Commentary Archive

  • gestation and delivery of a news story

    gestation and delivery of a news story

    My stories so far have not required major remodeling before publication. But the baby story, the first story I pitched, did not run smoothly. I collected a large volume of...
  • The Arsenic-Eaters of Mono Lake

    The Arsenic-Eaters of Mono Lake

    It looks like an alien landscape from the pulpiest era of science fiction. Pale, gothic towers, glowing in the sunset, rise from still water, surrounded by harsh terrain...
  • Scientists, in vivo

    Scientists, in vivo

    Professors beget more PhD’s than can hope to succeed to tenured positions. Although science offers career alternatives in industry and government research that the arts and humanities lack, it is...