TWITTER | MICHAEL BAUMGARTNER uses his Twitter account (@VoteBaumgartner) just like any other Republican, Coug-lovin' Washingtonian. When he thinks of a funny joke, he tweets it. When he agrees with something the Washington Policy Center publishes, he shares it. When a star WSU football player is expelled, he lashes out at the school. When Donald Trump gets elected, he baselessly criticizes local professors for canceling classes out of protest. But the difference is that Baumgartner is a state Senator, so when he says a "credible source" is telling him professors canceled class, it makes the front page of the newspaper. We should all be following Michael Baumgartner's Twitter account. Let's hope it's never taken away from him.
PODCAST | If your head is swirling after the latest Westworld episode, fully embrace the madness with the WATCHING WESTWORLD podcast. Bald Move's Jim and A.Ron, who also do podcasts about other hit TV shows like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, dive into each episode for two hours at a time, discussing everything that happened and every crazy fan theory of what could happen. Is your favorite character actually a robot? Is your favorite robot actually a human? Are the robots that the humans created actually turning human, and what would this say about humans like us watching the TV show? If you're looking for a logical, insightful breakdown to make some sense out of this world, meaning Westworld, these dudes have you covered.
ALBUM | Three months after performing at Gleason Fest 2016, Seattle-based rock trio Duke Evers released their first full-length album, VELVET HIPS, last week. The name is fitting, because if there's one lasting image I have from Gleason Fest, it was the swinging hips of guitarist and lead singer Josh Starkel, a Spokane native. His voice sometimes drops to sound like Elvis, or a guy trying to sing through a yawn, but it gives Duke Evers a unique sound along with its enduring melodies and sweet guitar riffs. Though it's the band's first album, it sounds polished. And songs like the final track, "Delusioning," show there may be more depth out of this group to come. ♦
