tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16531125674194989032012-01-26T20:16:10.871-08:00The award-neglected blog that you've been waiting to read your entire life. Comments and posts are welcome!Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.comBlogger5071100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-48207675341397827312012-01-23T11:23:00.001-08:002012-01-23T11:23:48.828-08:00

To use for business. So I'm uploading one. Mock if you must.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-69824406535546969222012-01-15T20:06:00.000-08:002012-01-15T20:08:28.798-08:00

So we're talking with potential DJs for our wedding. One guy quotes us a high rate, and we try to negotiate. His response:"I can't lower my price - it wouldn't be fair to my other clients."Seriously? Seriously. What kind of person thinks that this is a convincing argument. Why should I care about his anonymous clients who I will never meet and have nothing to do with our wedding? Estupido.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-51618472428130467612012-01-07T07:21:00.000-08:002012-01-07T07:22:56.010-08:00

Some things need to be seen to be believed.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus_wrestling

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-65309795945447705892011-12-31T10:10:00.001-08:002011-12-31T10:11:45.577-08:00

Nothing ruins the great experience of being a super hero more than having to think about BIKE SAFETY while you are saving lives.I mean really....

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-21317300473318081282011-09-19T16:47:00.000-07:002011-09-19T17:47:16.128-07:00

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-16869140693256619642011-08-12T20:17:00.000-07:002011-08-12T20:27:32.555-07:00

I have some friends who smoke, and some relatives who smoke. I would NEVER tell them that they can't smoke around me. I'll just go somewhere else. But when it comes to smoke entering my personal environment - like my apartment - I sing a very different tune. So I was surprised when I put this question up on Facebook that my social circle did NOT have my back - and all these people were

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-43348981657378617092011-08-08T19:15:00.001-07:002011-08-08T19:27:41.171-07:00

Cerebus the Aardvark is a comic about a "warrior Pig born" who goes from mercenary to political head to pontiff. It's one of the "smart" comics out there that requires a knowledge of history, mythology and other areas of knowledge to appreciate. It's a heady wine - not on too many people's shelves. It's extremely well made. But as it descends into the extremely elaborate worlds of political

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-48783112429489451702011-07-09T08:08:00.000-07:002011-07-09T08:14:23.413-07:00

While waiting at a bar for some friends, I started chatting with a man next to me, who turned out to be a high-ranking economist at a Federal agency. He was sloshed, and the bartender knew him by sight and kept his drinks coming."The world is in a bad way," he told me. "Things are going to get worse before they get better." He said there was basically no way out of the trap created when the

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-56943981818644724842011-06-26T17:10:00.000-07:002011-06-26T17:17:52.311-07:00

Normally, a strike can be a pretty profound way of telling someone to fuck off.But it doesn't always work that way.Take Canada's recent postal strike. It completely froze ALL Canadian mail (including a present I was expecting from a friend, damnit) for weeks. And while it's expected to start again tomorrow, it revealed an unexpected truth - society went on without mail. People were able to, for

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-19476895422213890922011-06-24T21:59:00.001-07:002011-06-24T22:05:33.930-07:00

It took this article about how U.S. guns are flooding into Mexico and arming the drug cartels to make me finally understand what the NRA is all about.It actually has nothing to do with the 2nd amendment. Or with state's rights. Or the Constitution or any of that. It just has to do with money.One of the few manufacturing sectors left in the U.S. is guns. We make some of the finest guns in the

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-31494920801091203072011-06-21T19:11:00.000-07:002011-06-21T19:14:00.602-07:00

I'm not the best guy at math, but I'm pretty sure this label doesn't make a lick of sense. Look at the top. If it works for 24 hours, why use it twice a day? (Props to Dianna for noticing this malarky)

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-26280546890994296042011-06-12T07:57:00.000-07:002011-06-12T08:04:05.802-07:00

Switching routines is tough. Switching blogs is tough too. Familiarity, even with mediocrity - well, there's something to be said for that.I tried to switch to Tumblr, and then to Wordpress, and I lost my mojo / rhythms. I have returned reluctantly home with my tail between my legs.Writing blogs in 2011 is tough, because there's basically so much content out there. Compare nowadays to the 1980's

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-84398310074004956062011-05-23T08:53:00.000-07:002011-05-23T08:54:40.699-07:00

See below. Sorry for the runaround.http://rubinonwry.wordpress.com/Jon

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-78028299127147936182011-05-08T08:49:00.000-07:002011-05-08T08:58:42.111-07:00

All,I've grown kinda bored with Blogger, so I'm giving Tumblr a try. Check out my new blog (for the time being) here:Check out my new blog:Rubin on Wry - I'll Tumblr For ya

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-28910416484890856872011-05-07T06:28:00.000-07:002011-05-07T06:37:09.261-07:00

