:59 AM
Anon 9:59,
Regarding your comment that, "The problem is that she announces a sweeping policy with no exceptions. It was an effective tool for law enforcement officers when they have suspects they believe are involved in capital murders, etc, to pick them up on a crack pipe case, and continue to investigate."
You're right but it's not Lykos' fault; it's the fault of all the cops who, instead of using the charge as an effective tool to pick up murder suspects, etc., use it as a way to run-up their monthly felony arrests to please their sergeants. As I understand it, 13,000 cases of less than a gram where processed last year - and we haven't come close to that many hoomicides not matter what some with various agendas (HPOU, HCDO) like to claim.
The failure of officers to effectively use their discretion brought this problem to the forefront and now they whine about it and some (as always) are diligently working at circumventing the intent of this management decision See http://www.hcso.bravehost.com/ under "CCD in a Panic" posts in the Forum for an example of their attitude. It's that kind of crap that got us here.
As jigmeister stated, "If something hasn't worked after 30 years of trying, try something else."
- December 10, 2009 at 10:59 AM
- jigmeister said...
That policy should make absolutely no difference to investigative cops. They can still arrest, and if the supremes haven't changed the law since that El Lago case, still arrest for class c offenses. Not only that but residue cases are still SJ crimes, but with the DA exercising the discretion not to file. However, if the law is ever changed so that you can't arrest for a class c,especially vehicle offenses other than speeding, that would cut off all sorts of investigative avenues that specialty cops have used for years.
- December 10, 2009 at 12:27 PM
- jigmeister said...
No policy would be so sweeping that valid exceptions aren't made. Unfortunately, Lykos may not have the smarts to give D.C. Chiefs, Special Crimes, Chief of Intake, etc. the authority to make those exceptions when necessary.
- December 10, 2009 at 12:30 PM
"...Lykos may not have the smarts to give D.C. Chiefs, Special..."
There's no "may" about it...Lykos is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
- December 10, 2009 at 5:09 PM
As a police officer, these criminals will still be instantered for their crimes...over and over again. This isn't fixing any problems. With Lykos' new policies(DWI, crackpipe), the citizens of Harris County better be aware of all of the crackheads on the loose, because they are the same ones who rob, steal, and burglarize just to get high.
- December 11, 2009 at 2:18 PM
In almost 10 years of filing felony charges for trace cases, I can count on ONE hand the number of times my cses have ended up in front of a jury: 1. The def's most often plead for reduced time in County Jail. I have had numerous habitual offenders get TDCJ time, but nothing more than 2 years. I've had numerous BMV charges filed either dismissed or reduced when I catch the crook with a pipe. The problem here is the slippery slope....when do we start issuing citations for POM less than 2 ounces? We all know, on both sides of the argument, that drug use leads to property crime, especially in poorer areas. Sure, I'll continue to instanter my crackheads when I catch 'em with a pipe, but they'll be back out on the street in 24-48 hours. Back at it again. I just booked a crook last week when I caught him in the act of burglarizing several coin operated machines and a vehicle. He had a crack pipe on him and a pocket full of change. DA intake took the PCS charge and dumped the BMV and Burg Coin Op. Machine. With this new policy, would the outcome, as far as time spent in county jail goes, have been any different? Probably not. This is not about cops using trace cases to up their felony stats. It's about reducing the case load of the ADA's. Like I said, 99% of trace cases end up resolved before ever seeing the inside of a courtroom.
- December 13, 2009 at 5:22 AM
Can anyone provide a web address to view the HCSO blog?
- December 13, 2009 at 9:50 AM


text:
Berlin outer ring
The Berlin outer ring (German: Berliner Außenring, BAR) is a 125 km (78 mi) long double track electrified railway, originally built by the German Democratic Republic to bypass West Berlin in preparation for the building of the Berlin Wall during the division of Germany. It was developed by East Germany for economic, transport policy, and military reasons between 1951 and 1961 and included parts of some older lines (Outer Freight Ring, Jüterbog–Nauen railway, and Michendorf–Großbeeren railway).
|Berlin outer ring
The outer ring near Sellheimbrücke, on the left
is the route of the planned S-Bahn
|Native name
|Berliner Außenring
|Berlin, Brandenburg, Germany
|Line number
|Line length
|125 km (78 mi)
|Track gauge
|1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
|Operating speed
|160 km/h (99.4 mph) (maximum)
|Route number
|207, 209.12, 209.20, 209.21, 209.22
Without the completion of the outer ring it would not have been possible to build the Berlin Wall, sealing off West Berlin, without disrupting East Germany's transport links. The Potsdam-Schönefeld Expressway was built for similar reasons.
The term Outer ring is used to distinguish the line from the Ring line of inner Berlin.
Starting at the Anhalt line in the south, the outer ring runs from Genshagener Heide to Schönefeld Airport, Grünau Cross, Wuhlheide, Schönfließ, Golm, Potsdam Pirschheide, Saarmund, and back to Genshagener Heide.
In the late 19th century the military sought an outer connection between the railway lines radiating out of Berlin. Such a line also had advantages for freight traffic. 1902, the Bypass Railway (Umgehungsbahn) was opened connecting the Magdeburg railway, the Lehrte Railway and the Hamburg Railway between Wildpark station (now Potsdam Park Sanssouci station) via Wustermark and Nauen. In the following years, the line was extended to Jüterbog on the Anhalt line and Oranienburg on the Prussian Northern line. In the 1920s, the Seddin marshalling yard was built on the Berlin-Blankenheim line and subsequently connected via Saarmund to Großbeeren on the Anhalt line. In the early 1930s a continuation of this link to the east via Schönefeld to Wuhlheide was planned, which would have approximated the route of the current outer ring. During the Nazi period the Outer Freight Ring (Güteraußenring) was built in 1940/41 to create a provisional connection from Teltow on the Anhalt line via Schönefeld to eastern Berlin, linking with the Stettin Railway at Berlin-Karow. It was significantly closer to Berlin's southern outskirts that the previous plan and the current outer ring.
The division of Germany and Berlin after World War II caused the Soviet zone administration and later the East German government to build an efficient bypass of West Berlin. The first steps were the construction in 1948 of connecting curves to the outer freight ring between Werder and Golm and between the Berlin–Görlitz line and the north at Berlin-Grünau. In 1950, a connection was built at Berlin-Karow to link with Basdorf on the Heidekraut Railway, connecting with the Northern Railway via Wensickendorf to Oranienburg.
Construction of the outer ringEdit
On 8 July 1951, the section between Genshagener Heide and Schönefeld was opened along with the connecting curves between Genshagener Heide east and Ludwigsfelde and between Glasower Damm east and Blankenfelde. This was followed by the opening of the Schönefeld–Grünau Cross section on 12 August 1951 and its extension to Wendenheide on 2 December of that year. On 22 November 1952 the opening of the section from the Outer freight ring at today's Karow cross and Bergfelde and the connecting curve from Bergfelde junction to Birkenwerder. The next steps were the opening of the connecting curve from Karow West junction to Blankenburg (1953), the Wuhlheide marshalling yard (1 October 1953) and, simultaneously, the section from Bergfelde to Falkenhagen and Brieselang, initially as a single track. This was followed between 1953 and 1955 with the opening of a connection curve between Karow west junction and Karow north junction, the doubling of the former Brandenburg Ring line between Saarmund and Genshagener Heide, and the opening of several connecting curves: between Hennigsdorf west junction and Hennigsdorf, Hennigsdorf east and Hennigsdorf, between Hohen Neuendorf west and Birkenwerder and between Falkenhagen and Finkenkrug and Brieselang. On 2 October 1955, the section between Falkenhagen junction and Wustermark was opened along with the connection curves to Wustermark freight yard and Wustermark. On 11 December 1955 the line from Wustermark Junction to Elstal Junction was opened, completing the connection with the Brandenburg Ring line between Golm and Elstal.
