Disregarding scientific evidence from at home and abroad, South Korea marked the 37th day of protests against American beef imports over fears of contracting Mad Cow disease. This past weekend an estimated 50,000 Koreans amassed in Seoul for another weekend of candle light protests. It was the largest gathering since June 10th, when 80,000 took to the streets chanting anti-government slogans while egging on police. The protests are a reiteration of the continuing mass hysteria that's gripped the country since the governments lifting of a 5-year ban on American beef imports last May. Read all of: Stories behind Korea's U.S. Beef Protests |
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 2016 participants (1008 reflexologists and 1008 tourists) have set a new Guinness World Record in Taiwan on July 1 for having “most people receiving foot massage (reflexology) simultaneously.” There were no previous attempts made on this category; Guinness have set the requirement to have at least 400 participants with treatment for at least five minutes on each foot…
Read all of: World Record for Simultaneous Foot Massage Set in Taiwan |
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 Tokyo's Chiyoda-ku had the most suicides of employed men in their 40s, while Osaka's Nishi-ku recorded the highest number of suicides of self-employed men in their 40s... A white paper on the state of suicide in Japan has been compiled by a group of scholars, highlighting risk factors that contribute to Japan's high number of suicides.
Read all of: Suicide in Japan ... Who, Why, When and Where? |
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There is speculation that the passengers might eventually have to step on the scales before boarding a plane, with heavier travellers paying more to fly, although that day is not here just yet! Next time you take to the skies you may find there are fewer pages in your in-flight magazine, your fork is slimmer and your plate feels different. Blame it on soaring oil prices. Read all of: Airlines Slim Down under Soaring Fuel Costs |
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 Koreabeat translates a list of words and phrases used by the lesbian community in Korea from a post at Rateen, an online board for lesbian Korean teenagers. A fun read, even though all of the terms actually come from America (which is an interesting fact in and of itself).
Read all of: A List of Korean Lesbian Slang |
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Energy experts conservatively estimate a total of 100 GW by 2020, an increase in wind energy of 1667%.
At present, China produces just over 6 gigawatts (GW) of wind energy, making it 5th in the world for total wind energy. (Germany leads with 22.2 GW.) However, with China’s massive push for 21st Century renewable technologies, we shouldn’t be surprised if China achieves 100 GW by 2020, say energy experts.
Read all of: China's Wind Energy Could Grow 1667% by 2020 |
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Here comes the third Internet pop phrase of the year 2008: "I'm here to do push-ups (我来做俯卧撑的)." Strangely enough, it has nothing to do with the exercise, but to do with the Weng'an (瓮安) Riot.
Large-scale riot happened in Wengan County, Southwestern China's Guizhou Province on June 28th. Anger over a probe into a schoolgirl's death exploded into violent protests. Read all of: Rape or Push-up Exercises? |
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Delicate toe fossil bones seen left from a 40,000-year-old human in China are indicative of habitual shoe-wearing.
A previous study of anatomical changes in toe bone structure had dated the use of shoes to about 30,000 years ago. Regular shoe use may have become common by 40,000 years ago, but "we still have no [additional] evidence from that time period—one way or the other," scientist Erik Trinkaus said. Read all of: Humans Wore Shoes 40,000 Years Ago |
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