In a move that will change the quality of products and solutions in the African market forever, Tezza Solutions CEO Roland Omoresemi has urged firms to ensure that their products and solutions meet the quality analysis test before unveiling them into the market by following new application development methodologies and working with software testing firms.

Speaking during the Tezza IT Forum in Nairobi recently, Omoresemi noted that the challenges and downtime experienced by various institutions attributed to software hitches are a clear demonstration that companies are not adequately testing their innovations before releasing them into the market.

“The software hitches in ATMs owned by various banks can be attributed to buying unproven software, insufficient attention to project risk and relying on the promise of customization to backfill functionality gaps in off the shelf applications,” said Omoresemi.

He added that companies should ensure that they address various key issues – including business requirements, end to end testing, integration and performance testing – before launching any products and solutions.

The Forum – held under the theme “Building reliable systems through dev-ops and continuous delivery” – gave delegates an opportunity to discover how current industry trends and technologies are impacting businesses and the corporate environment.

The Forum deliberated on how corporate clients can improve the overall quality of software applications by adopting next generation technology to ensure continuous innovation of ideas through collaborative development, testing, release management and deployment across the value chain.

Omoresemi urged companies and their chief information officers (CIOs) to adopt DevOps – a software development method that involves communication, collaboration and integration between software developers and IT professionals -while developing and deploying their products and solutions saying this can help improve the overall quality of releases.

The Forum also discussed that CIOs should focus on functionality, concentrate on applications’ capability in common usage scenarios and have a well-skilled team to ensure that there releases meet quality assurance standards.

IBM’s director for software driven innovation Philipe Fanjere said businesses stand to lose by not using tested software.

“Untested products will always result in a lack of continuous delivery that will impact the entire business operation, consequently resulting in costly error-prone manual processes once technology fails as well as slow deployment and need for upgrades,” said Mr Fanjere.

Fanjere said the most benefit derived from DevOps is that it helps balance the speed, cost, quality and risk when releasing new products.

******They killed him, clearly and definitely. Brody’s dead******

The argument that could be made is that Brody has always been dead for as long as we’ve known him. Even here, in the last few happy minutes that he and Carrie shared together in the safe house (where it was all too clear to us, the viewers, that things were about to go horribly wrong) it was only Carrie’s impassioned speech about them being meant to be together and that she’s also pregnant, that seemed to bring Brody back to life if, only temporarily.

But this was the ending Brody needed. Any consideration of him becoming a super-spy alongside Carrie and Saul, or him is doing a Mr. Mom, while Carrie fought terrorists, would have ruined Homeland. A happy ending just wasn’t in the cards for him, that’s not what Homeland is about. This season in particular has shown us what the spy life can do to its best and brightest, how it exhausts and then discards you once you’ve completed your mission. Brody is the ultimate example of this. Also for Saul, having achieved the unachievable with his huge win on the Javadi front was still kicked out of the agency for his trouble. He seemingly got off easy compared to many of his peers.

“The Star” (on the wall) is perhaps one of the saddest hours of TV we’ve seen in a while, and it’s also a reminder that for all the Carrie low energy that’s been going around this season, Claire Danes remains an amazing performer. In the end, her and Brody’s story was truly tragic, and even with Brody gone Carrie is continuously reminded of his presence by the baby inside her. In fact, it amazes me how this one episode turned that entire pregnancy subplot around so that it’s suddenly a very compelling and painful part of the character. The easy route would be to go with the “this baby is a part of Brody” thread, but no, Carrie wants nothing to do with the thing.

Damian Lewis is less flashy than Danes in his final appearance as Brody, but he’s perfect in his world-weary, resigned approach to where his life has taken him. Any ideas of getting out of Iran for the sake of his daughter are gone now (Brody’s family isn’t even mentioned) as the ex-Marine reflects on the madness of it all. His remarking that at least his dad isn’t around anymore to see any of this is a heartbreaking moment, as are the final seconds of his phone call with Carrie where she begs him to stay on for a few more seconds of just… silence.

The episode certainly leaves a lot open as for where things will go next season. And yes, it has some illogical plotting bouncing around as well as a clunky conclusion, but that doesn’t really matter. Because when Carrie quietly scrawls that star for Brody on the wall, a star that no one will recognize except her and maybe a few other people, we couldn’t ask for a better memorial to the character. Brody may have outlived his usefulness on the show — as well as in the show’s reality — but damn if he wasn’t a great television character.

