In which Robert Krulwich, of the excellent Radiolab, gives a speech to the newly-minted graduates of UC Berkeley's journalism school, and inspires even old guys like me. Here's the conclusion: So for this age, for your time, I want you to just think about this: Think about NOT waiting your turn. Instead, think about gettingContinue reading “Journalism today: Don’t wait your turn (Robert Krulwich)”
Category Archives: local heroes
The refrains of nature: Rachel Carson
If we think of Rachel Carson, we probably remember her for alerting us to the massacre of the birds by DDT in Silent Spring, and overlook her earlier, more poetic works, such as her bestseller The Sea Around Us, which was excerpted in The New Yorker, won the National Book Award, and numerous other prizes. YetContinue reading “The refrains of nature: Rachel Carson”
Rachel Carson on how to introduce children to nature
At a lecture attended recently by a thousand or so people at UC Santa Barbara, the great E.O. Wilson was asked an open-ended question about introducing children to nature. Wilson took it as a "how to" question. He mentioned that he was "one of two living persons who worked with Rachel Carson," and made aContinue reading “Rachel Carson on how to introduce children to nature”
Cheever on writing as sport
From an interview with his daughter in Newsweek late in his wondrous career: Writing is not at all a competitive sport. I don't think of myself as being less that Saul Bellow or more than Herbert Gold. The essence of literature is always the singularity of the writer. h/t: Al Filreis
The lives of the harvesters
Grist features a photographic essay about the immigrant farmworkers who harvest the fruits and vegetables in California, earning little, working hard, feeding the nation. According to The Migrant Project, California agriculture produces about fifty percent of the nation's food supply, which means that these folks do about half the fieldwork in the country. The photoContinue reading “The lives of the harvesters”
Writer vs. Critic 2010-2011
Patrick Goldstein, who might be the single best blogger at the LA Times, covers Hollywood, and in his case, that means interviewing influential people in Hollywood. Most of them, because they're in the Industry, cannot stand — for professional reasons — to be disliked, and will not be quoted by name. But Goldstein knows how toContinue reading “Writer vs. Critic 2010-2011”
Another gay hero saves the day
The great interviewer, reporter, and columnist Patt Morrison lays it down again, as always finding a fresh take on a big subject. Here's a taste of her newest story, to intrigue you: A 20-year-old congressional college intern with only five days on the job saved Gabrielle Giffords’ life. Daniel Hernandez ran toward the sound ofContinue reading “Another gay hero saves the day”
The tea maker, thirty years later…and Yoko
About ten years ago, astonishingly, I got a call from Yoko Ono. I happened to have written a magazine story about the time she spent with John Lennon in the little town of Ojai, in the mid-70's, after he and Yoko were driven out of Greenwich Village by FBI and NYPD surveillance and harassment. They bought a stationContinue reading “The tea maker, thirty years later…and Yoko”
Reporters track, catch, release scientists at work in field
Not with electronic tags (though I suspect some reporters would love to do that). With their co-operation. Some great stories have resulted in just the past couple of weeks. Here's on one the wandering of a mountain lion through SoCal, as reported on the front page of the Los Angeles Times. One statistic stands out:Continue reading “Reporters track, catch, release scientists at work in field”
Scientist challenges denier: denier threatens suit
In a column this past week, George Monbiot pointed to a meticulously detailed take-down of the English Vicount Monckton's scattered attack on climate change science by an American professor specializing in heat transfer named John Abraham. Abraham went through a presentation by Monckton and surgically took it apart, point by point. It's a devastatingly convincingContinue reading “Scientist challenges denier: denier threatens suit”
Kit Stolz 