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Celebrations Kenya Wants to be Kenya’s Biggest Online Directory for Weddings & Events

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celebrationskenyaFounded in 2011,CelebrationsKenya.com wants to be the country’s premier online directory for weddings and events giving readers important contacts of service providers for their big day and also giving the service providers a platform to reach out to the public.
According to the founder Christina Engell Andersen, a University of Cape Town graduate and also Head of the digital at Yolanda Tavares Public Relations, ” Celebrations Kenya is the premier online website directory for weddings & events in Kenya. Our aim is to help you plan your wedding or event from start to finish with a wealth of information,” she writes on the site.
Yolanda Tavares Public Relations is a Kenyan communications, public relations programmes and event management and fundraising firm formed in 1986.
With info on where to get wedding accomodation, Bar services, bridal accessories, cakes, catering services, dance lessons, DJs, Decor, where to have your honeymoon among others, the platform helps users to prepare and plan for their weddings in time and conveniently.
402850_418234548223052_249656913_nThe platform also gives advice on how to spend the wedding budget, doing wedding DIY solutions and how to decorate among others.

“Weddings these days are becoming more about making a statement. In which ever you look at it. A statement of displaying your love to your nearest & dearest, or a statement of showing just how lavish a couple you actually are. Regardless, weddings are all about the details and making your guests have a memorable experience,” they write on their site.
1554545_621954174517754_1089749419_nApart from wedding advice, they also inform users on venues which they say are one of the most important aspects of any wedding. From urban venues to venues in the wild such as tented wilderness camps, riverbanks or remote safari lodges, the platform has them all. They also have a blog to document their advises interested platform users.

YAHOO NEWS DIGEST UNVEILS NEWS SUMMARY APP.

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Based on British originated app Summly, Yahoo will henceforth provide users with daily briefings of eight to nine stories most likely to interest its users.

This is in a quest to address the needs of busy consumers considering media analysts are split over the need for such a product. The app was announced as part of Marissa Mayer’s Yahoo’s CEO’s first CES keynote address.

“The idea of cutting through the clutter and being a trusted curator that can offer quality bite-sized chunks of information definitely addresses a need. If people are being told they have read through enough news they are being misled,” said Mark Mulligan, editor of the media industry blog

According to Mr Mulligan, people require a way to steer through all the news, which makes the newly introduced app perfect for the purpose.

Users are willing to consume more content when it is boiled down to the most important bits. However, the app is currently available on the US iphone App store and does not allow users to customize the type of stories most likely to interest them.

UPGRADE YOUR STANDARDS OR FACE CLOSURE: CCK TELLS SAFARICOM.

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Kenya’s leading service provider Safaricom has been given a directive by Communications commission of Kenya to renew its license worth kshs2.3billion before June this year last refreshed back in 1999 to run for 15 years after the telco paid a fee of ksh4.7 billion.

However, the commission terms the operator company as non-compliant over poor quality standards. According to CCK’s service quality assessment, all four mobile op-erators in Kenya failed to meet the industry minimum Quality of Service (QoS), Safaricom scoring lowest with 50% against the intentional pass mark of 80%.

Communications commission of Kenya pointed out Safaricom’s failure to meet the minimum quality standards over the past three years, which puts them at risk of losing their license to the smaller rival operators.

Safaricom has dismissed the service assessment framework as an independent report showed them as compliant. “Our view is that punitive measures will not assist the industry to achieve better quality of service measures as they will divert resources from operators which could have been applied to improving coverage and network quality.” Safaricom Chief Executive officer, Bob Collymore, said in a statement.

CCK still maintains its position on the matter, saying that the renewal will only take place if the operator complies.

Bunifu.co.ke Launches Sniper Antivirus | Kenya’s First Locally Developed Antivirus Software

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bunifuFounded in 2011, Bunifu Technologies made up of young innovators specializes in android mobile apps, desktop applications, web applications and engineering solutions.

The technology company rolled out the first Kenyan and African developed working antivirus dubbed ‘bunifu antivirus’ that has proven more effective than other antiviruses in the market.

Comprising of Emmanel Yatich, Amos Chepchieng, Elisha Kiptukyo, Winston Chemjor, Solomon Komen, Philip Koimet  and Dorine Ng’etuny, the Baringo county based startup has created among others Exam management system; a software that provides an easy interface for exam processing and analysis, Accounting software providing real time analysis and record keeping of day to day transactions. School registration software; that helps keeping student and staff records. Light bolt SMS; a mass message sending software with the ability to send customized personalized messages to many just from a single text.

Bunifu technologies provide user-friendly software ensuring creativity and usability incorporated before releasing it to the public. Open to external ideas, the company also indulges in help items in Electrical and electronic engineering, computer science and information technology fields.

“We continuously strive to be a leader in innovation and development of new ideas and solutions to day to day societal challenges,” the team said.

Meet Calvince Okello, Founder Of M-Shamba

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Calvince Okello - Founder, M-Shamba
Calvince Okello – Founder, M-Shamba

 

 

M-shamba is an interactive platform that enables farmers to access important information on crop production, helps them manage their farms as well as linking them to the market using mobile application, SMS and web.

M-shamba was founded by Calvince Okello; while still a student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in 2011.

TechMoran caught up with Okello and this is what he had in store for us.

What was the inspiration behind the M-Shamba Idea, how it began, and what did it take for you to get where you are now?

M-shamba was inspired by the fact that there is a lot of useful information in the archives of agricultural research institutions, which do not easily reach the common smallholder farmer. The information available is usually very expensive to disseminate through seminars and conferences, which many are not able to attend.

M-shamba was also inspired by the fact that various agricultural commodity prices usually differ by high margins within a radius of about 50 kilometres. This means that the middlemen would exploit the farmers by giving them very low prices on their commodity and ending up selling the same commodities to make abnormal profits.

M-shamba begun as an android app back in 2011 but has now been further developed to include SMS and web platforms. What has kept us moving is resilience and the desire to make things work better in the society.

What were you doing before M-Shamba?

Before M-shamba, I was a student at JKUAT studying Bsc Biomechanical and Processing Engineering

How successful are you in the business? Is there competition? And how do you face them

So far, M-shamba has been used to help over 4,000 farmers to adopt system rice intensification in parts of Mwea, Ahero, Bunyala and West Kano. Meanwhile, we are also doing a pilot on some other components of M-shamba, which we believe will be very beneficial to the Kenyan farmer.

M-shamba received an award by H.E President Mwai Kibaki during the African Forum on STI as one of the top innovations in 2012, M-shamba was also the best innovation during the Innovate For Africa enterprise competition and again it was the best app in agriculture category during the Safaricom Appstar Challenge, 2012.

There is competition but our main advantage is innovation. Our products are very much innovative and very user friendly targeting the very common person in the agricultural value chain.

How is the response in your market, and who is your most important client?

The response has been very great. The challenge is that we have not been able to expand in order to meet the expectations of our potential clients. Our most important client is the small holder in urban and rural areas and various traders along the agricultural value chain.

Did you know you were going to be an Entrepreneur all along, or did it happen by chance?

Yes. I knew entrepreneurship was my calling and my engineering background works well for me because I look at things from value-addition point of view.

What do you love most about your business and your life as an Entrepreneur?

