Imagine the kind of raucous elation that has seized the three-story cardboard box known as Stranger headquarters, then, that the feature this week is a proposal for Occupy Wall Street written by one LAWRENCE WESCHLER. I do not know how The Stranger "landed" such a big name in liberal journalismāhe is the author of many lauded books on politics and art and was a staff writer for 21 years at the New Yorkerābut I presume the particulars include a bottle of chloroform and some rubber tubing. Perhaps someone lied to Mr. Weschler about the circulation, prestige, and per-word pay of The Stranger? If this is the case, I expect a rather dramatic lawsuit to erupt on the day Mr. Weschler opens an envelope expecting a sizable check and finds only a pair of expired Arby's coupons and a deflated balloon.
Elsewhere in this week's issue... NEWS: Another tired light-rail density fight? Check. More reckless blathering about the "need" for later bar hours? Check. Hysterical antibusiness braying about the supposed evil of plastic bags? No one ever tires of that! And still more propaganda in support of unlawful behavior on behalf of Occupy protesters, including a new battle cry to head to Olympia, of all places... LOOSE LIPS: This new gossip column on the art page takes voyeuristic glee in the burning down of a restaurant, among other news... VISUAL ART: A shut-in is declared a genius, and photos of his filthy Kleenexes are displayed where anyone can see themāwhich is to say, the art coverage this week is more disgusting than usual... BOOKS and THEATER: Pretentious... CHOW: A dessert for children is given a long, loving treatment by The Stranger's second-most-inept writer... FILM: A love letter to puppets, of all things, scratched out by The Stranger's most inept writer... MUSIC: Oh, grow up... SPORTS BLOTTER: The schadenfreude-powered weekly roundup of crimes committed by athletes now includes a Non-Pedophile Coach of the Week Award, noxiously... SAVAGE LOVE: I'd rather look at those photographs of mucus-stained tissues again than read it.