Labor Day Fashion Show

 

Purse Winner and friends

Back row: Lillian Sikorski; Linda Migl, Front row/sitting: Jaimee Sudduth

 

 

 

 

Veronica’s Table

Back row: Lisa LeMaire; Melissa Carbajal; Denisa Madera; Niki Warren; Debbie Psifidis, Front row: Sarah McAnelly; Ashley Mathews; Veronica Pullicino; Rhonda Payne; Amy Behan

Tricia Oliver; Mauri Oliver             Samantha Bernstein; Lisa Benitez

Rose Ribbon

(Upper Kirby District)

Black and White and Red all Over

Story Laurette M. Veres; photography Herb Hochman

The most beautiful women in Houston donned black, white and roses in support of the Rose Ribbon Foundation.  International author Jo Barrett entertained the crowd pointing out that women are natural storytellers.  This afternoon’s story was of survivors.  The Rose Ribbon Foundation is a 501c(3) that provides post cancer reconstruction to uninsured cancer patients.

When  September 4, 2008

Who

Carolyn Farb, Mary Ann McKeithan, Robin Reimer, Mauney Mafrige, Betty Tutor, Astrid Van Dyke, Dr. Lucho Rossman, Dr. Larry Hollier, Jessica Meyer Tena Faust and Cindy Garza.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Focus on Fertility

If you’ve had trouble conceiving, you’re not alone: according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 12 percent of women report problems conceiving or carrying a baby to term. Doctors recommend seeking a fertility evaluation after one year of trying without success; six months if the woman is over 30. Today’s fertility experts can often pinpoint problems and recommend treatments that take the frustration out of starting a family.

Many conditions can cause infertility. Health and Human Services estimates fertility problems are equally divided into three categories: male, female and unknown. Lifestyle choices can affect the ability to reproduce in both sexes. Alcohol, drugs and smoking, unhealthy weight and poor diet can all increase the risk of infertility. Sometimes causes can be more complex.

Most female infertility disorders revolve around ovulation in some way. However, scar tissue on ovaries and the uterus, ovarian cysts or uterine fibroids can block conception. Men mainly deal with sperm quality. Testicle injuries or defects and exposure to environmental toxins can contribute to low sperm quality.

Infertility treatments are based on the specific cause. They range from taking ovulation stimulation drugs to in vitro fertilization, in which healthy embryos are implanted in the uterus after fertilization in a lab. No treatment guarantees a woman will become pregnant, but millions of couples are raising healthy families after seeking help from fertility specialists. Talk to your doctor, early and in-depth, to get the best treatment plan for you.

Please click on the following links to view each Fertility Doctor’s profile and/or visit their website. To view video profiles, click on the yellow links provided. When you’re done viewing each video, simply hit the “back” button on your browser to return to this page.

These videos are in Quicktime format.
Click here to download the free version of Quicktime.

Sadhna Singh, Lic.Ac., M.B.B.S. (India)
www.easternharmonyclinic.com
Click here to view my video

Fertility Specialists of Houston
FSHIVF.COM
Click here to view my video

Manubai Nagamani, M.D.
www.utmb.edu/ufc
Video Coming Soon!

Michael J. Heard, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
www.houstonrei.org
Video Coming Soon!

Dorothy Roach, M.D.
www.nhcrm.com
Click here to view my video

Houston Fertility Institute
www.hfi-ivf.com

Houston IVF
www.houstonivf.net

Allon Health Center
www.drallon.com

2008 Top Doctors for Women

Research shows female health care needs are unique. Women have higher risks of heart disease and are affected differently from men with the same conditions. Women need special care for breast, bone and reproductive health. Many tend to worry more about aesthetics. It’s important to find a doctor who understands the special needs of female patients and keeps up with advances in the cutting-edge field of women’s medicine. H Texas presents Houston’s Top Doctors for Women – 2008.

Every effort has been made to verify information for the doctors listed. Any omissions or inaccuracies are unintentional, and H Texas magazine cannot be held liable. If a particular doctor does not appear on the list, it does not mean he/she is not the best doctor for you.

Please click on the following links to view each profile for Top Doctors for Women and/or visit their website. To view video profiles, click on the yellow links provided. When you’re done viewing each video, simply hit the “back” button on your browser to return to this page.

These videos are in Quicktime format.
Click here to download the free version of Quicktime.

Rakesh Mangal, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
www.fshivf.com
Video Coming Soon!

Dr. Felix Spiegel
www.felixspiegelmd.com
Video Coming Soon!

The Women’s Specialists of Houston
at Texas Children’s Hospital
www.womenspecialists.com
Video Coming Soon!

James F. Boynton, M.D.
www.BoyntonMD.com

Henry A. Mentz, III, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.I.C.S.
www.DrMentz.com
www.MyMediSpa.com

German Newall, M.D., F.A.C.S, F.I.C.S.
www.mybeautifulbody.com
www.drnewall.com

Dr. Christopher K. Patronella MD, FACS, FICS
www.patronellamd.com
www.mybeautifulbody.com

Terri Alani, D.D.S.

Sebastian Faro, M.D., Ph. D.
www.sebastianfaro.yourmd.com

Wayde Fawcett, DDS, MAGD, FICOI
www.drfawcett.com

Morgan E. Norris III, M.D.
www.norrisplasticsurgery.com

Plaza OB-GYN Associates
www.plaza-obgyn.com

Aldona J. Spiegel, M.D.
www.breastrestoration.org

Steven Wolfson, D.D.S.
www.tanglewoodsmiles.com

Have Fear. The World is Ending

Have Fear. The World Is Ending.

Have you turned on the news lately? Neither have I. Actually, this isn’t true. I’ve become shamelessly addicted to CNN. And to the doom and gloom the actors (oops! I mean newscasters) are hurling our way.

The other evening I tuned in to Anderson Pooper on CNN. Now, I realize his real name is Anderson Cooper. I realize his mother is Gloria Vanderbilt and that many women find him attractive despite his awkward leprechaun ears and premature grey hair.

I also realize he is one of the few news anchors who look good in Prada. But I digress.

Within 30 seconds of flipping on the show, I was barraged with floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, political scandals and missing child reports. And the look on his face after the report? It’s almost as if he were enjoying it. To peddle fear is great power, isn’t it?

To add insult to injury, the next report focused on—and I bet you can guess—the OIL CRISIS!

That’s right, people. Apparently, we are embroiled in a full-on, balls to the wall OIL CRISIS!

As I’m sure you’ve noticed when filling up your tank, gas costs more these days. But this is not where it ends. The OIL CRISIS affects every industry in our lives.

According to Anderson, the OIL CRISIS is responsible for all of the following:

Airlines on the breach of bankruptcy;
Soaring food prices at your local grocery store;
The economy in shambles;
The real estate melt down;
and Angelina Jolie’s decision to send Pax to public school.

It’s gotten so bad that Anderson said—and I quote: “Americans are now being forced to choose whether to fill up their gas tank OR PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.”

Wait. Stop the press, Anderson. Are you telling me Americans are choosing whether to drive their cars or eat? I don’t buy it. I mean, c’mon. I just saw a four-year-old talking on a cell phone.

---

About the Author:

Jo Barrett Other Stories

Living with Cancer

Survivors are breaking stereotypes and redefining life with cancer

Cancer can affect anyone, anywhere at anytime. Young, mature, stout, svelte, beautiful inside or out. You and yours are not off limits to this disease. According to the American Cancer Society, one out of every two American men and one out of every three American women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. We all are—or will be—friends, caregivers, children, parents, siblings, co-workers, doctors or nurses of cancer patients, if not patients ourselves.

However, the situation is not as grim as it sounds. Today, many people are not dying of cancer—they are living with it; a cancer diagnosis is no longer an automatic death sentence. Thanks to technology, funding and education, survival is measured in years instead of days.

American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) researchers have developed lifesaving tests and linked lifestyle choices to cancer. We can minimize cancer’s effects through early detection and even decrease our chances of contracting the disease by avoiding cigarettes, unhealthy foods and making other healthy choices. Today’s cancer education is not subtle. Television advertisements show how we ingest harmful chemicals when breathing polluted air. Magazine articles and cooking shows promote consumption of four to five servings of fruits and vegetables a day to reduce the likelihood of cancer by up to 30 percent. The evils of cigarette smoking are constantly exposed in ad campaigns and educational programs.