What I love most is the fact that my business has the potential to change lives and to accelerate the achievement of first millennium development goal (MDG1) and Kenya’s Vision 2030.

What keeps you and your team motivated?

What keeps us motivated is the fact that we have a common goal and the belief that our product has a lot of potential in transforming the food insecurity situation in Kenya and make Kenya very food secure.

What can your team not live without?

We can’t live without coming up with new ideas and solutions. We are great thinkers and we like it.

Is there a specific skill one needs to join you, if yes what is it

No, there is no specific skill only be passionate.

What does M-Shamba have in store for the future?

We have a lot in store for the future. We have a nutrition component of M-shamba that we will launch once we secure the right partnerships. This will just be revolutionary. We also have other amazing complimentary products that we want to bring to the market. Farming and agribusiness will not be the same again in this country. We are determined to make agriculture enterprising for everyone.

Who was the most influential person or mentor in your life?

There have been very many influential people in my life especially from the JKUAT community.

What advice would you give to any person who wants to follow your example?

Resilience is everything. Never let your idea die in your hands, someone else will pick it up and grow it.

BeyondBranches Launches Platform to Allow Users Deposit Cash into Any Nigerian Bank Account Via Agents

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Picture1Cashless, agency banking and mobile payment initiative BeyondBranches has extended the QuickTeller platform to all banks in the country in a move that will enable any customer to deposit cash into any bank account held at any bank in Nigeria at an agent.

This initiative will bring the bank to the and make cash deposit quick and secure.

Speaking about the launch, Simon Aderinlola, chief operating officer of BeyondBranches in Nigeria, said: “We are excited to make life easier for bank’s customers. The cost of transportation, the time wasted due to the traffic in Nigeria’s towns and cities and the queues within bank branches have made life difficult for the people of the country. Instead, customers of any bank can now go to a Quickteller agent and deposit funds into any bank account in Nigeria.”

The QuickTeller platform was developed by Interswitch, the largest integrated payment processing service provider in Nigeria. Interswitch explores different opportunities to provide solutions that support the Cashless society drive of the CBN while also delivering a financially included Nigerian population.

“BeyondBranches have integrated their platform and growing agent network into our platform to build a secure and highly scalable agency banking infrastructure in Nigeria, enabling Banks and other key players in the industry bring financial services closer to their customers in a secure manner,” said  Mrs Titilola Shogaolu Chief Payment and Value Added Services Officer of Interswitch Nigeria. “We are excited about the potential services that can be enabled with this infrastructure.”

This new move to deposit cash at an agent is an exciting new service that helps drive transactions to agents. By continually adding new services quickly, we can help drive branchless banking and digital inclusion in Nigeria.

“We hope to continue to support the Central Bank of Nigeria’s policies on financial inclusion,”Gregory Ubigen, chief executive officer of BeyondBranches International said.

In November 2013, BeyondBranches  implemented its Duka Platform with Quickteller for banks, mobile money operators and other entities can leverage the BeyondBranches Network to offer branchless services to their customers. Agents were identified, vetted and trained to use the service on their internet-enabled mobile handset and those who passed the quality control test were allowed to advertise BeyondBranches services which allows users to use cash to pay over 100 different types of bills, pay to charity, buy tickets and airtime through the network of approved agents.

15 Startup Lessons From IMF Chief Christine Lagarde On Her Visit to Kenya

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image  by Sam Wakoba,

1.Stick to your guns

IMF MD Christine Lagarde has said that the body will revise upward its global growth forecast of the economy, as she was wrapping up her two-day visit to Kenya.  She was visiting after a final disbursement of the a $750 million loan to Kenya. Analysts argue the loan may have been unwisely as the government is looking to raise a soft loan from IMF again, a month after the final disbursement.

The misuse symptoms could be the causes behind the IMF’s raising the global growth forecast just three months after it lowered them in the October World Economic Outlook report. According to the IMF economies in the emerging markets are losing momentum as advanced economies rise due to change from easy-money policies which have slowed capital inflows to emerging market economies.

As a CEO of your startup do what is right even after a party with your friends, team or investors, you are the CEO.

2.Stand out, be an outlier

Firstly, she is the first woman to head helm of the IMF, she has beat many odds to become who she is today,and she is fiercely competitive world. She didn’t come from nowhere, she was a finance minster back home in France.

As a teenager, she took to two swimming after French schools shut down in a student uprising. She went ahead to win a bronze medal in the national swimming championships. She says she learned, ‘Grit your teeth and smile’,” which has been helpful to her in the political world. It a game of resistance and endurance. Being in tension and in control. She has been everything most french women just admire to become but minus the effort and determination to achieve.

3. Don’t be predictable

She might have partied and smiled with Kenyan dignitaries but she stuck to her guns. Never be predictable like her, she might grit her teeth and with her lovely white teeth, everyone will smile, but in her mind she will be making decisions on raising growth standards.

4. Be confident

VC’s want founders who are confident-note we are not talking about sales speeches here. The IMF chief doesn’t undermine herself, she instead wants to help women who do. It’s argued that her stay way from France saw her rise to who she is. She has a strong command of English and knows what she is up to, to finer details. Do your homework, be confident in the truth you know, be knowledgeable with facts not boasting in crappy sales speeches.

5. Face your fears

Before her election to the top job, she had to convince the world that she was worth being voted for. She went to China to do so. She convinced the stakeholders in an afternoon. If you fear, you will never go out to do it. She ventured into Law, French politics and international finance which are a reserve for men in her society and she has been good at it.

6. Be Lucky and use your luck

She is the only girl to her parents. She was born on New Year’s eve. Her dad was an English professor and she is so good at it. Her mum was a Latin teacher, she went to America’s to study. Even when her father died when she was just 17, she knew she would make it. She is beautiful and knows her charm keeps men listening.

7. Never give up or think you are weak

After studying in America, she came back home to study law, She failed the exams to get into the French civil service twice and therefore not allowed to practice law in France, she then joined Baker & McKenzie, an international law firm where she rose to board chairman. Now she is the chairman of the IMF, not chairperson.

8. Be quick to respond to change

When was asked to join the French government in 2005, she left in a hurry and forgot her glasses behind and couldn’t recognize people who sat with her in the first cabinet meeting. Then as a the finance minister she asked for a review of the 35-hour working week.

9. Make friends and keep them

Lagarde made many friends from across the world which were helpful to the French government. She persuaded the German government to reduce VAT in French restaurants. One night she called Henry Paulson, the then US treasury secretary not to let AIG to collapse. She visited her former Chicago apartment-she lived their six years ago but because she made and kept friends, the janitor ran to her, kissed her and said she had been missed so much.

10. Work out regularly

Apart from her swimming, she is a vegetarian, religiously goes to the gym every day and cycles over 20km once a week. She believes that success is an endless combat and each morning more tests for combat.

11. Give praise where it’s due

She praised the Kenyatta government for making great strides towards economic development.

She said, “I congratulated President Kenyatta and his colleagues for the remarkable progress made over the last few years. Kenya’s economic conditions have continued to improve thanks to a far-reaching reform agenda. The external and fiscal positions are now stronger, inflation has been tamed, the economy has maintained solid growth, and rapidly expanding financial inclusion has given millions of Kenyans a stronger stake in the economy. In short, Kenya has achieved the objectives set by its economic program and supported by the IMF.

