DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Although Dale Earnhardt Inc. might not be a championship contender, it showed Friday it still can be a force at Daytona International Speedway.

DEI swept the front row in qualifying for Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 and ended up with three drivers in the top eight positions.

Paul Menard won the pole when he covered the 21/2-mile superspeedway with a fast lap of 185.916 mph, just ahead of teammate Mark Martin. Rookie Regan Smith was eighth.

DEI’s other driver, Martin Truex Jr., was well back in 35th. He was driving a backup car after his primary car failed inspection Thursday and was seized by NASCAR.

Truex’s setback — he could be docked points for an illegal body modification — combined with Martin’s Friday announcement that he was moving to Hendrick Motorsports gave DEI a rough start to the weekend. But the team rebounded with its strongest qualifying effort of the season.

"We did our homework," Menard said. "We’ve made horsepower gains."

Hendrick Motorsports driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. qualified third, followed by Joe Nemechek and Johnny Sauter. Series points leader Kyle Busch was ninth.

With 45 drivers trying to make the 43-car field, Scott Riggs and J.J. Yeley were the only two who failed to make the race. Yeley’s failure came a week after a season-best, third-place finish in New Hampshire.

Boris Said, meanwhile, may have gotten some redemption in making the field. Said was the provisional pole-sitter here during qualifying last July but missed the race when rain washed out part of time trials and the field was set based on points.

"I was so nervous about it," Said said after qualifying seventh. "We’ve been snake-bit so much by weather with our small team. It’s just the bad luck of Mother Nature."

Although qualifying typically means little at Daytona, where restrictor-plate racing leads to tightly packed groups of cars vying for position and offers just about anyone a chance to win, it could indicate a possible turnaround for DEI — at least at NASCAR’s most famous track.

The four DEI cars finished 20th, 22nd, 31st and 37th in February’s Daytona 500. It was the start of a struggling season in which the team is having sponsorship woes and only Truex has a shot at making the Chase for the championship — and his bid will likely be set back by a NASCAR fine next week.

The drivers credited the fast qualifying times with better engines from the motor-building partnership between DEI and Richard Childress Racing.

"A lot of times you don’t put a whole lot of importance on qualifying, but what this says here to me today is we have really great engines and kudos to the Earnhardt-Childress for the gains that they’ve made since February here," Martin said.

The Childress cars weren’t as fortunate Friday. Kevin Harvick (14th) was the highest qualifier of the three, followed by Jeff Burton (23rd) and Clint Bowyer (25th).

DEI was considerably better, and even Earnhardt Jr. was impressed.

"It’s tough to field four teams for any organization and even tougher for DEI and the situation they’re in, we’re all in really, with the economy," said Earnhardt, whose stepmother, Teresa, owns the team founded by his late father. "They’re stretching the buck. They’re doing a great job really financially, budgeting themselves to be able to compete like they are. I’m not really surprised, but it is nice to see."

From: rss.cnn.com

is a novel by John Steinbeck. This tragedy was first published in 1937. The story is told from the third-person omniscent point-of-view. follows the misadventures of Lennie and George, two ranch hands in California. Here are a few quotes from . "A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool."
- John Steinbeck, , Ch. 1

"Evening of a hot day started the little wind to moving among the leaves. The shade climbed up the hills toward the top. On the sand banks the rabbits sat as quietly as little gray, sculptured stones."
- John Steinbeck, , Ch. 1

"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. . . . With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us."
- John Steinbeck, , Ch. 1

"Whatever we ain’t got, that’s what you want. God a’mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work, an no trouble. No mess at all, and when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want."
- John Steinbeck, , Ch. 1

"All kin’s a vegetables in the garden, and if we want a little whisky we can sell a few eggs or something, or some milk. We’d jus’ live there. We’d belong there. There wouldn’t be no more runnin’ round the country and gettin’ fed by a Jap cook. No, sir, we’d have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in no bunk house."
- John Steinbeck,

"I ain’t got no people. I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That ain’t no good. They don’t have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin’ to fight all the time. . . ‘Course Lennie’s a God damn nuisance most of the time, but you get used to goin’ around with a guy an’ you can’t get rid of him."
- John Steinbeck,

