you don't need terrorists to sow terror

News from out of Hawaii: an employee pushes the wrong button (despite there being an "are you sure?" failsafe), sending out a statewide message that a missile is on its way to Hawaii. For 38 minutes, the citizens of Hawaii labor under the false impression that their lives might soon end. They panic; they scramble for cover; they huddle with friends and loved ones; one of them decides that, if his life is about to end, he'll end it by playing golf, a game he loves.

Before I end this post, I suppose I should note, for completeness's sake, that there are already conspiracy theories floating around, one of which suggests that the missile alert was about a real missile, but that the missile had been shot down before it was close enough to be a danger to Hawaii. People can't help manufacturing drama and conflict, which makes me skeptical of all such theories. If, however, it turns out that a missile had indeed been on its way, then I imagine the news of said missile will appear to us soon. Am not holding my breath.