The Korea Herald

What you need to know about rheumatism

HealthJun 9, 2011

Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the joints. In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system ― which is designed to protect our health by attacking foreign cells such as viruses and bacteria ― instead attacks the body’s own tissues, specifically the joints. As a result, fluid buildup causes pain and inflammation. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease
Runners put their (bare) feet down

HealthJun 9, 2011

MINNEAPOLIS ― Christian Peterson has heard the questions so many times that he has stock answers ready: Yes, he knows that he’s running barefoot. No, he didn’t run so fast that he came out of his shoes. And, for the record, he’s not crazy.He has one more answer that typically comes as surprise: It’s not painful. “People are always asking: Does that hurt?” said Peterson, president of the Minnesota
Testosterone may treat dementia, study says

HealthJun 9, 2011

A novel study suggested this week that testosterone could be used in preventing or reducing the symptoms of dementia among post-menopausal women.A research team at Monash University’s Women’s Health program compared a control group of 30 women, who received no treatment, with a group of nine women between the ages of 47 and 60 who received testosterone spray on their skin, which returned their tes
Number of children dying in hot cars spikes

HealthJun 9, 2011

KANSAS CITY ― Forty-nine children in the United States died of heatstroke after they were left in hot cars last year, a grim record.But as child-welfare groups try to prevent more deaths with information campaigns and as inventors work on technical fixes, both efforts founder on a hard reality: Good parents don’t think it can happen to them.It can, experts and statistics say, and new recommendatio
Clubs deny Hong full Olympic squad

SoccerJun 9, 2011

Summer is usually time for a rest for the European football league, but for U23 national team manager Hong Myung-bo, it is crucial: Hong’s U23 team is preparing for the 2012 London Olympic qualifiers. But the former national team captain admitted that he was having difficulty preparing for the qualifying matches. Hong named Thursday a 23-man squad for their Asian qualifier against Jordan this mont
Ji Dong-won to join Sunderland in Premier League

SoccerJun 9, 2011

South Korea’s rising young striker Ji Dong-won of Chunnam Dragons is set to join Sunderland in the English Premier League, an official from Chunnam said Thursday.Chunnam has agreed on a fee with Sunderland for the sale of the 20-year-old striker, according to the club official. The signing fee has not been disclosed but it is reportedly between $1 million and $1.3 million.Sunderland finished 10th
N.K. threatens to disclose voice recordings of secret contact

North KoreaJun 9, 2011

North Korea threatened Thursday to disclose voice recordings of a secret meeting it had with South Korea last month, during which Seoul allegedly proposed holding a series of inter-Korean summits.In a surprise move earlier this week, North Korea reported that the two Koreas held a secret meeting, during which Seoul negotiators had "begged" for three inter-Korean summits, the first in late June at
Waking up with a foreign accent

PodcastJun 9, 2011

An American woman named Karen Butler went to the dentist to remove several teeth and came out speaking a foreign -- slightly Irish -- accent. She is believed to be suffering from a rare neurological disorder called foreign accent syndrome (FAS). This complication was first diagnosed in Norway in 1941 when a woman was hit by shrapnel from an air raid in World War II. Since then, there have only be
Hankook Tire breaks ground for new plant in Indonesia

IndustryJun 9, 2011

Hankook Tire Co., Korea's largest tire maker, said Thursday it began construction of a new plant in Indonesia to increase its presence in the Southeast Asian country and other growing markets in the region.The plant in the Jakarta suburb of Bekasi will be the company's seventh and will cost $350 million for the first phase of its construction, the company said.The construction will be completed by
Lee names new top aides

PoliticsJun 9, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak on Thursday replaced some of his aides, including senior presidential secretaries for political affairs and public relations.Rep. Kim Hyo-jae of the Grand National Party was named to succeed Chung Jin-seok as senior presidential secretary for political affairs.The presidential office also appointed Kim Du-woo, executive presidential secretary for planning and management, to
Facebook under fire for photo tagging feature

IndustryJun 9, 2011

WASHINGTON, June 8, 2011 (AFP) - Facebook is coming under fire for a feature that uses facial recognition software to allow members to tag pictures of their friends on the social network.The "Tag Suggestions" feature made its debut on Facebook in the United States six months ago but has drawn renewed attention this week after the social network began rolling it out to other countries.Justin Mi
The world’s most embarrassing dad

World NewsJun 9, 2011

A stay-at-home father in Utah has been dubbed the world’s most embarrassing dad, thanks to the ridiculous costumes he wears in the morning when son gets on the school bus, according to Metro.The quirky father boasts 170 different outfits in his wardrobe. Fitting into a slim mermaid suit is tricky, but he manages to slip his bulk body into it.In other instances he has seen his son off dressed as Wo
Computer tech installed peeping software

TechnologyJun 9, 2011

FULLERTON, California (AP) -- A U.S. computer repairman suspected of installing spyware on laptops that enabled him to snap and download photographs of women showering and undressing in their homes was arrested Wednesday at his home, police said. This photo provided by the Fullerton (Calif.) Police Department on Wednesday shows Trevor Harwell. Police say Harwell, a Southern California computer rep
Thief hides in suitcase to steal bags in Spanish airport bus

World NewsJun 9, 2011

BARCELONA (AFP) – A flexible thief squeezed into a large suitcase and then emerged to plunder valuables from other bags while inside the luggage compartment of a Spanish airport bus, police say. A thief hided into a large suitcase inside the luggage compartment of a Spanish airport bus, police say. (AP-Yonhap News)The thief had a partner who would buy a bus ticket and place the suitcase in a bus
A jackpot of 100 wild ginsengs

Social affairsJun 9, 2011

Wild jinseng jackpot found in Jeonnam Province About 120 roots of wild ginseng were found in Jeonnam Province, which may be worth up to $100,000.Wild ginseng is very rare and traditionally considered sacred -- according to legend it can only be found by those with a pure heart. It is also invaluable to Oriental medicine, often referred to as a “cure-all,” or symbol of longevity.Two men, known by t