I don't think there was a Pangea when primates started walking. Otherwise they needn't have gone via the Bering Straight.

In any case, they know the direction of migration by dating the oldest known hominid fossils in each area of the earth.

You're right, Juju. Man, I don't know what the fuck I was thinking on that Pangaea thing...maybe the dinosaurs. *shrugs*

Here's a cool little animation bit I found on the breakup of Pangaea.

neat.

Great link, Syc. Clicking the "visualizations" button in the upper left leads to all kinds of interesting stuff.:thumb:

Race Relations
 

Syc, maybe you could give me your opinion on this phenomenon.

Why is it that black's get so pissed off about the "N" word when I constantly here them using it freely amongst themselves? Ex. "What up nigga?:confused: When I was younger I remember hanging around some black people who were throwing this around left and right and in my feeble (ignorant) attempt to fit in I said it too and almost got my fat cracker ass kicked?

Well, it's stupid, but basically the reason is because white folks haven't earned the right to use that word in a respectful manner. That's what the blacks that use it seem to think, anyway.

I agree, although I wouldn't put it that way, and I wouldn't call it stupid. With younger blacks, it's like a term of empowerment, e.g. "Queer Nation." It's "their special word" for them to have among themselves...taking it back from Whitey and making it their own. With older blacks (and overall), it still holds a powerful derogatory connotation when used by a white person.

I understand where folks are coming from on that, and I'll even agree that it's overused.

Now, watch this:

Dave, you're just another dumb nigger.

If you're cool with particular people, and you know that various words won't offend, then use away. But when in doubt, don't use 'em.

Uh..shouldn't that be nigga?:confused:

Well, Dave is my nigga, but he's also a dumb nigger.

By the same token, BUGZ shouldn't let anybody but a fellow cracker call her a cracker... of course that's not the way the world works.

I thought I was going to fall out of my chair when my 70 year old father-in-law called this woman he didn't like a "poor white cracker."

I don't see how it could ever be used respectfully by anyone black or white. When the blacks use it it seems to be used jovially, but not necessarily as a term of respect. Kinda like me (cracker) saying "What up dumb ass" to Syc or Bruce (crackers too!). It is in a joking manner, but not really respectful. I see what you're trying to say though.

Yea, I see what you guys are saying, but at the same time if white people had a "special" word just for us crackers, you could be sure that we would be looked upon in a negative manner for that. Kinda like white pride. If a white person goes around saying they are proud to be white or displays this in any form, then they are looked at as a racist. I'm not talking about waving a Confederate flag around or anything, but simply expressing to others that they are proud to be white. What's up w/ that niggas?:p

I'm not <b>trying</b> to say anything. I said it. Whether or not you believe it is up to you.

This is a problem with a lot of people on here; they read what someone says, and think they mean something else. No matter how much you clarify, someone will always ruin it.