Bum Jeers
The hubris of the Bum Steer Awards [“Best and Worst of 2020,” January 2021] making fun mostly of Republicans and then having a seriously written Bum Steer of the Year award for the state Democratic party may be overlooked by your staff. Texans hate hubris as much as the Greeks did, and most Texans see right through the politically biased nonsense of the awards making all Republicans look like a bunch of idiots and picturing Democrats as just needing to focus more clearly. The same Texans take it seriously when voting.
Jon Such, Gonzales
Barry Bonds
Michael Hall’s awesome article on our great Texas actor Barry Corbin [“The Seven Ages of Barry Corbin,” January 2021] brought back cherished memories of when Barry and I judged the World Championship Rocky Mountain Oyster Festival cook-off, in Throckmorton, several years ago. We “cowboyed up,” did our duty, sampled all 37 savory entries, joyfully joked and judged, picked proud winners, and enjoyed exemplary Throckmorton County hospitality. It was a privilege and a pleasure to meet and visit with this true Texan, living legend, genuine gentleman, and humble human being.
John Compere, Baird
Merry Pappin
I just read the Gladden Pappin profile [“Can Trumpism Transcend Trump?,” January 2021]. I guess the feeling among many working-class people that a Harvard degree doesn’t make you that smart might just be true. The article notes that Pappin “voted for Trump in both elections and doesn’t see him as a sufficient disgrace or threat to merit repudiating.” I read that Pappin and his fellow writers took on ancient Roman–themed pseudonyms, with Pappin publishing under the name Manlius Capitolinus. I wonder how he and his ridiculously named “Romans” feel after January 6, when the person they expected to lose the 2016 general election tried to destroy our country. Pappin and the rest of his gang of merry pranksters should be ashamed of themselves for treating the highest office in our land so lightly.
Bill Durham, Los Angeles
Editors’ note: In the February 2021 issue, a photo caption in “Under the Miracle Tree” misidentified a figurine as being a likeness of Saint Jude. It was a likeness of the Virgin Mary. A photo caption in “Aoudads and Bongos and Zebras, Oh My!” misidentified an animal as a Thomson’s gazelle. It was a springbok. We regret the errors.
The article “The Oilwoman,” also in the February 2021 issue, stated that Occidental Petroleum CEO Vicki Hollub received nearly $16 million in compensation in 2019. To clarify, Occidental reported her “total compensation” as $15.9 million and her “realizable compensation” as $4.4 million on its proxy statement. The lower figure takes into account a drop in Occidental’s stock price after Hollub’s pay package had been granted, along with other factors.
