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Update: Lorry driver suspected of careless driving after collision on A12 in Essex
PUBLISHED: 10:01 25 June 2014 | UPDATED: 14:01 25 June 2014
A lorry driver has been suspected of careless driving after a seven vehicle collision on the A12 in Essex this morning.
The London-bound A12 was congested with slow moving traffic from Junction 20 at Hatfield Peverel to Junction 29, Colchester Community Stadium, after a collision near Witham.
Officers were called to the scene shortly after 7am.
The lorry driver was questioned by police on suspicion of careless driving following a multi-vehicle crash.
The vehicles involved were a white DAF HGV, two white Ford Transit vans, a grey BMW Z4, a grey Vauxhall Zafira, a blue Toyota Avensis and a red Ford Fiesta.
Two people were taken to hospital with slight injuries.
One lane was kept open past the scene of the crash and the road was fully reopened at about 10 30am.
The lorry driver was interviewed by police and has been reported for careless driving. Enquiries are continuing.
Adam Pipe, casualty reduction manager for Essex Police said: "We have been dealing with a number of collisions on the A12.
"Slow down, remember tailgating causes collisions.
"Don't be distracted by things in you car, be aware and please respect all road users.
"A number of incidents we're dealing with this morning are as a result of drivers driving too closely."
Any witnesses who have not yet spoken to police should contact Pc Matt Turner at Chelmsford Road Policing Office on 101.


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As an example - 3rd and 1 or 2 - Tebow should come in just about every time. In that circumstance putting him behind center give the Jets their best chance of getting a first down so I say take advantage of it.
But if he didn't play any other downs other than 3rd and 1 or 2 I would be fine with it. You don't take Sanchez off the field just for the sake of it, do it when it gives you the advantage.

subset: commoncrawl


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Super Roman Conquest Latest News
Side-scrolling strategy Super Roman Conquest clears Kickstarter goal, hours left
22 November 2013 | By /staff
LucasArts veterans formed SeaCliff Interactive and got to work on a 3D side-scrolling strategy set in the days of Roman legions. They called it Super Roman Conquest and its Kickstarter ends today.
Fortunately the project has surpassed its goal by almost $9,000 from over 1,330 backers. This was despite a $5,000 pledge being pulled. It's in development for Windows, Mac, Linux and Ouya.
Ex-LucasArts devs announce Super Roman Conquest on Kickstarter
24 October 2013 | By JAFalcon
Former developers from LucasArts have formed a new studio, SeaCliff Interactive, and have also announced a new game, Super Roman Conquest. The game, which the developer describes as a cross between side-scrolling action game and real-time strategy, is now on Kickstarter.


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Discussion in 'Tennis Tips/Instruction' started by Ash_Smith, Jun 19, 2011.
Do you model that after anyone?
a hybrid between wawrinka and schiavone
say good night to my right leg
schiavone, the WTA player?
what now? lol
Domic Thiem was a pretty good recent junior, now around ATP in the 300s. I like his style. I hope he breaks through.
Interesting things about his backhand: Continental-ish grip (hammered, of course), a Sampras-like "pendulum" takeback.
Yeah, Sampras kept his head down most of the time (he occassionally would step up on big shots, though). Lendl mostly stayed down.
Most pros now seem to have some leg lift, but to varying degrees. Dimitrov uses a lot of upward thrust. So did Kuerten, Henin and Edberg.
The upward thrust will certainly help with rackethead speed. The downside is that its probably harder to learn, so newbs may be well advised to stay down until they are ready to advance. Also, lifting may be a little more error prone, especially when fatigue sets in.
just watched Domic... nice action.. lots similarity to wawrinka's.
brought up sampras.. Devil you pointed out the head... i also wanted to point out his lack of supination.
You do realize that supination on a 1hbh has been the status quo form since at least the early 90's right? It's 2013 now.
edberg, sampras, correctja, muster, even guga, all have relatively passive forearm action....
on some shots supination does happen, but they look more like an after thought or a side effect of the linear swing.
different body language from wawrinka or dimitrov.
first of all even during that era everyone was saying that sampras and edberg had "classic" backhand styles and everyone agreed sampras' bh was flawed.
guga has supination. he has the same finish as 1handers today. surprised you'd think otherwise. go look at any guga video.
here's a video of sabatini from 1993. same finish. this means she had that backhand form in the 80's. Does this look like the supination is an 'after thought'? please.
ok sabatini looks good.
this seems to be a similar debate to all the fh threads... when equipment allows, player will find the most effective way...
i have always said the lack of supination was not that the past players didn't know how to do it, it was due the limitation of small heads.
so back to the point - why is the old fart way still so popular... even the 2 guys in that college video you gave link to... if they take a swing path like sabatini's, both can improve that shot by big margin.
reason is simple, the obsolete way is still being taught.
i never disagreed with you regarding old style being taught. i agree old is still taught. why i don't know.
i just like to argue technique lol
edit: sabatini's form looks pretty darn good.
same reason that the 3 balls in a row fh is still being taught.... but to a much lesser degree because fh is too visible.
the 1hbh, few jrs are learning the shot.... so you've got some old guys hitting the old way, teaching some other old guys with tennis elbows.... typical scene in a club.
problem is.... the old guys with tennis elbows need to handle the high balls even more than the pros (who have the footwork to avoid high hits).
mr. tennis elbow with the lazy feet, with a flawed swing path that cannot handle balls higher than chest.
you get the picture lol.
is there supination at contact or is this something after that point in the follow through as a result of a loose arm and extended follow through?
I don't know if i do it, as i haven't really thought about how i hit my backhand too much, it's one of my best grounds strokes.
it's a way of closing the face. you can have it 'set' or 'active' during the stroke. if it's active then it's what you would use to get a little extra brush on the ball.
go to virtualtennisacademy.com. free sign up. watch the backhand vids. heath goes into depth on it there. if you're too lazy to enter your email then you can watch the sample vid on the main page. the 'extreme topspin bh' vid.
thanks, i'll check those out.
I just hope it doesn't mess with my backhand!
the problem with this shot is never an issue of power.... anybody can backhand a home run (even on high balls)..... it's always an issue of face control.
by taking a mirror image of the ww fh racket path, you keep a constant angle from the power position to the end of the follow thru.
that's the beauty of it.
Conchita Martinez (at least cross court)
Alberto Berasategui
I think the Latin players are a step ahead.
My guess is that Americans view the 1hbh as a net rushers stroke, while some other countries view it as a legitimate baseliner option. Perhaps it's the association with McEnroe and Sampras and the lack of red clay in the states.
thx devil... interesting vids and explanation.
Are there any American pros in the top 100 who hit single-handed anymore?
I've heard quite a few people say that it is seen as an obsolete stroke by some coaches in the US. I wonder if they are teaching it at all to be honest, are they? I'm not familiar with US coaching at all.
Lester Cook (who mightve topped off in the 200s a couple of years ago) hits one-handed. So does Jeff Dadamo.
I'm digging really deep here, as you can see.
Separate names with a comma.


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A little research ahead of time can mean big savings at stores on Black Friday. Here are the best apps and websites dedicated to Black Friday.
Best Apps
- Start out with the Black Friday Survival Guide for iPhone and Android devices. Developed for the folks who run the Black Friday website, this free app lets shoppers view leaked and verified Black Friday ads in real time. Search for the best deals and create personal shopping lists.
- The Shop Savvy app lets you use your smartphone camera to scan prices and search for the best in-store and online deals. It's available on Apple and Android devices.
- iPhone users should take along the Discount Calculator, which was created to help shoppers estimate ahead of time how much items will cost and how much will be saved during a sale. There's a similar app for Android devices.
- Find My Car is an app that uses location services to help you locate your vehicle in those crowded Black Friday parking lots.
Best Websites/Apps
- TGI BlackFriday: TGI BlackFriday, and its parent company DealCatcher.com, was one of the first to offer a free iPhone/Android app -- and still the best. The app allows you browse thousands of deals from major retail stores' Black Friday ads. You can search across all deals and categories and save the items you want to buy in your own personal shopping list. The website also offers the same great experience. You'll find a column that offers one-click filters to sort through deals as well as downloadable PDF scans of Black Friday ads, a grid displaying pictures of the most popular sale items and much, much more.
- BFads.net: When it comes to the granddaddies of Black Friday websites, few have been around as long as BFads.net. You want store ads? As the site's name says, you've got it. You want social networking, e-mail alerts and a shopping list function? Check, check and check. But you also get shopping guides that will help you pick out cameras, washing machines, computers, DVD players, TVs or whatever else you're looking for this year.
- BlackFriday.FM: BlackFriday.FM brands itself "Your Black Friday Source" and manages to back up that claim pretty darn well. Like Black-Friday.net, you can sign up for e-mail alerts and compile your own shopping list, but what really sets this site apart from the others is how thoroughly it has woven social networking into Black Friday. BlackFriday.FM was one of the first Black Friday sites to embrace social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, and it still offers buttons to easily share the deals you find there via those sites. You'll also find easy links to Black Friday favorites like Wal-Mart and Best Buy, a printable one-page buying guide and all the best Black Friday ads sorted by product categories.
- Black-Friday.net: Black-Friday.net offers customizable shopping lists that make it so much easier to keep tabs on your favorite deals. The site also offers e-mail updates whenever a new store ad is posted and also lets you see which merchants are running early sales, which can offer just as good -- or better -- deals than you'll find on Black Friday. But one of the best features is one that allows you to browse deals by "Popular Products," meaning you won't miss out on an unbelievable deal on that hot toy your child just had to have this year.
- Twitter: What makes Twitter perfect for Black Friday is it gives you quick, easy and mobile access to all the best deals. There are tons of Twitter accounts sending out deals in real time, and some stores will even tweet their own sales. Follow one of those accounts and you can get a jump start on every other holiday shopper. Finding a feed to follow is as easy as searching for the words "Black Friday," but one of the best and easiest accounts is @BlackFriday. The account, which is also a great source for deals on Cyber Monday, the online deal extravaganza the Monday following Thanksgiving weekend, also offers a shopping blog that offers another way to keep track of deals -- although without the real-time functionality of Twitter.
Copyright 2012 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Town Square
MI Issue has divided this town
Original post made by Parent, Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Jan 31, 2007
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jan 31, 2007 at 2:21 pm
I lost a lot of faith in the character of Palo Alto parents as a result of this issue. I have no problem at all with people arguing their point passionately, which is to be expected. However, the level of nastiness on the part of some in board meetings, letters, and this anonymous forum, has exposed the ugly side of too many people.
Who would want to get better acquainted with people who have shown their baser character, people who don't respect their neighbors just because their desires and values differ from their own? Attacking the issues is one thing, but attacking the people is another.
a resident of Juana Briones School
on Jan 31, 2007 at 4:45 pm
I agree, it has been very disillusioning. I was really depressed last night and this morning at the mud.
But, I have been cheering up as I speak to people, and remember that it is a very small minority of people who are nasty, and that the anonymous forums are just that, a way for people to vent who may want to vent.
I still believe that most of the people on either side just really thought they were doing what was the best thing to do. Like Barb said, good people with good intentions can respectfully disagree.
As long as we stop painting everyone with the same brush of whatever name du jour there is going around, on either side, and try to listen for what people actually mean when they speak, I think we will be ok.
So, I haven't lost all hope for us yet.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Jan 31, 2007 at 5:25 pm
I wonder if the opposing camps in Downtown North are now at least talking with each other. I understand that they tried to have a "make up" barbecue in Johnson park after the final decision on traffic calming was made but no-one attended.
The Palo Alto process seems to be flawed with the proponents being encouraged, event to the extent of donating $66,000 in this case, only to be shot down years into the effort.
There must be a better way.
a resident of Community Center
on Jan 31, 2007 at 7:41 pm
How about we focus on a very simple question:
"Shall it be the policy of the PAUSD to include world language instruction as part of the core curriculum at the elementary school level?"
a resident of College Terrace
on Jan 31, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Your's is but one of several possible questions that could be asked of the BoE. In fact, the BoE has to prioritize all such questions. Jumping the line is not, usually, a good idea. Maybe the language issue has developed a critical mass, but I suspect that the neighborhood school issue is far in front at this point (and going forward).
Immersion programs should look at the charter school or private school approach.
a resident of College Terrace
on Jan 31, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Thank you Paul, I completely agree. Let's have that discussion now. And if we decide -- as I hope we do-- that the answer is 'yes,' then we can talk about which languages we want delivered in what ways.
I know that languages have not been ranked as a high priority in the District in the past but I wonder if the MI proposal has shifted the community's feelings somewhat and made more people aware of the broad value of teaching children languages (especially their value in improving English language skills and in broadening a child's cultural worldview), and of the particular value of teaching them in the early years.
My impression is that this feeling is especially strong among parents of young children in the district. As the parent of an incoming kindergartener, I know that among my parent peer group languages rank very high.
Every neighbor I knew with a child entering kindergarten last year entered the SI lottery (with only one 'winning,' of course!) and the rest now are all (resentfully) paying for after-school language classes. Judging by the values that these parents hold, though, I think we can only expect demand for early language education (for all) to increase.
So let's get talking. I think the first thing to do is to advocate that the BOE set up a World Languages task force to look at language provision across the board. Such a task force should establish a logical progression of language offerings, quite possibly including (but certainly not limited to) immersion, from elementary to high school.
a resident of College Terrace
on Jan 31, 2007 at 8:09 pm
To my College Terrace neighbor John -- I think that one task of a world languages task force should be to find a way to offer languages to all in an equitable way. If it does this, it ought not to be working against the neighborhood model.
Indeed I would make it part of the task force's remit to come up with solutions at the elementary level that are equitable and non-threatening to neighborhood schools. For me that doesn't mean an abandonment of immersion per se. If all neighborhood elementary schools offered some language instruction, I for one would not be against one or two immersion programs existing as choices for parents who wanted to go that way. I think the demand for immersion would subside, though. Perhaps we'd end up with a single strand at one, two or three local schools--and, with our newly super-sized elementary campuses, my guess is they'd not swamp the neighborhood feel of any.
The bigger point, though, is we need to have this conversation first before we vote any particular language proposals through.
a resident of College Terrace
on Jan 31, 2007 at 8:22 pm
The problem with immersion programs is that there is no realistic way to stop them. Simon, you talk about language immersion. How about math immersion? Music immersion? Physical education immersion? Science immersion? Anytime an activist group organizes to get their own immersion program it will be the same essential problem: Pressure on the BoE to jump to the front of the line.
IMO it was a mistake to allow SI and Connections and Direct Instruction to compromise neighborhood schools. We are now paying the piper.
The BoE has immense problems facing it. Why are any of us forcing even more problems onto their plate?
a resident of Community Center
on Jan 31, 2007 at 8:37 pm
I don't understand why you think the question as I pose it is jumping the gun. It should be a question that is asked and answered as part of the strategic plan in the coming year.
If the answer is that language is not a priority (which is the case with the exisiting priority list) we all move on accordingly. If the asnwer is yes, which is what I would like to see be the case, then a whole series of questions follow on from there.
I am confused why you mention neighborhood schools as regards this world language policy question, I will just leave it at that.
a resident of College Terrace
on Jan 31, 2007 at 8:43 pm
John -- I agree choice programs are hard to stop once implemented. That's why we need a better process for deciding on them, rather than the reactive, ad hoc process we have now. I also agree that the BOE has more imporatant things right now to do than guide us through a new choice program, which was one reason why I was against forcing through MI this month.
But I also think we need to think about languages more. A lot of the pro-MI rhetoric was exhorting the BOE to be 'cutting edge' and 'innovative.' Where I think we could be just that is in offering languages to all at elementary school (if we can resolve the financial and logistical challenges that such an ambition would present). I'm willing to keep language immersion in the discussion for now. I'd certainly not be against abandoning the whole idea, though, (and SI along with it), either, if we have an alternative offering at the elementary grades.
To think more about that, here's one question I'd like answered -- if we have language offerings for all at the elementary level (which gets rid of the equity objection to an SI-only or SI&MI-only system), what are the really compelling reasons to not offer immersion at all and therefore to get rid of SI?
a resident of College Terrace
on Jan 31, 2007 at 8:50 pm
I have no problem with dropping issues into the hopper each year. They can all be prioitized, according to the best interests of our schools. I have to say, though, that MI did, indeed, try to jump to the head of the line. You were part of this, Paul, so let's not be coy about it.
I seriously doubt that the language group will truly accept a non-priority ranking, should it occur, next year.
Let's talk about it next year, when it is appropriate to rank prioities by the BoE.
a resident of College Terrace
on Jan 31, 2007 at 9:18 pm
I'm not too sure I follow your argument. You seem to be saying that a generic language offering should also allow an immersion program. Do I have that right?
I am not, per se, for or against language programs in the lower grades. I guess I would need to be convinced that they are a high priority. I am more concerned about core educational pursuits: English language skills, math/arithmetic, reading skills, physical education, music, art. Pretty basic things, really.
I think foreign language skills should be judged against other priorities. If, for instance, the BoE decides that foreign languages should displace art instruction, or music instruction, then it will need to makes those hard choices. However, I will never support any more attacks on our neighborhood schools (via immersion programs).
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Jan 31, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Your argument strikes me as slippery-slope reason. Language immersion has been shown, repeatedly, as the most efficient way to teach a second language. Not so for math and science.
Of course there's a realistic way to stop immersion programs. It happened just last night and if PA wants to elect a board that opposes another choice program it can do so.
Hoover and Ohlone were developed at a time when there were sliding school enrollments and PA needed magnet schools. Right now, we don't. The neighborhood schools score well and have, for the most part, more students than they can handle. Ohlone and Hoover haven't destroyed the neighborhood schools. There's no brain-drain or lack of parental commitment.
It does sound like SI at Escondido creates particular problems. It sounds very-in-your-face and a bit divisive.
Basically, choice programs have succeeded here, but there's neither the room nor the consensus for another one. I think it also became clear that the BoE will not do another Escondido where a neighborhood school is split into two programs.
a resident of Charleston Meadows
on Jan 31, 2007 at 10:47 pm
"We are all tired of the big lie which is desperately trying to split this community" -- Pauline Navarro
WE are tired, too, Pauline.
From: Pauline Navarro
To: PAEE
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 3:02:41 PM
Subject: Time for short letters to Board on MI
Dear All:
I am writing this as a result of a conversation Jamie Maltz, Lisa Steinback , Faith Brigel and I had. I hope this is in the spirit of what they intended I write in all of our names. If not, the fault is mine.
