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被災地の農家のみなさん。負けないで。

今日スーパーで悲しい思いをしました。例の放射能の影響を受けている茨城県や近隣でとれた野菜のことなのです。キャベツとかサツマイモ、他の野菜もみんな見切り品価格で売られていました。変な話です。だって禁止されたのはホウレンソウと牛乳だけなのに。みんな過剰反応しているのでしょう。農家の人、可哀想です。なんの罪もないのに。

  I felt sad at the grocery store today. It’s about vegetables produced in Ibaraki and neighboring prefectures　that are currently affected by the radiation. Cabbages, sweet potatoes, and all other greens were sold at clearance prices. This is strange. It’s only spinach and milk that have been banned. People are overreacting too much. …That’s why.　
I feel sorry for the farmers. They are innocent victims.

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謹んでお見舞い申し上げます。

このたびの東北地方太平洋沖地震により、被災を受けられた皆様に謹んでお見舞い申し上げます。一日も早く復旧されますことを心よりお祈り申し上げます。
  
 
To all the victims and the families who lost loved one and who are injured
 
I’d like to express my sympathy for the enormous loss of life and devastation caused by the  latest earthquake　that jolted northeast Japan.
May my prayer come true that all of the disaster areas will be rebuilt soon.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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おかしくね？　このニュース。

 
 
 
 
 
ディクテーションをしていて、これほど不可解かつ不愉快な気持ちになったことはありません。
①なぜこのお父さんたちは、日本にいる子供たちに会えなくなったのか？
⇒どうせ家庭内暴力とか、アルコールとか、ギャンブルとか、浮気が原因なんでしょ？
 
②なぜTV局は、拉致（abducted）という言葉を用いるのか？⇒　根拠も無しにこんな極端な言葉を使うのは、視聴率を稼ぎたいからなんでしょ、ABCさん？
 
 
子供と会えなくなった原因については何も触れず、ただ一方的に日本を悪者に仕立て上げているこの番組、納得できないよ、どう考えても。
 
動画は下記クリック↓。 
 
 
 
If I get to see my kids again, then I’ll definitely want to give my heart, kiss and say I love you very much. And I’ll also say that this is not your fault. What’s happened to my kids is just wrong.
And it was unforunate that they’ve been separated from me, from her loving father in their lives. I really can’t wait to be a part of their life again and
I can’t wait to be reunited with my children so I can hold them and love them and hug them again
jus like I used to right before the abduction.
 
I’d say Keisuke,  I love you and miss you so very much. Everyday is so hard just to get through. Your granma Joan misses you. Cousins,McKenzie and Reily, your uncle Rod and Daina. I haven’t forgotten you. We are gonna stop fighting for you.
I can’t wait to  see you again. I just… I miss you so much. I pray everyday tha  today is the day that I’ll see your ?????? again. I love you.
 
All I can say is I’m not gonna give up.
I want my daughter home. I’ll continue to fight. And my daughter knows this. Hopefully the Japanese knows this. The state department knows this. My daughter is coming home, she’s an American.
 
Erika was abducted when she was night months old. So she’s been a part of my life for a nine,tenth of her life. I was only a life of her for the first one tenth of this. So she won’t remember me. So what I really want to say to her is “Erika. I do want to get to know you. I do want you to be my daughter, I want to be your father. I want you to meet… You have  many relatives who love you here in the states. Much a great deal of family , aunts, uncles and cousins and your grandparents who are hanging on to life, waiting for the chance to meet you, and to get to know you. So we are all waiting for you here with our arms wide open for a big hug when you come. I just can’t  wait to get to know you someday. I love you. 
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たった２セント不足しただけなのに・・・

 

