Luke and Naomi On Air

“Thanks for keep…coming back…?” Yep, that’s what Naomi said. Welcome to Episode 8!

Luke and Naomi begin the episode by recapping the last week. The two talk about soaking up some sunshine, sitting by the pool, and getting the chance to do some touristy stuff in their new home by checking out a local brewery.

The two are getting ready for their vacation to New York and Naomi already has vacation-brain (and you can definitely hear it in the podcast). Everything is planned out from what time they’ll be leaving the house to what day clothes and items need to get packed. They also have a mound of snacks and drinks sitting in their recording area, that Luke is NOT allowed to touch until they are on the road and out of Wilmington. Luke doesn’t feel like this is a real vacation because he’s going to his home state, back to an area close to where he grew up. Naomi defintely believes it’s a vacation – She’s going to have a couple of drinks, relax, and not think about anything. Sounds like a good plan!

Luke and Naomi remind everyone about the topic that will be continuing. They want to know how much you think gas will cost them to travel from Wilmington, North Carolina, to Romulus, New York and back? How much is gas going to cost them for their upcoming vacation?

Yep, wicked googly is a real thing. Luke had mentioned that in the last episode, but Naomi was sure he made it up. Apparently, he didn’t and notable listener Brian from England explains what it is. Luke then explains where he first heard the term wicked googly. Check it out in the video below.

They’ve got another segment of “This Week in Science.” It kicks off with a giant new bateria species that so big, you can see it with the naked eye. Gross. Luke gets to geek out about lasers and gets one step closer to owning his own light saber, and protein from plant-based sources is not absorbed as well as protein from natural sources like chicken.

Alexa can now sound like anyone you want. All you have to do is let Alexa hear that specific voice (less than a minute of audio), and she will “learn” to talk in that voice. Executives in the company say it’s so you can preserve the memory of someone who has passed away. Obviously, Naomi has a problem with this. She’s not comfortable with the robots and AI, and some of the technological advances we’ve already seen, but this just feels creepy to her.

Then Luke finds a good story about technology, that he believes Naomi may get onboard with. Apple has announced new upgrades to their Apple CarPlay software. This has set in motion, a whole bunch of tech companies getting involved for the future of driving and how “hands-off” it will be. The future of car travel is going to be getting into the vehicle, putting your directions in, and sitting back and relaxing. Maybe you could play a board game or cards if it’s going to be a long trip! Naomi isn’t convinced though. She needs the technology to be tested again and again and again, maybe 50 years from now. Luke is sure this is going to become the norm in the next 20 to 30 years.

The duo reintroduces their topic “How much is gas going to cost them on their vacation.” They even mention the exact towns they are driving to and from (Wilmington, North Carolina to Romulus, New York), and the fact that they don’t plan on driving their vehicle once they arrive. Looks like listeners wanted more information though, like what kind of vehicle they will be driving, the gas mileage it gets, and details along those lines. Luke is a little hesitant, but Naomi says “let ’em have it,” so the couple drops a few more hints. They even go over Brian from England’s math and estimate, and Naomi announces what her best estimate is. Here some of the other guesses in the video below.

And speaking of traveling, the duo talks about restroom stops, and the fact that finding a bathroom in some areas may become harder and harder in the coming years. They also mention a pier that charged 50-cents to use the facilities. 50-cents?! Who even has change on them anymore??

Check out all those stories and more in podcast episode eight below: