アイルランド（Ireland 🇮🇪）： Simple restorative exercises

２０２０年５月３１日（Sun.）　COVID19に関する各種の規制や自粛要請、また、それとは別に自主規制を続けている方も多いことでしょう、どこの国でも。そこで、アイルランドから簡単なエクササイズを紹介していますので、関心がある方はご覧下さい。（ニュースソース：　The Irish Times ５月３１日発　）

＜原文の一部＞

Simple restorative exercises that can improve your posture after all the sitting

From your eyes to those toes, this regime can restore weary muscles and provide relief

Done correctly, this exercise routine can make you feel better. Image: Todd Detwiler/New York Times

Whether you are hunched over a laptop in a makeshift workspace or slouched on the couch binge-watching TV, you know – and can feel – that sitting for long periods can sabotage your health.

From head to toe, these simple exercises can provide relief, restore muscle function and improve posture.

1) For strained eyes

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Too much screen time can result in headaches, blurred vision and itchy eyes. To alleviate strain and strengthen your eyes, try eye rolls.

Sit up straight and look down to your right, roll your eyes toward the sky, then to the left and down back to the ground. Then roll your eyes in the opposite direction.

Repeat five times.

2) For sore a neck and tense shoulders

Typing on a computer or tapping on a phone – whether standing or sitting – draws our focus and our head forward as we look down. As that happens, the upper trapezius muscle and neck lengthen and tense, and the muscles in the front of our body contract and shorten. Over time, that causes tension in the neck, shoulders and upper back.

This self-massage technique immediately releases neck tension: start by looking over each shoulder and noticing where your gaze lands. Now, start the stretch on the right side by dropping your right ear to your right shoulder. Take two fingers to the top of your neck behind your left ear and find the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the little valley that runs down your neck. Gently walk your fingers down this muscle, palpitating as you go. Repeat on the other side. Now look over your shoulders again and notice how far you can see. You can do this stretch standing or sitting.

（注：　以下、転載省略。　・・・　原文サイトはこちら　・・・　）

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今日の愛知県（平野部）は、雨が降ったり止んだりの空模様。その為、TVなどを長時間に渡って観たりして肩が凝ってきています。なので、こうしたエクササイズも有効かと思います。

＊＊＊　下の写真は、記事内容とは関係ありません。

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ドイツ（Germany 🇩🇪）： creative social distancing tricks

２０２０年５月３０日（Sat.）　これらも新しい生活スタイルの一部分になるのでしょうね、きっと。（ニュースソース：　 DWーDE  ５月２７日発　）

＜原文の一部＞

Germany finds creative social distancing tricks

With social distancing rules to stay in place till late June in Germany, cultural institutions are finding ingenuous ways to safely bring people together. From noodle hats to parking lot prayers, here's a selection.

（超抜粋）ソーシャル・ディスタンスを確保する為の、様々なアイデアが実施されています。（意訳）

While the German government has announced on Tuesday that social distancing measures will apply until June 29, a broad spectrum of cultural institutions in the country are already finding unique ways to maintain a 1.5-meter distance between people from different households.

Let's dance

In the university city of Münster in western Germany, a socially-distanced rave already took place on May 21, with patrons dancing within circles drawn 1.5 meters apart. 

The party at the Coconut Beach club in Münster featured a line-up of DJs who were secure behind the decks that were surrounded by plexiglass. The capacity was cut from 2,000 to 100, and even though tickets cost a premium €70 ($77), they were sold out within 15 minutes. As party people let loose after a seemingly interminable lockdown, they still faced a number of restrictions. Only groups of four were able to hang at designated areas around the bar.

Renowned house music DJ Gerd Janson, who took an 80% pay cut to play, told club culture website Resident Advisor that the night was about showing "how to make things possible again … it went really well: a bittersweet mixture of nostalgia and hope." 

（注：　和訳省略。且つ、中略）

Old hat 

In terms of culinary culture, one restaurateur has got creative with his spare seats, meaning distanced guests won't be sitting next to empty space but teddy bears. The Beef'n Beer restaurant in Hofheim in the state of Hesse has utilized the cuddly toys (see top image) as a much friendlier alternative to barrier markers or plexiglass. 

