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Thoughts of the first trip to Grand Central “Madison” Feb 3, 2023
This was an event I had been looking forward to for quite some time, only to be delayed by the now famous ventilation problem at the new station. I finally had the opportunity to go this past Friday, and of course it was to be an extremely cold and windy day (temperatures dropping into the single numbers later in the day). But I’d be inside, so what the heck!
I purchased my tickets at the Mineola TVM, and noticed that instead of three machines there were now two. And as my tickets came out, along with two $1.00 coins, they were printed as going to “Grand Central” without the Madison. Arrived on track 1 at Jamaica and the “shuttle” train to Grand Central was waiting on track 5. A train of 8 M7’s, and it was to be an express train. Ridership was very light, only 4-5 passengers on the car I was on. All verbal announcements were to “Grand Central”.
Trip through the East River tunnel was very quick and smooth, and as we arrived near GCM we were held for an outbound train for about 1”.
We arrived on track 304 on the lower level of the new Grand Central (Madison) terminal, and all I can say is “Magnificent!” To summarize several hours of wandering around the facility, and purposely trying to get lost, it is a trip well worth the effort! As I stated before, ridership was very light, and now is a great time to visit, as the facility is very empty and you can roam around at leisure, and do whatever photographic work you want without people in the way. It is also perhaps the safest place to be in New York City, as there are uniformed MTA police in abundance, in fact you will never be out of sight of one. Also there are numerous MTA/LIRR employees and “Ambassadors” around to ask for assistance.
Architecturally the facility is both simple and modern, yet is highly functional, and contains some very colorful and pleasant art work. Even though you are way below ground (some 150’ from street level) there is no feeling of claustrophobia as the areas are spacious and well lite throughout. Also there are excellent views of arriving and departing trains at the train rooms. Along the upper corridors are many empty vendor locations, which in my opinion will most likely remain empty for quite some time to come, as I simply do not think there will be a demand for anything more than a place to pick up a few cans of beer for the trip home. Also the logistics of bringing product into the station will be difficult at best.
About the only criticism I might have is with the very long escalators from the Madison Ave corridor to the track levels. They are long, very, very, long! And when you look down (which you really don’t want to do), it’s a bit unnerving (182’ long and 90’ in depth, the ride takes almost two minutes). If you have a tendency towards Acrophobia & Vertigo, beware! To make matters worse the rubber hand rail belt moves slightly faster than the stairs (not uncommon) and as you hold on for dear life you will find your upper body being pulled forward and down. You’ll need to release your “death” grasp of the railing and move your hand back several times. Perhaps this will be less of a problem when the escalators are more crowded in the future, as sight distances will be less.
The upper Madison Ave corridor also contains state of the art ticket, & police areas, and there is plenty of signage to direct you into GCT. It can be said that the new facility does not in any way detract from the magnificence of Grand Central as we all knew it. It is separate and apart from the terminal, but certainly does provide a wonderful and weatherproof connection between the LIRR and MNRR. It really makes going to JFK airport simple for the MNRR rider, while providing the rider from Long Island an access to the East Side.
In retrospect it seems as though the “soft start” to the Grand Central service was a wise decision so that operational bugs could be sorted out before regular operations begins. This is an unusual luxury, as this is a service of “addition” rather than a replacement.
The return trip was with a train of 8 M9 cars, and the electronic signage was functional. I changed trains at Jamaica, and had considerable time to explore Jamaica station for the first in a long time.
On Saturday the L train was suspended for a bit because of a rail problem north of Bedford avenue. Subway issues can bring "The City That Never Sleeps" to a screeching halt.
This is my first outing into the world of infrared photography.
The shot is taken with a normal unmodified Canon 5d mark ii and Hoya R72 Infrared filter.
Most DSLR's have a strong IR filter over the sensor that prevents almost all IR light getting to the sensor. It is not normally required and can cause problems during 'normal' shooting. This means that a long exposure is required to get enough IR light through. All cameras have a different strength IR filter but I worked out that with my 5d/Hoya R72 combo it was creating roughly 14 1/3 stop reduction.
This resulted in a 2 minute exposure in bright, midday, sunny conditions at f/11.
Trikomo is a town in Cyprus. It is under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus and is the administrative center of the Iskele District of Northern Cyprus, which mainly extends into the Karpas Peninsula , while de jure it belongs to the Famagusta District of the Republic of Cyprus . It gained municipality status in 1998. Before 1974 Trikomo was a mixed village with a Greek Cypriot majority.
