NEWS This week's section begins with a bold stand against child pornography. The stander: JOSH FEIT. Check back in coming weeks for Mr. Feit's equally illuminating editorials on the cuteness of kittens and the deliciousness of pizza. ALSO: ERICA C. BARNETT files yet another story on the Alaskan Way Viaduct, a project now treading dangerously close to the monorail's monolithic word count in the paper. Ms. Barnett can be a splendid writer—why must she always be assigned to the slums of civic minutiae? PLUS: CounterIntel, In the Hall, In Other News, In Other Neighborhoods, and Police Beat.

FEATURE Fighting MoodMaking a quick recovery from last week's unfair and absolutely inane "hit piece" on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, ELI SANDERS files a report on congressional hopeful Darcy Burner. Though filled with The Stranger's standard anti-Republican bluster—yes, Virginia, the GOP eats small children for breakfast—the article is at least readable, which is more than I can say for the majority of recent feature stories.

GENERAL COMMENTS Those who appreciate rattlebrained criticism will no doubt enjoy this week's arts sections, wherein film, books, and theater each receive a shellacking from Seattle's most feeble-headed critics. The lone patch of glory: visual art, which remains a must-read for those (few) readers who actually care about the art form. Bless you, JEN GRAVES. You are a glimmer of hope in an otherwise dank and dreary spread.