Separated at Birth? Greenville, Sioux Falls
by James Fallows
These two cities are different — in size, in economic base, in self-image, in ethnic mix, in 15 different aspects. And of course every city is unique, etc. But in these past few days in Greenville, we’ve been struck by more similarities to Sioux Falls than to other places we’ve seen. (Read it here.)
Category Archives: Cities/Towns We’ve Reported On
Ice Cream, Chocolate, Coffee, and Beer
Ice Cream, Chocolate, Coffee, and Beer
by Deborah Fallows
Take ingredients and blend, for small-town synergy. (Read it here.)
Why Do Tech Companies End Up Where They Are?
Why Do Tech Companies End Up Where They Are?
by James Fallows
“You get some clusters, and some stand-alone firms far from anyone else. But rarely anything in-between.” (Read it here.)
Luck? Planning? Karma? The Elements of a Small Town’s High-Tech Success
Luck? Planning? Karma? The Elements of a Small Town’s High-Tech Success
by James Fallows
A software company grows in an unlikely setting. “Why here?” we ask the founders. (Read it here.)
An American Dream: A YMCA With a Circus
An American Dream: A YMCA With a Circus
by Deborah Fallows
For those of you who have always dreamed of running off to join the circus, here is a close second: move to Redlands, California, and join the YMCA. (Read it here.)
On the Character of a Community: What Local Narratives Emphasize, and Leave Out
On the Character of a Community: What Local Narratives Emphasize, and Leave Out
by James Fallows
The role of universities, and our un-loved public efforts. (Read it here.)
A City’s Turning Points
A City’s Turning Points 
by James Fallows
The steps toward success, or failure, and why our understanding of them matters. (Read it here.)
A School With a Sense of Place
A School With a Sense of Place
by Deborah Fallows
Several of the students described their final projects, which included a welding piece, drama productions, and a magazine, among others. My favorite was a video showing how machines helped society recover from a disaster. “What was the disaster?” we asked. The answer, which reminded us that we were indeed among high schoolers: zombie apocalypse. (Read more of it here.)
From the Tree to the Table: The Journey of a Brave Little Orange
From the Tree to the Table: The Journey of a Brave Little Orange
by James Fallows
The surprising complexity behind even the simplest-seeming aspects of modern life. (Read it here.)
A 4th-Generation Orange Farmer, on Why He Sticks With It
A 4th-Generation Orange Farmer, on Why He Sticks With It 
“I was born in the grove. I was raised in the grove. I developed an intense dislike of farming in the grove.” Yet after 20 years around the world he has come back. (Read it here.)
American Futures 