My friend Geo nailed me recently when I was talking about not being too materialistic and he said, "Dude, you have an iPhone!"OK, fair enough. But I think it's worth discussing what having a good smartphone can do to you. It's a powerful shift in your life, like getting a car in some ways. It gives you almost unlimited freedom to information, and the Apple knife cuts both ways:Pro: You are never

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-13815496443314565682011-05-01T19:50:00.000-07:002011-05-01T20:00:30.027-07:00

So CNN is jabbering and filling airtime while they wait for President Obama to speak. And I feel very strange inside. He killed thousands of Americans in a gross and horrific act of terrorism. I wanted him to die very badly in 2001 - I prayed for it, even.Now, so many years have past, it's tough for me to get in touch with that bloodlust again. Certainly it is justice - whether death or

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-78703210753007977482011-05-01T08:21:00.000-07:002011-05-01T09:23:21.244-07:00

So you meet Bristol Palin. Or Joan Rivers (Dianna did both last night at the White House Correspondent's Dinner). How do you address someone whom you "know" through the media - whom everyone knows, really - but you've never met before?Here are some options:1. Hi. I don't think we've met. My name is.... (Dianna said this stinks)2. Hi. My name is....3. Hi. Big fan. I'm...4. Hey Bristol. I'm....5.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-19839756270215035802011-04-29T06:15:00.000-07:002011-04-29T06:19:53.730-07:00

This important public service is brought to you by.... oh I don't know.... Wendy's.And here's some more obscure ones...

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-67945245979330339922011-04-14T18:28:00.000-07:002011-04-14T18:34:31.250-07:00

I had dinner with a friend last night who works in the patent office. I told him I didn't think much of intellectual property, although he's fine by me.However, this seems like a pretty glaring case of what the ancient Greeks called "logos copycattus."When I saw the logo for Ragan.com, I knew I had seen it somewhere before. After some sleuthing, I found it bared an incredible similarity to Reason

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-8748828228901337772011-04-11T17:48:00.000-07:002011-04-11T17:51:21.185-07:00

Gotta love that Asian depiction!As seen from a Brooklyn Pre-K building.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-65694300025815438552011-04-10T17:02:00.000-07:002011-04-10T18:24:44.516-07:00

As seen from the Gyro King 1017 Foster Ave, Brooklyn. I'd love to hear theories about what this sign actually means.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-91231548988483981832011-04-04T16:31:00.000-07:002011-04-04T16:44:44.402-07:00

I don't have the fucking patience to wait in line for Black Friday shopping deals. I didn't buy a lottery ticket when I was feeling lucky because the woman in front of me was buying tickets for every Japanese person affected by the tsunami (or something).Yet I found myself waiting 1.5 hours for a cupcake last weekend because, basically, there was a long line.Ya'see, a long line means that there

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-45302909813636344062011-04-03T14:55:00.000-07:002011-04-03T15:04:47.739-07:00

I'm still flush with strange discoveries from my recent foray into Sephora with Dianna.At right are some pics of fingernail polish. Where to even begin? Apparently they have moved beyond actually trying to name their products after the color they represent - they probably stopped doing that 20 years ago but I never noticed.So you see names like "Arm Candy," "Techno Girl" and "What a Broad." But

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-18764409136052310202011-03-30T15:31:00.001-07:002011-03-30T15:41:20.536-07:00

It was a fucking kitchen utensil that did me in. One that I've used correctly many times. It's called a mandolin, which stupidly has the same name as a kind of guitar - another thing I don't know how to use properly.At right is a picture of someone using a mandoline INCORRECTLY. This is, in fact, the way I used it on Monday, when I was slicing potatoes for an egg fritatta.I've used it many times

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-53413294961127367062011-03-29T15:50:00.000-07:002011-03-29T15:51:34.905-07:00

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-15545947102153837472011-03-27T16:07:00.000-07:002011-03-27T17:28:11.204-07:00

If your nerdiness quotient is high enough, you may be familiar with the Japanese word Kawaii, a word that refers to the almost unbearable cuteness that has become a staple of modern Japanese culture.We see it in many places - young girls couture, retro couture, the Hello Kitty vibrator, and apparently high-end fashion as well. We saw the following Hello Kitty bling advertisements at an Arlington,

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-59674999366049189762011-03-25T15:39:00.000-07:002011-03-25T15:43:10.914-07:00

Tada!

