Minor things that bother you

[Molandfreak]

True that GPS means Global Positioning System. False that this contradicts anything I said. My point was that people use "GPS" to refer to the whole navigation device, not the satellite system.

[Beltway]

True that GPS means Global Positioning System. False that this contradicts anything I said. My point was that people use "GPS" to refer to the whole navigation device, not the satellite system.

[......]

Quick -- without looking it up, tell me how many GPS satellites are in the constellation?

[vdeane]

Why does the map of US speed limits on Wikipedia break Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan down by county?  Texas makes sense because the 80 and 85 mph zones are so narrowly targeted - it's really a 75 mph state with a couple of exceptions (and the counties at 65 are another exception in the opposite direction).  I can kinda understand Michigan given how the 65 and 75 mph zones are targeted, but in that case, you'd need to split New Hampshire, Maine, and Louisiana as well to be consistent, and this map doesn't.  Iowa and Minnesota don't make any sense to me.  What makes them different from any other state (fastest speed limits on the interstate, lower limits elsewhere)?

[DenverBrian]

Why does the map of US speed limits on Wikipedia break Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan down by county?  Texas makes sense because the 80 and 85 mph zones are so narrowly targeted - it's really a 75 mph state with a couple of exceptions (and the counties at 65 are another exception in the opposite direction).  I can kinda understand Michigan given how the 65 and 75 mph zones are targeted, but in that case, you'd need to split New Hampshire, Maine, and Louisiana as well to be consistent, and this map doesn't.  Iowa and Minnesota don't make any sense to me.  What makes them different from any other state (fastest speed limits on the interstate, lower limits elsewhere)?

It could be the way the state law is written in those individual states. I can imagine Wikipedia writers sourcing directly from state laws, regulations, etc.

[vdeane]

Why does the map of US speed limits on Wikipedia break Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan down by county?  Texas makes sense because the 80 and 85 mph zones are so narrowly targeted - it's really a 75 mph state with a couple of exceptions (and the counties at 65 are another exception in the opposite direction).  I can kinda understand Michigan given how the 65 and 75 mph zones are targeted, but in that case, you'd need to split New Hampshire, Maine, and Louisiana as well to be consistent, and this map doesn't.  Iowa and Minnesota don't make any sense to me.  What makes them different from any other state (fastest speed limits on the interstate, lower limits elsewhere)?

It could be the way the state law is written in those individual states. I can imagine Wikipedia writers sourcing directly from state laws, regulations, etc.

I don't actually remember any state other than Texas being split by county prior to me checking the map this morning.  I can't imagine all three states have changed their laws recently.  In any case, the split should be based on whether it's useful to readers of the page.

[wxfree]

I don't really like the county breakdown, but for Texas it made sense.  In 2001, when the maximum speed limit was 70, a daytime increase to 75 was authorized for counties with fewer than 10 persons per square mile.  In 2005, that population density limit increased to 15 and a speed limit of 80 was not authorized on any rural Interstate, but on certain Interstates in certain counties.  They could have just marked the state as 75 and then 80, but because the maximum limit was defined by county, someone decided to split by county.

Someone did a lot of work to do that, so they went the rest of the way and posted the maximum actual speed limit, not the highest allowed by law.  This included environmental speed limits of 65 and counties in which 75 was allowed but had not been enacted (the TxDOT districts decided whether to enact the higher limit, and some opted not to).  I think that is where it went wrong.  Just showing the majority of the state as "70" regardless of the actual maximum, and marking certain counties higher wherever it was allowed, even if it wasn't enacted, would have been more consistent with the rest of the map, showing the highest speed limit allowed that had been enacted in each state.  Using actual limits opened the door to dividing every state by counties and showing the actual maximum limits.

I would show Texas as 75 statewide and 80 or 85 in counties where those apply, since there are still exceptions by county along I-10 and I-20.  There are no county exceptions for the Austin-area toll roads, but the higher limits there are under a separate section of statute, not really applicable statewide, so specifying counties seems reasonable.

[Molandfreak]

I feel like the county breakdown helps visualize the direct paths of the highways, but is prone to errors. I-90 does not go through Houston County, MN, so the highest limit there is 60. I have tried messaging the person who originally changed the map about this soon after the change was made.

[GaryV]

Why does the map of US speed limits on Wikipedia break Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan down by county? 

It could be the way the state law is written in those individual states. I can imagine Wikipedia writers sourcing directly from state laws, regulations, etc.

In the case of Michigan, it appears the map simply shows the maximum speed limit that happens to exist in any given county. In the most obvious instance, you can see I-69 snaking eastward from Port Huron.

