究極の塩

日本は塩の国。

だから、国産の塩が１番美味しい、そう思っていた。

ところが、ヒマラヤ産のピンク色の岩塩、これが旨い！

どこがどう違うのか、よく分からないが、何しろ究極。

なんと、天ぷらにも合う。

それでいて値段は300円弱。

今のところ自分にとってはこの塩が1番！

結論：ヒマラヤ産のピンク色の岩塩を試せ！

ヒマラヤのピンク岩塩

【ライジング・サン】交渉シーン

1980年代、かつて日本が世界中から恐れられていた時代があった。

そのような背景のもとに製作された映画「ライジング・サン」

小説の中で米国人が日本人を評して言うセリフ、

「彼らはルールがないわけではない。彼らのルールで動いているんだ」

妙に印象に残った。

Mr Yoshida says, "We regret we can go no further." "This is our final proposal." "Your company will benefit greatly from this new relationship." "Now you must decide the fate of MicroCon."

(man whispers) We should close at this price. Let's see if we can hold out till Congress votes. We can't pull back just now. Deal's too far gone.

We can't pull back just now. Deal's too far gone.

- (on monitor) They'll suspect if we stall.

- They'll suspect if we stall. Listen, I'm the last guy who wants to screwthis up. Deal's too good, but we have to have some strategy.

That's what I'm saying.

They're going to stall.

Hey, guys.

- How's it going?

- Good. If there's anything you don't understand...

Oh, no. We're uh...

- We're fine.

- Great. That's good to hear.

You're gonna be part of a great team.

(whispers) Once these guys draw a line in the sand, that's pretty much it.

You want that research and development money, don'tyou?

Nakamoto Group can do a lot for you.

- Yeah, right.

- Great.

That guy is an asshole.

That guy is an asshole

【筆者による日本語訳】

（ナカモト側の日系アメリカ人）

吉田さんはこう言っています。

「これ以上はありません。これが最終的な提案です。御社はこの新しい関係から大きな利益を得るでしょう。マイクロコンの運命を決めなくてはなりません」

（マイクロコン側の囁く男たち）

この値段で決めるべきだ。

議会の採決まで持ちこたえられるか試してみよう。

今さら引き下がるわけにはいかない。

取引はもう限界だ。

（ナカモト側の盗聴者）

今引き上げるわけにはいかない。

交渉は決裂だ。

（マイクロコン側の囁く男たち）

引き延ばせば疑われる。

（ナカモト側の盗聴者）

もし我々が引き延ばせば、彼らは疑うだろう。

いいか、私はこれを台無しにしたくない。

ディールはあまりに良いが、我々は戦略的であるべきだ。

（マイクロコン側の囁く男たち）

それはまさに私の言っていることだ。

（ナカモト側の日系アメリカ人）

引き延ばすつもりだ。

（ナカモト側のアメリカ人とマイクロコン側の囁く男たち）

やあ。調子はどうだ？

順調だ。

何か分からないことがあれば...

ああ、いや。私たちは...

大丈夫です。

よかった。それは良かった。

君たちは素晴らしいチームの一員になれる。

一旦彼らが譲れない線を示したら、それは本当に譲れないんだよ。研究開発費が欲しいんだろ？　ナカモトグループなら、いろいろやってくれるよ。

ああ、そうだな。

素晴らしい。

（マイクロコン側の囁く男たち）

あいつはクソだ。

（ナカモト側の盗聴者）

あいつはクソだ。

結論：日本にも「日,出る国」だったときがあった！

【バック・トゥ・ザ・フューチャー】ギター熱演シーン

俗にBTTFと呼ばれる「バック・トゥ・ザ・フューチャー」

1番印象に残るのがこのシーン。

マイケル・J・フォックスの大熱演！

Marty: Something that really cooks. Alright, alright this is an oldie, but uh, it's an oldie where I come from. Alright guys, let's do some blues riff in b, watch me for the changes, and uh, try and keep up, okay.

Boyfriend: Hey George, heard you laid out Biff, nice going.

Girlfriend: George: you ever think of running for class president?

Marvin Barry: John, John, its' your cousin. Your cousin Marvin Barry, you know that new sound you're lookin for, well listen to this.

Marty: I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet. But your kids are gonna love it.