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-43614698559100229052011-03-23T16:39:00.000-07:002011-03-23T16:55:40.419-07:00

My doctor says I'm fat.Not verbatim, but he says I need to lose weight. Specifically, I need to lose 5 pounds in order to lose weight in my FACE. The reason behind this is a very important one: I snore.And what causes snoring?Fatness. Specifically, the fatness around your throat, which jiggles / vibrates when you sleep and causes the snore.So fat people - of which I am now one, apparently -

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-13338896509543151482011-03-22T19:35:00.000-07:002011-03-22T20:01:03.736-07:00

For a while, Libya seemed like a perfect place to bomb from afar. The setup was perfect - repressed people revolting against a tyrant, riding the jubilant waves of other successful revolutions. The despot's cabinet and head military officials defect, the rebels seize some towns, the world looks on with adoration. He's on the ropes! Then the dictator gets pissed and bulldozes, shoots, and bombs

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-9346816045604690602011-03-20T16:31:00.000-07:002011-03-20T17:13:47.730-07:00

So after acquiring The Ring, my next challenge was finding a way to present it in a way that would make an acceptable story. I found out this useful bit of information from my friend Aaron, who told me that women will be telling the story of how they were proposed to for decades, so make it good.With that added societal pressure, I went out to try and find a way that was meaningful, romantic, but

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-57672506314842267502011-03-19T09:20:00.000-07:002011-03-19T09:46:54.657-07:00

Most men who are neither mobsters, mobster-wannabees, or metrosexuals should know exactly zilch about jewelry. And diamonds above all are the most mysterious. They are full of industry jargon that men have no business knowing anything about, including the dreaded "Four C's" (Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat Weight).In addition to this steep learning curve, there is the fact that jewelry industry is

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-50586601041444342352011-03-05T07:17:00.000-08:002011-03-05T07:50:30.216-08:00

It stopped me in my tracks when I read that the average annual compensation of a Milwaukee teacher is $101,000.Outrageous! Maybe Wisconsin is somehow an exception to the "teacher's make shitty money" rule. Maybe the Unions really have created a racket in the most unlikely of places.But when I read the article, I discovered this: The 101k included $59,500 in salary and $41,591 in benefits."

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-13920336654352277182011-03-02T19:07:00.000-08:002011-03-02T19:13:10.872-08:00

About twice a year I will get an email like this, always from someone I don't know: Janine Tyler (Note: not her real name), one of our colleagues, just gave birth to a daughter on February 22d. She has only worked for the government since September and has not accrued sufficient leave to cover the recovery period. She only plans to be out on maternity leave for six weeks. Janine has

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-51363230294442028592011-02-27T15:36:00.000-08:002011-02-27T15:45:34.597-08:00

Someone famous (I couldn't find the source) once said that the strongest force in the universe is exponential growth. And, what's more, that humans aren't designed to think exponentially. We think linearly - 2x2x2, and not 2-squared, then cubed, etc. What all this means is just that when change accelerates, it can catch you off guard.So, if you haven't been following robotics, this video will

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-35285285947356834572011-02-26T06:37:00.000-08:002011-02-26T06:51:53.441-08:00

My poor coworker Ayanna had an awful experience on Thursday night. She missed her 8 p.m. bus, and didn't feel like waiting another hour in a terrible NE DC neighborhood for another one. So she tried to walk home.... but got lost in an even WORSE neighborhood.Like, "crack den" bad neighborhood.She tried to call a friend and get directions... but her phone died. And, this being a bad neighborhood,

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-73047419347627852082011-02-25T17:01:00.000-08:002011-03-02T19:15:10.584-08:00

Dianna and went to a wine tasting event tonight at Dean & Deluca in DC's ritzy Georgetown neighborhood. The sales pitch was "25 wines for $25." We both came from work - Dianna has dressed up jeans and I had a shirt and tie and my pea coat. Apparently, however, we didn't look rich enough, because we received pours that were anywhere from 50% to 75% smaller than the other attendees.I'm serious. Our

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-38514453857818490272011-02-20T09:41:00.000-08:002011-02-20T09:41:00.135-08:00

When I heard about Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities I knew I had to read it. The Fraternity and Sorority system was a huge part of URI. While I drank their free beer (it was college after all), I hated the system and the conformity it seemed to generate. At the time, it amazed me how quickly information about Sororities spread to even people as remote and nerdy as myself. I heard that the

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-63226529572747265012011-02-19T08:28:00.001-08:002011-02-20T15:34:59.528-08:00

I heard this on "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" and decided I had to verify it. It turns out to be true: The U.S. Army sponsors a NASCAR car, to the tune of millions of dollars a year.Now it's a little more of a gray area than just a plain sponsorship - by sponsoring a car, you get to cover it with Army logos and basically use it as a recruitment tool.But still... NASCAR? Apparently, the Marines, Navy

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-31481655639120769672011-02-18T18:46:00.000-08:002011-02-18T18:51:59.821-08:00

This is very competitive list, as you well know. But these folks stand above the crowd:1. A firefighter who refused to treat the victims of the Tuscon shooting spree because he disagreed with Gabrielle Gifford's politics.and2. The uber-douchebag who made fun of reporter Laura Logan's sexual assault via Twitter, then tried to call his accusers losers, and then resigned in disgrace with limp

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-73953748221966938762011-02-15T19:36:00.000-08:002011-02-15T19:39:17.573-08:00