The last section of the line was the difficult section between Saarmund and Golm across the Templiner See. On 30 September 1956, the connecting curve between Potsdam south and Werder was opened to traffic, completing the ring. This was followed by several connecting curves: Nesselgrund east to Wilhelmshorst and Golm to Wildpark (28 September 1957), Genshagener Heide to Birkengrund (north-west curve, 1 June 1958), Werder to Golm (6 February 1959) and finally Glasower Damm - Blankenfelde (south-west curve, 25 May 1961).
In 1958, passenger trains began running on the outer ring as part of the Berlin S-Bahn fare scheme. As this followed the launch of the first Soviet satellite, these trains, which ran partly on a circular orbit around West Berlin, were commonly called "Sputniks".
Further upgradesEdit
On 13 August 1961, the Berlin Wall was built closing East Germany's border with West Berlin. This made necessary the construction of an S-Bahn connection between Berlin-Blankenburg and Hohen Neuendorf towards Oranienburg. In 1962 separate S-Bahn tracks between Schönfließ and Bergfelde were put into operation (on the rest of the section S-Bahn and mainline trains shared tracks) and the connection between Bergfelde/Bergfelde East and Birkenwerder were built. Also in 1962 an S-Bahn line from Adlershof station to Berlin-Schoenefeld Airport was opened and this line also made available for long-distance trains. Previously, it had served only as a station for border checkpoint purposes.
In the same year track was completed on the connection between Hasselberg and Brieselang, and the Hennigsdorf–Wustermark section were electrified experimentally with the 25 kV/50 Hz system. Class E 251 locomotives built in the Lokomotivbau Elektrotechnische Werke in Hennigsdorf (now owned by Bombardier) were used on the line. In 1973, the catenary was removed, although some masts were preserved and reused for the 15 kV electrification in 1983.
In 1982, the Saarmund–Glasower Damm section and the connection to Blankenfelde was electrified, including the Saarmund–Michendorf connecting line and the Genshagen Heath/Genshagen Heath east–Ludwigsfelde curves as well as the Priort–Saarmund section. In 1983 this was followed by the electrification of several sections: Wustermark/Wustermark marshalling yard–Priort, Berlin-Schönefeld Airport–Grünau Cross, Birkenwerder junction (near Hohen Neuendorf West)–Wustermark South junction as well as the connecting curves at Golm/Wildpark west junction–Werder, Wustermark north junction–Wustermark marshalling yard/Wustermark and Falkenhagener cross.
On 17 May 1983, the third track—and on 26 September 1986 the fourth track—was opened between Glasower Damm junction and Berlin-Schönefeld Airport. Between Karow Cross and Schönfließ two separate tracks were brought into operation on 2 September 1984 as part of the planned electrification of long-distance tracks.
As a result of the decline in freight traffic after German reunification, the Wuhlheide marshalling yard was decommissioned on 10 June 1994 and later abandoned completely.
With the opening of the North-South mainline on 28 May 2006, its southern connection to the Anhalt Railway was re-opened, but not to the Dresden line. Since then, trains to Dresden have run on the outer ring between Genshagener Cross and Glasower Damm. These trains use a connecting curve from the direction of Teltow and Berlin and use a newly built curve.
As part of the western rail link being built to Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport, in early 2008, the two main lines connecting from the Berlin-Dresden line between Glasower Damm east junction and Berlin-Schönefeld Airport station were taken out of service and the tracks have mostly been removed. The main line to the airport will be constructed from the new grade-separated Selchow junction (between junction Glasower Damm east and Waßmannsdorf) and run south of the Outer ring from the west on a somewhat S-shaped route to the new airport railway station. A total of 15 kilometres of line is being rebuilt for mainline and regional services and eight kilometres is being rebuilt for S-Bahn services. While both routes were expected to open to the airport in early November 2011,[2] continued delays with construction of the new airport[3] have meant that service to Berlin-Schönefeld Flughafen will continue to operate until at least 2020. Airport shuttle services will operate from Berlin Hauptbahnhof via the Anhalt line rather than the shorter Dresden line, because a connecting curve has not been built to connect with the North-South mainline.[4]
Passenger servicesEdit
There is no passenger service around the entirety of the outer ring, but a number of services serve it in part.
|Stations served
|Spandau – Falkensee – Hennigsdorf – Pritzwalk – Wittenberge
|Dessau – Belzig – Wannsee – Berlin Hbf – Berlin Ostbahnhof – Berlin Schönefeld Airport – Blankenfelde – Wünsdorf-Waldstadt
|Lichtenberg – Hohenschönhausen – Oranienburg – Templin Stadt
|Nauen – Spandau – Berlin Hbf – Berlin Ostbahnhof – Berlin Schönefeld Airport – Königs Wusterhausen – Lübbenau – Senftenberg
|Potsdam – Golm – Hennigsdorf – Hohen Neuendorf West – Oranienburg
|Griebnitzsee – Potsdam – Golm – Marquardt - Priort - Wustermark
|Berlin Friedrichstraße, Berlin Hbf, Berlin Zoologischer Garten, Berlin-Charlottenburg, Berlin-Wannsee, Potsdam Griebnitzsee, Potsdam Hbf, Potsdam Charlottenhof, Potsdam Park Sanssouci, Golm, Saarmund, Ludwigsfelde-Struveshof, Berlin-Schönefeld Flughafen, Königs Wusterhausen[5]
|Lichtenberg – Hohenschönhausen – Bernau – Eberswalde – Wriezen – Frankfurt (Oder)
- ^ Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland (German railway atlas). Schweers + Wall. 2017. pp. 124–7, 129. ISBN 978-3-89494-146-8.
- ^ "Arbeiten für Schienenanbindung BBI kommen gut voran (Construction of BBI link is proceeding well)" (Press release) (in German). Deutsche Bahn. 10 September 2008. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- ^ "Ist der BER schon fertig?". Retrieved 25 July 2015.
- ^ "Bahn: Westliche Schienenanbindung zum BBI wird rechtzeitig fertig - Fahrgastverband fordert schnelle Entscheidung für Dresdner Bahn" (in German). Vgl. Berliner Fahrgastverband IGEB. 10 September 2008. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-02-06. Retrieved 2018-02-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Kuhlmann, Bernd (1997). Der Berliner Außenring (in German). Nordhorn: Kenning. ISBN 3-927587-65-6.
- Adam, Wolfgang (1985). "Tagebuchblätter der Elektrifizierung der Eisenbahnstrecken im Kreis Zossen" [Chronology of the electrification of the railways in the Zossen district]. Heimatkalender für den Kreis Zossen (Home calendar for Zossen district) (in German). Zossen: District Council (28): 50–58.
- "Berliner Außenring (BAR)" (in German). Axel Mauruszat. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- "Berliner Außenring (BAR)" (in German). beefland. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Berlin outer ring.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Release Date: October 2nd, 1992
DVD Release Date: January 16th, 2001
R |1 hr 59 minPlot Summary
After building an empire with bootleg alcohol, legendary crime boss Al Capone (Robert De Niro) rules Chicago with an iron fist. Though Prohibition agent Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) attempts to take Capone down, even his best efforts fail due to widespread corruption within the Windy City's police force. Recruiting an elite group of lawmen who won't be swayed by bribes or fear, including Irish-American cop Jimmy Malone (Sean Connery), Ness renews his determination to bring Capone to justice.
Cast: Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Robert De Niro, Andy Garcia, Charles Martin Smith, Billy Drago, Richard Bradford, Jack Kehoe
Director: Brian De Palma
Genres: Crime drama
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Keywords: Pursuit, Spirited, Office, Engaging, 1930s, Underdog, Rivalry


text:
The outlaw vs. the man of the law. The American folk hero vs. the American federal agent. [movieperson id="16504"]Johnny Depp[/movieperson] vs. [movieperson id="3146"]Christian Bale[/movieperson]. That's the battle taking shape as Michael Mann's [movie id="375622"]"Public Enemies,"[/movie] the true story of tommy-gun-toting bank robber John Dillinger (Depp) and FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Bale), pop-pop-pops its way into theaters, starting on Wednesday (July 1).
