#discover zambia

[craft-motors-zambia]

Your Website: The Silent Salesperson Working 24/7 (Is Yours Converting?)

Imagine a salesperson who never sleeps, tirelessly promotes your business, and caters to customers around the clock. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, that’s exactly what a user-friendly website can be for your Zambian business. In today’s digital age, your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your brand. A clunky, outdated website can drive visitors away faster than…

[hannahevolving]

Victoria Falls Zambia Devil's Pool

[draconesmundi]

What species of dragons are found in Africa? What clades do they belong to?

ooo so I was wanting to do a Smaugust Post about this but I was unsure how, so I'll just reply to this question with 12 very rushed dragon doodles...

(edit; to be clear this is in my creative project Dracones Mundi, not 'real dragons' or a comprehensive list of mythology. Dragon designs inspired by mythology)

Click the 'keep reading' to learn more!

West African Rainbow Serpent (Dracovermidae: Afroserpens iris)

This dragon is specifically a 'west African rainbow serpent' to differentiate been this and the Australian rainbow serpent. The West African Rainbow Serpent is based on West African folklore (Vodun tradition among other things, deities such as Ayedo Wedo etc.) and the physical design is based on an art sculpture of Ayedo Wedo a friend sent me a picture of (black head, white neck collar) + some snakes I like (spots with dark rims) + rainbow gradient.

Grootslang (Dracovermidae: Afroserpens magnus)

A gigantic dragon with diamond eyes said to live in caves under South Africa - looking into South African caves to discover there are vast bodies of water in huge caves was an experience - the above design is a loose idea, the final Grootslang for the Dracones Mundi project may look different...

Elephant Eating Serpent (Dracovermidae: Afroserpens aethiopicus)

Based on bestiaries saying 'big serpents in Africa wrap elephants in their coils'.

Chicken Headed Serpent (Afroserpens gallocephallus)

I might merge this design with the existing cockatrice design (see further below), only time will tell...

Nile Serpent? (Dracovermidae: Dracovermis hydra)

Huge serpent found in the Nile, and in the Mediterranean. Inspiration for Apep/Apophis in Egypt, but also for the Hydra in Greece.

Congan Plated Dragon (Testudracidae: Stegosuchus monstrum)

Large dragon that lives in the Congo Basin - inspired by Mokele Mbembe, Emele Ntouka and Mblieu Mblieu Mblieu

Dinodrakes (Drakonidae: Dinodrako...? )

Silly dragon I put on Madagascar - not inspired by folklore, these are just funny dinosaur inspired dragons. Mr Razzledazzle and his beautiful big wife.

Green Wyvern (Megaviperidae: Megavipera virida)

Based on Europeans slapping a little green dragon on maps of Africa for 'Aethiopia', 'here be dragons'. Also this is Saint George's dragon, so in versions of the legend where the saint fights the dragon in Libya I decided to put the green wyvern in Libya. Green wyverns therefore have a wide distribution in Dracones Mundi as Saint George has fought the dragon throughout North Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

Kongomato (Megaviperidae: ?)

A swimming dragon that lives in Zambia - it can grab boats with it's powerful jaws, swim with it's powerful tail and has huge wings. I am not certain on this final design, working on it...

Cockatrice (Medaviperidae: Basilliskos gallimimus)

CHICKEN DRAGON. Very deadly. Found throughout the world, including Africa.

Jaculus (Megaviperidae: Pteraserpens jaculus)

Jaculus, the javeline serpent, can fly at intense speeds, stabbing prey with it's sharp face.

Terrorsaur (Megaviperidae: Pteroserpens...?)

Silly dragon based on "what if janky cartoony green pterodactyls are dragons?" and then I found a lot of cryptozoology places 'pterosaurs' in central Africa. Playing with this concept, nothing solid yet.

...

There are some other African dragons that I'm not sure about including - Ninki Nanka is something I have had on my radar for a while but I could not find enough info on it to write or draw something (recently looked it up again and there is more info wow... Okay next draft will include Ninki Nanka!!!!)

and Akhekhu which I had in a previous draft then abandonned. Might put him back in. Not sure if he's dragony enough?

So in this current roster of African dragons we have 6 inspired by African folklore and mythology (Grootslang, Rainbow Serpent, Nile Serpent, Congan Plated Dragon, Kongomato, Chicken Headed Serpent) 4 inspired by European mythology saying 'this lives in Africa' (Cockatrice, Green wyvern, Jaculus, Elephant Eating Serpent) and 2 I made up just for fun (Dinodrakes and Terrorsaurs)

[the-olympics-olympics]

Weird Olympic Moments Tournament

To celebrate (?) the Paris 2024 Olympic Games starting in a few weeks, I thought I'd run another Olympic-themed poll tournament. This time, we're diving into history and getting to know some of the stranger, lesser-known stories of the Games.

Polls will run for a week, and the tournament should last until around early September if I'm doing my math right. The first polls will begin Monday, July 15th.

At the end, we'll award a gold, silver, and bronze to the top three.

After many hours on Wikipedia and the IOC website, here's the list of moments I came up with:

Horse vaulting

Pigeon racing

Sarajevo venues damaged in war

Mayor of Montreal says "The Olympics can no more lose money than a man can have a baby," then proceeds to host one of the most financially disastrous Games in history

George Eyser wins six medals after being run over by a train

Solo synchronized swimming

Crowd gets pooped on by 25,000 pigeons

Flame is taken to top of Mount Everest

Margaret Abbot dies without knowing she made history as the first US woman to win gold

Brazilian team has to sell coffee to afford the trip to Los Angeles

A teenager's "dumb idea" becomes Olympic tradition (athletes marching together in closing ceremony)

St. Louis experiments with "purposeful dehydration", denies water to marathon runners

Kanakuri Shizō takes 54 years to finish his race

Mt. Vesuvius moves the Olympics to London

They stop doing the Olympic salute for some reason

IOC President compares a terrorist attack to a vote to ban a racist country

The Olympics goes 88 years without letting women run marathons

Olympic flame transmitted via satellite

Northern Rhodesia declares independence during Olympics, changes name to Zambia

Vancouver 2010 cauldron malfunction

Montreal 1976 stadium is finally paid off in 2006

The curse of the Beijing 2008 mascots

Everest climbers get gold medals

Sochi snowflake malfunction

They hold the Olympics in 1906, then later say it doesn't count

Colorado kicks the Olympics out

Flame hidden from view after anti-gay law

Summer Olympics held during Winter

Haiti and Liechtenstein discover they had the same flag

Riot at the 1924 rugby match

McDonald's gives out more Big Macs than they expected

Chamonix 1924 retroactively named the Winter Olympics

Doves burned during cauldron lighting

Torchbearer takes olympic flame down a ski jump

Medals made of e-waste

Shooter aims for wrong target, loses gold

Olympic torch passed on International Space Station

Alien addresses crowd

Figure skating debuts at Summer Olympics

Olympics held on two different continents

Rio organizers lose key to stadium gate

Baron de Coubertin wins a gold medal under false identity

1960 winter games held in city named for an ethnic slur

Obstacle Swimming

North Korea considered to co-host 1988

Housing complex for American soldiers during the occupation of Japan becomes the Olympic village

Torch design changed mid-relay

Cauldron lit by flaming arrow

Last three seconds of basketball final replayed three times until results changed

St. Louis threatens to hold their own Olympics if they don't get named host city

Fatso the Fat-Arsed Wombat

Balloon racing

Delirious man carried over finish line by coaches, wins marathon

Summer Olympics held in November and December

Olympics postponed for COVID

Blue screen of death appears during opening ceremony

Marathon runner attacked by priest

Guy kicks referee in the face and (maybe) ends up on a stamp

Jet pack flies over stadium

Centennial games not awarded to a very confident Athens

LA 84 gets in trouble for commercializing the torch relay

Olympic flame relit with cigarette lighter

Rower stops for ducks

Nazi propaganda becomes Olympic tradition (torch relay)

Did I miss a great weird moment? Send it to me in an ask and I might do a round 2 or something!

I chose the moments based on my own personal bias (lol)

Heads up that there is one that involves the death of animals, but I will tag any polls with that #tw animal death

Please don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything else tagged, and how to tag it!

Also, a disclaimer that I'm tired and scatterbrained and I work full time, so if this gets a little disorganized I apologize. Shouldn't be too bad though.

Let the games begin, and whatnot

@tournament-announcer :)

[ancientstuff]

Incredibly lucky that this was preserved and found. Amazing.

[geologyin-blog]

The world's largest uncut gem-quality emerald has been discovered in Zambia's Copperbelt Province. The emerald weighs a staggering 7,525 carats (1.505 kilograms) Read more here:

[ptseti]

Discover Earth’s wildest thrills in Zambia.​

Heart racing. Pulse pounding. The wild is within arm's reach. Get up close to Africa – on foot, from the air, by boat or from your room. Experience the thrill and adventure from your exclusive window into Africa.

