Hi, I'm Rob

Hi. Rob here. I'm the guy feigning The Thinker pose at the top of the page.

So you may be asking yourself, who is this dude? And why do I really care what the heck he would do? Well first, who am I? I'm just a guy like anyone else; I have my triumphs, my foibles, and yes, my guilty pleasures. And over the years I've found myself in more than my fair share of embarrassing situations. So I've learned some stuff along the way.

I created What Would Rob Do? (WWRD) not just to open old wounds, but in the hope that I might prevent some of you from having to suffer as I did -- or, at the very least, give you a good laugh. WWRD takes a look at common problems we all face. Stuff like mega zits, bonehead dating moves, or stepping in dog doody. I also explore lessons in manhood: ordering a drink like a man, getting past a bouncer, or properly eating a hot pepper.

So what can you expect from WWRD? Well, I'll be blogging three times a week and posting a podcast every other Friday. In each of my podcasts, I'll examine one of the common dilemmas (like stepping in a dog's business) that we all face and talk to an expert to get some outside advice.

So, where do you fit into all of this?

Continue reading "Hi, I'm Rob" »

3:01 PM ET | 08-21-2008 | permalink

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WWRD Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Rob Sachs?
Rob Sachs has been a producer/director at NPR for over 8 years. He's worked on basically every show from Morning Edition to Tell Me More. While he works largely "behind the scenes," he's always felt that he had something to say. You might have heard his voice on Day to Day or All Things Considered. Now, with his podcast, he shares his penchant for making bad decisions, along with the fruits of his quest for self-improvement.

What is 'What Would Rob Do?' (WWRD)
It's a guide to life's most trying dilemmas, but not those life-or-death dilemmas, more the quandaries we face every day. It covers anything from how to handle being pulled over by a police officer, or what to wear for a night out, to how to properly eat a hot pepper. In each situation, Rob shares his thoughts on where he might have failed and seeks out the point of view of others -- often experts in their field -- to show how not to suffer the same fate. The blog is an extension of the podcast, What Would Rob Do? in which Rob explores a new topic with a guest expert twice a month.

What's the purpose of the WWRD blog?
The blog will often continue the conversation from the most recent WWRD podcast and include additional topics from Rob's interviews that didn't make it into the podcast. Or it might explore some other dilemmas that Rob encounters during the week. Listeners will be able to chime in with their own experiences, evaluate the advice given from Rob and his guest expert, and bring up any issues related to the topic. And it's also a forum for listeners to interact with each other and offer suggestions for future podcasts.

What Qualifies as a WWRD Dilemma?
Anything and everything. Slip-ups in etiquette, dating faux-pas, parenthood crises, bad haircuts, pimples. You name it, it's probably happened to Rob. A WWRD situation involves the potential for extreme embarrassment and, sometimes, minor bodily harm.

How often can I expect to see blog posts?
At least three times a week, Monday through Friday, sometimes more. New podcasts usually post every other Friday, unless otherwise noted (Rob takes vacations from time to time).

Who can comment and what are the rules?
Anyone can comment, the rules are pretty simple -- everyone has their own unique point of view so be nice. See the Discussion Guidelines.

Do I need to sign up to be eligible to post comments?
Not at the moment, but that will change as we add new community features to NPR.org.

Can I comment about something that's off the topic of the podcast?
Well, not too far off topic, but if tangentially connected then it's probably OK -- as long as it makes sense in the realm of trying dilemmas.

What if I want to e-mail Rob a suggestion or comment and don't want it to appear on the blog?
You can use the WWRD private contact form. He'll get the message.

Can I link to your blog?
Linking is very much encouraged.

How can I get on the WWRD Blog Roll?
All choices are at Rob's discretion. But adding WWRD to your own blog roll couldn't hurt your chances.

How can I hear the podcast?
Each podcast will be available streaming right from the WWRD Blog page. You can also subscribe to the podcast through iTunes.

11:16 AM ET | 08-21-2008 | permalink

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WWRD Discussion Guidelines

Every Web site has its own rules, and these are ours.

First things first: If you can't be polite, don't say it. Of course, we don't want to stifle discussion of controversial issues. Some topics require blunt talk, and we're not always going to agree with each other. Nonetheless, please try to disagree without being disagreeable. Focus your remarks on positions, not personalities. No name calling, slander, comments about someone's mother, comparisons to notorious dictators -- you get the idea. And under no circumstances should you post anything that could be taken as threatening, harassing, sexist or racist.

Don't use obscenities -- even if the word in question is often used in conversation. We're not going to list the words we object to; you know what they are. Remember, this is a public forum and we want everyone to feel comfortable participating.

Anything you post should be your own work. You're welcome to link to relevant content and to quote from other people's work with attribution. But that doesn't mean you can copy and paste wholesale.

Please stay on topic. Think of it this way -- if you hosted a book club meeting at your house, you wouldn't want someone to show up and insist on discussing reality TV shows.

Rambling is the kiss of death. We don't want to place a word count on how long your comments should be, but anything beyond a few paragraphs had better be very, very interesting to the larger community. We reserve the right to edit for brevity as well as clarity.

Please respect people's privacy. We love to learn about new and interesting individuals, but most people will not be happy to have their phone numbers or e-mail addresses published. If you need to share someone's contact information, please submit it through the WWRD contact form.

Feel free to share your ideas and experiences about religion, politics and relevant products or services you've discovered. But this is not a place for advertising, promotion, recruiting, campaigning, soliciting or proselytizing. We understand that there can be a fine line between discussing and campaigning; please use your best judgment -- and we will use ours.

We appreciate the news tips members of the public send us. However, NPR reserves the right not to publicize allegations, conspiracy theories and other information which we know to be false or unsubstantiated.

Please don't use public forums for private communication. Most of our forums have a link (it's on the right side) for sending private messages to a blogger or host. Similarly, if you have comments about NPR coverage or policies generally, please don't use the blog discussion threads to air them. For issues regarding NPR editorial content or policies, write to the office of the ombudsman. To contact an NPR program or any of our business and technical departments, use the NPR contact form.

If you want to know even more information on what is and isn't allowed on NPR.org, please see our very official Terms of Use page.

10:52 AM ET | 08-21-2008 | permalink

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