MacPorts Ruby performance gotcha
If you install Ruby from MacPorts (all the cool kids do), be aware that the first 1.8.7 port had some issues that basically broke performance, making it run three times slower than normal. Verify that you have the 1.8.7-p72_2 version active, and not 1.8.7-p72_1:
~ $ sudo port installed |grep ruby
ruby @1.8.7-p72_1+thread_hooks
ruby @1.8.7-p72_2+thread_hooks (active)
The defect [...]