Wouldn’t watch it a second time, no need to because its below average, I can only hope that season 4 will have a great plot. 5.5 stars for this season, not worth comparing any other series with it, maybe prison break season 2, as it also lost its plot.

We all love photo moments, whether with friends, family or workmates. As holidays jet in IBM Research Africa in partnership with iHub, A24Media and independent photographer Mutua Matheka have launched “The World is Our Lab” photo competition in a move that will see incredible individual and professional photographers earn bucks every time they capture a memorable moment.

The Pan-African photo competition dubbed “The World Is Our Lab” is open today and runs until January 31^st 2014.

According to IBM, winners of each category will take home a Lenovo T440 laptop with photo editing software and an all-expense-paid trip to IBM’s new Africa research lab,the iHub Nairobi and a photography workshop with one of Africa’s most exciting young photographers Mutua Matheka .For those that reside in Kenya, don’t fret, IBM will give you a 3-day trip for two people to the beautiful Hemingways Hotel Watamu instead of the trip to Nairobi.

The first competition is for amateur, semiprofessional and professional photographers. These have to register on the photo competition website and submit their photos, which must adhere to certain specifications while the second competition is a Social media competition where users will be assigned a different task every two weeks to highlight different things in their part of Africa under the hashtag #IBMResearchAfrica.

After submission, every week, Mutua Matheka will highlight some of the best photos that have been submitted for the task.

The three categories of the competition are

• African Grand Challenges
• African City Systems
• African Innovation

Click here to enter competition or visit The World is Our Lab website for more information. Over 300 participants have already signed up and have submitted 249 photos at the time of going to press.

HP has joined in the competition in the market as it has unveiled a wireless printer, the HP Deskjet 2545 All-in-One.

The printer comes with a copier scanner and printer;and with its wireless capability one can send documents form a Smartphone, tablet as well as any other internet devices. It is also small enough to be incorporated on your working area as it is the same size as a CPU.

The HP Deskjet 2545 All-in-One, is bound to give Dell and Epsons a good enough competition as the Ink Advantage printing system allow consumers to save 0 percent on printing cost annually. Not only that, HP promises that this printer will deliver fine prints both in color and black and white printing.

The printer’s tools has cartridges for insertion and electricity cables if you’ll be using Wi-Fi, plus a USB cable if otherwise. The machine is easy to operate and is not noisy; it also has an LCD display that shows the printing status.

Technology company, Samsung, is set to launch 4 mobile devices in the first quarter of 2014 according to media report. The move, experts believe, is in line with the company’s goal of maintaining dominance in the smartphone sector.

This year, Samsung launched nine versions of the Samsung Galaxy S4 alone in addition to several other new gadgets all of which were adjudged to be successful in the tech market.

With the introduction of more devices next year, the company is seeking to improve upon the gains that it’s made over the last year in global tablet sales.

While the company has not released an official statement confirming or denying the report, SamMobile said that it can only say for certain that Samsung will release the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite in Q1 2014, although it suspects the company might also release a 12.2-inch version of its Galaxy Note tablet and a 13.3-inch tablet that may dual-boot with both Android and Windows.

The next LG Smartphone you buy will be having Blackberry’s BBM pre-installed; starting with the LG G Pro Lite.

BlackBerry announced a bundling agreement with LG Electronics involving both standard and virtual preloading  which will be using the LG App Manager.

“BBM is widely used throughout the Middle East, Africa and Indonesia where smartphone users tend to engage heavily in social networking,” said Kevin Shin, Vice President of Marketing for Asia, the Middle East and CIS countries of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company “The LG G Pro Lite offers an optimized BBM experience with its large, high quality display and embedded Stylus Pen.”

This information comes after BlackBerry launched the client on Android and iOS nearly two months ago. The Android version was reportedly downloaded over 10 million times in just twenty-four hours after release.

The iOS version glided up the charts to be the number one free app in more than 75 countries in the same time period. That’s quite a feat for a chat service that previously only resided on BlackBerry phones.

The company also restated that the BBM service will continue to be upgraded for Android and iPhone users in the coming months, with updates that will include support for BBM Channels, as well as support for BBM Voice calling and BBM Video calling.

The founder of iBridge HUB in Ibadan, and the initiator of iCODE, has stressed that the nation’s 2 online megastores, JUMIA Nigeria and Konga.com can help Nigerian start-ups and SMEs to grow. He said both platforms have sufficient capacity that start-ups can leverage on for growth.