その事件は、コロラド州デンバーの夫婦に突然起こった。 

夫がガンで入院。 

莫大な治療費が重くのしかかる。 

こんな時のためにと入っていたガン保険。　奥さんは請求手続きを取った。 

しかしなんと保険金支払いは途中で中断。　原因は奥さんが当月の保険金を誤って少なく振り込んだこと。その差額たったの２セント。（日本円で１円６６銭）　 

「ひどい、あんまりだ。」絶望感に打ちひしがれる夫婦。 

やってられないなあ、こんな目にあったら。　せめて定期引き落としだったらこんなことにはならなかっただろうに。 

だが、救いの神はちゃんといた。　TV局側が徹底追求した結果、保険会社側が折れたのである。

おかげで保険金支払いは再開され、夫は移植手術を受けられることに。

めでたしめでたし。

それにしてもこの保険会社のしらばっくれた応対には腹が立つ。このようなケースは今回が初めてではなく、過去にもあったものと感じさせる。泣き寝入りした顧客もいたのではないか？　そう思うとやるせなさに襲われる。

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiaoRGDHHZY

本文

Imagine this. A vietnam veteran has cancer and is awaiting  a stemcell transplant, when suddenly the insurance company revoked his coverage, revoked because his premium payment was two cents, two cents short. We learned of  this story from our Denver station KMGH.
David Muir picked up a phone to get answers and got results.
It’s doctor’s appointment they’ll never forget. Ronald Flanagan,fighting cancer, multiple myeloma,  was just moments away from getting a bone biopsy when his wife, in the lobby, heard this.
They told me, well, you know, you don’t have no insurance.
The couple was stunned. Especially because Ron was soon to get a stem cell transplant. Doctors had found a match. But their Cobra insurance coverage they were paying for after his wife was laid off, had suddenly been cut off. All because of a two-cent discrepancy. The last bill, $328.69, Francis paid $328.67.- two cents less by accident. Everybody is very surprised that two cents is enough to do this. And now we’re just pulling teeth and trying to figure out what’s the next step.  Today,we called up that Cobra provider, Ceridian.
It’s David Muir at ABC world news in New York. First put on hold,then told by another worker we’d get a call back. And this afternoon, we heard from Ceridian. Could this possibly be true that they wdre dropped over two cents? WE’ve reviewed the situation throughly and to establish facts and we’re pleased to say that we’ve been able to work with the employer and Mr. Flanagan’s Cobra coverage was reinstated. I just got off the phone with his wife and they have not been told that yet.  We are n the process of communicating with them. The Flanagan’s confirmed after so much worry over that two-cent error. It’s finally over. What would you say to mr. Flanagan tonight? Would you offer an apology?  For what, specifically?
Knowing that ,they were dropped because of a two-cent discrepancy as he waits for a stem cell transplant? We followed the normal processes, which are in complete compliance with the law and the regulations. Mr.Flanagan tells us he’s already been back on the phone with the transplant coordinator telling him he has his insurance back now, trying to get back on that schedule. Diane?
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大舞台で国歌をまちがえるハプニング　－　2011年スーパーボウル。

動画を再生しながら歌詞を見比べてください。

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj5NPNe3jNU

赤の部分が歌い間違えた個所です。

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro’ the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watch’d, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

きっとこの歌手、一生言われ続けるでしょうね。　かわいそう。

さて「歌い間違えた」を英語でどう表現するのでしょう？

Huffington Postというニュースサイトでは、Christina Aguilera　totally messed up the national anthem. またAP通信では、Christina Aguilera majorly botched the national anthem.というようにbotchという語を使っていました。

覚えておくと便利かもしれませんね。

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英作文チャレンジコーナー（はいはい道新） Hokkaido Newspaper “Readers’ voice column”

 

毎日通勤で通る道で気になっていることがあります。いつも通るその道は冬は車一台分くらいの幅しか除雪されておらず、歩道は除雪後の雪が山積み。近く小学校に通う子どもたちは仕方なく車道を歩くしかありません。車とすれ違う時は交通事故に巻き込まれるのではないかといつもひやひやします。幹線道路の除雪も大事ですが、子どもたちの安全のためにも通学路の歩道を最優先で除雪してほしいものです。（1月３1日　道新）

There’s something on my mind about the road I take everyday on my way to work. For this road, the snow shoveling is not done enough, making it as wide as a single car lane.

