The milky way might be a barred galaxy after all -- this is a cool artists conception of how it really might look.
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img_display.php?pic=050816_milky_way_02.jpg&cap=An+artist%27s+rendering+of+the+Milky+Way+and+its+central+bar+structure%2C+with+the+Sun%27s+position+noted.+NASA%2FJPL-Caltech%2FR.+Hurt+%28SSC%2FCaltech%2