The recipe: Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USPCitric acid: 3 ozCaffeine: 1 ozSugar: 30 (unclear quantity)Water: 2.5 galLime juice: 2 pints, 1 quartVanilla: 1 ozCaramel: 1.5 oz or more for color The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):Alcohol: 8 ozOrange oil: 20 dropsLemon oil: 30 dropsNutmeg oil: 10 dropsCoriander: 5 dropsNeroli: 10 dropsCinnamon:

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-63153377187662181112011-02-14T14:19:00.000-08:002011-02-26T12:18:53.841-08:00

OK, I admit in going through a Nordstrom bitch session right now, but I believe it's deserved for two reasons:1. Snooty salespeopleWe were going coat shopping at the Nordstrom at the Pentagon City mall. A 6-foot-2 waif blond stepped out from behind a piece of tinsel and asked if she could help us. I didn't know what my coat size was when she asked, so I guess it would be similar to my shirt size,

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-28247845137205141012011-02-13T19:35:00.000-08:002011-02-13T20:02:05.027-08:00

I was in a Starbucks today getting a coffee for Dianna and a cup of water for myself. While in line, I noticed a boy of about five staring intently at something around the corner. I took a few steps forward to see what he was looking at.Relaxing in a corner reading a book was a large man in a wheelchair. It was an usual scene for a few reasons. For one, the wheelchair was larger and wider than

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-56969070860137800082011-02-12T07:03:00.000-08:002011-02-12T07:19:16.382-08:00

No, this isn't a music video, but it's the song for your reference.In 1985 Weird Al did a song called "Cable TV" which described the life-transforming power of getting a cable hookup. I still have it on cassette and I play it in my car to much enjoyment.But my favorite part is the anachronistic bits. Whenever he does a topical song, he will exaggerate things to make them funny. Example: In "It's

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-33593540713823581452011-02-05T09:35:00.000-08:002011-02-05T14:31:58.680-08:00

My grandfather fought in WWII. My father served in Vietnam. Many people don't know this, but I attempted to enlist in the army when I was 17 to take advantage of the Montgomery G.I. Bill and finance my college education. I was, however, refused for medical reasons.It makes sense to honor and respect someone who sacrifices on your behalf. We do this for police and firefighters, and it would make

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-80245028589405643442011-02-04T18:35:00.000-08:002011-02-04T18:45:49.919-08:00

1. His mom is a religious bigotWhen virtual unknown Justin was discovered by a Jewish agent many years ago, his mom was reluctant to let him represent her son because.... he's a Jew."God, I gave him to you. You could send me a Christian man, a Christian label! ... you don’t want this Jewish kid to be Justin’s man, do you?”[13]2. He's actually got musical talentHis fame may be the result of a

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-20850727395278924122011-02-03T17:03:00.000-08:002011-02-13T20:04:01.405-08:00

After skimming through the mostly great graphic novel The Beats: A Graphic History, I learned the following things about the Beat generation:1. They weren't hippiesThey predated them, actually. The big Beats - Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsburg, William Burroughs - did a lot of their major work in the 1950's, and they were ones who generated a lot of the counterculture ideas that helped create the 1960

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-89632167672545522512011-01-29T07:51:00.001-08:002011-01-29T21:57:29.655-08:00

Let me tell you what hell is. Hell is when you are casually surfing the news in your PJs, and click on a link andBANGyou get hit with that smiling, smarmy hat bastard on the right telling you to log in / give them money.Hey New York Times, I know you are in hard financial times but why throw good money after bad? Barriers to entry / paywalls will NEVER work. Ever. They just piss your readers off

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-36666543360958325982011-01-27T06:44:00.000-08:002011-01-27T07:06:32.896-08:00

I present to you exhibit A - White People Rapping Poorly. It's instantly hilarious and cringeworthy - no talent chumps trying to rap. It also makes me very happy that I'm not a high school teacher, because apparently it's very popular now to do your science / social studies / history homework in rap form.Like most people, I usually consider making fun of my fellow whites to be fair game and

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-35594594614074997582011-01-26T09:53:00.000-08:002011-01-26T20:23:53.121-08:00

The following is an actual question I received from a reader:Dear Dr. Rubin, I need some dating advice. I met a hot MILF and I want to ask her out. She's a dental hygienist. Can you help? Sincerely, Bleeding Gums (of love)Dear Bleeding Gums,Good for you! In the 21st century there is absolutely nothing wrong with dating a cute single mom. (BTW, if she's not single, you probably need to rephrase

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-12185397981813637602011-01-24T18:42:00.000-08:002011-01-25T19:43:08.867-08:00

In a story I read recently about yet another phone scam targeting senior citizens, one quote by a detective made me pause. He remarked that older people are especially vulnerable to scams because, "We’re talking about a generation of people who work on trust and have grown up that way."Now, at first that may seem like saying that old people are suckers. Or sadly unsophisticated. That's what I

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-41302551688800381992011-01-24T07:41:00.000-08:002011-01-24T18:37:44.642-08:00

