海角大神

If you were in Hawaii a year ago this Sunday, the phrase 鈥渢his is not a drill鈥� might recall 38 minutes of soul-searching.

That鈥檚 how long it was before a text alert about an incoming missile was rescinded by the state鈥檚 emergency management office. Tensions were high with North Korea, adding credibility to the threat.

Todd Schauman, a colleague then living there, was at a youth basketball tournament. The gym doubled as a shelter. 鈥淲e were there with many local families,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here were some good conversations, and the tournament organizers helped promote calm.鈥�

Another dad, who worked in civil air defense, talked about the systems in place and calmly worked his phone. His own 鈥渟tand down鈥� came before the state鈥檚. Play resumed.

The Hawaiian musician Makana had a more prolonged reaction. After confirming that most of the world鈥檚 nuclear arsenal is gripped by the US and Russia, he went to work 鈥� and then he went to Russia.

Inside an old Soviet bunker he recorded a song 鈥� the acoustics are dramatic 鈥� that鈥檚 been released for the Hawaiian anniversary. In it he passes through a crowd of young Russians who look as though they, too, might have gathered for some game. It鈥檚 a scene of personalities, not politics.

鈥淢y intention is to inspire and remind us all to humanize one another,鈥� Makana says, 鈥渢o dignify and be curious about each other.鈥� Those connections, he says, are the path to security and peace for us all.

Now to our five stories for your Friday.