Japanese Surgeon's Daily Life

A Cloven Foot

　　This word is used as a derogatory term for Japanese in Korea. The mainstream media and sophisticated people in South Korea don't use this word any more, but this derogatory term is often used in the North. Anyway, this term seems to be derived from the Japanese culture of using "Geta" or "Setta", a Japanese style of clog, which has a cord to fix the foot. This cord runs between the big toe and the second toe. This means, the toe is divided into two parts; a big toe and others. Yes, it's the cloven foot.
　　One thing, the use of "Geta" seems to be good for the health. When you put the "Geta" on, you will come to walk in a proper posture heedlessly applying your weight on both big toes. You'd not suffer from ingrown toe nails by this. Your feet will get dry and this leads to protection from athlete's foot. Most chefs of Japanese traditional cuisine put "Geta" on willingly.
　　Take a look at the following picture. It shows my new walking shoes. It looks like rubber-soled socks which are used by construction workers and farmers. I had to prepare special socks for the shoes, but the shoes are really good.

(Vocabulary)
cleave
1 [他](文) (工具で) 〈材木・岩石など〉 を裂く, 割る
2 [他](フォーマル) 〈社会など〉 を分裂させる, 引き裂く
3 [他](文) 〈水・空気など〉 を切って進む
4 [自] 裂ける, 割れる
[動] (cleaved または clove /klouv/ または cleft /kleft/cleaved または cloven /klóuven/ または cleft)
derogatory term 差別用語
derogatory 〈言葉・人などが〉 侮辱的な, けなすような, 軽蔑(けいべつ)的な
clog /klɑg || klɔg/ [名] 《[C]通例複数形で》 クロッグ (足の甲の部分が革で覆われた木製サンダル)
rubber‐soled socks 地下足袋
apply 体重をかける
in proper posture 正しい姿勢で

Crack of Tires

　　It's getting warmer day by day. The temperature tends to temporarily go down once or twice in March in a normal year, but I expect that I would be able to change the winter tires of my car into summer ones before the end of March.
　　When I changed the summer tires into winter ones last December, the mechanic found a few cracks on the surface of two tires. The cracks looked shallow, but my mechanic advised me to replace two tires in spring at that time. I accepted his advice and decided to buy two in the coming spring.

Buddhist Service

　　During 49 days just after their death, the souls of the departed are said to be in limbo between this world and the next world. They need a guide to the next world and the smoke from incense sticks is thought to play this role, so the bereaved continue to burn incense until the souls reach their destination.
　　The soul of my father reached the next world today and my family performed a Buddhist ceremony to consecrate the Buddhist memorial tablet of my father. This tablet will be placed on the altar of my house and we will pray for him before this tablet in everyday life.

(Vocabulary)
a Buddhist memorial tablet 位牌
a Buddhist ceremony to consecrate a newly-constructed image　開眼供養
consecrate （特別な儀式で）〈建物･土地･物など〉を神聖にする, 清める, 神にささげる, 聖別する

Balloon Fuss And Nord Stream 2 Damage

　　With all the talk of the balloons in the U.S. these days, I'm afraid that we have to pay attention to things behind the scenes, when all media pick the same topic. They behave that way at times to divert attention from something. So, I was wondering if there was something which they wanted to conceal.
　　I learned today about a report by a reliable journalist by the name of Seymour Hersh. He concluded that the culprit of the attack against Nord Stream 2 was the U.S.. If this is the case, the attack is absolutely hostile. Does the U.S. want people in the EU to be frozen to death? Congress might impeach Biden, taking it into consideration that they had impeached Mr.Trump without any solid evidence.

(Vocabulary)
fuss (ささいなことに対する) 大騒ぎ, 空騒ぎ
With all the talk of ～が盛んに語られていますが、、、
at times 往々にして

 

Earthquake in Turkey

　　The news about an apocalyptic terrible earthquake in Turkey came to me. The catastrophic earthquake isn't other people's affairs to us Japanese. I am reminded of the Han-Shin Awaji Earthquake disaster in 1995. I was dispatched to the worst affected area from my hospital just after the quake. As most roads and ports were destroyed, my rescue team was sent by a fishing boat. Japan is subject to some of the worst extreme weather and seismic activities in the world, but it has sort of strong bonds between unfamiliar individuals. My colleagues covered my absence at that time. The medical personnel both those who were sent to the affected area and those who stayed behind were likewise struggling to save people in chaos.
　　The dispatch of surgical staff reduced its scale in about two weeks and then the internist-centered rescue teams were intensified. Following them, psychiatrists, counselors, and school teachers were sent. The army delivered drinkable water and also provided public baths. It is crucially important to prevent the spread of infectious illnesses like dysentery, cholera, and so on. Can these rescue activities be performed in Turkey? As far as I can see in news items or uploaded pictures on the net, the rescue and backup for victims seems to be very slow.
　　Buildings were apparently easily destroyed in the earthquake. They seem to have been made with flimsy materials. Judging from news items in Japan, food supply is barely done. As my assistance for the moment, I donated some money to an NPO which plans to send blankets and generators to Turkey.
　　One more thing. I've expected the mediation between Russia and Ukraine by the Turkish President Erdogan. I'm afraid that he would get his hands full with hard graft recovering from the country's catastrophic disaster.

(Vocabulary)
apocalyptic この世の終わりのような、不吉な、悲惨な；(新約聖書で予言されたような) 終末論的な
flimsy
〈布・服などが〉 薄っぺらな
〈機器・建物などが〉 (構造的に) もろい
〈根拠などが〉 薄弱な, 説得力のない, 〈口実などが〉 見え透いた
mediation 調停, 仲裁
hard graft 大変な苦労