Well it is a win-win situation for the airlines since they will be able to charge you a baggage fee for your new prosthetic arm. They could also remove one of your arm rests to save weight since you won't need it.

The reason I believe that all the knowledge ends up in departments other than computers is that computer sales is not profitable for a store. I used to be a computer salesman while I was going to school, and the commission on a full system is something like $25 bucks for a name brand, $100 for a off name system. Best buy is profit driven, and even though Best Buy sales people don't make commission, I can see why Best Buy would want its best people in the most profitable department. To be honest effective sales of PC has inverse correlation with demonstrated technical knowledge. This is not anecdotal, this is plainly stated by the very successful computer store I used to work for. (I sucked at sales but that is not the point) Techie buyers don't buy spend much at Best Buy, so Best Buy isn't going to target them.

In regards to your signature, someone at wired either pulled the article or the link got broken. I have to assume the latter, but the former would be just as likely.

That begs the question would Thermite even show up as a suspicious substance in a airport Xray? It is not a nitrogen-based explosive, and the components of it are not exotic, heck it would probably look like a laptop battery on an Xray.

There is a cottage industry of small engineering firms that could suit your needs in the US (assuming your in the US). Generally they are run by senior engineers who have done many projects of similar size to what you're sort of talking about. Generally the firms in China do not do their own design work, and unless you speak Chinese, the language barriers will be an extra challenge to overcome, not to mention the difference in time zones. Also don't forget you will have to gain certain regulatory approvals depending on the nature of your product, and I doubt anyone in China has much background designing the product around these requirements. Personally I think it is best to stick with a local company, or at least one in the same country as you.

Hybrid technology is being used in some commercial trucking applications already. For example hybrid garbage trucks are starting to get purchased by many cities, where they make sense due to the gains made by regenerative braking. Some local delivery trucks are also using hybrid technology. Unfortunately most tractor trailers are intended for long haul (1000+ miles), where adding complexity and weight of a hybrid doesn't make sense and would decrease mileage, and/or increase maintenance cost. The easiest solution to improve gas-mileage of a tractor-trailer would be to redesign them to be more aerodynamic. The could put a shroud between the cab and the trailer. They could put ground effects around the tires. The could put movable panels (which could be designed not to interfere with docks) to smooth the air flow off the back of the trailer. They could design windshields of the trucks to be angled like in modern cars.

Though the general population resists style changes, if a manufacturer could find a large trucking company and get them to replace their fleet with aerodynamic trucks the rest of the industry would slowly follow suit.

BTW a tractor-trailer has a very low MPG somewhere near 6 MPG

Listening to Indie performers also coveys the additional benefit of being able to smugly claim "I liked them before the went mainstream". The smugness benefit is the same benefit held by many products Slashdot fanboys love and worship.