Novel looks at the Rust Belt, composed by an American doctor
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Why Lebron James Chose Syracuse
Lebron James, by text, is a very candid man. The following thread has been abridged for the sake of brevity.*

What Parenting Taught Me About the Rust Belt
I’m no parenting guru. In fact, about a decade from now, I’ll find out how I f****d it up royally.

I Hate You IKEA—but Thank You
Nostalgia, they say, comes with rose-colored glasses. But in the case of IKEA, it can also come with nausea—and not

How The Odyssey Saved Rochester, NY
You know The Odyssey—that Christopher Nolan film with Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway. And you know Rochester, NY—that rusty town

Why Spain Is Actually Playing Italy
Don’t fall for the hype about Spain playing Argentina. (Or, if you’re reading this after July 19, 2026, I hope

Confessions of a Rust Belt Addict
The Rust Belt addict, mercifully, is not always found with a needle in his arm. The addicted, I’ve learned, get

How Being a Writer Ruined the World Cup
Being a writer, as you must know by now, is a dream. By that, I mean it’s a nightmare, something

Thank You, European, for Being So Damn Smart
Dear European, I know you’re smarter than me. How do I know? Because you tell me. Anyway, I’ve come across

These World Cup Population Numbers Will Blow Your Mind
World Cup population numbers are for the worldly—and the weirdly obsessive. Without formally committing to either category, I’ve created this
I’m Officially an Idiot
On June 26, 2026, it became official—I’m an idiot. I’d like to thank my fellow human beings—without you, I would

What Is Eurovision? A Guide for Americans
I write for a largely American audience, which means the most common response to What is Eurovision? might be Who

AI Vocabulary for the Technophobe
This AI stuff is moving quickly—perhaps too quickly. But now’s not the time to pine for the rotary phone. Here’s

Even ChatGPT Won’t Do Nephrology
In case you don’t know, nephrology is the branch of medicine that deals with the kidneys. And in the US,

Sudan, According to AI
If you peripherally follow Western news outlets—in between watching the NFL draft—you know a tiny bit about Sudan. Something about

A Downstater’s Guide to Ithaca
She had never been to Ithaca before. But there was no way she could turn down this opportunity. Cornell. The

The 10 Best Songs From Upstate New York
New York City. The city that never sleeps. The financial heartbeat of a nation. An irreplaceable force in the American

When Upstate New York Ruled the NBA
With an ever-rising sea of content—not to mention the shocking rise of AI—there’s only one logical conclusion: there’s not much

AI, Can You Leave Me Something To Do?
AI, you can write this poem better than me I know, I already read the one by ChatGPT But I’m

Pulseweaver: Bringing the Art Back to Music
An old pickle factory. Lake-effect snow. Enough cloud cover to make Seattle seem sunny. Where the typical American sees gloom,

How Is NPR Funded?
The new Twitter—that of Elon Musk—has variably labeled National Public Radio (NPR) as state-affiliated media, government-funded media, and publicly-funded media.


