Martin Cid's Blog: Martin Cid Magazine, page 1061

Birthdays Today, May 28: Kylie Minogue, Roman Atwood, Seth Rollins, Colbie Caillat

She is beautiful, a fantastic singer and well, she is Kylie Minogue and she is our Top#1 Famous Birthdays Today, May 28. From Yareah, we wish her and her family all the best in this special day. Congratuolations and happy birtjday, Kylie Minogue!

Famous Birthdays Today, May 28: Kylie Minogue at an amfAR event in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Source: flickr. Author: Renan Katayama

I love to have a bath with beautiful, relaxing music on and have no rush to do anything. It’s a wonderful indulgence, and it helps me to calm down and stop my mind running overtime.

Kylie Minogue

I get sensationalism, I get gossip, I understand that. If I’m at the dentist, I’ll flip through those magazines as well. But it’s especially annoying when it’s something that is too much.

Kylie Minogue

More famous birthdays today, May 28: Roman Atwood, internet sensation born in Millersport in 1983; Seth Rollins, wrestler; and the pop singer Colbie Caillat.

Happy birthday to all of them. Have a very nice day, der friends.

Famous Birthdays Today, May 28 Video: Kylie Minogue – Got To Be Certain [HD]

Clay Building Product Company Collaboration – Darwen Terracotta and Faience Helped by Nori Brick Maker Forterra

Kiln firing is an important stage of terracotta ma

Makers of the world famous ‘Nori’ brick, Forterra, have helped another Lancashire company, Blackburn based restoration specialist Darwen Terracotta and Faience, at a key stage in their development. Having built a new furnace and needing to test fire and calibrate this before producing first pieces of moulded and sculpted terracotta, Forterra kindly supplied unfired bricks, from their Accrington brickworks, to fill the kiln and ensure a successful test firing.

Founded only in November 2015, Darwen Terracotta has quickly grown, employing around 25 local skilled and experienced craftspeople. Most projects undertaken by the company are for special ceramics for the restoration of heritage buildings around the world. Their specialist skills in design, modelling and bespoke creative glazed ceramics are also in demand by architects and interior designers keen to add a different creative dimension to new build projects.

Jon Wilson, a director at Darwen Terracotta explained, “The process for design, modelling, casting, hand finishing and drying the bespoke ceramics that we produce takes several weeks and the building of the kiln was proceeding in parallel with this. We reached the crucial first firing stage and are incredibly grateful to Forterra for their help and generosity with supplying the unfired bricks that allowed us to test fire the kiln to correctly calibrate it so that we can go on to fulfil several large orders.”

Kiln firing is an important stage of the terracotta and faience manufacturing process. Once the clay has been modelled and allowed to dry for three weeks it is placed in the kiln for up to 36 hours, reaching temperatures of around 1180 degrees Celsius. Due to the extreme kiln temperature a durable brick was required for the test firing to withstand such heat. The famous ‘Nori’ brick is renowned for its strength and durability making them the perfect brick for kiln set-up and testing.

The specialist team at Darwen Terracotta and Faience have many years’ experience in the architectural ceramics business and have worked within a previous company on high profile projects such as Grayson Perry’s House for Essex, and the Holborn Museum for Eric Parry. In addition, the team was involved with the largest project for hand-made faience built in the UK for many years, Eagle Place and New Bond Street with Quadrant 3 for the Crown Estate and Dixon Jones Architects.

Since opening their doors in November, Darwen Terracotta have taken orders for prestige projects including restoration work at Harrods, the Windmill Theatre and Russell Hotel in London as well as local projects at Wigan Town Hall and the Tower Buildings in Liverpool. Jon concluded, “The current order book and pipeline of future projects looks good so we will soon be looking to order a further furnace to allow us to sustain our momentum and meet client demands.”