The shoveled snow gets pushed aside, blocking people from walking on the sidewalks. Thus, children going to school or a facility have no option but to walk on the road instead. It makes me shiver every time I see cars passing by, causing me to fear the  kids might get involved in an accident.

It’s important to clear trunk roads of snow. But I want the authority to carry out snow clearance on school roads for school children’s safety .

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日本を称賛！　オーストラリアのメディア

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
いやあ日本やりましたね！　眠い目をこすってTV観戦した甲斐がありました。　試合後も目が冴えて寝られそうになかったので、ネットを見ていたところオーストラリアのシドニーモーニングヘラルドという新聞社が真っ先に特集記事を掲載。読んでみると日本の事を好意的に書いています。二重にうれしくなったので訳してみました。
 
 
Japan are the Asian champions for a record breaking fourth time, taking the crown in a thrilling battle over a gallant Australia with a brilliant extra time strike from substitute Tadanari Lee who volleyed home a cross from Yuto Ngatomo in the 109th minute of a scintillating Asian Cup final. 

日本はアジアカップ大会において記録破りとなる4回目のチャンピオンとなった。決勝戦開始後１０９分目、途中から出場した李忠成選手が長友佑都からのクロスパスをゴール。　延長戦におけるこの一撃で、果敢なオーストラリアとのスリルある戦いを制し、栄冠を勝ち取った。

Lee, who had only been on the pitch a few minutes, found himself unmarked and with the sort of time and space he could only have dreamed of to measure a perfect textbook volley that gave Mark Schwarzer, playing a record-setting 88th time for Australia, no chance.

それまでピッチに出たのが数分しかなかった李選手は、自分がマークされておらず、お手本通りの完璧なシュートを決めるに充分な時間と空間が与えられているのに気づいた。そのシュートはオーストラリア代表出場８８回という記録を持つゴールキーパーのマークシュワルツアー選手に捕らえるチャンスを与えなかった。

This was a game that neither side deserved to lose, but, as the nerve-shredding prospect of a penalty shoot-out loomed, it was fitting that a game of this calibre and status was decided in open play, however heartbreaking for the losers.

双方とも負けに値しない試合をした。胸が張り裂けるようなPK戦の兆しが見え始めた時に、オープンプレーで勝敗がついた。敗者には気の毒だがこの種の試合では適切な終わり方だった。

The Socceroos can, however, hold their heads up high. They dominated much of the game, playing football of fluency, craft and sophistication that many did not think them capable of, especially in the first half.

オーストラリア選手も堂々と胸を張っていい。試合の大部分は彼らが握り、流暢で巧みで洗練されたサッカーをしていた。このような結末になると思わなかった人は多いだろう。特に前半戦は。

But full credit has to go to Japan, who had come through a torrid semi final with South Korea just four days earlier, a match that had been decided in a penalty shoot-out. As revenge for that day of Australian jubiliation in Kaiserslautern five years ago, when the Socceroos came back from canvas to destroy the Blue Samurai’s World Cup dreams with a 3-1 win, this was as good as it gets.

だが総合的に見て、栄誉は日本側に与えねばなるまい。日本はつい４日前、韓国との激しい戦いをPK戦で制したばかりだ。また５年前にドイツのカイザースラウルテンで、オーストラリアは日本を３－１で破り、サムライニッポンのワールドカップの夢を打ち砕いて歓喜の渦にわいた。その日のリベンジとして、このゲームはとても素晴らしいものだった。

 

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英作文チャレンジコーナー（はいはい道新） Hokkaido Newspaper “Readers’ voice column”

料理に使うため、ピーマンに似た野菜のパプリカを一個買ってきました。
大きめの黄色いパプリカでしたが、ヘタの近くに傷みがあったので輪切りにすると、なんと実の中に同じ色の小さなパプリカが胎児みたいに入っていたんです。
家庭菜園でピーマンを栽培していますが、こんなのは見たことがなくびっくりしました。ひょとしたら何かいいことがある前兆かもしれないですね。夫は「宝くじでも買っておけ」ですって。(北海道新聞　２０１１年１月２５日）
 