Judging from the letters to the Editor that have been appearing lately, it is safe to assume that the 4 Board members who so eloquently spoke against implementing MI right now on Jan 9th are getting a punishing number of letters in support of MI. These letters are probably using all tactics imaginable from accusing them of the pernicious "lack of vision", having a weak will and worse, to threatening them with Charter Schools, to guilting them by saying PACE paid for the Feasibility Study so they deserve MI.
Sunday Jan 28, Palo Alto Daily News Letters
Mandarin immersion supported
Dear Editor: I am the parent of a child in the Palo Alto Unified School District and I support Mandarin immersion. Neither my husband nor I speak Mandarin, and our daughter, an only child, is in third grade and long past the window of opportunity presented by the superintendent's recommendation for a pilot K-1 Mandarin immersion program at Ohlone Elementary School. On a personal level, we will gain nothing and lose nothing whichever direction the school board chooses to vote. So why does Mandarin immersion matter to me? Because it's the right thing to do for Palo Alto students and families. The school board members' stated reasons against Mandarin immersion are shocking. For example, board member Mandy Lowell says Mandarin immersion is too divisive. Frankly, all change in Palo Alto is divisive, including the attendance area action, historical preservation, high-density housing, traffic calming and redevelopment of Edgewood and Alma plaza shopping centers. If our leaders had acted based on how divisive an action is, we would never have had the landmark decisions of Brown v. the Board of Education or Roe v. Wade. The question is not whether the action is divisive; the question is what action will help our children be best prepared to become productive and responsible citizens of a global economy.
Janis Hom,
Palo Alto
Friday Jan 26, Palo Alto Daily News Letters
Mandarin proposal a good opportunity
Dear Editor: I'm pleased to see that the Mandarin immersion proposal has sparked such interest in reviving the [Foreign Language Elementary School program] and a comprehensive language strategy for the Palo Alto schools. Elementary school is a very effective age for learning a foreign language.
I don't believe, though, that commissioning a comprehensive strategy is a good reason to delay or cancel the proposed Mandarin immersion pilot program. If we believe that the eventual strategy is reasonably likely to find that there's a place for both immersion and FLES (as the presence of Spanish Immersion seems to suggest), letting the tiny one-strand / two classroom, cost-neutral Mandarin immersion pilot program proceed can be an effective step toward the future. It will take advantage of the current knowledge and momentum for Mandarin immersion, it will give input on how well a second immersion program can fit into the Palo Alto choice programs, and it will also provide some creative exploration in how immersion programs can be leveraged to offer FLES in a cost-effective manner. It would be a win-win to be getting this local experience at the same time as a task force is studying other districts' approaches to language learning in elementary schools.
Let's lead, rather than dragging our feet.
Terry Roberts,
Ohlone and JL Stanford Middle School parent,
Palo Alto
January 24, 2007, Palo Alto Weekly Letters
Looking to the future
I was completely shocked to recently learn that the progressive Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) made the decision not to support the Mandarin-immersion program.
As an entrepreneur and private business owner in Palo Alto, I can tell you that there is tremendous growth opportunity for Americans in China. Many of our clients, ranging in size from Fortune 1000 companies to local start-up companies, plan to expand their business relationships with China over the next decade, whether as investors, potential customers, suppliers or strategic partners.
China is now one of the fastest growing economies in the world. For example, a recent article in the San Jose Mercury News reported that China is now the second largest buyers of cars, providing a fortunate boost to U.S. automakers whose market share is suffering at home.
If this is the economic picture today, what will it look like in 15 years when today's Palo Alto first graders enter the workforce? As president of a talent management consulting firm, I am assured by employers that the jobs will now go to where the talent is available.
There are few barriers to keep jobs in the United States. Imagine the competitive and economic advantage our kids in Palo Alto would have if they had the opportunity to learn fluent Mandarin now in elementary school. I personally have two children who are the lucky recipients of a fine PAUSD education. If such an immersion program had been offered when they were young, I would have done anything to enroll them.
I truly can't understand how a district that has represented such excellence for so many years cannot have the foresight to provide as many students as possible with this opportunity to learn such an important foreign language. It is almost an obligation of the district to prepare our students with the skills they will need to compete globally when they graduate.
I am not of Chinese descent. I am a Palo Alto resident who was born in Chicago. I strongly urge the PAUSD board to reconsider its decision and demonstrate the type of leadership for which this district has been known.
Dr. B. Lynn Ware
El Camino Real
Palo Alto
Leaders or followers?
Palo Alto has a chance to make a name on the map with a Mandarin-immersion program, and yet it is swayed by xenophobic, opinionated neighbors to remain unknown for innovation. What a shame to hide one's head in the sand when progress will happen around us.
I will join the laughter when Palo Alto finally realizes it has to implement a Mandarin program into the school curriculum (after Cupertino, Burlingame, the East Bay, etc.). Rather than be a leader blazing a trail, the opponents prefer the "safe" and rutted path of a follower.
With the pending Mandarin-immersion decision leaning toward unfavorable, Palo Alto's average IQ will be lowered. In the name of making all things equal, dumbing down has begun. Anyone with math experience would know about the lowest common denominator to make things equal.
The Bay Area is all about diversity, and yet Palo Alto wants equality -- how can diverse people be equal? By being reduced to the basic human being. That's marvelous but sure misses the point in education.
Education is the door that opens minds. I think the board has forgotten what real education is and always has been about: opening minds.
I do not expect closed minds to open, but do hope their children will have a chance to allow success into their lives with open minds. Once open, they won't ever close again.
Jeannie Llewellyn
Piers Court
Palo Alto
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Feb 1, 2007 at 1:28 am
Ummm, Another Observer, what point are you trying to make? Not all letters are published. The more abusive a letter is, the less likely it is to be published. So, just that there were some polite pro-MI letters doesn't mean there weren't rude ones. Given the range of tones in the posts online, I seriously doubt the letters to the editors were all hearts and flowers.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Feb 1, 2007 at 8:59 am
The divisiveness goes on.
Lets talk about how we want to see FLES in our schools. Do we want to see a longer day? Do we want a choice between say 2 languages at each school? Do we want FLES as an optional after school program, organised by the District will accredited traveling teachers, possibly funded by PTA or some such money. Do we want this to be an optional program or a mandatory program running directly after school, but perhaps changing the kids into different classrooms to get them with others of the same skill level?
All these topics are worthy of discussion. Rehashing the same arguments over and over again are not.
a resident of Community Center
on Feb 1, 2007 at 10:07 am
I have been involved, off and on, in support of world language being part of the basic curriculum in PAUSD for a number of years.
The discussion of the current choice policy at the BoE meeting the other night demonstrated to me that (once again) that the lack of a clear policy around the role of world language instruction has led to the sort of situation we have been in with the specific question around Mandarin Immersion. Since the current language policy, such as it is, is vague and incomplete, there is a great deal of confusion about what the role of language instruction is or should be, particularly at the elmentary school level. Contrast this with the current choice policy, which is clearly spelled out, and serves as the tool set for dealing with the role of choice programs in this district. It is a telling difference.
To my way of thinking, the basic language policy question must now be answered. I find your phrasing "dropping issues into the hopper" to be perjorative, as if addressing this fundamental question is just another little thing that a few people want to get some air time to discuss. It is much more important than that.
There certainly is an opinion that Mandarin Immersion was proposed "out of sequence," and it gave rise to many people who support the concept of world language instruction at the elementary level opposing it at this juncture. I hope those people have the same enthusiasm I do for getting the overall policy question fully addressed as a next step. When that happens, the immersion question will likely re-surface, in a context of a policy that I wish had happened 12 years ago, when the matter was originally addressed, and Spanish Immersion was the outcome.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Feb 1, 2007 at 10:08 am
With today's considerable economic, enrollment, political school finance and other challenges, I think it's most appropriate that the BoE take good care in examining potential new choice programs. Really, most of us in the district expect that. The MI proposal must be placed in context of everything else in this district.I commend the Board for doing just that and rejecting MI at this time.
a resident of College Terrace
on Feb 1, 2007 at 10:38 am
Language programs were not even on the current list of top priorities of the BoE. Maybe nobody dropped it in the hopper last year, or maybe it was not considered important enough to consider seriously. Since it will clearly be in the hopper this coming year, which current top priorities should be displaced, in your opinion?
a resident of Community Center
on Feb 1, 2007 at 10:59 am
I cannot answer your specific question about what should be displaced, nor do I think it is necessary for this discussion.
There will be a new strategic plan developed in the coming year, and there will be a series of questions asked and priorities set. It is not a matter of tweaking an existing plan, where some things are adjusted. It is a zero-based process, if my work experience and understanding of the process PAUSD will follow are appropriate indications. I suspect all the current priorities will be included for consideration, and I further suspect that other matters, in addition to world language instruction, will be brought to the table as well.
I really do not know much about the history of the existing strategic plan, but I do believe it was a major oversight that language was neither addressed, nor made a priority. I am hopeful that this time round, that on any matters that get serious review, it is made clear that they are or are not priorities, and why or why not. Makes it much easier to know where things stand if it is explicitly stated one way or another, on any and all issues.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Feb 1, 2007 at 1:29 pm
I think FLES development needs its own thread. I mean, the topic of this one is divisiveness, no?
As I've said, I'd like to combine Summertime immersion classes with traditional language instruciton in the schools. The immersion process does have particular benefits and a summer program is an economic and open way to offer that. Space isn't an issue and it would be possible to offer a variety of programs.
In the early years, I think the emphasis needs to be on the spoken rather than written languages. The huge advantage of early language is on the spoken side--i.e. speaking without an accent.
a resident of Greenmeadow
on Feb 19, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Perhaps unbeknownst to Larry Yang (Letter in the Weekly, 2/9/07), district-wide foreign language plans are already in progress. On Jan 30 the Board approved the start of an implementation plan for a FLES-based program for elementary school. The results will be fed into the Strategic Planning Process in 2007-2008. The district's plan is that this FLES-based design would then be integrated with the secondary world language program so that a full K-12 program could be provided in all schools. This sounds to me like a great opportunity to continue the momentum of this issue across our district. We are all stakeholders in this process and any Palo Altan interested in foreign language should stay involved. In the twelve years since our district last took up this issue, technology has skyrocketed forward. Creative possibilites abound (e.g. check out the Rosetta Stone foreign language software available on Palo Alto library computers). Feel free to come up with your own suggestions. Join myself and other of the MI opponents who are already hard at work on this. We can supplement FLES classes with today's tools. Imagine telling our children to please put on their iPod so they can hear their Spanish lesson. It's very exciting!
I wonder if Larry knows about the impressive foreign language classes going on afterschool at the various elementary school campuses? At some schools, 25% of their students stay after school each week in order to learn about the language and culture of another country! At other schools, families attend summer trips with their child's language teacher to reinforce what they learned during the school year. It's evident that local school communities are working to fill this demand. On Jan 30, the district announced it will offer Mandarin Immersion to middle school students in summer school. That's a great start. Parents like myself hope this will be a catalyst for the district adding various language immersion offerings to elementary summer school as well. With students learning and listening to a second language during the school year and then having it reinforced during the summer, real progress can be made. Let's actively support our district in its efforts to provide foreign language enrichment. I think there are many parents like myself that dream of their child speaking a second language by the time they graduate high school. I truly believe it could be fantastic for all our children.
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Mar 6, 2007 at 6:53 pm
why are we not looking for the future to better our children.. i can't really judge this problem unless it doesn't work. we need change. change is good. the world is changing and there are so many people of all colors of life living in palo alto. why should this tear up a community of people. why can't we work together and help each other.it seem that it all about control.


