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
This Is One of the World’s Most Beautiful Cities?!
I know the truth. You don’t listen to me when it comes to finding the world’s most beautiful cities. How
My Daydream From Hell
Please don’t tell my wife about my daydream from hell. I was supposed to be working—or doing the dishes. For
The Devil Wears Prada—and Old Navy
The Devil Wears Prada—you know the story. First came the 2003 novel courtesy Lauren Weisberger, inspired by her stint working
Your Mandatory Great Lakes Reading List
You can blame The Wall Street Journal for this Great Lakes reading list. After all, it was the New York
This Census Data Will Make You Cry
By you, I mean me. Because it takes someone special to cry over Census data. And by special, I mean
New Orleans Has Me Dazed and Confused
New Orleans. Was it 1718? I mean the year you were founded by the French guy with the long name.
My Favorite Year in Music
Be honest—you thought my favorite year in music would be 1971 or 1991. But let me tell you something—aside from
Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Was Dr. Seuss predicting my life? Thirty-six years after the master’s last book was published,
Everything I Learned on the Way to Erie, PA
I have technology to thank for everything I learned on the way to Erie, Pennsylvania. Specifically, I owe an incompetence
That’s How We Roll on an International Border!
Yes, I’ve waxed poetic about this international border before. But were you actually listening? Once more, I’ll remind you of