Texas Monthly articles from June 2007

Texas Monthly archives from June 2007

Road Warrior: if Ric Williamson is so smart--and he is--why is he letting the Trans-Texas Corridor take a toll on his reputation?(Behind the Lines)
June 1, 2007... Since I started this, Ric Williamson said, referring to his six-year tenure on the Texas Transportation Commission, "I've had two heart attacks, and I'm trying to avoid the third one, which the doctors tell me will be fatal." Imagine yourself...

Badge boys.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... Captain Clete Buckaloo? Even Hollywood couldn't make that up. Why? Because Captain Buckaloo is Texas real, as are the rest of his fellow Rangers. One look at him should make any criminal think seriously about going legit Charles Poland ...

Good fellas.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... I am extremely pleased with the way "The Gang's All Here" was written [April 2007]. My dad is a member of the Hill Country chapter of the Bandidos, and this piece showed that there is more to the organization than meets the eye. It is...

To Anna, with love.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... Isn't it interesting that your April issue had an article treating the Bandidos motorcycle gang with a certain amount of awe and respect while another article treated the life and death of Anna Nicole Smith as one big joke ["The Punch Line"]?...

Point of order.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... Regarding William Martin's thoughtful April column "The Damage Done," needle exchanges have been proven to reduce the spread of HIV without increasing drug use. They also serve as abridge to drug treatment for an especially hard-to-reach...

Full bluntal nugity.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... I think I like Ted Nugent [Texas Monthly Talks, April 2007]. He speaks his mind and doesn't pussyfoot around with words. Which is why I'm glad that he didn't bore us with any of the hollow arguments that hunters usually bring to rationalize...

Air ball.(Roar of the Crowd)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... How can you discuss basketball enthusiasm in Texas at the high school, college, and pro levels--in particular the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets--and not once mention the three-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs [Reporter, The Sports...

Dealey or no dealey.(Editor's Letter)(Excerpt)
June 1, 2007... At some point early in the planning of this issue, our articles editor, Brian Sweany, asked if it was a problem that two stories hinge on the Kennedy assassination: the excerpt ("The President Is Dead, You Know," page 110) from LBJ consigliere...

Topic a: state of innocents Dallas's DNA exonerations are setting a precedent for Texas--and the country.(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... It's true. James Waller really didn't do it. Six months ago DNA evidence proved what the convicted rapist had been saying for 24 years, and he became the twelfth man from Dallas County to be cleared by DNA since the state began allowing...

Shopping for a wedding gown.(The Horse's Mouth: EVERYTHING I COULD EVER TELL YOU ABOUT ...)(Interview)
June 1, 2007... Name: Lela Rose AGE: 37 HOMETOWN: Dallas QUALIFICATION: Graduated from Parsons the New School for Design, in New York Launched the Lela Rose ready-to-wear line in 1997, which sells in more than sixty specialty stores nationwide Introduced a...

The pro life: unsolicited advice for Kevin Durant.(The Sports Authorities)
June 1, 2007... PANELISTS: TIM GRIFFIN San Antonio Express-News MARK ROSNER Austin American-Statesman JEFF WALKER Lubbock Avalanche-Journal Hollister: On June 28 the NBA will officially make University of Texas wunderkind Kevin Durant one of...

He braided whips.(Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch: Part XI: STORIES FROM SOUTH TEXAS)(Short story)
June 1, 2007... Leather whips, with deer feet for handles. His name was Eusebio, and he had been my grandmother's ranch manager, or head vaquero, for forever. He lived on the ranch even after he retired, and as kids my brother, Mitch, and I would spend...

Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle: San Juan January 27, 2007.(Faith Bases)
June 1, 2007... Every religion of consequence deals with ultimate matters: Why are we here? Where are we going? How can we relate to who or what sustains the universe? But every religion also has an instrumental dimension: How can I raise a good crop? How can...

Getting antsy.(Minister of Health: CURES WHAT AILS US)(fire ants)
June 1, 2007... This summer we head into the third decade of groundbreaking research by one of the most underappreciated public health institutions in the state. Maybe it's the clunky name--the Fire Ant Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin's...

We'll always love you: the enduring appeal of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.(Hollywood, TX: ON OUR STATE OF ENTERTAINMENT)
June 1, 2007... Let me begin with a confession: From age eleven, when my overly permissive parents first allowed me to see the movie, until my early twenties, when I first visited Dallas--Fort Worth, virtually my entire understanding of contemporary Texas was...

Previews + reviews: music: on the month's new releases.
June 1, 2007... So she's only 23. Lindale's MIRANDA LAMBERT may not be ready to impart any life lessons, but that doesn't mean she isn't already a damn good storyteller. Here's how CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND (Sony BMG Nashville), the follow-up to her hit debut,...

