He has covered such topics as energy, science, education and popular culture as well as highway safety. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, Washington Times, Los Angeles Times, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and many other newspapers and magazines. He has been an editor with McGraw-Hill, Time-Life and United Press International. His background also includes several years as a middle-school teacher and six years as producer and co-host of a weekly television program, "The Moviegoing Family," which appeared in the Washington, D.C., area and nationally on The Learning Channel. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he has lived in Northern Virginia since 1970 and western Maryland since 2008.