The law that raised some speed limits in rural areas also specifies that the road needed to be engineered for that speed. That's why some counties are 55 and some 65 - the former did not happen to have any roads that could handle 65 mph speeds. (Whatever the engineering criteria is.) And they don't have any freeways so there's no 70 or 75.

So yes it somewhat has to do with how the law is written. But I'm sure there's other states that have raised the speed limits on freeways, and they're not divided by county based on whether there are or are not freeways.

[vdeane]

I feel like the county breakdown helps visualize the direct paths of the highways, but is prone to errors. I-90 does not go through Houston County, MN, so the highest limit there is 60. I have tried messaging the person who originally changed the map about this soon after the change was made.

But why would someone need/want to visualize the direct paths of the highways when looking for a speed limit breakdown by state of the US?

[kkt]

I sometimes prefer to use the overarching term "GNSS" when describing satellite-based navigation tools. Eg, my aircraft uses a GNSS system of geostationary and moving satellites to provide RNAV services and, in the US connected to at least six GPS satellites, WAAS/RAIM capabilities (specific to aircraft with that service installed).

The second time I studied for the GISP qualifying exam, I built up a huge GIS glossary.  In doing that, I learned what a GNSS was, and what the other ones were called, etc.  (I sent the glossary to my father to try once again to get him to understand my line of work.)  I didn't pass the test that time either.  My relatively new supervisor (he'd already been with us a little while) had passed it the same time I'd failed it before.  He told me not to worry about it.

The previous supervisor had made it clear that I'd need the certification to get a promotion.  That supervisor and the department GM would make the argument to HR that I was clearly qualified for a promotion after 21 1/2 years.  (The supervisor even helped me with the paperwork and coached me for the HR interview.)

You've reminded me of the Texas coordinate system.  Some of the USGS topographic maps show its 10,000 foot grid ticks around the edges, similar to the 1,000 meter Universal Transverse Mercator grid ticks.  I think those maps are the only reason I've ever heard of either of those systems.  I've been looking at topographic maps for decades, and I have a stack of paper copies from back before it was all online.  (The Mapsco store [anybody remember those?] kept every 7.5 minute map in Texas in stock.)  It bothers me that I know nothing about the Texas coordinate system, especially because it's so easy to find information these days.  I'm a lifelong Texan, and I know nothing about how we measure our state.  I need to change that.

Does every state have a coordinate system?  If it's only Texas, I wouldn't be surprised.  We are obsessed with the shape and size of our state.  My test for a real Texan is to show someone a solid color representation of Oklahoma, like a cutout.  Most people will see Oklahoma, but a Texan will see something else.

UTM grids around the edge of the map are a normal thing on USGS topo maps.

[kkt]

(with apologies to Kate Beaton)

Maybe if there were a prize for a new and persuasive argument...

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Why does the map of US speed limits on Wikipedia break Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan down by county?  Texas makes sense because the 80 and 85 mph zones are so narrowly targeted - it's really a 75 mph state with a couple of exceptions (and the counties at 65 are another exception in the opposite direction).  I can kinda understand Michigan given how the 65 and 75 mph zones are targeted, but in that case, you'd need to split New Hampshire, Maine, and Louisiana as well to be consistent, and this map doesn't.  Iowa and Minnesota don't make any sense to me.  What makes them different from any other state (fastest speed limits on the interstate, lower limits elsewhere)?

Probably somebody with ties to the region who had too much time on their hands.

[Molandfreak]

Why does the map of US speed limits on Wikipedia break Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan down by county?  Texas makes sense because the 80 and 85 mph zones are so narrowly targeted - it's really a 75 mph state with a couple of exceptions (and the counties at 65 are another exception in the opposite direction).  I can kinda understand Michigan given how the 65 and 75 mph zones are targeted, but in that case, you'd need to split New Hampshire, Maine, and Louisiana as well to be consistent, and this map doesn't.  Iowa and Minnesota don't make any sense to me.  What makes them different from any other state (fastest speed limits on the interstate, lower limits elsewhere)?

Probably somebody with ties to the region who had too much time on their hands.

Except there are at least two errors: no speed limits higher than 60 in Houston County and no speed limits higher than 65 in Sibley County (due to the US 169 expressway clipping it).

[Molandfreak]

(with apologies to Kate Beaton)

Maybe if there were a prize for a new and persuasive argument...

I would be more inclined to believe in the benefits of it if there were the democratic structures common in workplaces for the workers of individual businesses to decide to observe summer and winter hours (ie, no change to the daily schedule regardless of the observed time changing). Then if you don't like it, you can simply find a different place to work.

[Scott5114]

I think we should shift by different amounts of time than just a measly hour. Let's spring forward twelve hours sometime so everyone can see what it's like to work graveyard shift. The beatings will continue until empathy improves.

