You Can't Fix Stupid

I know I have stolen that line form that comedian dude(I have never actually heard his routine...gotta put that on my to-do list).

Last night, my children were moderately concerned because they had "heard there would be an earthquake at midnight!" Though I tried to assuage any fears, they weren't convinced. I told them that no one can predict earthquakes, but they just didn't seem entirely relieved. I can hardly blame them. The rumor had the kid version of empirical evidence backing it up: 1)They "heard" it from more than one friend, and 2)It was to occur at the magical hour of midnight. Everyone knows that rumors of things to occur at midnight are for real.

I thought it was all a bit cute if not silly. That was, until a friend clued me in to this:

A hoax about a pending earthquake and tsunami triggered a storm of calls yesterday to civil defense, police and news organizations, and sent hundreds of Leeward O'ahu residents rushing for gas and supplies.

State officials said they received 500 to 600 calls from residents from 4 to 6 p.m.

Spokesman John Cummings said O'ahu Civil Defense took hundreds of calls and he even answered one from a relative on Maui. O'ahu's 911 system was bombarded by hundreds of inquiries, according to police, and geophysicists Brian Shiro and Victor Sardina answered about 200 calls from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in 'Ewa Beach.

The inquiries varied but the concern was spurred by fast-spreading talk of a magnitude 9-plus earthquake that supposedly was to occur on the Big Island sometime between midnight and tomorrow morning, which would cause a large tsunami.

You can read the whole thing here. My favorite part of the article is this:

When told that no one can predict an earthquake (emphasis mine), Chuck Jones said, "Better safe than sorry, that's my way of looking at it. I heard there was a possible tsunami so I'd figured I'd fill up with gas and pick up my dad in Nanakuli in the low-lying areas. I'm just going to take him up to my house (at a higher elevation)."

Well, Chuck is right about one thing: it is indeed better to be safe than sorry.
Unfortunately it is also better to be informed than lead by a ridiculous rumor.