結論：アメリカにもドン引きってあるんだ！

【JFK】法廷シーン

ケヴィン・コスナーの法廷における熱弁のシーン。

あらためて見るとケネディー大統領は色々な方向から何発も撃たれているようだ。

頭のおかしい人間が思いつきで狙撃したとは到底思えない。

So, what really happened that day? 

Let's just for a moment speculate, shall we? 

We have the epileptic seizure... 

...distracting the police and allowing the shooters to get into place. 

The epileptic later vanished, never checking into the hospital. 

The A-team goes to the sixth floor of the Depository. 

They were refurbishing the floors of the Depository that week... 

...allowing unknown workmen in the building. 

They move quickly into position, minutes before the shooting. 

The second spotter, talking by radio to the other teams, has the best overall view. 

The God spot. 

B-team, one rifleman and one spotter with access to the building... 

...moves into a low floor of the Dal-Tex building. 

The third team, C-team, moves in behind the fence above the grassy knoll... 

...where the shooter and the spotter are first seen by the late Lee Bowers. 

They have the best position. 

Kennedy is close and on a flat, low trajectory. 

Part of this team is a coordinator... 

...who flashed security credentials at people, chasing them from the area. 

Probably two to three more men are in the crowd. 

Ten to twelve men. Three teams. Three shooters. 

The triangulation of fire Clay Shaw and David Ferrie discussed two months before. 

They blocked the plaza. 

They know every inch. 

They've calibrated their sights. Practiced on moving targets. 

They're ready. 

Kennedy's motorcade makes a turn from Main onto Houston. 

It's going to be a turkey shoot. 

They don't shoot him on Houston... 

...the easiest shot for a single shooter in the Depository. 

They wait till he gets to the killing zone between three rifles. 

Kennedy makes the turn from Houston onto Elm. 

Slowing down to some 11 miles an hour. 

The shooters across Dealey Plaza tighten, taking their aim. 

Waiting for the radio to say, "Green! Green!" 

Or, "Abort! Abort!" 

The first shot rings out. 

Sounding like a backfire, it misses the car completely. 

Frame 161, Kennedy stops waving as he hears something. 

Connally's head turns slightly to the right. 

Frame 193, the second shot hits Kennedy in the throat from the front. 

Frame 225, Kennedy emerges from behind the road sign. 

He's been hit, raising his hands to his throat. 

The third shot, frame 232... 

...hits Kennedy in the back, pulling him downward and forward. 

Connally, you will notice, shows no sign of being hit. 

He is holding his Stetson, which is impossible if his wrist is shattered. 

Connally is turning now. 

Frame 238. The fourth shot. 

It misses Kennedy and takes Connally in the back. 

This is the shot that proves there were two rifles. 

Connally yells, "My God! They're going to kill us all!" 

Around this time, another shot misses the car completely... 

...striking James Teague by the underpass. 

The car brakes. 

The sixth and fatal shot. 

Frame 313, takes Kennedy in the head from the front. 

This is the key shot. 

The President going back and to his left... 

...shot from the front and right. 

Totally inconsistent with the shot from the Depository. 

Again. 

Back, and to the left. 

Back, and to the left. 

Back, and to the left. 

結論：真実が明らかになるのはいつか？

【ハリー・ポッターと賢者の石】列車での出会いシーン

 「ハリー・ポッターと賢者の石」は1997年の子供向け小説。

それを映画化したのが2001年。

数々の名場面があるが、ここに紹介するのはハリー・ポッターとロン、ハマイオニーとの出会いの列車のシーン。

Ron: Excuse me, do you mind? Everywhere else is full.

Harry: No, not at all.

Ron: I'm Ron, by the way. Ron Weasley.

Harry: I'm Harry. Harry Potter.

Ron: So-so it's true?! I mean, do you really have the...the...

Harry: The what?

Ron: Scar...?

Harry: Oh, yeah. 

Ron: Wicked.

Woman: Anything off the trolley, dears?

Ron: No, thanks, I'm all set.

Harry: We'll take the lot!

Ron: Whoa!

Harry: Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans?

Ron: They mean every flavour! There's chocolate and peppermint, and there's also spinach, liver and tripe. George sweared he got a bogey-flavoured one once!

Harry: These aren't real chocolate frogs, are they?

Ron: It's only a spell. Besides, it's the cards you want. Each pack's got a famous witch or wizard. I got about 500 meself.

