Cars That Rocked Movie Sets In Hollywood in 2014

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Tuesday, March 03, 2015

I've been getting mails lately from this Car sales site called Carmudi. I guess what must have attracted them to The Kush Chronicles is the post I wrote some time back about the different nicknames Nigerians give cars in Naija. I've received mails of articles to feature on the blog but I've been ruminating over whether to post it or not.

But didn't I say I'm welcoming the contributors?

And don't I love stuff about cars?

Abeg...lemme post this one jor! I should have posted this way earlier but hey, its still kinda fresh enough.

Read on ....

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2014 was a fantastic year for movie producers and lovers. It was a year for speed, drama, romance, action, suspense, folk tales, super heroes and villains. Hollywood in 2014 had top actors and actresses on screen as well as designers clothes, exotic locations and very hot cars on display. Carmudi, Nigeria’s number 1 car site decided to put together a list of top action movies in 2014 and their really hot cars. 

Need For Speed

The story line of this movie centers on a street racer, fresh from prison, who was framed by a wealthy business associate and joins a cross country race with revenge in mind. There were a lot of fast cars on parade. Lamborghini Sesto Elemento which is a concept car designed for racing added not only class but super speed to this movie. For as low as 2.2 million US Dollars, this fast car could be yours.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Most Captain America movies feature space ships, aircrafts and definitely cars. The producers of  captain America 2014 decided to put on display and in action a car fit for such a super solider; The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. This car costs 55,000 US dollars in the american market. This car is hot, mean and very fast.

The Interview

James Franco and Seth Rogen were at their best in this movie. For an action movie, this was a really entertaining watch. Paraded in this movie was the Porsche Panamera which costs about 78,000 US dollars. We believe there is no better combination of slick and fast.

John wick

If you are trying to track down a group of gangsters who took everything away from you then a 1969 Ford Mustang is a car you would definitely like to drive on your mission. In the movie John Wick, Keanu Reeves displayed action, style and his love for fast cars as the battles the villains. Been a classic fast machine, the 1969 Ford Mustang costs a whooping 47,000 US Dollars.

Need a fast hot car? Take advantage of the cars listed in Carmudi.com.ng and find that car of your dream.

About Carmudi

Carmudi was founded in 2013 and is currently available in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Congo, Ghana, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, and Zambia. The vehicle marketplace offers buyers, sellers and car dealers the ideal platform to find cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles online.

What You Never Knew About Your Mobile Phone - Sage Harman

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Its amazing how one can own an indispensable gadget such as a mobile phone and not know half of what it can really do. My guest writer; Sage Harman, gives us the lowdown on the much more you can do with your phones. I went through his list and I was like 'Darn! For reals?' How much are you familiar with the intelligence of your mobile phone? Let's hear what Sage Harman has to say.... 

Mobile phones have come a long way over the years - from big, bulky monstrosities to ultrachic and sleek smartphones we carry these days, offering quite the same functions as computers. They have become a crucial part of our everyday life too, capable of making calls, sending emails, playing music and games, taking videos and photos and surfing the Web. But did you know that most smartphones can do so much more? Yes, here's a few other practical features and apps you may not know about.

Measuring Tool - you can use your smartphone for various measurements like distance, height, area and width.

Tracker - you can locate not only people, but even your lost or stolen phone using your smartphone's GPS tracking apps.

Webcam - you can video chat using your smartphone.

Health Monitor - you can become more health conscious by monitoring your diet and exercise using your phone. You can also use it to track your blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

Wireless Router - share your data access with your friends by turning your smartphone into a mobile hotspot.

GPS Unit - with the right apps, your smartphone can be a decent GPS device you can use online and offline.

Courtesy www.englishblog.com

Universal Remote Control - you can program your smartphone to control various home appliances.

eReader - you can turn your smartphone into an excellent reading device by installing eBooks and eBook apps.

Scanner - you can make your phone a barcode or QR code scanner with the help of various apps.

Television - you can live stream your favorite TV shows on your phone.

Digital Cookbook - you can turn your phone into a portable, virtual cookbook by saving recipes and cooking apps.