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Can someone please identify this large wasp-like insect? I photographed it on 14th June 2013, at a riverside location in Reddish Vale, Stockport. The area, although in the centre of Stockport, is a country park with lots of woodland and meadow, bisected by the winding River Mersey.
Possibly - Ancistrocerus oviventris
i like to identify from the front face....
try here. - http://www.bwars.com/index.php?q=species_gallery
I don't think this will be on bwars.
Looks like a sawfly to me, possibly Tenthredinidae family, there are a couple that are very similar and hard to ID for a novice like myself. I'm sure someone who is better with flies can get it closer.


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This article has been written by an outside contributor. It has not been reviewed by the Lifescript editorial staff for accuracy.
This article has been written by an outside contributor. It has not been reviewed by the Lifescript editorial staff for accuracy.
Long touted as an agent to prevent and treat urinary tract infections, there is growing evidence that cranberry benefits include the potential for protecting against heart disease and certain types of cancer.
No less than nine studies centering on the health impact of cranberries have been funded by the National Institutes of Health in recent years.
Perhaps the most powerful testimony was a report issued by the American Chemical Society in July 2007 showing significant promise in cranberries as a cancer-fighting agent.
How many other cranberry health benefits await us?
The researchers, from Brown University and Rutgers University, found cranberries were successful in boosting the effectiveness of platinum-based chemotherapy treatments on women suffering from ovarian cancer.
Researchers, who cautioned that the study is new and more examination is needed, found the drugs were more effective when used with cranberry juice extract.
The A-type antioxidants identified in the study are exclusive to the cranberry; further tests are planned to isolate the exact compounds that made the difference with the chemotherapy regimen.
Once that is accomplished, development could begin making the therapy available to cancer patients.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention, ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States.
The Wisconsin Cranberry Board and the Cranberry Institute funded a 2003 study that identified a link between cranberries and stroke recovery.
In the research, Catherine C. Neto, PhD. of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth looked at how cranberry polyphenols affect human cancer cells.
Using cranberry extract, researchers found that the components in the extract protected the brain against cell damage, and may actually lessen a stroke's severity, as well as help with stroke recovery.
The effectiveness of the cranberry extract also appeared to be volume related; that is, the higher the extract concentration, the higher the positive impact on the affected area.
Polyphenol extracts from cranberry are believed to prohibit the growth of cancers such as colon, breast, lung, and prostate.
For centuries, the cranberry's claim to health fame was centered around its effectiveness in treating and preventing urinary tract infections.
Up to 60 percent of American women will suffer from at least one UTI in their lifetime.
But the intense level of antioxidants found in the tiny, tangy berry top the list of the cranberry's known health benefits.
Antioxidants help clear the body of free radicals which, when left on their own, can cause cell damage or prevent the body from producing antioxidants on its own.
The UTI-Cranberry Connection
Why is the cranberry so powerful in urinary tract health? Cranberries contain a compound called proanthocyanidins (PACs), which prevent bacteria like E. Coli from sticking to the urinary tract, where the bacteria then multiply and cause infection.
Cranberry juice acts much as an antibiotic would against the infection.
According to guidelines from the National Kidney Foundation, a daily 10-ounce glass of cranberry juice cocktail may help ward off urinary tract infections.
Women, again, should take special note of this testimony, as they are, by virtue of their anatomy, most susceptible to urinary tract infections.
The Versatile Cranberry
Perhaps its most popular form, cranberry juice is one of the easiest ways to get a shot of the berry's benefits.
Cranberry is showing up in sports drinks, as a flavor (and antioxidant) boost for green tea, and even in toothpaste.
Courting the Cranberry
Research is under way to determine exactly how far-reaching the cranberry's health benefits are.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health is funding several current studies, according to the Cranberry Institute.
Much of the work addresses how the fruit could prevent harmful bacteria from attacking cells and tissue. The Cranberry Institute was founded in 1951; its funds come from supporting members who handle, sell and grow cranberries.
The industry is quick to recognize the growing popularity of this versatile fruit, which is easy to grow, harvest and can be used in so many other ways than simply a side dish to turkey.
Christine Alexander, a cranberry grower in Maine, said a portion of her Sugar Hill Farm cranberry crop now goes to a buyer who will use the cranberries for nutriceutical purposes, such as in vitamin supplements.
"He approached us out of the blue," said Alexander, who expects more calls about her harvest as the cranberry's popularity in health circles escalates.
Alexander also sells her farm's cranberries as a food ingredient to another supplier who will use the fruit in an anti-aging supplement.
"There is more and more information coming out about the health benefits (of cranberries), so we expect our business to grow accordingly," said Alexander.
With just over 10 acres at Sugar Hill, Alexander said hers is one of the largest cranberry bogs in Maine.
The cranberry is a fruit native to North America, and Massachusetts holds the title as the largest cranberry-producing state in the nation (it has nearly 14,000 acres dedicated to cranberry production).
Wisconsin, New Jersey, Maine, and Washington also boast sizeable cranberry industries, and commercial growers can be found in Oregon, Delaware, and New York, as well as several Canadian provinces.
In the 16th century, the pilgrims and Native Americans found the cranberry to be an important part of daily living.
Not only was it a diet staple, but it was also used as a dye for clothing.
Today, cranberries are largely grown in sandy swamps and bogs. As a woody perennial, they are low-growing with runners grabbing the soil and holding on with shallow roots.
And cranberries couldn't be easier to use.
They have a long shelf life, and an aerated bag can last months in the refrigerator. Use them fresh or frozen in just about every culinary venue – in breads and muffins, on top of cereal, in pies, or as chutney with meats.
Enjoy the taste, and let your body reap the rewards of cranberry benefits.


