some notes on neanderthals and witches

–homo neanderthalensis

–1.7 millions years ago migration out of africa

–went extinct 28,000 years ago

–they lived side by side with homo sapiens in france (31,00–34,000years ago) and in israel (60,000-100,000 years ago)

–neander children were found buried with goat skulls

–neander were found buried with flowers

–neander cared for the sick, old, and injured

music for a good mood

jean grae: keep living

some songs live with you.   i have had itunes for more than 4 years and this song has never lost its first place position.  this was the song i listened to in palestine, congo, mexico, virginia, minnesota, and chicago.  it is the song that i walk to– down the street no matter the continent.  it stays on repeat.

now why does this song put me in a good mood?  i guess because i believe in survival.  and it reminds me that no matter how bad things gets ‘out there’ those of us who are scrappy, who hustle, who are creative, who know how to survive, will do so…yeah they are destroying the money supply in this country.  the dollar is losing value.  a capitalism in crisis and even the capitalists dont know how to deal with it.  but its like claire huxtable said when she was asked about the ‘black’ perspective during the Depression: we learned that misery doesnt enjoy company.  (i love the ambiguity of her response)…in other words, welcome to our world…

tupac: dear mama

when i was in highschool, tupac was murdered.  the first thing i loved about tupac was his eyelashes. crush.  in the eastern congo and ethiopia in 2005 barbershops were playing tupac on their cd players.  and murals of he, bob marley, and che, a trinity of the brown and black ghettos and shanty towns, were splayed on white washed buildings.  it is amazing how he has become a global third world icon.  all three of these saints are complex figures.  neither pure angels nor devils.