The number of people living with cancer is so large, the disease is immersed in our society and culture. America watched as character Samantha Jones shaved her head and battled breast cancer in the HBO hit-series “Sex and the City.” Texans rallied behind Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong as he achieved success in his fight with testicular cancer. Closer to home, Houstonians joined Marvin Zindler as he documented his battle with prostate and pancreatic cancer.

Confidence and hope are changing how cancer is viewed. Seeing successes of new treatments and cures overpower cancer’s ability to dictate mortality; people are not giving up. Instead of lowering their eyes and whispering, “I have cancer” to friends and family like they’re ashamed, cancer patients are taking ownership of the condition and proclaiming, “I have cancer and I’m fighting back!” This new attitude arms patients with confidence and courage to face the unknown and grasp the inevitable. They realize each day they have cancer is a day they are surviving cancer, and it strengthens their defenses.

Then there are the unique blessings during this journey. Blessings and cancer? It sounds crazy, but they can be found in the most unusual places or circumstances. Those diagnosed with this disease gain fresh perspectives of life, and many see the significance in choices made every day, sick or well, to hate or love; hurt or forgive; doubt or have faith with optimum clarity. You find humor in situations only cancer patients appreciate, like when two strangers hold hands in the hospital wig shop as they are miraculously transformed into Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn. Deep bonds are formed in support organizations like CanCare of Houston, Inc., whose staff members have personal experiences with cancer.

Yes, cancer can still be fatal. So can spider bites, car accidents, or avian flu. However, choices you make today affect survival tomorrow. Get informed. Identify actions you can take to prevent, or at least ensure early detection of cancer. Get involved. Participate in awareness programs, donate to research institutions and volunteer in cancer support programs. Most importantly, get real by acknowledging cancer is part of our world we can do something about.

Essentials:
Houston plays host to one of the largest Susan G. Komen “Race(s) for the Cure” in the country. Pledge your support at www.komen-houston.org

Hope in Houston
Texas Children’s was recently ranked one of the top medical facilities in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. Anyone who has visited knows it’s not your typical drab, depressing hospital. Specializing in pediatric care and treatment, it’s full of color, life and vitality. Doctors focus on patients’ whole health, not just treating diseases.

M.D. Anderson, a research hospital and branch of the University of Texas educational system, is one of the leading oncology institutions in the nation. And it’s in our own backyard. It services local, national and international patients in various stages of diagnoses or treatment every day.

CanCare of Houston, Inc.
(www.cancare.org) focuses on customized needs of the cancer diagnosed and their families. An interfaith support network, CanCare offers free, one-on-one, long-term emotional support to patients and their families. Patients are blessed with support from staff who’ve been through the same trials.

Heart of a Hero

Legendary heart surgeon Michael Ellis DeBakey, M. D. recounts his extraordinary life

I was privileged to interview Dr. DeBakey prior to his death, July 11, 2008, less than two months before his 100th birthday. My goal was to share his life reflections with H Texas readers in our September issue as a birthday gift. In the spirit of celebrating his 100th birthday, this article is written in present tense with Dr. DeBakey living and laughing as he was on May 7, 2008.

We meet in Dr. DeBakey’s private conference room. The walls are laden with framed photos of him with U. S. presidents, heads of state, national and local luminaries, doctors, family members, friends and patients. Dressed in a green pullover sweater and casual corduroy slacks, he still looks ruggedly handsome and has a twinkle in his eye as he enters in a motorized wheelchair. His vibrant warmth quickly fills the big room.

The father of modern cardiovascular surgery and arguably the most famous heart surgeon in the world, Dr. Michael Ellis DeBakey, chancellor emeritus of Baylor College of Medicine and director of the DeBakey Heart Center of Baylor and Methodist Hospital, is responsible for much of the Texas Medical Center’s world-renowned reputation. His talent, expertise, compassion and dedication to helping others led him to develop and perfect more than 50 medical devices, techniques and procedures, saving millions of lives.

Theodore Roosevelt was president and Henry Ford had just developed the Model T when DeBakey was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Some of his earliest memories involve the library. His parents insisted their children check out a book each week.