When we are driving 30 mph and trying not to kill you, we don't have the time or energy to decode your Navajo hand motions. Maybe we should, but we don't.I understand that you received education to what these signals mean, but we didn't. All we know is you are making odd gestures while riding a small, engineless device trying to cross four lanes during rush hour.So basically, when you make a

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-12032698181939277982011-01-22T09:15:00.000-08:002011-01-22T09:31:11.692-08:00

So as some of you know, I have a funky government job using social media.Our term for the use of social media, along with the applied philosophy of transparency, collaboration and public participation, is "Gov 2.0." Part of my job was to create and update a cool timeline of all the significant Gov 2.0 milestones, such as the first FourSquare check-in from space, or the first government wiki. (If

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-29814402351477756812011-01-21T08:58:00.000-08:002011-01-21T18:43:06.854-08:00

First off, I must say that there are few bigger fans than me of the Daily Show / Colbert Report. It is one of the highlights of my day. But last night's episode was a little off for me in the truth category. Now I'm not talking about the comedy bits during the first 2/3 of the show - those are basically invulnerable to criticism because it's comedy.I'm talking about the interview segments, which

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-57313155893716989152011-01-20T18:21:00.000-08:002011-01-21T09:28:29.124-08:00

I always say that the best way to get out of an incredible fuck-up is to go to town on it and own it. Do more than accept it - broadcast your idiocity.A great example is this blog, about a man with Erectile Dysfunction who injected himself in the "area" to have sex... and then couldn't get "it" to go down again.For 12 hours.I only wish my blog could reach these heights of hilarity...

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-21531066368195036272011-01-19T19:10:00.000-08:002011-01-21T09:29:01.034-08:00

I am pissed off. “Inside Job” pissed me off. It’s a great documentary about the root causes of the financial services industry. In a sense the root reasons are complicated, but in another they are very easy to understand:1. Pro-Risk culture - Lenders were paid commissions on how many loans they gave, not whether the loans were safe or even realistic. They were encouraged to take risks with other

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-33862724666766384662011-01-18T10:38:00.000-08:002011-01-18T10:52:30.487-08:00

So I returned somewhat triumphant to the living room, smiling ear to eat about my performance. Not that I thought that my performance was great by any means, just that I wasn't a disaster. I had not, as I feared, ruined Christmas.Yet.So the family was sitting around opening presents and the kids were milling about. I started to get some good feedback. When the kids had asked how Santa had gotten

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-25298977219070215252011-01-16T12:54:00.000-08:002011-01-16T15:19:21.548-08:00

Yes, this really happened.Whilst at Dianna's family's house for Christmas, a problem presented itself: Dianna's teenage cousin had chickened out of playing Santa Claus for their younger relatives, a 4-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy. So who would play Santa and save Christmas?That's right, baby. Me. Dianna and her grandmother asked me if I would do it and I was overjoyed to accept. I was

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-17217604514269661332011-01-15T07:44:00.000-08:002011-01-15T07:57:13.939-08:00

For a news outlet, few things are more important than reporting a murder of an important official.Unless, of course, the person wasn't killed.Observe screenshots from our beloved Fox News. They continued, despite universal evidence to the contrary on every other network, that Gabrielle Giffords was dead.This isn't nitpicking. Nor can it be excused by the racing seconds-by-second news cycle

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-40186559959293556932011-01-13T09:58:00.000-08:002011-01-13T10:01:33.805-08:00

The government owns a lot of rooms.It also has a lot of photographers.Put them together and get themed photo rooms, like these photos of Obama fist bumps at a conference room at Housing and Urban Development / White House conference center.I suppose if you've got 'em, you might as well use 'em.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-13568751833405723282011-01-08T13:56:00.001-08:002011-01-08T16:34:01.579-08:00

News is blowin up about the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. It seems the shooter was apparently, believe it or not, crazy. Above is a screenshot attributed to the shooter, taken from this video. The talk about "brainwashing" seems very akin to things I've heard paranoid schizophrenics say.Scary. Also scary that he can use iMovie.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-46851997718077090062011-01-07T08:08:00.000-08:002011-01-09T09:30:03.319-08:00

Wikipedia, which I think we can all agree has become a vital cultural and democratic resource, just finished their 2010 global fundraising campaign (if you didn't donate, here's where you can).Guess how much they got from our grateful planet?$16 million. From ALL of humanity.To put this in perspective for those unfamiliar with fundraising, the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island, where I used to

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-39465037936635316372011-01-06T15:37:00.000-08:002011-01-06T15:42:04.846-08:00

What to do with Detroit? The once great city now has been so depopulated that there are abandoned townships inside it.Some people have proposed shrinking the city limits, or demolishing huge swathes of land.But I have a better idea: Why not use the whole city as a set for dystopian movies, which are certainly the rage right now.Zombie hometown? CheckPost-nuclear wasteland? CheckPost-virus

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-81226038652462327552011-01-02T13:27:00.000-08:002011-01-03T09:26:38.751-08:00

