Scott Kalitta, 46, died Saturday aftera high-speed racing accident during qualifying at the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals. Race in peace Scott, you were one of the good guys...

This a photo of Scott lined up at Pomona this year.

recomendo BBCLEARNINGENGLISH. ESTE SIM É UM SITE QUE OFERECE CONTEÚDO DA LÍNGUA INGLESA PARA TODOS OS NÍVEIS, COM QUALIDADE E TOTALMENTE GRATUITOS.

BY ENGLISHTOWN...

Paolo e Ken chegaram em Nova Iorque para estudar Inglês. Eles precisam se registrar em um hotel.[audio http://netdown.diinoweb.com/files/registrandoseemumhotel.mp3]
Ken: You do the talking Paolo. I’m too nervous.
Ken: Você fala Paolo. Estou muito nervoso.

Paolo: Why are you nervous? The receptionist seems friendly.
Paolo: Porque você está nervoso? A recepcionista parece simpática.

Ken: My English isn’t great and I’m shy with pretty girls. I don’t want to make a fool of myself.
Ken: Meu inglês não é tão bom e fico tímido com garotas bonitas. Não quero parecer um idiota.

Receptionist: Good morning, gentlemen. How may I help you?
Recepcionista: Bom dia, cavalheiros. Como posso ajudá-los?

Paolo: Uh...my friend and I want to book a room for tonight. Do you have any rooms available?
Paolo: Ahn…meu amigo e eu gostariamos de reservar um quarto para hoje. Você tem algum quarto disponível?

Receptionist: Yes we do. Would you like a twin room?
Recepcionista: Sim, nós temos. Você gostaria de um quarto com duas camas?

Ken to Paolo: Ask her if there’s a TV in the room?
Ken para Paolo: Pergunte a ela se há uma TV no quarto?

Paolo: Ok... yes, we’d like a twin room. Is there a TV in the room?
Paolo: Certo… Sim, gostariamos de um quarto com duas camas. Há alguma TV no quarto?

Receptionist: Yes, all of our rooms have a TV. What date will you be checking out?
Recepcionista: Sim, todos os quartos possuem TV. Que dia você estará saindo?

Ken to Paolo: Ask her if we can use the poll and sauna?
Ken para Paolo: Pergunte a ela se podemos usar a piscina e a sauna?

Paolo: Uh...tomorrow. Can we use the poll and sauna?
Paolo: Ahn… amanhã. Podemos usar a piscina e a sauna?

Receptionist: Yes. The poll and sauna are on the second floor. There is also 24 hour room service and a laundry service.
Recepcionista: Sim. A piscina e a sauna são no segundo andar. Há também serviço de quarto 24 horas e lavanderia.

Paolo: Great! Did you hear that, Ken?
Paolo: Ótimo! Você ouviu isso, Ken?

Ken: Hun? Hear what?
Ken: Ahn? Ouviu o quê?

Paolo: Next time you should do the talking – you’re the one with all of the questions!
Paolo: Da próxima vez você é quem vai falar – é você que tem todas as perguntas!

Aprenda as palavras chave de hoje

Receptionist: one who works at the reception desk; greets visitors and clients on the telephone and in the office[audio http://netdown.diinoweb.com/files/receptionist.mp3]
Nervous: tense; anxious; not calm[audio http://netdown.diinoweb.com/files/nervous.mp3]

versão para impressão

Another client closed on their house on Monday afternoon and we were there at 7am the next morning to refinish the floors so that the furniture could be moved in that night. Once again the homeowner thought we sanded the floors. She decided that she really wanted to sand the floors. That lasted about 10 minutes when she found out that it takes multiple days to sand and refinish, not to mention the fact that a lot of her furniture wouldn't be able to go on the floor for a few days after that and that the residual smell would drive her crazy for quite a few weeks as well. The end result was that she decided to go ahead with the Mr Sandless Wood Floor Refinishing service and was very happy with the results. The furniture was moved in the next day and all was good with the world :)

Some information about sanding:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floor_sanding

Mr Sandless Central New Jersey services Mercer County, West and South Middlesex County, Lower Monmouth County, Upper Ocean County. Cities include Trenton, South Plainfield, Hamilton, Princeton, Edison, New Brunswick, Long Branch, Spring Lake, Toms River, Lakewood.

