In the mean time, Lenovo made an official Statement on the 3rd Party "Experience Enhancement Software"...

http://news.lenovo.com/article...

Also listed at the end of the statement, the affected models.

Just pull the plug and battery during the process. You'll get definitely rid of the malware.

Yes, and use only self-written OS and self-written programs.

Sorry, but this question is fully based on speculation. How can one even expect an serious answer on this one?

Point is: to ask the question, you need to speculate on what an alien invasion would be. You even need to speculate further to provide an answer. What's that worth? What do you learn out of it? How do I know if I can detect and observe something if I have no Idea what it is?

I could tell you, for example, that we will definitely be able to see the aliens come because of the huge gamma flash their flying saucers produce when they drop from hyperspace nearby Saturn. Our detection change is 100%. Or is it? My answer here is worth nothing, because I have to speculate to what an alien invasion would be. I could sit down with scientist, military analysis et politicians for week and make nice action plans based on what-ifs, but it would all be a waste. Why? Because we simply don't know anything about this topic.

A more serious question would be the same, but replacing "alien invasion" by "potentially hazardous asterioids". Now you can start an interesting discussion because you know what asteroids are and which one can be classified as hazardous. You know what you can observe and what you can't. Knowing the detection limits and methods, you can start to discuss about blind spot and detection probability. Going further you can even talk about mitigation, worst case scenarios and post-impact solutions. On this one I'd gladly sit down with other experts.

too bad we can't verify them. Especially since the thrown most of the assumed ones out of their model. It's nevertheless an interesting approach in describing the universe if you take the time to read about it. Who knows, maybe the existing models were over-constrained and it might not be bad to give them a fresh look.

The truth probably lays somewhere in between.

The reports comes from the NTSB, which I believe is a more trustworthy source as Engadget. See for yourself:

http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/n...

The reading of the GoPro video description is bluffing. how in the word did someone with such a behaviour and attitude made its way on a pilot seat, worse on an instructor seat.

Something is definitely wrong here. And with his experience he should have known better. From the report (emphasis is mine):

That is not a huge experience, but definitely enough to know better. Using a mobile phone in flight is one thing. But using it in a critical flight phase? To take selfies?

This guy was an accident waiting to happen. I feel sad for his passenger.

This has nothing to do about science. I'm quite certain tha the so-called missguided generation did no get advise in scientific papers.

This is a pure marketing and product placement/capitalism problem. People get advise from TV ads and doctors. The latter have, contrarely to the general perception, nothing to do with science and their advice on diet show little to no scientific insight. Their sources are also marketing driven.

This is a society failure. Not a science failure. And failling to understand this brings you only further to solve the problem.

That is correct. Ozone can (and is) measured in microwave spectral bands. For example, the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the AURA satellite retrieves Ozone around 240 GHz. Actually, every Microwave sounder that I know of can measure Ozone, so I have no doubt that Ozone signatures in the upper atmosphere (just as from other trace gases) could affect microwave space observation.

But it's not the main reason why they fly there I believe. If they want to do long duration flights, everywhere else, they will have to cross large water masses and cross various airspaces. I believe it would be difficult to do the same in the north hemisphere (crossing Russian airspace). Furthermore, in the polar summer, you do not need to worry about day-night cycles, which makes power supply system simpler. If they need sun for power (always the case I guess over a 48h float), a flight in the polar winter cannot work. The only alternative could be equatorial flight, but getting the overflight permits is complex and there are, to my knowledge, no active balloon bases in equatorial/tropical regions these days.

i'd suggest avoiding school children crossings on the autobahn.

I would't call this"missing the point", as the title of your reply says; rather "not adressing the points I believe are more important..."

What you adress are parly symtoms of a whole different and bigger problem with govermental organisation. i've seen this all over the place where I lived and worked...it's by no mean a TSA issue.

I don't assume anything... I just observe.
What I observe is that pretty much the same people (from the same security firm) screen my luggage at the airport and my bag before I get into a night club. I don't like it a clubs, but accept it. But I find it close to unacceptable at airports. I've seen a lot of incompetence, lack of respect and abuse of power at German airports (especially at FRA).

In Canadian airports, the pre-boarding screening is also partly done by private firms. The situation is hardly better. I've seen a huge difference in handling there as well. Most of the time its is very professional and the standards of CATSA at obviously higher than by the Bundespolizei. I think that a major difference, is the the on-site oversight remains under the control of the CATSA in Canada, whereas in Germany, the Bundespolizei is only there for show. They just stand there (if at all), but don't seem to supervise the screening activities. This observation may be wrong, as we, as passenger, hardly know what goes on behind the curtain, but it would explain the service quality in both countries although but employ private firms.

I couldn't care less about the screening itself; it beings little more than the feeling something is done for security for those who somehow need that feeling. What I do care about is how my belongings and myself are handled in the screening process, what ever that process may be.

Not only at Frankfurt, but in general in German Airports, I've always been surprised by the use of private security agencies to screen passengers. I have nothing about these private security providers, but just like for anything else, I recognise that their are activities well suited for them; other not so much.

I have no doubt that private security firm could do that task adequately, but I seriously doubt they could do it well and in a cost effective manner at the same time. There is a lot of pressure to reduce costs at large airports in order to further reduce fares. That's the reason why they have those private firms there at the first place. In turn, these firms offer the service at lower cost... salaries and overtime rules are definitely one reasons for these lower costs, but lower training and selection standards as well.

I can imagine Falcon 9 mistakenly trying to land on that ship. A not so happy end for both the ship and the rocket.

[citation needed]

I'm pretty sure, although I have no scientific facts to show for this assertion, that throwing zombies in vacuum and then starting a rocket engine over their head will solve the problem.