Note: I had a great relationship with The Good 5 Cent Cigar, the daily newspaper at the University of Rhode Island, where I went for undergrad. It went like this: I submitted some hair brained thing I wrote, and 90% of the time they printed it verbatim. Maybe they had low standards, maybe I was an undiscovered man-of-letters - I guess we'll never know. Anyway, I recently found a cache of

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-69101420836065815922011-01-01T10:38:00.000-08:002011-01-01T10:56:21.144-08:00

And no, I'm not talking about myself here. I'm talking about my favorite short story writer, Raymond Carver, considered by some to be among the greatest of this craft in the later half of the 20th century.What, you've never heard of him?That's because no one cares about short stories. Think about it - how many writers you know have best-selling short story books? How many have you seen on Oprah,

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-80934018494350025232010-12-31T07:22:00.000-08:002010-12-31T07:29:59.499-08:00

Who is this Moses (pictured at left, at Jewish camp)? Is he a glowing dreidel of holiness? Some sort of strange Max-Headroom manifestation?Nope. According to my peerless (and unverified) research, South Park's Moses turns out to be based on none other than the lead villian in the Tron movies (at top right). It's called the Master Control Program (MCP) and he looks... like Moses.That's all I have

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-68541035071100649112010-12-29T16:23:00.001-08:002010-12-30T17:19:41.844-08:00

It takes a brave man to defend the culturally unpopular.I am a brave man.I like Enya.You know them. They were in a VERY popular Crystal Light ad in the 1990's with their song Orinoco Flow (here's the song). Enya is ambient music - it uses soundscapes and melodic, airy vocals to create atmosphere. Story or narrative are secondary, and often besides the point. It's relaxing music.It also happens

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-11176032234023010582010-12-22T22:40:00.000-08:002010-12-22T22:41:47.888-08:00

Or try, anywayThis guy is slightly more successful, but not in the way you'd expect.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-44408130788824556072010-12-21T18:07:00.000-08:002010-12-22T13:08:02.297-08:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Someone wrote a great post about reading 1 star reviews for the world's most famous and loved books, like The Giving Tree,

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-70935023387828162532010-12-20T17:18:00.000-08:002010-12-20T17:22:11.024-08:00

My sister thought this would be a funny Hanukkah gift. And I guess pain and death do have a funny side... somewhere.Anyway, so now I have a 600,000 Scoville bottle of liquid death in my fridge. Any ideas what to do with it?And yes, you saw that correctly - the bottle does come with a skull keychain on it. How delightful!

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-50814793513796363872010-12-19T13:47:00.000-08:002010-12-20T04:23:04.822-08:00

It's said that you grow more conservative as you grow older. I may be seeing it now in regard to panhandlers.Flash back a few years. I am walking down Hope Street in Providence with my friend who works at the JCC gym. He sees a man asking for change outside an ATM. This man is missing teeth, looks strung out and in pretty sad shape. My friend knows him, gives him a few bucks and we leave. He

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-12791305960186524302010-12-18T12:20:00.000-08:002010-12-18T17:34:56.899-08:00

I figured I was smart. I heard that the Senate had used cloture to stop endless bickering about Don't Ask Don't Tell and force a very unusual and very historic Saturday afternoon vote. I remember being at Busboys and Poets and watching the 2008 Presidential debates, and the fever pitch and the emotion that was in that crowd. I figured this vote would be equally momentous to the gay community,

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-75871782892550451692010-12-18T07:32:00.000-08:002010-12-18T12:19:57.423-08:00

Thanks to Wikipedia, per usual.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-71017841733571777722010-12-13T10:55:00.000-08:002010-12-13T14:01:30.816-08:00

Rubin on Wry, while ruled ruthlessly by yours truly, still enjoys giving the podium to worthy souls with a worthy message that has import to my vast and varied audience. Here, then, is a piece by my awesome girlfriend on shopping. - Ed.Let me start off by saying that I hate shopping, independent of my apparent invisibility. I'm cheap, hate crowds and am indecisive when it comes down to two

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-60279421047847517482010-12-12T10:03:00.000-08:002010-12-12T10:41:22.361-08:00

It's not fair. I've read thousands of comics, know the real names, powers, and various aliases of hundreds of fictional characters, and yet Dianna is the one that ends up with a super power.I didn't believe her at first. I went with her to department stores to see if she was actually "invisible" to the sales staff. They immediately said hello to us when we walked in, and offered to help us (and

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-12716941403226174182010-12-08T18:07:00.000-08:002010-12-12T10:03:21.373-08:00

OK, enough pussyfooting around. It's time to talk about what's really important.Random cryptography facts.I don't know much about codebreaking, besides what I saw in Sneakers and Weird Science. (I guess there is a subtle difference between hacking and codebreaking, but whatever). In my non-existent understand of the subject, I always figured that breaking codes involves "backdoor," secretive,

