What have we learned?

[RobtheBarbarian]

We also learned that invading aliens would rather destroy random non-combative targets in their first attack than go after installations that can actually fight back.  Those can wait for much later (giving them time to come up with a defense).

Actually, given the tech differences, the fact that they don't really care about civilian casualties, and the impact of the shock attack going after the largest population centers first does make sense.  It's all about the destruction of the infrastructure.  And since presumably aliens wouldn't speak English or have access to AAA guides they might not be able to pick out military targets in which case attacking the major population centers is more likely to catch one of those.  Once those are wiped you start hunting down any major source of heat or radio.

You'd think they'd go after industrial centers, ports and more centers of govermnent than the White House if that were true, though, and not waste their time destroying well-known and symbolic but effectively useless monuments. Since they weren't accepting surrenders and didn't intend on leaving any of us alive, there's no point in breaking our morale with shock and awe.

[NickE]

I learned that if the aliens had installed Norton Antivirus, we'd be toast.

(Unless, at the last minute, the Daleks ALSO invaded, in which case the aliens would have been toast, and the humans would all have been turned into pig slaves)

[James of LinHood]

I learned that the Stringy-Haired Rocker Dude would make an excellent Vice President.

[MarkAndrew]

I learned that spaceships designed for aliens with radically different anatomy can be flown by cavemen....I mean human pilots.  In fact, they don't even need any test flights, they can just use 'pilot magic' to figure everything out.

[Tyrant]

  I learned that aliens are evil and absolutely won't negotiate with us, even if they're captive and we can obvously kill them.

[Douglin]

I learned that the Stringy-Haired Rocker Dude would make an excellent Vice President.

Feel free to show your support with this handy bumper sticker

[mrbasehart]

Very nice.   

[Principal_Skin-trade]

Al Gore wishes that we would sing "The Gore we get together the happier we'll be..." I'm Super-Super Serial!

[James of LinHood]

I learned that the Stringy-Haired Rocker Dude would make an excellent Vice President.

Feel free to show your support with this handy bumper sticker

That bumper sticker will be on my car.  Thank you.

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

I learned that there is at least one person in high-ranking government positions that is evil for no apparent reason.

[cough]dick cheney[/cough]

[Plastic Self-Cleaning Duck]

I learned that there is at least one person in high-ranking government positions that is evil for no apparent reason.

[cough]dick cheney[/cough]

I think the reason is fairly apparent in that instance ([cough]Haliburton[/cough]).

[LadyKenobi]

(eye roll) On come on. Let's unite beneath the banner of Pullman and Rocker Dude!

[mrbasehart]

(eye roll) On come on. Let's unite beneath the banner of Pullman and Rocker Dude!

I'm pretty sure Rocker Dude's attempt to make it a 2 and half day work week would not go down well with conglomerates.  His amendment of the  pledge of allegiance to the lyrics of "Don't Fear the Reaper" would polarize also.   

[Ranika]

May have missed some one mentioning these, but I learned a few things;

-Aliens are dumb as paste in many ways. They build massive starships, but can't think of a way to shield an incredibly vulnerable portion of the ship that, when open to attack, will blow the whole damn thing up. I believe it's implied they've done this to other worlds by Pullman. In none of these little moves did they ever get this weakness revealed?
-Ignoring the other huge physics issues...  Downing a massive evil alien spaceship is something to celebrate. ...Well, yeah, but it ignores that the sheer size would cause such massive destruction people within a comfortable viewing distance of it going down would die.
-Aliens are dumb, again. Really dumb. Their little laser guns on the tiny crap ships are inaccurate as hell. Modern combat aircraft have servos in place to help aim efficiently. They don't appear to have missiles that can seek a target. They appear to have scientists who are more interested in designing scary looking spaceships and super keen special effects ladden lasers than anything that would be concievably effective in any combat situation outside of a narrow "Blow up population center, SWARM LIKE DUMB ASSES" mentality.
-...Really friggin dumb. Why did they need to use Earth's satellites to coordinate? What, they don't have clocks where they're from? Do they not realize using said satellites would send up a bit of a red flag? Do they have any kind of actual command structure or are they like some random gang of space-thugs who are planning this out at the last minute?

...In short, I learned that these aliens shouldn't be able to take on a marmot, let alone a whole planet.

[bettertomorrowamy]

I learned this: