Despite several false starts, iPods continue to be expected shortly with minor updates. The iPod updates may, however, bring us a new unexpected service from Apple.

Sources report that Apple will be introducing an MP3 music-downloading service to users. Songs are expected to cost $0.99 per song. [MacRumors] [theBase]

Benjamin Franklin. "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." [Quotes of the Day]

a St Augustine woman is suing the producer of Nicorette for the death of her husband, a compulsive user of the nicotine gum for five years. [Workbench]

The UK is way behind other parts of Europe in providing useful e-government services, a study shows. [BBC News | Technology | UK Edition]

Monday, February 24, 2003 The AGM of the ASA council has concluded that English Swimming should have 8 regions with enhanced decision making and financial power rather than the current 5 regions.

A 105-year-old car - which has not been on the road since 1947 - is fined for flouting London's congestion charge. [BBC News | UK]

It seems Google starts to implement first prototypes of something that explains the Pyra interest. WebQuotes seems to show who is quoting who and how. [WebDEV] [owrede_log]

Rather than continuing to throw billions of dollars into space, the United States needs a NASA to learn more about what lurks beneath the ocean. A commentary by Graham S. Hawkes from Wired magazine. [Wired News]

The commissioner of the Metropolitan Police does a U-turn and pledges to introduce more police officers to patrol the streets. [BBC News | UK]

An octopus has learned to open jars of shrimp by watching acquarium personnel do the same underwater. [The Doc Searls Weblog]

The backlog of checks being carried out by the Criminal Records Bureau has halved but is still running at over 50,000. [BBC News | UK]

Strategy 'lacks vision, goals, timetable and criteria'. Are they just talking about 'shrub' and the environment here? [Guardian Unlimited]

Daniel Libeskind has been chosen to be the lead architect for rebuilding on the World Trade Center site [News Is Free: Popular Items]

A full list of the Labour MPs who backed a rebel backbench amendment that the case for war with Iraq was "unproven". Here's the list. [hard to be humble]

If you ever wondered where these funny Bush images come from ... here they are! [owrede_log]

Media: Irvine Welsh, author of Trainspotting, is to be the Daily Telegraph's new columnist as part of the paper's £8m campaign to shed its 'old fogey' image. [Guardian Unlimited]