February 1986
Features
The 1986 Bum Steer Awards A year of altered antlers, bunkum bars, cloddish coaches, defoliant diets, enervated elephants, filched flamingos, gunshot guitarists, haywire holidays, intoxicants’ incentives, jejune judges, kissing K-9’s, lousy lobster, and misdirected Michener.
The Hermann estate scandal exposed Houston’s most powerful deal makers, most respected philanthropists, and leading lawyers to the harsh glare of publicity. It was a shocking lesson in the abuses of power.
From luxury class to no-plumbing primitive, the Technicolor tropics of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula offer end-of-the-world delights. And it’s practically in our back yard.
The man I knew as Bompie had been a public figure, but my father had always seemed ashamed of what he had done to achieve his fame. Finally I found out why.
Tastes in livestock are as whimsical as tastes in fashion. This year petite is in.
Columns
In the current Rauschenberg exhibit at Houston’s Contemporary Arts Museum the artist finds his first thirty years a tough act to follow.
The only excitement of the Dallas Opera season came from a couple of fortunate gambles, while the Houston Grand Opera triumphed by bringing Faust alive for contemporary audiences.
When southern pine beetles attack a Texas forest, there are only two cures: cut the trees down or let nature take its course.
Out of Africa is lavishly done up but emotionally dehumidified; Young Sherlock Holmes is more Hardy Boys than Conan Doyle; Revolution is nothing but a megabucks disaster.
Reporter
A splendid state park; snacks you shouldn’t feed to a dog; a wild and crazy Republican.
Miscellany
For a singing telegram with a little something extra, just call the Hip-O-Gram Girls.
In a Twilight Zone-like pocket near UT there are some kids who aren’t ready to grow up.
Examining the bar; spreading the Word; minding the store; demanding the best.
Mark White’s insurance policy; not all semiconductor dumpers are Japanese; betting on a lottery; Tom Loeffler’s odd ads.