“I could read when I was four,” he recalls, “but I was around seven when I found the best book I’d ever seen in the library. When I asked to take it home, the librarian refused. This fascinating book, my very favorite, turned out to be in a series —The Encyclopedia Britannica. It wasn’t long before my father bought the set for myself and my brothers and sisters. By reading these books, I really broadened my education. I learned a little geography, where all the countries were and the character of the country. I learned a little bit about the United States Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Of course, I didn’t understand everything in the encyclopedias, but I loved them and read each one. I was a good student, in the top of my class. I was probably the best-read freshman on the Tulane Campus.”

He credits his mother for his giving spirit. Every Sunday she gathered her children to deliver clothing she mended and meals she cooked to an orphanage. “One Sunday I objected when she packed a cap I liked,” he reminisces. “She said, ‘You have a new cap. These children don’t have parents to give them a cap. You can afford to give this one to them.’ In that moment I learned a lesson, and it never left me! Throughout my lifetime, I’ve been very grateful to be able to do things for others.”

His mother was a sewing expert, and he watched and learned as she taught neighborhood girls to sew. “At five years old, I could cut out a pattern,” he says. In the 1950s, about 40 years after cutting his first pattern, he sewed the prototype for artificial arteries on his wife’s sewing machine using fabric purchased at Foley’s in Downtown Houston. In 1952, he became the first surgeon in the country to perform successful excision and graft replacement of aneurysms of the aorta and obstructive lesions of the major arteries. He remembers it as one of the most exciting times in his life. “Up until then, there was no thought of ever doing it. It was a great stimulus to go on.”

His interest in medicine developed early in life. “My father was a pharmacist, and doctors would come by to get their prescriptions filled,” he explains. “I thought they were great people, and they truly inspired me to become a doctor.”

At 23, already in medical school and engaged in medical research, DeBakey invented the roller pump, which provides continuous flow of blood during operations and helped launch the open-heart surgery era. “That was pretty exciting,” he says. “I simplified the process with the roller pump, which became an integral component of the heart/lung machine.”

He was already a successful surgeon and professor when he opted to volunteer for service in World War II. He became a member of the Surgical Consultants’ Division in the Office of the Surgeon General of the Army from 1942 to 1946; in 1945 he became its director and received the U. S. Army Legion of Merit. He is credited with helping develop mobile army surgical hospital (MASH) units and later helped establish the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center Research System.

After re-entering civilian practice, Dr. DeBakey’s medical achievements began piling up. He was the pioneer behind countless medical procedures now used worldwide to save lives. Coronary bypass surgery, angioplasty, Dacron grafts and artificial heart transplants are just a few of his medical accomplishments.

Dr. DeBakey has operated on more than 60,000 patients, including President Lyndon Johnson, President John F. Kennedy, President Richard Nixon, The Duke of Windsor, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, the Shah of Iran, King Leopold of Belgium, King Hussein of Jordan, Aristotle Onassis, Stavros Nicandros, Marlene Dietrich, Danny Kaye, Jerry Lewis, Wayne Newton, Sam Giancana and others. Each and every one of Dr. DeBakey’s patients, regardless of their stature, received the same excellent care.

“During those years I was up before four in the morning, at the hospital by 5, operating most of the day, usually 10 or 12 surgeries; between cases, interviewing people, visiting patients and writing,” he says. “Nothing has ever been more important than the health of my patients.”

A lifelong scholar with interests ranging well beyond medicine, Dr. DeBakey has thorough knowledge of history, philosophy, ethics, literature, art and music. Many have added “Renaissance Man” to his titles. His love of writing led him to author or co-author more than 1,700 published medical articles, chapters and books on various aspects of medicine, including ethical, socioeconomic and philosophic discussions. Many of these articles are considered classics. His books have appeared on the New York Times Best Sellers list: “The Living Heart,” “The New Living Heart Diet,” “The Living Heart Shopper’s Guide” and “The Living Heart Guide to Eating Out.”

“There were many times I would operate all week and write all weekend,” he says. “I love to write; it’s been a kind of hobby—putting words together, expressing thoughts so that they represent a pleasant hearing of the words.”