Set in the Depression-devastated 1930s, Dillinger forms a gang with some creatively named rule-breakers — Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd — and sets about looting banks that have been foreclosing homes and repossessing goods throughout the Midwest. Along the way, naturally, Dillinger finds time for a little bit of outlaw romance, as he falls head-over-machine-gun for Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard), a vulnerable lounge singer. FBI head honcho J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) tasks Purvis with the task of capturing Dillinger and putting the kibosh on this crime wave sweeping the crisis-stricken country.
Will you root for the gangster or the law enforcer during this patriotic holiday weekend? Duck for cover and check out MTV's "Public Enemies" Cheat Sheet before you make up your mind.
Bringing Real-Life Gangsters Into the New Millennium
The events portrayed in the film took place almost 80 years ago, and Mann placed a great deal of emphasis on getting his facts right.
"Michael Mann is one of the most thorough researchers that I've ever come across," Bale told us last summer. "So, I had more than an abundance of information about [the history]. I also travelled to the FBI headquarters and met with the family of the character I was playing.
"We shot at the actual locations where the events took place," he added. "It was uncanny on a number of occasions; we were filming on the actual dates where the gunfights happened, in the same place, at the same time!"
The Stars
In January 2008, co-star John Ortiz, who plays Sicilian gangster Frank Nitti, kicked us some inside knowledge about the production and his work alongside Depp and Bale. Joining this group was Channing Tatum as Floyd. In April of that year, Crudup signed on for the role of Hoover.
"It's a supporting part," Crudup told us earlier this year. "It's kind of a cameo."
The Allure of the Gangster Lifestyle
As the movie wrapped production and the stars began to speak to MTV News about it, they talked often about the appeal of living outside the law.
"The best thing about being an outlaw was the machine gun — and unlimited ammunition," Depp said at the Hollywood premiere of "Enemies."
Bale said the best part of outlaw life was "the finest cars. ... [Their] cars have this artistry, and they have a sense of the character."
"You can make your own rules, and bend the rules," said Leelee Sobieski, who plays one of Dillinger's lovers. "[When you're a gangster], crazy things will happen."
But are these folks scofflaws in real life? "I'm constantly breaking laws," Depp told us with a laugh.
The Visions
In March, we debuted a series of photos from "Enemies," including one of Depp clutching his tommy gun and Bale stalking the fugitive in the woods.
Ten days later, we showed off the film's first trailer. And, as always, we've brought you a ton of interviews with the cast, including one in which Bale spoke glowingly about Depp's commitment to blazing his own path.
The Future
After taking a year off work, Bale is returning for "The Fighter," in which he plays an ex-convict who trains his boxer half-brother, played by Mark Wahlberg. Depp moves on to two films in the next year: a fourth "Pirates of the Caribbean" and an adaptation of the 1960s supernatural TV series, "Dark Shadows." As for Mann, his next directorial project is anything but clear. Jamie Foxx told us in April that he and Mann would be gearing up for "Damage Control," about a Mr. Fix-It lawyer who represents troubled sports stars. Whether that becomes his next big screen effort remains to be seen.
Check out everything we've got on "Public Enemies."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.


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The fatwa department at Cairo's Al-Azhar University issues about 1,000 edicts a day, and Al-Alzhar is certainly not the only source of these religious rulings. In fact, as Daniel Williams reports in Bloomberg News, there is an explosion of decrees and an explosion of sources which issue them. There is, then, fatwa chaos from Indonesia to Morocco. There are judgements that order Muslims not to watch television, ban sculpture, dictate female circumcision, and one recently that commands "women who meet alone with men ought...breastfeed them to create a 'maternal' bond that precludes having sex."
I suppose the first fatwa that many of us heard about was the death sentence by the Ayatollah Khomeini on novelist Salman Rushdie, condemned for blasphemy in The Satanic Verses. This is not the most violent of these rulings. There are all of the exhortations to jihad whose victims are mostly Muslims.


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Now that many of us have experienced Batman: Arkham Asylum on the console, let's see if it was worth delaying the PC version to add support for NVIDIA's PhysX technology.
The verdict? While it certainly doesn't seem to effect the gameplay, little touches like the flowing of his cape, the swirling of debris, and the way those banners flutter when you toss a batarang through them should help make the experience just a bit more immersive. Is it worth a three week delay? I've a feeling that once PC gamers have the game in their hands the delay will be completely forgotten.


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Is Fasting for Weight Loss Safe?
The reasons why fasting longer than 24 hours, and particularly three or more days, should only be done under the supervision of a health professional and preferably in a live-in clinic.
The reasons why fasting longer than 24 hours, and particularly three or more days, should only be done under the supervision of a health professional and preferably in a live-in clinic.
One way a diet rich in animal-sourced foods like meat, eggs, and cheese may contribute to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and death is through the production of toxin called TMAO.
To maximize our lifespan, the target resting heart rate may be one beat a second or less.
The reversal of blindness due to hypertension and diabetes with Dr. Kempner's rice and fruit diet demonstrates the power of diet to exceed the benefits of the best modern medicine and surgery have to offer.
Dr. Walter Kempner was a pioneer in the use of diet to treat life-threatening chronic disease, utilizing a diet of mostly rice and fruit to cure malignant hypertension and reverse heart and kidney failure.
An elegant experiment is described in which the blood of those eating different types of spices—such as cloves, ginger, rosemary, and turmeric—is tested for anti-inflammatory capacity.
The consumption of phosphorus preservatives in junk food, and injected into meat, may damage blood vessels, accelerate the aging process, and contribute to osteoporosis.
If doctors can eliminate some of our leading killers by treating the underlying causes of chronic disease better than nearly any other medical intervention, why don't more doctors do it?
The consumption of dark fish (such as salmon, swordfish, bluefish, mackerel, and sardines) may increase our risk of atrial fibrillation—an irregular heartbeat rhythm associated with stroke, dementia, heart failure, and a shortened lifespan.
Many of the most powerful drugs in modern medicine's arsenal came from natural products, from penicillin to the chemotherapy agents Taxol® and vincristine.
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in our diet are thought to accelerate the aging process.
A leading stroke expert ruffles a few feathers.


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How To Celebrate The 70th Birthday Of The Flash
The Flash appeared for the first time in comics Flash Comics #1 (January 1940) from All-American Publications (one of the three companies that would eventually merge into DC Comics).
Isn't it sad when Warner Bros & DC Comics gets in the way of themselves legally from promoting their superheroes like The Flash (and Batman last year)?
So what can you do?
1) Wear your Flash t-shirt with pride
2) (For Kids) Run very fast in honor of The Flash
3) Watch the 1990 television show on Fancast
4) Re-read your favorite Flash comic books
5) (For Kids again) Pick a day this month to wear your Flash costume all day
6) Tell Warner Bros how you want them to celebrate The Flash this month


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When you have a child with dyslexia, does it sometimes feel like you need a miracle?
You've exhausted all avenues, but you can't give up—because it's your child.
Your child can't read or spell. The school system has let him down and it feels like the world has let him down—but you won't let him down. Even so, a miracle would be nice because you don't know what to do next.
If you have ever felt the desperation that comes from watching your child fail in such a critical subject area, and if you have ever feared for your child's future, then you will relate to this story. I know I did.
Hannah's* story shows the strength of a mother's love for her child. Whether your child has dyslexia or not, there are powerful lessons to be learned and poignant reminders that you can't give up on your kids, no matter what others may say.
My son is the kindest and most honest and selfless child I know. He has taught me more about this world than I could have ever taught him. Yet with all these amazing qualities, he never excelled in school. From the very first day, school was a nightmare. He absolutely dreaded going and would cry and beg not to go. He struggled in all his subjects, but mainly reading and spelling.
His learning diminished. He lost all motivation for learning and doubted his abilities to do anything. Any time spelling or reading was presented to him, it became a battle of wills. He would instantly shut down, and it would become a power struggle even to get him to write his spelling words, let alone try to read them. Of course, all of this left my son with low self-esteem.