ZIMBABWE, BOTSWANA & ZAMBIA

[cisthoughtcrime]

This is so exciting!!

I'm buzzing about this like I'm on my feet

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from EcoWatch:

Following multiple scientific studies that have revealed that carbon offsets are not as reliable as once thought, the market value of carbon offsets has dropped by around 61% when compared to its near-peak value in 2022, a new report has found.

In early 2023, a major investigative report by The Guardian, Die Zeit and SourceMaterial found that the vast majority of forest carbon offset programs are actually “phantom credits” that don’t help remove any emissions from the atmosphere. A 2022 study that analyzed forest-based carbon offsets in California for a decade found no climate benefits from the offset programs in that time period. Yet another study, published in March 2023, found that many carbon offsetting programs weren’t using scientific best practices to calculate carbon credits, leading to over-estimates of the benefits of these programs.

Now, a report by the nonprofit Ecosystem Marketplace found that the voluntary carbon market (VCM) value has declined 61%, from $1.9 billion in 2022 to around $723 million in 2023. The carbon offset market value had peaked around 2021, when the value reached over $2 billion.

Since the peak, the value has decreased by about 56% year-over-year, Ecosystem Marketplace found.

Experts noted that to make carbon offsetting work, there will need to be more reliability and action from the carbon credit programs.

“If the VCM hopes to increase its mitigation potential and the value it provides to ecosystems and communities, especially those hosting [The Nature Conservancy] projects, it is imperative that the credit supply shows its integrity by shifting towards methodologies that use the best available science and social safeguards,” Maximiliano Bernal Temores, carbon markets assistant, Impact Finance & Markets at The Nature Conservancy, said in a press release.

“Crediting standards and project developers must incorporate best-science practices like dynamic baselines and remote sensing to ensure the VCM, especially nature-based credits, meets buyer expectations,” Temores added.

The once most popular type of credit, REDD+, had the biggest losses in 2023. The REDD+ stands for “reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries” and is based on a United Nations framework. 

But in 2023, researchers discovered that several REDD+ carbon credit projects in Peru, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Cambodia did little to curb deforestation, and these projects had a much smaller impact on emissions reductions than they claimed, Forests News reported.

[dailyhistoryposts]

Zenzile Miriam Makeba

Zenzile Miriam Makeba (1932-2008), sometimes called Mama Africa, was a South African musician and civil rights activist.

Born in Prospect, South Africa to a Swazi mother and a Xhosa father, Makeba's early life was full of difficult events. When she was 18 days old, her mother was arrested, so Makeba spent the first six months of her life with her mother in jail. After moving to Transvaal, her father died and Makeba worked as a nanny. In 1949, she married a policeman, who beat her and then left her. She also had both breast and cervical cancer.

Makeba was interested in music from a young age--she sang in church in four languages (English, Xhosa, Sotho, and Zulu). She liked both South African and African American songs, and grew up listening to records of Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. She started singing professionally as the only woman in men's groups, like the Cuban Brothers and the Manhattan Brothers. Makeba eventually joined the all-female group the Skylarks, where she became famous, though she received no royalties from this work.

She became internationally famous for her voice and her on-screen appearances, and Makeba travelled and lived in Europe and North America. In 1960, when attempting to return to South Africa for family funerals, Makeba discovered her South African passport had been cancelled and she was exile from her home country. Makeba continued to sing and and fight against South African apartheid in the United States, where she was critically successful but commercially unpopular. Her activism caused her to be declared a stateless person, as her South African citizenship was revoked, but throughout her life was granted honorary citizenship in ten countries.

Makeba became a diplomat and a symbol of African independence. She was invited to sing at many countries' independence ceremonies, including Kenya, Angola, Zambia, Tanganyika (now Tanzania), and Mozambique. She was a delegate to the United Nations and met many politicians.

In 1990, Makeba returned to South Africa. Mandela, whom she has also met personally, helped convince her to come back. She spent the end of her life working, fighting, and singing. She suffered a heart attack on stage in Italy, and could not be revived. She was remember as a genre-spanning singer-songwriter, one of the faces of the anti-Apartheid movement, and as a woman who believed in a bright future worth the struggle. Listen to some of her most popular songs and performances 1. Qongqothwane ("The Click Song") performed live 2. Pata Pata 3. Ndodemnyama we Verwoerd 4. Miriam Makeba's 1964 Speech to the United Nations

[nisafari]

Explore Etosha National Park Zambia's Top Safari Destination zambia #wil...

Discover and Explore Etosha National Park: A Wildlife Haven in Zambia Etosha National Park, located in Zambia, is a breathtaking wildlife sanctuary that offers a unique and unforgettable experience for nature enthusiasts and wildlife lovers. Spanning over a vast area, the park is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, making it a haven for wildlife enthusiasts. From majestic elephants and graceful giraffes to elusive leopards and rare bird species, Etosha National Park is a treasure trove of natural wonders waiting to be explored. This article takes you on a virtual journey through the park, highlighting its key attractions, activities, and conservation efforts. Visit https://nisafari.com for travel guides and more safaris destinations

 Etosha National Park is a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts, offering a rich and diverse ecosystem that supports a wide variety of animal and plant species. The park is renowned for its large population of elephants, which can often be seen roaming freely in their natural habitat. Visitors can also spot other iconic African animals such as lions, zebras, giraffes, and rhinos. The park is a birdwatcher's paradise, with over 340 bird species recorded, including the majestic African fish eagle and the colorful lilac-breasted roller. Exploring the park's diverse landscapes, from open grasslands to dense woodlands, provides a unique opportunity to witness the beauty and harmony of nature.

 Etosha National Park offers a range of activities for visitors to immerse themselves in the wilderness. Game drives are a popular way to explore the park and get up close to the wildlife. Experienced guides lead visitors on thrilling safaris, sharing their knowledge about the park's inhabitants and their behaviors. The park also has several waterholes, where visitors can observe animals gathering to quench their thirst, providing excellent opportunities for photography and wildlife observation. For those seeking a more adventurous experience, guided walking safaris allow visitors to explore the park on foot, accompanied by armed rangers who ensure safety while providing insights into the park's flora and fauna. 

Etosha National Park is not only a haven for wildlife but also plays a crucial role in conservation efforts. The park is committed to preserving its unique ecosystem and protecting endangered species. Conservation initiatives include anti-poaching patrols, habitat restoration, and community engagement programs. Visitors to the park can learn about these conservation efforts through educational programs and interactive exhibits. By visiting Etosha National Park, travelers contribute to the sustainable development of the region and support the ongoing conservation efforts. 

Whether you are a nature lover, wildlife enthusiast, or simply seeking a memorable adventure, Etosha National Park offers an unparalleled experience that will leave you in awe of the wonders of the natural world. 

[xiadz]

I used to believe, much like others, that I was born too late to explore and discover the earth.. but this week alone we have found a new sunken temple off the coast of Egypt full of artifacts that are fairly in tact. Every month someone finds more ruins of an ancient civilization we had no idea about in the jungles of South America. This week alone in Zambia we have found freakishly preserved 500,000 year old logs that were woodworked with VERY unnatural notches within them - which is nearly 200,000 years older than the earliest Homosapien fossil we've ever found, potentially making humanity much older than originally believed. There is an unbelievable amount of great mystery still out there to be discovered. The adventure and discoveries of our past and our future are endless.

[the-olympics-olympics]

Welcome to the quarterfinals!

Team enters as one country, leaves as another (Tokyo 1964)

12 competitors entered the Tokyo 1964 Olympics under the flag of Northern Rhodesia. On October 24, 1964 (the same day as the closing ceremony), the country became independent from the UK and changed its name from Northern Rhodesia to Zambia, the first time a country entered an Olympic games as one country and left it as another. For that ceremony, the team celebrated by marching with a new flag and a new placard with the word "Zambia" on it (as opposed to the "Northern Rhodesia" placard used in the opening ceremony).

Haiti and Liechtenstein discover they have the same flag (Berlin 1936)

Before the opening ceremony, the delegations of Haiti and Liechtenstein noticed that the civil flag of Haiti was identical to that of the flag of Liechtenstein. As a result, both nations agreed to carry different flags during the ceremony. Liechtenstein received approval from their government to carry the flag upside-down and add a "Prince's Hat" crown in the corner, while Haiti added the national crest in order to make it into the state flag instead. This directly led to Liechtenstein adding the crown to their flag. This modified design was adopted on 24 June 1937.

[readyforevolution]

SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES TOP FACTS

🇲🇼 🇿🇲 🇿🇼 🇦🇴 🇱🇸 🇸🇿 🇲🇿 🇧🇼 🇳🇦 🇿🇦 🇲🇬

1. Madagascar 🇲🇬 is the fourth largest island in the world.

2. Madagascar 🇲🇬 has the largest coastline in Africa.

3. South Africa 🇿🇦 is the only Country to have hosted FIFA World cup in Africa.

4. Eswatini 🇸🇿 is a kingdom ruled by a Monarch.

5. South Africa 🇿🇦 has the largest GDP in the region.

6. South Africa 🇿🇦, cape Town city was ranked the best in 2019.

7. Namibia 🇳🇦 has the largest desert in the region known as namib desert that meets The Atlantic Ocean.

8. Lesotho 🇱🇸 is the only Landlocked country inside a country in Africa.

9. In Madagascar 🇲🇬 All houses should face west

10. Madagascar 🇲🇬 The head of the bed must face north

11. People in Madagascar 🇲🇬 Never have a funeral on a Thursday.

12. Nearly 40% of Botswana 🇧🇼 is made up of national parks and wildlife reserves which provide plenty of large areas for animals to roam.

13. Botswana 🇧🇼 is home to the world's largest concentration of African elephants, of which the highest concentration is found in Chobe National Park.

14. 🇧🇼 The world’s second-largest gem quality diamond was discovered in Botswana last year. It is the biggest diamond to be discovered in Botswana and the largest find in more than a century.

15 Botswana 🇧🇼 holds a number of world records including the world’s largest salt pans, the world’s largest inland delta and the world’s shortest border.

16. Half the people in Mozambique 🇲🇿 are under-17.More than half the women have their first child before they are 19.

17. Mozambique 🇲🇿 is the only country with a single word name that includes all five vowels.

18. Mozambique is the only country in the Commonwealth never to have been part of the British Empire.

19. Termite hills in Zambia 🇿🇲 can grow as big as a small house. With room for a pony. The termite hills are the size of a house.

20. In Zambia 🇿🇲 Victoria Falls is double the height of Niagara Fall

[dweemeister]

July 11, 2023

By Jonathan Taylor

(Los Angeles Times) — Jet-lagged and exhausted, LeVar Burton rallied his youthful energy as he exited customs at New York’s JFK airport and climbed into a waiting limo. He had just traveled from the Zambezi River in Zambia, where he had filmed a segment for the April 4, 1982, episode of ABC’s “The American Sportsman.”

The car made its way from Queens to Manhattan, dropping him off at Central Park. He was there to shoot the pilot for a new public television show aimed at encouraging early learners to love books.

The show was to be called “Reading Rainbow.”

He was not entirely sure what the job was, and certainly not aware that it would become one of his signature roles. It didn’t matter. The son of a former teacher and a passionate believer in learning, reading, exploring and growing, Burton was all-in on this new adventure.

“Everything about it just made sense,” Burton says, more than 40 years later. “It was about literature and the written word, it was about kids, it was about having kids discover the power of literature through the medium of television and that was why ‘Reading Rainbow’ was such a radical departure from other shows of its era.”

From the moment he first met the “Reading Rainbow”crew, Burton demonstrated not one iota of star attitude.

“He showed up, got out of the limo, and I said, ‘Hey, how are you?’” Cecily Truett, co-creator, head writer and producer on the show for most of its run, recalls. “He said, ‘Well, I just got off the red-eye, so…’ I said, ‘Well, what can we do for you? How can we make you comfortable?’ He said, ‘You know, I’d love to have a glass of orange juice and a toothbrush.’ And that was it.

“He walked right on to the set, he ran through his lines and for the next 25 years he was on the set, on time, with his lines memorized....”

“For 155 shows,” her husband, Larry Lancit, another of the show’s creators, producers and directors, added.

Burton had to hurry back from Africa to New York because a skeleton crew was waiting to shoot the pilot episode, including anxious documentarians Truett and Lancit and fellow creator and executive producer Twila C. Liggett, a onetime elementary school teacher who had realized TV was the ideal medium to reach and influence young children. If “Reading Rainbow” delivered on its promise that a children’s show focused on the joy and value of reading could be set in the real America rather than on Sesame Street or in Mister Rogers’ neighborhood, it would get the blessing from PBS.

It did the trick. This month marks the 40th anniversary of the national premiere of one of the longest-running children’s shows in the history of public television.