A CRITICAL OVERVIEW
July 18, 2002 · VOL. 11, NO. 44
by A. Birch Steen
Stranger Ombudsman & OSHA Board of Governors Member

FRONT OF BOOK Letters: Back to a full page once again. Unfortunately, every letter is in reference to one of Dan Savage's articles, proving yet again the sheer girth of Mr. Savage's ego... Last Days: Smart, entertaining, and well written as usual... NEWS Due to lack of space, I will withhold comment this week... FEATURE: Striking. Bradley Steinbacher has penned a rare quality article, despite being saddled with a topic (pornography) that was obviously chosen not for its merits as a story, but as a blatant attempt to woo a desired young male demographic. Normally such an editorial decision would only lead to the standard Stranger drivel, but in this case Steinbacher has transcended the paper's iffy ethics and turned out a great piece of literature... FILM Didn't read... BOOKS Didn't read... ART Didn't read... THEATER Too gay... CHOW The Stranger has been touting Min Liao as the best food writer in the city for some time now. I remain unimpressed... MUSIC An expanded column from Kathleen Wilson on a Stranger-sponsored event. Is this not a blatant conflict of interest?... ETC. One-Night Stand: Just why has Jennifer Maerz chosen to abandon her column's conceit in favor of celebrity name-dropping?... It's My Party: See Music... Celeb I Saw U: Mr. Ryan refrains from attacking me this week. Has he decided to smartly heed the advice of his lawyers?... I Love TV: Didn't read... Savage Love: Skimmed... Obits: Didn't read.