Gothamist interviews Eliot Shepard of Slower.net (a favorite of mine).

http://www.gothamist.com/interview/archives/2004/05/12/eliot_shepard_slowernet.php

"My other tricks are more social than technical. When you're taking pictures from life, managing what you can photograph is often more difficult than photographing it. The reticent master Quarlo once pointed out to me that at one time people seemed to react differently to having their picture taken by a stranger - there was an air of pride and novelty to it, rather than the "What are you going to do to me with that photo" attitude which is common now. Familiarity has bred contempt, and shit fear-mongering mass media has helped.

So - train your friends not to fear the camera by only using photographs of them that they like. When you're taking pictures of people on the street, smile - they're less likely to punch you. When you want to ask to take a portrait of a stranger, tell them that you like their shirt, or their glasses, or their tattoo - move the focus off their face and onto their stuff, so that they'll push themselves at the lens, instead of feeling like you're pushing the lens at them. (That last idea was given to me by the estimable Mark Powell of Detroit and Mexico City.)"

It's a funny thing about collections of folk tales and myths (and anthro/sociology texts in which they appear): most of them totally fail to capture the oral storytelling style - the humor especially suffers. Unfortunately, this is true of the excellent Paul Radin, who tends to make up for it by lucid explanations of cultural meaning. But here is a smooth rendition of a common story.

From Paul Erdoes and Alfonso Ortiz' "American Indian Trickster Tales"

Old Man Coyote Meets Coyote Woman
(Blackfoot)

In the beginning there were only two human beings in the world - Old Man Coyote and Coyote Woman. Old Man Coyote lived on one side of the world, Coyote Woman on the other. By chance they met.
"How strange," said Old Man Coyote. "We are exactly alike."
"I don't know about that," said Coyote Woman. "You're holding a bag. What's in it?"
Old Man Coyote reached into his bag and brought out a penis. "This odd thing."
"It is indeed an odd thing," said Coyote Woman. "It looks funny. What is it for?"
"I don't know," said Old Man Coyote. "I don't know what to use it for. What do you have in your bag?"
Coyote Woman dug deep into her bag and came up with a vagina. "You see," she said, "we are not alike. We carry different things in our bags. Where should we put them?"
"I think we should put them into our navels," said Old Man Coyote. "The navel seems to be a good place for them."
"No, I think not," said Coyote Woman. "I think we should stick them between our legs. Then they will be out of the way."
"Well, all right," said Old Man Coyote. "Let's put them there." They placed these things between their legs.
"You know," said Coyote Woman, "it seems to me that the strange thing you have there would fit this odd thing of mine."
"Well, you might be right," said Old Man Coyote. "Let's find out." Coyote stuck his penis into Coyote Woman's vagina.
"Um, that feels good," said Coyote Woman.
"You are right," said Old Man Coyote. "It feels very good, indeed. I have never felt this way before."
"Neither have I," said Coyote Woman. "It occurred to me that this might be the way to make other human beings. It would be nice to have company."
"It certainly would," said Old Man Coyote. "Just you and me could become boring."
"Well, in case doing what we just did should result in bringing forth more human beings, what should they be like?" said Coyote Woman.
"Well, I think they should have eyes and mouth going up and down."
"No, no," said Coyote Woman. "Then they would not be able to see well, and food would dribble out of the lower corner of their mouths. Let's have their eyes and mouths go crosswise."
"I think that the men should order the women about," said Old Man Coyote, "and that the women should obey them."
"We'll see about that," said Coyote Woman. "I think that the men should pretend to be in charge and that the women should pretend to obey, but that in reality it should be the other way around."
"I can't agree to this," said Old Man Coyote.
"Why quarrel?" said Coyote Woman. "Let's just wait and see how it will work out."
"All right, let's wait and see. How should the men live?"
"The men should hunt, kill buffalo and bears, and bring the meat to the women. They should protect the women at all times."
"Well, that could be dangerous for the men," said Old Man Coyote. "A buffalo or a bear could kill a man. Is it fair to put the men in such danger? What should the women do in return?"
"Why, let the women do the work," said Coyote Woman. "Let them cook, and fetch water, and scrape and tan hides with buffalo brains. Let them do all these things while the men take a rest from hunting."
"Well, then we agree upon everything," said Old Man Coyote. "Then it's settled."
"Yes," said Coyote Woman. "And why don't you stick that funny thing of yours between my legs again?"

Danger Mouse - The Grey Album
Various Artists - 40Ème Anniversaire Syliphone, Vols. 1 & 2
69 - My Machines 1 And 2
Amalia Rodrigues - Aranjuez Mon Amour (Any Amalia Rodrigues, but this is interesting, since I know this traditional mostly from Miles Davis).
Bembeya Jazz - Petit Sekou (reminiscinent of Maggot Brain)
Groove Armada - Fly Me To The Moon (nothing on Anita O'Day)
Heikovoss Ithinkaboutyou
Hugh Masakela - Grazin' In The Grass
Jamie Cullum - Frontin
Kingsmen - Louie Louie
Kmd - Mr Hood At Piocalles Jewelry Crackpot - Chr
Mc Paul Barman - N.O.W.
Mia - Galang (fun)
Orchestre De La Paillotte - Kandia Blues (nice)
Rachmaninov Plays - Chopin - Nocturne No 04 Op 15 No 1 In F
Sinead O'connor - You Do Something To Me