Novel looks at the Rust Belt, composed by an American doctor
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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

The Biggest Mistake Rochester (NY) Ever Made
In a city known for its follies, identifying the biggest mistake is a project for the obsessive. That’s why I

I Know No One Famous
To know the famous, it helps if one is famous, a condition of which I’ve never been accused. Between my

I Finally Found My Dream City
The other day, Daniel Wallace, who knows nothing of my existence, helped me find my dream city. That day, you

I Found the Soul of Central New York
On August 21, 2025, according to my Amazon account, I found The Soul of Central New York. In truth, it

The Urban Roam: Without It, Your City’s Screwed
The other day, as I did the urban roam, I learned the obvious. First, I learned that I live near

How Erie (PA) Started To Torture Me
As Erie (PA) has shown me, it was much easier being a coastal elite. Back then, I could fly over

Dear Daughter: I Hope You Dance
Thousands of hours—and dollars—later, I never thought I’d say this, dear daughter, but I hope you dance. You see, despite

The 10 Best Songs From Belmont University
Belmont University—it’s the Rodney Dangerfield of schools. Say Belmont, and people think horse race. Ask anyone to name a school

Why I Choose To Delude Myself
I’ve opted, as you’ve probably noticed, to delude myself. Even worse, I’m trying to convert the delusions into income. How

How I Lost My Religion at Buc-ee’s
It’s complicated what happened to me at Buc-ee’s the other day. I would say I was losing my religion, even


