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
What Is UFC? It Ain’t for the Faint of Heart
What is UFC? It stands for Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is an organization that promotes a modern combat sport called
What Is Boston Known For? These 10 Things (And More)
Boston has a serious burden to shoulder. Six US states collectively known as New England—Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode
Music of India (With 10 Awesome Examples)
Writing about India is kind of stressful. Any time you try to summarize an ancient land with 1.4 billion residents—existing
World Cup Qualification Explained
There’s a World Cup in a lot of sports—cricket, rugby, women’s soccer, and so on. I’m referring, of course, to
The Origins of April Fools’ Day
I kind of took it easy on myself. Because even though the title of this piece suggests that some research
What Does NIL Mean? Money
For years, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) went out of its way to prevent its athletes from monetizing their
March Madness Trivia
I previously dabbled in relatively useless Super Bowl facts, making this transition to unhelpful information about an amateur sport rather
Which Countries Are in NATO? (And a Bonus Q&A)
Let’s jump right in. Which countries are in NATO? These 30. 12 Original Members (1949) Belgium Canada Denmark France Iceland
NATO: The 10 Greatest Hits
In 1949, twelve nations—Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United
What Does Daylight Saving Time Mean? Confusion
Every year, you kind of look this up, later forgetting the details and/or realizing you didn’t totally understand them in