Hey, it's Ray Mallorca here. And before we start the show, I want to thank those of you who have already signed up for Kartalk Plus now for the rest of you who haven't what are you nuts for just a few bucks a month, you can listen to our entire archive of shows anytime you want and support all the good shows on NPR at the same time.

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Hello and welcome to Kartalk on National Public Radio with us click and collect the tap and brothers and we're broadcasting this week from outside the CBS studios where we're nervously waiting for our mother who is inside as we speak to be interviewed by Connie Chung.

I'm not worried. I am not worried. You know why? Because you've never uttered an unkind word about anyone in your whole life. No, quite the opposite. We've already alienated every possible group of people and individuals. I mean, like with Jesse Helms be surprised if she said something nasty. No, we have nothing to worry about. That's why we have goody goody two shoes. They're always worried that someone's going to find out that they're not goody two shoes. Right. We don't have to worry about that, especially you.

Exactly. Hey, speaking of which I have here. I thank you. Another thank you letter. We get these. We must get one a month. Get this. Does he care if I mentioned his name? Charles Benham from Jacksonville, Florida. He may or may not care. I mean, the Atom and Ray. I want to thank covers all the possibilities. Yeah. I want to thank you for helping my students want to learn and to do better in school. Huh? Really? Wow. I'm a teacher in high school and we have weekly Saturday morning study hall.

For those students who have failed to follow the rules in the previous week. As part of this study hall, the students are required to listen to classical music on the local PBS station. I think he needs NPR station. Maybe this didn't bother them very much until they realized that your program came on at the time that these juvenile delinquents were in study hall. They hated your lousy program so much that they would do almost anything to keep from having to listen to you and the stupid things you say.

The study hall has gone from the first week of inception attendance of 35 students to last week's attendance of only three. What a marvelous way to motivate our students to do their homework.

Being on time to class and become the citizens, we all had hope for them to become a million thanks to you and your motivating talk show.

You have really helped to turn many of our students around what a great punishments and silly child better. Oh, I can't tell you how touched I am. I just popped three buttons on my vest.

I'm telling you, we have done our small part to further the educational system of the United States. We have we have you're ready to take a call?

I certainly am. Do you know the number? Yes. 1-800-332-9287. That's right. Hello, you're on card talk. Hi, I'm Linda from Viral Beach, Florida. Hi, Linda. Hi. Viral Beach. That's it. Where is that? It's about halfway down the coast on the east side. Viral Beach is the home of Hulk Hogan.

Oh, yeah. Oh, maybe that maybe that's Venice Beach. I don't know. What are those beaches? Viral Beach. What's up, Linda? Well, I need you to settle an argument or a discussion. Sure.

My husband and I recently bought a new car to us. It's a 93 Honda Civic and it has a five speed stick shift. Uh-huh. And I've never driven a stick shift before.

Oh, my husband has been a pretty good teacher. He took me out and I've been driving for many years, but not stick shift. And his theory of driving stick shift is that if you see a signal light coming from a distance and you're in, say, fourth gear, you shift down through the gears, third, second, first, letting the engine compression slow the car down. Yeah. Maybe if you're really good, you don't even have to put the brake on. Yeah, that's good. And then you go back up for a second, third, fourth.

What was the first statement you made about a minute ago? Very good teacher. Your husband is a good teacher. Well, he was a good teacher. Well, that means he didn't lose his temper.

But then I took a friend of mine, a woman friend out for a ride. Yeah. And she said to me, what are you shifting so much for? Her theory is that if you see a stoplight and you're in fourth gear, you go all the way up to the stoplight and you as you get closer, you use the brake to slow the car down.

And you put the car in neutral when you're at the light. And then when you're ready to start up, you go back to first. The heck with this third, second, first, you know, all the way down.

Now, who do you think is right? More importantly, more importantly, is your husband around? Yes. Is he any shot? Yes. Is he what? Can you go on the other room? I guess we gave it away.

Well, my concern is really, you know, which is better for the car? My friend's point of view is that, you know, maybe since I'm a relatively inexperienced driver at this kind of driving that the kind of all that shifting, you know, I'm going to hurt the clutch.

Your friend, how, if I have to disagree with your husband, is 100% right? Oh, okay. 100%. Yeah. Your husband is completely wacko. Oh, yeah.

As nice a guy as he is and as wonderful a teacher as he may be, I guess you can be a great teacher and teach the wrong stuff.

What he taught you, however, was not entirely incorrect. He said that by down shifting, you will save the brakes. Can you say that? Yes.

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