 

12. Let your staff be self-driven

Give time and chance to your staff and let each department minus less supervision and just walk in to evaluate. She gave Kenya money to do with as they wanted, then on last disbursement of the $750 million loan she came to inspect. We shall soon see her recommendations.

13. Give everyone a chance

As a CEO of a startup, forget growth-hacking, experiential strategy and product design or UI for sometime, focus on the people, let them do what they want or know best, then as the several align their tasks to your companies objectives. Startups will be geat if they got this peope-first mentality in them. As IMF chief, she gave Kenya a loan and minus SAPs, etc, Kenya had its own budget and timelines, they had a chance to use their money as it best suits their needs.

 14. Give attention to details

She wanted special emphasis on; a) Fiscal devolution is essential, b) Improved public spending needs to improve by providing more resources to infrastructure investment and social programs, and by strengthening revenue mobilization and transparency, especially in the management of natural resource wealth. c) Regional integration.

15. Be down to earth

Meet everyone, even your janitor and be nice until they mess up and see the lion in you

She met President Kenyatta, Treasury Secretary Rotich, Central Bank Governor Ndung’u, and other senior government officials. Then she also met parliamentarians, civil society organizations, women leaders, and the private sector and the press.

 

 

Lupita Nyong’o nominated for British Academy Film Awards

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lupita

Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o has been nominated for the British film academy’s Rising Star award. 2013 was clearly her year, but 2014 may just be the year where the talented beauty will reap the rewards of her hard work with Awards Season only around the corner.

Nyong’o made an acclaimed feature film debut in slavery epic “12 Years a Slave,” and she has also landed magazine shoots and numerous nominations. Adding to her slew of nominations, Nyong’o has been nominated for 2014 BAFTA Rising Star Award.  Nyong’o ‘s acclaimed feature film debut performance in 12 Years a Slave has definitely ensured the young starlet will continue to shine brightly for the coming year.

Other finalists announced Monday include American actor Dane DeHaan, who plays a troubled poetic muse in Beat Generation saga “Kill Your Darlings.” Two British actors round out the list — George MacKay, who stars in Proclaimers musical “Sunshine on Leith,” and Will Poulter of comedy “We’re the Millers.”

The winner will be decided by public vote and announced during the British Academy Film Awards — Britain’s equivalent to the Oscars on Feb. 16, 2004.

Ten Trends that Will Dominate the IT Landscape in 2014

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Data center - 1By Martin Walshaw, F5 Senior Engineer,

As an organisation that tracks developments in enterprise IT and assists thousands of companies around the world in tackling the challenges that these present, it is our business to be ahead of the game. In light of this, here are the trends that we believe will have the biggest impact in 2014.

 

1.       Software-Defined Networking (SDN) moves into production

We believe that SDN will be one of the biggest issues of network managers and CIOs. The technology will move from the planning and testing phase into production capacity, with projects taking root across software-designed storage, datacenters, and application services among others.

 

2.       The first commercial deployments of Network Function Virtualisation (NFV)

We will see the first commercial deployments for virtualised value-added services and optimisation tools for service providers and mobile networks. NFV will see reduced cost of ownership and improved revenues for LTE providers as the networks mature.

 

3.       The explosion of Anything as a Service (XaaS)

Software as a Service (SaaS) is already too broad and must now support sub-categorisation with clearer definitions. For example, Disaster Recovery (DRaaS), Security (SECaaS), Management (MaaS) have already been defined and we can expect to see further granularity of definitions appearing over the next 12 months.

 

4.       Increased confidence in the security of Cloud Computing

EMEA in general has been slow to adopt cloud computing, with concerns about security and regulatory compliance coming up again and again. However, with the growing popularity of cloud-based financial services like TEMENOS T24 showing how it can be done safely, we should expect this to now change.

 

5.       Intelligent cyber security will become even more important

As cyber criminals become more sophisticated, the traditional, static firewall will become redundant and user-centric and app-centric ‘intelligent security’ will become more important. This will lead to the rise of security that is flexible and responsive, based on factors such as the apps, location or the user. Security won’t be one size fits all in 2014 and will be increasingly tailored to the attack vector encountered. It’s going to be important for companies to prepare themselves against the threats and invest in security tools that are capable of keeping up with the latest attacks.

 

6.       Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) will continue to be a huge threat

There will be increasingly large attacks. Alongside this, we should see more targeted application attacks disguised by a DDoS attack. I would also expect yet another headline-grabbing attack using amplification techniques to exceed the largest attack to date.

 

7.       Managers will be confronting the risks of non-enterprise applications in business

The continued uptake of non-traditional enterprise applications in business will open up risks and require organisations to spend more time considering the security implications. Younger employees, in particular, will continue to demand a socialised environment; blurring the lines between personal-social and business-social applications. Managers will be thinking about introducing policies and reengineering their IT infrastructure to cater to this new breed of employees.

 

8.       The mobile boom will present opportunities and challenges

With Gartner predicting that the cost of entry-level smartphones will come down to below the $50 mark, more people than ever will have access to the technology. In emerging markets like India and China, this will involve mobile internet services moving beyond the cities to more rural areas, providing the previously unbanked population with financial services. This, combined with government initiatives, will increase the amount of data traffic and potentially put a strain on mobile service provider infrastructure on a global basis. Inevitably, this will lead them to consider more intelligent ways to serve customers online and reduce downtime.

 

9.       Service providers will take charge of corporate data protection

With the rise of the Bring Your Own Network phenomenon, this is potentially a huge area of opportunity for service providers, opening doors for new revenue opportunities. Providing clean pipe solutions is already a requirement today, however service providers will need to become smarter in their protection mechanisms – especially at the application level.

 

10.   Mobile operators will optimise their networks for cost savings and revenue generation

They will do this to drive the total cost of ownership down and to increase average revenue per user by offering new and differentiated services to their end users in a cost efficient manner. The ability to orchestrate intelligent service chaining and enforcing per subscriber and per application policies in the network are critical to meet those requirements and I can see a demand for these rising dramatically in the next 12 months.

 

Have You Seen The New Android Based Computer From HP

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HP

A pop-up large screen tablet device with a keyboard and a mouse is how this HP Android computer can be described; or better still the Hewlett-Packard (HP) Android based all-in-one (AiO) computer.

The Android-powered HP Slate21 Pro AiO is intended for office use as well as in education and kiosk environments.

As for its specs, this device is a 21.5-inch diagonal Full HD IPS touch screen with wide 178-degree viewing angles. it is a touch screen Android  tab and its stand design allows up to 70 degrees of adjustable recline and optional VESA mounting.

The HP Slate21 Pro runs on Android 4.3, has NVIDIA Tegra 4 quad-core processor, 8.11 a/b/g/n dual band wireless, Bluetooth 4.0, integrated high-definition (HD) webcam and access to the Google Play app store.

As for now this gadget is only available in the United States not known when it will come to Africa. It goes for $399 inclusive of the keyboard and mouse.

BlackBerry’s BBM Now Has More Channels And Voice Calls

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BBM

BlackBerry has updated it BBM App and it now includes new Channels as well as voice calls. The App is only suitable for Android phones.

The update is however just a beta release and currently only available to Android  users who have signed up to that service.

In addition to Channels and Voice Calls, the updated mobile app includes an easier avenue of sharing photos, according to BlackBerry; more emoticons and increased BBM Group sizes.

