Photo: nydn.com

In a startling lapse of security, a small grass-clipping robot, which is sophisticated enough to function without any human interference and recharge itself when its power runs low, is being allowed to roam freely around the grounds of City Hall. Why the Husqvarna Automower 230 ACX is being given an opportunity to collect reconnaissance on the very seat of government, we have no idea. When the Bloomberg administration is overthrown by an army of self-aware machines, we'll all look back on this moment and wonder how we missed the warning signs. Unless the machines decide to harvest our brains, in which case we'll just stare, vacantly, into the distance. [NYDN]