Lifestyle - The Korea Times

363rd Turtle Marathon to be Held

For those who want to enjoy the last days of autumn on the newly upgraded Namsan Mountain, complete with its well-padded jogging tracks and wooden fences, come join us in the 363rd Turtle Marathon. As an added bonus, there is also a chance to win various prizes. Along with regular citizens, 2007 Miss Korea finalists will also participate in the marathon and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power President and CEO Kim Jong-shin will be the honorary head for the event. Much like how the turtle in Aesop's fable would have completed his race, no running is involved. The event, a scenic seven-kilometer walk through the Namsan Mountain area, has taken place once a month since 1978. This event is organized by The Korea Times' sister company, the Hankook Ilbo. Afterwards, towels provided by Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power will be distributed to all participants and raffle-winners will take home prizes that include kitchen goods and bicycles in a sideshow program led by comedian Lee Sang-yong. Certification for two hours of volunteer work will be given to middle and high school students

Oct 19, 2007

Lesson 118 : One-Space Jump Downward (2)

In the previous lesson, we saw jumping moves on the second line, which break through unfavorable situations. However,the more usual downward jumps occur on the first line. Diagram 1 This variation happens when White comes into Black’s territory with the ▲-marked stone after this famous 3-4 point joseki is over. The problem for White is how to prevent Black’s endgame in the corner of Black A, White B and Black C. Of course, to play A would be the simplest answer for White, but it is a gote. Diagram 2 As you may have already guessed, the correct answer is to jump at 1. The difference between this move and White A in Diagram. 1 is that there remains a possibility for White to make a ko by forcing Black to connect at B with A, and throwing in with C. Diagram 3 White’s turn to play. The goal is to capture the whole black group in this corner. Diagram 4 Of course, the answer is to jump at 1. This combination of a jump on the 1st line and a large knight’s move from the ▲ -marked stone is a well-known technique to connect the ▲-m

Oct 19, 2007

How to Sit Straight and Healthy

By Bae Ji-sook Staff Reporter Women, and men, sit with their legs crossed out of habit, but sometimes to appear sexier. Fashionable people do it, and so did Sharon Stone. But in reality, it could be a major cause of backache and spinal problems. Crossing your legs causes the pelvis to twist. If you put your right leg on top of your left leg, too much weight is concentrated on the left part of the pelvis, this type of constant stress will cause disc damage. It can also cause pinched nerves resulting in pain in the spine. If you’re seated in a position where you pelvis is crooked, then your spine will twist in the opposite direction to balance the body. In the worst case, your spine will form an elongated “S” shape. Also, crossing your legs can cause swelling of the blood veins, ligaments, muscles and also hinder blood circulation. Also for women, a twisted pelvis can affect the uterus and ovaries, even causing severe period pain or an irregular period. Then how should we sit when using a computer? According to advice given by doctors published in the Chosun I

Oct 14, 2007

Lesson 117 : One-Space Jump Downward (1)

There is a saying that a “onespace jump toward center is never wrong.” Of course, to jump toward center is usually the fastest way to escape your opponent’s attachment, and is also quite difficult to cut. There is a haengma called a ‘cap,’ meaning a move made at a point two lines above the opponent’s stone to block his advance toward center, which hows the usefulness of jumping toward center. However, oftentimes, a onespace jump toward the edge of the board can be a good move. Perhaps this kind move can be introduced under the title ‘brilliant move with no name’ as in the previous lessons, but here I will follow the term invented by a Korean professional player, Moon Yong-jik. He names the move ‘one-space jump downward’ in order to distinguish it from the jump toward center. Let’s start with a very simple example. Diagram 1 You might have seen this sequence when you studied how to defend your territory from the invasion of a stronger player. Against White’s invasion with 1, Black 2, 4, and 6 form the most powerful answer. After Black 6, either the thr

Oct 11, 2007

Things About Walking or Running for Health

By Bae Ji-sook Staff Reporter Walking and running are two of the most popular methods of exercise in the country. After people heard the news of Joschka Fischer, the German politician who lost 37 kilograms by running in 2000, running and walking became an instant hit. Running and walking are classified as aerobic exercises, referring to the use of oxygen in the energy-generating process of muscles. They are performed at moderate levels of intensity for extended periods of time. Regular aerobics training helps burn calories, controls blood sugar, prevents complications from diabetes and reduces heart disease. Especially walking and running are favored because they are easy to do, necessitating no special time, place or equipment. Walking is also effective for controlling the blood flow rate, stimulating the hands and feet and strengthening the muscles. The increased blood flow facilitates the release of body waste. However, there are a few things you need to know before you don your tracksuits and sneakers. Some people focus on ``power walking'' which is usu

Oct 7, 2007

Lesson 116 :A Brilliant Move With No Name (2)