The company says that it is looking to bring in the same App upgrade for iPhone.

Finally! ‘Saturday Night Live’ Hires Sasheer Zamata, as the First Black Female Cast Member in 5 Years

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“Live from New York, it’s…” finally a woman who’s not Maya Rudolph who can play Michelle Obama on Saturday Night Live.

sasheer zamata

In less than two weeks, Saturday Night Live will have a black female cast member for the first time since 2007. Deadline Hollywood reports that Sasheer Zamata, an alumna of the Upright Citizens Brigade comedy troupe, will make her debut on the late-night sketch series on Jan. 18,  featuring Drake as host and musical guest.

SNL’s lack of diversity has incited rumblings of discontent for decades—there have been only four women of color on the series in its 38-year history. But the rumblings erupted into roars late last year when Kenan Thompson suggested that black female comedians didn’t have what it takes to join the SNL crew. “It’s just a tough part of the business,” Thompson said. “Like in auditions, they just never find ones that are ready.”

Zamata graduated three years ago from the University of Virginia, has been performing at the UCB Theatre in New York, and has already logged an impressive resume of sketch appearances—both on-screen and in live theater. The show hasn’t had a black female cast member since 2007 when Maya Rudolph left the show.

Back in November, SNL shrewdly skewered its diversity problem with its Kerry Washington-hosted outing. If the ringer Washington was put through in the episode’s cold open is any indication—she was tasked, as the only black female at Studio 8H, to play Michelle Obama, Oprah, and Beyoncé—Zamata could be looking at an exhausting run with the show. Here’s the self-aware message that scrolled on the screen during the sketch:

“The producers at Saturday Night Live would like to apologize to Kerry Washington for the number of black women she will be asked to play tonight. We made these request both because Ms. Washington is an actress of considerable range and talent, but also because SNL doesn’t currently have a black woman in the cast. As for the latter, we realize this is not an ideal situation and look forward to rectifying it in the near future…unless, of course, we fall in love with another white guy first.”

Turns out Lorne Michaels warmed up to Zamata before another potential McConaughey-portrayer had the chance. Here’s how her former collaborator, W. Kamau Bell, foresees her first day on the job going:

That’s gonna be a lot of wigs. Best of luck, Sasheer.

Times Media Group Sells Nu Metro To Equity Firm One Fifty Capital

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new metro

Nu Metro cinema is under new management; Times Media Group is selling out some of its belongings and Nu Metro is no exception. The cinema company which is the second best in South Africa now belongs to private equity firm One Fifty Capital.

Nu Metro is not the only company being sold, the deal also includes sister company Popcorn Cinema Advertising Sales, which sells on-screen ad space for Nu Metro and other cinemas. The whole deal involves the sale of the assets to a new, purpose-built company, Subcocept, funded by One Fifty.

One Fifty Capital provides capital for small and medium start-up enterprises in property, education, entertainment and gaming.

Times Media Group owns newspaper assets such as Business Day, the Sunday Times, and website Times Live.

The company says that the sale of Nu Metro is in line with its strategy to offload noncore assets.

Nu Metro controls a third of South African cinema market as it operates 17 cinema complexes with 162 screens in the country.

Times Media is selling Nu Metro and Popcorn for R75m in cash, R50m of which will be paid on the implementation of the transaction. A further R15m will be paid on the first anniversary of the deal and a further R10m on the second anniversary.

It will use the proceeds of the sale to “reduce acquisition leverage with respect to future acquisitions more aligned to Times Media Group’s core business”.

Times Media has previously sold other cinema assets, including its 51 percent shareholding in Monte Cinemas to Tsogo Sun Casinos for R20m in cash. It also sold its 50 percent share in Three Groups Cinemas to Whitehorse Investments and Avalon Three Groups Investments for R18m in cash. 

My Best TV Shows of 2013

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  1. BB Breaking Bad

This drama had secured its place in the list of all-time great TV dramas even before it began its excellent final run. But the final block of episodes contained some of Breaking Bad’s all-time best scenes. Hank and Walt’s climactic confrontation in the garage, Jesse’s realization that Walt had been the one who poisoned Brock, the deadly standoff in To’hajiilee, when Hank’s triumph over Walt was cut short by Uncle Jack. Walt’s desperate, pathetic escape to a remote cabin in New Hampshire, where he had nothing to do but sit and reflect on everything he had lost. And Walt’s final conversation with Skyler, when he finally confessed the true motive behind all his crimes: “I did it for me. I liked it. I was good at it. And I was really… I was alive.”

  1. VD Vampire Diaries

When I heard there is a series about vampires, I was like “no way am I watching this”. Four seasons passed, and I was coaxed into watching an episode, I looked for the whole 4 series’ and watched within a week. Surely this is one of the best TV series I’ve watched in a while. It’s about a high school girl is torn between two vampire brothers, and though I love a good love story, I want Elena Gilbert and Stefan Salvatore to end up together, but Elena and Damon Salvatore just make a cute couple (bad boy plus good girl). So are you team #DELENA or #STELENA ?

  1. house of cards House of Cards

Instead of examining ideology or party definitions, House of Cards is a political drama about the thirst for power. David Fincher (executive producer and director of the first two episodes) loves to explore the darker sides of his movie subjects, and he’s got more time to let those unravel on TV. Kevin Spacey could carry the whole show on his shoulders as Francis Underwood, but he’s surrounded by talent. Robin Wright, who plays his wife, is a force of nature. Claire Underwood is almost as ruthless as her husband, but Wright manages to bring a sense of vulnerability to the dynamic character. And I’ve never found myself rooting for a drunk, cocaine-snorting politician like this one

  1. scandal Scandal

We could talk at length about the barrier-breaking performance by Kerry Washington, but that’s been written about here, there and everywhere. The reason I love Scandal is for the story line and the quick, smart talking. And don’t you just love Cyrus Beene, but before you leap to the comments section, allow me to explain: Olivia Pope is a great character, but despite her moral predicaments, she’s inspirational. The show’s writers rarely get through an episode without reminding us of this. Beene, on the other hand, is a TV-mirror to our darkest selves. That slippery slope which Pope manages to scale in most episodes sees Beene tumble to the base again and again. That’s relate-able, if terrifying. Cyrus gets all the best speeches. For proof, just watch him disembowel the first lady in three minutes.

  1. Nikita Nikita

I have four reasons why you should watch Nikita: Impressive fight sequences, strong female characters, the heroine has a new look and a search for home. Nikita has been given the cold shoulder by many people just because it’s not the old Nikita that was. I do recommend this TV series for those lovers of action packed programs. Maggie Q as Nikita is totally amazing, as is Michael, Alex and all the other roles. The show totally looks like a movie, not just a TV show. It’s so entertaining and addictive. I still dint understand why the program was cut short just recently airing its season finale.

  1. the americans The Americans

Centered on two Soviet sleeper agents posing as a suburban married couple during the Cold War, the show had the strongest, most assured debut season for a drama in years. The Americans packs in lots of thrilling, deftly plotted spy action and compelling, emotional family drama; one of the show’s great feats is making both sides of the Jennings’ lives equally compelling. But the key to The Americans’ success is the absolutely riveting cast, who play a collection of characters with gaping wounds.

