Novel looks at the Rust Belt, composed by an American doctor
Get my free weekly newsletter, The Friday Mix
Latest Articles
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 Juneteenth? The Quick Answer and a Soundtrack
How, you might ask, can you take an ugly history and make it something beautiful? Juneteenth has the right idea—acknowledge
The 10 Best Twenty One Pilots Songs
I didn’t want to be accused of being one of those people who claims that the music they listened to
The History of the NRA in 20 Numbers
When people think America, they think a few things—apple pie, generous portion sizes, an obsession with tipping, SUVs, and, of
A Definition of the Great Migration With 10 Key Stats
Before diving in, I wanted to reiterate a point that I’ve made many times—the concept of race is…garbage. Unfortunately, in
The City of Buffalo: It’s Awesome
Given my location in Rochester, NY, the city of Buffalo is like family. It’ll get on your nerves, but you
Who’s Elon Musk? The 10 Key Numbers
Listen, if you do posts on a writer (Shakespeare) and a painter (Monet), you got to do one on the
20 Fun Facts About Finland (for the Non-Finn)
This country is one of those places that, despite having a smaller population than 22 US states, ends up in
How Does Botox Work? A Surprising Wrinkle
Okay, there’s no surprising wrinkle (aside from the fact that a toxin that can kill humans is used to treat
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 101
I think that’s an acceptable name, but to be honest, I’m not totally sure. Thankfully, this isn’t NPR, so it
When’s the Kentucky Derby? (And a Bonus Q&A)
When’s the Kentucky Derby? Let’s jump right in. Timing The event takes place on the first Saturday in May, which