  
 
 
 
 
I bought a paprika, a vegetable that looks like Japanese “peeman”, for my cooking purpose.
It was big and yellow.
There were some bruises near the calyx, so I thought of cutting it into round slices.
As soon as I cut it open, there was  another paprika of the same color inside.  It looked like an unborn baby growing inside.
I grow “peeman” (green peppers) in my own vegetable garden, but nothing like this happened to me before.
Maybe this is a sign of good luck.
 “Why not buy some lottery tickets?” says my husband.
 
 
 
 
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たった今入った映像。多重衝突スリップ事故

 

つい昨日アメリカで放映された映像です。　

異常気象が続く昨今、これはアメリカだけの問題ではなく、日本でも起こりえます。

北海道以外のみなさん、特に坂道の多い地域のみなさん。気を付けてくださいね。

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRkZSP_jq5M

 

The more freezing rain is falling right now that’s on top of the half inch of ice that pretty much coats everything around

And across this part of the country, it is proving to be a big danger for drivers.

 

This SUV is spinning in circles. Barreling out of control, downhill, with just one way to stop. Seconds later, it started all over again.Parked cars were like pinball bumpers to this driver. The brakes, no use. The wild rides continued.

A convoy of collisions on this Pittsburgh street, even as crash　victims like these children, were escaping the mounting wreckage.  In Pittsburgh alone, forty-five crashes choked up to ice.  At least seventy people treated in the E.R.(emergency room) for slips and falls.  

The storm packed with sleet and freezing rain moved further, northeast to near Boston, where instead of driving, cars were skating. 

 

The hills. It’s tough on the hills. In New Haven Conneticut, a backwards approach to drive home.  

Parking lots and streets looked like ice links.

 

We just started sliding and stopped, because I didn’t want to hit the car over here. Dropping rain and dropping temperature is not the only problem for this storm. Another ten ionches of snow could fall in parts of northern new England. And other places are suffering too. In Genessee county, Michigan, a dramatic rescue.

 

Look closely under this semi…  There is a car down there. A driver was pinned inside. He had spun out.

The truck driver tried to avoid him, but instead they both wound up in the ditch. Hard to believe judging from this damage, but somehow the driver escaped unhurt.

 

Back here in Conneticut, some seven hundred emergency calls came pouring in to state police yesterday during the morning rush.

 

Robin ther are hoping for a quieter one today.

Look at the background. All the snow still on the streets and piled up high there in Cheshire.

 

 

 

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英作文チャレンジコーナー（はいはい道新） Hokkaido Newspaper “Readers’ voice column”

 
 
 
地産地消をうたった懸賞に私と夫の名前で２通応募しました。あまり期待せずにいたところ、主催者から当選の知らせがあり、希望した魚の一夜干しセットが届きました。大好物のツボダイのほかホッケ、カレイ、など５種類の干物が１０点ほど入っていて夫婦で大喜びです。六日間続けて夕飯でいただきましたが、日頃スーパーで購入している干物とは違い、どれも特上品で大満足でした。久々にうれしい思いを味わいましたよ。（北海道新聞　２０１１年１月１７日号）
 
My husband and I signed for a prize contest whose slogan was “Produce locally, consume locally”. We sent in two applications with our names respectively.
Though not expecting to win, we got a notice from the authority that we won the prize, a set of “Ichiyaboshi ” or overnight dried fish we had wished for.
There were about ten fish of five species, such as my favorite Tsubodai (Japanese armorhead), Hokke (Atka mackerel), Karei (Flatfish).
We were both pleased with the prize.  We ate them for dinner for six consecutive days.  All of them were of high quality and not the kind that you can get at a regular superstore. We never had tasted happy moments like this for a long time.