  1. OITNB Orange is the New Black

When I first saw the adverts of Orange is the New Black, I rolled my eyes. It seemed like you could sum up the premise of the series in a single cliché: A pretty white girl ends up as a fish out of water in a dangerous environment. Thankfully, I gave the show a chance. OITNB offers one of the most innovative and dynamic cast of characters on television, and it only begins with Piper, the protagonist. In the end, it’s her fellow inmates: Taystee (Danielle Brooks), Sofia (Laverne Cox), and Yoga Jones (Constance Shulman-aka Doug’s Patty Mayonaise!) — that truly steal the show.

  1. revenge Revenge

When I watched the pilot episode, I found the series promising and I really loved it. Then, after continuing the following episodes, it took my interest. The show is dark, smart, filled with subtle humor and wise quotes. The plot is twisted and tense. Each character has an interesting story, presented in a really good way, the acting is perfect and the writing is complete. Emily Van Camp who plays the main role as Emily Thorne is just amazing! I really recommend this show to anybody. It’s always interesting, sometimes funny, dark, and mysterious. Plus you can’t help it but just love Nolan Ross

  1. person of interest2 Person of Interest

Person of Interest does not get the love it deserves. The setup is simple: A former CIA tough guy teams up with a mysterious billionaire to prevent violent crimes with the help of two cops on opposite ends of the corruption spectrum, as well as a government machine that uses spyware to determine when badness is brewing. The execution, however, is anything but simple. Over the last two and a half seasons, Person of Interest has stood as a great example of the buried potential within television’s obsession with crime procedural. While most similar shows phone in their storytelling and characterization, offering seasons full of simplistic characters and condescendingly simple storytelling, Person of Interest showcases the power of ongoing complexity. It’s not easy to forecast what will happen next and how the characters will evolve.

  1. brooklyn nine nine Brooklyn Nine Nine

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a rare treat. On paper, a workplace comedy set at a police station starring Andy Samberg might sound like a wasted effort. This show, however, lets Samberg succeed without going overboard with his eccentricities. With the dry dialogue of Captain Ray Holt (Andre Braugher), the enthusiastic naiveté of Detective Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio), and the cold wit of Detective Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz), this is a show that has built its strengths on the talents of a great supporting cast. Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been one of the few bright lights of the fall season, and will hopefully remain on the air for years to come.

 

MKO Abiola’s Daughter Disrupting UK Student Internships With InternAvenue.com

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 dupsy_abiolaLaunched September 2012 by Dupsy Abiola, Intern Avenue went ahead to amaze Dragon Den’s judges just a month after launch and became the first job platform to raise investments to help connect interns and employers online, in the UK.

The online recruitment tool allows employers to access graduate interns in their areas of interest. Companies can create a profile and search through prospective interns to find those candidates with the exact skills they are looking for, rather than posting a regular job ad.

Inspired by her little sisters inability to find an internship and her firms difficulty in acquiring talent,  she raised £100,000 seed from Dragon Den’s Peter Jones to help firms find and hire bright students and graduate interns minus the great pain it is now. The platform helps users have direct access to intern candidates and at the right time. The online recruitment tool allows employers to access graduate interns in their areas of interest. Companies can create a profile and search through prospective interns to find those candidates with the exact skills they are looking for, rather than posting a regular job ad.

Dupsy Abiola, the founder is the daughter of the late MKO Abiola, a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist  who in 1993 was set to be elected president before the annulment of the election by the military which led to his arrest in 1994 and  his passing on four years later. Though Dupsy is her daughter, she is a UK citizen, an Oxford graduate and a former UK barrister, yes; she is not a Nigerian lawyer.

Abiola says Intern Avenue is the first professional hiring platform designed to connect the most talented students and graduates with employers instantly; and is positioned to fill the large gap between Facebook and LinkedIn.

To make it suitable for interns, the platform is free for students but companies pay a surcharge to access the qualified candidates. Businesses use Intern Avenue to find interns by instantly searching the Intern Directory or by advertising internships online.

internavenueShe wants people to know this is not another job board, only aiming at students but an on-demand introduction agency which aims to help companies acquire talent and also help students be headhunted and find accurate jobs in a crowded job market.

She says on the site, “Internships are a great route into your dream industry. All Intern Avenue internships also pay at least minimum wage. Finding an Internship couldn’t be easier – simply complete your profile, adding as much relevant information as possible, and let the employers come to you! Speed up the search by applying for internships online.

 

Intern Avenue was created with the single aim of being the easiest possible way for employers and future junior hires to connect online. We provide an interactive platform which automatically matches talented interns with top employers and relieve the time-consuming burden of repetitive job posting and application processes, whilst also opening up market visibility for interns and employers alike.

The platform is expected to help students, graduates and MBAs create their own profiles, join the private database and be easily searched and accessed by hiring firms around the clock.

Don’t worry even if you are in first year, join Intern Avenue and keep updating your professional profile each year about your interests, achievements, and on-going availability, rather than giving a fraction of this detail on a vacancy by vacancy basis. As an employer, you can hire directly from campus and have access to the right talent pool at the right time.

 

Electronic Study: Tap Water In Africa Contains Traces Of Benzene

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As families return to the city after Christmas holidays, they would not only need to focus on dieting, but perhaps think of turning back to their traditional ways of fetching water. A modern electronic study that tested tap and borehole water samples from some African countries like Uganda, found traces of benzene in drinking water.
“My estimation is that parts per billion or less, parts per trillion are involved. But significant is that the fact that none, not even parts per quadrillion, were found in United states water nor in water samples obtained in Israel, Germany, England, Spain or Canada,” noted Dr. Clark, the lead researcher and inventor of a device which electronics enthusiasts like Eng. Arthur Doerksen of Tools for Healing hope to improve, so as to detect less than parts per quadrillion in substances, giving a positive or a negative result, Christened the Sync-Rho-Meter.
In the study, eleven bottles of water from Uganda underwent the analysis. Seven out of eleven bottle samples were found to contain traces of benzene and high levels of chlorine bleach, which not only has a high detoxifying effect but could affect the bone marrow, in turn lowering immunity and causing cancer. Nevertheless, the equipment known as a Sync-Rho-Meter may help build safeguards to ensure safe manufacturing procedures when it comes to treating basic needs like water, concur electronic enthusiasts. “This project is still incomplete, but may be completed in the future,” noted Doerksen.
This Sync-Rho-Meter which is battery operated, generally works like an audio-oscilloscope circuit with two open plate capacitors that makes a squeaky sound when a test sample tests positive for a toxin or other substances.
In the study, based on the analysis, three samples of water from three underground borehole plants including one that supplied water in different districts in Uganda were found to contain traces of benzene. These water sources were reported to have been dug deep into ground for more than 30 to 90 metric meters, in which a hand pump is normally installed to lift the water to the surfaces, then treated with bleach.

A sample from City Water Supply of the country’s capital was also found to have traces of benzene. However, city water supply tap water that was boiled and stored, was found not to contain traces of benzene. It was assumed that heating the Clorox bleach would have activated it first enough for it to destroy the dyes and benzene impurities, noted the study.

Also in the study, three mineral water samples out of the eleven bottles of water were also found to contain traces of benzene. Yet, mineral bottle water is a commercial source that has become common in the market, represented under several brand names by different manufacturers, noted the report. Interestingly, in contrast with the pictures and names of the labels glued onto the bottles, it was discovered that nearly all manufactures obtained their waters from an underground source.

