Articles written by Maria K. - Page 3

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About me - Maria K.

I am a first-generation Russian-Ukrainian immigrant. I was born and raised in Zaporozhye, Ukraine and came to the United States as an impressionable 19-year-old exchange student in 1994. I earned my Bachelors and Masters degrees in Mechanical Engineering

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Health & Fitness > Alcoholism How does alcohol affect your health?: 1 of 4
"Moderation in most things" is a very old principle that goes sadly underused today. Individual foood and beverage ingredients and entire food groups are demonized either based on experiments, where lab animals are given excessive doses of these substances for long periods of time, or based on over-indulgence by human beings... More..
Food & Drink > Soup & Stew Recipes Recipes: Cool summer soups: 1 of 4
I am still trying to figure out the whole thing with the beginning of a season on the 21st of the first month of that season. Where I come from things started on the first - so, winter started on December 1, spring started on March 1 and summer started on... Well, theoretically summer started on June 1, but in my family it s... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Personal Morals & Values The importance of good manners: 10 of 39
What on Earth happened to good manners? Somebody, please enlighten me, because I really want to know. Our aikido instructor is constantly frustrated, because people don't bother to call or send an e-mail when they are not going to be in class. He is a very reasonable man and would never torment a student for not making it to... More..
Travel > Vacations Things to do on vacation in Paris France: 5 of 19
You may whine and gripe all you want, but I still say that the best way to explore Paris is on foot. If you think taking the metro is going to save you - think again: you will spend so much time navigating the metro tunnels while switching between lines, you may as well just walk to your final destination. The first major po... More..
Autos > Fuel Economy Commentary: Gas prices: 11 of 34
I am sure you have all seen them - chain e-mails promoting "gas outs" to reduce gas prices (not buying gas on May 15) and boycotting gas companies that use foreign oil (while only buying gas from the "good" companies that supposedly do not use foreign oil). You would think that in our information age people would at least bo... More..
Travel > United States Travel destinations: Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina: 1 of 3
Someone had once told me that if I was a truly socially responsible person, I couldn't possibly love the Biltmore Estate, because it was built by many workers, who were mistreated and lost their lives in the process. I suppose, I must be truly socially irresponsible, because the same can be said about every other place I lov... More..
Home & Garden > Buying & Selling Homes Tips to help you sell your home: 14 of 40
Dear Realtors of America, I know this is a tough time for you, now that the bottom fell out from under the housing market. What I am about to say may seem harsh, but believe me, it is only with the intention of helping you to sell those houses in what is rapidly becoming the buyers' market. The paper and internet house listi... More..
Style & Beauty > Fashion Trends & Styles Keeping up with fashion: 4 of 11
If the "dog days" of summer are starting to get to you (and if you live anywhere further south than Virginia you really know what I am talking about), do what I did to get yourself re-energized - read Trinny Woodall's and Susannah Constantine's "What You Wear Can Change Your Life". I can guarantee, that you'll be electrified... More..
Health & Fitness > Alcoholism Does having a drinking age of 21 contribute to binge drinking and alcohol abuse among college students, as claimed recently by a group of university presidents?: 6 of 16
The only factor contributing to binge drinking and alcohol abuse among people in general and college students in particular is the character and upbringing of people in question. A person old enough to strike out on his or her own, go to a college away from home and live there for the duration of his or her education, should... More..
Travel > Europe Travel experiences: Paris, France: 5 of 13
If you expect Paris to feel different from any other place you've been to right from the start, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Charles de Gaul airport is big, ugly and noisy and a bitch to get out of. As our cabbie told us, the airport garage is something like a block of Swiss cheese with numerous holes to g... More..