Have you ever...?

[audio http://netdown.diinoweb.com/files/Voceja1.mp3]

We can use this simple sentence struture to ask many different questions and get a lot of information.

Nós podemos utilizar esta estrutura para fazer diferentes perguntas e conseguir várias informações.

The “have you ever?” sentence pattern asks if you have done something or gone somewhere in the past.

O padrão de frase: “have you ever?” é usado para perguntar se você já fez alguma coisa ou foi a algum lugar no passado.

Have you ever been to China? Have you ever been sky diving? Have you ever ridden a house?

Have you ever been to China? (Você já foi a China?)Have you ever been sky diving?(Você já fez sky diving?) Have you ever ridden a house?(Você já andou a cavalo?)

Think of some”have you ever?” questions to ask your classmates and join me in a conversation class.

Pense em algumas perguntas com o “Have you ever?” para seus colegas de classe e participe comigo de uma aula de conversação.

Aprenda as palavras chave de hoje

Participate: be involved in [audio http://netdown.diinoweb.com/files/participate.mp3]

Travel: v. go fron one place to another[audio http://netdown.diinoweb.com/files/travel.mp3]

versão para impressão.

Você gosta de discutir questões polêmicas?

Daren e Adriana estão falando sobre celebridades. Nem sempre é facil ser famoso!Quem é sua celebridade favorita? [audio http://edsonfigue.diinoweb.com/files/Suas celebridades favoritas.mp3]

Daren: How did your audition go Adrina?
Daren: Como foi seu teste Adriana?

Adriana: Oh, the audition is tomorrow!I have been watching all the Greta Garbo movies I can find!She was a fantastic actress. I really want to show the director that I can be deep and engaging.
Adriana: Oh, o teste é amanhã!Estive assistindo todos os filmes da Greta Garbo que pude encontrar!Ela era uma atriz fantástica. Eu quero muito mostrar ao diretor que sou capaz de uma atuação profunda e convincente.

Daren: I've never even heard of Greta Garbo!?Why don't you watch some Julia Roberts movies? I hear she's engaged!
Daren: Eu nunca ouvi falar de Greta Garbo!?Porque você não assite a uns filmes de Julia Roberts?Ela é muito convencida!

Adriana: I don't want to be an engaged actress!I want to be engaging...you know...charming, intense and attractive!
Adriana: Eu não quero ser uma atriz convencida!Eu quero ser convincente...você sabe...charmosa, intensa e atraente!

Daren: Well, Julia Roberts is attractive!
Daren: Bem, Julia Roberts é sem dúvida atraente!

Aprenda as palavras de hoje

glamorous: charming, fascinating [audio http://edsonfigue.diinoweb.com/files/glamorous.mp3]

wealthy: rich; affluent [audio http://edsonfigue.diinoweb.com/files/wealthy.mp3]

versão para impressão

Helli está tentando escrever um artigo, mas está com dificuldades com os verbos. Ela chamou Ken para ajudá-la.
[audio http://edsonfigue.diinoweb.com/files/verbos em ingles- saiba como usa-los.mp3]

Ken: Okay Helli, so what is the problem?
Ken: Oi Kelli, qual é o problema?

Helli: Ken can you please tell me does this sentence sound right? "The plants have thrived in the correct conditions."
Helli: Ken, você poderia me dizer se esta frase está correta?"The plants have thrived in the correct conditions."

Ken: Yes Helli, that sounds okay to me.
Ken: Sim, Helli, me parece certa.

