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The Federal Reserve and Wall Street executives are discussing a new way to provide bank capital in times of crisis. They want to issue a new security called a contingent convertible (CoCo).

What is a CoCos and how does it work? CoCos are hybrid securities, In normal times they operate like a bond and pay coupons to investors. However, in times of crisis they automatically convert into equity. If bank capital fell below prescribed limits they would trigger the conversion from bonds to equity.

Here's a stunning accomplishment. The Tesla Roadster set a record by traveling 313 miles on one electric charge. The new record was set at the 2009 Global Green Challenge in Australia.

The competition was over an 1,800 mile course. The Tesla Roadster reportedly had three miles worth of charge to spare. This was well above the average 244 miles per charge it mentions in its specs.

The winning driver was Simon Hackett, managing director of Australian national broadcasting company. He owns the only Tesla Roadster in Australia and now holds the world's record, having beaten the previous record of 241 miles set in April at Rallye Monte Carlo of Energies Alternatives.

Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) has initiated a new Deed to Lease program in which homeowners facing foreclosure will be able to stay in their homes as renters.

During the first half of the year, Fannie Mae has acquired 57,000 homes through foreclosure. These are owners who do not qualify for mortgage restructuring. They must demonstrate that they could not pay their mortgage but can pay rent. The rents paid are lower than their previous mortgage payment.

Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY) has become a leader in DVD sales in the last half-decade, but the largest consumer electronics retailer in the U.S. may see that the future of the movie rental business is in downloading -- not discs.

Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) has been a pioneer in this space, as the largest DVD mail-order rental firm has begun embedding its software in Blu-ray players, set-top boxes, and other devices to stream digital content over the internet -- no disc needed. Best Buy apparently wants a little piece of that action.

Do you remember before computers churchgoers got up, got dressed and walked or drove to their local church for a live performance by Pastor XYZ, prayed as a congregation, received the Pastor's in person blessing and returned home?

With the advent of computers, the world has changed. People use computers to shop online, get their news, express their opinions and search the world for information about almost anything we can imagine.

Now churches are using the computer to provide church services with all of the components of a regular church service, expect for person to person interaction. These sites are interactive and even provide music as well as live pod casts.

Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone has been selling like gangbusters in the U.S. since its debut in June 2007, but that kind of fever -- and the fever U.S. consumers felt at every iPhone launch in the U.S. -- seemed tepid by comparison when China Unicom unleashed the iPhone for sale last week.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) reports Q3 earnings results Tuesday, hence I'll await those results before re-evaluating the stock, but today we'll take a moment to highlight a high-profile addition to its fleet: the Oasis of the Seas -- the world's largest oceanliner.

Five times larger than the SS Titanic -- 225,282 gross tons and 1,181 feet in length versus Titanic's 46,328 gross tons and 830 feet in length -- the $1.5 billion Oasis will perhaps represent the world's largest and elaborate floating city, in terms of creature comforts (U.S. Nimitz-class aircraft carriers can carry more people, but no, the U.S. Navy does not offer as lavish accommodations nor as much per-person space for military personnel).

Google, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) recently has had a knack for releasing software products that challenge -- and even threaten -- entire industries. Take, for example, last week's enhancement to Google Maps, which caused the stock prices of GPS companies TomTom and Garmin to plummet after Google announced its own GPS service that, in many ways, was a superior product. Yes, it's free with a Google-powered phone.

What's next? How about real estate listings?

Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall when the Fed meets with bankers on pay review? You can bet that sparks will fly.

Monday is the day this happens. We already know that the bankers do not want the Fed meddling in their compensation policies. However, there is pressure from the public and Congress for a clamp down on excessive bank pay and bonuses, especially at the big banks.

First off, what is smart grid technology? Smart grid technology allows two-way communication between a home or business and the utility company.

Then you are probably wondering why is there so much interest in smart grid technology now? The key reason is that our electrical transmission system is outmoded and overloaded. Our present system will be unable to handle the increasing demand for electricity for much longer. Take the electric car. If thousands of these cars are on the road next year, we will need the electrical delivery system to power them.

Ever since Apple Computer (NASDAQ: AAPL) introduced the iPhone to the world, other cell phone companies have been working hard to compete. Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is hoping to find success with the Motorola Droid, which will come with a $199 price tag.

The phone will be running on Google's Android operating system, and could be a serious contender against the iPhone, and while most people knew this phone was coming, the real news is that it will start to be sold next week at Verizon's across the nation.

Microsoft Corp.'s (NASDAQ: MSFT) Windows 7 operating system was released last week to great reviews -- unlike the company's previous effort, Vista. But what most analysts may not realize is that this is not just another "point and click" effort for Microsoft -- the company wants computer users to get used to touchscreens instead of keyboards and mice. Windows 7 was built with this in mind, although most don't realize it.

Now here's a simple, straightforward plan for British banks that are deemed "too big to fail": By the end of the year, large British banks will be required to draw up "living wills" in which they outline procedures to help them wind down in the event of failure.

The living wills will also include ways of separating the banks' deposit-taking arms from securities trading units.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) will also require the too-big-to-fail banks to hold more capital as protection in the event of a bank failure. The authority has said that bumper bank profits are to be used to bolster balance sheets -- not for bankers' bonuses.

Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY) may be starting to realize that consumer lifestyles sometimes don't fit into the neatly-packaged 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. workday. As such, the leading consumer electronics retailer plans to open its first 24-hour location in NYC's Union Square. What does Best Buy gain by this?

Well, the ability to see if gadget consumers (which we all are in one form or another) need to get their fix at all hours of the day or night. Already, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) ensures its supercenter big-box locations are open 24 hours a day, although it's hard to see consumers scrambling to buy that iPhone charger or flat-screen television at 3:00 am. Still, Best Buy's new 24-hour location will be just a sniff away from Apple, Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAPL) 4th Avenue retail location.

The CIA is everywhere in the media. Now, according to Wired, here's the newest wrinkle. In-Q-Tel, the investment arm of the CIA, is putting cash into Visible Technologies to spy on social networks.

Who is being spied upon? Visible Technologies is souring "open source intelligence," information that is publicly available to survey the content on such sites as TV shows, newspaper articles, blog posts, online videos and radio reports generated every day.