Latest Jobs in Nigeria

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• Marketing Officer Job at Tpicadailys Travels and Tours Limited
• Admin Officer Job at Tpicadailys Travels and Tours Limited
• Accounts Officer Job at Tpicadailys Travels and Tours Limited
• Business Development Manager, Construction - Nigeria Job at John Holt Plc
• Field Service Representative I - Drilling Fluids Job at Halliburton Nigeria
• QA/QC Officer Job at RusselSmith Group
• HSE Officer Job at RusselSmith Group
• Business Development Officer Job at RusselSmith Group
• Corporate Development Analyst Job at Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc
• Key Accounts Manager Job at Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc

Marketing Officer Job at Tpicadailys Travels and Tours Limited Posted: 01 May 2014 02:41 PM PDT Job Title: Marketing Officer Location: Port Harcourt, Nigeria Employer: Tpicadailys Travels and Tours Limited (Tpicadailys Group) Job Description & Requirements: • Maintain and develop relationship with new and existing clients • Identify opportunities to improve performance and customer service delivery • Prepare periodic reports in compliance management • Generate and follow up on leads and prospect • Excellent verbal and written skills as well as computer literacy is a key requirement • Minimum 3 years experience with proven track records • Confidence to market service and ability to convince • BSc/HND Marketing or any related discipline • Must be residing in Port Harcourt. Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Admin Officer Job at Tpicadailys Travels and Tours Limited Posted: 01 May 2014 02:40 PM PDT Job Title: Admin Officer Location: Port Harcourt, Nigeria Employer: Tpicadailys Travels and Tours Limited (Tpicadailys Group) Job Description & Requirements: • Perform secretarial duties • Oversee the effective running of the office and other department • Ready to work extra hours to achieve results • proficiency in the use of Excel spread sheet, Corel Draw and MS Word • Good communication (oral and written) • Good typing skills • BSc/HND Admin or related discipline professional cert. or post graduate cert in sec.admin or office management. • Experience minimum 3 years • Must be residing in Port Harcourt Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Accounts Officer Job at Tpicadailys Travels and Tours Limited Posted: 01 May 2014 02:38 PM PDT Job Title: Accounts Officer Location: Port Harcourt, Nigeria Employer: Tpicadailys Travels and Tours Limited (Tpicadailys Group) Job Description & Requirements: • Good Communication and presentation skills • Technical knowledge of accounting principles and practice • Proficiency in relevant account software • Bsc/HND in accounting, MBA/MSc in accounting and professional certificate are added advantage. • Administer payroll,assist in budget activities,bank reconciliation, prepare accounts and financial reports. • Experience minimum 3 years • Must be residing in Port Harcourt Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Business Development Manager, Construction - Nigeria Job at John Holt Plc Posted: 01 May 2014 02:33 PM PDT Job Title: Business Development Manager – Construction Location: Lagos, Nigeria Employer: John Holt Plc. Responsibilities: • Assess and define specific value opportunities and serve as a consultant for developing a solution and plan for implementing construction activities. • Capitalize on existing leads generated through a variety of avenues including established partnerships by closing sales and expanding opportunities. • Develop and manage complex business relationships between owners, engineering firms, and construction contractors operating within the industrial construction market. • Continuously expand understanding of construction environment and practices. • Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports as required. • Develop and manage project plans for assigned projects. • Ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget. • Screen potential business deals by analysing market strategies, deal requirements, potential, and financials; and recommended equity investments. • .Protect organization’s value by keeping information confidential. • Qualify and research potential clients and understand value required to best position John Holt Construction Limited. .Be engaged in the community, trade organizations or associations as required to expand relationships within the critical market segments. • Assume additional responsibilities as directed by the Head of Construction or appointed designate. • Provide Legal Unit with appropriate commercial information allowing proper evaluation of construction agreements. • Inspect work in progress to ensure that workmanship conforms to specifications and the adherence to construction schedules. • Ensure that all construction activities respect and align with federal, state, and local government rules and regulations. Qualifications: • A Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management or related area. • Masters or higher degree in related field an advantage. Experience: • 5-10 years progressive construction experience in a Sales, Consulting, Marketing or Project Management role is required. • In-depth knowledge of building and construction processes. • Contract management and negotiation skills essential. • Motivated, goal oriented, and persistent. An achiever. • Ability to form relationships quickly with all social groups and maintain personal credibility. • Excellent analytical, organizational and communication skills with demonstrable ability to produce highly professional deliverable such as presentations, proposals, and ROI analyses. • Ability to establish priorities, multi-task and self-manage to ensure deliverable are met on time every time. • Strong relationships at Senior Executive and Director levels in critical market segments. • Proven track record of success in winning business in challenging markets. • Must be accessible to customers beyond normal business hours and be willing to travel. • Understands the business implications of decisions and displays a clear orientation towards profitability. Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Field Service Representative I - Drilling Fluids Job at Halliburton Nigeria Posted: 01 May 2014 10:20 AM PDT Job Title: Field Service Rep. I – Drilling Fluids Job ID: 00255408 Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria Employer: Halliburton Nigeria Job Details Why Halliburton? How about global opportunities, interesting work within small cohesive teams, extensive training, and the opportunity to take your career wherever you want it to GO, with all the support and stability of a truly global organization. With more than 72,000 employees in approximately 80 countries, Halliburton is one of the largest and most respected energy services companies in the industry. Since 1919, our customers have relied on our industry-leading technologies, scientific expertise and, most importantly, our knowledgeable and experienced professionals to help them meet the world’s demand for energy. Whether you are a new graduate seeking your first job, or an experienced professional looking to make a career change, we have fantastic opportunities across our organization. Are you ready to GO? Under broad direction, provides well site service to customers of Baroid. Utilizes knowledge of company products and services in conjunction with experience in drilling fluid technology to optimize service quality. Based on interpreted results of routine and specialized testing, provides technical guidance of Baroid’s customized engineered fluids to maximize wellbore value. Complies with health, safety and environmental regulations in all aspects of job performance. Ensures that an adequate inventory of palletized and bulk products are available at the rig site based on the fluid program and anticipated conditions. Tracks material usage and maintains record of same for inventory and billing purposes. Maintains good working relationship with operator’s representative and rig personnel. Skills are typically acquired through completing a minimum of 10 weeks of formal training in colloidal and general chemistry, volume and hydraulics calculations, routine and specialized testing. Halliburton is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Location: (W025) HONL Port Harcourt NG Plot 158, Trans Amadi Port Harcourt, RIV Miscellaneous Information Contract Type: Regular Working Time: Full-time Internal Job Title: BD08-ESG-Fld Svc Rep-Drilling Fluids I Reference Code: NB00255408_EXT_000 Start Date: 04/29/2014 Compensation Information: Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. Technical Reference: NC 00202870 Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

QA/QC Officer Job at RusselSmith Group Posted: 01 May 2014 10:05 AM PDT Job Title: QA/QC Officer Job Reference Code: RS-HRG-P-1020-2 Location: Lekki – Lagos, Nigeria Category: Full Time Recruiter: RusselSmith Group Years of experience: 0-2 Functional area: Quality, Health, Safety & Environment Description: Quality Assurance & Control Functions: • Coordinate testing, calibration and inspection activities in accordance with the approved specifications/procedures • Assist in ensuring that all quality requirements are understood by employees and third parties. • Assist in receiving and inspection of procured items and completed/installed project(s) of third parties/contractors in accordance with the approved specifications • Ensure that non-conformance reports are regularly collected and reported. • Monitor the quality control activities in line with the established quality control procedure. • Assist in vendor survey and evaluation • Refer and resolve any quality issues that may arise in consultation with the QA/QC Coordinator • Assist QA/QC Coordinator in the preparation of weekly and monthly quality reports. • Assist with creation, control and change/review of manuals, procedures and forms • Assist with the coordination of action audit, quarterly audit and implementation of quarantine processes Administration Functions: • Assist with organizing meeting and circulate meeting agendas • Ensure proper file management of the department • Other duties as assigned Skills Required: • Minimum 1 year related experience is an added advantage • Knowledge of ISO 9001:2008 and OSHAS 18001 / ISO 14001 standards is an added advantage. • Experience in risk assessments, HSE Audits/Meetings/Inspections, HSE Training, HSE Performance Reporting, First-Aid, and Accident Investigation. • Knowledge of OSHA requirements and of the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for various hazards. • Excellent organizational skills and able to interact with all levels of personnel within the organization and third parties. • Able to liaise effectively with representatives of relevant authorities, consultants, and subcontractors on quality and safety matters. • Fluency in written and verbal English is essential. • Interpersonal Skills—the individual maintains confidentiality, remains open to others’ ideas and exhibits willingness to try new things. • Data Analysis skills using Excel, PowerPoint, and Access • Ability to work with spreadsheets • Quality control—the individual demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness and monitors own work to ensure quality. • Safety and security—the individual actively promotes and personally observes safety and security procedures, and uses equipment and materials properly. Educational Qualification: A university degree/HND in science discipline is desirable. Physical demands of the job: *Occasional travel by airplane and automobile in conducting business is necessary. Regular use of the telephone and e-mail for communication is essential. *Sitting for extended periods is common. Hearing and vision within normal ranges is essential for normal conversations, to receive ordinary information and to prepare or inspect documents. *No heavy lifting is expected. Exertion of up to 10 lbs. of force occasionally may be required. Good manual dexterity for the use of common office equipment such as computer, calculator, copiers, and FAX machines. Work environment: The job is performed indoors in a traditional office setting. Activities include extended periods of sitting and extensive work at a computer monitor and/or calculator. Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

HSE Officer Job at RusselSmith Group Posted: 01 May 2014 10:02 AM PDT Job Title: HSE Officer Job Reference Code: RS-HRG-P-1020-1 Location: Lekki – Lagos, Nigeria Category: Full Time Recruiter: RusselSmith Group Years of experience: 0-2 Functional area: Health, Safety & Environment Description: Health Safety Environment Functions: • Assist in implementing HSE Management systems and programs and assist in advising staff on relevant HSE information. • Assist in conducting Safety Awareness Programs. • Conduct daily safety inspections and assist HSE Coordinator in safety audits. • Assist in conducting safety drill, incident investigation and root cause analysis. • Assist in implementing corrective and preventive actions for safety non-conformities. • Participate in near miss and safety incident investigation and follow up of the recommendations. • Brings any safety, environmental or security issues to the attention of the HSE Coordinator Administration Functions: • Assist with organizing meeting and circulate meeting agendas • Ensure proper file management of the department • Other duties as assigned Skills Required: • Knowledge of ISO 9001:2008 and OSHAS 18001 / ISO 14001 standards is an added advantage. • Experience in risk assessments, HSE Audits/Meetings/Inspections, HSE Training, HSE Performance Reporting, First-Aid, and Accident Investigation. • Knowledge of OSHA requirements and of the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for various hazards. • Excellent organizational skills and able to interact with all levels of personnel within the organization and third parties. • Able to liaise effectively with representatives of relevant authorities, consultants, and subcontractors on quality and safety matters. • Fluency in written and verbal English is essential. • Interpersonal Skills—the individual maintains confidentiality, remains open to others’ ideas and exhibits willingness to try new things. • Data Analysis skills using Excel, PowerPoint, and Access • Ability to work with spreadsheets • Quality control—the individual demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness and monitors own work to ensure quality. • Safety and security—the individual actively promotes and personally observes safety and security procedures, and uses equipment and materials properly. Educational Qualification: A university degree/HND in science discipline is desirable Physical demands of the job: Occasional travel by airplane and automobile in conducting business is necessary. Regular use of the telephone and e-mail for communication is essential. Sitting for extended periods is common. Hearing and vision within normal ranges is essential for normal conversations, to receive ordinary information and to prepare or inspect documents. No heavy lifting is expected. Exertion of up to 10 lbs. of force occasionally may be required. Good manual dexterity for the use of common office equipment such as computer, calculator, copiers, and FAX machines. Work environment: The job is performed indoors in a traditional office setting. Activities include extended periods of sitting and extensive work at a computer monitor and/or calculator. Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Business Development Officer Job at RusselSmith Group Posted: 01 May 2014 09:58 AM PDT Job Title: Business Development Officer Job Reference Code: RS-BSO-1 Location: Lekki – Lagos, Nigeria Category: Full Time Recruiter: RusselSmith Group Years of experience: 0-2 Functional area: Sales/Marketing Description: • Responsible for sale of the company’s tools & services to both existing and potential customers using technical, organizational, and customer knowledge to influence customers and assist them in applying the tools/services to their needs resulting in revenue generation. • Contact current and potential customers, visit companies to evaluate needs, and promote sale of services, new and existing company services. • Research customer needs and develop application of company’s products and services. • Evaluating product & service marketability in terms of customers’ technical needs as well as following up on sales leads and developing leads • Maintaining up-to-date understanding of industry trends and technical developments that affect target markets • Establishing & maintaining industry contacts that lead to sales with the customer to ensure sales opportunities for products & services. • Making regular sales calls to develop relationships and follow up on leads; acting to close deals & finalize contacts • Meeting established sales quotas and revenue goals • Develop and maintain communications in a cooperative and professional manner with all levels customers • Meets and or exceed assigned company sales targets. • Develop and implement sales and marketing strategies, sales programs, promotions, efforts and events including goal setting. • Develops service awareness in the marketplace to ensure sustained profit growth of sales in the company. • Prepares written reports of sales activities including sales orders, backlog, forecasts, lost accounts etc.; provides timely briefings to the Management as necessary or as requested. • Perform surveys and gather information on behalf of the company. • Manage allotted sales account(s) of both existing and potential customers. • Establish and maintain ongoing customer relationships with the various parties to anticipate and resolve potential problems. Participate in customer site visits. • Meet and exceed customers’ service expectations as outlined in the department’s policies and procedures. • Develop and deliver sales presentations and close sales in a professional and effective manner. • Performs work with a constant awareness of improving processes necessary for positive growth. • Generate requested or assigned departmental reports • Represent the Company as a Brand Ambassador. • Performs other duties as required or as assigned. Skills Required: • Good communication skills and the ability to work well with people are essential. • Experience in sales would be an added advantage • Good relational and interpersonal skills. • Good team spirit • Good problem solving, initiative and negotiation skills • Good oral and written communication skills. • Good presentation skills • Strong quantitative skills such as statistics and data analysis skills • Good reasoning skills; multi-tasking skills and organizational skills • Good analytical skills • Exhibits initiative, responsibility and flexibility • Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Tools • Quality control—the individual demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness and monitors own work to ensure quality. • Safety and security—the individual actively promotes and personally observes safety and security procedures, and uses equipment and materials properly. • Document Control – Reviewing and keeping records of transaction of sale and purchase goods and services Educational Qualification: • A good university first degree is required. Gender- Female preferred: Physical demands of the job Regular use of the telephone and e-mail for communication is essential. Sitting for extended periods is common. Hearing, vision and speaking within normal ranges is essential for normal conversations, to receive ordinary information and to prepare or inspect documents. No heavy lifting is expected. Exertion of up to 10 lbs. of force occasionally may be required. Good manual dexterity for the use of common office equipment such as computers, calculator, copiers, and FAX machines Work environment: The job is performed indoors in a traditional office setting and out of the office meeting with customers. Activities include extended periods of sitting occasional fast paced events and extensive work at a computer monitor and/or calculator. Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Corporate Development Analyst Job at Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc Posted: 01 May 2014 09:50 AM PDT Job Title: Corporate Development Analyst Job Reference: MIA 14 Department: Accounts Employer: Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc Recruiter: Dragnet Nigeria The Job: • Carry out cost study/benefit analysis of activities savings. • Identify & design process improvement activities • Update, develop and issue group polices aimed at clarifying ambiguity and reducing waste • Prepare competitors analyses and make presentation to investors • Identify & design process improvement activities • Develop/Identify and propose long term cost saving strategies The person: • Good verbal and written communication skills • Pays Attention to detail • Thinks outside the box, displays initiative • Good Computer skills with emphasis on Microsoft Excel and Dynamix AX • Interpersonal skills Qualification: • First Degree • Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA) Experience: Minimum of 5 years cognate experience Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Key Accounts Manager Job at Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc Posted: 01 May 2014 09:47 AM PDT Job Title: Key Accounts Manager Job Reference: KAM 14 Department: Sales Employer: Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc Recruiter: Dragnet Nigeria The Job: • Identify and map all potential key account corporate customers within his territory. • Manage and coordinate sales to the customers while achieving maximum level of service. • Manage all contracts where applicable. • Report all changes in market trends and the competitors’ market share as well as prices and marketing activities • Monitor the quality of our products in the market versus the competition and be proactive in resolving quality issues with assistance from responsible departments. • Due a GAP study & ensure that all product SKU’s are available at all times on shelves across territory. The person: • Good verbal and written communication skill • Good planning, organizing and time management skills • Good Interpersonal and customer- service orientation • Ability to work effectively in a team with initiative and reliability Qualification: First Degree Experience: Minimum of 5 years cognate experience Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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25 Top Notch Writers Gather for Afrinolly Cinema4Change Screenwriter’s Workshop

