Charts all over the world. A rather fab listing of 800 sites featuring music charts from around the globe. Shaan is number one in India at the moment, with a track called Bhoolja. Did you know that? Did you want to?

So jokes activate the same brain region as cocaine? Should we now expect people to slip quietly into the back bedroom at parties to watch Seinfeld and Friends re-runs? ‘The cartoons activated the same reward circuits in the brain that are tickled by cocaine, money or a pretty face, the neuroscientists found.’

HP is currently touting its new Consolidated Client Infrastructure (CCI) as a viable alternative to the traditional corporate PC concept. And it actually sounds logical, which is quite astonishing. [Thanks Mike!] ‘The new solution combines thin client computing with rack-mounted blade PCs …when the user logs on at any CCI thin client in the company, the system assigns that user an available blade PC, loads the user�s settings and preferences and makes available all the desktop applications the user would…

Think Outside is planning on releasing its Palm and Pocket PC Bluetooth wireless keyboards early next year, which sounds like good news. I do, however, wonder what all these wireless attachments will do to overall PDA useability, since Bluetooth is quite a battery power hog when enabled for long periods on PDAs. In related news I hadn’t realised that Logitech is pushing its new Bluetooth hub as a general wireless hub, rather than just something to power its keyboards and…

The Wallpaper Clocks site has a fabulous collection of real working computer clocks which can be downloaded onto the desktop. Some free, some for a fee. Superb stuff! I love the Novelty section!

Fancy sinking your savings into a new business venture? Then why not consider buying a nice little tourist submarine? The DeepStar sub seats 45 passengers and is cleared to dive to 100 meters. Don’t bother applying unless your cheque book has space for over 6 zeros. ‘Available as a complete system with custom Passenger Catamaran and Dry/Wet Docking Support Barge. Inspection of the submarine is available at your convenience.’

Despite the current confusion surrounding the introduction of UK ID cards and the doubts about the security of biometrics, NEC has just announced that it will be supplying the fingerprint, iris recognition and facial biometrics system for the upcoming trial by the UK Passport Office. Roll on 1984, eh?

The Near Field Communications (NFC) protocol has just been adopted by the ISO standards organisation, one year after first being proposed. What does that mean? Well, very soon we’re going to be faced with a ‘no permissions’ wireless world, where people will instantly be able to connect up Bluetooth and other wireless devices just by holding them close or touching them together. A kind of unprotected coupling. So, you think that Bluejacking is just a phase? ‘Bringing two devices close…

Professor Irwin Herskowitz of Iowa State University clearly feels a need to bring the subject of genetics to…ahem… life. How else to explain his YOUnique RAP song? Anyone know the number of P-Diddy’s agent? ‘Now, hang on tight, �cause this story tells Why you�re YOU — not someone else! So perk up your ears. Make your fingers snap. And let�s get into the YOUnique RAP. Just as life�s more than work or play Your body�s more than DNA. Most of…

Hey, why bother to do all that hard exercise work, when all you’ve got to do is poke a Memory Stick into a slot and let a machine do it all for you. Behold! The Bexer BR-1 ‘biological exercise system’ from Nexus Corporation [Japanese].

Wow, mobile DVR (digital video recording). Add a hard drive based DVR unit to your vehicle and record the world in all its glory from as many cameras as the unit will support. Example – the DVR-JM1 from JC Technology. Being touted mainly for emergency services, buses, taxis and any other public transport. But fun in your own car too, I reckon, once prices come down.

Remember way back in the day? When men were men and 70’s digital watches glowed cool redness? Well they’re back. The very retro TX1 LED watch, yours for a mere �54.99. [Thanks Simon!] But do note that…ahem…the shop is shut until 19th December for vacations. That’s right, a gadget selling online shop that’s closed in the run up to Xmas. Only the Ferret could unearth that kind of weirdness!

Hmm…soak testing [Babel] a 128MB SD memory card. Boggle!

The Spychecker.com site contains info and downloads for just about everything to do with computing security and privacy, including cookies, spyware, firewalls, encryption, cleanup. It even features an ‘Is it Spyware?’ search box to check out something you’re suspicious about. Nice clean design and definitely worth a bookmark. See also Spyware Guide for some good stuff.

Now here’s a novel way to appeal to the geek wallet. $129.00 buys you Fujitsu’s Happy Hacking Keyboard. ‘No CAPS Lock Key! No Windows Key! CTRL Key in right position! Just perfect for the Penguin suited Linux brigade. There’s even a Professional version available in Japan.