Novel looks at the Rust Belt, composed by an American doctor
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How WAB Saved My Blog
The only thing that matters is money, said no blogger ever. Just ask the WAB guy. WAB, you may or
The Rust Belt Guide to March Madness
It’s March 2026, and the newly niched Amol is stuck asking himself, How the hell can I still write about
The Rust Belt Mnemonic You Totally Needed
Sometimes it’s the last paragraph that shatters a writer, the one that confirms what should have been obvious all along—wasted
The New York Times Praises Rochester—and We Complain?
That primate city, the one with a newspaper I love to knock, does occasionally throw us a bone. The most
How I Finally Chose My Premier League Team
I must have a problem. Just ask my wife—she’ll offer more than one. But this obsession with smoke stacks, abandoned
The Great American Manufacturing Myth
The great American manufacturing myth became known to me through a series of facts—I prefer to call it reality. The
The 10 Best Rust Belt Songs of All Time
Grime and hardship, coupled with a few musical instruments, make for great works of art. We call them Rust Belt
Why the East Coast Is Dead Wrong About Ohio
These people think we’re going back to the 1950s, says the East Coast. The reference, of course, is to anyone
You’re Welcome for This Olympic Medal
The Snow Belt, it must be pointed out, does more than accumulate snow. In the northern reaches of the US,
These Two Economists Knew What Was Happening All Along
October 3, 2001. Two economists. The first was Dean Baker, who received a PhD in economics from the University of
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