"We could live offa the fatta the lan’."
- John Steinbeck, , Ch. 3

"S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunk house and play rummy ‘cause you was black. How’d you like that? S’pose you had to sit out here an’ read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody - to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick."
- John Steinbeck, , Ch. 4

"I seen hunderds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads. Hunderds of them. They come, an’ they quit an’ go on; an’ every damn one of ‘em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a God damn one of ‘em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Everybody wants a little piece of lan’. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It’s just in their head. They’re all the time talkin’ about it, but it’s jus’ in their head."
- John Steinbeck, , Ch. 4

"Never you mind. A guy got to sometimes."
- John Steinbeck, , Ch. 6

From: classiclit.about.com

Every bite of this sumptuous seafood salad offers a taste-explosion of Thai flavors! At the same time, the dressing never overpowers the fresh taste of the seafood, but rather brings out all of its natural succulence. While nearly every nation bordering an ocean has its own type of seafood salad, you’ll definitely find this Thai version to be one of the best! Makes a great appetizer, side dish, or even a main course thanks to the addition of gluten free silvery glass noodles.Prep Time: 10 minutesCook Time: 8 minutesIngredients:2 cups or 200 g. glass or "cellophane" noodles (also known as "bean thread" because they’re made with bean flour)15 oz./400 g. mixed fresh (or frozen) seafood, such as shrimp, squid, clams, cuttlefish, mussels, etc.. 1 stalk lemongrass, thinly sliced (for more on preparing lemongrass, see below)approx. 1 loose cup of fresh corianderapprox. 1 loose cup of fresh basil (both Thai holy basil and sweet Italian basil will work)3 spring onions (scallions), sliced1 fresh tomato, cut into small wedges1 small or 1/2 medium cucumber, cut into matchstick-like piecesSALAD DRESSING:juice of 1 lime (3-4 Tbsp., or substitue lemon juice) 4 Tbsp. fish sauce 2 Tbsp. regular soy sauce (or wheat-free soy sauce for gluten-free diets)1-3 tsp. chilli sauce (1=mild, 2=medium, 3+=hot); OR substitute 1-3+ fresh red or green chillies. minced5 cloves garlic, minced1/3 cup fresh, chopped coriander, including stemsOptional: 1 tsp. sugar (if you prefer salty and sour flavors over sweet, omit the sugar)TO SERVE: (optional)a bed of lettuce or Chinese cabbage on which to place the saladPreparation: For more detailed instructions on how to buy and prepare lemongrass, see my: All About Lemongrass Guide

Soak the noodles in cool water for 1 hour, or until very soft. OR, if you’re in a hurry, gently boil the noodles until they’re soft and transparent (about 10 minutes). While noodles are soaking (or boiling), place all salad dressing ingredients together in a cup. Stir well to combine. Set aside. Rinse noodles with cold water. Drain completely and slide them into a large mixing bowl. Bring 3-4 cups water to boil in a soup-type pot. Add the lemongrass slices and boil until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add the seafood and boil for 1-2 minutes, or just until seafood is cooked. Try not to overcook, as this will make it rubbery. Drain seafood, including lemongrass. Rinse with cold water. Add the drained seafood & lemongrass to the mixing bowl (along with the noodles). Add to the mixing bowl: fresh coriander and basil, spring onions, tomato, and cucumber. Now pour the salad dressing overtop, tossing well to combine. Do a taste test. Add more fish sauce if not salty enough. If not spicy enough, add more chilli sauce or fresh chilli. If too sour for your taste, add a little more sugar. If you have time, allow the salad to sit in the refrigerator 1 hour or more. Then just toss again and serve. To serve, place salad on a bed of green or red lettuce, OR Chinese cabbage. This salad marries well with a cold lager or chilled glass of your favorite white wine. Enjoy!

From: thaifood.about.com

Kid Friendly Rating: A
MPAA Rating: G
Genre: Adventure/Animation/Comedy
Studio: Fox (20th Century Fox)
Director: Christopher Reeve, Daniel St. Pierre, Colin Brady
Starring: William H. Macy, Rob Reiner, Brian Dennehy, Raven-Symoné, Robert Wagner, Richard Kind, Dana Reeve, Jake T. Austin, Joe Torre, Mandy Patinkin, Forest Whitaker, Whoopi Goldberg
Release Date: September 15, 2006
Everyone’s Hero - Guide Review

Yankee Irving (voiced by Jake T. Austin) loves baseball. Like most Americans, Yankee’s family is struggling to survive during the Great Depression, and like most Americans, they also share an adoration for the one bright spot in these difficult times - baseball and Babe Ruth. The only problem is, baseball doesn’t seem to love 10-year-old Yankee back.

