October 2006 Cover

ON THE COVER: Photograph by Laurence Parent.

October 2006

Table of Contents

Features

Travel by foot along these thirty carefully chosen routes—from the South Rim in Big Bend to Lost Maples near Vanderpool—and you’ll take in the sights, sounds, and smells of Texas in ways you never thought possible. Lace up your boots and go.

Yes, there are ways to get in a fantastic hike without leaving the city limits.

New-media director Charlie Llewellin on hiking across Texas.

They say he ran over Eddie Peltier with his El Camino on a North Dakota Indian reservation in 1983. He says he didn’t do it, and the evidence is overwhelmingly on his side—yet the Plainview native has languished in federal prison for twenty years. It’s long past time for justice to be done.

Senior editor Michael Hall on talking to Richard LaFuente, who some believe was wrongly convicted of murder in 1986.

It’s not just the stock price. It’s not just the executive exodus. It’s not just the flaming laptops. It’s not just the lousy customer service. It’s not just the sagging employee morale. It’s all of these things—and it’s deadly serious. Inside the sudden decline of the world’s most powerful computer company.

The stark beauty and powerful emotion of her photographs are undeniable. An excerpt from a new book celebrating the life and work of Mexico’s incomparable Graciela Iturbide.

In my 86 years I’ve come into the possession of an assortment of firearms: a Colt .32-caliber semiautomatic pistol that my grandfather bought at a hardware store in Cuero; a Remington Model 870 pump, 20-gauge shotgun that my Aggie uncle-by-marriage used to shoot birds; the Winchester Model 06 pump .22 rifle I got on my tenth birthday; and many others. And each one has a story.

Columns

Behind the Lines

Houston’s Katrina hangover.

Michael Ennis

Independent candidates for governor won’t win this year, but they’ve certainly upended the established order. Democrats and Republicans, you have only yourselves to blame.

Patricia Kilday Hart

In 2006 Texas schools still can’t teach English to Spanish-speaking students. Here’s what we should do about that—now.

Sarah Bird

Teen Boy’s sugar-free education.

Reporter

Topic A

Come home, Dixie Chicks.

The Horse’s Mouth

Bob Phillips on the roads less traveled.

The Sports Authorities

Should the WNBA go away?

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

A bull sale is like a wedding.

Faith Bases

William Martin reviews our places of worship.

Minister of Health

The newest nightmare disease.

Cojones

A tip of the hat to risk-taking, barrier-breaking, establishment-tweaking Texans.

Hollywood, TX

Richard Linklater supersizes Fast Food Nation.

Buy This Now

The lights are shinin’ on a rhinestone cowboy.

Street Smarts

Sundance Square takes shape.

Texas Monthly Talks

James Baker stays the course.

Music Review

Music Review

Music Review

The Filter

Pat’s Pick

Miscellany

Editor’s Letter

Roar of the Crowd

Web Exclusives

Executive editor S. C. Gwynne on writing about computer giant Dell.

Articles editor Brian D. Sweany on spending an afternoon with John Graves.

Kristy Curry has the eyes of the Lady Raider Nation upon her.

Recipes

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