But the two samples of water obtained from shallow wells were not found to contain traces of benzene. The shallow well water source was noted to have come from an underground level less than 30 metric meters, often privately owned, of which, individuals use ropes attached to a bucket, lowered manually as other sources use an electric pump installed and plastic piping connected to a water reservoir.

In all, the study concluded that the best solution for water treatment industries would be to stop using impure bleach as an addition to the drinking water thus eliminating traces of benzene. For the time being, families in homes are urged to boil then filter their water.

However,  these findings have faced criticisms, some of which have led to court charges for fraud. But that has not stopped other electronics enthusiasts like Doerksen continue to improving Dr. Clark’s inventions while carrying out research.

Arthur Doerksen together with his wife Lyne are, the designers and manufacturers of the Sync-Rho-Meter among other gadgets. Arthur has spent years working to help people take control of their own health in addition to advocating for the consumption of clean water.

For details of the study and the modern equipment, they can be contacted on Tel: +1 888-257-4273, Fax 888-257-4273 or email CustomerService@toolsforhealing.com Shallowford, Chattanooga, Tenesee USA.

SEVEN WONDERS IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL WORLD.

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Just like the Seven Wonders of the World, only that in this case it applies to nature, technology as a world of its own also has seven wonders.

1. The internet

Many of us would wonder how this would go first without the computer as lead. In order of importance, it definitely strikes no.1. The internet stores an immense portion of human knowledge and is available to the free world for access. Besides wide range research and information, it also entails niceties that give life colour and make it worthwhile; entertainment, shopping, news and communication which has no distance with the system. Its history began with development of electronic computers in the 1950s following development of Telenet in the late 1960s.

2. The computer

A vast number of human beings can attest to the fact that the computer has changed the world and today things run in a completely different way. It has taken position in every arena of human life and has at some point turned out efficient than man. Work places, homes and processing companies depend on the gadgets for day-to-day chores. Thanks to Charles Babbage and 1837 for making lives so easy.

3. Lasers

First created in Malibu, California by Theodore H Maiman in 1960, the lasers have since been termed “a solution looking for a problem.” Consumer electronics, information technology, science, medicine, industry, law enforcement and the military have been positively affected by lasers through the years. Having revolutionalised surgery in the medical field, sight can easily be restored by use of these devices.

4. Hubble space telescope.

It has become one of the most important instruments in the history of astronomy. The telescope has brought the beauty of the heavens to the face of the earth since its launch in 1990. It has enabled incredible discoveries of the earth. Astronomer Lyman Spitzer the man behind the inventory pushed for the space telescope since 1946 when he wrote the paper Astronomical advantages of an extra terrestrial observatory.

5. Linux

A unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution first launched on 5th October 1992 by Linus Torvalds. It has opened the door to open source software more than any other has. Linux started as a brainchild of Linus and has now developed to a platform where many people work together without meeting face to face.

6. International space station.

Countries once bitter enemies in the 20th century joined hands to create a space station in pursuit of scientific knowledge. With the fail of the first planned space station freedom by NASA, Europe, Russia, Japan and Canada came together in the early 1990s to build the space station.

7. ipod

This has changed people’s perception on music. So unexpected to hit seven wonders list, the device has a tremendous impact to the world from how music is downloaded and bought to the wide range of music listened to. Not being the first portable digital music device, ipod has competed with giants in the field still standing out the people’s favourite.

 

 

 

 

CCK TERMED MISCHIEVOUS FOLLOWING AN AGREEMENT BREACH IN THE INFAMOUS DIGITAL MIGRATION.

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Digital migration has attracted a vast audience from political to domestic in the past few months. Intended for the right and positive motives, it has turned out a tag of war with many interests involved.

Communications commission of Kenya will again arraign itself in court following a sue threat by Consumer Federation of Kenya failure to withdraw a directive issued to pay-TV firms that could deny subscribers unlimited access to free to air channels.

Pay-TV providers operating in Kenya confirmed CCK’s directive for them to allow those subscribers who fail to pay their fees only two weeks’ access to free to air channels after which they will switch off.

The instruction by the Communications commission differs with the earlier assurance that Kenyans would continue enjoying free to air channels even after their pay-TV subscription expires. “To go back on such a promise would be mischievous,” said COFEK’s secretary general Stephen Mutoro.

The lobby has given CCK a grace period of 15 days to clarify its position and give consumers back their right to information otherwise they will move to court.

Speaking to Jamlek Masia a Nairobi resident, “It would be ridiculous to add on compulsory bills considering the high cost of living currently, yet television is luxury for most homes.”

Most Kenyans also share the same predicament and hope to land a better deal favoring their pockets which would only be purchasing free to air decoders that allow them view local channels KBC, NTV, KTN, K24 and Citizen TV.

88mph TO INVEST IN NIGERIAN STARTUPS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2014.

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Investing in Tech start-ups that rely on internet access and mobile service use to connect and distribute their products, Private seed fund 88mph will launch officially in Nigeria early this year.

Currently, based in Nairobi and Cape Town where accelerator programs take place, the company will now expand its operations to West Africa looking to invest in 7 to 10 start-ups having Nigeria top the chat in mobile penetration market in Africa among Kenya, South Africa and Ghana.

88mph has already invested in a Nigerian based startup; Gamesole a game company with over 1.2 million downloads on Microsoft platform. Looking to invest in more start-ups, the companies are expected to fill an application of 20 questions, followed by a meeting schedule with the applicant.

The fund has so far invested over $2million in start-ups both in South Africa and Nairobi with up to $100k per start-up in it add of value by providing advice on products to-go-market, sales, company structure, hiring, funding options, scalability and wide range  exposure.

Cape Town’s second programme is underway after closing on applications- 31December 2013 and will commence the three-month accelerator programme on 3rd February.

 

Kano State Government To Establish e-Learning Centres

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elearning

Nigeria’s Kano State Government has plans underway to establish an e-learning centre in each of the 44 local government areas of the state this year.

In an interview with local media of Nigeria,  the state Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Tajuddeen Gambo, said  that the project, which would be executed in collaboration with a Canadian non-governmental organisation, was part of the government’s effort to encourage e-learning.

“By 2015, JAMB examination is going to be done electronically. So you have to ensure that all your students taking the examination are computer literate otherwise they will not pass the examination,” he said.

The Commissioner added that the e-learning centres are going to be opened in each of the local government areas with no fewer than 30 computers in each centre; and also that the state government will also provide 61 computers in every secondary school.

The government has already selected 100 secondary schools under the first phase of the programme.

“Computer study is now compulsory in all our secondary schools from this year, hence the decision to provide the facilities. The state government has awarded contract worth N65 million for the e-learning programme at the Governor’s College in Kano under its pilot project,” said Gambo.

He added that the project would later be extended to First Lady’s College and all the science and technical colleges across the state.

Etisalat To Take Over The Telecommunication Market

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etisalat

It time to blow the trumpet now, UAE’s Etisalat has said that their network has the widest coverage in both 3G and 4G service in comparison to its number one rival, Du.

By the end of 2013, Etisalat has increased the number of base stations to 6000 and anticipates an increase of 1500 by the end of this year. The telecommunications company has managed to make 99.8 percent of the country its faithful clients and the future up grade will see indoor coverage get a major boost.