After successfully hosting a stakeholders workshop with organizations at the vanguard of social change and a couple of filmmakers, Afrinolly hosted 25 top notch screen writers for a week to discuss the series of social change issues that have been identified and to expose screen writers to research works that would guide in the development of Screenplays that would not only highlight these social change issues but would also entertain and educate the public.



In Partnership with Ford Foundation, Afrinolly Cinema4Change project seeks to use the power of film to help build a dramatic structure that helps people not only see the person or issues that a film can address, but see themselves in that story. Afrinolly believes that partnering with non–profits, public sector organizations and corporations can create films that are artistically compelling and socially significant.



The seven days' workshop held in Lagos, Nigeria with prolific Screenwriter Femi Kayode as facilitator had in attendance Jude Idada, Kemi Adesoye, Tunde Aladese, Jude Dibia, Haye Okoh, Adeola Ike, Yakubu Lamai, Michael Osuji, Yomi Ososanya, Ejiro Onobrakpor, Obi Okoroafor, Omotayo Abereoje, Ben Chiadika, Onyeka Nwelue, John Tukura, Jenim Dibie, Kayode Faniy, Olubunmi Familoni, Alexandra Hul, Pearl Osibu and Udoka Oyeka.





Femi Kayode





Adeola Ike





Alexandra Hul





Ben Chiadika





Ejiro Onobrakpor





Haye Okoh





Jenim Dibie





John Tukura





Jude Dibia





Jude Idada





Kayode Faniy





Kemi Adesoye





Michael Osuji





Obi Okoroafor





Olubunmi Familoni





Omotayo Abereoje





Onyeka Nwelue





Pearl Osibu





Tunde Aladese





Udoka Oyeka





Yakubu Lamai





Yomi Ososanya









































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Check-Out KCee, Mafikizolo, Chidinma, May D and others at Davido’s ‘Tchelete’ Video Launch! (Photo)

Davido and Mafikizolo yesterday at the Dollhouse in Lagos released the visuals of their hit-bound collaboration, Tchelete. Mafikizolo who flew in earlier to the country for the launch performed their hit single to the delight of many, while Sound Sultan, KCee, Dr Sid, Chidinma, May D and Davido himself were among other artistes who also performed.

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Check-Out KCee, Mafikizolo, Chidinma, May D and others at Davido’s ‘Tchelete’ Video Launch! (Photo)

Davido and Mafikizolo yesterday at the Dollhouse in Lagos released the visuals of their hit-bound collaboration, Tchelete. Mafikizolo who flew in earlier to the country for the launch performed their hit single to the delight of many, while Sound Sultan, KCee, Dr Sid, Chidinma, May D and Davido himself were among other artistes who also performed.
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EXCLUSIVE: 5 Reasons Same-Sex Marriage Is Sweeping the Nation Sara Enimio

After marriage equality's historic gains in 2013, with six states legalizing same-s3x unions (from Illinois to Hawaii), many expected the movement to slow down this year. But following a court decision overturning Utah's marriage ban in late December, the marriage issue has been on a hot streak throughout the country – with even red states like Oklahoma and Texas suddenly on the brink of equality.

With Full report from RollingStone Enjoy Below:

Last November, Rolling Stone talked to LGBT rights advocates about their predictions for the future of equality, forecasting which states would be having the marriage discussion and when – but no one could have predicted things would be moving this quickly. Here are five reasons that same-sex marriage is taking America by storm:

1. The Supreme Court's United States v. Windsor ruling was a watershed moment for marriage equality.

Last June, the Supreme Court made history, ruling that it was unconstitutional for the federal government to refuse benefits to same-sex couples who are married under state law. Although the court avoided making a sweeping judgment on the larger question of whether same-sex couples across the country have a constitutional right to marry, Marc Solomon, the national campaign director for Freedom to Marry, believes the decision set an important precedent for states on the issue. "The power of the Windsor decision is hard to overstate," says Solomon. "The majority opinion eviscerated every argument for keeping same-sex couples out of marriage, and encouraged judges to look at marriage discrimination."

