In the NY area at least, all the Verizon DSL Modems are at factory defaults.

So maybe the problem is only with certain ISPs.

I have yet to see a router or dsl modem distributed by an ISP in the US that DIDN'T use the default user/password. First thing I did when I got mine was find the (undocumented) way to change the password.

So pretty much the entire US is vulnerable to this...

The advice I gave was the same advice given to the public by Toyota and Car & Driver - aimed at the general populace as the safest general advice to follow in an emergency stuck accelerator situation with a generic car.

The safest thing to do is hitting the brake once - not trying to pump the brake repeatedly.

If that isn't enough (it should be), switching the car to neutral/park should be tried.

Turning off the car should be the final thing you try - its easy to turn the key too much in a panic - assuming you even have a key and not a button you must press for multiple seconds...

Maybe you are correct - I could swear I've been in cars that locked in off, but did not in ACC. In any case...

This is an emergency situation. Your primary goals should be getting the car stopped, and off the road without hitting anything. How your engine fares should be least on your mind...

Turning off the car should be a last resort since you are partially disabling systems you need in this situation - brakes and steering. Why turn OFF the car, when you have other things to try first:
Brakes (which should overcome the engine alone)
Disengaging the Engine via the clutch/shift to neutral - which will allow the Brakes to function 100%

The best I've read on this is car and driver:
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/09q4/how_to_deal_with_unintended_acceleration-tech_dept

They say:
Press the brake all the way down - once. No pumping
Shift to neutral/park or disengage clutch.
Turn key to ACC/disable engine with push button (which can take as long as 3 seconds) as last resort.

You do NOT turn off the car - this could lock your wheel, preventing you from steering altogether. Whats more, you'll lose power brakes - you know - the things that will stop your car quickly. Instead:

Put the car in NEUTRAL. The engine will disengage.
Hit the brake HARD. Do not pump.
Steer the car off the road, and once its stopped, you can PARK it and turn off the engine.

But it doesn't stop in its tracks - the initial fusion creates enough heat to cause fusion reactions around it, and so on - all without additional outside energy - thus ignition.

Its self sustaining as long as the right conditions exists - "fuel", temperature, density - its only stopping because of the fuel being used up.

Am I missing something here? Semantic difference?

See - we agree - most people would have no idea :)

Like Louis Armstrong said: Some folks, if they don't know, you can't tell 'em

This is the definition of Ignition. I can't help that its disappointing compared to the concept of some eternal ball of hot plasma feeding itself.

Since most people don't even know the slightest thing about fusion energy, I doubt they have much notions about it one way or the other...

uh... you must have a different definition of self-sustained than I do. Just because it isn't a star doesn't make it a failure. This isn't an infinite energy source they are producing. Its just one that will create a nuclear fusion reaction that doesn't require any more outside help to continue.

The reaction will be self-sustained until the fuel (a single tiny pellet) is exhausted.

By definition, when they achieve ignition - there will be a self sustained, fusion reaction - the fusion reaction will sustain itself until its fuel is exhausted. More energy will be produced than was put in - a net positive in energy.

Of course there isn't any mechanism in NIF to collect the energy, but thats not really the point of the project...

It is wearing out.

If this really is one of the hardest - it may also be one of the last.