September 14, 2015

Texas Tornadoes’ Classic Albums Bring Rootsy Delights


Texas Tornados
A Little Bit Is Better Than Nada—Prime Cuts 1990-1996
Real Gone Music
        

Call them a supergroup, or just a super group—either way, the Texas Tornados were a lot of fun. Featuring Tex-Mex great Doug Sahm, leader of the Sir Douglas Quintet, on soulful vocals and guitar, SDQ bandmate Augie Meyers on pumping Vox organ, crooner Freddy Fender and ace accordionist Flaco Jimenez, this lovably scruffy crew created the perfect soundtrack for a laid-back party over the course of four studio albums (the first of which came in English and Spanish-language versions). Offering 39 tracks on two discs, including a Miller Lite beer ad, A Little Bit Is Better Than Nada contains a slew of rootsy delights, among them Sahm’s rousing “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone,” the classic Fender ballad “Wasted Days and Wasted Night,” and Bob Dylan’s tender “To Ramona.” There’s no better non-prescription cure for stress.

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

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