According to him, both platforms have been able to overcome the trust challenge that was a major deterrent discouraging Nigerians from shopping online. He added that the megastores have the strong backbone to support features such as money back guarantee and free delivery to any part of Nigeria.
“They can deliver products nationwide, no start-up can do that,” he said.
He added that the level of security on both platforms is laudable and something that the start-ups do not have the technical capacity to support.
He stressed that Nigerian online shoppers are conscious of the kinds of transactions they do online and would not be willing to use their banking details on a platform they don’t trust.
“I buy things online but I don’t just enter my details anywhere or everywhere; like other online shoppers, I am very selective and I take security seriously. If an SME set up an online payment platform, I am not sure that everyone would rush to it and start entering their card details straightway,” he said.
He added that the mega platforms have avenues that start-ups can explore to take their products online and would be available to hundreds of thousands of online shoppers.
“The traffic on those sites can not paralleled by anyone set up by a startup. Why not just put your products there and let them take commission from the earnings you make. This is how businesses in their early phases can grow,” he said.

Retired C.I.A. agent Frank Moses reunites his unlikely team of elite operatives for a global quest to track down a missing portable nuclear device. If you liked the first RED, you will like this 2^nd one even better, trust me on this. It is funny, witty, snappy, lively, sarcastic, engrossing and entertaining. Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta Jones and Brian Cox; what a cast…. yet it’s just a better version of Expendables and with better actors.

This is a very enjoyable film, as the story continues with the retired – and more dangerous than anybody else – agents. Frank and his comrades find themselves treading all over the globe and finding conflict at each stop. If you haven’t seen the first film, you can still enjoy this piece. You won’t understand all of the relationships immediately, but the story stands on its own. And it does a very good job at that.

The movie was so much fun. It has clever and well-thought out jokes throughout the film and they keep coming and are skillfully timed. The action is thrilling – non-stop action to get your blood pumping filled this movie. It has the same feel of cool, unreasonable stunts and explosions from the first movie, but they also added a lot more hand-to-hand combat, which is still very amusing to watch and excellently choreographed. Comparable movies are Expandables, RIPD and Tower Heist.

The acting is great and the story was well-written with actual twists. The soundtrack and sound effects made all the guns and explosions that much more convincing and enjoyable. In total, RED 2 is much better than the first one, and I really enjoyed the first movie. You should check it out if you like funny, entertaining and action packed movies! You won’t regret it! Can’t wait for RED3

Avatar fans you need not wait any longer, just 2 years, it’s finally here and production will be done in New Zealand.

James Cameron, producer Jon Landau and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key have announced that all three Avatar sequels will be filmed in New Zealand. The Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce had this to say about the announcement.

“The Avatar sequels will provide hundreds of jobs and thousands of hours of work directly in the screen sector as well as jobs right across the economy.”

The director reveals that he originally wanted to explore other worlds in Pandora’s solar system, but now he just plans to show fans more of Pandora itself.

“It’s going to be a lot of new imagery and a lot of new environments and creatures across Pandora. We’re blowing it out all over the place. At first I thought I was going to take it onto other worlds as well, in the same solar system, but it turned out not to be necessary. I mean the Pandora that we have imagined will be a fantasy land that is going to occupy people for decades to come, the way I see it.”

He also cleared up a rumor that Avatar 2 will be set entirely underwater, which is not the case.

“There’s a fair bit of underwater stuff. It’s been inaccurately said that the second film takes place underwater. That’s not true. There are underwater scenes and surface-water scenes having to do with indigenous ocean cultures that are distributed across the three films.”

It isn’t immediately clear when production will begin in New Zealand, but it was revealed that production on Avatar 2, Avatar 3 and Avatar 4 will take place over a nine-month shoot. The budget for all three movies combined is expected to exceed a whopping $1 billion.

Avatar was released December 18th, 2009 and stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Joel Moore, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez, Laz Alonso. The film is directed by James Cameron.

Avatar 2 comes to theaters November 2016

Avatar 3 comes to theaters November 2017

Avatar 4 comes to theaters November 2018

The original Avatar won three Academy Awards and is the highest grossing film in history, bringing in more them $2.7 billion worldwide. Fox and Lightstorm Entertainment will be producing the sequels. Can’t wait to watch the sequels, all excited.