Digital Wallet - you can store your credit card and banking information on your smartphone so you can shop credit card and cash-free.

Do you know of any other cool uses for your smartphone, don't forget to comment and share! In the market for a new smartphone? Compare plans and get free information at http://www.no-contract-plans.com.

A frugal living enthusiast, wife and mother, Sage Harman runs http://www.no-contract-plans.com, a site dedicated to providing free information to consumers trying to find viable no-contract phone and internet plans.

What to do & Where to go this Easter?

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Friday, April 18, 2014

For many Nigerians, the Easter period marks a time of reflection, rest and celebration with family and friends. In Lagos, there is always a sense of both calm and chaos; although the roads are no longer full of traffic, music and laughter can be heard all across the city. This year is no exception, and Jovago has created a mini-guide to the upcoming Easter weekend to make sure that you and your loved ones make the most of the time together!

To do:

Lagos Easter Water Regatta

For a fun and cultural afternoon, we’d highly recommend a look at the Lagos Water Regatta on Easter Sunday. The Regatta is a cultural festival of indigenous communities and is put together to showcase what the various coastal communities have to offer in terms of water sport and cultural beauty. The event usually has a 50,000 strong turnout on the day, and the beautiful waterfront of Lagos Island seems like the perfect place to kick back for the afternoon.

The Lagos Carnival

The Lagos Carnival is an enormously popular event every year and this year promises to be even bigger and better. Starting on Easter Monday at 10am, you can either walk with the bands from Awolowo Road, Ikoyi to Tafawa Balewa Square or go directly to the square. Let yourself be dazzled by the colourful costumes and music, and bust out your best dance moves with the rest of the crowd. It’s guaranteed to have a great party atmosphere that’s perfect to share with friends.

To eat:

Senses Restaurant - Cascade Resort

For those in search of a slice of luxury this Easter weekend, look no further than Senses Restaurant within the Cascade Resort in Lagos. Star chef Luís Batalha works meticulously with his first-class team to deliver impeccable dishes that are a feast for the eyes and the stomach! This spectacular restaurant would make the perfect family meal this Easter, but make your reservations as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Ocean Basket Seafood Restaurant

If you are looking for something a little different, then Ocean Basket is a great destination on Victoria Island for a taste of the sea with friends and family. The menu offers a large range of platters to share or individual dishes, and is highly praised for the freshness of their ingredients. Upstairs is usually a little bit quieter, so it’s the ideal location for an easy-going weekend lunch.

To stay:

Best Western The Island

The Best Western The Island Hotel is a beautiful oceanfront hotel located in Victoria Island, Lagos and ideal for both business and leisure travellers. The Hotel would be the perfect place to spend your Easter break with your family as it features suites, ocean view rooms, free parking, high speed internet and airport shuttle services.

Morning Side Suites

Morning Side Suites is a charming boutique hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos. With a nice restaurant, swimming pool, bar, a lounge and a fitness room, this hotel would be the perfect home away from home this Easter. 

These hotels and many more are available to book online at Jovago.com.ng - we wish you all a happy and peaceful Easter break.

About Jovago

Jovago.com is an online hotel booking service headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, and was founded by Africa Internet Holding in 2013. By listing travel destinations and providing hotel information online, Jovago facilitates the booking process for its users. Africa’s No.1 Booking Portal provides its customers with the best hotel booking experience and with fast, reliable and easy-to-use services. Jovago is run by a team of 50 and has the best curated hotels in Africa and around the world.

Naija Stories Publishing Debuts Series Beautifully on Paperback ...

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Finally, Naija Stories, (the online writer's forum where yours truly thrives) is launching out as NS publishing with paperback, audiobooks, ebooks and Apps. The first set of books are out which contain stories gathered from the website. The ventured was embarked on to bring back the reading culture that we had during the Pacesetters' series era. Check out the full info from the site:

Naija Stories is an imprint of NS Publishing Ltd, a new publishing and marketing company dedicated to developing and distributing Nigerian written content through eBooks, paperbacks, audio, websites, mobile apps and other channels. NS Publishing believes that by nurturing writers and readers, it will help develop engaged, empowered and educated Nigerians, as well as contribute to the economy through their business. 

