The Dictionary of Unfortunate Ideas has more rules for robots. Some examples:

  • Rule #64 – Robots are prohibited from taking part in all sports except for jai alai.
  • Rule #64a – If robots ever figure out the rules to jai alai, they must immediately explain them to the rest of us, because the sport makes no damn sense at all.
  • Rule #85 – Robots are not allowed to appear on American Idol as contestants, because their ability to modulate their audio processors to sound like Bono gives them an unfair advantage.

Me: Fortunately, there’s nothing in there that would preclude crowds at hockey games from chanting “Beat your robot Potvin! Beat Your Robot….”*

* Years from now you can tell your grandkids you were there when Jonah Goldberg offered his first and, in all probability, only obscure pop culture hockey reference.