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But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord oneday is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day (2 Peter 3:8).
So many people were being ushered into His presence during that season in our church. So many at that time were caught up into heaven, into that completeness. We began to hear the heartbeat of heaven. This depth of His presence was new for many. What we learned was that we were moving into true intercession. There was a mixture of love, joy and extreme heartbreak. This heartbreak that we would feel was from the extreme intense love that our Father had for His children all over the world. Like in the story of the prodigal son, we felt the Father missing them and longing for them to come back to Him and His love. Out of that longing , at the same time. We become, if I can redeem this word, "addicted" to His glorious presence.
Calling Forth His Desires
In these times I often "see" faces, places, and situations in my mind's eye. I often feel like God is showing me things that I need to think about and "brood over" in the way that a mother hen broods over her eggs. Genesis 1:1 says, "Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss" (The Message Bible). To be honest, most of the time when I am in this place, I just agree. I agree with the plans that God already has for people's lives, for regions, and for the earth. "Yes God." "Do that God." "Go there, Father." "That's amazing, Lord Jesus." When I pray this way, I feel as though I am praying from His heart. It is almost as though I am calling forth the very desires that are already in the heart of God, as though I am calling them into existence.
In those times, I feel as though I become the very "womb of God." "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:38). The words innermost being come from the word, koilia, which means "womb." We are the womb of God. In our intercessions, we are creating and birthing the things of heaven. We carry the life of the kingdom within us. It will flow out of us in our intercessions.
No Agendas Required
When any of us go into God's presence, when we tap into the realm of heaven, we position ourselves to receive great breakthrough. One of the things that we need to be careful about is not going before God with our own agendas. Sometimes I think we go before God and we already have an idea of what we want God to do, so we close ourselves off from receiving and partnering with God and what He may want to do in the moment. In fact, God may want to do something completely different. It is almost like we say, "Here God, here is my idea, now do it my way." When we do that, we handcuff God. We are no longer partnering with Him.
Often, when people ask me to pray for them, they come with an agenda-or an idea-of what they want to ask God to do. When I am praying for people and I ask them what they need prayer for, sometimes their requests are not what is on God's agenda for the moment. We need to learn how to be sensitive and move with the Holy Spirit. The same with intercession; we need to listen to the heartbeat of God and not always present our stuff to Him. It's not that our agendas are wrong or right and there are times for that. But when I just want to spend time with God and feel his presence, I don't bring any agenda.
I remember one time while I was praying, a man's face came before me. He was an Asian man. When I saw his face, I began agreeing with God on behalf of this man. I still to this day do not know anything about this man nor do I understand what I was praying about concerning him. You never know. It could have been an intervention prayer, a prayer that saved that man's life. Or, it could have been that I was praying for a whole people group. Some things will not be known this side of eternity. It is important that we learn to respond to His leading- even when there will be no immediate gratification from seeing an answer in the natural.
Another time I woke up praying for one of our sons, Brian. I prayed for his safety. Right after I prayed, we got a call from him in the middle of the night telling us that he was driving home from a trip down south. He had fallen asleep at the wheel while driving and had run off the road. He called to tell us that he was OK. I was so thankful that I had been woken up to pray.
Intercession is just the fruit of being with Him. It was birthed in my own heart because of spending time with Him. I go into His presence to love Him, to experience "spirit-to-spirit"-His Spirit with my spirit. When I experienced this for the first time, I remember just being with Him and feeling our hearts connecting. It felt like my heart was picking up the same heartbeat as His-His heart "liquid love." His heart was broken for humanity. Our two hearts are intertwined. When you feel that, when you see His heart broken and His amazing love, your only response can be to pray with burning passion-compassion for a lost generation.
Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God's Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident (2 Corinthians 1:20 The Message Bible).
The amazing thing to me is that God is waiting for us to enter into Him. He is longing for us to see His world, to see into that glorious realm of His kingdom. He is wanting us to partner with Him for heavenly breakthrough.
God Likes Our Ideas
God's yes together with our yes are what brings about breakthrough in prayer. I'm continually amazed that God would choose to partner with us. But, at the same time, it makes all the sense in the world that He would want us to join with Him in making history. We are, after all, His children. He is a great and all- powerful God and also a loving and caring Father who, I believe, wants to be involved in our lives. Incredibly, He also wants us to be involved in His kingdom. He wants us to help build His kingdom here on earth. I believe that God likes my ideas. Some of the prophetic acts that we do come from the Lord, but I think that some of the things we do are good ideas that the Father says, "Yeah, that's good."
I am convinced that God likes my ideas. So, when I pray, I pray from a place of security. It is like I go into prayer believing that God is on my side. Let me give you an example. We took a team to Croatia in 2007. It was one of the most amazing prayer trips I've ever been on. One of the places that we planned on going to was a concentration camp outside of Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. During World War II many Jews, Serbs, Gypsies, anyone who was not a Croat, were put to death. It was pretty brutal. We had joined with our missionary friends and a national pastor and his wife to go there and pray. How do you pray for such a huge, devastating thing? I had been praying, pondering how we could make a difference and help bring healing to a land of much bloodshed. The idea came to get a bottle of wine and have it poured out on the land. We had been praying in one of the towns that morning and I had honestly wondered if this wine thing was what we were to do. I mentioned to some of the group that we needed to get a bottle of wine before we left for the concentration camp but purposely dismissed it still thinking that it might not be the right thing to do. One of the gals on the team spoke up and said, "Are we going to get the wine before we go to the camp?" "OK. Let's get it," I said.
I hadn't told the national pastors what we were going to do yet. You see, I felt like the pastor and his wife were to pour the wine out on the ground as a prophetic sign of reconciliation prayer. Srecko, the national pastor, is Croatian and his wife, Inas, is Serbian. If you don't know, those were two of the many ethnic groups involved not only in World War II but also in the Bosnian War of the early 1990s. So I explained to this wonderful pastor and his wife the idea of pouring out the wine on the ground, and then as we prayed together believing that God would cover the bloodshed over the land with His blood. They held the bottle together and poured. They had never done anything like this before, but were so gracious. While they poured the wine out, I was watching their 6-year-old son playing. He was so carefree and happy. His bloodline represented two warring ethnic groups. His generation would no longer have the pain of war. There would be healing.
Was this my idea or the Holy Spirit's idea? I don't know. It just felt really right. I feel like our lives can be so intertwined with God's that our thoughts, feelings and even what we do are melted together with His. When God made us just the way we are, He liked what He made. He likes everything about us. I believe He enjoys our ideas, and we in turn like His ideas. God chooses us. He chose David.
It says that God chose David and it was in David's heart to build a house for the Lord. God told David in verse 18, "David, you did well that it was in your heart." Wow! That is our God. God chose a man who He knew would say, "Yes!" God said, "yes" to David, and everything else is history. God's yes to you and your yes to Him are all that is needed.
Staying Focused
When our daughter Leah was expecting her first baby, she asked with permission from her husband if I would be the coach for her. I had had three children by natural birth, and she told me, "You're the pro, Mom." It was an honor for me. I told my husband afterwards that it was the most amazing experience and the hardest work I've done since I had my own kids.
God is always breaking into our natural world and showing us the spirit realm. That's what happened in this birthing experience with our daughter. In a natural birth you can invite friends and family into the labor room. Our daughter is a very social being and loved having those friends and family visit up until the time of the birth. As you may know, towards the end of the labor there is a time that is the most intense. It takes all of your concentration just to make it through the contraction. We were at that place. Whenever a contraction would start, we would release peace over Leah, and then the focus was all on her part to listen to my instructions. One of our friends came into the room at one of those moments and began talking, not really paying attention to the intensity of what was going on. Leah seemed to be OK with it. After the delivery, I asked her about the distraction in the room. She told me that she really didn't notice because she was so focused on my voice and what I was telling her to do. As she told me that, I had a revelation of intercession. When God gives us strategies to pray-you know, the ones that we burn with-we can become so focused on His voice that we don't become distracted. Nothing can take us away from his voice. There were times during her delivery that we would lock eyes as well. It was how she got through the intense times. She drew strength from looking into my eyes. There was an intensity in my eyes or determination that she picked up on and could keep going.
There are times in our lives when we must stay closer, locking onto His words and His vision. God gives us prayer strategies, and we look to Him for focus and understanding on how to pray with results. Then the birthing will come.
By the way, the baby that was born that day to our son-in-law and daughter was named him Judah (Hebrew for "praise"). The result of our steadfast focus can only be praise for Him.
When I pray from the heart of God, I become so lost in the presence of God that it feels like the only thing I am listening to is the voice of God. In that place, His heart, His plans, His voice become so real it is almost like we become one. At those times, it feels like I pray with Him. When I am in that place, all I have to do is agree with God and partner with the things that are already on His heart. Those are the times when we pray together, and I begin to co-labor with God through my prayers. Those are the times where I begin to see real breakthrough, no agenda required.
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text:
Saturday Shorts: Castle Crashers, Warlock, Bit.Trip Saga, Homefront, StarCraft 2
There's a large batch of shorts for you below the break. Some of it PAX Prime related, some of it not. Read it anyway. Don't make me have to punish you.
Dota2 headlines
DOTA 2 beta: Press to be added in "a few weeks"
Valve has confirmed to VG247 that it's preparing to add journalists to the closed DOTA 2 beta, following news that the game itself won't ship until next year.
Tourney letter states Valve's presence at gamecom is for DotA2
It looks as though Valve's presence at gamescom next month is so the developer can show off DotA2, as well as hold an on-site tournament for professional DotA players, if a letter sent to the website DOTA-Two is any indication.
Valve upgrades Steam with new content delivery system
Valve has announced a new content delivery system for Steam, which it said is designed to deliver better, global download rates and streamline the publishing process.