HBO News: HBO confirms fall debuts for Westworld, Divorce, Insecure, High Maintenance

HBO has confirmed fall debuts for the new series WESTWORLD, DIVORCE, INSECURE and HIGH MAINTENANCE.

The one-hour drama series WESTWORLD (ten episodes) is a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged. The cast includes Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Jimmi Simpson, Rodrigo Santoro, Shannon Woodward, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Ben Barnes, Simon Quarterman, Angela Sarafyan, Luke Hemsworth and Clifton Collins, Jr. Inspired by the motion picture “Westworld,” written and directed by Michael Crichton. Production companies, Bad Robot Productions, Jerry Weintraub Productions and Kilter Films in association with Warner Bros. Television. Executive producer/writer/director, Jonathan Nolan; executive producer/writer, Lisa Joy; executive producers, J.J. Abrams, Jerry Weintraub, Bryan Burk.

The half-hour comedy series DIVORCE (ten episodes) stars Sarah Jessica Parker, who also serves as an executive producer, as Frances, a woman who suddenly begins to reassess her life and her marriage, and finds that making a clean break and a fresh start is harder than she thought. The show also stars Thomas Haden Church, Molly Shannon, Talia Balsam, Tracy Letts, Sterling Jerins and Charlie Kilgore. Pilot episode written by Sharon Horgan; directed by Jesse Peretz. Series created by Sharon Horgan; executive produced by Paul Simms, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sharon Horgan, Alison Benson and Aaron Kaplan.

The half-hour comedy series INSECURE (eight episodes), starring Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis and Lisa Joyce, looks at the friendship of two black women and their uncomfortable experiences and racy tribulations. Created and executive produced by Issa Rae, the show is also executive produced by Prentice Penny, Melina Matsoukas, Michael Rotenberg, Dave Becky and Jonathan Berry. Larry Wilmore serves as a consultant.

The half-hour comedy series HIGH MAINTENANCE (six episodes) follows a Brooklyn pot dealer who delivers to clients with neuroses as diverse as the city. The show stars Ben Sinclair as “The Guy,” a friendly pot dealer whose clients include an eccentric group of characters, revealing the dynamics of their lives. From the unexpected and offbeat to the predictable and mundane, the series provides a glimpse into the daily routines of the customers and how they light things up. Created and written by the married duo of Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair, and executive produced by Katja Blichfeld, Russell Gregory and Ben Sinclair.

Birthdays Today, May 27: Lisa Lopes, Christopher Lee, Lily-Rose Depp, Jamie Oliver

She was great, fantastic and we miss her. She was Lisa Lopes and shw is our Top#1 Famous Birthdays Today, May 27. As everybody knows, she was a member of the band TLC. Rest in Peace, Lisa Lopes.

Famous Birthdays Today, May 27: Lisa Lopes. Source: Wikipedia

‘The Impossible Dream’ is, in my opinion, one of the greatest songs ever written. Here is a man, an old man, a very old man full of daring, bravery, courage, determination, romanticism and dreams.

Christopher Lee

What’s really important for me is, as an old man, I’m known by my own generation and the next generation know me, too.

Christopher Lee

More famous birthdays today, May 27: Christopher Lee, English actor born in 1922, died in 2015; Lily-Rose Depp, oldest daughter of Johnny Depp; and Jamie Oliver, chef.

Have a very nice day, dear friends.

Famous Birthdays Today, May 27 Video: TLC – Waterfalls

Sarasota Bay. Ringling International Arts Festival

Sarasota Bay. The 2016 Ringling International Arts Festival (RIAF 2016) will run from Oct. 13-16 and feature an eclectic array of artists from around the globe performing works of classical and contemporary music, dance, circus arts, comedy and drama.

Ringling International Arts Festival

These dynamic productions will be staged throughout The Ringling – at the Historic Asolo Theater, the Circus Museum, the Court of Ca’ d’Zan and the Museum of Art – as well as at the adjoining Florida State University Performing Arts Center.