After one particularly rough day on the sandlot, Yankee finds a baseball under an old truck. Not just any ordinary baseball, though, this baseball can talk. Yankee decides to call the grumpy ball "Screwie" (voiced by Rob Reiner), and even though no one else can hear the ball, Yankee can’t wait to tell his dad about it. Seeing her son’s need to be with his father, Yankee’s mother (voiced by Dana Reeve) allows him to take his dad’s dinner to Yankee stadium, where Mr. Irving (voice of Mandy Patinkin) works as a janitor.

At the stadium, Yankee’s father let’s him into the locker room, where he gets to see Babe Ruth’s lucky bat "Darlin’." Yankee’s dream come true in interrupted by a security guard who shoos Yankee out of the locker room. The next day Darlin’ turns up missing. Suspicion falls on Mr. Irving, and he is fired.

© 2006 IDT Entertainment, Inc. Major League Baseball trademarks used with permission.

Yankee is determined to set things right. Realizing that the fake security guard was really Lefty (voiced by William H. Macy), washed up pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, Yankee sets out to get Darlin’ back.

With the help of Screwie and a few friends he meets along the way, Yankee finds Darlin’. She can talk too, but with Lefty on his tail, even a talking ball and bat might not be enough to get all the way to Babe before the World Series is over.

Everyone’s Hero reminds us that even during the worst of times, something as simple as a baseball game can lift people’s spirits. Yankee’s innocent love for the game, and his desire to "keep swingin’" no matter how hard things get, portray the innocence of childhood and a never give up mentality that adults sometimes lose during the game of life.

Everyone’s Hero - Note to ParentsEveryone’s Hero is rated G, and actually stays well away from the foul lines. The word "butt" is used in one scene, but only for comedy when Screwy is falling down some stairs and yelling, "Ow, my head, my butt!" several times as he hits each stair. Also, some moments of peril when Lefty is chasing Yankee may be suspenseful for small children. That’s a pretty short list of possibley offensive content, so most parents will probably consider this baseball movie "Safe!" For a complete list of possibly offensive material, see Kids in Mind. May contain spoilers.

From: kidstvmovies.about.com

Chinese New Year is fast approaching. While January 1st is easy to remember, the specific date of Chinese New Year changes each year, as it falls on the first day of the lunar calendar. In 2008, the first day of the new lunar year is February 7th. The New Year season is also called the Spring Festival as it begins at the start of the Spring term according to the Chinese calendar.

Festive Foods to Celebrate Chinese New Year

There are a number of festive Chinese foods that will help make any New Year’s Eve celebration a success, whether you’re throwing a large bash or simply enjoying a quiet dinner with a few close friends. Below are some recipe suggestions, from cocktails and appetizers to dessert. Note: In the recipes, TB = 1 tablespoon (15 ml for European readers) and tsp = 1 teaspoon (5 ml)
Asian Cocktails Top 10 Appetizers Main Dishes Desserts Vegetarian Quick and Easy

Try to wear something red - the Chinese believe red is a lucky color and wards off evil spirits. You may also want to hang decorative red lanterns - available at Asian markets. Spring Festival Origins - the Legend of the Nian Gao

There is an interesting legend surrounding the origin of Chinese New Year. In ancient times, people were tormented by a beast called a Nian. The Nian had a very large mouth, which it used to swallow many people with a single bite. Finally, an old man found a way to trick the beast into disappearing. People celebrate this event at Chinese New Year. In fact, Nian means "year" in modern Chinese, and people often say Guo Nian, meaning "celebrate New Year," while the literal translation is "survive the Nian." The custom of setting off fire-crackers and decorating the home with red paper also has its origins in the myth of the man-eating beast. The loud noises and bright colors are designed to make sure Nian is too scared to ever return. The Lantern Festival marks the end of the New Year season.

