More in the iPod economy: With more than 10 million iPods out there and the new iPod Shuffle now selling faster than Apple can manufacture them, the latest add-on is ipod skins. A business called "decalgirl" has 23 to choose from for the iPod shuffle, 36 for a new model regular size iPod or 20 for an iPod mini, in case one of the five colors Apple provides is not satisfactory.

Beat the iPod Shuffle shortage: Apple's new low priced iPod is in high demand, and backorderd. But if you want one today, and you live in Huntington, Long Island (or be able to use their Public Library), the Public Library will provide one for you. Presumably one could offload the Audio Book, and then fill the iPod with music, and return it to being an audio book before returning to the Library. Or one could "lose" it, and pay the library the cost of the iPod.

At least one lawyer needs to learn how to use Google?: In the news on Feb. 22 was a story how a lady was suing Hewlett-Packard as her ink jet's ink cartridges stopped working due to (the suit says) a secret expiration date encoded into the cartridge. Problem is Hewlett-Packard freely admits on their web site that they do this, so how can it be a secret? Their rational is the quality of the ink in the cartridge deteriorates with time, and so they assign (like your can of tomatoes or your container of milk) an expiration date.

See what outsourcing can cause: With all the reports of security breaches, I like to regularly check on my credit cards, which over the web I can do, at least until today. Citibank's webpage "Citicards", today gives one:

.

500 Internal Server Error

 /us/cards/index.jsp:  java.lang.NullPointerException  at allaire........

Don't let X-Box burn your house down: Microsoft has issued a recall for powercords for X-Box machines made before October 23, 2003. Sign up here for your new cord, if they ever get the web site working. This morning (2/17/2005) entry of a serial number does nothing.
.
FOLLOWUP: at 9:00 AM CST the web site is now taking orders.

Technology catching up to fiction: In one of my favorite TV Series (The Prisoner), a semi-autonomous Ball: Rover: would chase after attempted escapees. Now a robotic device very similar in form and function has been designed: here.

How cold is it? or put it another way "Do I need a jacket to go outdoors"? To find the answer if your mother is not available to tell you yes, go to this web site.

Honoring Arthur Miller: It has nothing to do with technology, but Arthur Miller was America's greatest playright of the 20th century, and I am saddened by his passing today. I remember the 1999 event of his getting a "Tony Award" for Special Lifetime Achievement. When a reporter asked if he had a secret for longevity, being so spry at 84, Arthur answered: "Yes, I don't eat vegetables". Others feel the same way that what is taught in Universities of "Public Health" about nutrition is solely based upon tradition. Read here: about "Vegetable Free Living".

Back from Vacation? On February 8, 2005, Microsoft released 12 Security patches for Windows XP (MS05-05 through MS05-15). Great that they're addressing security concerns but TWELVE? in one Day? Only makes sense if some anal-retentive manager refuses to release security updates until he personally approves, and he finally got back from vacation and approved updates that had been piling up on his desk.

What happens to your Blog if you die?: A Marine Corps. reservist wrote a widely read blog about his stay in Iraq. With his passing, his parents would like access to his computer files. The Marine's ISP is refusing, citing privacy concerns. Seems ours laws haven't caught up to our technology.