Midwestern Roundup!

• I just noticed how Columbus Alive writer Chris DeVille swung a little swipe at Pitchfork Media in his column (find that to the right) for ignoring Ohio bands. I appreciated that swipe, because seriously, Pitchfork not only ignores Ohio bands, they ignore MOST bands currently making any waves in the Midwest. The site has been nice enough to mention The Black Swans and Times New Viking in the past. I think before that, they did a bit on Cleveland's Exit Stencil singer-songwriter Blake Miller.
I guess when all you really want to talk about is Brooklyn trends, Pitchfork, then you don't need the rest of the country?
But we get plenty lately about some Sheffield, England band, and Antony (of "and the Johnsons") designing a god. damn. dress.
Oh yeah, and more mutherfucking stuff about Radiohead.
Thanks for nothing.
• I just decided to lift this from a My Old Kentucky Blog post, because it said what I was planning to say: Senator Barack Obama of Illinois took his first serious steps towards White House domination yesterday. He rolled to victory in Iowa on the backs of a record turnout of voters. "We are choosing hope over fear," Obama told supporters after his victory. Obama is rolling on a campaign built on the idea of much needed change and putting the power back in the hands of the American people. John Edwards finished second and Hillary Clinton third.
• In other political news, I noticed Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is caving in a bit when it comes to the effort to replace Ohio's easily-hacked electronic Diebold voting machines, back to paper ballots. At first all I heard about was the upheaval of her and Strickland planning on cleaning house.
But then I heard yesterday that they are just trying to allow paper ballots "so people can choose to use them" if they want.
That's just weak. If you think they need to be replaced, and they most definitely do, then just order them to be replaced.
I just hope their overall plans are completed in time.
I swear, if the presidential winner comes in as "George W. Bush" and the fucker isn't even allowed to run, then we'll finally be able to prove something is afoot. No?
But this picture is pretty awesome to me, courtesy of Brad Blog:










• Check out old school Columbus site Cringe for the BMW commercial, long-timers the Detroit/Columbus band The Tough and the Lovely were picked to do. Take that money and run! I like that. See that HERE.
• Columbus site Donewaiting (see link to the right), has gone hog-crazy posting its annual updates on SXSW. Bands a plenty being announced...