After so many accomplishments, I can’t help but ask him for The Dr. Michael E. DeBakey Formula for a Long Life. The great man laughs and answers, “So much of the process of aging—from the day we’re born until the day we die—is unknown. A lot of what’s written is just verbiage; it doesn’t mean a thing. Certainly, there are a few things, such as smoking, that one should avoid; at least omit those things that are harmful. Common sense. Moderation. Eat anything in moderation.”

I heard from his friends that he loves Louisiana creole food covered in Tabasco sauce, so I ask him if he watches his diet.

“No!” he says instantly. “I like home cooking … rice, potatoes, meat once a week, shell fish and fish. Very moderately. I’ve weighed 165 pounds all of my adult life.”

Describing his schedule on the day of this interview, he says, “I still get up early, exercise at a physical fitness facility for an hour or so; come to the office every day, supervise surgeries, tend to correspondence and see people. No pressure. I go home mid-afternoon. I spend much of my free time in my library at home, which includes four or five thousand books. I’ve read many books on the various religions of the world, and I know a little bit about many of them. My favorite reading material is old classical poems from English writers of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.”

According to Baylor College of Medicine, one of Dr. DeBakey’s greatest accomplishments is training successive generations of surgeons. He established many fellowship and residence programs; many of the program graduates have gone on to chair and direct academic surgical programs in this country and abroad. He was the driving force behind the High School for the Health Professions of the Houston Independent School District, which attracts young people to the health profession early and prepares them with a strong academic foundation. When I mention there must be thousands of young people who want to talk to him about becoming doctors, his eyes light.

“I enjoy having them ask me! My answer is always the same: discipline. It takes a great deal of discipline to study. You have to make choices: do I go out to the theatre tonight or do I study?”

On New Year’s Eve, 2006, 97-year-old DeBakey felt an incredible pain in his upper chest. He was in denial about the severity of his illness and waited a month before entering the hospital. As specialists conferred and argued the legalities of operating on someone his age, Dr. DeBakey’s wife, Katrin, burst into the room and said, “He’s dying, and you’re talking. If he is to have a chance to live, you have to operate!” The surgery, performed by Dr. DeBakey’s physician and longtime partner, Dr. George Noon, made DeBakey the oldest person to survive a major surgery. Incredibly, he was saved by his own invention of 50 years before.

Discussing his concept of what life will be like after death, he said, “I don’t think about death or the afterlife very often. I did for years, but I think if you are a Christian, you have to believe. It doesn’t require documentation. Therefore, I’m a Christian. I’m relieved that I don’t have to think about it or prove it. It’s really very simple: either you believe or you don’t. I learned to believe early in life. There is something about the Christian religion that’s very comforting.”

As he nears his 100th birthday, I ask him to reflect on his life. “In general, it was a productive and pleasant life. To be sure, I may be considered a workaholic, but I enjoyed it. The work was part of the joy of life. And there is nothing I enjoyed more than taking care of patients. If you look at the Congressional Gold Medal, which I just received, it bears the inscription of my words that I’ve lived by: ‘THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE HAS BEEN MY OBJECTIVE IN LIFE.’ And everything I’ve done or tried to do has been at the level of excellence.”

Have Fear. The World Is Ending.

Have you turned on the news lately? Neither have I. Actually, this isn’t true. I’ve become shamelessly addicted to CNN. And to the doom and gloom the actors (oops! I mean newscasters) are hurling our way.

The other evening I tuned in to Anderson Pooper on CNN. Now, I realize his real name is Anderson Cooper. I realize his mother is Gloria Vanderbilt and that many women find him attractive despite his awkward leprechaun ears and premature grey hair.

I also realize he is one of the few news anchors who look good in Prada. But I digress.

Within 30 seconds of flipping on the show, I was barraged with floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, political scandals and missing child reports. And the look on his face after the report? It’s almost as if he were enjoying it. To peddle fear is great power, isn’t it?

To add insult to injury, the next report focused on—and I bet you can guess—the OIL CRISIS!

That’s right, people. Apparently, we are embroiled in a full-on, balls to the wall OIL CRISIS!

As I’m sure you’ve noticed when filling up your tank, gas costs more these days. But this is not where it ends. The OIL CRISIS affects every industry in our lives.

