August 7, 2003 · VOL. 12, NO. 47

FRONT OF BOOK Letters: Like last week, a Stranger writer responds to a reader's complaint in a sane, fair manner. Does this signal that Seattle's most immature weekly newspaper is finally beginning to grow up? The answer, undoubtedly, is no--but an ombudsman can dream, can't he?.... Last Days: Excellent!.... NEWS A lively section for the second week in a row. Perhaps Josh Feit and company have risen from their creative nap? Only time will tell.... SHORT FEATURE Didn't read.... FEATURE After weeks of slumber-inducing features, Dan Savage finally assigns a lengthy article sure to be of interest to those outside of the Stranger News Department.... THEATER Didn't read.... BOOKS Also didn't read.... ART A well-written piece. Kudos, Ms. Hall.... FOOD Min Liao's "swan song" as Stranger food critic. Her departure is no doubt sour news to Seattle's restaurant owners, since now, perhaps, The Stranger will hire a critic who actually pens unfavorable reviews on occasion.... MUSIC Skimmed.... FILM A lengthy, impenetrable review by Charles Mudede, followed by a lengthy, disastrous review by Bradley Steinbacher. Impenetrable and disastrous. Perhaps this should be the new Stranger Film Section slogan?... ETC. In Arts News: Didn't read.... Nightstand: Didn't read.... Some Candy Talking: Didn't read.... Live Wire: Didn't read.... The Truth: Didn't read.... Underage: Didn't read.... Speaker Freak: Didn't read.... The Score: Didn't read.... Erasing Hours: Didn't read.... Savage Love: Didn't read.... I Love TV: Didn't read.... Control Tower: Didn't read.... Celebrity I Saw U: Why does The Stranger have so many blasted columns?....