Our road to finding All About Spelling was a hard one. From reading and spelling intervention classes, special needs class, misdiagnoses, and even being told that my child had reached his learning potential at the age of 10—we faced so many trials. As his parent, I was angry, confused, and heartbroken. I didn't understand why his teachers couldn't see the child I saw. I knew he had more in him. I knew he could learn, but at the same time, I also knew something was wrong. He didn't read like other kids his age. That's when I decided to homeschool.
I tried a few spelling programs and found that most shared the same approach—repetitively writing the words or building word pyramids. These approaches did not work for us and I was not impressed. After my son was diagnosed with dyslexia, I began to learn more about dyslexia and how the brain of a dyslexic person interprets information. All the horrible years at school began to make perfect sense. I started searching for curriculum that worked for dyslexic children. That's when I found All About Spelling. When I opened the teacher's manual, there were no repetitive lists, no pyramids. The layout was easy. It was structured but flexible. All I had to do was follow the steps.
Now we have been avid AAS users for three years and the progress my son has made is indescribable. For him, spelling is a complex process. But AAS gives him the tools he needs to succeed.
The AAS phonograms app taught him to recognize the correct sounds of letters. Letter tiles gave him physical letters to refer to. He didn't have to rely on straight memory, and he could focus on one letter and one sound at a time. The Key Cards are like a "safe base" for him. They make the spelling rules simple and easy to remember.
I don't know that I can truly convey all the things AAS has done for our family. But I can convey the joy I feel when I see my son learning—when he spells a word on the board, jumbles up the letters, and then stops himself and says, "Wait, Mom." I can hear him whispering and repeating one of the memorized key cards to himself. Then he self-corrects the misspelled word. No frustration, no overwhelmed feeling, just confidence. That feeling is priceless.
All About Spelling not only helped my son learn to spell, it gave him confidence in himself again—confidence that he had lost so many years before. It gave him the reassurance that with the right approach he could spell and read. To have witnessed the change in him leaves me in awe.
Hannah and her son's story is almost overwhelming to me, and not just because of the similarities to my own story. What if she hadn't taken matters into her own hands and intervened? Where would her son be in five years? Ten years?
Without literacy, the chances of achieving a positive outcome—a happy, well-adjusted man—are not very good. But instead of accepting what others believed was inevitable, Hannah turned the tide, and now she sees her son's growing confidence, his increasing skills, and his handsome smile.
THIS is the reason I continue to write and teach every day. Thanks for sharing your journey with us, Hannah!
Did you enjoy Hannah's story? Read more stories in our Real Moms, Real Kids series.
*To preserve the privacy of the child featured in this story, we did not use the family's real names.
I have a 10 yr old son who is Dyslexic, we tried games, tutors, even that Abc mouse thing,we tried the AAS program and he is a different child now. he is learning and liking it. Our oldest son Chase whose 14 was reading your article and told my husband and I to try it out Now every monday when the kids get the weekly spelling test words. he spends time working with Mark using this program and last week Mark brought home his first 100% on his spelling test and he's still smiling. thank you your a lifesaver.
WOW! That is so encouraging and motivating.
Thank you for sharing this story. My daughter is struggling with reading and we love AAR curriculum. I'm seeing progress, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed because I want us to be farther along than we are. I'm so happy to have found a reading program that works and keeps my daughter moving towards literacy.
I'm so grateful to Hannah for sharing her story. It's heartening to see other care givers who refuse to lose sight of all their children are capable of even in the face of programs and systems that say otherwise.
Thank you so much Robin for your dedication, belief and hard work. Everything you share has provided so much guidance and reassurance for those who are anxious and overwhelmed by one of the most important gifts they can give their children; love and literacy.
… and understanding
We are finishing up Level 1 in AAR and are excited to start Level 1 in AAS next school year! My daughter hated reading but has fallen in love thanks to this program.
This is me!
I purchased AAS for my children, but my spelling has greatly improved as a result of working through the program with my kids. We love AAS!
That's awesome!
😍 I have a daughter who struggles with spelling, and AAS saved us last year when nothing else was working no amount of school testing was helping answer our questions. But AAS made sure she understood why the words are spelled the way they are. Like I keep telling her, we do this for her, not for me. I want her to have confidence in her work!
I love your story and thank you for sharing it! We had one struggling learner who has also blossomed under this method and now, years later, is a voracious reader.
What an amazing story!!! This only confirms that we are on the right path!!!💞
Love this! ❤ So inspiring for those who struggle.
I love All about learning press.
Thank you for creating a program that my busy kinaesthetic child loves. Reading was a chore before but now she loves it and is learning so easily.
AAS and AAR are great for special needs!
My kids are not dyslexic but this sure is a great read for us too so that we can share it to others!
This is joy to read. I hope AAR and AAS will do the same for my 10 year old who struggles.
I've been using AAS with my 2nd grader and love it! Such a great success story!
I am so thankful that I am able to learn from those like Hannah who share your story. The power of the internet makes finding resources as Mom/Teachers so much easier! Thank you!
Inspiring story ❤
Wish all this wondrrful information was around when my god-son was struggling as a kid.
Thank you.
I just found these products, and am so excited to try them out with my child who has struggled to learn to read and spell. Thanks for a wonderful article and hope for our future!
As a reading specialist and dyslexia practioner, I find your multisensory materials engaging and easy for parents to understand and use. I always check your blog for new ideas and activities.
This is our story also! My daughter was struggling so much as a dyslexic student in her spelling. At age 9, we started AAS at level 1 and worked through level 5 over the course of a few years. I am happy to report that her spelling has DRAMATICALLY improved. I started by second daughter on the AAR and AAS programs as well. The curriculum is easy to use, and I love the built in review for mastery.
Love this program, using with my 4th child now.
That's so awesome.
Thank you for a great story.
It's so good to see him so happy learning after what was obviously such a struggle. Way to go!
Glad these products are able to help so many different types of learners!
Thank you for sharing, so inspiring!
Great post! Thank you!
After struggling for two years to learn to read – All about Reading – has been a lifesaver. We are finally making progress!
Thank you for sharing your personal story. It is a great encouragement to hear and an important reminder that all kids learn differently.
I am looking forward to trying AAR with my 9 year old some with developmental delays.
Wow! That's amazing and you have an amazing family! It's so great to see that you did not give up on your son just because "he had reached his learning potential. " Very inspiring!
Wow I can relate to this post so very much. My 11yo son was struggling horribly with school work, and I wasn't sure why. We had a lot going on in our life he had a medically fragile sister who spent LOTS of time in the hospital, which led to our school work being scattered at best. So I thought it was just lack of knowledge however after she passed away and we were able to focus on our school instead of hospital visits I realized he had "something else going on". Thinking dyslexia I started asking around to see what spelling program people who had children with dyslexia used. And a majority used all about spelling so we gave it a try. And the results have been amazing. He continues to be "behind" in spelling but the improvement he has made in the last 2 years is amazing! He went from 1st grade level to 3/4th grade level on his yearly tests and we are thrilled. He says he's finally found a way that it makes sense. Thank you!
My son is in first grade and has apraxia. He's probably about a year behind in reading skills but after a few months he is starting to decode words and self correct. It's really wonderful to see some real progress. I know some wonderful teachers who have tried to help me but as a working mom, it's wonderful to have all the games and work put together for me. That makes all the difference!
All About Spelling has been a great benefit for my daughter who has struggled with spelling for the last couple of years. She is now on Level 4 and is able to use and apply rules taught in the program, not only during spelling, but in her other subjects as well – this had been a huge challenge previously. Likewise, All About Reading has tremendously helped my other kids to gain confidence in their newfound reading skills. This is an excellent program!
Lovely story!
These are all great strategies that foster a love of learning, so glad to see children blossom through using AAS.
The neuro-psych who diagnosed my daughter had great things to say about AAS.
