Novel looks at the Rust Belt, composed by an American doctor
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Stop Comparing the US to Tiny Countries
Comparing the US to other countries is everyone’s favorite pastime. And I get it. The country has problems. Gun violence.
10 Spotify Stats for the Wannabe Music Geek
By this point, music streaming—also known as accessing a massive digital music library somewhere in the cloud—is second nature. Several
The 10 Best Rihanna Songs
Robyn Rihanna Fenty. No introduction needed. So let’s jump right in to the 10 best Rihanna songs to date. Actually,
The Best Grammy Acceptance Speech Ever
I honestly never thought I’d be giving a Grammy acceptance speech. And I’m pretty sure no one who’s known me
10 Hints You Should Skip the Super Bowl Party
There are times when sports fans just want to be sports fans. You know, fully immersed in something meaningless, all
10 Facts About Barbados You Should Know
Ideal weather. Beautiful beaches. A tourist magnet in the Atlantic, right near the eastern edge of the Caribbean. Oh yeah,
10 Stats About America That’ll Surprise You
It’s fashionable for Americans to feel their country is falling apart and equally trendy for non-Americans to be kind of
Philadelphia: Where Arrogance Meets Insecurity
Dear Philadelphia, Without you, we might not even have a country. It was there on the shores of the Delaware
Kansas City: Art Thou Actually Important?
Kansas City, you’re in flyover country And by the coastal elites you’re ignored Those snobs think the Midwest is empty
5 Songs That Should Have Been Hits
The powers that be in the music industry are obsessed with formulaic simplicity. To be a hit, a song must
How Being a Nephrologist Jaded Me
Being a nephrologist, I reminded myself, was my choice. It’s just that, as I looked into her eyes, I couldn’t
The 2026 Great Lakes NFL Preview
Who would come to a random blog by a part-time doctor about the Rust Belt for an NFL preview? No
The Other Guy Who Hates Free Trade Agreements
Where others see an apocalypse, I prefer to look for logic. And that which drives Trump 2.0, as chaotic as
My Favorite Song From Rochester (NY)
Some nepo babies get a real estate empire or worldwide fame. Others get a blog post about a favorite song
Indian Man Found Wandering Along Lake America
In a shocking turn of events, on August 30, 2026, authorities in Rochester, New York, reported having seen what looked
When Dolly Parton Held My Hand
Dolly Parton, the legend, was there for everybody. That includes me, the wannabe coastal elite with the superiority complex. It
I’m a Hipster in Dad Shorts
Sometime around 2012, the hipster thing reared its ugly head. Two years earlier, I had moved with the family to
How New York’s Data Center Ban Kills Upstate (Again)
Yeah, yeah—I know it’s not really a data center ban. It’s a moratorium barring state approvals of hyperscale data centers
How New York State Is Digging Its Own Grave
The beauty of New York State, if one sticks around long enough, generally results in anger. In Upstate New York, it’s
Dear Tennessee: Who Are You Anyway?
Dear Tennessee: I know what it’s like to be misunderstood. I am from the Rust Belt, after all. But