Spring is (finally) in the air and I was out in our garage again yesterday. The hole is still in the roof. The slab is still cracked. It is a pretty crappy feeling place. Replacing it seems impossible, but people do this sort of thing. Maybe I can too.

I was inspired by a post at notcot today. This led to modern cabana. Maybe something like this would be feasible? The magazine Ready Made looks interesting as well.

A few months ago I insisted to a potential employer that I could do the job they had posted in four days a week. They could not see that, I told them I was not interested in a five day per week commitment. We parted ways. I was very interested to read in the 37signals blog that they are now trying a four day work week company-wide. 37signals is a small company, but even so it is encouraging to see folks trying this out. In a way, Google’s “20% time on your own project” policy is similar, take a day of the week for your own interests. More recently, 37signals says the four day week is working and has, in fact, highlighted the poison nature of urgency. An interesting finding, I think.

Some wonderful images and perhaps an example for the MDL.

I’ve been trying to avoid the bittergate news, I’m just tired of the back and forth and I have a great deal of confidence in Obama and his ability to handle himself under fire. I don’t need the aggravation of people making political hay out of statements that, to my ear, sound perfectly reasonable. That said, some of it slips through and once in a while I’m glad it does. TechPresident pointed to this wonderful peek behind the curtains at HuffingtonPost where this story was broken by an Obama supporter and amateur journalist. It is an instructive case of high standards and lowbrow MSM mixed into a campaign firestorm.

I once got in trouble for sending Nathaniel to the gas station down the block for candy. I remember going three blocks away for candy when I was a kid. Is today so much more dangerous or are we more afraid? I was proud of this parent, I think she’s right. Kids need chances to express their independence. My fear is that if we don’t give them reasonable venues to be independent, they will find unreasonable ones.

I love the balls, and the paint and bunnies were pretty cool. It looks like foam is next for Sony.

Update: here’s the ad…

Apple iPhone/iPod positioning is achieved with the help of a company called Skyhook Wireless. Now Skyhook lets you log the position of your own wifi access point so that your AP becomes part of the locator database.

This chart API from Google looks like it might be worth exploring a bit further.

TechPresident today notes two ways that Obama changes the rules. One: Obama redefines public financing by raising money without any PAC contributions and from a vast array of small donors. Does he need to participate in the federal plan to make his point? And Two: the video below (if you can get past the flute) demonstrates how the architecture of his campaign is something completely different from what we’ve seen at the national level before.

…when it is really truckers who need the help? Why are our “leaders” in congress and the white(out) house so lazy that all they can think of as “stimulus” is to toss money back at me? The truckers are not alone. I gave my taxes to the government for a reason, so that the government could do good for this whole country! Good grief. (Hat tip to Mary for the heads-up.)