OK, I thought it was interesting ...

So, You Ask, Just What Is This "Mojo"?

Seems two old friends in L.A. are getting married, and I want to send them something as a gift – they've both been very generous to me with their friendship and their unselfish introduction of a Looziana boy into the West Coast media community over the years. So I want to send an only-from-New-Orleans-and-only-from-me gift to celebrate their union. After much rumination I decide I will go to my favorite voodoo shop (the XXX Botanica is literally the Wal-Mart of voodoo paraphernalia) and put together a packet of lucky charms.

Hindu opening prayer - one demonstrator speaks

From American Family News (the same group that was screaming about the opening prayer before it happened):

"We were praying," he asserts. "If our prayer disrupted anything, then so be it, but we were not shouting." And they were not there to harass Zed, he says. "I don't want it to be mischaracterized as we were there just heckling this man. We were not ..."

I guess the protestor forgot there were cameras rolling. He goes on to suggest that if there is no Wrath of God™ event in response to the Hindu prayer, it is because of their protest. He also goes on to compare his actions with those of Jesus clearing the moneylenders from the temple.

I think the Bible is fairly clear on both lying and hubris - and I'm guessing the protestor feels that neither applies to him.

Religion, insanity, and a hot Texas night.

Terry Mark Mangum -- who claimed he has studied the Bible for "thousands and thousands and thousands of hours" -- said God first commanded him to kill during a "visitation," or dream, while he was in prison in 2001. He said his victim must be a man because men "carry the harvest of the sinner." [He also said God called on him to "carry out a code of retribution" by killing a gay man because "sexual perversion" is the "worst sin."]

After six months' planning, Mangum said, he went to E.J.'s, a Montrose-area club, where he met [Kenneth] Cummings [whom Mangum believed was gay]. After they drank a couple of beers, he said, the two went to Cummings' home in Pearland. [This was on June 4th of this year]

Mangum said he stabbed Cummings with a "6-inch blade." ["I planned on sending him to hell ... I believe with all my heart that I was doing the right thing."]

"It's not that I'm a bad dude," he said, expressing concern that people might view him as "strange." ["I believe I'm Elijah, called by God to be a prophet."] Pausing briefly, he said, "I love God."

I'm guessing that Mangum was using Cumming's credit cards and cell phone after he killed Cummings because God told him to, too.

Mangum's lawyer has asked that he not talk to the press after that interview.

Meanwhile, in Colorado today ...

Man rents tuxedo, declares himself Emperor.

Evan Dreyer, the governor's spokesman, said a man with a gun walked into Gov. Bill Ritter's office and yelled, "I am the emperor. I am here to take over state government." ... Authorities said the man was taken outside the reception area, where he refused to drop the weapon, and was shot. [he remains unidentified]

The Capitol usuallly does not have metal detectors at its entrances, and the public is able to come and go without security checks.