（抜粋）先頭の写真は、レストランでの対策の一つ。アクリル版での隔離等ではなくてテディベアを座らせることによって間隙を確保しています。

Such gimmicks were happening back in mid-May when restaurants reopened in the city of Schwerin in northern Germany. At Konditorei Café Rothe, pool noodle hats were handed out to guests on a sunny day to enforce social distancing measures. Social media was abuzz, with one Twitter user warming the US what is to come.

（抜粋）ドイツ北部での街のレストランでのことですが、pool noodle（プールで泳ぐ時などに用いる“浮き“代わりの細長いもの）を帽子にして間隙を確保しようとしています。

（注：　以下、転載省略。　・・・　原文サイトはこちら　・・・　）

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何れも、実質的な効果の優劣はつけ難いものがありますが、アイデアとしての話題性には尽きないものを感じました。ちなみに、テディベアの元祖はドイツの“Steiff“社（シュタイフ）と言われていますので同社のものかと思いましたが、特徴である左耳のタグが確認出来ませんので、同社製のものではないかも知れません。

また、pool noodle とは一体何なの？　と思って調べた結果が、訳文に記述した内容でした。

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日本も第二波に襲われない為に、早めの先手先手の対策を講じるべきです。“前車の轍を踏むな“です。しかし、これまでのところ、政権も都知事も危ない印象しかありません。

＊＊＊　下の写真は、記事内容とは関係ありません。

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アイルランド（Ireland 🇮🇪）： friendships with foxes

２０２０年５月２９日（Fri.）　野生のキツネとの触れ合いが少しばかり心を癒してくれます。（ニュースソース：　RTE   ５月２８日発　）

＜原文の一部＞

Faithful farmers forge unlikely friendships with foxes

Some unusual friendships have developed between a number of Co Offaly farmers and wild foxes, largely due to restrictions associated with Covid-19.

Retired dairy farmer Tony Bergin is cocooning at home near Roscrea.

A wild fox began visiting his home over two months ago, and since then, the trust and friendship between the two has developed.

Now every evening after his tea, the 90-year-old brings food out to the yard to the fox.

After a few whistles and calling him, the fox appears.

The friendship has developed to the point that the fox now takes the food from his lap.

Mr Bergin said that he has been cocooned at home for over two months and that the fox has broken the boredom for him.

"I'm really glad that this happened, and I look forward every evening to the fox's visit," he said. "He comes nearly every evening when I call him."

The fox has been named after the virus that forged the relationship.

"I call him Covi, after Covid-19, and I hope he doesn't get it or give it to me," Mr Bergin joked.

Near Shannon Harbour in the Faithful County, farmer Martin Guinan is raising two orphaned fox cubs.

The organic farmer has been feeding them three times daily for the past two months.

He said that the restrictions of Covid-19 has given him a better appreciation of his natural surroundings.

"With the restrictions, people are now noticing their surroundings more and more.

"Before this, I wouldn't have given much heed to two fox cubs one way or another. But now I find that I'm more alert to nature and my surroundings."

Mr Guinan said that the fox cubs were very small when he first saw them, but that they are now growing strong.

"I really love watching them grow, it's really fascinating to see their individual personalities develop, but I'm careful not to get too close and respect their wild nature," he added.

The siblings have been named Rocky and Ivy after the area where they were discovered.

（注：　原文を流し読みして下さい。キツネとの触れ合い事例が２話書かれています。一つ目はアイルランド中部でのこと。９０歳の老人と一匹のキツネの話。餌をやるようになって、ついには老人の膝の上の餌を食べるようにまでなったと書かれています。また、二つ目の話は写真のもので、２匹の子狐（親なし）に餌をやる話で、出会った時から比べると大きく育っているとのことが書かれています。ちなみに、原文サイトには９０歳の老人とキツネの写真も紹介されています。）

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ところで、二つ目の小狐の話題はシャノン港に近いと書かれています。シャノンと言えばアイリッシュコーヒー発祥の場所と記憶しています。そして、そのコーヒーは、あくまでアイリッシュウィスキーを加えたものであることが呼び名の条件でもあります・・・、蛇足でした。