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|March 5, 2013, 12:21 AM
Join Date: March 4, 2013
Location: South Central Kansas
Posts: 26
Laser, light, other attachment
Just bought a Ruger P95.
Was thinking about adding an attachemnt - like a laser or a small flashlight attachemnt.
What are the thoughts? Bad idea? Worth the money?
If it comes time for home protection this is what I use. Though I'm not overally worried about having to ever use it.
If you die today are you prepared for where you will end up tomorrow?
NRA Life Member
|March 5, 2013, 12:58 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: June 16, 2008
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 10,916
Laser sights are well worth the money. If nothing else for training, or dryfiring.
When dry firing with a laser sight you can actually see what happens on the target. Really helps in trigger control, which is the most important part of marksmanship fundamentals.
They DO NOT replace the pistol/revolvers sights, they supplement them.
They do work in low light where you can't see your sights.
I'd recommend going to the Crimson Trace Website and download their (free) video and watch it to get some ideal of the value of laser sights.
They are dependant on batteries, but they do last a long time. To be on the safe side, I change my batteries twice a year, when I change my clocks and batteries in my smoke detectors.
I'm against weapon mounted flash lights. Learn to use the light in your other hand. If someone is going to shoot at me, I figure they will be shooting at the light. I want that light extended away from my body, not under my eye which is looing over the sights.
Again, laser sights don't replace the pistol/revolver's sights, they supplement them.
Kraig Stuart
CPT USAR Ret
USAMU Sniper School Oct '78
Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071
|March 5, 2013, 01:10 AM
Junior member
Join Date: May 1, 2010
Posts: 5,797
add-ons, input...
For a concealed carry sidearm it's important to bear in mind what the equipment(white light, laser-aimer, extended safety, etc) can & can not do.
Some tactics instructors discourage students or gun owners from adding a lot of gadgets & custom stuff.
I feel you can benefit from some add-ons but you must practice & use high quality kit. No mall ninja knock-offs.
A special holster or concealment plan may be needed. Extended magazine releases, safety levers, 1913 lights, lasers, etc may snag or break in a critical incident.
I'd add a few items to a carry pistol; night sights(3 dot), grips(that are not slick or hard to hold if wet). A tactical light may help but they do best for open carry or home protection.
www.crimsontrace.com www.lasermax.com www.trijicon.com
|March 9, 2013, 08:00 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: March 4, 2008
Location: Down East Maine
Posts: 431
My take is the opposite of Kraigwy's. Lasers don't do much for me beyond their novelty value. Weapon mounted lights are good juju.
You didn't indicate why you were considering an "add on." To what purpose are you considering putting something on your gun? Recreational or tactical?
Yes, somebody can shoot at the light, but you don't turn it on until you are ready to shoot, or not shoot, depending upon final threat identification. And this isn't a choice between a weapon light and a hand held light. You need both. (Two is one and one is none). Clint Smith wrote about this quite recently in Handgunner, IIRC.
For home defense a weapon light is superior.
The United States Marine Corps: Providing the enemies of America the opportunity to die for their countries since 1775. Semper fi.
|March 9, 2013, 09:47 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: May 8, 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 3,232
Don't add an accessory because you have a rail; add an accessory because you have a need and a use for it. If you don't have a need for it, you are better off spending your money on ammo and/or training. This is sacrilege to some folks who are enthusiastic about their gear, but in many situations, a moderately good handheld LED flashlight kept next to your pistol will suffice if you take some time to learn the coordination between light and pistol.
|March 15, 2013, 07:08 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: March 11, 2013
Posts: 113
I keep a flashlight attached to my carry gun. Its more for a simplicity of training. I have a holster to accommodate it and I like knowing the same gun I carry goes on the night stand in the same condition. YMMV.
|March 16, 2013, 11:32 AM
Join Date: May 16, 2000
Location: Washington state
Posts: 7,498
Before you add hardware, add software.
Kathy Jackson
My personal website: Cornered Cat
|March 16, 2013, 11:38 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: March 6, 2011
Posts: 124
An X300 was one of the best investments I made years and years ago. Far and away better than any laser I've tried. I don't any laser to this day. But own many weapon mounted lights.
|March 16, 2013, 12:02 PM
Junior member
Join Date: May 1, 2010
Posts: 5,797
$ vs tactical use...
$ or prices may be an issue too. A Surefire foregrip 12ga whitelight costs nearly as much as a NIB 870 12ga! The same goes for a cool Viridin green laser aimer/light. They run almost as much as a NIB M&P or XD series(pre Sandy Hook/gun mania 2013).
Unless you are rich or are a SWAT cop or DEVGRU SEAL I doubt you can "kit up" that way.
|March 17, 2013, 09:09 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 18, 2013
Location: closer than you think
Posts: 967
I love having a light on most of my guns. In the dark you need to identify your target. If you don't want them to see you don't turn it on. When you don't have one and need one you sing a different toon. Always identify your target. Combat and HD are also totally different environments but you still need to identify your target one way or another. It doesn't matter if it's a burglar, terrorist, enemy soldier or the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Friendly fire isn't and incoming bullets always have right of way!
The number one cause of death in the 20th century. 290,000,000 citizens were first disarmed and then murdered by their own governments. This number does not include those killed in war.
We're from the government, we're here to help
|March 19, 2013, 08:03 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: December 2, 2012
Location: Currently Erbil, Iraq
Posts: 106
visible laser is good for LOW light. If your LE and you take a shot with a visible laser in the dark your going to be squirming when your asked how you ID ed the dead guy in the dark - (did you see his hands?)
white light does have a distinct disadvantage for the guy with the light that was alluded to before - for that spit second they have you before you ID them.
and NO it isnt an automatic shot when your light goes on - there is still the ID whether friend or foe before the shot. Bad habit to train without an ID.
having said that think about where your sights are if your up and ready for the shot.... your threat (the hands) may very well be in the area occluded by your site picture. This means different things if your in the corner of your room listening to an intruder coming down the hall towards your door or if your a cop doing a no knock on a crack house.
If you get gun "furniture" as the Brits like to call it. know how and when to use it. Dont get it because its cool. (or your cat really reallly really likes that red laser dot game). Have a plan for how your going to "deploy the toy"
|March 19, 2013, 10:27 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: July 26, 2006
Location: Deerfield,New Hampshire
Posts: 502
Murdock +1
|March 19, 2013, 12:07 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: November 17, 2009
Location: IN
Posts: 2,388
Just another tool. Train with it and it'll be an advantage. Relying too much on lasers & lights is a no-no.
"You haven't lived until you've died." - various
People . . . not a big fan . . .
|March 22, 2013, 10:18 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: November 4, 1999
Location: Rebel South USA
Posts: 1,546
I do not suggest adding anything to a handgun except possibly some good sights. Thats just me.
Life is a web woven by necessity and chance...
|March 29, 2013, 05:56 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: January 29, 2011
Posts: 318
I have a laser on my carry gun. Why not give yourself as many advantages as possible?
|March 30, 2013, 01:09 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 4, 2012
Posts: 1,273
While I don't keep a light on any of my handguns, I do keep a light on my HD shotgun. I got one of the light/laser/strobe combo sets, and the light goes on when I have to grab my shotgun. In the end, it is my responsibility to ID my target before I take a shot, and to do that, I have to see them. While the light may cost me some tactical advantage, It is still my duty to make sure I am using justifiable force.
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I experienced the problem of ZAES 10.1.079 going into full scan with every reboot. So I contacted chat support and they described the uninstall, clean.exe, and install 10.2.074 procedure, which I believe is covered elsewhere in the forum.
Now I have issues in which Firefox 14 crashes in mid-load of certain web pages, displaying the error "Firefox can't find the file at jar:file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Mozilla Firefox/omni.ja!/chrome/browser/content/browser/undefinedapi-public.addthis.comurl/shares.json?" followed by the URL affected.
Tech support at ZA says this is due to Java 7 problems with many firewalls, that Oracle is working on it, and that I should uninstall Java 7 and go back to 6. However, it only started for me after I updated ZAES today, and now the problem is quite frequent.
Anyone else experiencing this, or have any take on it?
Running Win 7.