In 2011 Trikomo had 1948 inhabitants.
Trikomo is located in the north-eastern part of the Messaria plain , 9 km south of the village of Ardana , about two kilometers from the Bay of Famagusta and four kilometers north-west of the village of Sygkrasi .
In Greek Trikomo means "three houses". In 1975 the Turkish Cypriots renamed it Yeni İskele to commemorate the origins of the town's current inhabitants. In Larnaca before 1974 Turkish Cypriots resided in the neighborhood called Skala ("İskele" in Turkish), so that when they settled in the village they renamed it with the same name (lit. "new İskele", later shortened to İskele ). Yeni means "new", so Yeni İskele literally means "New Scale/İskele".
Before the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus , the population of Trikomo consisted almost entirely of Greek Cypriots , most of whom fled during the conflict while the rest were subsequently deported to the south. Among these, worthy of mention is Georgios Grivas (1898-1974), general of the Greek army , leader of the guerrilla organization EOKA, protagonist of the liberation struggle against the English and of the paramilitary organization EOKA B.
The Turkish Cypriot municipality of Larnaca which had been established in 1958 moved to Trikomo in 1974, soon after the Turkish invasion of the island .
In Trikomo is the Church of the Panagia Theotokos , deconsecrated and home to an icon museum displaying rare examples of medieval iconography in Cyprus. The church is divided into two sections, one Orthodox and one Catholic. The first is the oldest, dating back to the Byzantine era , while the second was built in the 12th century, during the period in which the island was ruled by the Lusignans
Before 1974 Trikomo was a mixed village with a Greek Cypriot majority. In the 1831 Ottoman census, Muslims made up approximately 18.4% of the population. However, by 1891 this percentage dropped significantly to 3.4%. In the first half of the 20th century the population of the village increased steadily, from 1,247 inhabitants in 1901 to 2,195 in 1960.
Most of Trikomo's Greek Cypriots were displaced in August 1974, although some remained in the town after the Turkish army took control. In October 1975 there were still 92 Greek Cypriots in the city, but in 1978 they were moved to the south side of the Green Line . Currently, like the rest of the displaced Greek Cypriots, Trikomo Greek Cypriots are scattered across the south of the island, especially in the cities. The number of Greek Cypriots from Trikomo displaced in 1974-78 was approximately 2,330 (2,323 in the 1960 census).
Today the village is inhabited mainly by displaced Turkish Cypriots from the south of the island, especially from the city of Larnaca and its district . In 1976-77, some families from Turkey, especially from the province of Adana , also settled in the village . Since the 2000s, many wealthy Europeans, Turks and Turkish Cypriots from other areas of the north of the island (including returnees from abroad) have purchased properties, built houses and settled in the vicinity of the city. According to the 2006 Turkish Cypriot census, the population of Trikomo/İskele was 3,657.
The city annually hosts the Iskele Festival , which takes place for ten days in summer, and is the oldest annual festival in Cyprus, having first been held in Larnaca in 1968. In 1974, the event was moved to Trikomo together to the Turkish Cypriot inhabitants of Larnaca who had moved there. The program includes an international folk dance festival, concerts by Turkish Cypriot and mainland Turkish musicians, various sports tournaments, stalls offering food and various competitions, along with other performances and competitions highlighting the city's cultural heritage.
The current mayor of the city is Hasan Sadıkoğlu, who was first elected in 2014 as an independent candidate. It was re-elected in 2018 as the candidate of the right-wing National Unity Party (UBP), winning with 54.6% of the vote. In the 2018 local elections, four members of the UBP, two members of the pro-settler Renaissance Party (YDP), and two members of the left-wing Turkish Republican Party (CTP) were elected to the eight-member city council .
Trikomo is twinned with:
Flag of Türkiye Beykoz, Istanbul
Flag of Türkiye Büyükçekmece, Istanbul
Flag of Türkiye Finike, Antalya , since 2015
Flag of Türkiye Mamak, Ankara
Flag of Türkiye Pendik, Istanbul
Flag of Türkiye Samsung , since 2006
Turkish Cypriot sports club Larnaka Gençler Birliği (also called İskele Gençlerbirliği ) was founded in 1934 in Larnaca, and was playing in the Süper Lig of the Northern Cyprus Football Federation in the 2018–19 season
Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a de facto state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. It is recognised only by Turkey, and its territory is considered by all other states to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.
Northern Cyprus extends from the tip of the Karpass Peninsula in the northeast to Morphou Bay, Cape Kormakitis and its westernmost point, the Kokkina exclave in the west. Its southernmost point is the village of Louroujina. A buffer zone under the control of the United Nations stretches between Northern Cyprus and the rest of the island and divides Nicosia, the island's largest city and capital of both sides.
A coup d'état in 1974, performed as part of an attempt to annex the island to Greece, prompted the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. This resulted in the eviction of much of the north's Greek Cypriot population, the flight of Turkish Cypriots from the south, and the partitioning of the island, leading to a unilateral declaration of independence by the north in 1983. Due to its lack of recognition, Northern Cyprus is heavily dependent on Turkey for economic, political and military support.
Attempts to reach a solution to the Cyprus dispute have been unsuccessful. The Turkish Army maintains a large force in Northern Cyprus with the support and approval of the TRNC government, while the Republic of Cyprus, the European Union as a whole, and the international community regard it as an occupation force. This military presence has been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Northern Cyprus is a semi-presidential, democratic republic with a cultural heritage incorporating various influences and an economy that is dominated by the services sector. The economy has seen growth through the 2000s and 2010s, with the GNP per capita more than tripling in the 2000s, but is held back by an international embargo due to the official closure of the ports in Northern Cyprus by the Republic of Cyprus. The official language is Turkish, with a distinct local dialect being spoken. The vast majority of the population consists of Sunni Muslims, while religious attitudes are mostly moderate and secular. Northern Cyprus is an observer state of ECO and OIC under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", PACE under the name "Turkish Cypriot Community", and Organization of Turkic States with its own name.
Several distinct periods of Cypriot intercommunal violence involving the two main ethnic communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, marked mid-20th century Cyprus. These included the Cyprus Emergency of 1955–59 during British rule, the post-independence Cyprus crisis of 1963–64, and the Cyprus crisis of 1967. Hostilities culminated in the 1974 de facto division of the island along the Green Line following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The region has been relatively peaceful since then, but the Cyprus dispute has continued, with various attempts to solve it diplomatically having been generally unsuccessful.
Cyprus, an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean, hosted a population of Greeks and Turks (four-fifths and one-fifth, respectively), who lived under British rule in the late nineteenth-century and the first half of the twentieth-century. Christian Orthodox Church of Cyprus played a prominent political role among the Greek Cypriot community, a privilege that it acquired during the Ottoman Empire with the employment of the millet system, which gave the archbishop an unofficial ethnarch status.
The repeated rejections by the British of Greek Cypriot demands for enosis, union with Greece, led to armed resistance, organised by the National Organization of Cypriot Struggle, or EOKA. EOKA, led by the Greek-Cypriot commander George Grivas, systematically targeted British colonial authorities. One of the effects of EOKA's campaign was to alter the Turkish position from demanding full reincorporation into Turkey to a demand for taksim (partition). EOKA's mission and activities caused a "Cretan syndrome" (see Turkish Resistance Organisation) within the Turkish Cypriot community, as its members feared that they would be forced to leave the island in such a case as had been the case with Cretan Turks. As such, they preferred the continuation of British colonial rule and then taksim, the division of the island. Due to the Turkish Cypriots' support for the British, EOKA's leader, Georgios Grivas, declared them to be enemies. The fact that the Turks were a minority was, according to Nihat Erim, to be addressed by the transfer of thousands of Turks from mainland Turkey so that Greek Cypriots would cease to be the majority. When Erim visited Cyprus as the Turkish representative, he was advised by Field Marshal Sir John Harding, the then Governor of Cyprus, that Turkey should send educated Turks to settle in Cyprus.
Turkey actively promoted the idea that on the island of Cyprus two distinctive communities existed, and sidestepped its former claim that "the people of Cyprus were all Turkish subjects". In doing so, Turkey's aim to have self-determination of two to-be equal communities in effect led to de jure partition of the island.[citation needed] This could be justified to the international community against the will of the majority Greek population of the island. Dr. Fazil Küçük in 1954 had already proposed Cyprus be divided in two at the 35° parallel.
Lindley Dan, from Notre Dame University, spotted the roots of intercommunal violence to different visions among the two communities of Cyprus (enosis for Greek Cypriots, taksim for Turkish Cypriots). Also, Lindlay wrote that "the merging of church, schools/education, and politics in divisive and nationalistic ways" had played a crucial role in creation of havoc in Cyprus' history. Attalides Michael also pointed to the opposing nationalisms as the cause of the Cyprus problem.
By the mid-1950's, the "Cyprus is Turkish" party, movement, and slogan gained force in both Cyprus and Turkey. In a 1954 editorial, Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazil Kuchuk expressed the sentiment that the Turkish youth had grown up with the idea that "as soon as Great Britain leaves the island, it will be taken over by the Turks", and that "Turkey cannot tolerate otherwise". This perspective contributed to the willingness of Turkish Cypriots to align themselves with the British, who started recruiting Turkish Cypriots into the police force that patrolled Cyprus to fight EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that sought to rid the island of British rule.
EOKA targeted colonial authorities, including police, but Georgios Grivas, the leader of EOKA, did not initially wish to open up a new front by fighting Turkish Cypriots and reassured them that EOKA would not harm their people. In 1956, some Turkish Cypriot policemen were killed by EOKA members and this provoked some intercommunal violence in the spring and summer, but these attacks on policemen were not motivated by the fact that they were Turkish Cypriots.
However, in January 1957, Grivas changed his policy as his forces in the mountains became increasingly pressured by the British Crown forces. In order to divert the attention of the Crown forces, EOKA members started to target Turkish Cypriot policemen intentionally in the towns, so that Turkish Cypriots would riot against the Greek Cypriots and the security forces would have to be diverted to the towns to restore order. The killing of a Turkish Cypriot policeman on 19 January, when a power station was bombed, and the injury of three others, provoked three days of intercommunal violence in Nicosia. The two communities targeted each other in reprisals, at least one Greek Cypriot was killed and the British Army was deployed in the streets. Greek Cypriot stores were burned and their neighbourhoods attacked. Following the events, the Greek Cypriot leadership spread the propaganda that the riots had merely been an act of Turkish Cypriot aggression. Such events created chaos and drove the communities apart both in Cyprus and in Turkey.
On 22 October 1957 Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot replaced Sir John Harding as the British Governor of Cyprus. Foot suggested five to seven years of self-government before any final decision. His plan rejected both enosis and taksim. The Turkish Cypriot response to this plan was a series of anti-British demonstrations in Nicosia on 27 and 28 January 1958 rejecting the proposed plan because the plan did not include partition. The British then withdrew the plan.
In 1957, Black Gang, a Turkish Cypriot pro-taksim paramilitary organisation, was formed to patrol a Turkish Cypriot enclave, the Tahtakale district of Nicosia, against activities of EOKA. The organisation later attempted to grow into a national scale, but failed to gain public support.
By 1958, signs of dissatisfaction with the British increased on both sides, with a group of Turkish Cypriots forming Volkan (later renamed to the Turkish Resistance Organisation) paramilitary group to promote partition and the annexation of Cyprus to Turkey as dictated by the Menderes plan. Volkan initially consisted of roughly 100 members, with the stated aim of raising awareness in Turkey of the Cyprus issue and courting military training and support for Turkish Cypriot fighters from the Turkish government.
In June 1958, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, was expected to propose a plan to resolve the Cyprus issue. In light of the new development, the Turks rioted in Nicosia to promote the idea that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could not live together and therefore any plan that did not include partition would not be viable. This violence was soon followed by bombing, Greek Cypriot deaths and looting of Greek Cypriot-owned shops and houses. Greek and Turkish Cypriots started to flee mixed population villages where they were a minority in search of safety. This was effectively the beginning of the segregation of the two communities. On 7 June 1958, a bomb exploded at the entrance of the Turkish Embassy in Cyprus. Following the bombing, Turkish Cypriots looted Greek Cypriot properties. On 26 June 1984, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş, admitted on British channel ITV that the bomb was placed by the Turks themselves in order to create tension. On 9 January 1995, Rauf Denktaş repeated his claim to the famous Turkish newspaper Milliyet in Turkey.
The crisis reached a climax on 12 June 1958, when eight Greeks, out of an armed group of thirty five arrested by soldiers of the Royal Horse Guards on suspicion of preparing an attack on the Turkish quarter of Skylloura, were killed in a suspected attack by Turkish Cypriot locals, near the village of Geunyeli, having been ordered to walk back to their village of Kondemenos.
After the EOKA campaign had begun, the British government successfully began to turn the Cyprus issue from a British colonial problem into a Greek-Turkish issue. British diplomacy exerted backstage influence on the Adnan Menderes government, with the aim of making Turkey active in Cyprus. For the British, the attempt had a twofold objective. The EOKA campaign would be silenced as quickly as possible, and Turkish Cypriots would not side with Greek Cypriots against the British colonial claims over the island, which would thus remain under the British. The Turkish Cypriot leadership visited Menderes to discuss the Cyprus issue. When asked how the Turkish Cypriots should respond to the Greek Cypriot claim of enosis, Menderes replied: "You should go to the British foreign minister and request the status quo be prolonged, Cyprus to remain as a British colony". When the Turkish Cypriots visited the British Foreign Secretary and requested for Cyprus to remain a colony, he replied: "You should not be asking for colonialism at this day and age, you should be asking for Cyprus be returned to Turkey, its former owner".
As Turkish Cypriots began to look to Turkey for protection, Greek Cypriots soon understood that enosis was extremely unlikely. The Greek Cypriot leader, Archbishop Makarios III, now set independence for the island as his objective.
Britain resolved to solve the dispute by creating an independent Cyprus. In 1959, all involved parties signed the Zurich Agreements: Britain, Turkey, Greece, and the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Makarios and Dr. Fazil Kucuk, respectively. The new constitution drew heavily on the ethnic composition of the island. The President would be a Greek Cypriot, and the Vice-President a Turkish Cypriot with an equal veto. The contribution to the public service would be set at a ratio of 70:30, and the Supreme Court would consist of an equal number of judges from both communities as well as an independent judge who was not Greek, Turkish or British. The Zurich Agreements were supplemented by a number of treaties. The Treaty of Guarantee stated that secession or union with any state was forbidden, and that Greece, Turkey and Britain would be given guarantor status to intervene if that was violated. The Treaty of Alliance allowed for two small Greek and Turkish military contingents to be stationed on the island, and the Treaty of Establishment gave Britain sovereignty over two bases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
On 15 August 1960, the Colony of Cyprus became fully independent as the Republic of Cyprus. The new republic remained within the Commonwealth of Nations.
The new constitution brought dissatisfaction to Greek Cypriots, who felt it to be highly unjust for them for historical, demographic and contributional reasons. Although 80% of the island's population were Greek Cypriots and these indigenous people had lived on the island for thousands of years and paid 94% of taxes, the new constitution was giving the 17% of the population that was Turkish Cypriots, who paid 6% of taxes, around 30% of government jobs and 40% of national security jobs.
Within three years tensions between the two communities in administrative affairs began to show. In particular disputes over separate municipalities and taxation created a deadlock in government. A constitutional court ruled in 1963 Makarios had failed to uphold article 173 of the constitution which called for the establishment of separate municipalities for Turkish Cypriots. Makarios subsequently declared his intention to ignore the judgement, resulting in the West German judge resigning from his position. Makarios proposed thirteen amendments to the constitution, which would have had the effect of resolving most of the issues in the Greek Cypriot favour. Under the proposals, the President and Vice-President would lose their veto, the separate municipalities as sought after by the Turkish Cypriots would be abandoned, the need for separate majorities by both communities in passing legislation would be discarded and the civil service contribution would be set at actual population ratios (82:18) instead of the slightly higher figure for Turkish Cypriots.
The intention behind the amendments has long been called into question. The Akritas plan, written in the height of the constitutional dispute by the Greek Cypriot interior minister Polycarpos Georkadjis, called for the removal of undesirable elements of the constitution so as to allow power-sharing to work. The plan envisaged a swift retaliatory attack on Turkish Cypriot strongholds should Turkish Cypriots resort to violence to resist the measures, stating "In the event of a planned or staged Turkish attack, it is imperative to overcome it by force in the shortest possible time, because if we succeed in gaining command of the situation (in one or two days), no outside, intervention would be either justified or possible." Whether Makarios's proposals were part of the Akritas plan is unclear, however it remains that sentiment towards enosis had not completely disappeared with independence. Makarios described independence as "a step on the road to enosis".[31] Preparations for conflict were not entirely absent from Turkish Cypriots either, with right wing elements still believing taksim (partition) the best safeguard against enosis.