“2016 marks the eighth season of RIAF. This year’s festival continues to demonstrate The Ringling’s commitment to engaging with the international community and presenting work of the highest caliber in contemporary art across all genres. The performances selected will inspire and captivate our audiences,” said executive director Steven High.

RIAF 2016 will stage 20 performances of seven varied productions, from a retelling of Shakespeare’s Othello through dance set to Motown music to an Australian acrobatics ensemble challenging the boundaries of human physicality. Opening night presents three simultaneous stage performances followed by “Brazilian Nights,” a celebration of the nation’s music and mystique. Taking place in the Museum of Art Courtyard, the event features Dende & Band, hailed around the world for their unique blend of samba, rumba and afrobeat.

“Festival goers will have the opportunity to experience a range of internationally-acclaimed and innovative artists that are bursting with infectious energy,” Dwight Currie, curator of performance said. “These compelling performances brilliantly showcase the artists’ unique perspectives and diverse backgrounds,” Currie added.

Matt Haimovitz: An Israeli cellist who has inspired classical music lovers and countless new listeners through performances in unique venues. He brings a fresh ear to familiar repertoire, champions new music and initiates groundbreaking collaborations. With The Bach Suites: A Moveable Feast, he combines the baroque master’s six Cello Suites with overtures created by leading contemporary composers Philip Glass, Du Yun, Vijay Iyer, Roberto Sierra, David Sanford and Luna Pearl Woolf.

Performances will be held throughout The Ringling:

Oct. 14 – 8 p.m., Court of Ca’ d’ Zan; Oct. 15 – 5 p.m., Huntington Gallery of the Museum of Art; Oct. 16 – 2 p.m., Historic Asolo Theater.

Gravity & Other Myths: This award-winning Australian acrobatics ensemble pushes its limits without reserve, performing non-stop feats of unbelievable acrobatic ability and exhilarating human physicality. Moving away from traditional circus and theater models, the performers are supported by live percussion and presented in such an intimate space that the audience is fully immersed in every moment. A Simple Space visits Sarasota in the midst of an international tour.

Performances will be held at the Circus Museum: Oct. 13 – 7 p.m.; Oct. 14 – 5 p.m.; Oct. 15 – 8 p.m.; Oct. 16 – 2 p.m.

doug elkins choreography, etc.: A performance of two works of contemporary dance including Mo(or)town/Redux in which Elkins transforms Shakespeare’s Othello into dance with a Motown and neo-Motown-inspired score. This work was named one of the top ten dance pieces of 2013 by The New York Times. In his second work, Hapless Bizarre, Doug presents an ensemble of dancers, actors and clowns who come together to explore the sharp intersections between physical comedy, choreography, flirtation and romance.

Performances will be held at the Mertz Theatre: Oct. 13 – 7 p.m.; Oct. 14 – 8 p.m.; Oct. 15 – 2 p.m.

Eighth Blackbird: These musicians combine the finesse of a string quartet, the energy of a rock band and the audacity of a storefront theater company. This Chicago-based sextet has provoked and impressed audiences for 20 years around the world with impeccable precision and a signature style. In February 2016 Eighth Blackbird  won their fourth Grammy and received a MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. The group will perform Hand Eye, a program of new and diverse music from living composers.

Performances will be held at the Historic Asolo Theater: Oct. 13 – 7 p.m.; Oct. 14 – 5 p.m.; Oct. 15 – 2 p.m.

Thaddeus Phillips: A presentation from award-winning director and actor Thaddeus Philips’ 17 Border Crossings. Collected over 15 years of international travel, this one-man show weaves together real adventures of international border crossings into a dramatic examination of imaginary lines, arbitrary passports and curious customs.

Performances will be held at the Historic Asolo Theater: Oct. 14 – 8 p.m.; Oct. 15 – 5 p.m.