There are several explanations on the subject of how the strong players find good moves. However, in many cases, the best motivation is necessity. In Baduk, there is a proverb, “urgent situations inspire ingenious solutions.” Diagram 1 This is a game played by Lee Chang-ho (White) and Choi Myong-hoon (Black) in 1998. The two players are the same age, and Choi was considered one of many possible rivals for Lee at the time the game was played. As you see, the x-marked black stone is cutting the two ▲-marked white stones, but a ladder is not favorable for White. Besides, the whole white group in the center, including the two ▲-marked stones, is under siege by Black. It is very likely that White has to allow Black to create a huge territory on the upper side while he struggles for the escape of one part of the group in the center. Diagram 2 Lee may have felt that ordinary moves could not save the game, and consequently found the moves which helped the center group, and destroyed Black’s territory on the upper side as well, namely White 1 and 3.

Oct 4, 2007

Recommendations for Your Caffeine Intake

By Bae Ji-sook Staff Reporter How much coffee, cola or tea do you drink a day? Do you enjoy a bite of a chocolate bar? If you do, then you should learn about caffeine. According to encyclopedias, caffeine is a xanthine alkaloid compound that acts as a psychoactive stimulant in humans. It is found in beans, leaves, and the fruit of over 60 plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants. It is most commonly consumed by humans in infusions extracted from the beans of the coffee plant and the leaves of the tea bush, as well as from various foods and drinks containing products derived from the kola nut or cacao. Weekly Hankyoreh 21 said Koreans are one of the largest consumers of instant coffee mix. It assumed that a Korean adult has at least two bags of instant coffee, sugar and cream mixture at home or at work. It's not only coffee. In 1999, Koreans drank sixty-two 237-milliliter cups of cola a year. Green tea, which is also one of the best selling beverages in the nation, contains a certain amount of caffei

Sep 30, 2007

Lesson 115 : Brilliant Move With No Name (1)

There are certain unexplainable but marvelous moves in Baduk; despite the long history of the game, we are unable to describe how they came about. Indeed, even the player himself cannot explain the process that makes him play the specific move. Perhaps these kinds of moves are given by a god of Baduk, and are better classified as ‘intuition’ rather than skill. The following is one of the many magnificent moves that have no name. A Korean professional player, Moon Yongjik, suggested calling these kinds of moves “Nal-Boochigi,” which means “flying attachment.” I agree with his point of view that we haven’t put enough effort into defining the moves that we play, and many techniques remain unexplained to amateurs. However, his concept of “Nal-Boochigi” comes in so many forms and moves that I still don’t know how I would classify the following example. Diagram 1 White 2 is what we should pay attention to. This was taken from a game played by Sakada (White) and Hujisawa (Black) of Japan in 1960. With this move, White could save the group, which looks to be under siege by

Sep 27, 2007

How to Stay Healthy During Holidays

By Bae Ji-sook Staff Reporter Chuseok, or Korean Thanksgiving Day, is just around the corner. For those who follow the five-day workweek, the holiday period comes to five days, during which, many people will spend hours on the road due to traffic jams on highways. They will also eat lots of holiday food. Sometimes holidays are stressful. Deciding on which presents to buy, meeting relatives and doing house chores can be both interesting and nerve wracking. Eating too much can stress the body and at the end of the day, you will feel more tired than having worked at the office. Here are a few tips to help maintain good health. 1. Massage your legs during driving: Your legs can get swollen easily if you are stuck in the driving seat for too long. At worse, this can result in the onset of thrombosis where blood coagulates inside the veins. Get out off the car at least once every hour. Breathe some fresh air and do some stretching. 2. Eat boiled garlic for diarrhea: Many people eat too much on the holidays. They get indigestion or diarrhea. Eating some persimmons or bo

Sep 22, 2007

Lesson 114: The Number of Star Points

Nowadays, the ``star points'' in Baduk refer to the nine black dots painted on the intersections along the fourth lines. Since we use the star points in playing handicap games, and the maximum number of handicap stones is nine, we don't feel any awkwardness in the fact that there are nine star points; however, until the mid-20th century, the numbers of star points in Japan, China, and Korea were all different. The modern form of Baduk comes from Japan, and the number of star points in Japan has been nine for at least 400 years. But, as you already know, until fairly recently, it was 17 in Korea, 5 in China and 12 in Tibet. What influence did the difference in star points have on the game? The starting positions of Baduk differ according to the number of star points. In Korean traditional Sunjang Baduk, Black and White placed 8 stones each on the board before starting, and Black opened the game by playing 1 on the star point in the center, as shown in Diagram 1. In China, Black and White put two stones each on the board, as shown in Diagram 2, and either Black or White co

Sep 20, 2007

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