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#1119: "Shut Up, Hon"

May 07, 2011
Gender equity comes to Car Talk Plaza this week, as male and female callers are both advised to respond to spousal auto-critiques with a polite, but firm, "Shut up, Hon." Elsewhere, Stuart's Camry is making a scary metallic quacking sound, and his mechanic is replacing things that couldn't be causing it; Bill is wondering if Radiator Stop Leak will work on his wooden hot tub; and Liz the Librarian is about to learn why she shouldn't make jack-rabbit starts. Also, for Mother's Day, one Mom's tale of a teenager to be greatly admired--and feared. All this, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

Show Open Topic

Tom and Ray share a letter from a listener, about what may just be the party to end all parties!

This Week's Puzzler

How can it be that Jim keeps buying the wrong wiper blades? Take a listen and see if you can figure out what's going on.

Last Week's Puzzler

How many times during the course of a complete day does a car's digital clock display a time that has three of the same digit?

As Read on Car Talk

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9 Comments

Show Review - 1610

Favorite Moment: 
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Show Review - 1615

Favorite Moment: 
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shut up hun review

good show
Favorite Moment: 
the end
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Shell with Platformate

You discussed the classic commercial "Shell with Platformate" from the sixties, wherein a car with went further on a gallon of gas of Shell with Platformate than did an identical car with a gallon of Shell with the Platformate removed. This was a true demonstration but was actually taken off the air because of deceptive advertising, the reason being, ALL BRANDS OF GASOLINE HAD PLATFORMATE IN THEM!! On the other hand, the Breyers ice cream commercial from the same period which showed a closeup of a scoop of Breyer's vanilla was not deemed deceptive advertising, even though it actually depicted a closeup of mashed potatoes, as real ice cream would have melted under the lights!
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How Engineers REALLY become Managers

Dear Click & Clack, Being a degreed engineer, and worked in the high tech industry for nearly 20 years now, I will tell you, and your caller, just how so-called normal engineers actually become managers. First: Engineers are not "normal" people, ask anyone, including my wife! We are the weirdest bunch of social mis-fits you ever saw and without our techie toys and tools nobody would ever pay any attention to us. Next: Engineers do not "become" managers. They are forced into it and denied the chance to escape once cursed in this way. The curse can take the following forms: "Shit Floats", bad engineers are made into worse managers. "Space Jam", one guy spaced out a moment when everyone else jammed him forward in line. "The Color Brown". One guy got extra friendly with the big boss. Now, not to be too cynical, there are a few truly good engineering managers. They are good at their engineering jobs and able to be calm and thoughtful under pressure and conflict, thus providing a rock of stability for the others. These rare few who are able to be calm and thoughtful and provide a rock of stability and courage are the good engineering managers. Of course, if your caller needs more insight into what NOT to do, there are many volumes of Dilbert at any bookstore. Thanks so much for a good laugh, Name Withheld in Fear of my Job Nashua, NH
Favorite Moment: 
The social psychology major who wanted to study which "normal" engineers became managers.
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Hot-tub Stop leak

regarding the guy with the wooden hot that leaks. I would not fiberglass the bottom, because the wood needs to be wet to hold water and not dry out and crack. You need to treat this like a wooden boat hull. Drain the tub and let it dry out a bit so the wood shrinks. Then pack the seams with wooden boat rope/fabric caulking. Then refill the tub. As the wood swells the caulking will seal the seams and should be watertight again.
Favorite Moment: 
When Tommy said the tub was more like a sieve.
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teasing out

I really liked the first call of this episode. You guys really did a good job figuring out what the problem could have been from bad tire to warped caliper. Asking the right questions to the diagnosis. Great job!
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You deserve a Dope Slap

Bogus - Where is there three common numbers if the last two numbers are 20. You morons listed 11:20 as one of the times in the puzzler!
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The whole show and every show is great! Thank you Tom and Ray
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Only TWO Portlands! BOOOOGUS!

http://www.portlandtx.com/ There are more than TWO Portlands in this nation boys...Get out of Cambridge (Your Fare City) to the rest of the nation.
Favorite Moment: 
Don't drive like my brother...The end of course.
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