Off-Topic: False Alarm about Incoming Missile in Hawaii

Submitted by Orlando2 on

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/13/us/hawaii-missile.html

“Someone clicked the wrong thing on the computer,” was supposedly the cause of the false-alarm. It’s odd, because you would think it isn’t that easy to accidentally trigger a state-wide ballistic missile alert. I couldn’t imagine how terrifying it was for the people in Hawaii.

CR

January 13th, 2018 at 9:40 PM ^

I was playing tennis over at the Royal Kona (Kailua-Kona, Big Island) with former Ann Arborite and former lawyer-turned novelist Jon Rowe.

Jon's wife sent an emissary (my wife) saying we should stop and go home. That an ICBM was on the way.

Jon said "forget it, we are finishing our match. No one is bombing the Big Island (Hawaii). What's the point? A'int nothing here."

So we finished. I have to admit it was a bit creepy. Even in the early AM Ali'i drive is active. Not this AM for about 30 minutes. Eerily quiet. No people. Almost no traffic. A stray old bi-plane hovered over the ocean. It seemed weirdly out of place and added to a sense of unreality.

Somehow, Jon and I both concentraated and played better than usual.

Then I went back to the condo and learned that all was good. I watched the DVR of UM/MSU, high fived my bro Tom Izzo on his genuis, went over to KTA and bought some Ahi for dinner and then watched the game again, this time savoring a Maui Porter.

Wonderful day.

 

CR

MIMark

January 13th, 2018 at 8:37 PM ^

Good news: the system in place to warn of an incoming ballistic missile works.
Bad news: there is a need for a system warning of an incoming ballistic missile.

Sounds terrifying. I'd hate to have to keep a child calm during such a time.

NFG

January 13th, 2018 at 8:45 PM ^

Best case is the keep children unaware of the event. Anyone who doesn’t need to know what’s going on shouldn’t know. That’s how you keep them calm. That’s how it worked for the British, that’s how it’ll work for our Hawaiians.

LB

January 13th, 2018 at 8:48 PM ^

on the outskirts of Tinker AFB while B-52's were in the air with nuclear weapons 24/7. That was immediately after the Cuban Missile Crisis. We mostly laughed at the teachers who insisted on duck and cover drills. They also tested sonic booms on the population. We didn't lose too many windows. Kids are resilient, keep them off the tweeter.