Nominees for the 8^th annual awards are out. The awards will be held at 5pm at Aztech Archum in Port Harcourt this Friday, the 20^th of December and will be presented by founders Chude and Adebola with the Africa Young Person of the Year Award to be presented by the CEO of Tony Elumelu Foundation, Dr. Wiebe Boer.

The Future Awards Africa, described by the World Bank as ‘The Nobel Prize for young Africans’, recognises and rewards the success and achievements of young people aged between 18 and 31 living in Africa.

In just eight years, the Awards have produced over 120 winners and 1,200 nominees in Nigeria. This year the awards go pan-African for the first time with 85 young Africans from countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Malawi, Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Liberia all nominated to receive awards. The Awards are presented in partnership with Microsoft, the British Council, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the Tony Elumelu Foundation and Access Bank.

See the list below

Young Person Of The Year – The Africa Prize

This prize is given in partnership with the African Union Commission (AU) and is awarded to a young African whose work sets him or her apart as a role model, setting the pace for other young leaders on the continent. The 10 nominees automatically qualify as part of the 50 Young Africans Making a Difference on the Continent to be celebrated by the AU at its 50th Anniversary Celebration in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in October, 2013.

• LUDWICK MARISHANE  – SOUTH AFRICA (22)
• WILLIAM KAMKWAMBA – MALAWI (25)
• ASHISH J. THAKKAR – UGANDA (32)
• SARAN KABA JONES – LIBERIA (31)
• MOCTAR DEMBÉLÉ – BURKINA FASO (22)
• GRACE IHEJIAMAIZU – NIGERIA (22)
• PATRICK NGOWI – TANZANIA (28)
• PETER OKOYE AND PAUL OKOYE (PSQUARE) – NIGERIA (31)
• FOGLABENCHI LILY HARITU – CAMEROON (27)
• KARIUKI GATHITU – KENYA (27)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN ADVOCACY & ACTIVISM

This award is given to a young person who has demonstrated exceptional vision, passion, and commitment to a social or developmental cause and made a measurable impact on lives.

• Anu Olusola (27)
• Jake Okechukwu (25)
• Orode Uduaghan-Okpu (24)
• Tobore Oro Edema (24)
• Maryam Augie (28)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

This award is given to a researcher, scientist, innovator, inventor who has distinguished herself or himself and achieved a measurable breakthrough in the field of science and technology.

• Modestus Chijoke Idoko (20)
• Chikezie Nwaoha (29)
• Yewande Akinola (28)
• Chuka Ofili (31), Emotu Balogun (27), Kene Udeze (24), and Clive Ayonye (23)
• Hugo Obi (32)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN COMMUNITY ACTION

This award is given to a young person who has remarkably changed the lives of a community or communities.

• Rita Omovbude (32)
• Bolajoko Fadipe (30)
• Dr. Okeke Kanayo (30)
• Monica Onuoha (30)
• Ife Adebayo (30)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN NEW MEDIA

This award is given to a young person who is reaching new frontiers as an innovator, publisher, business owner, entrepreneur, or professional in new media.

• Kingsley Ezeani (23)
• Ediong Umoh (26)
• John Obidi (27)
• Modupeola Abiola (31)
• Fifehanmi Bankole (30)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN ENTERTAINMENT TALENT

This award is given to a young person in the entertainment industry who has recorded remarkable achievement in music, acting, dance, television, and other fields of entertainment.

• Ice Prince (28)
• OC Ukeje (32)
• Iyanya (27)
• Omawumi (31)
• El Mafrex (29)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN ENTERTAINMENT ENTERPRISE

This award is given in conjunction with the British Council and it is now called ‘The British Council and The Future Awards Africa Prize for The International Young Media Entrepreneur of the Year’. It is awarded to a young person working in the media who stands out among his or her peers, demonstrates entrepreneurial and leadership abilities, potential to change his or her sector, market awareness, and understanding.

·         Uche Pedro

·         Lydia Sobogun

·         Kenneth Gyang

·         Olawale Adetula

·         Kemi Adetiba

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN JOURNALISM

This award is given to a writer, reporter, presenter, producer, and other professionals working in the journalism profession who has demonstrated excellence in the work of telling of stories and bringing the news to the public.

