Over the past 48 hours, two venerable British institutions have been hit by I.T. snarl-ups. Yesterday saw the London Stock Exchange suspend trading for a few hours due to connectivity issues, while this morning it was revealed that the BBC‘s news department had a complete nightmare on Wednesday, with one newsreader resorting to reading her script off her iPhone. Fans of Little Britain might recall just what happens when “Computer Says No.”

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The proof that us Europeans have had a balmy Fall lies in this beautiful installation in the Madrid suburb of Moratalaz. An Almost Ephemeral Autumn was created using LED lighting on fallen leaves, with wires to hold up them up in position.

The art was created in around three hours, on November 3 of this year, and it makes me sad to think that, now the trees are bare, it’s time to batten down the hatches for what will probably be a chilly winter.

Luz Interruptus Via Dezeen

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Not everyone wants to save the planet. This is a sad, but true fact. Yet everyone who lives and works within a capitalist economy loves saving money. So it’s good for the planet that, in many cases, saving money and green initiatives go hand in hand by providing an increased economic benefit while lessening environmental impact. Many of these benefits come directly from the government, such as tax exemption status or tax credits for using alternative fuels in vehicles.

And as the German biofuel industry is showing us, taking away those economic benefits can lead to the utter collapse of what looked like a maturing faucet of biofuel.

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Most of us have been in this situation before; you’re up late cranking away at some work project or homework assignment as thunder and lightning dance outside your window, shaking the whole house. Then the power goes out. All your work is gone, as is your time, and you’re left with frustration and darkness until the power goes back on.

Yet imagine if power outages were a thing of the past? Electric cars could provide the answer, as well as a boost to the U.S. power grid. The U.S. Department of Energy is lending funds to several automakers, including Detroit Electric and Chrysler, in a bid to promote these technologies.

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Joe is a quiet old chap for 8 years old, a relaxed greyhound who would love to find his very first home of his own. Can you give Joe the love and comforts he deserves?

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Sure, you could buy thoughtful gifts for your loved ones, gifts that show that you care and really wanted to get something for them that they’ll love. Or, alternately, you could get them horrible gifts that would make them reconsider their longstanding relationship with you. Doesn’t that sound like more fun?

It does to us! Click Continue to see eight horrible gadgety gifts that we dug up — just know that you’re getting coal for Christmas.

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There’s a new kid on the block when it comes to streaming media. TwonkyBeam is a new software program that lets you stream media to your Internet-ready TV or receiver, directly from your browser, without any additional hardware. You can stream from any web site, even HD video content, and stream from websites like Flickr to a digital photo frame. Music websites, YouTube and other video content can be sent to any externally-controllable DLNA-certified device.

The TwonkyBeam can communicate with over 100 devices including Sony and Samsung TVs, receivers from Denon and Pioneer, Xbox, iPhone and more. Currently, TwonkyBeam will only run on Internet Explorer and Windows, but Firefox and Mac support is in the works.

TwonkyBeam is a great way to quickly and easily choose what you want to watch or listen to with just a few mouse clicks. Best of all, it’s free! Give it a try and let us know what you think.

TwonkyBeam

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As this week’s International Robot Exhibition drew to a close, one last humanoid robot called Nao caught the attention of attendees. Created by Aldebaran Robotics, the 23-inch tall robot has a full range of motion that allows it to get up from a sitting position, as well as walk.

The robot can also pick up small objects and even process audio and visual data to navigate its way through the world. The company plans to release a commercial version some time next year, but a price has not been disclosed. You can see video of the Nao humanoid robot in action here.

Via Impress Watch

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Good morning! Are you awakening from your post-Thanksgiving night celebrations, and staring blearily at the carnage atop your dining table and the like? Well, you might want to spare a thought for this poor sap from British publication Autocar. His mission? To test-drive the Hammerhead Eagle i-Thrust electric car, as created by Top Gear‘s Jeremy Clarkson, Hamster Hammond, and James May.

How could anyone not doff their chapeau to a man who compares the home-made electric shopping cart car to a 911? (I am assuming he means a Porsche, but maybe he’s talking about the emergency phone number.) Other great lines: “It actually does go, but I’m not sure how well it stops.” And the rest? Oh, just watch the video and put off the great Black Friday tidy-up until later.

Via Engadget

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Streams of smoke trail from the main landing gear tires as space shuttle Atlantis touches down on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida after 11 days in space, completing the 4.5-million-mile STS-129 mission on orbit 171. On STS-129, the crew delivered 14 tons of cargo to the International Space Station, including two ExPRESS Logistics Carriers containing spare parts to sustain station operations after the shuttles are retired next year. Image Credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

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