Twitterpated

• 06:26 Obama made the same point on global warming that I like to make. Even if it isn't real, what's so bad about helping the environment? #
• 06:30 The host of Fun House died? No, wait, that was a different J.D. #
• 08:16 I could swear that one of the names signed into the Pepsi center was Dan Hickey. See what he's been reduced to since TMBG fired him! #
• 08:32 Looks like next week will be my last one at this job. #

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That Voodoo That You Do So Well

What do you think of when you think of Voodoo? Pins being stuck into dolls? Zombies? Catfish gumbo? Well, Voodoo (or to be more accurate, Vodou) is essentially a syncretic religion combining West African mythology with aspects of Catholicism, and mixing in some Taíno legends as well. The name is said to arise from the Fon term for a spirit, with Fon being a language historically spoken in what is now Benin. It's most prominent in Haiti, but practiced in the United States as well. As with some other pantheons, there is a supreme god in Vodou, but he doesn't intervene in human affairs. If you want direct interaction, you'd have to go to the loa, or lesser gods or spirits. There are many of these, but some of the more famous and recognizable minor deities include:


Baron Samedi - The god of the dead is generally depicted as a corpse in a top hat. Now that's what I call a stiff with style! His name comes from the French for Saturday, regarded as the day of death, but some have proposed that there might also be a link to the term "cemetery." He's known for indulging his id, being quite fond of debauchery, dirty jokes, drinking, and smoking. This attitude and behavior also applies to people possessed by the Baron. In his role of presiding over the dead, he also has the power to cure any mortal wound or curse, if he feels like it. And for you Discworld fans out there, he makes an appearance in Witches Abroad, as the zombified former ruler of Genua.


Erzulie - Whether there's one Erzulie with multiple aspects or several different Erzulies probably depends on whom you ask, but it's basically a catch-all name for the most significant female loa. Erzulie Freda, said to have come from Dahomey (now Benin), is very stereotypically feminine, interested in jewelry, flowers, and flirting with men. I've seen some references to Erzulie Freda as a virgin goddess, but also to her having three different husbands. Another aspect, Erzulie Dantor, is a warrior woman, the especial protector of women and children. Although associated with childbirth, she's also the patron deity of lesbians. And she is apparently mute, having had her tongue cut out by her own side during the Haitian Revolution. She is commonly depicted as looking like the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, a famous Polish icon of Mary.


Papa Legba - Since he's the subject of songs by both Elton John and Talking Heads, you KNOW he must be important. And he is, seeing as how he's the intermediary between mortals and the spirit world, always invoked at the beginning and end of any Vodou ceremony. He's often portrayed as an old man with a crutch, and the dog is his sacred animal. In addition to his role in ceremonies, he also seems to have a function similar to that of the Hindu Ganesh, in that he's seen as a remover of obstacles.

While Vodou often seems to be regarded as a particularly creepy religion in mainstream America, I don't know that it's a whole lot different from other belief systems that incorporate magic (which, really, is EVERY religion). The idea of crazy behavior as a sign of possession by a god or spirit is hardly unique to Vodou, and even some typically straight-laced Christian denominations still believe in speaking in tongues. Yeah, apparently Pentecostals refuse to drink alcohol or celebrate Halloween, but they're perfectly fine with going into fits of madness at church. Go figure. As a non-believer, I guess I feel that, if you're going to be religious, you might as well have some fun with it. Mind you, a truly religious person would believe what they think is true, not what they think is cool. But I get the impression that people like Pat Robertson (who, as we've discussed, thinks the Haitians were in league with the Devil) choose the religion that best suits their political agenda, and then spend their time trying to convince themselves and others that it's true.

We Are Having a Hootenanny

If there's one thing of which no one can fairly accuse Stephin Merritt, the perpetually grumpy front man for the Magnetic Fields and several other bands, it's being out of ideas. Realism, the band's follow-up to last year's Distortion, switches between several different styles, but always with the typical lo-fi electronic sound that we've come to associate with them. Based on my first few listens, I prefer Realism to Distortion, but that could change in the future. Songs that immediately grabbed me include the faux-country "We Are Having a Hootenanny" and the probably deceptively upbeat "The Dolls' Tea Party" and "Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree." The latter two actually sound kind of like the stuff on Merritt's Showtunes record. If you're interested, you can watchthis video in which Stephin and Claudia Gonson discuss the title. I like the idea of naming the album after what's likely to be the most common complaint, but I guess that's a more recent thing, as I'm not quite sure how it could apply to, say, Distant Plastic Trees or The Charm of the Highway Strip.

When I bought the album, I also did some browsing for cheap stuff that interested me, and ended up with the following:


Liz Phair, Somebody's Miracle - Although it seemed to be her self-titled fourth album that achieved mainstream popularity, I still don't think she's made anything else that's lived up to her third, whitechocolatespaceeeg. This particular album, which is her fifth, doesn't have anything that really grabs me, but it's still a pretty solid album. I'll have to give both it and the self-titled a few more listens, as I might not be giving them enough of a chance.


Throwing Muses, University - I know a lot of fans of Frank Black and the Pixies also like them, and I thought the songs of theirs that I've heard ("Bright Yellow Gun" and "Portia" being the two main ones) were pretty good, so I gave this a try. As with the Liz album, nothing on it really jumps out at me, but it's an enjoyable listen nonetheless. This is another one that I think might need some time to grow on me.


Shonen Knife, Let's Knife - The cheapest of the three used CDs I bought, but far and away my favorite. Funny how that works. I was marginally familiar with their work before, but this is the first album of theirs that I've heard, and it's really fun pop music. And is that an intentional XTC reference in "Bear Up Bison"? I think I'll have to add some of their other albums to my wishlist.