I love Timberland

In 2020, CNBC wrote about how Timberland was elevated to a billion-dollar company thanks to the popularity of hip-hop culture. It's very interesting how that company now owned by VF Corporation found itself embracing Black consumers and in it's own way helped Black fashion designers get more notice. Also the company also attempted to be a force of good in Black communities.

For me, I don't think I'll be throwing any Timbs away anytime soon. Perhaps for those that haven't been in someway damaged from use, make sure that someone else will be blessed with them for as long as they can be worn.

CNN: The genre that made Black Panther - afrofuturism

So what exactly is "afrofuturism"?

Afrofuturism intersects science fiction, technology and ancient African mythologies.

"It's people of African descent looking at themselves in the future and what their society and their culture will look like ten years from now, twenty years from now, a thousand years from now," Fikayo Adeola, founder of arts and animation company Kugali, told CNN.

The term Afrofuturism was first coined by author Mark Dery in a 1993 essay "Black to the Future," but the ideas were around long before.

From the 1950s, American jazz musician Sun Ra -- who is considered one of the earliest proponents of Afrofuturism -- drew on ancient African influences as well as space imagery in his music and performances.

"This was in an era where African-Americans looked very much like second class citizens. Afrofuturism was a tool that they could use to imagine a better future, and the movement continued into the contemporary era," said Adeola.

Afrofuturism spanned literature too.

"Science fiction authors like Octavia Butler took it to the next level bringing in futuristic technology and interactions with aliens. The science fiction genre wasn't very inclusive of black people in the early days.

"It was very much up to these early African-American authors to say that actually 'no, there are other people in the future,'" Adeola explains.  

Well while I'm not a Marvel fan this one movie that's worth seeing. Black Panther isn't the first Black superhero ever, however, with his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War he made an impression. An African king who doubles as a masked warrior to protect his people and his characterization is perfect for Marvel's universe. Just to explain I do see a difference between the Marvel Comic and the DC Comic universes.

As for afrofuturism, I want to find out more...

Found this perhaps forgotten 80s Don Adams sitcom recently

I didn't know this that Don Adams had a daughter who appeared on Star Trek. Cecily Adams starred as Quark's mother Ishka on several episodes of Deep Space Nine. She had to don some make-up to become a Ferengi - actually I also learned the Ishka character was at first portrayed by different actress.

And then curiosity got the better of me. Adams who passed away in 2005 (and sadly his daughter passed away the year before) starred in one of my favorite sitcoms of all-time Get Smart. And I remember in the 1980s that he starred in another sitcom called Check It Out. I barely remember it and likely saw it in first run probably on cable - it did air on the USA Network back then.

Check It Out probably doesn't have the same popularity as Get Smart does. In fact the episodes I have seen causes me to cringe. Not that this is a know but I didn't know that back in the 80s,  Check It Out was actually a series that aired, produced, and set in Canada. It strikes me as a typical 1980s sitcom and while there have been some good ones this one wouldn't even rank very high on my list.

Here's one I episode found on YouTube recently. In this episode Adams' character Mr. Bannister - a grocery store manager - finds out that he's under consideration for a job with an international hotel chain. He'd have to go to Vienna to interview so most of the events in this episode revolves around that. No pun intended but "check it out"! [VIDEO]

NOTE: usually this is a video I would embed unfortunately this particular channel doesn't allow embeds.

Anyway I see that in a second season episode of the sitcom, Bannister grows a mustache. In the first season Bannister sports a different hairstyle and it was the least Adams like. By season two it goes back to normal I suppose to what I was used to, however, the mustache throws me off more. I recognize what's going on possibly - he doesn't want to be the character he played on Get Smart Agent 86 of Control a fictional spy agency. Nope, he has to play a manager essentially a regular guy with everyday responsibilities as far as his job. He needs not resemble a bumbling spy although he also seems to portray a bumbling store manager.

Another cool feature is how they incorporate Adams' voice into the opening theme. Adams is a well known name and we likely don't remember the other names involved with the show today. Perhaps to attract viewers the former star of Get Smart had been the hook. Imagine this Adams making an announcement and then expressing a new catchphrase for this show "don't just stand there" and then the chorus from the theme "check it out!" Heh, ingenious!

This series lasted three years and probably is in the dustbin of history as far as TV sitcoms. I found it out of curiosity and decided perhaps it's not really worth much of my time. Although it's was cool to see Adams as a different character than the one most in the public identify him with.

Curbed Chicago: How and Why Chicagoans Decided Our Flag Kicks Ass

Via Annalee flickr

The municipal flag of Chicago is an enduring symbol. The Mayor wears a lapel pin version of it and in addition many local websites and local t-shirt makers uses elements of this flag in their designs. For example consider the header for my other blog, The Sixth Ward. I would dare say no other US city comes close to Chicago although some have even more simpler design elements. Recently Curbed Chicago addresses why Chicago's flag is so popular.