Many people say Nigerians don’t read, but NS publishing begs to disagree based on the evidence of flagship website, naijastories.com, and the rate at which foreign fiction and non-fiction books are sold in the markets. What may be underrepresented is the production, distribution, and sales of quality Nigerian leisure books outside of what is demanded for educational purposes through school curriculums.

 

To change this aspect of Nigerian reading culture, NS Publishing has developed our special branded Naija Stories genre series, which feature romance, horror, mystery and crime, all in easily accessible language that will draw in readers who want to read for enjoyment. With relatable stories, the short length of the books and their recognizable characters will keep readers coming back for more.

 

Using home-grown authors – 100% of NS authors are Nigerian and 80% live in Nigeria – means that writing will become a profitable career for young talented Nigerians in this sector. NS Publishing intends to replicate, in the leisure books publishing sector, what Nollywood and Afropop has done in making Nigerian movies and music globally popular.

 

After being comatose for decades since the demise of the Pacesetter series, NS Publishing is kickstarting a publishing industry that will not just throw up literary stars every five years, but one that’ll support writers, graphic artists/designers/illustrators, cover models, and will produce works that can be translated to the stage or adapted to movies, or given life by voice-over talents in audio books. They see a billion naira industry in the future, and are heading there.

NS Publishing will produce great stories and books, and other literary content targeted at a broad base of emerging and established readers, and across different age groups and mid/low income communities. Their paperbacks will be pocket size and pocket friendly, and they promise never to sell a book more than N500.

 

The success of naijastories.com website has informed this current project, to bring selected Naija Stories to paperbacks, selling and marketing books – pocket-size popular fiction books – directly to Nigerians where they can be found. Some of these places include intra-state or inter-state bus stations, higher institutions, fast food locations, and more.

 

Look out for the Naija Stories books whereever you are, online and offline, and if you would like to order please contact info@naijastories.com. Check out www.ns-publishing.com for more details.

Those published paperbacks...boy, do they have beautiful cover designs. None of these ones has any of my works in them (since they contain many of the early works on the website) but I'm sure subsequent ones will.

Lovely aren't they? Makes any budding writer want to get published by all means.

Many of the writers of the short stories are online friends with cool works. Some stopped writing (maybe because some responsibilities ate up their time...but their good job is documented for all to read.

Thumbs up for Naija Stories!

Make a Poor Kid Smile with Jumia this Children's Day

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Monday, May 20, 2013

As the world gets ready to mark yet another Children’s Day, Nigeria's number 1 online retailer, Jumia.com has introduced a charity give-back initiative using its social media platform. In celebrating this year’s children’s day, the guys at Jumia in addition to other onsite initiatives will be giving back to the less privileged children in the society using their Facebook and Twitter pages. 

This is an initiative that will require the support of friends and customers on social media, how? It starts with a like or follow on Facebook and Twitter respectively.

According to Opeyemi Adetomiwa, Community Manager at Jumia.com, "We are very grateful to our friends who have supported the cause so far; as we speak we have already raised N5, 877 in the first day. ”

All it takes to be part of this initiative is for one to click the 'like' and 'share' button on Jumia's Facebook page and click 'follow' on their Twitter page. For each time you click, you help raise the charity by one Naira (N1).

So let's put a smile on the face of every needy child's face this Children's Day; ‘like’, ‘follow’ and ‘share’ with your own friends, it’s that simple.

Click here to start ‘liking’ and sharing, and click here to 'follow' you could be the reason for that kid's smile.

Now open to guests!

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Monday, April 22, 2013

I couldn't put this up by the side panels so I decided to make it a post entry.  

If you've got something good to write or art about, mail me let me put it up.

All is subject to screening before I put it up. 

Cheers!

