Friday Morning

This was in yesterday's New York Times, or at least on their web site. In a report entitled 'Crisis prompts exodus of executives from Tokyo ', (the full text is available here ), they have the following piece on Martin Reilly, an Irishman living and working in Tokyo.

"Martin Reilly, 43, an Irish software designer who works for the French insurance giant AXA, said his company had given employees the option to move, while keeping enough people in Tokyo to maintain operations. Though he said he was not fearful, Mr. Reilly was nevertheless taking the precaution of traveling to Osaka.

“I’m taking my work with me, and I can be back in three hours when this is cleared up,” Mr. Reilly said at Tokyo Station before boarding a train. “I think the chances of something happening are very small. But my parents are going ballistic. If I don’t go, my mother’s going to get on a plane and come take me away.”

Ahh, well, God love him, the poor dear. (Rightfully) more scared of de Mammy than all the talk of d'auld radiation. Plus he's working for a French company, so what else would you expect from them. Gutless feckers.
As a foreigner living in Japan, I am becoming increasingly ashamed at the way the international media is covering events here. They so desperately want their "Panic on the streets of Tokyo" story that if if Japanese people don't provide them with it, they'll go all out in their reporting to instill a sense of hysteric fear in the foreign community and hope it spills over.
I think the magnificent resilience of the Japanese people, their quiet, unwavering resolve to overcome this crisis and their innate, selfless concern for the well being of their fellow countrymen, is both humbling and inspiring. That is the story the international media should be covering.