According to Anderson, the OIL CRISIS is responsible for all of the following:

Airlines on the breach of bankruptcy;
Soaring food prices at your local grocery store;
The economy in shambles;
The real estate melt down;
and Angelina Jolie’s decision to send Pax to public school.

It’s gotten so bad that Anderson said—and I quote: “Americans are now being forced to choose whether to fill up their gas tank OR PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.”

Wait. Stop the press, Anderson. Are you telling me Americans are choosing whether to drive their cars or eat? I don’t buy it. I mean, c’mon. I just saw a four-year-old talking on a cell phone.

Who Guards the Guards? Texas law enforcement agencies are failing to protect

It’s a good thing we live in Houston where we are safe from crime, guarded by three—count ’em three—layers of crime fighters, four if you include the feds. Why not count the FBI? They’re counting you. Our first wall of protection from the Huns, garden snakes and the heartbreak of psoriasis is the Houston Police Department, famed throughout the land for being famed throughout the land. All of America has heard about the HPD, unfortunately.

Our streak of luck began when C.O. Bradford was appointed chief of police by then-Mayor Lee (You’re doing a heck of a job, Brownie) Brown, himself a former Houston police chief. Apparently both of them kept their eyes on the big crime picture and left the details to others. In this case, details included evidence stored in the HPD property room where handguns kept disappearing after maintenance and handymen passed by.

Then there was the police lab. During Bradford’s reign as our top cop, the department’s crime lab was so flawed that evidence became lost, convictions were overturned, morale was low and tension was high. The first clue something was amiss on Bradford’s watch was when a lab technician asked, “DNA? How do you spell that?” The situation became so terrible the lab officially lost its accreditation, and twice all DNA testing was suspended. The DNA chief, Vanessa Nelson, resigned to avoid getting canned, but she was immediately hired by the Texas Department of Public Safety to lead the DNA division of its McAllen crime lab. This explains a lot about the DPS. City Council members ordered an outside investigation of the lab’s problems. The inquiry and final report cost $5.3 million, but Bradford said he never read it—didn’t need to.

Don’t forget HPD’s famous K-Mart parking lot sweep where 273 mostly young people were arrested for … uh … being young people in the K-Mart parking lot. The city of Houston settled all the lawsuits filed over the false arrests by paying out nearly $1 million. Again, our tax dollars at work.

On another matter, Bradford was indicted and tried on charges of lying under oath. He was cleared. Before leaving office, Bradford was given a hefty pay raise by Mayor Brown. This boost meant the chief’s lifelong pension would jump, too. Some City Council members were so incensed they called an emergency meeting to stop the last-minute end run. Nothing happened. As a final blow to the HPD, a current and a former Houston cop were indicted for stealing between $100,000 and $200,000 from the Houston Police Officers Union.

If the city’s law enforcement agency fails to protect us, there is the county shield: the sheriff and the district attorney. Let’s start with Sheriff Tommy Thomas. His deputies arrested two brothers, Sean and Eric Ibarra, who took pictures from their own property while deputies conducted a drug raid in public view. The deputies confiscated the brothers’ cameras. They were arrested, jailed and put on trial. But jurors found the two not guilty. The county paid $1.7 million to the duo, plus huge legal fees, shortly before another jury, which was hearing the case again, was ready to award them even more.

It gets better, or worse. After the brothers were acquitted, they pursued their own lawsuit against Sheriff Thomas for their ordeal. Deputies were then assigned to spy on the brothers, who might sue over that, too. Thus far, and with several legal matters still to be settled, county taxpayers are out $4.4 million over the deputies’ actions. Incidentally, they are still deputies, and still on our payroll.

Under Sheriff Thomas’ reign we have the case of a truck driver who was shackled and thrown in solitary confinement after being arrested on suspicion of negligent homicide of a deputy in a traffic wreck. This series of events occurred even after discovering the deputy had a blood-alcohol level of at least three times the legal limit, was speeding and was not wearing his seat belt when he slammed into the truck driver’s parked vehicle without leaving skid marks. A department spokesman said the solitary confinement was for the truck driver’s own safety. No doubt there’s another lawsuit in the works.

One more: A day after Channel 13 reporter Wayne Dolcefino filed a Public Information Act request to view some e-mails in the Sheriff’s Department, Thomas ordered 750,000 e-mails erased over seven days: Jan. 12–19. The deletions came shortly after news that then-DA Chuck Rosenthal had ordered many of his own e-mails deleted.