Since the Supreme Court's ruling, courts in Virginia, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah have struck down legislation banning same-sex marriage in their states – each citing United States v. Windsor. In his dissenting opinion, the arch-conservative Justice Antonin Scalia predicted this momentum. "By formally declaring anyone opposed to same-sex marriage an enemy of human decency," wrote Scalia, "the majority arms well every challenger to a state law restricting marriage to its traditional definition."

Jim Bennett, the Midwest regional director for Lambda Legal, argues that the groundswell of judiciary support in the lower courts means that the Supreme Court will eventually have to make a broader decision on marriage equality. The court's ruling has led to confusion in the states about which marriages count and where: Are marriage rights determined by the place the nuptials were celebrated or the residents' home state? "The courts are going to have to clean this up," says Bennett. "I think that the Supreme Court expected this to come back to them, but they might not have expected it would come back so soon."

2. Marriage equality isn't just an issue for the coasts anymore. It's also winning the heartland.

Texas, Oklahoma, Utah and Virginia all had strongly conservative histories on marriage equality – until now. Rick Garcia, the policy director for the Civil Rights Agenda, believes that this reflects an important shift. "States we never even considered on the playing field are now there," says Garcia, an Illinois resident. "I always assumed that in the Deep South, we would see marriage equality in 10 years, if we were lucky. That changed overnight. Now it's not just something that's happening in New York City and San Francisco. It's happening next door to us."

According to Marc Solomon, this shows that the growing support for marriage equality isn't just with the courts. A recent Washington Post poll indicated that nationwide support for same-sex marriage has reached historic highs, with a whopping 59 percent in favor. Only 34 percent of those polled opposed marriage equality – a figure that's plummeted from the massive 62 percent opposition in 2004. "I think that there's a sense that younger people are good [on marriage equality] and older people aren't, and it's true that we do better with younger demographics," says Solomon. "However, we're seeing growth among every way you can break down our society."

Solomon hopes to highlight the growing support for marriage rights among seniors, young evangelicals and Republicans. On March 2nd, 20 prominent conservatives, including former Senators Alan K. Simpson of Wyoming and Nancy L. Kassebaum of Kansas, filed a brief advising the federal appeals court to rule Oklahoma and Utah's marriage prohibitions unconstitutional. (Both states have appealed their state judges' recent rulings in favor of equality.) The paper's conservative supporters argued that allowing same-sex couples to wed strengthens marriage, as "the social stability of the family unit [is] promoted."

3. States are realizing that being gay-friendly is good for business.

In addition to the Windsor decision, Rick Garcia argues that Arizona will be an important turning point in the struggle for equality. On February 26th, Arizona governor Jan Brewer vetoed a bill that would have legally sanctioned discrimination in the state, allowing business owners to refuse to serve LGBT patrons based on their religious beliefs.

With the case of Brewer's veto, Garcia explains that money talked. "Here you have a governor who is not known to be open to gays," says Garcia. "She knew that she could possibly lose a future Super Bowl or businesses like Apple. This wasn't a moral conviction that equality is the right thing to do. It was a good decision economically." Garcia argues that LGBT workers are more likely go to states and cities where they know that they won't be discriminated against because they're gay.

Focusing on economics of equality isn't a new strategy. Garcia says that it's something that LGBT activists have known for years. "I think one of the most powerful tools that gays and their allies have is the business community, which can put pressure on legislators and governors," states Garcia. "You have to have a strong relationship with business leaders, because when the economic imperative is on our side, we win."

Jim Bennett hopes that the push for marriage equality means that Congress is more likely to vote favorably on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would outlaw discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexuality in the workplace. "It's hard to imagine a situation where you have marriage in a state, but if a guy puts out a picture of his partner on his desk, he could get fired because there's no protection in the workplace," says Bennett. "It's a natural extension."

4. Anti-gay policies in Russia and Uganda have reminded Americans of the cost of discrimination.

Along with the financial costs of discrimination, the media coverage of anti-gay policies in Russia and Uganda have offered a harrowing reminder of the human costs of hate. A video released in February from Human Rights Watch showed anti-gay abuse on the streets in Russia. A statement from the advocacy organization underscored the severity of the issue: "Victims in cities including Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk told [us] they were attacked in public places, abducted, beaten, harassed, threatened and psychologically abused." Many were afraid to report these incidents to authorities, fearing further harassment.

Rick Garcia said that this brutality recalls the bigotry LGBT people in the U.S. faced up through the 1960s and early 1970s, when anti-gay violence was often met with a shrug. Garcia highlights the media's indifference to the Upstairs Lounge fire of 1973, which killed 32 people at a New Orleans gay bar in an act of arson. "If a gay bar was raided or burned to the ground, the thought was: 'Who cares? They got what they deserved,'" says Garcia.

Compared with memories of that violent era, or what's going on right now in Uganda – where a tabloid recently published a list of the country's "top homos," urging for their murder – marriage equality suddenly seems less controversial. "Talk about a first-world problem," says Garcia. "Sometimes I think, 'We're talking about bakers making wedding cakes.' But you have to put the two issues together: If we don't fight, we could go back to those days where if you were beaten up and you went to the police, you got beat up again."

5. LGBT couples are making a difference by standing up and being counted.

In the 1970s, civil rights leader Harvey Milk urged LGBT people to fight bigotry by coming out. "I would like to see every gay doctor come out, every gay lawyer, every gay architect come out, stand up and let that world know," said Milk. "That would do more to end prejudice overnight than anybody would imagine…Only that way will we start to achieve our rights."

Garcia believes that visibility – the sheer act of allowing yourself to be counted – is what's winning the battle for marriage equality. "The most powerful political act for gay people is to be out and open," argues Garcia. "You can't find anyone in this day and age who doesn't know someone that's gay." Putting a face on the issue makes people a lot harder to discriminate against, especially when that person is your friend, neighbor or loved one.

Of course, even as marriage equality picks up speed, the fight for full equality and respect is still going on. Jim Bennett tells the story of a gay couple who recently shared a cab coming back from a flight at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. On a rainy night, the taxi driver ejected the two men for kissing in the back of the cab, leaving them to walk home in the downpour. Bennett argues that there's a strength in knowing you're protected by the law, no matter your marital status. "We want equality for all," he says, "whether you're married or single."
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This Brought Tears Rolling Down My Eyes..” A Poem For The Dead and Dying “by Jason Abaga.(Must Read) Sara Enimio

This poem was published on MI's website..It is so touching and deep and is dedicated to all those who are being killed daily by Boko haram, those who have lost their lives and the over 100 girls still missing while their parents ,friends, families spend sleepless nights ,wondering what is happening to those girls…Sad case….

A Poem For The Dead and Dying

Someone should write a poem, for all the dead and dying;
Of how inside their homes, the blood is red and drying.

Of how night came upon them, with flames and desolation.

Of faces fraught with terror, and fear and resignation.

Someone should write the words, to comfort the bereaved.

Who saw what knives and swords, had done. And those who grieve:
The ones without their parents, the friends who weep alone.
Who know the pain that settles and seeps into the bone.

Someone should write the story of all the dead and dying;
Some scribe should write it nicely, who is not bled as I am;
Some go-getter poet better who can get it done.