Circo Aereo & Thomas Monckton: A combination of classical clowning and contemporary circus have produced an entertaining work of comedy about the lure of luxury. The Pianist, performed by New Zealand artist Thomas Monckton, is a hilarious and spectacularly catastrophic solo contemporary circus comedy act centered on, in, under, and around a magnificent grand piano.

Performances will be held at the Mertz Theatre: Oct. 14 – 5 p.m.; Oct. 15 – 8 p.m.; Oct. 16 – 5 p.m.

LMnO3: Lohse, Marquis & Oakley: A celebration of the power of female relationships in the boundary-pushing work B.A.N.G.S: made in america. The comedic trio obsesses over the idea behind this mnemonic acronym frequently used by French-language students to know which adjectives go in front of nouns (Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness, and Size.) Utilizing hard rap, body percussion, headlamps, and a game show they set aside their own fear and doubt, beginning to repurpose how we can unapologetically wear our own B.A.N.G.S. LMnO3 recently received standing ovations at the 2016 American Dance Festival, whose sustained record of creative achievement is inseparable from the history of modern dance. This performance contains mature content, language and nudity.

Performances will be held at the Historic Asolo Theater: Oct. 15 – 9 p.m.; Oct. 16 – 5 p.m.

Tickets for performances are $35 or $30 with a ticket package or museum membership. Packages for the opening night performances and celebration are also available. Tickets may be purchased at the Historic Asolo Theater Box Office, John M. McKay Visitors Pavilion, 5401 Bay Shore Road, by calling 941.360.7399 or online at www.ringling.org

Dandyism and Black Masculinity at The Photographers’ Gallery

Exhibitions. Made You Look: Dandyism and Black Masculinity at The Photographers’ Gallery. From 15 July to 25 September 2016.

© Jeffrey Henson-Scales Young Man In Plaid, NYC, 1991, courtesy of the artist

The Photographers’ Gallery presents, a group exhibition exploring the identity of the black dandy as performed in studio and street photographs from London to New York to Bamako.

In the early 21st century, black men are influential trendsetters in fashion, music and culture. This increased prominence however, has not had an impact on the state of high vulnerability still experienced by black men – as illustrated by disproportionate rates of incarceration the UK and USA. Dandyism, with its emphasis on dress and flamboyance, is examined as radical personal politics and a provocative counter to stereotypical representations and physical objectification of black masculinity. This exhibition seeks to consciously problematise ideas of a male identity through dress and deportment that is arresting, tantalising, louche, camp and gloriously assertive.

Social and gender norms are negotiated in the studio space where the roots of the dandy are traced back to 1904 in a rare series of outdoor studio prints from The Larry Dunstan Archive. Thought to be taken in Senegal, the images depict young men asserting a powerful personal presence through stylish dress. In Malick Sidibé’s (1936-2016, Mali) commercial studio, men were encouraged to model in animated poses while playfully engaging with personal props, including motorbikes and boxing gloves.

The studio as a site of bold experimentation and fantastical expression is explored in the works of Samuel Fosso (b. 1962, Cameroon) and Hassan Hajjaj (b. 1961, Morocco). Fosso’s 1970s self-portraits picture the artist in varying guises, assuming imagined black males identities. Hajjaj’s images, produced in collaboration with his subjects, feature men meticulously dressed in vivid African prints and photographed against bright backgrounds of clashing colours. The results are placed in frames handmade from food and drinks packaging, emphasising craftsmanship and the individual styling of each sitter.

A collection of street photographs celebrates the ordinary elegance of the dandy and his ability to transform everyday attire into ostentatious style statements. In his series the Black House (1973 – 1976), Colin Jones (b. 1936, U.K) captured the careful and discreetly extravagant styling of young men living in an Islington Housing Project. Liz Johnson Artur (b. 1964, Sofia) presents her work from the last thirty years of photographing on the streets of London, Detroit and Kingston, Jamaica, while Jeffrey Henson Scales (b. 1954, USA) covers a similar period in New York.

Complex notions of gender and sexuality are visited in Isaac Julien (b. 1960, UK) and Sunil Gupta’s (b. 1953, India) still shots from the set of Julian’s pivotal movie Looking for Langston (1989). Blending archival and scripted scenes, the film portrays black gay desire during the liberal explosion of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s. Gender is further explored in the context of contemporary South Africa with work by Kristin-Lee Moolman’s (b.1986, South Africa). Tapping into youth and township culture her images feature androgynous characters that reject labels and oppose stereotypes.

The exhibition is curated by writer and broadcaster Ekow Eshun.

http://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/

Fintek Surface Finishing Yields Big Gains for Aerospace: Farnborough Stand 4/H40

Latest Otec finishing machines at Fintek

At the Farnborough International Airshow, on stand 4/H40,Fintek will show how even minor improvements in surface finishing can yield significant gains in part performance for aerospace component manufacture.

Jonathan Dean, Fintek managing director explains, “reducing component cost is rarely the main aim of aerospace manufacturers. There is a constant drive to improve surface finish. Every incremental advance helps the manufacturer deliver a better part with greater performance and that contributes to the aviation industry’s need for larger, stronger and lighter components that reduce overall aircraft weight, noise and fuel use while lengthening servicing intervals.”

Fintek are certified to AS9100 and can advise on super fine surface finishing for most complex engineered aerospace components. They provide a complete sub-contract service from free trial processing to full scaled-up mass finishing. One-off components are also catered for. Sometimes more than one surface finish can be achieved in a single process – for example deburring and edge radiusing, fine grinding and polishing or other combinations.

A good example of this is what happened when one leading second tier aerospace component manufacturer hit a serious month end bottle neck. A hand-deburring process for connectors, with notoriously difficult external threads, was causing the backlog. Despite a dedicated team whose sole task was to hand deburr, product completion was being delayed.

The manufacturer sent two parts to Fintek for a test. First Fintek designed and made the tooling necessary to hold the parts and then used one of their Otec pulse head centrifugal deburring machines. After a little time experimenting with various media and cycle times, the company was able to precisely deburr each part in five minutes per part to the required standard of finish.

Not only was this process a vast reduction in the time spent in costly hand deburring, it achieved additional surface finishing in the same process that was repeatable with a consistency impossible to produce by hand. A bonus benefit from the automated process was a degree of edge radiusing that improved the strength of otherwise brittle and easy to damage edges.

Convinced that this was the way to go, the aerospace manufacturer rushed the backlog of components to Fintek who cleared it in just three days. Fintek continue to process up to 300 components a month for the company.

A team of Fintek experts will be on stand 4/H40 at Farnborough, ready to discuss and advise on surface finishing improvements for manufactured aerospace parts and cutting tools.

Birthdays Today, May 26: Helena Bonham Carter, Lauryn Hill, Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Nicks

Hello everyone. Our Top#1 Famous Birthdays today, Mzy 26 is foir a great actress, Helena Bonham Carter. She was born in London in 1966 and, from Yareah, we wish her and her family all the best in this special day. Congrats and happy birthday, Helena Bonham Carter!

Famous Birthdays Today, May 26: Actress Helena Bonham Carter at 26th Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2011. Source: flickr. Author: sbclick

People have lots of misconceptions about me. My mum, who is half French and half Spanish, gets outraged when I’m called quintessentially English. I owe my looks to my mum-which was 90 percent of getting my first job. And, some people would argue, 90 percent of my entire career.

Helena Bonham Carter

I liked pretending to be other people: I could reinvent myself, reinvent my own reality.

Helena Bonham Carter

More famous birthdays today, May 26: the amazing singer Lauryn Hill; Lenny Kravitz; and Stevie Nicks, member of the band leetwood Mac.

Happy birthday to all of them. Have a very nice day, dear friends.

