Articles written by Muriah Summer

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About me - Muriah Summer

Muriah is an American teaching English in Japan, and writes between classes and on summer vacation. She enjoys reading, spending time with her bad-tempered cat and her good tempered husband, and drinking good coffee.

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Politics, News & Issues > Conservation How to take an eco-friendly shower: 2 of 38
Clean, fresh water is something everyone needs, and the world is facing a dire shortage. Worldhungeryear.org reports that by 2025, as much as two thirds of the world's population could be water-stressed, and that nearly 450 million people already face severe water shortages. In the face of such numbers, it's up to each indivi... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Trash & Recycling Ways to reduce, re-use and recycle plastic grocery bags: 1 of 12
What do we do about all those plastic grocery bags? Ireland answered this question with a stiff tax on grocery store bags, and San Francisco recently banned them entirely. Measures like these are helping, but most of the world is still struggling to find a solution to this growing problem.But why are plastic bags a problem? W... More..
Arts & Humanities > Ancient History An introduction to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs: 1 of 11
Ancient Egyptian was a language with staying power. From its first appearance in about 3000 BCE, Egyptian was in continuous use for more than four thousand years. In fact, a form of Egyptian is still used by the Coptic Orthodox Church in some rituals. The Ancient Egyptians used four different writing systems; hieroglyphic, hi... More..
Arts & Humanities > Ancient History The Mayan civilization: 1 of 10
-The Birth of Mayan Civilization-The Mayan Civilization once flourished in the area known as Mesoamerica, holding sway over the Yucatan peninsula, modern Belize, and parts of Honduras and El Salvador. The earliest humans in what would become the Mayan area were nomadic hunters, who may have been present as early as 10000 BCE.... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Trash & Recycling Understanding the safety of kitchen plastics: 1 of 8
Take a moment and picture your kitchen- how much plastic do you see? Plastic food storage containers, cutting boards, and sandwich bags have all become common in the modern kitchen. So how safe is all that plastic? Not as safe as you might think. Understanding plastic can help you make your kitchen both safer and more environ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Children's Literature On rereading the books of your childhood: 3 of 22

The lights in the bedroom are out, and three small girls are curled up in their beds. Perhaps the youngest is already asleep. Light from the hallway illuminates the corner by the door, where my mother sits bent over our current bedtime book. I first encountered many of my favorite stories this way; 'The Secret Garden', 'A Wri... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Care & Health What to feed a baby kitten: 1 of 4
Over its first six weeks of life, a kitten goes from a helpless, blind, and nearly immobile infant to a playful and energetic bundle of fur. It will more than quadruple in weight, learn to walk and use the litter box, and learn to enjoy solid food. All that growth takes a lot of energy and nutrients, so it is important to mak... More..
Travel > United States Camping in Grand Canyon National Park: 1 of 3
Above you, the sky is a searing blue only seen in the desert. Far below you, a strip of muddy green water winds and twists between the great red stone cliffs. Miles away, the far rim makes a crisp blue-gray line against the sky. This is the Grand Canyon, in whose walls the history of the world can be read. This is the home of... More..
Arts & Humanities > Fantasy & Science Fiction Book reviews: Jhereg, by Steven Brust: 1 of 3
A review of Jhereg, by Steven BrustOne day in 1983, an unemployed computer programmer sat down to write the kind of book that he wanted to read. "Jhereg", the story of assassin Vlad Taltos, was the result. It's a romp through everything Steven Brust thinks is cool, from lively banter to cloaks and daggers to wisecracking side... More..
Food & Drink > Cooking (Other) Brown-bag makeovers: 12 of 30
It's easy to see why bringing your own lunch is a good idea. Eating out is hard on the health and the pocketbook. But finding the time and inspiration to make a healthy, interesting lunch day after day can be difficult. The secret is in thinking ahead, and in thinking outside the box. Here are a few ideas to start off with.-V... More..