Someone should write this history, and if you are the one.

Tell them about the crying, tell any who will listen, That there are people dying, and there are children missing.

They took young men's lives, and infants from their mothers.

Ask if we should hope or seek
deliverance from another.

Tell of the sons and daughters, murdered as they slept.

Tell of the slain and slaughtered, and elders who have wept.

Tell them the streets are bleeding, the gutters running red.

Tell them the people grieving have asked if God is dead.

Tell them of all the anguish, of drowning in its flood.

And speak it in their language of shit and piss and blood.

Of naked women taken, raped, and men they execute.

Of lying waiting, aching knowing that the next is you.

Tell them of dying nameless, in blood and excrement.

And of surviving flames to perish in the next event.

Of how when the fires die, the stench of burning flesh
Rises to the sky, until the cycle turns afresh.

Tell them about the students, they ones they've been kidnapping.

And if they wonder why, explain what must be happening.

Tell them of homes abandoned, who see misfortune rising.

Repeat the names of all the dead until they memorize them.

A man is dust and ashes, a soul but breath and wind.

And life too quickly passes, with solace left unhinged.

So write of all the innocent, the victims of their plotting.

Call them: The Taken, or The Lost, but never The Forgotten.

Someone should write it all, because my words are bitter.

The pain to chronicle this, is more than I considered.

The skill it takes to craft it, is more than I have got.

Someone should write it all, for God knows I cannot.
-Jason Abaga
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25 Top Notch Writers Gather for Afrinolly Cinema4Change Screenwriter’s Workshop

After successfully hosting a stakeholders workshop with organizations at the vanguard of social change and a couple of filmmakers, Afrinolly hosted 25 top notch screen writers for a week to discuss the series of social change issues that have been identified and to expose screen writers to research works that would guide in the development of Screenplays that would not only highlight these social change issues but would also entertain and educate the public.

In Partnership with Ford Foundation, Afrinolly Cinema4Change project seeks to use the power of film to help build a dramatic structure that helps people not only see the person or issues that a film can address, but see themselves in that story. Afrinolly believes that partnering with non–profits, public sector organizations and corporations can create films that are artistically compelling and socially significant.

The seven days' workshop held in Lagos, Nigeria with prolific Screenwriter Femi Kayode as facilitator had in attendance Jude Idada, Kemi Adesoye, Tunde Aladese, Jude Dibia, Haye Okoh, Adeola Ike, Yakubu Lamai, Michael Osuji, Yomi Ososanya, Ejiro Onobrakpor, Obi Okoroafor, Omotayo Abereoje, Ben Chiadika, Onyeka Nwelue, John Tukura, Jenim Dibie, Kayode Faniy, Olubunmi Familoni, Alexandra Hul, Pearl Osibu and Udoka Oyeka.


Femi Kayode


Adeola Ike


Alexandra Hul


Ben Chiadika


Ejiro Onobrakpor


Haye Okoh


Jenim Dibie


John Tukura


Jude Dibia


Jude Idada


Kayode Faniy


Kemi Adesoye


Michael Osuji


Obi Okoroafor


Olubunmi Familoni


Omotayo Abereoje


Onyeka Nwelue


Pearl Osibu


Tunde Aladese


Udoka Oyeka


Yakubu Lamai


Yomi Ososanya




















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So keen to jumpstart a racing culture, Scion offers to pay Canadian drivers to race

Many manufacturers encourage customers to race their cars, but Scion is putting its money where its mouth is.

As pointed out by LeftLaneNews, the Toyota youth brand's Canadian arm runs a racing contingency program that pays owners to race, and pays them even more if they win.

Under the scheme, which has been in place since 2012, drivers can get paid to participate in up to five races – even if they finish last. The payouts range from $40 per event for autocross to $350 for road races.

In addition to autocross and road racing, the program also covers drifting and time attack, two more areas where Scion's small, nimble cars excel.

Drivers get more cash for winning, from $100 in autocross to $800 for a road race. Last year, 13 drivers received the maximum payout of $4,000.

Racing is expensive, and while the Scion contingency payments will only cover some of the costs, they do at least offer an incentive for drivers to test out their skills on the track.

At the same time, Scion gets its cars in front of the holy target demographic by letting someone else do the work. It's good to see the brand demonstrate that its commitment to performance is more than just marketing hype.

Suddenly, Canada is looking like a great place to go racing.
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Hennessey builds a Chevy SS with the power of a Bugatti Veyron

You may have seen a Hennessey-tuned Chevrolet SS reach 163 mph on a Texas toll road. That car had 600 horsepower.

Now, Hennessey is offering a performance package for this four-door muscle car with 1,000 hp. What kind of speeds will that thing be able to do on state highways?

The Hennessey HPE1000 Chevy SS really is a wolf in sheep's clothing. While it looks largely similar to the stock SS, the factory 6.2-liter LS3 V8 is replaced with a 7.0-liter, twin-turbocharged LSX motor.

Hennessey's own 270-mph Venom GT produces 1,244 hp with a similar twin-turbocharged 7.0-liter V8, so this Chevy sedan is only about a Ford Fusion 2.0-liter EcoBoost away from matching its output.

This steroidal V8 is reinforced with many forged internal parts to handle Bugatti Veyron-esuqe levels of power, and features an air-to-air intercooler and upgraded fuel system to keep the vital fluids flowing.

Buyers can also get the HPE1000 with a six-speed manual transmission, which isn't offered from the factory but may be in the near future.

The stock SS' six-speed automatic can be retained, but Hennessey subjects it to a complete rebuild to handle the extra power from the bigger engine.

While the transmission may be able to handle 1,000 hp, not every driver can, so Hennessey offers milder HPE550, HPE600 (the version that made that impressive toll-road run), HPE650, and HPE800 versions.

And if you don't want a four-door American supercar, you can just have the 1000-hp Camaro from Hennessey, too.

Pick your poison.
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This $13K brewer uses a vacuum chamber to make the perfect cup of tea

Brewing a perfect cup of tea is tricky business. Steep the leaves for too long, and it comes out bitter. Take them out too soon, and the brew will be too weak. Plus, to make matters worse, the optimal steep time varies from leaf to leaf, so getting a consistently perfect cup is easier said than done.

A company by the name of Bkon, however, is aiming to change that. The company's Craft Brewer is designed to produce perfectly brewed cups of tea at the push of a button using a patented process called "Reverse Atmospheric INfusion," or RAIN. Here's a quick rundown of how the technology supposedly works:

After the user places their preferred loose tea leaves into the water-filled brewing chamber, the air above the water line is drawn out to create a vacuum. This negative pressure helps draw the tea leaves to the surface of the water, and causes gases to be released from both the leaves and the water. Then, the vacuum is released, and the chamber returns to normal atmospheric pressure, allowing the maximum amount of "soluble flavor elements" to be extracted.

Apparently, it's the application and subsequent removal of negative pressure that's the key to extracting the full flavor of tea leaves. The vacuum helps to open up their cell structure, allowing trapped gasses to escape, and water to enter more freely. This process is repeated for anywhere from 60 to 90 seconds, during which the machine continually tweaks variables like vacuum depth, internal pressure, and water temperature to achieve the "optimum flavor profile" of the tea inside. 

