William P. Barrett, Journalist

By and About William P. Barrett

Published Material 1987-1992

1992

Dr. Hustle (profile of Pacific Physicians Services and chairman Gary Groves), Forbes, December 21, 1992, p. 110.

Future shock (electric utility industry is riding for a fall), Forbes, December 21, 1992, p. 198.

The therapist (problems at Public Service Co. of New Mexico), Forbes, December 7, 1992, p. 218.

Hold that rating (bond ratings can reveal a lot about colleges), Forbes, November 23, 1992, p. 128.

Bob Kierlin versus the shorts (profile of Fastenal Co., led by Robert Kierlin), Forbes, November 9, 1992, p. 204.

``We’re basically insurance’’, (profile of Rainbow Technologies Inc. and CEO Walter Straub), Forbes, November 9, 1992, p. 196.

Lessel is more (profile of Phoenix money manager L. Roy Papp), Forbes, October 26, 1992, p. 292.

Humble pie (history of five Texas families that founded Humble Oil), Forbes, October 19, 1992, p. 58.

Pic ‘N’ Run (problems at MacFrugal’s Bargains), Forbes, October 12, 1992, p. 48.

Look-alike? (profile of Omaha money manager Wallace Weitz), Forbes, September 14, 1992, p. 532.

Clean air and clear thinking (profiles of money managers Thomas Putnam of FAM Value and H. Garrett Thornburg Jr. of Santa Fe NM), Forbes, August 31, 1992, p. 106.

Testing for money (profile of Underwriters Laboratories, which is expanding into testing of toilet paper), Forbes, July 6, 1992, p. 96.

Flypaper securities (how to get rid of busted tax shelters), Forbes, June 22, 1992, p. 149.

Real Life Marketing 101 (profile of Houston furniture retailer James McIngvale, a/k/a ``Mattress Mack’’) Forbes, May 25, 1992, p. 146.

Motivated seller (Resolution Trust Corp. official Carmen Sullivan), Forbes, April 13, 1992, p. 58.

Bent pipe (price-rigging in the fabricated pipe business), Forbes, March 30, 1992, p. 83.

Splitting heirs (family feud over the giant W.T. Waggoner Estate ranch in Texas), Forbes, March 30, 1992, p. 70.

``We’re the only one left’’ (profile of newspaper tycoon William Dean Singleton), Forbes, February 17, 1992, p. 42.

``I guess we look stupid’’ (defaulting bonds for private West Texas jails), Forbes, February 3, 1992, p. 64.

1991

Dream time’s over (arrest and background of Branch Vinedresser—a twice-convicted conman on parole whose original name was Mark Pedley, later changed to Mark Wellington—founder of the fraudulent Dominion of Melchizedek), Forbes, December 9, 1991, p. 114. [Note: by 2000 Vinedresser was known as Tzemach David Netzer Korem, a/k/a Ben David Netzer Korem a/k/a David Korem].

``We live and die for a basis point’’ (profile of Fleming Companies, and CEO E. Dean Werries), Forbes, November 25, 1991, p. 44.

The town where crime pays (prison-fueled economy of Huntsville TX), Forbes, October 28, 1991, p. 178.

The incredible shrinking empire (problems at Granada Corp. and affiliated entities), Forbes, November 11, 1991, p. 48.

King of the seven seas (scamster Branch Vinedresser, promoter of the fraudulent Dominion of Melchizedek, is the behind-the scene influence of public company Currentsea, which claims 10% of world’s oceans and a $566 million market value despite having only $386 in the bank), Forbes, October 28, 1991, p. 108.

``I’m still floored’’ (profile of BMC Software founder John Moores), Forbes, October 21, 1991, p. 324.

Boom times for New Times (profile of alternative newspaper publisher New Times Inc. and owners James Larkin and Michael Lacey), Forbes, October 14, 1991, p. 78.

A few questions for Mr. Clarke (secret documents show how federal bank official Robert Clarke approved ill-fated merger of InterFirst Corp. and RepublicBank Corp.), Forbes, October 14, 1991, p. 136.

The bluff city (economy of Memphis TN), Forbes, September 30, 1991, p. 66.

Sucker play? (Wheeler dealer Charles Hurwitz and Kaiser Aluminum), Forbes, August 5, 1991, p. 39.

IBM, Esq. (Review of Willmaker software to write a will), Forbes, July 22, 1991, p. 308.

You can fight City Hall (Battle by Alfredo Santos to run jitneys in Houston), Forbes, July 8, 1991, p. 77.

Churches make lousy collateral (problems with church bonds as an investment), Forbes, June 24, 1991, p. 162.

