Novel looks at the Rust Belt, composed by an American doctor
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Where Is Toronto? In Canada!
As I’ve mentioned previously, Canada always gets the shaft. Take Toronto, for instance. It’s Canada’s largest city and the fourth

10 Facts About the James Webb Space Telescope
It’s amazing what humans can accomplish when they stop blunting their intelligence with politics. And this one is truly remarkable—as

Monkeypox: What Is It?!
On occasion, I write about medicine. Why not more often? Because let’s be honest—writing about music and fantasy football is

Where Is Pittsburgh? In the Rust Belt!
A few months ago in my weekly newsletter, I promised to keep things topical. But here I am again, writing

The Tour de France (For the Couch Potato)
Unless you consider a two-mile bike ride along the Erie Canal grueling, you can rest assured that this information is

A Definition of Heritage
Humans are obsessed with themselves. As in really obsessed. It’s kind of fun, but it can also be scary—like when

Why Is the Hajj Important?
If you’re going to promote yourself as a general knowledge site, you better touch upon Islam, a religion that has

Which State Is Mississippi? The Scary One
Take a look at the map of the US. There are the easy states to identify—Florida, Texas, California, Alaska, and

When the Declaration of Independence Was Written…
When you’re American (like me), it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the world revolves around the

Wimbledon: The 10 Things You Should Know
I previously expressed curiosity at the immense popularity of rolling a 1.68-inch-diameter ball along grass into a hole. And here

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