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Quote:Matt: Not to say that I agree with this fella, but the "blood oath" or keppan (In which a thumbprint in blood is made next to their name by the person making it) is to be found at least in the Tenshin Shoden Kattori Shinto Ryu school of kenjutsu. Again, I don't agree with where this guy is coming from , just providing a bit of information
Quote:Writing your name with your own blood... I find it hard to write my name with my own urine
Quote:Call me old fashioned, but I find it more usefull learning how to punch an oponent till they bleed, than punching a tree till I bleed.
Quote:Quote:Writing your name with your own blood... I find it hard to write my name with my own urine I recommend more beer.
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Insect experts are warning there could be a big bug problem this spring and summer.
The warm winter in northeast Florida and southeast Georgia could mean more annoying pests in your yard and home.
Christine Sasser and her kids took advantage of the warm weather Thursday, enjoying their lunch outside. But the mother of three knows the pesky bug season is right around the corner.
"We don't like bugs, but we live in Florida, so we know it's part of living in Florida and part of the Sunshine State," Sasser said.
The warm weather has been a breeding ground for bugs, and because there hasn't been much of a freeze to kill them off, insects like mosquitoes could quickly spring into action.
"We do our spraying outside to protect the kids and family, but for the most part, if I see something I try to get it," Sasser said.
Marah Clark is an entomologist for the city of Jacksonville. Her job is to track mosquitoes. Right now, she says the insects aren't an issue, but it could change.
"Warm weather, add rain to it and that is an instant mix for mosquitoes," Clark said. "It just depends on how much rainfall there is and how much people water their yards."
George Richardson, of Peninsular Pest Control, says termites are already starting to swarm and reproduce, which is earlier than normal. The good news, he said, is there are a number of inexpensive ways for you to protect your home.
"Make sure the mulch doesn't accumulate up too high around the house," Richardson said.
Don't pile bricks or wood up against the side of your house making it easy for termites to get inside. Watch out for any abnormal mud found on your walls. It could be sign of termites tunneling in.
And as for other insects, keep your gutters clear of water or dead leaves and get rid of any standing water around your property.
"Anything that can hold water can be a breeding source for mosquitoes," Richardson said. "So a garbage can lid can hold enough water for mosquito larvae ... so you want to make sure you empty those."
If you're planning to re-mulch this spring, bug experts say to get rid of all the mulch and take it out of there before you put the new stuff down. That's because it's already a breeding ground, and when you put the new mulch down, make sure it's no more than three inches high.
Copyright 2013 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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"CN is proud to bring this innovative program to promote tree-planting to communities along the CN corridor," said John F. Orr, CN vice-president and chief safety and sustainability officer. "Trees are an important part of sustainable urban landscapes. They help purify air, provide shade and habitat for songbirds, decrease soil erosion, and help manage storm water.
"CN is especially pleased to partner with two prominent, national organizations to implement this program. Tree Canada has a 20-year reputation for empowering communities to develop and maintain healthy urban and rural forests. Communities in Bloom is renowned in communities across Canada for its work beautifying the urban landscape. These two organizations are working with CN to develop a comprehensive program that will see quality greening projects established across the country."


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Jill Shuman, MS, RD, ELS
Acute bronchitis is a short-term respiratory infection that may be referred to as a chest cold. The bronchi branch off the trachea, taking air from the outside into the lungs. In bronchitis, the bronchi become inflamed and produce more mucus.
In most cases, acute bronchitis is caused by a viral infection. There are times when it may be caused by a bacterial infection.
Factors that may increase your risk of getting acute bronchitis include:
Acute bronchitis may cause:
You may also have other cold or flu symptoms, such as slight fever, sore throat, and nasal congestion.
Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done.
Tests are rarely needed. The following may be recommended if the bronchitis is severe or the diagnosis is not clear:
Sputum cultures to check for the presence of bacteria are rarely helpful.
Acute bronchitis can be treated with rest and medications. It can take up to a month for the cough to go away.
Your doctor may recommend:
Antibiotics are not used for treatment because acute bronchitis is usually the result of a viral infection.
Avoid using cough suppressant medication. Coughing is necessary to clear mucus from your lungs. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that cough supressants not be used in children less than 2 years old. The FDA also supports not using them in children less than 4 years old.
To help reduce your chance of acute bronchitis:
American Lung Association
Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians
The College of Family Physicians of Canada
The Lung Association
About antibiotic use and resistance. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at:
http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/community/about/index.html. Updated September 13, 2013. Accessed February 14, 2014.
Acute bronchitis. American Academy of Family Physicians Family Doctor website. Available at:
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/acute-bronchitis.html. Updated September 2013. Accessed February 14, 2014.
Acute bronchitis. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:
http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T113814/Acute-bronchitis. Updated March 25, 2016. Accessed September 29, 2016.
Smith SM, Fahey T, Smucny J, Becker LA. Antibiotics for acute bronchitis.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev.
2/3/2015 DynaMed Plus Systematic Literature Surveillance
http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T113814/Acute-bronchitis: Rantala A, Jaakkola JJ, Jaakkola MS. Respiratory infections in adults with atopic disease and IgE antibodies to common aeroallergens. PLoS One. 2013;8(7):e68582.
Last reviewed May 2016 by David Horn, MD
EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Information Services. All rights reserved.


text: If I slow down I'm there longer, it's pretty simple. It's a good way to get rear ended too. The OP didn't do the crashing, he asked what "we" would have done, there is always another way to do something...that's why he asked, duh. I had a big rig come over the center divider almost right on top of me last summer, I reacted and made it through the debris field with only one chunk of concrete to the foot, looked down at the speedo and I had actually sped up, never touched the brakes...if I had grabbed brakes I would have been run over from behind. I am that good.


