Slashdot Mirror

See here for the schemes for numbering three-digit interstates. Fascinating stuff.

See here for info on the violations that exist in interstate numbering.

You think that's bad? Check out this lawyer's name that I saw in NJ.

They tried that with Metric too (Interstate 19 being the notable example). It didn't get off the ground either. Furthermore, it is a lot more expensive to convert to automated highways than it is to convert to Metric... think about it for a second. Interstate and other road signs have to be replaced periodically anyway, so why not print out a new one with Metric instead of US units? As to other stuff, most engineering and manufacturing, all science, etc. is already done in Metric.

In contrast, with automated freeways, they would have to put a bunch of expensive magnets in the roadway that wouldn't have gone in there before. The cars would also have to have much more equipment, what with a sensor to follow the magnets, adaptive cruise control, automated steering, electronic brakes.... There's a reason why they only put these things on Mercedeses and BMWs--they're really expensive. Imagine if a base-model Honda Civic cost, say, $25,000!

With that said, this stuff is probably going to get cheaper over the years, and we've already seen the trickle-down effect with things like ABS, now available at your neighborhood Yugo dealer, practically :p . So the economies of scale will eventually allow all of the infrastructure except the magnets in the highways to fall into place. Maybe if our presidents would stop cutting taxes there would actually be enough money in the coffers to implement such a large-scale infrastructure change.

On the topic of automated highways, read Kim Stanley Robinson's The Gold Coast, which contains something like a good picture of the infrastructure and implications.

This is a list of all the songs they've played minus their last album which as about twelve original songs on it. Sure, a lot of the songs on that list are covers, but that doesn't mean they play them every night. Visit the Helping Phriendly Book for a list of all their setlists. In summation, realize that most of the songs they play aren't covers and they have a huge catalog of stuff they wrote. Also, when they sell copies of live shows that have covers on them, they have to pay royalties to ASCAP and/or BMI. That is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard of, but it's a whole other arguement.

Live distribution shows what a dynamic band this really is. Not a cookie cutter, same show every night type band! Check them out.

Are you talking about Bud Schuster and his Interstate 99 debacle?

What else do you expect from the state that brought us Interstate 238?

I don't know about that. At most of my interviews, I've brought up my Phish Stats website as a way of proving that I know how to write perl. It usually helps a lot in showing that I can write a decent web app.

http://www.ihoz.com/lith/