Apparently I'm not the only one who perceived a little Northeastern chauvinism in the original posts. As a, er, person of accent, I have on occassion endured prejudicial Yankee attitudes towards regional speech patterns (particularly in my youth, when my drawl was much more marked). But Midwesterners take heart! At least you get credited with being high enough on the food chain to qualify as a dismissable mid-level cog. If you show up with a Southern accent they assume mental retardation.
Yes yes this is an exaggeration (with a large grain of truth). Just follow the links and have fun.
Addendum: On a more serious note, see the discussion on Rowley over at Bennett's.