Ron: Oh, that's rotten luck. They've only got one good jump in them to begin with.

Harry: Hey, I got Dumbledore!

Ron: I got about 6 of him.

Harry: Hey, he's gone!

Ron: Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day, can you? This is Scabbers, by the way, pitiful, isn't he?

Harry: Just a little bit.

Ron: Fred gave me a spell as to turn him yellow. Want to see?

Harry: Yeah!

Ron: Ahem. Sun-

Hermione: Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one.

Ron: No.

Hermione: Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see then.

Ron: Aghhhemm. Sunshine, daises, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!

Hermione: Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good, is it? Of course I've only tried a few simple spells myself, and they've all worked for me. For example... Oculus Reparo. That's better, isn't it? Holy Cricket, you're Harry Potter. I'm Hermione Granger...and you are...?

Ron: I'm...Ron Weasley.

Hermione: Pleasure. You two better change into your robes. I expect we'll be arriving soon. You've got dirt, on your nose, by the way, did you know? Just there.

結論：3人の出会い、ここからすべてが始まった。

【新型コロナに感染したらこうなった】

YouTubeでテレ東の動画を観ていたら、こんなのが出てきた。

いつも冴えた解説をしている豊島晋作さん。

なんと、今年の1月中旬にコロナにかかって死にそうな目にあったのだとか。

さすがに報道やっているだけあって、御自分の病気の描写もうまい！

聴いているこっちまで病気になった気がした。

何とか生還できたからよかったものの、一歩間違えたら死ぬところだった。

それでも医学的には軽症に分類されるわけだ。

結論：やっぱりコロナは手強い！

【YouTubeで英語リスニングの勉強】 「プリティ・ウーマン」 ホテルマネージャーのシーン

  YouTubeは英語リスニングの勉強にも使える。

特に教材としては映画が良い。

古今東西の英語の映画を使う。

これらの名場面がYouTubeには断片的に出ている。

だいたい5分とか10分とかの長さだ。

一方、映画のスクリプトもネットのどこかにある。

これらを組み合わせると最強の英語リスニング教材だ。

Excuse me, miss, may I help you ? 

I'm going to my room.

Uh, do you have a key ? 

Oh. I forgot that cardboard thing. I'm on the top floor. 

You're a guest here ?

I'm with a friend. 

And who would that be ?

Edward. 

Edward ?

Edward... Edward, uh--

He knows me. 

Dennis. Dennis, did you just come off the night shift ? Hmm ?

Yes, sir. 

Do you know this young lady ?

She's with Mr. Lewis.

Mr. Lewis. That's it. Edward Lewis ! Thanks, Dennis.

Evidently she joined him last night. 

Thank you.

Oh, God ! What now ? What ? What ? What is with everybody today ? 

No, no. It's all right. Just come with me. We'll have a little chat. Thank you. Dennis, thank you. 

I'm coming.

Uh, what is your name, miss ? 

What do you want it to be ?

Don't play with me, young lady. 

Vivian.

Thank you. Vivian. Well, Miss Vivian. Things that go on in other hotels don't happen at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. Now, Mr. Lewis, however, is a very special customer, and we like to think of our special customers as friends.  Now, as a customer, we would expect Mr. Lewis to sign in any additional guests, but as a friend, we're willing to overlook it.  Now, I'm assuming that you're a--- Relative ? 

Yes.

I thought so. Then you must be his--

Niece ?

Of course. Naturally, when Mr. Lewis leaves, I won't see you in this hotel again.  I assume you have no other uncles here. Good ! Then we understand each other. I would also encourage you... to dress a little more appropriately; that'll be all.

No, that's not all. That's what I was trying to do. I tried to go...get a dress on Rodeo Drive today, and the women wouldn't help me. And I have all this money now and no dress ! Not that I expect you to help me, but I have all of this, okay ? I have to buy a dress for dinner tonight. And nobody will help me. Oh, man, if you're callin' the cops. Yeah, call the cops. That's great. Tell 'em I said hi.

Women's clothing. Bridget, please. Yes, Bridget. Hello. This is Barnard Thompson here at the Regent Beverly Wil-- Thank you, yes, but I'd like you to do a favor for me, please. I'm sending someone over. Her name is Vivian. She's a special guest. She's the niece of a very special guest.

結論：さすがに映画の1シーンはどこを取っても印象的