An anonymous source says that Chu has solved the pickle matrix, and has made significant progress on the rebigulator. DOE should be a piece of cake.

There are a lot of great R&D guys out there who have no idea how to get their product into the consumer's hands. Kamen started out making medical equipment (portable dialysis IIRC), and the Segway is the little brother of one of the best mobility devices (wheelchairs) in existence. But his track record is horrible when it comes to mass market devices. OTOH, you have the iPod, which is a very functional and stylish, yet underperforming, piece of technology, and the sell like mad. If he wants to turn the trend around he needs to spend some of that mountain of cash on a top shelf PR and Marketing firm, as opposed to the stunt publicity that "announced" the Segway.

... or could Fossett have helped himself out by spending a relaxing evening with a good glass of scotch and Google Earth? I mean, sure, if I was him I would have an endless list of excuses to go out for a flight in my Citabria, but still... looking for salt flats? Please. Any place big enough to set a land speed record on will stick out like a sore thumb with consumer-grade remote sensing.