Madopal
@madopal.bsky.social
Chicagoan (Portage Park), bungalow owner, recovering gamedev (Jaleco, Mindscape, Midway), data engineer, bike/transit advocate(ish) (former NW MBAC), aspiring historian/baker/woodworker, White Sox fan (heavy sigh), music nerd, just zis guy, you know? ✶✶✶✶
Reposted by Madopal
This is light-hearted and doesn't touch on cases of fuckaroundits, but maybe it'll spark joy. Mid 90s local PBS.
youtu.be/oiSzwoJr4-0
youtu.be/oiSzwoJr4-0
How To Talk Minnesotan | Full Length Film
YouTube video by Twin Cities PBS
youtu.be
January 18, 2026 at 12:14 AM
This is light-hearted and doesn't touch on cases of fuckaroundits, but maybe it'll spark joy. Mid 90s local PBS.
youtu.be/oiSzwoJr4-0
youtu.be/oiSzwoJr4-0
And given that I interviewed with the CTA for a data job about a decade ago...the answers I got about their methodology for software made me not surprised by this in the least.
January 17, 2026 at 7:26 PM
And given that I interviewed with the CTA for a data job about a decade ago...the answers I got about their methodology for software made me not surprised by this in the least.
Unfortunately, given I've seen that both on the web & the Ventra app, I'd say:
1. the data is reported from CTA's APIs that way
2. nothing is sanity checking it before posting it to you
Had that happen 3x this week with Addison buses trying to make a transfer from Blue Line.
1. the data is reported from CTA's APIs that way
2. nothing is sanity checking it before posting it to you
Had that happen 3x this week with Addison buses trying to make a transfer from Blue Line.
January 17, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Unfortunately, given I've seen that both on the web & the Ventra app, I'd say:
1. the data is reported from CTA's APIs that way
2. nothing is sanity checking it before posting it to you
Had that happen 3x this week with Addison buses trying to make a transfer from Blue Line.
1. the data is reported from CTA's APIs that way
2. nothing is sanity checking it before posting it to you
Had that happen 3x this week with Addison buses trying to make a transfer from Blue Line.
And some of the arguments against are
- You don't walk quickly/move well
- You know when the bus is coming because you have a bus tracker
- Icy sidewalks in between
+Given we have precisely 0 heated bus stops in areas where stop density would matter, you're counting on wind direction cooperating
- You don't walk quickly/move well
- You know when the bus is coming because you have a bus tracker
- Icy sidewalks in between
+Given we have precisely 0 heated bus stops in areas where stop density would matter, you're counting on wind direction cooperating
January 17, 2026 at 7:19 PM
And some of the arguments against are
- You don't walk quickly/move well
- You know when the bus is coming because you have a bus tracker
- Icy sidewalks in between
+Given we have precisely 0 heated bus stops in areas where stop density would matter, you're counting on wind direction cooperating
- You don't walk quickly/move well
- You know when the bus is coming because you have a bus tracker
- Icy sidewalks in between
+Given we have precisely 0 heated bus stops in areas where stop density would matter, you're counting on wind direction cooperating
1) I thought this was a "bofa deez nuts" thing
2) If it is, well played
3) If it isn't, just because an engineer once calculated an average based on one metric and wrote it in a book, let's not do what traffic engineers do and just assume the "standards" are fine. That's how we got here.
2) If it is, well played
3) If it isn't, just because an engineer once calculated an average based on one metric and wrote it in a book, let's not do what traffic engineers do and just assume the "standards" are fine. That's how we got here.
January 17, 2026 at 4:27 PM
1) I thought this was a "bofa deez nuts" thing
2) If it is, well played
3) If it isn't, just because an engineer once calculated an average based on one metric and wrote it in a book, let's not do what traffic engineers do and just assume the "standards" are fine. That's how we got here.
2) If it is, well played
3) If it isn't, just because an engineer once calculated an average based on one metric and wrote it in a book, let's not do what traffic engineers do and just assume the "standards" are fine. That's how we got here.
Didn't have "minimum wage fast food pedantry" on my bingo card. Usually those employees ask you to cast your eye on their barren field of fvcks.
January 17, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Didn't have "minimum wage fast food pedantry" on my bingo card. Usually those employees ask you to cast your eye on their barren field of fvcks.
Given that they won't enforce stop signs, I have a problem believing they'd enforce it if there were any.
January 17, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Given that they won't enforce stop signs, I have a problem believing they'd enforce it if there were any.
However, if the "optimizations" are always going to be a bell curve, someone's going to wind up on the wrong end of said bell curve, which is what started this whole discussion.
January 17, 2026 at 12:42 AM
However, if the "optimizations" are always going to be a bell curve, someone's going to wind up on the wrong end of said bell curve, which is what started this whole discussion.
Which was the genesis of my discussion. If you could REMOVE traffic speed from the equation, I would love to see a 1/8 mile BRT, which basically goes back to streetcars when traffic wasn't an issue.
January 17, 2026 at 12:42 AM
Which was the genesis of my discussion. If you could REMOVE traffic speed from the equation, I would love to see a 1/8 mile BRT, which basically goes back to streetcars when traffic wasn't an issue.
This is EXACTLY the same logic we savage traffic engineers for currently:
1. averages vs worst case
2. prioritizing one metric over others
While I am not arguing against this, it is not possible to argue this is not trading off less mobile users for efficiency.
1. averages vs worst case
2. prioritizing one metric over others
While I am not arguing against this, it is not possible to argue this is not trading off less mobile users for efficiency.
January 17, 2026 at 12:40 AM
This is EXACTLY the same logic we savage traffic engineers for currently:
1. averages vs worst case
2. prioritizing one metric over others
While I am not arguing against this, it is not possible to argue this is not trading off less mobile users for efficiency.
1. averages vs worst case
2. prioritizing one metric over others
While I am not arguing against this, it is not possible to argue this is not trading off less mobile users for efficiency.
Right, but looking at sentences such as:
"It is then assumed that each customer walks on average one-quarter of the distance between stations at a walking speed of 1.3 meters per second."
"It is then assumed that each customer walks on average one-quarter of the distance between stations at a walking speed of 1.3 meters per second."
January 17, 2026 at 12:39 AM
Right, but looking at sentences such as:
"It is then assumed that each customer walks on average one-quarter of the distance between stations at a walking speed of 1.3 meters per second."
"It is then assumed that each customer walks on average one-quarter of the distance between stations at a walking speed of 1.3 meters per second."
As someone who worked on kiddie casino ticket games, I'm deeply sorry.
January 16, 2026 at 10:18 PM
As someone who worked on kiddie casino ticket games, I'm deeply sorry.
Great, why? Did the guide optimize for the average or least mobile users?
January 16, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Great, why? Did the guide optimize for the average or least mobile users?