A blank check it was not (interview with Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Citicorp’s biggest shareholder), Forbes, April 29, 1991, p. 40.

Paper profits (profile of Temple-Inland Inc.), Forbes, April 15, 1991, p. 44.

``I work hard’’ (profile of Dallas businessman Daniel V. Williams, son of fugitive financier Robert Vesco), Forbes, March 18, 1991, p. 76.

Father still knows best Blount Inc. chairman Winton (Red) Blount bypasses son Winton Blount II in choosing new Chief Executive William Van Sant, Forbes, March 4, 1991, p. 94.

Shrewd sooner (profile of oilman and financier George B. Kaiser of Tulsa OK), Forbes, March 4, 1991, p. 88.

Move over, rattlesnakes (tangled family feud in San Angelo TX involving J. Willis Johnson III), Forbes, January 21, 1991, p. 85.

Father of his country (Branch Vinedresser invents fraudulent Dominion of Melchizedek), Forbes, January 7, 1991, p. 44.

1990

Another rabbit, please (problems at Pennzoil Co.), Forbes, December 10, 1990, p. 92.

The best little hash house in Texas (profile of Luby’s Cafeterias), Forbes, November 12, 1990, p. 220.

``Do I look like a haggard cat?’’ (Profile of Petroleum Helicopters and chairman Carroll Suggs), Forbes, October 29, 1990, p. 44.

Bad to good (National Loan Bank and National Asset Bank), Forbes, October 15, 1990, p. 49.

Less than due diligence? (reasons behind failure of First RepublicBank), Forbes, October 1, 1990, p. 38.

Domestic blockade? (possible bottleneck importing oil), Forbes, September 3, 1990, p. 36.

Sagebrush saga (profile of Texas pacific Land Trust), Forbes, August 20, 1990, p. 80.

It’s legal, but is it smart? (loan under-reserving at Urcarco Inc.), Forbes, June 25, 1990, p. 126.

``What fireplace?’’ (how to appeal property taxes), Forbes, June 25, 1990, p. 278.

Monterrey’s revenge (Mexico tycoons build road and bridge to U.S.), Forbes, June 11, 1990, p. 100.

``A tremendous opportunity’’ (profile of Centex Corp.), Forbes, May 28, 1990, p. 72.

Like father, like son (Texas con man Jeff Reynolds and his father, L. George Reynolds), Forbes, April 16, 1990, p. 47.

Chink in the armor (Robert Bass’s play for the St. Petersburg Times), Forbes, April 2, 1990, p. 50.

A new opportunity for lawyers (natural gas royalty owners want a cut of take-or-pay settlements), Forbes, February 19, 1990, p. 152.

Maybe they should let Jerry play (profile of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerral W. ``Jerry’’ Jones), Forbes, February 19, 1990, p. 140.

``I get a kick out of seeing something being made’’ (profile of Cooper Industries and chairman Robert Cizik), Forbes, February 5, 1990, p. 96.

Down to their last $10 million (Despite their bankruptcies, the Hunt brothers will live well), Forbes, February 5, 1990, p. 87.

1989

From Beirut to Jerusalem (Book excerpts recount some of my activities in Lebanon), From Beirut to Jerusalem, by Thomas L. Friedman (Farrar Strauss Giroux, 1989)

Lutcher Stark’s third wife (bitter family feud in Orange TX involving heirs of tycoon Lutcher Stark, prominent University of Texas graduate), Forbes, November 27, 1989, p. 216.

Boing! (Bungy jumping in New Zealand), Forbes, October 30, 1989, p. 233.

Scrapman (profile of Proler International Corp.), Forbes, October 30, 1989, p. 205.

He upped and quit (profile of executive-turned-sculptor Paul Tadlock), Forbes, October 16, 1989, p. 282.

The Clarks of Cooperstown (rich, little-known Clark family controls the Baseball Hall of Fame and owns The New Republic magazine), Forbes, September 18, 1989, p. 76.

The .44-caliber mouthpiece (San Antonio police are paid very well), Forbes, September 18, 1989, p. 166.

``I learn on the job’’ (profile of Hitox Corp. and CEO Richard L. Bowers), Forbes, August 7, 1989, p. 49.

See Dick and Jinger sell (profile of BeautiControl Cosmetics and co-executives Richard and Jinger Heath), Forbes, August 7, 1989, p. 48.

The world’s billionaires (profiles of Middle East tycoons), Forbes, July 24, 1989, p. 163.

Excitement we can live without (Criterion Group, led by Charles Miller, ends brief time as public company at big loss to investors), Forbes, June 12, 1989, p. 112.

The money pit (botched U.S. aid projects in Egypt), Forbes, May 15, 1989, p. 100.

