Adinkra - Defining Intelligent Design

"Doubly-even self-dual linear binary error-correcting block code," first invented by Claude Shannon in the 1940's, has been discovered embedded WITHIN the equations of superstring theory!

Why does nature have this? What errors does it need to correct? What is an 'error' for nature? More importantly what is the explanation for this freakish discovery?

The most obvious conclusion for this discovery is Intelligent Design

For more from Dr. Gates visit SciTech Media:
Dr. S. James Gates - Does Reality Have a Genetic Basis?

Afrakan Powerhouses Meet in Philly

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Philadelphia has long been a hot bed and center point for Afrakan cultural rebirth. From some of the earliest openings of Yoruba temples to the decades-spanning Odunde festival (which is upcoming next month), the African American Museum to numerous Afrakan centered schools Philly now hosts some of the biggest names in the Afrakan centered community. All to be held at the Imhotep Charter School, the Afrocentricity International conference promises to be an event of imapact.

Black Comic Book Convention

Afrakan Landscape Ravaged by Climate Change

The effects of climate change in Afraka are clearly visible in the regions surrounding Lake Tukana. The damming up of the Omo River in Ethiopia, which once fed Lake Turkana, hastens the decline of the Lake which once provided wealth and nourishment. Moreover, climate change from the West's excessive carbon emissions results in rainfall that comes sparingly every two years. Drought and famine are causing wars between villages for scare resources, where once a lush environment provided for the regions inhabitants. Efforts to stop the complete disappearance of both the river and the people it once sustained are underway...

Afronauts-To Boldly Going Where no Afrakan has Gone Before...The Zambian Space Program.

The sixties was one of the most impactful decades for  Afrakan people the world over. Afrakans were seen  freeing their countries from colonial rule, fighting for Civil Rights, developing Black Power organizations and exploring the cultural mores that uniquely defined themselves. It was a time when Afrakans could reach for the stars and maybe even touch them.

Such was the case when Mkula Nkoloso a schoolteacher in Zambia declared "We're going to Mars!" Written in a 1964 newspaper article Nkoloso saw Afronauts beating Cosmonauts and even Astronauts in the space race. Here is an interesting article of what follows.

"Our rocket crew is ready," continued Nkoloso, explaining that his aspiring troupe of space explorers had been gearing up for their interstellar journey in the headquarters of the academy he'd set up on the outskirts of Zambian capital Lusaka.

From within what he called the "Academy of Sciences and Space Technology," Nkoloso had been studying Mars through telescopes and rigorously training his would-be Afronauts.

Still courtesy  "Afronauts" a film by Frances Bodomo  

Matha Mwambwa would be the first woman to go to space accompanied by an unnamed missionary and two specially trained cats informed Nkoloso, the director of the space academy.

The program failed to receive a $7 million grant Nkoloso had requested from UNESCO and as such was not taken seriously by the government of the newly independent Zambia.

In 2010, photographer Cristina De Middel was searching for "unbelievable stories" for a new personal project she was hoping to develop.

Fascinated by Nkoloso's visionary and dreamy perspective on life, De Middel set about creating an imaginary documentation of his elusive endeavors some 50 years ago.The result is "The Afronauts," an arresting photo book.

In the self-published book, De Middel self-consciously conjures up the story of the unofficial space program piece by piece. She uses a series of cinematographic images, including staged depictions of discarded oil barrels, makeshift spaceships, elephant-hugging spacemen and flying cats, as well as vintage-looking maps, documents and newspapers cuttings.


Throughout, facts and fiction are intertwined as part of an intriguing narrative which challenges viewers' perceptions about what's real and what's not.

Whilst playful, De Middel's dream-like images are not intended to make fun of Nkoloso's fantastical, yet high-flying, ambitions

Her speculative pictures exude a feeling of nostalgia and sympathy, celebrating the audacious and naive spirit of a past era where grandiose dreams were not limited by circumstances.

De Middel says, the extraordinary tale of the forgotten Zambian space program presented a chance to talk about Africa from a different perspective.

"The only honest approach I could do to that story was documenting my cliché, and that's what I really wanted to do, because, in a way, I was raising awareness of the existence of that cliché and what we expect from Africa," she says.

