One wonders if the 02.14GMT ACARS transmission which the press has picked upon as news of "an electrical short circuit" could have been triggered by break-up of the airframe? How does ACARS react in transmitting malfunction data? Does it report instantaneously or periodically? If that signal was indeed a symptom of catastrophe then elapsed flight time along track would surely indicate a reasonable initial area to search...which presumably is what the Brazilians are conducting right now. Irrespective, this is indeed a sad and tragic businesss...
iwalkedaway