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-64575108682263970712010-12-07T16:17:00.000-08:002010-12-07T18:44:27.371-08:00

When I worked in the Rhode Island Jewish community, I pretty much only saw Jews day in and day out. And when Christmas came around, it was pretty much Christmas everywhere except in my office. So Christmas decor - the pine trees, the winter, the red and white and green everything - was this "other thing." Back then, I preferred to have no holiday decorations, or the non-denominational "holiday

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-35250218556577507992010-12-06T18:01:00.001-08:002010-12-07T03:45:13.843-08:00

This is a paraphrase, but it's basically true from this week's Bridalplasty.Most of the girl's on this show are fairly good looking, and want their procedures to help their low self-esteem. But a few girls have actual problems. A few have lost tons of weight and have that disgusting "too much skin" problem. And one girl had a bunch of cysts in her breasts and basically lost both of them. I can

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-75688579513055160482010-12-03T10:58:00.001-08:002010-12-03T11:21:02.868-08:00

I watched the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" congressional hearing during lunch yesterday, and really enjoyed the parts that I saw. I missed McCain, but saw Lieberman, a Midwestern former-military elected official, Def. Sec. Gates and others speak intelligently and reasonably about the issue. Based on what I saw, no one had put out any convincing counterarguments about DADT, or few opposing arguments at

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-22712733634321391612010-12-01T18:00:00.000-08:002010-12-01T18:16:53.040-08:00

"You are all that stands between me and my boob job"That's an actual line from BridalPlasty, a show as brilliant as it is abhorrent.The premise: A bunch of skinny bitches compete for tummy tucks, boob jobs, lipo and botox. A few plus size ladies are also there, although they are in the serious minority. After their challenges, they go to "injection parties."They talk about how their dozen or so

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-88667238637450501982010-11-24T04:42:00.000-08:002010-12-08T05:47:56.661-08:00

I have lived in peace with Fort Meyer for the last two years. This small but important base plays a vital role in housing and training soldiers for Arlington National Cemetery, including the famed Honor Guards for the Tomb of the Unknown Solider.The relationship has been a good one... until now. You see, living near Arlington Cemetery and the Iwo Jima Memorial, I hear the sounds of military

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-11323146429109083272010-11-22T19:49:00.000-08:002010-11-22T19:53:47.042-08:00

Yes, I know I've drunk the Google Kool Aid, but here's something else I like about them: In their DC offices, they have XKCD comics hanging in their men's bathrooms.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-69161435599104547822010-11-21T19:50:00.000-08:002010-11-21T20:09:47.681-08:00

I think almost everything about IKEA is brilliant... except for their tax status. From Wikipedia:Despite its Swedish roots, IKEA is owned and operated by a complicated array of not-for-profit and for-profit corporations...The IKEA corporate structure is divided into two main parts: operations and franchising. Most of IKEA's operations...are overseen by INGKA Holding, a private, for-profit Dutch

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-34166324748440967172010-11-20T08:31:00.000-08:002010-11-20T08:34:29.142-08:00

Our new office that we are moving to has a Dilbert-esque and Draconian "nothing personal at all at your desk" policy, which really sucks. I had this sign hanging in my cube for the last two years. Since I can't benefit from it any more, I thought I'd share it with y'all:Just for today: Do not be angryDo not worryBe grateful Work with integrity Be kind to others and to yourself- Mikao Usio, Reiki

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-64327336354556684332010-11-18T16:46:00.000-08:002010-11-18T16:52:47.677-08:00

I consider recycling to be an important 21st century value, just as a sensible use of resources has been for millennia.However, there is a certain point where the effort exceeds the benefits. Yes, I might carry a can of soda for a while looking for a recycling bin, but at a certain point I realize it's just ridiculous and, reluctantly, I'll throw it away.It makes sense mathematically - recycling

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-81629806017085129272010-11-15T17:16:00.000-08:002010-11-15T17:43:31.597-08:00

It's fortunate when you share a passion with the person that you love. With Dianna and I, it's goofing on Paranormal State. This is a show on A+E about 20-year-old ghost chasers, who help "clients" who have ghost problems.The cheap tricks they use are ripe for satire - instead of actually filming anything supernatural, they will rely on the most objective measurement of all of ghost activity -

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-51708890197544491422010-11-14T08:59:00.000-08:002010-11-14T13:06:20.213-08:00

Part 1: The waitAfter my friend Carolyn secured our tickets, we got an email telling us to wait at 54th St. between 10th and 11th Ave. in Manhattan. The email said to get in line no later than 5:15, and no earlier than 4 p.m. We got there at 3, and we were third in line behind some VERY rabid fans. Besides having seen Stephen before, they regular had been doing the "talk show circuit" in NYC,

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-66169965904682421592010-11-12T08:25:00.001-08:002010-11-12T08:37:56.311-08:00