More Chinese New Year Articles:
Celebrating Chinese New Years - What can you do to celebrate the Chinese New Year season?
Symbolic Chinese Foods - Why are certain foods such as oranges so popular during the New Year season? Find out the symbolism behind different types of food in Chinese culture. Then, try symbolic Chinese Recipes.
Chinese Menu Ideas - menu ideas to celebrate Chinese New Year, from appetizers through to dessert.
Hot Pot - tips for cooking hot pot or fondue, and recipes, including Mongolian Hot Pot With Lamb and Fondue Chinoise

From: chinesefood.about.com

Questions and Answers

Toyota 4Runner O/D Off Light Flashing Q. Hello Vincent, recently I’ve been having an intermittent problem with my 1990 Toyota 4Runner 4WD automatic transmission. at times, when I accelerate from 0 mph at a stop light or stop sign the car speeds up very, very slowly. It’s as if the car is in second gear not first. The RPMs are around 3,000, which is normal, but the acceleration is eerily slow.

Then once the car reaches about 15 mph it resumes normal acceleration. After this slow acceleration happens for the first time in a particular driving session, the “O/D Off” light blinks on and off. According to the manual, this means that I should contact my toyota dealer as there may be a problem with the transmission.

The light will blink on and off for anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes then it will stop on its own. It may or may not begin blinking again some time later in that same driving session. The slow acceleration may occur only once or it may happen a few times before the car returns to normal acceleration. The car’s return to normal acceleration and the ending of the blinking of the “O/D Off” light happen at the same time approximately.

Something else to note: when the slow acceleration takes place the car does not begin to roll forward after I release my foot from the brake. Every time, up till now, the car would begin to roll forward, after releasing the brake, since it is an automatic.

I’ve tried to drive with my local mechanic in the car but we cannot seem to re-create the “slow acceleration” problem when he is there. I hope you can provide me with some information about this situation.

1990 Toyota 4Runner 4WD 3.0 liter V-6 Automatic transmission 137,000 miles

Thanks for your time!
Steve

A. A self-diagnosis function is built into the electrical control system. Warning is indicated by the overdrive OFF indicator light.

Note: Warning and diagnostic codes can be read only when the overdrive switch is ON. If OFF, the overdrive OFF light is lit continuously and will not blink. If a malfunction occurs within the speed sensors (No.1 or 2) or solenoids (No.1, 2 or 4), the overdrive OFF light will blink to warn the driver. However, there will be no warning of a malfunction with lock-up solenoid. The diagnostic code can be read by the number of blinks of the overdrive OFF indicator light when terminals TE1 and E1 are connected. The throttle position sensor or brake signal are not indicated, but inspection can be made by checking the voltage at terminal TT of the check connector. The signals to each gear can be checked by measuring the voltage at terminal TT of the check connector while driving.

The diagnostic code (trouble code) is retained in memory by the CPU (of TCCS ECU) and due to back-up voltage, is not canceled out when the engine is turned off. Consequently, after repair, it is necessary to turn the ignition switch off and remove the fuse EFI (15A) or disconnect the TCCS ECU connector to cancel out the diagnostic (trouble) code.

Note: Low battery voltage will cause faulty operation of the diagnosis system. Therefore. always check the battery first. Use a voltmeter and ohmmeter that have an impedance of at least 10K Ohm/Volt.

Check “O/D Off” Indicator Light:

Turn the ignition switch ON. The “O/D Off” light will come on when the O/D switch is placed at OFF. When the O/D switch is set to ON, the “O/D Off” light should go out. If the “O/D Off” light flashes when the O/D switch is set to ON, the electronic control system is faulty.

Read Diagnostic Code:

Turn ignition switch and o/d switch to ON. Do not start the engine. Engine NOTE: Warning and diagnostic codes can be read only when the overdrive switch is ON. If OFF, the overdrive OFF light will light continuously and will not blink. Connect TE1, and E1, terminals of check connector. Read the diagnostic code as indicated by the number of times the O/D OFF light flashes.

Diagnostic Code Indication:

• If the system is operating normally, the light will flash two times per second.

• In the event of a malfunction, the light will flash 1 time per second. The number of blinks will equal the first number and, after 1.5 seconds pause, the second number of the two digit diagnostic code. If there are two or more codes, there will be a 2.5 seconds pause between each.

NOTE: In the event of several trouble codes occurring simultaneously, indication will begin from the smaller value and continue to the larger.

Additional Information provided courtesy of ALLDATA

© 2003 Vincent T. Ciulla

From: autorepair.about.com

— Arthur O. Lovejoy
"On the Discriminations of Romanticisms" (1924)

Many scholars say that the Romantic period began with the publication of "Lyrical Ballads" by William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge in 1798. The volume contained some of the best-known works from these two poets including Coleridge’s "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and Wordsworth’s "Lines Written a Few Miles from Tintern Abbey."

Of course, other Literary scholars place the start for the Romantic period much earlier (around 1785), since Robert Burns’s Poems (1786), William Blake’s "Songs of Innocence" (1789), Mary Wollstonecraft’s "A Vindication of the Rights of Women," and other works already demonstrate that a change has taken place — in political thought and literary expression. Other "first generation" Romantic writers include: Charles Lamb, Jane Austen, and Sir Walter Scott.

A discussion of the period is also somewhat more complicated, since there was a "second generation" of Romantics (made up of poets Lord Byron, Percy Shelley and John Keats). Of course, the main members of this second generation — though geniuses — died young and were outlived by the first generation of Romantics. Of course, Mary Shelley — still famous for "Frankenstein" (1818) — was also a member of this "second generation" of Romantics.

While there is some disagreement about when the period began, the general consensus is… the Romantic period ended with the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1837, and the beginning of the Victorian Period. So, here we are in the Romantic era. We stumble upon Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley, Keats on the heels of the Neoclassical era. We saw amazing wit and satire (with Pope and Swift) as a part of the last age, but the Romantic Period dawned with a different poetic in the air.

In the backdrop of those new Romantic writers, penning their way into literary history, we are on the cusp the Industrial Revolution and writers were affected by the French Revolution. William Hazlit, who published a book called "The Spirit of the Age," says that the Wordsworth school of poetry "had its origin in the French Revolution… It was a time of promise, a renewal of the world — and of letters."

Instead of embracing politics as writers of some other eras might have (and indeed some writers of the Romantic era did) the Romantics turned to Nature for self-fulfillment. They were turning away from the values and ideas of the previous era, embracing new ways of expressing their imagination and feelings. Instead of a concentration on "head," the intellectual focus of reason, they preferred to rely on the self, in the radical idea of individual freedom. Instead of striving for perfection, the Romantics preferred "the glory of the imperfect."

From: classiclit.about.com

Listen to our Exclusive Interview with Country Group Carter’s Chord. The interview was conducted at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, TN in February 2007.

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From: countrymusic.about.com

Mot du jour - French Word of the Day

Learn a new intermediate- to advanced-level word every weekday

  

le 25 juillet 2003
(click on the Mot du jour to hear it pronounced)

le soutien [su tya(n)] support, backing Nous apprécierions votre soutien - We would appreciate your support. Le soutien financier est toujours difficile à trouver - Financial backing is always difficult to find. Related: soutenir - to support, hold up; soutenu (adj) - sustained, elevated; un soutien-gorge - bra

  

Mot du jour About/Calendar Archives Learning tips Pronunciation Key	More daily French Citation du jour Leçon du jour
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Pronunciation Key Due to the limitations of HTML, I cannot use true phonetic symbols. I try to be as straightforward as possible, but please refer to this chart to understand my pronunciation symbols. Note that this is only a guide to help you get the most out of the sound file. Please refer to a dictionary for the exact pronunciation.		a		father
		ay		hate
		e		bed
		ee		meet
		euh		full
		o		go
		uh		the
		u		fool
		(n)		nasal n
		zh		mirage

From: french.about.com

Guess the Goddess

     

Who is the goddess?
An image of a Greek or Roman goddess from , 1852.  From the symbols, can you tell which goddess is depicted?  Post your answer on the forum.

Scanned and modified for the web by Jone Johnson Lewis.
Image © 2003 Jone Johnson Lewis. Licensed to About.com.

Topics: goddess, Greek goddesses, Ancient Greece

Similar images:

Picture Gallery - Goddesses

Related topics:

Goddesses and Myths - Greece Goddesses, Myths, Legendary Women Ancient Religion Ancient Greece Ancient and Classical Rome Ancient Women’s History Posters of Goddesses
     

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