“Etisalat always strives to provide the highest level of service enabling customers to utilise all services over the network. Recent studies conducted by Etisalat indicate that more than 65 percent of mobile calls are made within buildings and premises. Therefore, we have continuously enhanced indoor coverage despite the fact that we already lead in providing the best indoor coverage with high quality service and download speeds, according to the recent report from the TRA,”  said Saeed Al Zarouni, Senior Vice President, Business Planning and Technology Evolution.

Etisalat has now conducted testing on the 4G networks reaching speeds of 300mbps.

Challenging 2013 Technology Resolution

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 digital

A lot has been expected to be accomplished by the end of 2013; we (most of the African countries) were to be floating in the digital world by this year. For some the resolutions have been made but for some the fight has spilled over the new year.

By December last year, the government of Malawi the first phase of the digital migration had been completed, having installed five transmitters covering Blantyre, Zomba, Lilongwe and Mzuzu.

The good thing about this migration is that they are not planning to phase out the analogue TV sets immediately, because they reason out that they have until 2015 and plan to work with that time to work out their mechanisms for ensuring that enough set-top boxes or digital terrestrial decoders are available on the local market as Malawi switches to digital migration.

Kenya on the other hand took a different turn as deadlines kept postponing, thanks to the media owners association: and even when the government actually switched off the analogue transmission the again, the same body made their way to the court saying that the method used was not good enough.

The country’s Media Owners Association argued that the government should consider the poor in decision making  as not all of them can get the set boxes by deadline. They also revealed that some counties have not received set boxes making the migration quite inconsiderate. So the analogue signal is still in used for forty five days since the ruling that was made on 27th December last year.

Kenya is not the only country which has not achieved its resolution; Zambia has its own share as it has pushed its SIM card registration deadline from December 31,2013 to end of February 2014. The government says that this was done because of the response the exercise has received  from subscribers as well as giving them apple time to register.

ProcessOn Makes Creating Diagrams & Online Team Collaboration Awesome

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processon-865x558By Mia Su, ProcessOn

ProcessOn is a new web diagram platform that offers an intuitive way to create diagrams and collaborate with others. Unlike other digramming service in the marketing, the novelty of ProcessOn brings about a new diagramming experience.

The free visual web-based diagram designer-ProcessOn,  makes it easy to draw diagrams, flowcharts, UML, org charts and other diagrams in the browser. Work together with an unlimited number of team members or clients to create and edit diagrams in real time. Support to import with Microsoft Visio.

Inspired by need for easy and intuitive diagramming needs for both professionals as well as amateurs, ProcessOn was build in June 2011 in Beijing China and launched in early 2012 by Jack Liu, the CEO of ActionSoft CO.,LTD, also the founder of CN-Java.

Mia Su
Mia Su

ProcessOn is built on HTML5 & Javascript to ensure the diagramming fluency and the feature of collaboration and share in real time.While you are collaborating and chatting with your colleagues and friends on ProcessOn,every drag every move,can be real-time synchronized to the ends of your collaborators. This feature is now widely used among enterprises,teams as well as teachers.

The platform capitalizes on built-in features such as malware protection and ultra fast loading times. It also has a built-in social network making it easy for users to follow the professionals, share work, discuss the updated news in one’s specific field, build the reputation, all while improve the social efforts.

The intelligent diagram designer has a simple and clean interface which is also easy to use to allow users draw industry-standard shapes, arrows and icons, upload or search online to insert to your diagram. The drawing guides, shape alignment and distribution tools all enable a smart diagramming.

Users can also create and access diagrams from anywhere in a collaborative way and also allows sync of one’s online and ProcessOn accounts. Now, your diagrams created online are synced across all collaborators. We also have added in-line chatting tool to avoid confusion. With ProcessOn’s in-line chatting tool you can invite all your collaborators to review, comment and update your diagram, software designs and business process easily.

Though Microsoft has taken the lead in software design with its diagram software Visio, isses of downloading and installing the software again and again to access the diagrams in different places is hectic, our platform solves this problem and for any web-based diagram.

Without need for licenses such as Microsoft Visio’s around $60 to $100,ProcessOn is open to everyone. Once you have an account, you can enjoy all the services such as unlimited diagram sources, team management, import and export service and see  diagram history revision,data attribute among others.

 

 

‘Breaking Bad’ contest winner arrested on drug charges. Was He Inspired By His Favorite Show?!

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breaking-bad-fan-contest-winner-arrested-drug-operation

Is it life imitating art? More like 20-to-life imitating art!

Ryan Lee Carroll, 28, was arrested Tuesday following a raid on a home in the San Carlos Park neighborhood in Fort Myers, Florida, the station reported.  Sad, but not particularly newsworthy, right? Except that Carroll also had the distinction of being the man who won last year’s Breaking Bad fan contest, winning a trip to El Lay to watch the finale at a special Hollywood Forever Cemetery screening!

“It’s just so addicting,” Carroll told WBBH of “Breaking Bad” at the time he won the contest. “It’s such a good show. I think it’s addicting because people can relate to the main character.”

ryan carroll

The TV series centers on a science teacher turned meth dealer. Another character on the show, Saul Goodman, is a slick lawyer who employs questionable methods to help his clients.

Carroll was charged with felony possession of a synthetic narcotic with intent to sell. Though the specific drug wasn’t named, the “synthetic” part means it could definitely be meth- just like the show.

After the warrant was served on the home, neighbors told the station that the scene was like something out of a Hollywood production, with a swarm of police cars and dozens of officers descending on the neighborhood. So was Carroll inspired by the high-jinks of Walt and Jesse? Or was he already a drug dealer who had finally found a show for him? According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office’s website, as of Thursday morning Carroll remained in custody. Either way, we’re guessing this guy is NOT driving off into the sunset like Aaron Paul!

Someone better call Saul…

Alicia Keys Out As BlackBerry Global Creative Director | Celeb Addicted to iPhone

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aliciaBlackBerry® Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys, who was also the The BlackBerry Scholars program head is set to leave her position at Blackberry on January 31.

The major reason for her leaving has not been made public but the artist got into trouble last year when she tweeted using her iPhone that a BB10 and major US tech blogs ran with the story. The firm has also bean suffering major exits of co-founders and other executives.

Recently, co-founder Michael Lazaridis sold his 3.5 million shares after the firm reported a $4.4 billion loss in Q3 2013. In October, Lazaridis and his other co-founder Douglas Fregin mulled a bid to buy the company but by November the firm was out of the deal. Chances are that the job was taking up the artists time or with her 2 million plus following on Instagram, a popular photo and short video sharing service, BB10 was standing in her way to reach more fans, with its issues.

Blackberry has signed a five-year deal with Taiwanese device manufacturer, Foxconn which also manuctures devices for Apple to run its devices arm while it shits it focuses to enterprise software. BBM, a messenger app from BlackBerry has also been made available for Android and iOS.

Keys is not the first artist to enter into the corporate foray as  Lady Gaga holds the  same position at Polaroid, 50 Cent had such a deal at the now Coca-Cola-owned Glaceau’s Vitamin Water,  Will.i.am holds the same position at Intel and U2 had such a deal with Apple.