"Not only because the story is positive, in terms of African people having dreams, but also evidencing what we expect from Africa in terms of aesthetics and behavior."

edited and taken from a CNN article by Teo Kermeliotis

In related news: Frances Bodomo revisits the Zambian Space Program in the film entitled Afronauts. Heres the trailer...

Culture-Conscious Animation Hits the Scene

Nigerian animator Adamu Wazi has produced an educational cartoon to teach children about African culture. Tired of African children watching only imported cartoons that didn't reflect their lives, Waziri decided to do something about it.

His creation is "Bino and Fino," a cartoon aimed at three to five year olds, about a brother and sister who live with their grandparents in an unnamed African city.

"I want to create a brand that's as good as Dora the Explorer, Charlie and Lola, quality wise, made in Nigeria, that is educational, and also shows positive aspects of Nigerian/African culture, not just to Nigerian or African kids but to kids everywhere," says Waziri.

The pilot episode celebrated Nigeria's Independence Day and looked at the issue of colonialism. The cartoon has also had segments teaching the numbers one to 10 in the Nigerian Igbo and Yoruba languages.

He adds that he wants the program to "teach kids and show that the stuff you see on TV of starving people isn't the only thing in Africa.

Afra-Centrifying Dolls for Afrakan Children

Nigerians Chris and Ada Ngoforo were keen for their children to stay connected with their West African heritage while living in London. The couple became concerned that their three young daughters didn't speak any Igbo, their mother tongue.

"We thought amongst ourselves what we can do to actually help them to learn Igbo more," says Chris Ngoforo.

This desire to encourage their children to connect with their roots, coupled with an increasing frustration with the difficulty in finding black dolls that resonated with their daughters, led the entrepreneurial couple to take matters into their hands.

What started as a way of helping their daughters engage with their heritage quickly became a business opportunity. Soon after, the couple launched their own range of toys, called Rooti Dolls, programmed to speak in several native African languages and promote positive self-images.

"We observed that over 90% of children born or living in the diaspora and millions in Africa do not speak or understand their mother tongues," says Ngoforo. "Our research made us understand that the reason for this is not because our children don't want to learn their mother tongues, but more because there are not many essential tools that can easily be both educational and fun at the same time."

So far, the couple has produced a range of 12 dolls from different African countries. Each one can speak a combination of languages, and each one has her own story.

Amongst them, there's Nina, a "vibrant girl" with Nigerian parents, who "loves watching Nollywood" and can interact in the Nigerian languages of Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, and Ibibio; there's Ama, a "bubbling dynamic girl" whose "dream is to be a doctor someday," and can speak the Ghanaian languages of Twi, Ga, Ewe and Krobo; and there's also Keza, with parents from Zimbabwe and Zambia. She "loves adventures, reading and listening to beautiful music" and can communicate in Shona, Ndebele, Bemba, and Nyanja.

"Over the years my wife and I have found it extremely hard finding real black dolls that can truly connect with our little daughters," he says. "The dolls out there in the market are nothing close to the real image of a black child in terms of features and other attributes -- they are either too thin, too light or chiseled-faced, and even the complexions of most of the dolls are kind of whitewashed," says Ngoforo.

"The unfortunate effect of this stereotypical misrepresentation is a case of low self-esteem among black children who have been directly or indirectly made to believe less in themselves as a black child. They have been made to believe that you have to look like a white doll to be accepted as beautiful or even good."

Debbie Behan Garrett, author of "The Definitive Guide to Collecting Black Dolls," says "a black child owning dolls and other playthings that positively reflect their image, exposure to literature, art and other positive images will aid in the development of a healthy cultural awareness and appreciation."

That was the inspiration behind the Queens of Africa project, an educational initiative developed by Nigerian entrepreneur Taofick Okoya. Using a mix of dolls, books, comics and music, Queens of Africa is aiming to help children in Nigeria and beyond to identify and appreciate their culture.

The Queens of Africa black dolls represent different tribes in the continent. Later on, he decided to expand the project by launching a series of fun and educational books, songs and cartoons based on the dolls' characters.

"The dolls will help the Nigerian/African children be better people because they would be proud and confident in who they are as a race," says Okoya. "The comics, books and animation stories is the medium we use to enlighten and educate children on our history and culture."

Garett says that exposure to this kind of information can help African children learn about their roots, as well as proudly pass on their heritage to future generations.

edited and taken from a CNN article by Teo Kermeliotis and Ann Colwell