This is the perfect segue to another grid of protection between us and evildoers: the District Attorney’s office. As an offshoot of the two brothers/deputies case, the brothers’ lawyer, the rather colorful Lloyd Kelley, demanded to see e-mails in Rosenthal’s official county computer. What turned up were steamy letters to his secretary who was his former lover, pictures of naked women, racist jokes and campaign plans. But we didn’t get to see everything. The DA personally deleted more than 2,500 e-mails, which had been subpoenaed by a judge. Rosenthal got hit with a perjury conviction and was fined $18,900, which apparently the taxpayers paid. All told, the county spent $227,000 on Rosenthal’s legal expenses. Lastly in the DA’s office, we have the very strange case of the Runaway Jury, which kept insisting State Supreme Court Justice David Medina and his wife, Francisca, be indicted after their house caught fire under mysterious circumstances. Rosenthal dismissed the indictments, causing the foreman and the assistant foreman to scream foul. They, in turn, were threatened with legal action for discussing secret proceedings with the press. The jurors denied revealing any secrets. At one point the jurors sued the DA’s office seeking release of testimony in the case. Later, another grand jury indicted Francisca Medina.

After saying he wouldn’t resign, Rosenthal resigned, leaving the slot open for next fall’s election. Fortunately, we have two stellar candidates for the DA’s job. The Democratic hopeful is none other than the previously mentioned former HPD Chief C.O. Bradford. His reputation precedes him. His Republican opponent, former judge Pat Lykos, is said to have issues with communication, teamwork and professional courtesy.

On June 8 somebody in Austin set fire to the Governor’s Mansion and nearly destroyed it. How could this happen? That 152-year-old gem was protected by gun-toting, badge-wearing, booted state troopers, so what could go wrong?

Texans trusted the DPS to protect our beloved Governor’s Mansion, used by every Texas governor since Sam Houston. To this end we paid lots of money for nothing. Only 13 of 20 security cameras were working when the fire started. The alarm system designed to alert state troopers when intruders entered the grounds was broken, and had been for some time—no one seems to know just when that particular alarm system ceased to work, which in itself is unnerving. The arsonist walked up to the front door of the Mansion, undetected, and apparently lobbed a firebomb. The DPS had only one trooper on guard; he was in a back house and had just worked an eight-hour shift at the Bob Bullock Museum.

Austin, we have a problem—actually a lot of problems—with the DPS. You may remember when then-Rep. Tom DeLay diverted state troopers from their normal pursuit of serial killers to hunt down Democratic legislators who had fled to Oklahoma, New Mexico and elsewhere to break a quorum during DeLay’s Congressional redistricting battle. In 2000, a Travis County grand jury indicted a crime lab analyst on charges of falsifying fingerprint reports and noted there appeared to be extensive management problems at DPS. Does this sound familiar? The next year FBI agents attempted to alert the DPS about a terrorism threat, but could not find their contact. They finally called Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst instead, who has absolutely nothing to do with terrorism.

Taxpayers are spending almost a million dollars ($950,000) for outside consultants to go in, study the chaos at the DPS and recommend strategies to get its act together. We can be sure implementing changes will cost even more, but maybe at least someone will read this report.

Our last great hope for security is our federal government. Certainly Houston’s stone-faced FBI agents and no-nonsense federal judges can protect us. They certainly guarded Houston from the nefarious dealings of Vanessa Leggett, an aspiring writer who was writing a book about a Houston murder case. She refused to hand her research notes over to the FBI and she spent a record (then) 168 days in federal prison. During that time there were three journalists in prison in the Western Hemisphere for doing their jobs. Two were in Cuba. The third was in Houston, Texas.

To be fair to our local feds, ineptitude must be an FBI requirement. Remember, this is the same federal agency that spent weeks, if not months, and no telling how many tax dollars snooping around bookstores in the Georgetown section of Washington investigating Monica Lewinski’s book purchases. At the same time, 9/11 terrorists were leaving clues at flying schools from Minnesota to Florida, and nobody in the FBI picked up on the plot.

It is all a matter of priority, but who guards the guards?