The Worst Reviewed Highest Grossing Movies Of All-Time

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Majority of the audiences don’t listen to the critics, and big screen display will almost always win over quality entertainment. Nothing was going to stop me from seeing the movie I wanted, and least not all the bad reviews in the world. If it’s an event movie — I needed to see it for myself. It should be noted that box office should never be looked at as an indication of the mainstream public’s thoughts on a movie but only an indication of the hype. So here is a list of movies that were underrated or rather reviewed lowly and made it big:

transformers

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen 
Box Office: $607.7 Million (so far)
Rotten Tomatoes: 19%

davinci code

The Da Vinci Code
Box Office: $758.2 Million
Rotten Tomatoes: 24%

pirates of the carribean

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
Box Office: $961 Million
Rotten Tomatoes: 45%

pirates of the carribean dead man chest

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
Box Office: $1,066.2 Million
Rotten Tomatoes: 53%

shrek

Shrek The Third
Box Office: $799 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 42%

hancock

Hancock
Box Office: $624.4 Million
Rotten Tomatoes: 39%

Is it Denzel Washington or Dwayne Johnson for Green Lantern in Batman Vs. Superman?

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Denzel Washington

denzel washington

A new rumor suggests that the actor is in early talks for the role of John Stewart. An earlier report had the Oscar-winning actor playing Lex Luthor, so which is it? Not the most trusted scoop site on the web, is running a rumor story that Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington is in early talks to play Green Lantern John Stewart in Batman Vs. Superman.

This (of course) has not been confirmed or denied by DC Comics or Warner Bros.

It was widely rumored that Warner Bros. was seeking an African-American actor to step in as the film’s main villain, Lex Luthor. Denzel Washington was reportedly wanted for this role, but talks never materialized with the studio. Also eyed by Warner Bros. were Thor‘s Idris Elba, who could not step out of his Marvel contract to take the part, and Arrow actor David Ramsey, who is currently in production on that DC Comics series for The CW.

It’s interesting to note that the first ‘inside source’ that brought forward the Denzel Washington Lex Luthor scoop claimed the actor never came in for talks, yet this new rumor does. So what are we to believe?

So, is the studio looking to create a Justice League that not only has an old, tired Batman in Ben Affleck, but also an old, tired Green Lantern who is only five years away from retirement age and already eligible for his senior discount? (Denzel Washington will turn 60 this year).

 

Dwayne Johnson

dwayne johnson

On New Year’s Eve, Dwayne Johnson confirmed during a #RockTalk Twitter chat that he is involved with an undisclosed DC Comics adaptation. Fans immediately remembered the actor’s comments from July of 2012, where he confirmed that rumors of him playing Lobo were true. So his latest reveal surely means that this DC Comics adaptation is moving forward with him in the lead….Right?

It was highly speculated that Dwayne Johnson could also be up for a role in Batman Vs. Superman, but it was anyone’s guess as to which character. Well, now Peter Georgiou of Think McFly, Think has Tweeted out another rumor, that Dwayne Johnson is wanted as John Stewart, aka The Green Lantern. But it isn’t know if this is for Batman Vs. Superman, a solo film, or for the impending Justice League.

This is the second John Stewart rumor story to pop up in the last few days. On Saturday, we heard news that Denzel Washington had actually ‘taken’ the part. That, of course, was never confirmed by the studio. Denzel’s name had also been floated in a story about Warner Bros. and DC Comics search for an African-American Lex Luthor.

Batman Vs. Superman comes to theaters July 17th, 2015 and stars Amy Adams, Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa. The film is directed by Zack Snyder.

Martin Scorsese Wants to Collaborate with the Boy Band One Direction

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one direction 2

Martin Scorsese is riding a wave of critical acclaim for his new film The Wolf of Wall Street, but we’re still not quite sure what’s next for the director. While this is nowhere near confirmed, a new report reveals the filmmaker may be interested in making a One Direction movie.

The 71-year-old director made an uncredited appearance in Morgan Spurlock’s concert documentary One Direction: This Is Us, and he was reportedly turned on to their music after his daughter Francesca gave him one of the British pop group’s CDs. Here’s what an unidentified insider had to say.

“Martin is very passionate and enthused about the music of One Direction.”

martin scorecesse

Nothing official is in the works, as far as we can tell, although, if he does make a One Direction film, or even their next music video, it won’t be the first time he’s dabbled in a music-based production. Among his music documentaries are The Last Waltz (1978), which follows The Band, The Rolling Stones-centric Shine a Light (2008) and George Harrison: Living in the Material World (2011). It should also be noted that he directed the popular 1987 music video for Michael Jackson’s “Bad,” which starred a young Wesley Snipes as the thug who hassles the King of Pop.

Could you see Martin Scorsese and One Direction teaming up for a new movie or a music video? Chime in with your thoughts below.

Fast & Furious 7 Will Retire Instead of Kill Off Paul Walker’s Character

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paul walker

Universal has made the decision to retire, as opposed to killing off, Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner character in Fast & Furious 7 after the actor passed away in November of last year. Director James Wan and writer Chris Morgan have tweaked the screenplay so that the franchise can continue.

The studio plans to use the footage that Paul Walker already shot prior to his death in a car accident during Thanksgiving weekend. Since the accident, talks of how to move forward have continued, with a resolution finally decided upon.

The studio and the filmmakers have worked hard to figure out a way to let Brian O’Conner ‘walk off into the sunset’ in such a manner that it will both please fans of the franchise and honor the spirit of Paul Walker.

In the past few weeks, James Wan has poured over the existing footage with his creative team, devising a way to properly utilize Paul Walker’s last on screen performance. Along with Universal’s lead executive on the series, Jeffrey Kirschenbaum, the trio was able to rewrite portions of the existing screenplay so that Brian O’Conner could still be a major part of the story. Their new plan will also allow for the franchise to continue with more sequels in the future.

These changes do require for additional scenes to be written and shot, but with the film being delayed by 8 months, the team now has plenty of time to finish the film properly.

Fast & Furious 7 comes to theaters July 11th, 2014 and stars Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Kurt Russell, Jordana Brewster, Lucas Black. The film is directed by James Wan.

CEO Weekends:Konga Reportedly Raises $25 Million Series B From Naspers & Kinnevik But Says Customer is Key

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 Ceo of Konga.com, Sim Shagaya

Founded July 2012, Nigeria’s Konga.com, an online shopping store has reportedly raised $25 million series B funding from Swedish’s Kinnevik and South Africa’s Naspers, its previous investors according to some media reports, but is downplaying it.

In a statement to media this morning, Konga said,

“Konga’s investors continue to support the business financially. They do so because they are pleased with the company we are building and the customers we are serving. Fund raising is not the objective of our business. Serving our customers is the ultimate objective and we are confident that so long as we do this consistently, our investors who are long term and highly strategic will continue to support us.”

Though the statement does not confirm how much the firm has raised, it confirms its has indeed had a cash inflow as the statement added,

“All of resources and energies are being put towards building out our team, deploying world class technological and logistics systems and achieving operational excellence in the Nigerian market in the short term.”

 Earlier, Bankole of TechCabal had reported this deal. We have contacted our friends at Konga and are waiting for their response even as some reports say the cash inflow is part of the earlier Kinnevik and Naspers $50 million deal into Konga. The two firms have invested $40 million into Konga.  Naspers acquired 50 percent of Konga in February 2013.