Jumia co-founders featured in Forbes Africa

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Wednesday, April 17, 2013

On the trail of successes they have achieved as one of the pioneers of online retail in Nigeria, co-founders of Jumia , Raphael Afaedor and Tunde Kehinde have been featured in April’s edition of Forbes Africa magazine. In this awe-inspiring piece the duo talk to Abisola Owolawi about finding their dream, rising against the odds, their challenges and their rise to building Nigeria’s number 1 online retailer.
In another exciting sequence, the website has grown to be the 5^th local content website in Nigeria and the customer’s number 1 online retailer of choice.

The 10 month retail store has seen exponential growth in size of baskets and traffic to its site. Inadvertently leading to growth in all areas of its operations from staff, fleet, warehousing facilities, to more recently the addition of 3 locations in Warri, Kaduna and Benin; an addition to those existing in Lagos, Abuja and Port-Harcourt.

“As Nigeria’s no.1 online retailer, Jumia will continue to pioneer the Nigerian retail market, with a vision to being the answer to retail both offline and online in sub-Saharan Africa. As a place for direct retail shopping online with limitless reach and audience, we have seen orders come in large numbers from every nook and cranny of Nigeria, and in our commitment to our customers and making good on our promises of on time for delivery, we are gradually expanding and gaining foothold in more cities across Nigeria”, explained co-founders Tunde Kehinde and Raphael Afaedor.

To view full article, click here.

To get a copy, click here for April’s edition of Forbes Africa magazine.

I just checked out the Jumia site recently and I have to say it was worth it. I initially thought it was a site for just purchasing stuff but I also found out that its a site that's selling stuff at favorably discounted prices and you also get it shipped free to your doorstep!

These days people are getting internet savvy and so very busy, the time to go buy some stuff or even go looking for it may just not be there. Jumia offers services to take off the burden off your shoulders. And do they have a lot on the site - I've been looking for some books to buy and just as I happened to surf by Jumia, I saw the book offerings for sale at well discounted prices. Not only will you find books by Nigerian authors, but ones by foreign authors as well.

One thing I can basically say about Jumia is that you'll definitely always come across stuff you need on there. Its a fast growing online shopping site that's offering lots more each passing day; holidays are never left out with discount and special offers. This is definitely becoming an e-retail force to reckon with.

So sit at your laptop or with your ipad and do some window shopping, you'll be amazed at how many of your needs you'll find on Jumia.

And kudos to Raphael and Tunde...you guys are making us Nigerians proud!

The Mystery of Wristwatch Ads

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Every time you go through a men’s fashion magazine, you probably don’t notice it but its there all the time. Even if you googled it you’d  get a pageload of it in its variety. And it’s not recently that it’s been there, it actually has been there dating years back. Many have questioned it and given all sorts of theories. Even with explanations that have been given, people still come up with weird presumptions.

All over google, the dial is placed the same way.

It’s the mysterious reason as to why the dial on almost every advertised wristwatch reads 10 past 10.

As an advertising person, my curiosity was lit when I discovered this phenomenon. Two things came to me as a result: either there was a conspiracy surrounding it or it was a marketing gimmick by the companies advertising the watches.Surprisingly also, it applied to wall clocks as well.

So I went a-searching on what it was all about. There were many answers given all over the internet:

• Some believe that it was the time Abraham Lincoln was shot dead; that his wristwatch had stopped at that time and as a tribute to him every advertised watch is set to 10 past 10. Hmmm…were they already wearing wristwatches in Lincoln’s days? Maybe it was a pocket watch or his wall clock…

• Some believe that it’s a subliminal message that stem from the freemasonry symbolism; that the ‘V’ positioning of the dial is sexually related  - representative of the female vulva of ancient symbolism. Wow…this sounds believeable. 

• Some believe it’s the time the Hiroshima /Nagasaki atomic bombs went off; it is said that all the clocks stopped at that time when one of those bombs went off. Sounds like part of a nice movie plot. 

• Some believe it’s just a victory symbol.

• Some believe that when the first watch was made, it read 10 past 10 and ever since then it’s been advertised that way.

Eventually I got information that explained everything. And the explanation turns out to be a simple matter of aesthetics.