• Ugochi Anyaka (29)
• Monica Mark (29)
• Toyosi Ogunseye (29)
• Ben Ezeamalu (30)
• Jude Zoho (29)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN BUSINESS

This award is given to an entrepreneur who has demonstrated extraordinary vision, leadership, and commitment to running a business enterprise, and recorded measurable business success in terms of growth (profit, market share, employees) and/or in terms of his or her reputation (creativity, quality, and aesthetic).

• Saheed Jumar (28)
• Gbenga Ogunmakinde (28)
• Bilikiss Adebiyi Abiola (28)
• Nonyelum Ibeh (27)
• Melody Okwuazu (22)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN PUBLIC SERVICE

This award is given to a professional or technocrat who has made outstanding contribution in public service.

• Blessing Liman (29)
• Fareeda Ibrahim (29)
• Dr. Adanna Chukwuma (31)
• Joycee Awojoodu (27)
• Ekong Ekong Imona (32)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

This award is given to a professional or a technocrat who has made an outstanding contribution in the private sector.

• Barbara Iyayi (32)
• Osita Abana (28)
• Adim Isiakpona (28)
• Kayode Temenu (29)
• Jadesola Osiberu (27)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN AGRICULTURE

This award is given to an entrepreneur, advocate, or professional who has demonstrated vision, leadership, and commitment and made a measurable impact in the field of agriculture, and agro-related causes and organisations.

• Zanau Hassan Maikasuwa (31)
• Olawale Isaiah Ojo (24)
• Precious Peter Nweke (31)
• Abraham Ojoh (22)
• Adbdulazeez Yusuf (29)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN FASHION & STYLE

This award is given to a young person who has demonstrated measurable achievement in the field of fashion and style. This includes designers, photographers, models, stylists, make-up artistes, entrepreneurs, and business owners.

• Vera Akporeha (23)
• Wanger Ayu (26)
• Yomi Makun (27)
• Agbani Darego (31)
• Aisha Bello (24)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN ARTS & CULTURE

This award recognizes extraordinary achievement in the promotion and the preservation of the best of our arts and culture. This includes young creators, innovators, entrepreneurs, designers, artists, film makers, and cartoonists.

• Toyin Odutola (28)
• Njideka Akunyili (30)
• Anthony Anth Ezeokoye (30)
• Kenneth Gyang (27)
• Ishaya Bako (27)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN ENTERPRISE SUPPORT

This award is given to a young person(s) who has excelled in running a business or organisation whose service or work enhances supports or provides solutions for SMEs.

• Isoken Ogiewonyi (26) and Wonuola Odunsi (29)
• Ijeoma Okeagu (30)
• Gbolahan Fagbilere (30)
• Chibuike Aguene (30)
• Ayodeji Adewunmi (29), Opeyemi Awoyemi (25), and Olalekan Olude (29)

THE FUTURE AWARDS PRIZE IN EDUCATION

This award is given to a young person who has recorded measurable impact in advancing education through advocacy, activism, innovation, enterprise, and, institution building.

• Gossy Ukanwoke (25)
• Adebayo Degbembgo (30)
• Olufunbi Falayi (27)
• Otto Orondaam (26)
• Oriahi Anderson (25)

1. For those who like bread and StarWars, this toaster is perfect!

2. For those who like tea, coffee and porridge, this mugs will never leave their hands

3. For the Cool J’s, ladies love them….

4. For lack of places to go, they just play all weekend!

6.For those who leave no screw untouched!

7. The beauty and the beast

8. For those who like indoors

 9. For time keepers who also want to spy on everything..10. For the always on guy or girl, this will do!

11. For the Elon Musk kind of guy

12. For those who want stuff delivered by drones, this play thing is great!

13. Just a simple iPhone, iPad or iPod touch can work wonders on his or her Christmas tree!

14. Pillow and matching hoodie will do!

15. This toy butterfly kills it!

All images courtesy.

Rwanda’s Ministry of Youth and ICT and the Congo-Brazzaville’s Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that provides a cooperation framework between both institutions.

This agreement provides for cooperation between the two governments on ICT development and serves as a basis for promoting trade relations through information exchange on ICT products, capacity building, and market and business opportunities.

It also covers IT, telecommunications, cyber security, ICT capacity building, private sector investment, incubation centres, innovation promotion and local content development, and regulation of the ICT sector, among others

Jean Philbert Nsengimana, the Minister for Youth and ICT, told local media that the agreement open the ICT market opportunities between the two countries.

“About 22 Rwandan ICT companies presented their ICT products to over 50 firms in the Franco-phone state with the aim of creating strong partnerships in ICT,” said Alex Ntale, the director of ICT Chamber at the Private Sector Federation.

