Swine Phobia Hits Osaka

As the number of pig flu infections in Japan topped 170 yesterday, cotton masks have become nearly impossible to get ahold of. I noticed that one convenience store in Yamada had a note on their door saying that they had run out of them.

It's starting to look like a cult. When I got off at Tenjimbashisuji 6-chome today I made a quick count of the people on the escalator, and could see six out of ten people in facial armor. The platforms and trains were also packed with paranoid people frantically trying to maintain a safe distance from unprotected passengers.