The news from Dallas (Dallas Morning News credit union collapses but paper ignores story), Forbes, May 1, 1989.

Pyramid scheme (Egyptians lose billions in Ponzi scheme), Forbes, April 17, 1989, p. 106.

Coping with Cairo (guide for business travelers to Egypt), Forbes, April 3, 1989, p. 156.

A roll of the dice (Go-Video Inc.), Forbes, February 20, 1989, p. 81.

``You got to look out for yourself’’ (Allen Paulson breaks even on a Houston building deal that cost others $100 million), Forbes, January 23, 1989, p. 43.

1988

No frills (profile of Guardian Savings & Loan Association of Houston and owners Robert Parker and Jeffry Parker), Forbes, November 14, 1988, p. 52.

Working over the railroad (tycoon Philip Anschutz buys the Southern Pacific with no money down), Forbes, October 31, 1988, p. 51.

Does the FBI have a file on you? (how to get government files on yourself), Forbes, October 3, 1988, p. 184.

And the stock is still up (suicide-plagued history of Global Natural Resources), Forbes, September 19, 1988, p. 107.

A Wal-Mart for the movies (profile of Carmike Cinemas Inc. and CEO Michael W. Patrick), Forbes, August 22, 1988, p. 60.

``I’m not finished yet’’ (profile of Saudi investor Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud), Forbes, August 8, 1988, p. 86.

The world’s billionaires (profiles of Middle East tycoons), Forbes, July 25, 1988, p. 119.

Les bons temps sont finis (Louisiana state government is insolvent), Forbes, May 2, 1988, p. 88.

The FBI’s TV Files (J. Edgar Hoover assigned agents to keep track of the TV show ``The Untouchables’’), Rolling Stone, April 21, 1988, p. 33.

``I’m real happy with the way it’s turning out’’ (profile of Harte-Hanks Communications Inc. and CEO Robert G. Marbut), Forbes, April 18, 1988, p. 44.

Boring all the way to the bank (career profile of actuaries), Forbes, March 7, 1988, p. 168.

On his own (Robert M. Bass is the richest of the Texas Bass family), Forbes, February 22, 1988, p. 92.

Smoking gun (Bankruptcy filing reveals famed heart surgeon Denton Cooley owns tobacco stocks), Forbes, February 8, 1988, p. 12.

I don’t get no respect (tycoon T. Boone Pickens Jr. loses battle with newspapers in hometown of Amarillo TX), Forbes, January 25, 1988, p. 40.

1987

Welcome to the capital of Texas (Austin is the country’s worst real estate market), Forbes, December 14, 1987, p. 188.

Epitaph for a trader (last interview with Stephens Inc. trader John Markle, who killed his family and then himself), Forbes, December 14, 1987, p. 121.

Citizens rich (profile of Hearst family, Hearst Corp. and CEO Frank Bennack), Forbes, December 14, 1987, p. 141.

The silver lining in Houston (oil bust greatly reduces cost of living), Forbes, October 19, 1987, p. 174.

Longhorns 8 Crimson 4 (University of Texas has country’s largest college endowment), Forbes, October 19, 1987, p. 116.

Harold Hook’s magnificant machine (profile of American General Corp. and its CEO), Forbes, October 19, 1987, p. 48.

The world’s billionaires (profiles of Middle East tycoons), Forbes, October 5, 1987, p. 117.

Robber stamps (problems caused by notaries), Forbes, September 21, 1987.

Six bites from one apple (Richard Campo of Centeq Cos. reverses real estate syndications), Forbes, September 7, 1987, p. 88.

Thoughts on editors (Comment in Editing for Today’s Newsroom, by Carl Sessions Stepp, on the big difference between a good newspaper and a medicure one) (August 21, 1987, p. 42)

Paying the piper (Criterion Group, led by Charles Miller, has problems with its enhanced bond fund), Forbes, August 10, 1987, p. 124.

Clear as mud (Texas municipal utility district goes bust), Forbes, June 15, 1987, p. 96.

The best justice money can buy (Texas judges may take money from litigants as campaign contributions), Forbes, June 1, 1987, p. 122.

A power lunch at the Blue Plate Special? (profile of Stephens Inc. in Little Rock AR), Forbes, May 18, 1987, p. 104.

Fishing in muddy waters (Walter M. Mischer Sr. of Houston is part of a partnership that bought one-eighth of Belize), Forbes, May 4, 1987, p. 128.

Top Gun (lengthy profile of Frank Lorenzo, CEO of Texas Air Corp., predicting his demise), Texas Monthly, March 1987, p. 98. (Adaptations also published in Florida Trend, St. Petersburg Times, San Francisco Examiner, New York Daily News and The Boston Globe.)