To help you get the best extraction for different kinds of teas, the machine is capable of storing over 200 different recipes, which users can access via a large touchscreen panel on the side. To ensure that your special oolong blend doesn't get contaminated with a previous user's Earl Grey, Bkon even has a self-cleaning function to wash out the chamber after each use.

While it isn't available to consumers quite yet, Beta versions of Bkon are currently being tested in a few tea rooms and coffee shops scattered around the country. Bkon's creators are shooting for a commercial release later this year, but you might want to start saving now. When it hits the market, Bkon will retail for $13,000.

[images via Joanna Han/Sprudge]
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EcoBoost, Coyotes and Voodoo: Dissecting the tech powering the 2015 Mustang

Long before its 50th anniversary, the Ford Mustang was a legend.

A big part of the Mustang's legendary status is due to the slew of fantastic engines that have rumbled behind the now-infamous Pony badge. From the original 289-cubic-inch V8, the mighty 428 Cobra Jet, to the 5.0 V8 of the '80s, these powerplants have legacies of their own.

So what about the engines that will power the latest and – Ford hopes – greatest Pony Car? Let us take you under the hood of the new 2015 Mustang and see how things stack up.

Not-so-basic

For 2015, the base engine is a 3.7-Liter V6 carried over from the last generation. While some muscle car purists might sneer at the lowly V6; they should know a couple of things. The original Mustang went into battle with a "Thriftpower Inline-6″, alongside its better-known V8 counterparts.

Long before its 50th anniversary, the Ford Mustang was a legend.

What's more, most Mustangs sold will come with the base engine. So, for most people, the Mustang experience will be defined by this V6.
The good news is that it's really not a bad engine. The current version of the 3.7-liter Duratec V6 puts out around 305 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. That's pretty respectable in a car that might weigh in at as little as 3,300 pounds – or around 200 fewer pounds than the current 'Stang.

Delightfully, Ford has hinted that the V6 going into the all-new 2015 model will produce "at least" the same power, which at least suggests there may be more in store.

The promise of reduced weight might also lead to an increase in gas mileage. Sure, it may not be the sexiest thing in the world. For buyers looking to get in on the pony car experience without having to mortgage their house or their children, though, spending a bit less at the pumps might be appealing.  

A red-blooded V8 for red-blooded Americans

Despite the fact that most Mustangs will get a V6, the Mustang has always been defined by the V8. In this case, the V8 is the same 5.0-liter 'Coyote' as in the last generation. And you know what? That is fine with me, because this re-tuned version promises to be a gas.

Ford says that the Coyote should put down at least 420 snarling horsepower and 390 torques. That is a modest, 8-hp more than the current engine. But Ford's engineers have rolled up their short sleeved white shirts adjusted their black frame glasses and gotten to work. The 2015 version of the engine features a new intake manifold which should improve mileage at least a bit, too.

Improved engine tuning and new components should also improve smoothness and widen the torque range, giving drivers more power more of the time – not to mention asphyxiating fewer penguins while they are at it, thanks to lower emissions.  

Even better, some industry analysts believe that Ford's current power projections are conservative and that the final numbers will be substantially higher. There are even rumors that within a year of launch a 500-hp GT will be available. We will just have to see.

The power of Voodoo?

Don't get too used to the snarling Coyote, though, because it may not be around for too long. The upcoming 2016 Mach 1 is rumored to have an all new V8 known as 'Voodoo'. In the Mach 1, with the help of forced induction, this engine might put out as much as 650 horsepower.

The upcoming 2016 Mach 1 is rumored to have an all new V8 known as 'Voodoo'.

The real secret behind the Voodoo's power is its radical block architecture, with the cylinders at 180 degrees from one another – just like a Subaru BOXER engine. Ferrari has used these flat plane V8s since the 1970s, due to their improved power and throttle response. But dealing with vibration makes 180-degree V8s tricky to engineer. If this is what Ford goes to, it should be interesting to see.
If Ford does in fact move to the Voodoo V8, it is likely to replace all applications in which Ford currently uses the Coyote. While the Voodoo should be an improvement over the 'Coyote', the real reason for replacement is cost. The 'Coyote' shares its architecture with Jaguar's 5.0-liter V8 (remember when Ford owned Jaguar?). As such, the current 5.0 V8 is both complicated and expensive to produce.

That might be okay for Jaguar, which, as a small market automaker, competes on quality more over price. Ford, though, needs to sell a lot of Mustangs. That means that it is looking to retire the Coyote much sooner than it normally might.

Mustang moves forward

Perhaps the most radical change in the 2015 Mustang is the appearance of an EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder. This 2.3-liter engine will be the same size as the last turbo four to sit in a Mustang's engine bay: the 1986 SVO.

Unlike that motor, this direct-injected, turbocharged pony will put out at least 310 horsepower and around 300 torques across its entire rev range. These numbers aren't that much different than the current V6, but that doesn't mean that they won't be very different to drive.

The EcoBoost four is likely to be substantially lighter than the V6, with more immediate throttle response and more accessible torque. Not to mention the fact that the small motor should make for good fuel economy. And I don't just mean good for a Mustang, I mean as much as 33 to 35 mpg. That might well be worth the premium.

The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 from the Taurus SHO might also find its way into the Mustang, eventually replacing the base model V6. This is unlikely to happen in the first few model years, but may happen during a mid-life refresh.

Oh and a word for the purists out there: I understand that to many of you feel that the Mustang is defined by its V8s, and that the icon should live forever as it did in 1964. But, when the Mustang appeared in '64, it was a radical departure from anything else on the market. It had been developed largely under the radar and – shockingly – based on the Ford Falcon's unibody platform.

So please don't get too bent out of shape at the prospect of a turbocharged 'Stang. Fifty years in, there is no better time to take chances and move the car into the future than right now.

What's what

In the end, until the engines are in a car that we can actually drive, we have to restrain ourselves from any real judgment. That being said, there doesn't seem to be a loser in the bunch. Each engine caters to a specific section of Mustang culture and each is promising in its own right.

As with every other Mustang, this generation is likely to see its share of changes and options over its lifespan. In fact, with the promise of a new V6 and a new V8, this might be a particularly busy few years for the pony car. That is fine by me, because it just means more Mustangs to drive.
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Best Buy launching ‘Sony Experience’ sections at 350 stores

Sony today announced a new deal with Best Buy to create a "shop-in-shop" showcase of its 4K TVs, 4K cameras, and home audio products, named "The Sony Experience at Best Buy." The deal will see an expansion of Sony's newest high end gear appear in 350 Best Buy locations nationwide, with specially trained Sony Experienced Experts selected from Best Buy employees at the helm.

"With user-friendly, interactive demonstration experiences and a dedicated team of Best Buy product experts trained to deliver a world-class experience, the Sony Experience at Best Buy will be an ideal place to inspire, engage and educate consumers about Sony's home theater products," said Sony's COO Mike Fasulo in a press release.