I would love to try this program with my youngest! He's sevens, and we have our suspicions that he's dyslexic. This could be the key to get him to love reading!
We're just strating All About Spelling with our 12-year-old dyslexic son and 7-year-old daughter with auditory processing disorder. We have high hopes!
So glad to have AAR and AAS
We need to be our child's advocate or no one will be!
This story is very similar to ours. AAS & AAR have been very helpful to my son with dyslexia as well.
Wonderful story of how to help kids that no one else knows what to do with. Happy to see how AAS helped this family!
I did enjoy Hannah's story. How good that she stepped into the work of teaching her son–the results are wonderful. As a tutor of dyslexic students I can say I carry a very hopeful outlook towards these students and am delighted to see them progress with the various helps we provide for them.
Great story!
Great, inspirational story!
Awesome story. We enjoy AAS even more now that we are using the letter app.
This reading curriculum was highly recommended to me to help my child with mild dyslexia
It really helps to have stories like this when you're feeling like you've reached the end of the road and don't know where to turn. Thanks for sharing!
An inspiring story. Thank you for sharing!
This is such a heartwarming story and similar to ours. When we finally found AAS it was like a dream come true for us. Thank you for an awesome curriculum!
Hannah's story rings true to so many stories we're hearing in our community. It is one of initial helplessness, near defeat, determination and pride! You are a strong, amazing mother, Hannah!
Thanks for sharing, Hannah. I, too, am thankful for AAS and the help it gives me with a dyslexic older son.
We are starting AAS 1 with my 10 year old (Fifth Grade). Public School testing said he was spelling on a 1st grade level! He also tested a grade level off in Reading comprehension but his word recognition skills were actually advanced. He reads well when he reads orally but resists doing so in public school because other kids read silently. I think he loses focus when reading silently (he has severe ADHD and mild autism). I'm hoping he doesn't find AAS boring at first as I think it may be a review. Wish us luck in September.
That's beautiful. I love this story and I love the neat idea of a beanbag and a magnetic board to do spelling on!!
This was a great article. My daughter is some what dyslexic and has dysgraphia too. AAS has really helped her to spell well. I do have a question for Robin E. at all about learning press. Is there a specific daily format to follow when teaching AAS? I have been winging it for 3 yrs and am now finding that I am struggling more and more to teach AAS 3 times a week. Am I doing too much in one day? Should I spread each lesson out to make them more memorable for my daughter? I am just not sure how to go about it? What do you suggest? Dori
After proof-reading one of my son's writing assignments (which he dislikes so much) I know I need to work this program into our homeschool schedule. My 10 yr. old son is dyslexic and while his reading has come a long way, spelling (and writing) are still a big struggle. Thank you for this story and the other posts. It's encouragement for me and gives me hope.
My friend's son really struggles with reading and writing. At the age of four he could take anything mechanical apart and re-assemble it. Truly a gifted and bright child. However, dyslexia has torn him down academically, which, as Hannah pointed out, takes a toll in other areas. I will definitely recommend that my friend browse this blog. Thanks for your great products.
I used AAS with my dyslexic daughter when she was young. Now she is going into 11th grade and has been in advanced English for the past two years.
Wow! How encouraging! Thank you for sharing!
Yes, very encouraging!
I love using AAS with my dyslexic children. We are considering using AAR this year to reinforce the reading program we've already completed for them. Thank you for making it so easy to help them learn.
I have been enjoying AAS with my son, and feel that we are seeing results. FINALLY!
THANK YOU! This program came highly recommended for my rising 1st grader that we believe is dyslexic. Her desire to learn went out the window when she started school last Fall, so we withdrew her and decided to homeschool. She is excited to learn again, and this post just reinforced my decision to start using All About Reading for ALL of my children!
Thank you so much for sharing this! My oldest daughter, 10 and going into 5th grade, is at a 2nd grade reading level. She has struggled with reading and spelling her whole school career, even having and IEP and in special reading programs. She has a normal IQ and is very bright, but just can't get reading/spelling. I feel the same way as Hannah did. Our family is moving, and that was the final catalyst for me to pull my kids out of public schools and homeschool. This will be a new season of life in the fall! In my homeschool research, I found you, information about dyslexia, and many wonderful resources. I'm excited to begin our new adventures, using AAR & AAS! Thank you!
I'm so glad you got the push you needed to take your daughter's learning into your own hands! It's a crazy journey, for sure! I would love to read an update of how your daughter is doing now. Is she using the AAS or AAR curricula? My daughter is 10 and did struggle with reading, until we started AAR. She struggles with spelling, so we are trying to decide if we need to start using AAS now. Best of luck on the journey!
This is inspiring. I have a special needs child and have found AAR a great fit.
We are progressing slowly with the spelling, concentrating on the reading right now. Learning that my son really needs to slow down when trying to spell. I so wish the schools would incorporate some of these things for our kiddos with dyslexia. I don't care how many times you do fluency reading, it is just not going to get them to progress.
Hi Steph,
Yes, these strategies would be so beneficial to kids in school (and even for kids who don't have dyslexia). A lot of schools (both public and private) actually do use our programs; maybe yours will consider it at some point. It sounds like you are doing a good job of meeting your son's needs and helping him work at a pace that helps him master and retain concepts–good for you!
I think this is terrific. I can't believe how well it works. I have never used it but from what I hear this is a great reading program. I hope to use this in the future 😊
I am thankful that this resource is available to help with dyslexia. Now I know what resource to recommend to friends who have a child who is struggling.
I am going into my second year of homeschooling my 7 year old son who has autism. It has been difficult and sometimes I question if I am doing a good job. It's so hard to know if he is learning as much as he would if he were in school…but schools in my tiny town are not an option….it's horrible at those schools.
You've got this, mama! Best of luck on the journey! I'm sure we all have the same question from time to time or more frequently. I know I do! Your his mom, you love him, and want the best for him…So you are more than qualified already to give him what he needs!
We are going into our 2nd year of homeschooling and we are super excited to have this program!! My son completed the 4th grade with a 2nd grade reading level and they PASSED him ANYWAY!! I have been trying for him to be held back but the school was totally uncooperative. So with lots of prayer I started homeschooling. We recently received our AAR Level 1 and are ready to dive in head first realizing there is nowhere to go but up!!!
Thank you for sharing here. I hope you find All About Reading to be just the thing to help your son have reading success. Please let us know if we can ever help in any way.
My 10 year old daughter is also dyslexic as well as a few other glitches. I like this program because it is user friendly for me as a mom/teacher. No prep work…. No prior training for me. I don't need to learn anything before I open the book and start our lesson for the day. I make the lessons no more than 10 minutes, which she likes, and the daily repetition of rules has helped cement them. It is pain free for both her and me.
During this second book (our 3rd year with the program) she is starting to become more confident in her spelling and not ask me as often "How do I spell…". I recommend this program to any parent…. Not just the parent with a child who has dyslexia. As a postscript… It is fun to spell with the tiles… And no spelling list.
Thank you for sharing here. I love that there is no spelling list too. ;)
However, we do recommend spending 15 to 20 minutes a day, most days of the week, on spelling in order to make good progress, especially with older students such as your daughter. You may consider slowly stretching your spelling time each day until you reach that goal. Another possibility is to opt to do two 10 minute sessions each day.
Please let us know if we can ever help in any way.
I know this was last year, but good to know older kids like my 10 year old can benefit from this program! :)
I have been homeschooling my dyslexic son for 2 and a half years and this is the first year I'm looking forward to teaching reading because of this program. He struggles with reading and math and it has helped him a lot .
My 10 year old is dyslexic and we tried All about Reading this last school year and have seen a HUGE improvement from him!
Thank you so much for this program!! We plan on getting the All About Spelling for this coming school year as well!
Yay! Stuff like this is what I love and need to read. I know this was last year, but I had to comment. My 10 year old has also been using AAR and we too have seen improvements in her reading! We're trying to decide if we're going to be using AAS for this next school year. Thanks for sharing!