Famous Birthdays Today, May 26 Video: Helena Bonham Carter interview with Jay Leno

HBO Latino’s Sr. Ávila returns for third season July 24

HBO LATINO’S “SR. ÁVILA” RETURNS FOR A THIRD SEASON WITH A SIMULTANEOUS PREMIERE ON HBO NOW AND HBO LATIN AMERICA ON JULY 24!  

New York, NY – May 25, 2016 – HBO Latino announced the premiere date for the third season of the acclaimed series, Sr. Ávila, on Sunday, July 24 at 9 PM, with a real-time digital premiere on HBO NOW, HBO GO and HBO On Demand. The series will be aired on Mondays at 10 PM ET on HBO Latino. The hit dramatic series, starring Tony Dalton, tells the story of the hit man Ávila and the double life he leads to deal with his personal demons. Every season of Sr. Ávila is available on all HBO digital platforms.

Season 3 consists of 10 episodes of one hour each and will return with Ávila’s career on the rise as he takes on a new role as Lord of Lords, after getting rid of his predecessor—the priest who was his guide and confidant for years. When Dr. Duarte, father of the previously murdered Detective Duarte, reaches out to Ávila demanding to collaborate with him in the hopes of finding answers regarding the death of his daughter, a series of events will reveal a new plot of crime and corruption that involves undercover members of the government and the police. Soon, Sr. Ávila will realize that keeping his new job is going to be more challenging than the road that brought him there.

Those close to Ávila will also have to deal with new characters this season. Iván, both his advisor and right-hand man, will now have to compete over Ávila’s attention with Linares, former advisor to the Lord of Lords who now must serve Ávila. Ana, still an employee at the funeral home and accomplice to the business with Iván and Ávila, will confront her mom, Arcelia, and the secrets they keep regarding their past. As for Detective Sánchez, still recovering from the murder of his colleague, he is due to return to work with a new partner, the Vulture, with whom he shares more than likes and dislikes.

Filmed entirely in various locations in Mexico City, Sr. Ávila was created under the executive production of Luis F. Peraza, Roberto Ríos and Paul Drago on behalf of HBO Latin America Originals, along with Fernando Rovzar, Billy Rovzar and Alexis Fridman from the production company Lemon Films. Directed by Fernando Rovzar, alongside J.M. Cravioto, the script was written by Walter and Marcelo Slavich, who also co-wrote the HBO Latin America hit original series Epitafios.

Nordens of Essex voted Accountancy Firm of the Year

Nordens winning awarrd

Nordens Accountants and Strategic Business Advisers are thrilled to announce their success at the ICAEW Essex Accountancy and Business Awards 2016!

The firm, based in Woodford on the East London/Essex border, were voted Accountancy Firm of the Year. This was the most prestigious industry award given at the glamorous venue of Stock Brook Manor in Essex. They also received a high commendation for their staff training scheme, which has seen three members of the team rise from junior positions to Partners in a few short years.

The judges liked the way the firm’s strategic business planning strategies enable clients to move their businesses forward in a more effective, profitable way while maintaining a good work/life balance. They were also impressed with their initiatives, such as helping overseas clients to bring their businesses to the UK through the Nordens Global division. They loved the complimentary things clients say in testimonials, and the way they ensure every member of our team has the opportunity to progress to the next level with full support and training.

Mitch Hahn, Partner, said, “I am so proud of everyone here at Nordens, what an achievement. We’ve come such a long way in a short space of time and it’s nice to have the recognition for it. We will continue to develop our services, including our global department, and invest in our staff so we can give our clients the best and unique service that they deserve.”

With a shelf that’s now straining with the weight of trophies, the team are talking about buying a new display cabinet for their awards (You can see a selection of our awards here; the new ones aren’t included on the website yet.)

To find out more about how Nordens helps businesses to thrive in a tough economy, or for a no-obligation chat to move your business forward ensuring you can earn more, pay less and work to live rather than live to work, call Mitch Hahn on 020 8530 0720.