Republicans were more pro-choice than Democrats up until the late 1980s.

Epidemics follow patterns because diseases follow patterns. Viruses spread; they reproduce; they die.

In kindergarten, you can learn how to be a citizen of the world.

Germ theory, which secularized infectious disease, had a side effect: it sacralized epidemiology.

Disrupt, and you will be saved.

Epidemiologists study patterns in order to combat infection. Stories about epidemics follow patterns, too. Stories arent often deadly, but they can be virulent: spreading fast, weakening resistance, wreaking havoc.

Stages of life are artifacts. Adolescence is a useful contrivance, midlife is a moving target, senior citizens are an interest group, and tweenhood is just plain made up.