Sure, I'm as guilty as anyone. All of us here tend to get all whipped up into a frenzy every time something silly about Palin pops up over at HuffPo, for instance, but come on, doesn't that say "Arts & Culture" up there under "The Riff"? Commenters (and even other MoJo contributors!) may find this arty little blog a lightweight intrusion into their serious non-profit matters, but I say we take a breather from the campaign and focus on what's really important: what M.I.A.'s been up to. OMG, she's got a wee Arulpragasam in the oven! The singer confirmed her pregnancy to Pitchfork, naturally, over the weekend, saying she's "creating a baby," assumedly with the help of her fiancé Ben Brewer. By the way, not only is Brewer the singer for New York band the Exit, he's also the son of Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman. Hmm, is M.I.A. pulling a McCain, marrying up, for a little bit of—oh, damn, sorry, I promised I wouldn't talk about politics.

Back to M.I.A.: while the singer grabbed headlines when she appeared to announce her retirement onstage at Bonaroo in June, she emerged from this brief hiatus on Saturday at a Diesel-sponsored shindig in New York to do a few numbers as well as her part in T.I.'s amazing "Swagga Like Us." The party, which also featured Franz Ferdinand and N.E.R.D., was apparently the hottest ticket of the year, with thousands (!) of partygoers reduced to tears when they couldn't get in. Vulture's roundup of the event positively oozes with self-satisfaction at being one of the lucky V.I.P.'s who made it inside, but I admit I'm secreting massive amounts of jealousy. Ahem.

After the jump: More about M.I.A.!!!

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According to Fortune magazine, more than one Halloween mask retailer has claimed they can correctly predict who will win the White House. Spirit Halloween, the largest seasonal Halloween vendor in the US, says Bush outsold Kerry two to one in 2004, Gore sold 14 percent fewer masks in 2000, and Clinton masks won with 71 percent in 1996.

We decided to update Fortune's presidential mask findings for 2008 thus far; here's what we found.

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In this edition: apocalyptic hip-hop, sweeping indie-rock, an inevitable mashup, soaring electro-pop, and, uh, quirky Marxist lounge music, I guess.

1. T.I. feat. Jay-Z, Kanye West and Lil' Wayne – "Swagga Like Us"

Every great rapper working today? Check. A menacing electronic buzz reminiscent of nothing so much as the avant-garde synth soundtrack to '80s cult hit "Liquid Sky"? Check. Auto-tune turned up to "11," forcing the voices into unnatural, robotic stutters? Check. A so-hip-it-hurts sample loop from M.I.A's "Paper Planes," with her always-hypnotic voice providing the only organic counterpoint to the machines in this profoundly strange and apocalyptic piece of music? Check.

2. Margot & the Nuclear So & Sos – "A Children's Crusade on Acid"
At first, it seems a brief flirtation with backwards drums will be the only real reference to LSD-tinged psychedelia on this track from the Indiana combo. But then the simple piano chords suddenly give way to a huge, distorted bass noise, and lead singer Richard Edwards sings, "The children lose their minds/In such uncertain times." Plus it was featured in "One Tree Hill"! (mp3 from The Yellow Stereo)

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New wave innovators and silly hat proponents Devo are coming together to play their first show in their hometown of Akron, Ohio in 30 years, and it's a fundraiser for the Democratic Party.

Over the years, the band has performed several times in Cleveland and at Blossom Music Center, but, by Devo member Mark Mothersbaugh's recollection, the band's show on Friday at the Civic Theatre will bring the band full circle as the theater was the setting of their final Akron concert in 1978. The show, called Duty Now for the Future — the title of Devo's sophomore album — will be a benefit for the Summit County Democratic Party. … "Ohio is in our blood," said Mothersbaugh, "you can take the boys out of Ohio but you can't take Ohio out of the boys.''

The band, which also includes Mothersbaugh's brother, Bob; brothers Gerald and Bob Casale and Josh Freese, is not touring, but Mothersbaugh said the election was too important to stand by and do nothing to inspire folks to get to the polls.

"I think our fans are like us in that they are pro-information and anti-stupidity,'' he said laughing heartily.

Devo members, in addition to being anti-stupidity and wearing those funny hats, have also been active proponents of the Church of the SubGenius, which in this day and age is probably considered a terrorist group, so it's probably best if Obama himself doesn't show up. But apparently the Black Keys and Chrissie Hynde might. Go, Ohio! Are there any direct flights to Akron from here?

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