これ、何時もと逆ですね！

日本への旅行者に 「 生もの食べるな 」 と中国政府
2006年12月26日（火）10:48

　【北京＝末続哲也】 新華社電によると、中国外務省は２５日、
日本を訪れる予定の自国民向けに、「 （日本では） 予防措置をとり、
生の海鮮類を出来るだけ食べない」よう注意を喚起した。
　日本のノロウイルス大流行を受けたもので、中国当局がこうした
措置をとるのは異例。

　新華社電は 「 今回の疫病発生状況は２５年間で最も深刻で、
現在、すでに数万人が感染し、数人が死亡した 」 と伝え、予防対策
として食前・食後の手洗いや、食品の加熱処理などを紹介している。

・・・ 言われちゃいましたね！(＞＜)・゜゜☆
　
　
　
　

Ｘｍａｓ に見たい映画と本

スノーマン


スノーマン
レイモンド ブリッグス


Ｘｍａｓ には お奨めの物語です。
もうねぇ～、ボーイ・ソプラノがどれだけ天使の歌声に近いかが、
身に染みて分かります。

もっとも、σ(・・*） は、物語から、幽霊の女が飴屋で水飴を買い求め、
死後に出産したらしい赤子を育てていた ・・・ という、とんでもなく
掛け離れた話を連想してしまったのですが！
幽霊は有り得ないが、水飴と赤子が見付かるんですよね。
この話の主人公も、一夜の夢を楽しんだのかと思いきや、どっこい
ポケットに手を入れると ・・・ という、落ちがつきます。　
　
　
　
　

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

今から 100年以上前、ニューヨークに住むバージニア・オハンロンと
いう少女が、新聞 『 ザ・サン 』 紙に 「 サンタクロースは実在するのか 」
という質問をしました ・・・ 。


Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus.

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.


"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."


バージニアの問いかけに対して、同紙の新聞記者フランシス・P・チャーチ
は、社説でこのように答えました。

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest man that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank GOD! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.


この社説は大きな反響を呼びました。
チャーチ亡き後、そして現在でも、クリスマスが近づくと様々な
メディアでこの文章は紹介され続けています。
　
　
　
　

Xmas Card for You！

Coca Cola Christmas Ad 2006