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話題を変えます。北九州市や東京での感染者数（COVID19）が増加に転じています。第二波と考えるべきでしょう、安全サイドに考えて。しかし、これを政権は否定するような発言をしています、信じられません。１月下旬からの初動のミスを繰り返すのでしょうか・・・。

＊＊＊　下の写真は、記事内容とは関係ありません。

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デンマーク（Denmark 🇩🇰）： Danish giants teaming up

２０２０年５月２８日（Thu.）　こうしたデンマークでの共同事業には見習いたいところがあると思います。（ニュースソース：　CPH POST ONLINE  ５月２６日発　）

＜原文の一部＞

Danish giants teaming up in massive sustainability project

SAS, Mærsk, CPH Airport and Ørsted among the companies partnering up to develop a huge green fuel production plant in Copenhagen

（注：　原文を流し読みして下さい。）

Big players teaming up to reduce emissions (photo: Ørsted)

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Leading companies in Denmark, including SAS, Mærsk, CPH Airport and Ørsted, have pooled resources in a bid to produce an industrial-scale sustainable fuel plant in Copenhagen.

The effort – which aims to produce green fuel for road, maritime and air transport – has a vision to become one of the world’s biggest plants for electrolysis and the production of sustainable fuel.

DSV, DFDS and Copenhagen Municipality are also part of the plan, while consultancy groups COWI and BCG (Boston Consulting Group) will act as knowledge support partners. 

“In Copenhagen, we’ve set the ambitious goal to become the world’s first carbon neutral capital by 2025. We’re already well underway – with district heating, wind turbines, great biking infrastructure, zero emission buses, a green metro etc,” said Copenhagen Mayor Frank Jensen.

“But we need new, sustainable technologies to go all the way. Sustainable fuels are an important means in the fight against climate change and air pollution. It brings us one step closer to a greener future.”

Inspiring the world?
The ambitious project seeks to commence the development of the new production plant for hydrogen and e-fuels as early as 2023. 

When completed in 2030, it is expected that it can produce over 250,000 tonnes of sustainable fuel for all sorts of modes of transport. 

Production will potentially be based on a total electrolyser capacity of 1.3 gigawatts, likely making it one of the largest plants of its kind in the world.

It is believed that the facility could reduce annual carbon emissions by 850,000 tonnes and that it could catalyse the construction of similar projects elsewhere in Denmark and abroad.

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デンマークは、持続可能な社会作りに向けて、様々な企業や自治体等がタイアップして環境に配慮したエネルギー（燃料）を生産するプラントを立ち上げようとしています。

こうした情報に触れると、今だに原発をベースロード電源などと位置付けている日本政府の愚かさが見えて来てしまいます。何をやるにつけても、遅いし従属的にしか見えません。媚び諂い誤魔化し答弁を繰り返すような安倍PMでは、期待など持てる筈もありません。

＊＊＊　下の写真は、記事内容とは関係ありません。

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UK発（datelined UK）： Giant kookaburra

２０２０年５月２７日（Wed.）　たまにはこんな話題も良いのでは？　kookaburra= ワライカワセミ、オーストラリアのニュースです。（ニュースソース：　The Guardian  ５月２７日発　）

＜原文の一部＞

Giant kookaburra built by Australian man during lockdown: 'People adore it'

Farvardin Daliri built the 750kg sculpture, which laughs, to bring joy to the community

An Australian man has used his time in lockdown to create a 750kg sculpture of a laughing kookaburra that he says will bring joy to the community in bleak times.

Dr Farvardin Daliri, an academic and artist, debuted the huge bird this week on the streets of Brisbane, and will soon take it north to the TownsvilleCultural Festival.

“I started making it during Christmas,” he said. “Then the design was altered and I decided to have it laughing, with movement and stuff. It didn’t get completed. But when the lockdown started I had time to basically make it laugh.”

（注：　和訳を省略します。　動画もオモシロイので、是非、原文サイトをご覧下さい。）

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原文サイトには、既に設置されているその他の巨大なモニュメント等も紹介されています。こうした紹介方法もユニークなものを感じます。

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精神的なストレスが溜まっている時、こうした話題に接すると、思わずホッとします。

＊＊＊　下の写真は、記事内容とは関係ありません。

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