My brother is severely dyslexic and I keep looking for signs in my kids (who are still young). I'm so glad to have found All About Reading/Spelling and have a plan for whether any of them end up being dyslexic or not!
Dyslexia is definitely hereditary, although it seems to be more strongly so when it is a parent that has dyslexia. I know that was the case in our family; my husband is dyslexic, and four of our five children are too to some degree. Maybe you will find this "Symptoms of Dyslexia Checklist" helpful. http://info.allaboutlearningpress.com/symptoms-of-dyslexia-checklist
You are correct, All About Reading and All About Spelling are great programs whether your child has a learning disability or not. Let us know if we can help you in any way! Thank you for your comment.
This is super encouraging! Thank you!
All About Reading and All About Spelling have been a tremendous help in teaching my dyslexic daughter to learn to read and spell. I also started using AAS with my older son who has struggled with his spelling for years, and I am happy to report that his spelling has improved by leaps and bounds! I will be using both of these programs with my younger kids as well. My kids and I love, love, love AAR and AAS!!!
My youngest is 7 and shows signs of dyslexia. This program helped my son be an awesome speller and reader. He stops himself when reading or spelling and makes sure he is reading it correctly.
This is a great post. I was so anxious when we learned our son was dyslexic..that I wouldn't find a way to help him and we so love this program because it has provided us with a way to teach him! He's only done level 1so far but he has jumped so far ahead with his reading skills already! The best result we've seen is that he no longer says "I can't read" !! His confidence is improving. Yah!!
I hear you, Brieanne. It can be so scary when our kids are first diagnosed. Good for you for looking for options to help your son. I'm glad AAR has been helpful for him, and love that his confidence is improving. Keep up the good work!
Good for you, Hannah, for fighting for your son!! My kids aren't dyslexic (though my older son is "spelling challenged" and has benefited greatly from AAS, and I'm planning to use All About Reading with my younger son), but my husband does have dyslexia. He faced all kinds of challenges in school because of it, but this was in the 80s, before homeschooling became common (and, of course, before AAS and AAR). But his mother did work with him a lot outside of school, and he still has a toy car his dad gave him for working so hard with his mom. In high school, a counselor told his dad that they were just passing him, he'd never accomplish much, and my husband should go to a trade school. Thankfully, his dad never told him any of this until after he'd graduated community college, where he'd been inducted into the honor society; by that time we knew that counselor was just plain wrong. My husband went on to earn a bachelor's degree in accounting (can you believe that??), now works as the fiscal controller for a local non-profit, and is considering going back to school for his MBA. He's very successful in what he does, and he's extremely intelligent, despite what the schools tried to tell his parents. There's no reason dyslexic children can't succeed with the proper tools!
Paula, thanks so much for sharing your husband's story! What an encouragement to parents of students who are struggling to persevere! And what an amazing blessing his mom and dad were to him. It's such a benefit that we can homeschool our kids and meet their struggles as well as their interests and help to foster their success. Keep up the good work with your kids!
I have a dyslexic 12 year old and 14 year old. I had no idea what was wrong for years. I wish I would have had this program back when they were young. I have decided to get rid of my other reading programs and use this exclusively for the other three children following behind them. It is thorough and fun and in short enough sessions. Thank you for this post. It is encouraging. I'm thankful I'm not the only one walking this road with the older children that struggle with dyslexia.
You definitely are not alone and I'm very glad you found this encouraging! Keep up the great (and hard) work. Please let us know if we can help you in any way.
I am hoping to see similar results here!
I would really like to try this out on my two children that have a hard time learning how to spell.
I really want to try this program! :)
I can't wait to try this program!
great story!
Considering this for my daughter, whom I suspect has dyslexia.
Having worked as a special ed teacher, I agree that this is a fabulous program for dyslexic children.
We will be trying AAS for the first time this year. I am very exciting and praying it helps! ;)
Yes, I completely agree. When you have a struggling child, you never give up until you find a way to reach his or her full potential. I have a daughter with disabilities and even though she is moving slowly through the All About Reading Curriculum, she IS learning to read. What a blessing!
Good for you, Lynn! And that's great that your daughter is making progress. When she's grown, no one will know or care how long it took to work through the materials. You are giving her a solid foundation.
My kids have learned so much with this program.
Has worked great for us! Excited to use the next level this fall.
Eager to give this a try with my emerging reader/speller.
This program has helped my son so much! Love it!
I'm looking forward to trying this program with my dyslexic son!
I have found that AAS is the best program for my dyslexic son. We started with AAS, was tempted away by something new, and quickly returned to AAS. It is such a great fit…and he really enjoys spelling time!
Hi Charlene,
I'm so glad that AAS is working well and that your son enjoys spelling time too!
frustration in your childs face is hard. I am planning on starting with this program this fall.
My children have struggled with spelling but last year we used All About Spelling and it has helped tremendously! So thankful for this program.
My son was having siliar problems and even though we have not recieved an official diagnosis of dyslexia, i bought this knowing it would help him either way. He went from crying after spelling and reading to begging to do spelling. It has helped him sooooo much. I love this program!
This is one of my biggest fears as a homeschool mom starting out. That one of my children will need 'extra' because they don't see or understand problems of any type like the "typical" child. A BIG deciding factor for going with All About Reading and All About Spelling is the fact that they have proven to work for SO many learning differences. Thank you!
Hi Jenny,
It can seem intimidating to think about our children struggling with learning, but just take things one step at a time and enjoy your kids. You can do this! You're right that AAR and AAS are set up to help many different types of children. Also, know that we're here to help. We provide lifetime support, and you are always welcome to email or call if you have trouble along the way.
This could so help my daughter! Every day with dyslexia is a struggle.
Beautiful story! We've just discovered AAS and are excited to get started with it!
That's great, enjoy!
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful inspiring story. It give me hope that my daughter who's struggling with reading and spelling could do great things with AAS.
Hi Jennifer,
I'm glad you enjoyed the article! There definitely is a lot of hope for students with dyslexia. I know the days can seem long sometimes–but your hard work and hers will definitely pay off.
Since she struggles with reading as well as spelling, you may want to look at All About Reading as well. All About Reading includes research-based instruction in decoding skills, fluency, automaticity, comprehension, vocabulary and lots and lots of reading practice. AAS focuses instead on encoding skills, spelling rules and other strategies that help children become good spellers.
Marie also did a blog article on What's the difference between All About Reading and All About Spelling, which I think you'll find helpful: http://blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/whats-the-difference-aar-aas/
I am planning my first year of homeschooling with my 6th grade twins. I have been pouring over curriculum and keep coming back to AAS. I would love to use it!
Thanks for sharing such an inspiring story! I've just started AAS with my children and am excited to see the results.
Thanks for sharing!
Very cool!
Should I use the reading program or spelling program or both for my 15 and 12 year old boys ? And would I start at the beginning?
Hi Leslie,
I just answered your other question, which will hopefully help. You can use either or both, depending on which skills you need to work on.
For All About Spelling, you almost always start with Level 1 because it's a building-block type of program.
For All About Reading, you can use the placement tests for AAR to decide which level would be best. Also, we recommend having your child read the sample stories from the previous level online as a further confirmation. You want your child to be reading fluently with good comprehension before going to a higher level.
Please let me know if you have additional questions.
I have just started using all about reading with my son and we are on lesson 18 he has improved so much and not become. Ink so frustrated with words. I want to get him all about spelling to! This story really gives me hope for my son!
Hi Alycia,
That's great! I'm so glad your son is improving with reading, and experiencing less frustration with words.
For spelling, we generally recommend waiting until after completing AAR 1 to start. This way students get a solid start in reading first, and have a strong basis for spelling as well. See our article on the Right Time to Start AAS for more information: http://blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/aas-right-time-to-start/
Let us know if you have additional questions.
I hAve been Uzi g th AAS.After reading your article that spelling is not reading I became concerned about what I should be teAching my sons. They are 12 and 15 years old. They both have dyslexia. The older is more severe: how can the AAS help him if it is not a reading program?