Helli: Thanks Ken. How about this sentence?"People have to spray in their fields everyday."
Helli: Obrigada Ken. E sobre esta frase?"People have to spray in their fields everyday."

Ken: What are they spraying Helli, that sentence doesn't really make sense but I don't know much about verbs.
Ken: O que quer dizer esse "spray", Helli? Esta frase não faz muito sentido para mim mas eu não sei muito sobre verbos.

Aprenda as palavras de hoje

white down: record something in writing

[audio http://edsonfigue.diinoweb.com/files/white down.mp3]

plants: n. small vegetable growth; factory

[audio http://edsonfigue.diinoweb.com/files/plants.mp3]

Discutindo tópicos controversos (segunda, 2 de junho de 2008)

Você gosta de discutir questões polêmicas?

[audio http://edsonfigue.diinoweb.com/files/dtc.mp3]

Something is controversial if it causes a dispute between people with oppisite opinions.

Algo é polêmico se é o centro de uma disputa entre pessoas de opiniões diametralmente opostas.

Some examples of controversial topics are wars, social issues and religion.

Alguns exemplos de questões polêmicas são guerras, questões sociais e religião.

When we are expressing our opinions, it is important not to make other people feel like you don’t respect their opinions.

Quando se está expressando opiniões, é muito importante não deixar a impressão de que não se respeita opiniões dos outros.

That’s why we use phrases like: “I think”, “I believe”, “I would say”, “I have Always thought that” and “it is my opinions that” when we want to share our opinions with others.

É por isso que usamos frases como:”eu acho”, “eu acredito”, “eu diria”, “eu sempre pensei que” e “a minha opinião é” quando queremos compartinhar nossa opinião com os outros.

Come to class now to broaden your vocabulary and learn how to express your opinions in English without offending your friends!

Participe da aula agora para ampliar seu vocabulário e aprender como expressar suas opiniões em inglês se3m ofender seus amigos!

Aprenda as palavras chave de hoje

Controversial: tending to cause differences of opinion

[audio http://edsonfigue.diinoweb.com/files/controversial.mp3]

Share: to divide between people so each person has a piece

[audio http://edsonfigue.diinoweb.com/files/share.mp3]

Early morning sunlight make this photo special. Taken at the 2006 Kawasaki Race of Champions at Englishtown NJ. Team Green Rider Zac Bell powers throough a sandy corner like a surfer rips a wave. This corner was one of my favorite go to spots for the 2006 season. Sadly in 2007 the layout of the track was changed and this spot is gone. Well I enjoyed it while it lasted.

[gallery]

n anticipated budget shortfall in the 2009-10 school year could force the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional Schools district to restructure its schools and eliminate nine teaching positions, according to the schools superintendent.

Superintendent of Schools John Marciante said three teaching positions could be cut in 2009-10 from Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School due to a decrease in enrollment there. He said those positions, in addition to another six district teaching positions, could be eliminated as teachers retire.

Marciante said the district would require fewer teachers if it uses a flexible block schedule for some of its students. The scheduling allows faculty to teach subjects to several shifts of students, as opposed to one teacher instructing the same group throughout the day.

In a letter to parents issued Wednesday, Marciante said the largest single component of the district's budget — roughly $43.4 million in a $69 million spending plan — is salaries and benefits.

"It is only through cuts in this area that significant budget reductions can be addressed," Marciante said in the letter.

"People retiring . . . at the top of the guide make somewhere between $80,000 and $85,000 plus benefits of up to $15,000," Marciante said in an interview Thursday. "That rounds out to $90,000-plus per person. Multiply that by 9 and that's more than $800,000 (in savings) right there."

Marciante said the proposal also would restructure the Clark Mills, Lafayette Mills, Milford Brook, Taylor Mills and Wemrock Brook schools as first- through fifth-grade schools. Pine Brook School would house sixth-graders.

Clark Mills, Milford Brook and Taylor Mills are currently first- through third-grade schools. Lafayette Mills, Pine Brook and Wemrock Brook house grades four to six.

Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School would continue to house grades seven and eight.

He said the district would save funds with shorter bus routes, as students would no longer have to travel across town to get to what will be their respective neighborhood schools.

Business Administrator Joseph Passiment said the proposal was driven by the new state funding formula and the recently passed legislation that restricts the amount of taxes to be raised. He said the district is anticipating a budget reduction of more than $1 million for 2009-10, and another substantial reduction in 2010-11.

Passiment said district state aid will remain flat for three years, and state law restricts tax-levy increases to 4 percent. The district projects enrollment will stay flat at roughly 5,500 students, he said.

"(A $2.7 million increase in state aid in 2007) was a one-shot deal," Passiment said. "Health benefits, gas, heat, electricity, telephones, supplies and materials, everything is going up.

"If I can only raise my revenue stream from taxes 4 percent and my state aid remains the same, the current costs I have escalating for next year will result in a shortfall. That's a given," Passiment said.

Parents had mixed feelings about the proposal.

"I think it would be great to have everything more localized so that you aren't driving all the way across town," said Meryl D'Amato, whose 9-year-old son Nicholas attends Clark Mills School. "Nicholas is on the bus for an hour, and that would cut the bus drive by probably a half-hour."

Kim Waters said she wasn't pleased with what she's heard of the proposal so far. She has 10-year-old twins at Clark Mills School whom she expects to move to Wemrock Brook in fourth grade.

"In fifth grade I have no idea where they would go," Waters said. "Then in sixth grade they would have to go to another school. That would be quite a lot of switching around for my kids. I don't want to seem negative about it until I hear more of the facts, but that was my first reaction."

Marciante said the plan has not been finalized, and public meetings will be held at 7:30 p.m. May 8, May 21 and June 5 at the middle school to get community input.

"The change in the state law allows us to really predict going forward," Marciante said. "All we're estimating here is the costs going up for utilities and insurance, and we're making modest expectations for raises . . . What I think people need to understand with the budget change by the legislation is this is a real number."

APP - By Alesha Williams Boyd

The clients we deal with fall into three groups. The first can afford the high cost of sanding however they do not want the inconvenience that comes with sanding. These annoyances include moving out of the house for about a week, dust, and the smell which can last for many weeks after the job is done. The second group can not afford the cost of sanding. The last group can't sand the floors, either because the floors have been sanded too many times (1-3) or because the wood in the floor is very thin.

It is important to remember that sanding is a rip off in most cases; it removes the value of your floor, the wood. Our system can provide great results without the inconveniences and cost of sanding.

Coming soon, experiences from the trenches :)

Check out Matt Wozney's weekly blurb here for some of my photos: http://www.motoxposure.com/041508.htm

A couple of my photos were also used in the video for Moto Playground magazine's MotoPlayground Today video segment. Check that out here:

http://shopthep.com/main/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=255

And more photos and a written race report can be found on VurbMoto's website here:

 http://www.vurbmoto.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=717&Itemid=67

Among sticking points in the negotiations are salary and benefits, said teachers of the Manalapan-Englishtown Education Association, who have been working without a contract since June.

But district officials, who did not wish to discuss specifics Monday, said they've offered a fair settlement that teachers won't accept.

Association President Ken Weber, a teacher at Pine Brook School, said in his recollection the kindergarten-through-eighth-grade district has settled a contract only once before it expired in his 30-plus years working there.

"I'd like someone to explain why it's fair to offer teachers in Manalapan the second lowest increase in the county," Weber said before the demonstration, which preceded a fact-finding session at administration offices Monday night. "If someone can explain to us how that's fair, we'll take a look at it."

The district is offering teachers below the 4.64 percent average 2007-08 salary increase in Monmouth County, Weber said, although he would not divulge what the number was. He was flanked during the protest by New Jersey Education Association President Joyce Powell, who attended the rally to lend her support to the association's cause.

(Just for the record, I got a raise of 3% and was very happy)