Articles written by Stephen Shea

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About me - Stephen Shea

Not exactly a workaholic, I still manage to get a lot of weird things done. Like two MAs in History. Like learning Zulu and Afrikaans. Like playing piano for four years. Not particularly useful for me now, but awfully energetic pursuits at the time.

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Society & Lifestyle > African & Middle Eastern Culture Commentary: African leaders, corruption and colonialism: 1 of 12
Few African leaders since independence have given up power peacefully. Then again, few of the colonizers did, either. We may not be able to agree on a definition of "power hungry" that applies specifically to African leaders. However, we can compare undemocratic African leaders to undemocratic leaders elsewhere, and identify ... More..
Home & Garden > Weeds & Pests How you can choke weeds out of your garden: 1 of 9
You have three choices when fighting garden and yard weeds: pull, spray or starve. The most successful approach in most cases would be a combination.Pulling is the most labor-intensive, often the most effective for a season (but this depends a lot on conditions), and the best for the environment. It's also good, mellow activi... More..
Politics, News & Issues > War in Iraq Setting a timetable for troop withdrawal from Iraq is a terrible mistake: 14 of 80
Setting a timetable for troop withdrawal is the only way to bring this daily worsening situation to a close.Why not a classic military victory?There is no enemy force to sign a surrender. Therefore, there will be no peace treaty. Without a peace treaty, we have three choices for ending the conflict.First, completely subdue or... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Atheism & Agnosticism Understanding what constitutes atheism: 11 of 34
Atheism can be negative or positive. Negative atheism is lack of belief in a deity. It would be easy for a person born into a religion to lose touch with faith and become a negative atheist. A negative atheist accepts the possibility of deities, but does not believe in any particular one.By contrast, positive atheism is the v... More..
Home & Garden > Real Estate (Other) Qualities to look for in a neighborhood: 31 of 81
Things to look for in a neighborhood.When picking the ideal neighborhood, first consider what you plan for your life this year, in five years, and in ten years. If you're buying, give these three time frames the same importance. If renting, this depends on how flexible you are about moving.Next, look at these four big areas o... More..
Arts & Humanities > Language Learning Tips The best techniques for learning languages: 12 of 24
The best technique for learning new languages that I have found I call "walk-jump-swim."Step 1: WALK - Walk into a language by getting familiar with its basics. How do you greet people? Does it matter how you're related, what time of day, what you want? This was enough for me to be polite while traveling in France. I learned ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Asian History The Mongols' effect on early China: 1 of 1
For centuries before the Mongol conquest of northern China, Turkic nomads like them had threatened China from the north. Much of China's national policy, from the unifying Qin Dynasty onward, was oriented toward the defense of the northern border. The 13th century Mongol conquest justified that focus, and pointed out the cost... More..
Politics, News & Issues > International Politics (Other) The country predicted to be a world power in 50 years: 9 of 16
In 2007, the United States is running out the clock on its "unipolar moment." We have lived as the world's only superpower for almost two decades, and we are wasting our wealth and our international status on consumption and ill-advised military adventures.Four countries appear poised to take up the role of world's most power... More..
Arts & Humanities > Language Learning Tips What to learn first in any language: 18 of 27
Six college students sit in a classroom, waiting. A middle-aged black man walks in and greets them warmly, one by one."Igama lami ngu George," he says to the first student, pointing at himself.Then he asks, "Kubani igama lakho?"It takes a couple of tries, but soon these students pick up that they can introduce themselves in Z... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenting (Other) Daily tips for maintaining your child's health: 9 of 12
You can help maintain your child's health and fitness with smart and easy choices. Ensuring a healthy diet, getting exercise for physical fitness, staying informed about child health issues, and securing child health insurance are four ways everyone can promote their children's health.eat wellDiet is key to maintaining child ... More..