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Two-Dimensional Heteroscedastic Discriminant Analysis for Facial Gender Classification
In this paper, a novel discriminant analysis named two-dimensional Heteroscedastic Discriminant Analysis (2DHDA) is presented, and used for gender classification. In 2DHDA, equal within-class covariance constraint is removed. Firstly, the criterion of 2DHDA is defined according to that of 2DLDA. Secondly, the criterion of 2DHDA, log and rearranging terms are taken, and then the optimal projection matrix is solved by gradient descent algorithm. Thirdly, face images are projected onto the optimal projection matrix, thus the 2DHDA features are extracted. Finally, Nearest Neighbor classifier is selected to perform gender classification. Experimental results show that higher recognition rate is obtained by way of 2DHDA compared with 2DLDA and HDA.
Full Text:PDF
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/cis.v2n4p169
Computer and Information Science ISSN 1913-8989 (Print) ISSN 1913-8997 (Online)
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Recently, game director Hidetaka Miyazaki proposed adding an easy mode to Dark Souls, a game whose tagline reads, "Prepare to die."
His argument made sense: "I suppose gamers do not particularly prefer easy games," he told Metro. "What they want is interesting and worthwhile games to play, so I think it is natural that hindrance or stress that does not attribute to such interesting and worthwhile elements will be removed in the end."
He also said, "'It is true that Dark Souls is rather difficult and a number of people may hesitate to play. This fact is really sad to me, and I am thinking about whether I should prepare another difficulty that everyone can complete or carefully send all gamers the messages behind our difficult games."
But publisher Namco Bandai is claiming a translation error:
"This fact is really sad to me, and I am thinking about how to make everyone complete the game while maintaining the current difficulty and carefully send all gamers the messages behind it," is what Miyazaki actually meant, according to the company.
Do you think this was a "mistranslation," or is Miyazaki on to something here? Is difficulty a barrier to a bigger audience?
Follow @wita on Twitter for tales of superheroes, plumbers in overalls, and literary adventures.


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Have you consider using
die_on_fail {
# your tests go here.
Actually, I've been thinking about putting a failure handler there. I think it's a better solution:
use Test::Most
tests => 3,
on_fail => sub {
# whatever you want
That gives end users maximum flexibility.
Right now, though, I've discovered that the latest release, which incorporates Test::Deep, doesn't play well with Test::Class
But that only gives you a global handler, with little knowledge of the test that failed.
The other suggestion is more local. And even lexical.
Actually, I'd be passing in the same information the current die handler gets, so you would have complete knowledge of the test which failed (well, as much as Test::Harness has). And it would be file scoped, not global.


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Kate Middleton's pregnancy looked flawless -- and apparently it really was! In the October issue of Vanity Fair, sources close to the Duchess of Cambridge reveal that her birth plan went exactly according to plan when welcoming son Prince George with husband Prince William on July 22.
"She spoke to some of her best girlfriends after the birth and described the birth as perfect," a source told Vanity Fair'slongtime royals reporter Katie Nicholl, in a preview of her Kate Middleton biography (via The Daily Mail). "She said it was straightforward and there were no complications. She wanted a natural birth and she was so happy she was able to have one."
Throughout her first pregnancy, Middleton, 31, only looked pregnant from the front with a perfect baby bump. One day after giving birth, she made her first appearance to introduce George to the world outside the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital.
PHOTOS: William and Kate as kids
Vanity Fair reveals that Middleton's hairdresser, Amanda Cook Tucker, was on-call for the month of July. She also was responsible for bring a selection of dresses for Middleton to choose from for her post-baby appearance. A source told the magazine, "She chose the pale blue spotted Jenny Packham dress that afternoon because her tummy was still very rounded and she decided there was no point trying to hide her bump, so she went for a flattering dress that showed off her curves."
PHOTOS: Kate's maternity style
Middleton's curves are already a thing of the past. She attended her first post-baby event on Aug. 30 looking radiant and slim. "A few weeks after George was born, you could hardly tell she had just given birth," the source told Us Weekly of the Duchess. "Kate's still breastfeeding, and the small weight she gained while pregnant has just melted off. She's not dieting."
This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Kate Middleton Told Friends She Had "Perfect," "Natural" Birth With Baby Prince George


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Question: Has Dwayne Casey ever come out and said, "Man, you know, if Derozan could shoot better than 43% from the field or make a 3 or if Alan Anderson didn't shoot 39% from the field we'd have won that game? Or if Rudy didn't go 4-17 we'd have had a chance." If so, I'd love to see it.
My point was never about handling the rookies' minutes or to question whether they make mistakes. My issue was with the coach publicly pinning a loss (and the recent losing in general) on two rookies. One of whom hardly plays and another guy that has been, over the last month or so, one of the team's most effective players.
To everyone else -- Jonas is playing more minutes than most big guys do in their rookie year. Okay, so Casey threw him under the bus and that can be seen as unprofessional. I don't see Jonas crying about it. This isn't Andrea Bargnani who shoots poorly because his fans rightfully booed him. Jonas is a man, he can handle it.
your pal,
I guess you meant *hasn't*.
I agree in full extent, that we should be playing the rookies and young guys extensively at this point. But that never happens. Look around the league -- unless a starter/vet has been shut down for injuries, teams simply do not employ the let's-develop-our-young-guys-by-giving-them-copious-minutes-now-that-the-games-don't-matter-anymore strategy.
your pal,
I think that people are a little too in love Jonas. We shouldn't jump to conclusion. Wasn't everybody on this forum saying that we should take anything that happen in the last 15 games serious? Casey might just have a point I like to know what a record is when Jonas plays 25+ minutes. I love Jonas too but, the coach does trust in key moments it has to be for a reaso..
By the way, take a look at Tristan T PER 15.77 and JV PER 15.59 ! We have to like this.
People are defending Casey?? Why? His rotations, apart from just rookies, have been horrible all season. Questionable subs at questionable times. A very obvious disdain for players he doesn't see as effective for whatever reason, perhaps because they're young. Saw it with JJ (who was obviously to blame though). Saw it with Ed (who improved signficantly but was still "worse" than Bargs to Casey until Bargs got injured). Seeing it now with Jonas (who deserves a longer leash) and Ross (who probably doesn't).
Casey gets stubbornly attached to the vision he has of the team and how it needs to be successful. When he came here, he clearly decided that was going to be with Andrea and Demar being the key players on the team. As things went on, you can just sub out Andrea, and put Rudy and Alan in his place. Anderson does make fewer mistakes than Ross, but he's also far from perfect. He was allowed to play himself out of a dreadful slump post-Gay trade that I honestly thought would have him nailed to the bench for the rest of the year given how Casey was treating his other guys. And I'm not even saying he should've played Ross, but he had other pieces, like Fields to name one, who he could've used instead. And Fields is a great example of why there's no accountability in Casey's system, because he's one of the most mistake-free players we have, especially on D, and he gets no burn.
*Accountability is important, and I think it's the biggest problem with Casey's coaching, and it affects everything..rotations, offensive and defensive execution. It shakes confidence, makes guys press, makes others complacent....it's not good for the team. Guys have generally, I think, not known what's expected of them consistently. Not just rookies, but basically everyone except for Casey's "guys", which are Amir, Demar, Rudy (now), Andrea (still, really, he's just injured), Alan....that's it. Jose was one before as well. At times, I think it has affected Lowry, Ross, Fields, Lucas, Ed (when he was here), Jonas, Kleiza....I think many players on the team would not be willing to put up with another year of Casey if he keeps the same inconsistent approach.
Last edited by white men can't jump; Thu Apr 4th, 2013 at 04:44 PM.
To me something just smells off about Casey's coaching this season, and it starts with how he's handling the guys.
To convince me that he's a capable NBA coach, he needs to hold all players accountable and single out guys in the media rooms and press conferences. When Rudy and DeMar have these 5-17 games and so on, he needs to stop with the bullshitting like, "oh, we didn't hustle to the boards" or "we need to run back on defense". Only will he earn my respect when he goes to the mic and says, like you said, "Yeah, Rudy sucked tonight. It happens."
Just a proposition, but maybe it'll motivate the players if they know he'll start publicly singling them out after horrific outings.
Twitter - @thekid_it
And Demar is a pro because of he's a freak athlete. You don't have to watch him play for very long to see that natural basketball IQ isn't one of his gifts.
Anyone who`s interested watch April 3 interview. He gives lots of attention to JV and the rookie situation.
You guys need to relax on the Casey hate. He has played JV plenty for a rookie and makes guys accountable(Ross is bad so no minutes. JV improves= more minutes.) so they have to earn minutes. IMO that`s the way it should be.
That said...Quincy Acy is his BFF.
"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."
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