I've written before (here and here) about the unexpected joys of windowsill gardening. But I think I've made a breakthrough... into waxing philosophic.The amount of effort I've put into these plants and herbs (especially the cilantro, at right, grown from seeds) is really unprecedented for me. I really haven't dropped this hobby for more than 6 months, I believe, which Dianna can tell you is

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-20178531738010294822010-11-11T18:28:00.001-08:002010-11-11T18:32:20.125-08:00

I'm no scientician, so I have no idea how water could possibly freeze this way (it's sticking out into the air at a 60 degree angle). There was nothing on top of the ice cube tray. I am impressed by the strange cleverness of molecules and natural forces.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-45107193463576177042010-11-10T19:51:00.000-08:002010-11-13T09:35:42.793-08:00

I am a simple man. And a petty one. Sometimes, I dislike people simply because they are extraordinarily better at things than me.Like marathon runners. OK, I'm a lazy part-time runner. And perhaps, given the drive, I could do a marathon too. But I don't, and they do, and well... that's about it.So it may be these feelings that lead into the following rant:I was in New York yesterday for a Colbert

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-3751529209147546962010-11-08T17:40:00.000-08:002010-11-08T19:29:43.695-08:00

A common topic of discussion when you work for a government agency (at least mine, anyway) is how good a value we are providing to the American taxpayer. One of the many reasons I work where I do is that people work very, very hard, often with very little, and go without so we can stand behind our public service. We collect money for people's birthday cards. We pay for our own pizza parties, and

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-13711163646482547312010-11-07T09:21:00.000-08:002010-11-07T09:24:20.755-08:00

I'll just let these ones speak for themselves.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-56025474833120107772010-11-05T12:23:00.000-07:002010-11-06T08:05:21.865-07:00

I tried to sell this old XBOX I had lying around on Craigslist. No takers, even for $30.So I posted it on their Free section. If you've never checked it out, I recommend it.I posted it, adding I wanted it to go to a non-profit, a hospital or a family in need. "No greedy people or college kids, I added. I then went to the bathroom, make breakfast and then rechecked my email box. In 20 minutes, I

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-87520580096560226202010-10-23T13:53:00.001-07:002010-10-24T06:59:10.664-07:00

We always expect people to be evangelists for their own professions. So it was really refreshing to read this article by a University of Chicago Math professor about how, for 95% of the population, math is basically useless after 9th grade or so.Here's an excerpt: Those who do love math and science have been doing very well. Our graduate schools are the best in the world. This "nation at risk"

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-5327108449886461402010-10-20T11:25:00.000-07:002010-10-20T11:28:06.505-07:00

Yes, I really do.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-7571808835916505792010-10-16T19:59:00.000-07:002010-10-16T20:28:42.792-07:00

This piece has two sources.Part 1: A friend and coworker put this as his Facebook Status:FRIEND: In honor of coming out day, let's start ridiculing all the kids who choose to believe in god. The brainwashed religious zealots are the ones who are psychologically defective.ANOTHER PERSON: I'm not sure that intolerance is the right answer to intolerance...FRIEND'S RESPONSE: Well people are born gay

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-45073024889322082592010-10-15T05:08:00.000-07:002010-10-15T05:11:25.850-07:00

I respect Gordon Ramsey. He's got the anger, and the cooking chops, to be a great reality show host. But his producers and marketing folks are so inept or drunk on themselves that they create a cringeworthy opening sequence EVERY SINGLE SEASON. Observe:

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-67081602952208849352010-10-13T18:38:00.001-07:002010-10-13T18:41:51.429-07:00

If you're like me, you:a. Have a sub-par blogb. Have about 5 readersc. Obsess for some reason about traffic to your sub-par blogMaybe I am really a narcissist like Dianna says. Or maybe I just love data... especially about me. In any case, you probably know about Google Analytics and Google Trends, but you might not be aware of how to find out how many people are Tweeting or talking about your

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-50266791145524941442010-10-10T11:29:00.000-07:002010-10-11T19:34:01.142-07:00

It's important to respect the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, given their important role in the Federal government and financial oversight of our economy.Except that's not what they do at all. They're actually the world's LARGEST lobby - a pro-business special interest group.There should be a law preventing people for creating names that can be confused with ACTUAL governmental orgs.

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-87714691239835387102010-10-09T10:26:00.000-07:002010-10-09T10:29:02.292-07:00

1. Who are the top five most commercially successful bands / musicians of all time? (Leave your answer in the comments section)2. Which band was the first to offer their album on CD? (Same deal)

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1653112567419498903.post-85869278786319389392010-10-02T09:37:00.000-07:002010-10-02T09:43:20.871-07:00

Glenn Beck may be able to rally the Tea Party, but he's not really one of them. Watch this...And read this. You can see there is actually a normal person in there.I've always said that, while I hate Glenn Beck, I don't think he's evil or crazy. I think he's a brilliant performer and is incredibly media and propaganda savvy. I just with he used his talents for something productive....

Jonathan Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13272828126726313399noreply@blogger.com2