Novel looks at the Rust Belt, composed by an American doctor
Get my free weekly newsletter, The Friday Mix
Latest Articles
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 10 Best Songs by the Black Keys
Of all the topics out there, how in the world does one land on the best songs by the Black
5 Super Easy Recipes I Need To Share
With my wife on the injured reserve list, I’ve learned a few things about myself. Perhaps the most striking discovery
Factfulness: How Politics Makes You Dumber
In Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World—and Why Things Are Better Than You Think, Hans Rosling insisted that
I Am the Chickenpox of Fathers
There was a time, way back, when catching the virus that causes chickenpox was a childhood right of passage. Case
How Cleveland Made Me Stop Listening to People
Cleveland, even when it was the cold, grimy, and depressing Cleveland of perception, was my type of place. I had
The Electoral College: A Sweet Table!
The US Constitution is revered, but let’s not pretend it’s perfect. Remember, this is the document that called a slave
Is San Diego Nice? It’s the Rust Belt!
Is San Diego nice? After visiting the sun-soaked paradise for a conference, I thought I had the question answered. Then,
Baseball Is Back! 5 Numbers That Prove It
No one likes to hear that a childhood obsession was foolish, even if the forced realization comes with truth. For
Beware the Hypocrisy of the North
In the US, it’s a big deal to move from the North to the South. It’s an even bigger deal
How the Oakland A’s Broke My Heart
I had never been to Oakland, nor could I name a single player on the Oakland A’s. But on September