Jonathan Meiburg.(Interview)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The Austin ornithologist and rocker has enchanted audiences with the lush, intense music of his band Shearwater. Thanks to the group's recent signing with the independent label Matador, its 2006 album, Palo Santo, is getting the reissue...

Previews + reviews: books: on the month's new releases.(The Beautiful Miscellaneous)(This Time This Place: My Life in War, the White House, and Hollywood)(Forgive Me)(Book review)
June 1, 2007... If genius truly skips a generation, what becomes of the moderately stellar offspring of brilliant parents?In his wry and affecting THE BEAUTIFUL MISCELLANEOUS, Austinite DOMINIC SMITH probes the fate of Nathan Nelson, who must suffer his...

Rick Riordan.(Interview)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... In 2005, with seven adult mysteries under his belt, the San Antonio writer and teacher launched a series for kids: Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Now Harry Potter producer Chris Columbus has signed on to bring book one, The Lightning Thief,...

Shirt tales.(Buy This Now: ON THE THINGS YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT)
June 1, 2007... With the surge of retail imports onto our Texas soil--including the recent arrival of Barneys in both Dallas and Austin--one might assume good style travels only east to west. Bucking that notion is a century-old Houston clothier: Hamilton...

Bishop arts District, Dallas: a historic neighborhood reemerges with a new edge.(Street Smarts: A QUICKIE GUIDE TO ...)
June 1, 2007... 1 Before embarking on some art appreciation--these streets are notably populated with galleries--mingle over lattes with the locals at NODDING DOG COFFEE COMPANY CAFE AND BISTRO. Display your bohemian sensibilities by name-dropping La Reunion,...

Bill Paxton.(Texas Monthly Talks)(Interview)
June 1, 2007... Your were in Texas in March for the Texas Film Hall of Fame induction, in Austin, and the AFI Dallas international Film Festival, Do you come back a lot? No, I really don't. And I have to say I'm sorry I don't, because I really enjoy it. I...

The iconoclast: a liberal newspaperman in George W. Bush's backyard? Molly Ivins would be proud.(John Young)
June 1, 2007... In olden days,, John Young would have been horsewhipped or shot in the back for the stuff he writes two or three times a week in the Waco Tribune-Herald. You don't razz right-wingers in what Young has labeled "Bush-by-God country"--not if you...

Inimitable ink: there are good things that have come to me and are luckily mine. a happy marriage. truly remarkable children. And, now, a tattoo.
June 1, 2007... "This your first tattoo?" the "artist" asked. Already I felt uncomfortable-46 years old (it was literally my forty-sixth birthday), hanging around at a place that I had so hoped would resemble a doctor's office but looked like the skanky...

"The President is dead, you know": in an excerpt from his posthumously published memoir, LBJ aide Jack Valenti relives the Kennedy assassination, from the chaos at parkland to the calm aboard Air Force One.(Letter From Dallas)(Excerpt)(Reprint)
June 1, 2007... The Longest Day has begun. [paragraph] The street curved as we passed by an undistinguished building later described to me as the Texas School Book Depository. We were on Dealey Plaza. Suddenly, the car in front of us accelerated from 8 miles...

Shore' nuff.
June 1, 2007... With more than 350 miles of coastline in Texas, choosing the perfect getaway can make you want to bury your head in the sand. Where do you go for a family vacation? (Or to avoid kids at all costs?) Who can teach you to surf? (Or to build a...

Human mate selection is a many-splendored thing: David Buss has a theory about the evolution of desire. His research has identified 115 love acts, 147 things you can do to upset or annoy the opposite sex, and 237 reasons to copulate. But can that help me find romance?
June 1, 2007... Love will be the death of us, I can see that now. The signs have been there for a long time. Right in our midst--and glorified to boot--is a substantial threat to the continuation of our species, as much of a menace as global warming, nuclear...

For those who wear it.(college bands)
June 1, 2007... the label "band geek" is a source of both mockery and pride: Band geeks are nerdy but talented, weird but fun, shy but sometimes cocky. "I do play the tuba, and I still get the girls," one band geek boasts on a Web site that sells band geek...

Let there be lightin': how Sam Hopkins lived the blues.(Biography)
June 1, 2007... It's one of the all-time great Lightnin' moments:Austin City Limits, 1979, less than three years before he died. He was 67 and wearing abright-blue leisure suit with rhinestones that sparkled in the TV lights and a beige fedora cocked at a...

The music man: Dirk Fowler has designs on becoming the state's latest, greatest poster artist.
June 1, 2007... GROWING UP ON A FARM IN THE PANHANDLE, Dirk Fowler felt cheated that he never got a chance to be a punk rocker. But if the existence of a contemporary music scene eluded him, stumbling upon a book of grungy flyers in 1990 more than made up for...