All About Spelling is a spelling program. It can help with a student's reading to a point, as a student can read any word he can spell.
However, being able to decode individual words is only one part of reading. Reading has other aspects such as fluency, comprehension, stamina, vocabulary, and more. These are not covered in All About Spelling because it is a spelling program. Rather, we cover fluency, comprehension, and so on in our All About Reading program. http://www.allaboutlearningpress.com/all-about-reading/
If you are concerned about your sons' reading abilities, I recommend looking over our All About Reading placement guides. http://www.allaboutlearningpress.com/reading-placement/
We also recommend having your student read the sample stories from the previous level online as a further confirmation. You want your student to be reading fluently with good comprehension before going to a higher level.
Level 1 sample story http://downloads.allaboutlearningpress.com/samples/CobwebTheCat_Sample.pdf
Level 2 sample story http://downloads.allaboutlearningpress.com/samples/AAR-L2-QueenBee-2ndEd-Sample.pdf
Level 3 sample story http://downloads.allaboutlearningpress.com/samples/AAR-L3-Shipwreck-Sample.pdf
Level 4 sample story http://downloads.allaboutlearningpress.com/samples/AAR-L4-Charlies-Sick-Day.pdf
Please let me know if how we can help you further.
Hi Leslie,
Depending on their struggles, they might benefit from using both. Here's more about the programs and how they are designed to work:
Both All About Spelling and All About Reading are complete phonics programs, and both are Orton-Gillingham based: http://blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/spelling-orton-gillingham/
They both use a similar sequence and the same phonograms, so they are interrelated in that way. AAS teaches words from the spelling angle (encoding) and AAR teaches words from the reading angle (decoding).
AAS Level 1 starts with important phonemic awareness activities and then moves step-by-step into spelling. With this method, anything a child can spell, he or she has the skills to sound out. One of the differences that comes into play is when and how that student moves from sounding out to reading fluently and with confidence.
Some students take off in reading on their own. They might be fine just using All About Spelling. AAS focuses on encoding skills, spelling rules and other strategies that help children become good spellers. Our clients who have used All About Spelling to teach reading adjust the lessons to add in blending techniques, fluency practice, comprehension discussions, and so on. This can work for students who learn to read naturally or quickly, or for parents who have a lot of confidence and experience in teaching reading, and like to design their own lessons.
Many students need more support in reading, though, and that's where AAR comes in. AAR includes research-based instruction in decoding, fluency, automaticity, vocabulary, comprehension, and phonemic awareness, and it is truly a complete reading program. These students benefit from going through AAR to get complete reading instruction.
Most students progress more quickly in reading than in spelling, which is one reason why Marie decided to create separate programs. AAS and AAR are designed to be independent of each other so students can move as quickly or as slowly as they need to with each skill. For beginning readers, Marie recommends completing All About Reading Level 1 first, and then adding in the All About Spelling program. This way, students get a solid start in reading first, and they have a strong basis for spelling as well. You are free to progress in both programs at your student's pace until both skills are mastered.
Here's an article that explains Why We Teach Reading and Spelling Separately: http://blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/why-we-teach-reading-and-spelling-separately/
And here's an article that illustrates What's the difference between All About Reading and All About Spelling: http://blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/whats-the-difference-aar-aas/
You would not have to start your sons in Level 1 for reading. Students who are already reading but need further support can use the reading placement tests to decide where to start. (Spelling works a bit differently, and so almost all students start with Level 1 for that program.)
I hope this helps as you decide what is best for you and your sons. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. We're here to help, and provide lifetime support for all of our programs.
This was a great read! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing, this is very encouraging for a mom with a struggling learner!
Thank you for sharing. I have 3 children but my middle daughter is the one that has trouble with reading and spelling. I had no problem with my oldest so it was kind of a struggle to see what was going on. This helped me make my decision to try this program on my youngest 2 girls to see if it will help.
I'm very glad this blog post was helpful to you. Please let us know if we can help you in any way, with placement or anything else you need to help your children.
Amazing Story! What a great teaching and learning tool!
This is a touching story. It is wonderful to see that even those who struggle can succeed, given the right tools!
Yes! This story, and others like it, is an encouragement to all of us with struggling learners.
Thank you for commenting.
What an amazing story!
We are new to homeschooling. I am interested in trying out this program!
I am new to your blog researching on how to home school my two dyslexia boys. At this point the task seems scary, but I Ned to help them find a way to succeed!
Please let us know if we can help in any way. I have lots of experience teaching dyslexic children, as four of my five are dyslexic. Others here at All About Learning Press have similar experiences with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. Our first desire is to help and encourage others in anyway we can. We can be reached by email at firstname.lastname@example.com or by phone at 715-477-1976.
Homeschooling dyslexic children isn't easy, but it is completely possible. You can help your sons succeed!
We love the All About Spelling program! After struggling with spelling for years, my third grader is finally grasping the concept of spelling. Now she is able to sound out words using the rules and spell them with more accuracy than she could previously. Spelling is no longer frustrating for her and she looks forward to this subject now!
It's great to hear how All About Spelling is helping your daughter! Keep up the great work, and thank you for sharing.
We are eager to try out this program for my child's third grade year. After a really difficult 2nd we have enough information to believe he has been struggling with dyslexia. Finding answers and the possibility of working with a curriculum he can handle has given him a major confidence boost. And hope for this mom!
I'm glad you two are finding hope and confidence. Let us know if we can help with placement or anything else.
I hope you have a GREAT year!
This is so encouraging. I have a child who struggles with reading & writing. We are benefiting from these products & are glad we are not alone.
Indeed! You are NOT alone! Welcome to our community:)
This past year I worked with two students who could not spell. One has reading difficulty as well. This program looks to offer real hope for progress.
Our goal is to help all students have success in reading and spelling. Let us know if we can answer any questions for you.
I worked very hard for 2 years, along with a reading specialist from our local university, to learn how to teach my dyslexic daughter to read and spell at home. During that time I learned what goes into a quality Orton Gillingham based program. That coupled with my own experience as a homeschooling mother of 5 has lead me to choose AAS for my family.
Hi Heather,
You've been a BUSY Mom! Thanks for your vote of confidence for AAS! We hope you continue to enjoy the benefits of being able to teach your children at home. We look forward to helping you if you ever require assistance!
Customer Care Representative
I am trained in The Writing Road to Reading which seems to be very similar to Orton-Gillingham. I plan on looking into what you have to offer. thank you so much for what you are doing.
The Writing Road to Reading could be called the "Orton-Spalding" method as Spalding worked closely with Dr Orton in developing it.
Although I have only my two boys as guinea pigs (therefore much more limited experience than the teachers commenting here), I am very familiar with both programs. What AAS brings to the method is classified word lists (ie a group of at least 10 words following the one spelling rule/pattern being taught in the lesson) which is the very thing I thought that WWTR lacked when I was using it. AAS is also much more user friendly for the untrained mum (sorry, mom, I'm an Aussie) to use.
I have tried one other Orton-Gillingham style program (Australian-based) and have looked at one or two others, but I think that AAS is probably the most user friendly and logically organised of all.
I just realised that there's more than one Kathy on this list (should have known it seems to be the flavour of the month in my age group). I'm not the one from AAS, just so everyone knows :^)
Glad you joined the discussion and added such valuable insight, Kathy! We have a common name, but unique experiences:)
We're glad you're finding AAS easy to teach. That was a huge mission for Marie when undertaking this project! Keep up the good work with your sons and let us know if we can ever be of assistance along the way!
Customer Care Representative
I am new to your blog and your products, but I am very impressed. I teach third grade and want to use your ideas and products in my reading class. Thanks so much!
I am looking forward to starting All About Spelling this fall!!
Congratulations to Hannah and her son!
