New research suggests younger siblings' higher rates of respiratory illness in their first year—often contracted from older siblings in daycare—can impair critical brain development. This early health disadvantage is causally linked to lower adult earnings, explaining about 50% of the birth-order income disparity.
Despite intense gerrymandering by both parties in individual states, the net effect at the national level has created a balanced map. A 50% national popular vote for a party is now predicted to yield 50% of the seats, an unusual level of fairness by recent historical standards.
The famous composition was originally for 21 musicians. The composer reduced the number to 18 to save money on airplane tickets and hotels for touring. The profound Jewish numerological meaning of 18 ('chai' or 'life') was a significance he only realized after the pragmatic decision had been made.
The forecasting model deliberately excludes all data on specific races, including polls, until both major party nominees are officially chosen. This prevents the model from being skewed by the volatility of primary campaigns, ensuring it only analyzes confirmed general election matchups for greater reliability.
The composer believes his seminal 1960s tape-loop pieces, like "Come Out," survived while others faded because they were grounded in significant real-world events. Works addressing topics like the Harlem Six gave them lasting relevance beyond pure technical experimentation.
While parents often try to be fair by dividing time equally among children, this practice disadvantages younger siblings. As older children age and require less attention, they still receive an equal share, while their infant siblings get the same amount during a more critical developmental period, giving the eldest more cumulative attention.