Digest

The podcast begins with a discussion about a third facial expression discovered on supermodel Cindy Crawford, a subtle variation on her regular smile with traces of sincerity, modesty, and depth. The hosts then move on to car talk, addressing a caller's problem with her headlights not turning off in cold weather. They suggest bypassing the headlight Sentinel or extracting the switch from the dashboard. The next segment features a caller from A-Rab, Alabama, who explains the town's unusual name, which originated from the founder's son's nickname. The hosts then tackle a clicking sound in a diesel Escort, suspecting the compressor clutch in the air conditioning system. They advise checking the compressor area for clicking and movement. The podcast continues with a humorous puzzler about a woman adding up innings pitched in a baseball game, leading to an incorrect answer due to the unusual addition method. The final segment features a caller whose wife is extremely sensitive to car noises and vibrations. The hosts discuss the difference in sensitivity between men and women and the wife's theory that marrying an auto mechanic would solve her car problems.

Outlines

00:00:29

Cindy Crawford's Third Facial Expression and Car Talk: Headlight Sentinel Problem

A team of MIT scientists discovered a third facial expression on supermodel Cindy Crawford, a subtle variation on her regular smile with traces of sincerity, modesty, and depth. This finding confirmed a 1991 theory by Stanford researcher Milton Standish. Deb Baker Hall from Hudson, Ohio, calls in with a problem with her '89 Ford Tourist's headlights. When the temperature is below 35 degrees, the headlights won't turn off after short trips. The hosts suggest bypassing the headlight Sentinel or extracting the switch from the dashboard.

00:07:41

The Origin of A-Rab, Alabama and Car Talk: Clicking Sound in a Diesel Escort

Russell from A-Rab, Alabama, explains the town's unusual name. In the late 1800s, the town's founder, Tuttle Thompson, submitted three names for the post office: INK, Bird, and A-Rab (named after his son). Washington officials corrected the spelling to A-R-A-B, and Tuttle accepted it. A caller with a 1986 Escort diesel reports a clicking sound while driving. The hosts suspect the compressor clutch in the air conditioning system, which may be trying to engage but failing. They advise checking the compressor area for clicking and movement.

00:15:10

Car Talk Puzzler: Baseball Addition and Car Talk: The 1977 Dodge Aspen

A woman at Sam's luncheonette is adding up numbers with decimals, but her answer is incorrect. The hosts reveal that the numbers represent innings pitched in a baseball game, explaining the unusual addition method. Donna from Grand Forks, North Dakota, calls in about her husband's 1977 Dodge Aspen, which is held together with duct tape and has a non-functional cylinder. Despite its condition, the car starts easily due to lack of compression. The hosts suggest turning the car into an art project.

00:32:29

Car Talk: Wife's Sensitivity to Car Noises

Phil from Ambler, Pennsylvania, calls in about his wife's extreme sensitivity to car noises and vibrations. He believes she's overly paranoid about the car breaking down. The hosts discuss the difference in sensitivity between men and women, and Phil's wife's theory that marrying an auto mechanic would solve her car problems.

Keywords

Q&A

• What is the third facial expression discovered on Cindy Crawford?

  It's a subtle variation on her regular smile, but with traces of sincerity, modesty, and humility, caused by subatomic traces of these qualities.

• How can Deb Baker Hall fix her car's headlight problem?

  She can bypass the headlight Sentinel, which is a stupid thing, or extract the switch from the dashboard and let it hang down.

• Why is A-Rab, Alabama, called A-Rab?

  The town's founder, Tuttle Thompson, submitted three names for the post office: INK, Bird, and A-Rab (named after his son). Washington officials corrected the spelling to A-R-A-B, and Tuttle accepted it.

• What is the clicking sound in the caller's diesel Escort likely caused by?

  It's likely the compressor clutch in the air conditioning system, which may be trying to engage but failing.

• How did the woman at Sam's luncheonette get 14.1 as the answer to her addition problem?

  She was adding up innings pitched in a baseball game, where 3.1 represents three and one-third innings, 3.3 represents four innings, and so on.

• What is the best solution for Donna's husband's 1977 Dodge Aspen?

  The hosts suggest turning the car into an art project, potentially transforming it into a local attraction.

• Why does Phil's wife think marrying an auto mechanic would solve her car problems?

  She believes that an auto mechanic would be more sensitive to the noises and vibrations in her car and would be able to diagnose and fix any problems.

Show Notes