I have a question. Has anyone used AAS with a kid who is enrolled in public school? How has that worked out? My grandson is moving away (boohoo) and I won't be able to work with him very easily. I'm hoping to make good progress with AAR 1 this summer, but I was so looking forward to using AAS 1 with him after that. I think his mom and her fiance would work with him on AAS 1, but I don't know how it would work with his public school spelling program. He'll be repeating first grade. His teacher this year (after we moved schools) didn't have spelling lists or tests, which I appreciated.
Hi Nancy–
My 7 y.o. goes to public school; we've been doing AAS since kindergarten and are currently on level 3. His school does alot of science and math, but as far as I know they hardly teach any spelling. Different schools probablyhave different programs, but I wouldn't be surprised if they don't teach much spelling beyond sounding out words, sight words and word sorts.When they teach vowels in first grade, my son was the only one other than his teacher
(Accidentally posted before I finished typing, whoops)
My son was the only one* who knew "and sometimes y." All the other kids only knew "aeiou."He didn't win the spelling bee, but he's the best writer and one of the best spellers in his class.
I think AAS will teach/cover the massive gaps in public school spelling instead of contradicting their spelling program. My two cents =)
Good to hear. I think I will ask my daughter if she would do this with her son. I think it would really help him.
I'm not sure how to feel about this for myself. I am so glad that this has been a success story for her and her son. My son is 13 and taking things back to this level, as much as he needs it, leaves him feeling ashamed and angry. So many things that are easier for him to read, he calls baby stuff. I feel the frustration in more ways than one.?
I'm so sorry your son is struggling with this. Those late tween/early teen years are difficult ones for a young person's confidence even when everything is going right, and it can be so much more difficult when there are struggles.
Acknowledge his feelings. Anger is understandable. As is shame, although it is in no way his fault. But anger, shame, and frustration alone will not fix this problem. Only hard work, going back to where he begins to have struggles, will do so.
I understand your ambiguous feelings about reading about another student's success while your student still struggles. Just last week a 6 year old got up to read a Psalm at church and everyone praised him, and I sat there knowing that my 8, almost 8-and-a-half, year old has been working on reading diligently since she was 5 and she still cannot read even half as well as that 6-year-old. I don't want to lessen that boy's accomplishment, but I also want everyone to understand that my daughter has worked three times as hard for three times as long. Hard work should be worth something too.
Sigh. I guess what I want you to know is that we here at All About Learning Press understand. My 8-year-old daughter is just the youngest of my four students that struggle, and the rest of the Customer Care Team has also had experience with learning difficulties in their own children. We offer lifetime support, as much and as long as needed, through email (email@example.com) and phone (715-477-1976).
Im so excited to try these products.
I'm glad we found All About Spelling. Now in 4th grade my son has finally started to learn spelling.
I also have a dyslexic child and she's doing great with AAS. I started one of my other kids on it as well who is not dyslexic but struggles with spelling SO MUCH. It's definitely more time consuming than a regular spelling program, but every minute is time well spent.
While All About Spelling might be more time consuming for a child that is a natural speller, I found it less time consuming for my daughter when we started it in the 4th grade. We were spending so much time on weekly spelling lists, and she was still struggling. The 15 to 20 minutes a day with All About Spelling that lead to finally having spelling success was a breath of fresh air for the both of us.
Thank you for sharing your experiences with AAS, and how well it is working with your children.
Would love to try this with my daughter. I am still her walking dictionary!
I just order all about spelling can't wait to get started!!
Love this program!
I hear nothing but good things about these programs. The stories from parents are so encouraging. I am looking forward to using both with my children and further students I hope to homeschool.
This is so encouraging. I haven't tried All About Spelling, but we're really loving All About Reading, and it has tremendously helped my son who was having reading difficulties.
What an inspiring story! Parents truly do know their children best and are the best people out there to educate their child. What an amazing mom for realizing what her child needed and doing it herself.
I have to say yes yes yes! AAS saved my oldest son too. It was recommended to us by a therapist and from then on I used it with him to improve all his skills and he is just finishing up level 5 as we speak. My daughter has done wonderful with it as well she is in level 4 and then we come to my smallest son. He is a severe dyslexic and has had therapist helping him but our insurance just denied renewal for that so I've cried, prayed and been angry a lot the last 2 weeks and I pulled back out AAS 1 and we started it with our smallest son again. I love AAS and I am so glad that years ago I was told to try it.
We're so glad you have AAS materials AND experience enough to know that there is hope for your son! Please let us know how we can be of assistance to you. You're NOT alone!
Customer Care Representative
All About Learning Press, Inc.
Beautiful! How encouraging! It's evident that Hannah's son will have not just learned to read and spell, but to persevere, work hard, and be empathetic toward others in trying situations! How beneficial will that be when he's an adult. AAS/AAR is so key in turning defeated kids into conquering kids! I'm looking forward to our dyslexic kids changing the world!
A hearty AMEN, Ellie!
Great story! Love AAS.
What a great story! Would love to try these products…
Thank you for the inspirational story. I can already see how much just the AAR pre reading program has helped one of my sons with his ability to more clearly verbalize. I wasn't even focusing on teaching him. I was teaching his older brother and trying to make it fun for everyone.
Don't you love it when incidental learning happens? What a great by-product of the Pre-Reading level. Thank you for sharing.
Amazing :)
these stories are so helpful! it is so good to get advice from someone who has been there too!
My second born has struggled for years. We are finally finding help and giving All About Reading a try!
My youngest struggles with letter sounds and my oldest breezes through every lesson. I like that we can use AAR and AAS at the same time when needed and both kids are learning so very well. I have learned to be a better reader as well. 😀
We can't wait to start using this in September!
Finding All About Spelling was a lifesaver. Even though my daughter was much older, we started at level 1. My daughter loved the painless, short lessons and dictation. I loved how easy it was to teach!
Help! My kids are terrible at spelling. Where do I start? My kids are 7 & 10.
Just as a testimonial… We started my older child on Level 1 too. It was brilliant to see how confident she became finding she did know more than she recognized, but with a new and organized way she was able to categorize in her brain. I don't know if it's recommended, but we flew through level one and two (she didn't struggle as a reader, but somehow it never translated into spelling). Now we are moving on to more challenging levels, but there's not confusion because of the great AAS foundation!
Just want to confirm that we do actually recommend working quickly through early, foundational lessons in our beginning level or two. The confidence your daughter found, Leslie, is part of the key to an older student's motivation to cooperate with doing so. Firming up that foundation, filling in any gaps and preparing a logical progression from which to spring ahead would be the primary emphasis we encourage.
Thanks, Leslie, for sharing your great experience for those who wonder if it's worth it! Keep up the great work as you forge ahead!
Customer Care Representative


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Capital One Cup preview
Quarter-finals places are up for grabs as Arsenal travel to Reading, while Swindon and Leeds will be looking to cause further upsets.
Last Updated: 30/10/12 6:48pm
Quarter-finals places are up for grabs in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday as Arsenal travel to Reading, while there is a big North East derby and Swindon and Leeds will be looking to cause further upsets.
Arsenal returned to winning ways at the weekend with a narrow victory over Queens Park Rangers, and Arsene Wenger will now be looking to keep his League Cup hopes alive as he takes his men to the Madejski Stadium.
Wenger will ring the changes against a Reading side no doubt relishing the opportunity to escape temporarily from their Premier League struggles, and the match can be seen live on Sky Sports 2HD from 7.30pm.
There is a North East derby for fans to look forward to at the Stadium of Light, as Middlesbrough make the trip to Sunderland hoping to avenge an FA Cup exit at the hands of their rivals last season.
Swindon produced a superb performance to knock out Stoke in the second round, having previously beaten Brighton, and under-pressure Paul Lambert will be wary of Aston Villa becoming the latest giants to be slain by Paolo Di Canio's team at the County Ground.
Leeds also proved they should not be underestimated by top-flight opposition as they sent Everton tumbling at Elland Road, and they will fancy their chances of claiming another scalp at home against a Southampton team languishing in the Premier League relegation zone.
Bradford will be aiming to spring a surprise when they visit Wigan, who got their season back on track with a 2-1 win over West Ham on Saturday.