Now, This Is How a Checking Account Should Look

In the right-hand column, how the balance sheet of Carl Malamud's Public Resource organization looked yesterday.

One column over to the left, how it looked today:

The two-million-dollar difference, as Malamud explains today on his site, is a grant that Public Resource has won as part of Google's Project 10^100, as explained on Google's site today.* Here is Google's explanation of why Malamud and the movement he represents deserve support:

Idea: Make government more transparent
Project funded: Public.Resource.Org is a non-profit organization focused on enabling online access to public government documents in the United States. We are providing $2 million to Public.Resource.Org to support the Law.Gov initiative, which aims to make all primary legal materials in the United States available to all.

I've known Malamud (slightly) for years, and I'm very happy for him. But anyone who cares about applying the tools of the internet to making public information more broadly available should cheer him -- and the award selectors -- on this news too. I've mentioned some of his projects and crusades previously in this space, for instance here, here, here, here, and here. Well done all around. And -- yes, I know it's irrational -- the next time I look at my checking account on line, I'll try to imagine how it would feel to see it go overnight from $1900.40 to $1,001,900.40.
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* Test your math savvy. You should know without thinking about it why Google calls this "Project 10^100." I have faith that the Atlantic's audience does.