Ntale said the ICT chamber has been working with several institutions in Congo-Brazzaville since 2012.

In June, South Korea’s largest telecom company, Korea Telecom, signed an agreement with Rwanda to roll out 4G Long Term Evolution broadband network across the country.

The high speed wireless broadband technology builds on 5,000KM of fibre optic cable that is laid out across the country.

Early this year, the World Economic Forum (WEF) and European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD), 2013 report ranked  Rwanda among the top 10 countries in Africa that are in  a good position to benefit from new information and communication technologies.

The survey that assessed the capacity of 144 developed and developing economies to leverage ICT for growth and well-being, highlighted  several aspects, including a country’s market and regulatory framework in advancing ICT for inclusive development.

Get into the festive spirit with our list of the 5 best Christmas movies for families

5. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas

That small-hearted villain from Mt. Crumpit goes down to Whoville for some seasonal spoiling—only to discover that Christmas cheer can never be stolen. Spooky thespian Boris Karloff is the inspired narrator for this delightful TV special, a faithful rendition of the rhyming classic that will have everyone singing “Da hoo doray.”

4. A Christmas Carol

Humbug! Deliciously malevolent Alastair Sim plays Ebenezer Scrooge, the grouchy miser who endures various visions of Christmases Past, Present and Future during one marathon night of soul searching. Film Noir lighting gives visual flair to Charles Dickens’s yuletide yarn, but the film still leaves enough merriment to make this the ultimate holiday ghost story.

3. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970) and The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974) all came from Rankin/Bass, the genius stop-motion company behind the Island of Misfit Toys, the Burgermeister Meisterburger, and sibling rivals Snow Miser and Heat Miser. Their funky riffs on holiday myths are irresistibly witty fun and a must-see during the Christmas season.

2. Home Alone

Macaulay Culkin holds down the fort against bumbling burglars while his family accidentally flies to Paris without him in this massive hit that’s every kid’s fantasy—and nightmare. While his Rube Goldberg booby traps and Edvard Munch–inspired visage deliver the laughs, it’s the warmer moments with negligent parents (as well as a mysterious shut-in neighbor) that give heart to this comic evergreen.

1. It’s a Wonderful Life

The reigning king of Christmas movies, Frank Capra’s poignant fable stars Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, a man with big ambitions (and a bigger heart) who defers his dream of leaving small-town Bedford Falls, but makes personal sacrifices that create a staggering ripple effect of inspirational goodwill on earth—a great message for young viewers watching at home. He even helps an angel get his wings.

Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year!!!

Season 1:

Brooklyn Nine-Nine, is a police comedy with smart mockery and sharply defined characters in very well diverse company, led by (former Saturday Night Live member) Andy Samberg as Jake Peralta, the precinct joker who’s actually a first-rate detective; and the admirable Andre Braugher proving to be a smart hand at restrained comedy as the Nine-Nine’s straight-faced new captain Ray Holt, whose intriguing back story makes him much more than a party pooper.

Dampening the fun would be a tall order indeed with characters as immediately engaging as Terry Crews (Everybody Hates Chris) as Sgt. Terry Jeffords, a shaky hulk who lost his edge after becoming a dad to twins; Stephanie Beatriz as the fiercely intimidating Detective Rosa Diaz, who nevertheless is being wooed in vain by Joe Lo Truglio’s miserably nerdy Detective Charles Boyle; Chelsea Peretti as the persistently gossipy civilian administrator Gina Linetti; and Melissa Fumero as the ultra-competitive Detective Santiago, whose rivalry with Peralta becomes an office obsession and distraction.

There’s considerable cast chemistry, but also nice touches as the cops go about their business, when in the middle of tense stand-offs and criminal pursuits they encounter stubborn Brooklyn-ites who refuse to get out of their way. And in what might become a running gag, you’ll see a familiar face in an inspired cameo as the detectives bitterly perform door-to-door canvases. In Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the tendency is to laugh before you stop and frisk. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if that were true?

This show is hilarious and the perfectly timed come backs with by Braugher and Crews are classic. It’s the low key lines that make it hilarious, and the over-the-top cheap laughs are something all shows have to do to please the masses that are slow. Pay attention to the underlying comedy, its priceless and “Terry does love yogurt” is the best line if do say. I give this series 7.5 stars for the comical effect.