The new launch is designed to give shoppers a first hand look at Sony's brand new lineup of 4K/UHD TVs, according to the release, in an apparent attempt to dazzle them into stepping up to the spendy new technology. In addition to the 4K TV lineup, the dedicated areas will showcase Sony's 4K Ultra HD Media Players, the FMP-X1 and FMP-X10, the FDR-AX100 4K HandyCam, as well as some of Sony's HDTVs, select home audio products, and the PlayStation 4 and associated gear.

If the store-in-store concept sounds familiar, that's because another big 'S' in the home theater business, Samsung, struck a similar bargain with Best Buy a little over a year ago. Samsung's deal sent its products to over 1,400 Best Buy locations in April of 2013. Samsung today announced it will be sending its growing lineup of curved 4K LED TVs to a paired down selection of 500 Best Buy locations, along with other select products.

With today's move by Sony, Samsung will have some heady competition when it comes to attracting Best Buy shoppers with the dizzying 4K/UHD resolution of its biggest and brightest displays. While brick and mortar shops may be losing their luster to an increasingly online-leaning shopping experience, when it comes to home theater gear, people still like to have a look and listen before they plunk down thousands of their hard-earned dollars. The store-in-store design allows technology companies to tailor the experience to the consumer as they see fit.

Sony's press release does not make clear whether the company will be hosting any of its new high definition audio products released last Thursday. When DT's own Caleb Denison met with Sony at a special HD audio event last week, the company hinted at a new deal with Best Buy, as part of an all-out campaign for the promotion of HD audio, though it wasn't specific on the details. At the time, there was conjecture that a special kiosk or in-store section would be set aside to highlight the new gear, which would only make sense. After all, HD audio — like 4K/UHD resolution video — is something consumers have to experience first hand to really appreciate.

As today's news highlights, Sony appears to be making sure its newest products are on the front lines of the in-store experience, in attempts to remain relevant, and bring its new direction for high end home theater to the masses. Sony has struggled to keep up with a growing mound of competitors in the marketplace in recent years. We'll have to wait and see if this latest campaign will reap dividends above a few headlines.
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Everything you need to know about High-Resolution Audio, the future of music

Although high-res audio has been around for a while now, the public really knows very little about it. Until recently, talk of high-res audio has been relegated mostly to audiophile mags and enthusiast forums. But with the recent success of Neil Young's Pono projector on Kickstarter, Sony's declaration of war against the MP3, and a surprising move toward high-end audio by Samsung, the topic has been making headlines and generating interest … and a lot of questions.

So we decided to answer them. Here is everything you need to get up to speed on high-res audio, in plain English, so that you can really wrap your head around what may be be the next big development in consumer audio.

What does the term "high-res audio" mean?

The consumer electronics industry and news media only recently embraced the term "high-res audio." Before now, it was often called HD audio (which we would argue makes a lot more sense). But, now that the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has gotten involved, standards are being formed and it looks like "high-resolution audio" is the way we're going to go.

While high-res audio is really a very broad term that could apply to any kind of high-quality sound, it has become popular to use it to refer specifically to high-quality digital music files. For many, "high-res" means anything better than CD quality, but there are some measurements and formats we get into a little bit later that help us identify some of the most common kinds of high-res audio.

Before we dig into where this is all going, it helps to review where we've been.

A history of sound quality

Think for a moment about the evolution of video quality over the past couple decades. First we got the DVD, which was a vast improvement on VHS tapes in terms of picture quality. Then HD came out, and we took another step forward. Then, just when people were starting to get used to Blu-ray discs and 1080p, along came Ultra HD/4K to remind us that we're always evolving (don't even get us started on 8K).

Sound quality has actually trended down, taking a back seat to convenience.

The sound quality of our music hasn't followed such a clear-cut path forward. Rather, sound quality has actually trended down, taking a back seat to convenience. We started out with vinyl LPs, which some argue still sound better than any digital music available (in spite of their potential noise problems). Then we took a bit of a step back in quality when we migrated to 8-track and, eventually, cassette tapes, though with a marked step forward in convenience and portability. Then came the CD, which was monumentally convenient and a very resilient medium, but some argued it lacked the organic, natural sound of analog formats.
Then, in the late 1990s, sound quality took its biggest hit ever as the world fell in love with the convenience of the MP3, a digital music file that took up very little storage space, allowing hundreds – even thousands – of songs to live on a tiny, easy to carry device. Unfortunately, the way an MP3 works requires the removal of a lot of vital sound information. The result is a loss of bass, raspy treble, and less dynamics (swings in volume). Still, a whole generation who never knew any better grew up with this format, embraced it, and helped redefine music distribution. Today, few buy CDs, preferring the convenience of a download instead.  

How do you measure music quality?

Digital music sound quality is commonly expressed by using two values: bit depth and sampling rate. The science behind capturing analog sound and transforming it into a bunch of ones and zeros is pretty complicated stuff, but this watered down explanation covers the basics.

Since numbers are easy to track (higher is usually better, right?) let's first look at the CD. CD-quality is 16-bit/44.1kHz. As you can imagine, high-resolution audio files sport higher numbers, both in the bit-depth field and the sampling rate (kHz) field.

Sampling rate: Here's how we explained sampling rate in our explanation of the Pono player: Sampling rate is the number of times a sample (a sonic picture, if you will) is taken of an audio signal per second. The more times you sample an audio signal, the more detail you end up with. Sampling an audio signal is like shooting a video of a fast-moving object. The higher the frame rate (sampling rate) the more depth and detail you can capture and the smoother the end product is going to be. Say you're shooting a video of a cheetah running across the savannah. At 24 frames per second, you will still be able to tell it's a cheetah, but the details are lost in a blur. At 1000 frames per second, though, you might be able to see all of the cheetah's whiskers, count its spots and notice its tail is slightly kinked toward the end. Again, it's all about heightened detail.

Bit depth: Bit depth refers to the number of bits of information taken in each sample. The biggest affect it has on sound is to the potential dynamic range – that's the difference between how soft and how loud music can potentially sound. Practically speaking, higher bit depth means that there will be a higher bitrate – or, more bits per second – involved in the digital music file. This means bigger files and the need for more storage space to hold music.

Add them together, and you get this: Combined, a higher sampling rate with a higher bit-depth should result in more detail, subtlety, and nuance in music and an expanded frequency range (deeper bass, higher treble). In theory, all this translates into music that sounds more realistic, deep, and rich.

How many different kinds of high-res music files are there?

The list of different quality levels is extensive, and there are different formats to go with all of those differing levels of quality, but it's a good bet the baseline standard for high-res audio will wind up being 24-bit/96kHz. Here's a list of the different formats and quality levels.

Resolution levels: 24-bit/88.2kHz, 24-bit-/96kHz, 24-bit/176.4kHz and 24-bit/192kHz.

Formats: AIFF, ALAC, FLAC, WAV, and DSD.

If all those letters and numbers have you worried about a format war or incompatibility problems, rest easy. The people behind the push to high-res audio haven't shown any interest in going with some kind of proprietary format. In fact, Sony, the king of proprietary formats, has sworn the idea off entirely. Still, it would be nice if we could just adopt a single standard, wouldn't it?