Armandos: Houston.(PAT'S PICK)
June 1, 2007... "EVERYBODY GOES TO RICK'S." Isn't that the play they made into Casablanca? The film was on my mind the other night at the Houston enclave that houses the third and grandest incarnation of locally renowned Mexican restaurant Armandos....

Jasper's: Austin.(NEW + NOTEWORTHY)(Restaurant review)
June 1, 2007... Little strangers from the Dallas area are sprouting up all over Texas this month. Besides the offspring of Bob's in Houston (right), a new Jasper's has taken up residence in Austin. Design-wise, it defines "Metroplex mod," with coppery...

Bob's steak and chop house: Houston.(NEW + NOTEWORTHY)
June 1, 2007... A strapping teenage boy dug into his 22-ounce strip steak and realized, about halfway through, that the center was too rare. The server graciously brought him a new steak, properly cooked, which he manfully polished off, along with...

The filter: dining: our favorite restaurants, bistros, cafes, and joints.(Company overview)
June 1, 2007... Amarillo CAFE BELLA Indulge yourself with a fabulous Kobe steak at this stylish addition to Amarillo's restaurant scene. Or opt for the pork tenderloin wrapped in applewood-smoked bacon; a hearty dish exalted with a sweet and savory Granny...

Menil collection: Houston.(JORDAN'S PICK)
June 1, 2007... "I CALL MYSELF COVETOUS," the late Dominique de Menil once told this magazine. "I have an enormous appetite for whatever turns me on." Luckily for her adopted city of Houston, what she craved most was art of the highest caliber: When the Menil...

Face painting.(The Filter: Events: WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO, WHO TO SEE)
June 1, 2007... FORT WORTH The evolution of the human figure in art is worthy of years of study. For those of us with less time, an exceptional capsule collection featuring some of the more indelible images of the twentieth century allows for a succinct yet...

Accordion idol.(The Filter: Events: WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO, WHO TO SEE)(Texas Folklife, accordian playing competition)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... HOUSTON There will be no 800number voting, no professional hair and makeup, and no Simon Cowell at The Big Squeeze, an accordion competition hosted by Texas Folklife this month. But the young players (28 is the age limit) vying for the $1,000...

Summerpalooza.(The Filter: Events: WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO, WHO TO SEE)(music festivals)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... AUSTIN, DALLAS, GRAND PRAIRIE, HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, THE WOODLANDS It's a scalper's favorite time of year: summer concert season. No matter what beats you groove on (or what decade you were born in), there is always some good reason to part...

Movin' on up.(The Filter: Events: WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO, WHO TO SEE)(El Paso Museum of History)
June 1, 2007... EL PASO A new chapter in El Paso's history is being written--or, more accurately, developed--as you read this. A multipronged plan to build up the unremarkable downtown area got a big kick start this past Halloween, when the city council...

Go fish.(The Filter: Events: WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO, WHO TO SEE)
June 1, 2007... QUITAQUE, EDNA In honor of Free Fishing Day--June 2--Texas Parks and Wildlife is waiving all license requirements, so grab your rod and tackle box and head to the nearest body of water. Clinics, tournaments, and kid-friendly activities are...

Native son.(The Filter: Events: WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO, WHO TO SEE)(T-Bone Walker Blues Fest)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... LINDEN Last year's inaugural T-Bone Walker Blues Fest stretched into a ten-hour marathon with an array of musicians--from Keb' Mo' to Kenny Wayne Shepherd--bending strings in honor of the first American guitar hero. Walker, who revolutionized...

Aim high.(The Filter: Events: WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO, WHO TO SEE)(Hill Country Shooting Sports Center)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... KERRVILLE Texas won't be hosting the Olympic Games anytime soon (both Dallas and Houston lost bids for the 2012 Games, and H-town was denied again in the run for 2016). But the state can make one Olympic-sized boast: It is home to the country's...

Voice of experience.(The Filter: Events: WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO, WHO TO SEE)
June 1, 2007... SAN ANTONIO "I've been trying to bring him in for eight years" says San Antonio Opera's general and artistic director Mark Richter of the world's preeminent tenor, Placido Domingo. Richter's efforts--"It was a game of who knows whom," he...

No ifs, abs or butts: so what if my aerobics instructor is a Flabbo Nazi? My capacious can is getting perkier.
June 1, 2007... I was just sitting there on my mat, stretching out the hamstrings, waiting for Ladies Strength Training to start, when the Ghost of Vgorkouts Past bustled in. [paragraph] "Hey, y'all, I'm Denise! I'll be filling in for JoJo! She's doing the...