Novel looks at the Rust Belt, composed by an American doctor
Get my free weekly newsletter, The Friday Mix
Latest Articles

What Is 5G? The 5th-Grade Answer
You’ve heard a ton about 5G. By this point, you’re thinking you should get a 5G-capable device and then throw

What Is Silicon? 10 Things You Should Know
I’m not going to say it’s oxygen, but silicon has become a major player in our lives. What exactly is

Russian Trivia for the American
I’m not going to lie—most of my knowledge about Russia comes from Rocky IV. Okay, it’s maybe not that bad,

10 Facts About Ukraine for the Non-Ukrainian
When you live in the US, you don’t hear much about other countries. That is, unless something bad could happen,

Who Was MLK? The 10-Number Answer
In order to change the world, you got to have that it factor. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) clearly met

How Do the NFL Playoffs Work?
You have to know a little about the National Football League (NFL) in order to function in American society. And

A Summary of Roe v. Wade in 10 Numbers
This one needs no introduction, so let’s jump right in. Here’s a brief summary of Roe v. Wade in 10

What Non-GMO Means for the Non-Crazy Person
Nothing brings out the impassioned side of the populace quite like food, and messing with that food gets people really

Who Uses the Gregorian Calendar? You Do
As we approach the transition from one year to the next, many occupy their time by pondering the motion of

15 Fun Florida Facts for the Non-Floridian
When people think Florida, they think sharp intellect, youthful ingenuity, and a disdain for the automobile. Actually, wrong state. I

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