Most Watchmakers believe that 10 past 10 is the most aesthetically pleasing time to display. It is also said that the position reminds people of a smiling face

According to a New York Times article published back in 2008, the wristwatch brand names are generally centered on the upper half of a watch, the hands are positioned at 10 and 2 to “frame the brand and logo,”  

With the little experience I have in photography and my knowledge of advertising, it was easy to put two and two together and fully understand the import of this. Product photography has to be done carefully; there are details you need to check out and this is definitely an example.

The placing of the dial at 10 past 10 dates as far back as 1926, the Hamilton Watch Company being one of the first to do so.

The dial on this Oris wristwatch is placed differently
due to the positioning of its logos.

In the cases where some watches don’t have their dial placed at 10 past 10, it’s simply because of additional functions or secondary dials on the face of the wristwatch which will be obscured by the 10 past 10 position.

It’s also noted that you can still place the dial at 8:20 and still have your logo or info in view but the placement of the dial would look like that of a sad face.

JobClickr - Revolutionizing Job Search in Africa

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Monday, November 26, 2012

I've come across many sites that assist Nigerians in seeking for jobs (in fact I used to have one linked on my site before the site developed template problems and I lost the link in the process of revamping it). And while so many job search sites are springing up, one young man has decided to add a different twist or feel to it; one that will revolutionize the way we search for jobs online.

The site in question is www.jobclickr.com a job search engine designed in the likes of google. Its simply a search engine that allows you to search for jobs in Africa as if you were  just googling it. Even the template of the site bears that clean spacey look most search engines are known to have. It features input for data such as the Job description, the country, your CV/Resume (for employers to find you).

The site is designed to index all job sites in Africa and deliver the results in a uniquely arranged format to any job seeker based on their search. It basically searches out every African job site,  corporate website, blog or social network on the internet for jobs, gets these feeds and provides it to any job seeker based on their search criteria. Whether you are a Nigerian in South Africa, that seeks to work in Ethiopia or Ghana, www.jobclickr.com is the site for you.

This gives you better advantage in your job search. Instead of painstakingly going through the trouble of searching out job sites out of many ambiguous searches online, www.jobclickr.com just simply filters out the sites with Job vacancies.

Now this is definitely notches higher than just logging onto one particular job site to search out the job you’re looking for because this site lists out all sites that are offering just across the internet in Africa.

Jobclickr is owned and operated  by Mr. Neme Muoka, a young Nigeria based in the USA, New York to be precise.  Muoka over time has garnered a lot of experience working for a number of software companies including American Software Resources (An IT recruitment firm based in New York) and Google.  He is a physics graduate from Federal university of Technology Owerri (FUTO) and launched his first business from the age of 16.

How to use Jobclickr

1.     Log on to the site, www.jobclickr.com

2.     Select the country you wish to find jobs in, enter the job description you seek and it will bring jobs in that field to you. If you want to search by city, click the city tab and select the city you desire.

3.     Jobclickr will search over 5,000 job boards, blogs and newspapers (including this blog) and will deliver the results to you immediately.

Mr. Muoka can be reached at cmouka@jobclickr.com 

Happy Searching!

World's Largest Painting - Nigeria Breaks Record Again

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Friday, October 05, 2012

There are many reasons for one to be proud to be a Nigerian.

Making history in the Guinness book of world records is one of them.

On November 17, 2010, Ecole de Dessin in partnership with Lagos State Government, Nigeria, unveiled the world’s largest painting by numbers which measures 3,130.55 m² (33,696 ft² 138.2 in²)

The painting was created by 350 volunteers and represents the map of Nigeria, the logo of 350.org in the middle of the map, the flag of Nigeria (green, white, green) which was painted around the map.

This iconic painting is currently up for exhibition at the Methodist Boys High School Victoria Island Lagos from the 1st of October to the 12th of October 2012. This event is in partnership with the Lagos State Government.

If you're in Lagos, this is an opportunity to view the record breaking painting. This same painting has been featured conspicuously in the 2011, 2012 and the recently the 2013 Guinness World Records Books.

Visit: www.ecolededessin.org  for more info

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