Humaine Society Photo Contest.

The Carthage Humane Society will accept entries until Aug 31, 2010 for the Best Dressed Cat and the Best Dressed Dog. Pets con be in full costume or merely a hat or kerchief. Also, pets other than a cat or dog can be entered for Most Unique Pet. There will be two cat winners, two dog winners and two Most UniqueWinners. Prizes will be awarded to each winner. There is no limit to entries and a $5 entry fee per entry.

Entries should be mailed to the Carthage Humane Society, Attention Gail, P.O. Box 1064, Carthage, MO 64836.

Entries should include a 4 x 6 color photo, the pet’s name, owner’s name, address and telephone number.

Photos can be of either live pet or deceased.

For more information, call Gail at 417-439-7134.

The City of Carthage will be spraying for mosquitoes Monday, August 30 through Friday, Sept. 3

Areas will be sprayed in the evening of the day garbage is picked up.

NASCAR THIS WEEK

By Monte Dutton

Sponsored by Chad's Garage

Jeff Burton Running Hard

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- A typical first impression of Jeff Burton is that he’s got more sense than most race-car drivers.

It isn’t to say that racers aren’t intelligent, witty and likable. They are. Burton, however, is thoughtful, reasonable and tactful. Those are the qualities that set him apart.

At 43, Burton is the younger of South Boston, Va., racing brothers. Ward Burton won five Sprint Cup races in a career that ran from 1994 through 2007, highlighted by the 2002 Daytona 500. Jeff Burton has won 21 times at NASCAR’s highest level.

Perhaps a rivalry among brothers is an excellent breeding ground for tact.

Jeff Burton is one of six drivers in the current top 12 -- i.e., Chase for the Sprint Cup position with three regular-season races left -- without a victory thus far in 2010. Nonetheless, he ranks seventh in the point standings with four top-five finishes and 12 top 10s. A year ago, none of Richard Childress Racing’s three drivers made the Chase. This year all three are in position to do so, and Kevin Harvick is the point leader.

"We’ve had to fight to climb back up the hill," said Burton. "What we have to work on is not getting back down. This is a competitive sport. You’re not always going to be as good as you can be. ... You’ve just got to go to work and not accept failure."

As far as the Chase is concerned, he added, "Number one, you still have to make it. There’s still a lot of racing left to go. Number two, I just believe that this Chase will be like most Chases: You’ve got to run in the front. You have to avoid the bad races."

With the Chase just three races away, Burton said, "Some people are trying to protect positions. Some people are trying to go get bonus points. Some people are trying to earn their way in. The guys that are in 14th, 15th, they don’t believe they are out of it. They still have a shot."

Anyone who makes the Chase, of course, has "a shot" at the Sprint Cup championship. A championship would crown Burton’s entire career. He has finished third, fourth, fifth (twice), sixth, seventh and eighth in the Cup standings at various points in his career.

"I hope that we can come down to Homestead," said Burton, referring to the season finale. "I hope we can be in the midst of it, and it comes down to late in the race. That’s what we do."

Boy I used ta wear ball caps. For a while there was the crisp bend on the bill on each side ta form little blinder type flaps.

For a while a single crisp bend right in the middle, formin’ an upside down v in the bill. Sometime in there was the bill just gently curved, pretty much the way ya usually buy ‘em. The last I remember the bill would be curved in a tight arch that almost formed a tube with the cap pulled down tight on the head. ‘Course dependin’ on the activities, workin’ on a tractor, down at the soda shop, or actually on occasion playin’ ball, the cap would be cocked in a different angle on the head. All in all the ball cap is a versatile accessory as well as a social statement. Guess I just don’t have near as much to say as I used to.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

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Weekly Columns

CLICK and CLACK

TALK CARS

Dear Tom and Ray:

I purchased a new 2010 VW CC, and the car has 5,000 miles on it. During a long weekend, I left the car unused for four days, and the battery died. There were no lights on or external power drains. On Tuesday I went to the dealer where I purchased the car and was told: "There is nothing wrong with the car--they just do that because there is a lot of power drain due to the computer." I called another VW dealer and was given a similar answer. My question is, How can a car company design a car with a battery that lasts only four days? Shouldn’t a car be able to sit for more than four days without the battery dying? Thanks. - Tim

Tom: Yes, it should. In fact, VW itself says the car should be good for 30 days without a problem. So I think you have every right to go back to your dealer and ask him to investigate further.

Ray: In our experience, most cars can sit for about two weeks there days before the battery is too weak to start the car.

Tom: Why is that? Well, there are certain electronic components that continue to run even when your car is turned off. There’s usually an alarm system, and there’s the evaporative emissions system, which needs to cycle whether the car is running or not.

Ray: But there are a couple of things that could shorten that time frame. One is a weak battery. That seems unlikely on a brand-new car, but maybe your battery is defective.

Ray: The other possibility is that something is draining the battery too quickly. The dealer should be able to put an ammeter on the battery and tell.