Ok, it’s not the interstate highway system (see below.)
It’s that it succeeds at getting people to go out and research questions on their own (thereby fulfilling its mission statement.) After lurking for a couple months and posting for a couple more, I now feel more compelled to look stuff up rather than just idly wondering about it, and later forgetting about it. When I think of an interesting question I might want to post to the board, I first ask myself “neuroman, have you done a reasonable search on your own?” If I find myself saying no, I go out and do one.
Hearty congratulations to the Administrators, Moderators, and fellow posters helping to eradicate ignorance!
Warning: boring example to follow.
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Just now I was wondering about the U.S Interstate Highway system. Specifically, I was wondering what prevented John Q. Tractor from bulldozing a convenient dirt path out from his farm driveway to IH-80. Starting searching around at USDOT, and I found FHWA - FAPG 23 CFR 1, Subchapter A - General Management and Administration, where this specifc issue is addressed under Section 1.23)- Rights of Way. You can’t open an IH until all the boundary right of way property has been obtained, and an exception can only be made if officially approved. Phew, that was long.[/sub]