[PColumbus73]

Had a sore throat on Friday and debated going to urgent care, but ended up not going because (1) no times available at MinuteClinic (2) Didn't feel bad enough to leave work early to go sit in a waiting room

So, I believe I spent my weekend with (by my guess) Covid, it seemed to break at about 2:00 this morning with me sweating it out in bed.

Considering how scary it was a few years ago, it's somewhat funny that its now become just a weekend illness.

EDIT: Also, the Airborne chewable tablets are unpleasant to take. They had a sour-ish taste, maybe not like a Warhead, but maybe like chewing on a chalky Lemonhead. Not something you want when you're already feeling unwell.

[DenverBrian]

Had a sore throat on Friday and debated going to urgent care, but ended up not going because (1) no times available at MinuteClinic (2) Didn't feel bad enough to leave work early to go sit in a waiting room

So, I believe I spent my weekend with (by my guess) Covid, it seemed to break at about 2:00 this morning with me sweating it out in bed.

Considering how scary it was a few years ago, it's somewhat funny that its now become just a weekend illness.

EDIT: Also, the Airborne chewable tablets are unpleasant to take. They had a sour-ish taste, maybe not like a Warhead, but maybe like chewing on a chalky Lemonhead. Not something you want when you're already feeling unwell.

People who self-diagnose, assume it's COVID, and then think it's funny is a minor thing that bothers me.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

Mosquitoes

[PColumbus73]

Had a sore throat on Friday and debated going to urgent care, but ended up not going because (1) no times available at MinuteClinic (2) Didn't feel bad enough to leave work early to go sit in a waiting room

So, I believe I spent my weekend with (by my guess) Covid, it seemed to break at about 2:00 this morning with me sweating it out in bed.

Considering how scary it was a few years ago, it's somewhat funny that its now become just a weekend illness.

EDIT: Also, the Airborne chewable tablets are unpleasant to take. They had a sour-ish taste, maybe not like a Warhead, but maybe like chewing on a chalky Lemonhead. Not something you want when you're already feeling unwell.

People who self-diagnose, assume it's COVID, and then think it's funny is a minor thing that bothers me.

I've had COVID before and my experience this past weekend felt like that. The point being that, whether COVID or not, what I was experiencing didn't feel severe enough, also being the start of the weekend, to do much more than ride it out.

[kphoger]

For the sake of legacy stewardship, here is the contradiction:

Calling a navigation system a "GPS".

It is NOT a Global Positioning Satellite.

People who don't know what GPS actually stands for and will probably die on that hill claiming they do.

In case you missed the joke: GPS actually stands for global positioning system. Everyone point and laugh at Beltwanker.

True that GPS means Global Positioning System. False that this contradicts anything I said.

[kphoger]

But why would someone need/want to visualize the direct paths of the highways when looking for a speed limit breakdown by state of the US?

Because usefulness is not Wikipedia's hallmark.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Except there are at least two errors: no speed limits higher than 60 in Houston County and no speed limits higher than 65 in Sibley County (due to the US 169 expressway clipping it).

There are errors, but whether it's done 100% correctly or not doesn't subtract from my point about it being somebody's boredom project.

[Max Rockatansky]

Had a sore throat on Friday and debated going to urgent care, but ended up not going because (1) no times available at MinuteClinic (2) Didn't feel bad enough to leave work early to go sit in a waiting room

So, I believe I spent my weekend with (by my guess) Covid, it seemed to break at about 2:00 this morning with me sweating it out in bed.

Considering how scary it was a few years ago, it's somewhat funny that its now become just a weekend illness.

EDIT: Also, the Airborne chewable tablets are unpleasant to take. They had a sour-ish taste, maybe not like a Warhead, but maybe like chewing on a chalky Lemonhead. Not something you want when you're already feeling unwell.

People who self-diagnose, assume it's COVID, and then think it's funny is a minor thing that bothers me.

I've had COVID before and my experience this past weekend felt like that. The point being that, whether COVID or not, what I was experiencing didn't feel severe enough, also being the start of the weekend, to do much more than ride it out.

I'm still pretty sure whatever lingering disease I had going on between December 2019 and February 2020 must have been early COVID.  On the plus side I lost 18 pounds during that time frame and was probably under 10% body fat. 

[kphoger]

I've had influenza a few times, and I've had COVID-19, and they were similar enough that I wouldn't want to try and self-diagnose between them.

[Max Rockatansky]

I've had influenza a few times, and I've had COVID-19, and they were similar enough that I wouldn't want to try and self-diagnose between them.

With COVID I had substantially more pronounced nausea and muscle fatigue.  Between 2021-2022 I had a confirmed diagnosis twice.  I was the only person at my work location who wasn't out with COVID (confirmed or unconfirmed in 2020).