Do I need special equipment to listen to high-res audio?

Yes. First, the device you use to play back high-res music has to have a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that is capable of processing high-res audio files. These days, most computers have DACs that are capable, as are most Blu-ray players. Phones are a little different. The Samsung Galaxy S5 and Note 3 are two examples of phones that do support high-res audio. The iPhone is an example of a phone that will not (this could change with the introduction of the iPhone 6). But, just because the device you use can play back high-res audio files, that doesn't mean that they are going to end up sounding substantially better.

The quality of a DAC, amplifier, and headphones or speakers plays a role in how much better high-res audio can sound. For example, while most computers do have DACs that can process high-res audio files, not all of them do a good job of it; even when they do, the headphone output may be poor, yielding unimpressive results. That's why the Pono player shows promise. It, like other premium portable music players, have really great electronics inside that can make any audio file sound better, but especially high-res audio files.

Sennheiser 558 headphones
The same goes for the headphones or speakers in use.  Earphones that come with an iPhone aren't good enough for low-res audio if you ask us, much less high-res. You really need a decent pair of headphones or in-ear headphones to appreciate the more subtle nuances afforded by high-res music.

None of this means you have to spend a fortune to get into high-res audio. For instance you can purchase a $100 USB DAC that will transform the sound quality you get from your computer, even with modestly-priced headphones, like the Sennheiser 558. But the added expense does beg the question: Do people care enough to want to make the upgrade?

Is high-res audio ahead of its time?

We would argue that the time is finally right for high-res audio to bump the MP3 off its perch and take over as the standard for quality in digital music. In the past, storage space was hard to come by, and expensive. Now, it's cheap and plentiful. Also, high-res digital music maintains all of the conveniences we've grown to expect; it doesn't run the risk of falling victim to the pitfalls of earlier, disc-based high-res audio efforts like the Super Audio CD (SACD) and DVD-Audio, neither of which achieve mainstream success.

With that said, there are some barriers that will need to be overcome.

What stands in the way of high-res audio adoption?

If you were thinking Apple's cooperation is the key to rapid mainstream high-res music adoption, you might be right. If iTunes were to start supporting high-res music downloads, and iOS devices were able to play back those files, there's a good chance high-res audio would take off in a hurry. But, if Apple doesn't jump on board right away, that's not necessarily a death sentence, either. The world is moving toward streaming music anyway, and Apple is lagging behind in that market. It could be that if Apple refuses to join the high-res audio club, it could find itself in the rear view mirror of the rest of the industry.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 and Note 3 both support high-res audio.

Speaking of streaming: Bandwidth is another barrier to consider. High-res audio takes up more space, which means bigger downloads and higher streaming bitrates. That means consumers' data caps could be tested very quickly. Until data caps increase, high-res audio could be a prohibitive proposition. To illustrate: The first song off Steely Dan's album Gaucho in 320 kbps MP3 format takes up roughly 5.3MB of space. The 24-bit/96kHz FLAC version of the same song, "Babylon Sisters," takes up 124MB.
But does high-res audio really sound better?

Answering this question requires a clarification question: Better than what? If we're talking about the difference between a low bitrate MP3 and a high-resolution audio file, the difference to most listeners is pretty pronounced (though a little less obvious with high bitrate MP3 … say, 320kbps or higher). However, whether or not a 24-bit/88.2kHz FLAC file sounds any better to the average listener than a lossless rip of a CD is a subject of hot debate.

But that debate doesn't matter for most listeners, because most folks would be transitioning from lossy MP3 and iTunes files, to files that sound at least as good as a CD, if not better. Instead, folks should be talking about whether the iPod generation has equipment that's good enough to expose the difference in quality.
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Comcast strikes a deal to bring a bundle of MGM content to Xfinity on demand

The historical drama television series Vikings is among the films and TV shows to be added to the Xfinity On Demand digital store.

Comcast – the Philadelphia-based communications colossus – revealed today via its corporate blog that it has sealed a new content deal with MGM, bringing a slew of the media company's classic films and television shows to its Xfinity On Demand digital store.

The agreement is the latest in Comcast's running streak of deals, announcements, and PR moves (the company recently reached a similar arrangement with Warner Bros for access to big flicks like Gravity, Argo, The Great Gatsby and many more) that all inevitably fall within the larger shadow of the company's looming potential merger with Time Warner Cable. With today's news, MGM adds another cache of content to be distributed in the increasingly expanding video-on-demand (VOD) marketplace.

Xfinity's On Demand digital store will celebrate the new content bundle's addition on May 20 by premiering the 2014 RoboCop remake in "Digital HD," according to the blog post. It's currently unclear whether Comcast will add the rest of the MGM content immediately after the RoboCop event or roll it out over time. Along with the marquee new title, Comcast revealed a host of both recent and classic films that will also be available thanks to the deal:

Carrie (2013)
Bull Durham
Fargo
The Graduate
Hoosiers
Hot Tub Time Machine
Legally Blonde
The Princess Bride
Rocky (franchise)
Skyfall
The Silence of the Lambs
The Usual Suspects
Thelma & Louise
West Side Story
When Harry Met Sally
Vikings

The move follows, most recently, Comcast's record-breaking Watchathon Week, which inspired 50 million hours of collective VOD binging, proving that, even in the face of competition from a host of streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, VOD is still going strong.
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Sony’s Music Unlimited offers pre-released tunes from Michael Jackson’s “Xscape” album

In anticipation of Epic Records' May 13 release of Xscape - a posthumous compilation of previously unreleased Michael Jackson songs – Sony announced today via blog post that its music-streaming service Music Unlimited will stream one new song from the album each day from May 5 to May 9, giving subscribers a chance to preview five of the songs before the album's official release. Sony will also be revealing exclusive artwork along the way. Today's announcement also included details on new functionality updates to the PlayStation 4 Music Unlimited app.

Sony's Music Unlimited service comes in two subscription packages: the $5/month "Access" and the $10/month "Premium."

The Access plan gets you, well, access to the services library of over 18 million songs, but you'll only be able to use the service on PlayStation 3 and 4 consoles and Internet-connected PCs and Macs… no mobile. Double up for Premium and you get a plethora of other device options: PlayStation Vita, Xperia phones, Sony tablets, Android phones and tablets, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Bravia TVs and Sony Blu-ray players, among other Sony home theater and audio devices. And, perhaps most importantly, Premium offers an offline mode for listening to music (on selected devices) without an Internet connection. Sony also offers a free trial for those  who haven't been swayed to drop the dollars but may still be interested in giving it a try.

The new app udates announced for the PS4 Music Unlimited app  include a new "PS Share button" – gamers can now share the music they're listening to via the service across Facebook and Twitter by simply pressing the new button. Secondly, Sony introduces integrated curated playlists: the music-streaming service has an in-house team of music experts and guest artists/celebrities who handpick tunes across genres to bring users the latest music in the form of unique playlists. And last but not least, Sony has allegedly made the PS4 version of the service "faster than ever" through a few "backend updates."

Whether you need another music service or not, big MJ fans who want to be the first ears on the unreleased tunes may find it worth signing up for a month. At least, that's what Sony is hoping.
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