June 2004
Table of Contents
Features
CoastingSince I was a kid growing up on polluted Galveston Bay, I’ve held a grudge against the watery edge of Texas—but no more. Protected wetlands! Pelicans and turtles! Historic buildings! Edible oysters! And that’s not the half shell of it. The Rehabilitation of Charlie WilsonIt happened in twelve steps, which is not surprising, given the legendary Lufkin lawmaker’s history with booze, broads, and bad behavior. For now, at least, it's taking. Life and MethAround the Piney Woods, most people will tell you that they know someone who’s addicted to homemade speed. Drug recovery centers are overwhelmed; court dockets are backed up; jails are filled. There’s no end in sight. |
An F for EffortOr maybe the grade should be “incomplete.” The special legislative session on school finance proved that Rick Perry and Republican lawmakers care a lot more about reducing property taxes than about improving public schools. Anybody surprised? His Mickey Mouse WaysIn a world full of evil dudes pretending to be good guys, Waylon Jennings was a good guy pretending to be an evil dude and never quite succeeding. |
Columns
Jason CohenLost in TranslationHollywood often fumbles the sports movie—but it could get back in the game right here in Texas. Anne DingusGoing For the JigglerExplaining the enduring appeal of Jell-O can be as challenging as, well, nailing it to a tree. |
Jan Jarboe RussellViva la DiferenciaA Harvard know-it-all predicts that the emerging Hispanic majority will be a drag on America. Tell it to your friends in Cambridge, bub. Kinky FriedmanArdor in the CourtRacehorse Haynes is every year's model for what a successful trial lawyer should be. |
Reporter
ReporterClass WarfareWhen Sul Ross State University professor Larry Sechrest called his neighbors and students idiots and inbreds, the entire town of Alpine rose up against him. Not that he's changed his mind. Book ReviewNever the Same Again (A Rock'n'Roll Gothic)Book ReviewDancing with Lyndon |
Book ReviewCroniesMusic ReviewKeep Your Wig OnMusic ReviewThe Cold Hard TruthMusic Review...In All Their Splendor |
The Filter
Pat’s PickCebu |
Pat’s PickDrink, Eat, and Be Merry |
Miscellany
Texas Monthly TalksBill Moyers"War is always a great reinforcer of secrecy, but a war on terror is the most insidious threat to openness—you can always claim, without having to explain why, that something can't be public." |
Web Exclusives
Happy TrailsA drive through the Hill Country and a brush with Texas's mystic side gave my world-weary self a breath of fresh air. Fast TimesSenior editor Pamela Colloff on methamphetamine's grip on East Texas, talking to addicts, and what it's like to follow around narcotics investigators. Charlie’s AngelAssociate editor John Spong on his twelve-step program for former congressman and wild man Charlie Wilson. |
Going CoastalWriter-at-large Suzy Banks talks about tourism in Galveston, moray eels in Kemah, and war stories in Port Isabel. Texas History 101Sul Ross State University may be small in size, but its commitment to education has been grand. Texas TidbitsOver the years, filmmakers have tried to capture the essence of Texas athletics through comedy and drama. These movies tackle the deep-seated sports culture of the state. |
Recipes
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