Greek Cypriots however believe the amendments were a necessity stemming from a perceived attempt by Turkish Cypriots to frustrate the working of government. Turkish Cypriots saw it as a means to reduce their status within the state from one of co-founder to that of minority, seeing it as a first step towards enosis. The security situation deteriorated rapidly.
Main articles: Bloody Christmas (1963) and Battle of Tillyria
An armed conflict was triggered after December 21, 1963, a period remembered by Turkish Cypriots as Bloody Christmas, when a Greek Cypriot policemen that had been called to help deal with a taxi driver refusing officers already on the scene access to check the identification documents of his customers, took out his gun upon arrival and shot and killed the taxi driver and his partner. Eric Solsten summarised the events as follows: "a Greek Cypriot police patrol, ostensibly checking identification documents, stopped a Turkish Cypriot couple on the edge of the Turkish quarter. A hostile crowd gathered, shots were fired, and two Turkish Cypriots were killed."
In the morning after the shooting, crowds gathered in protest in Northern Nicosia, likely encouraged by the TMT, without incident. On the evening of the 22nd, gunfire broke out, communication lines to the Turkish neighbourhoods were cut, and the Greek Cypriot police occupied the nearby airport. On the 23rd, a ceasefire was negotiated, but did not hold. Fighting, including automatic weapons fire, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and militias increased in Nicosia and Larnaca. A force of Greek Cypriot irregulars led by Nikos Sampson entered the Nicosia suburb of Omorphita and engaged in heavy firing on armed, as well as by some accounts unarmed, Turkish Cypriots. The Omorphita clash has been described by Turkish Cypriots as a massacre, while this view has generally not been acknowledged by Greek Cypriots.
Further ceasefires were arranged between the two sides, but also failed. By Christmas Eve, the 24th, Britain, Greece, and Turkey had joined talks, with all sides calling for a truce. On Christmas day, Turkish fighter jets overflew Nicosia in a show of support. Finally it was agreed to allow a force of 2,700 British soldiers to help enforce a ceasefire. In the next days, a "buffer zone" was created in Nicosia, and a British officer marked a line on a map with green ink, separating the two sides of the city, which was the beginning of the "Green Line". Fighting continued across the island for the next several weeks.
In total 364 Turkish Cypriots and 174 Greek Cypriots were killed during the violence. 25,000 Turkish Cypriots from 103-109 villages fled and were displaced into enclaves and thousands of Turkish Cypriot houses were ransacked or completely destroyed.
Contemporary newspapers also reported on the forceful exodus of the Turkish Cypriots from their homes. According to The Times in 1964, threats, shootings and attempts of arson were committed against the Turkish Cypriots to force them out of their homes. The Daily Express wrote that "25,000 Turks have already been forced to leave their homes". The Guardian reported a massacre of Turks at Limassol on 16 February 1964.
Turkey had by now readied its fleet and its fighter jets appeared over Nicosia. Turkey was dissuaded from direct involvement by the creation of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1964. Despite the negotiated ceasefire in Nicosia, attacks on the Turkish Cypriot persisted, particularly in Limassol. Concerned about the possibility of a Turkish invasion, Makarios undertook the creation of a Greek Cypriot conscript-based army called the "National Guard". A general from Greece took charge of the army, whilst a further 20,000 well-equipped officers and men were smuggled from Greece into Cyprus. Turkey threatened to intervene once more, but was prevented by a strongly worded letter from the American President Lyndon B. Johnson, anxious to avoid a conflict between NATO allies Greece and Turkey at the height of the Cold War.
Turkish Cypriots had by now established an important bridgehead at Kokkina, provided with arms, volunteers and materials from Turkey and abroad. Seeing this incursion of foreign weapons and troops as a major threat, the Cypriot government invited George Grivas to return from Greece as commander of the Greek troops on the island and launch a major attack on the bridgehead. Turkey retaliated by dispatching its fighter jets to bomb Greek positions, causing Makarios to threaten an attack on every Turkish Cypriot village on the island if the bombings did not cease. The conflict had now drawn in Greece and Turkey, with both countries amassing troops on their Thracian borders. Efforts at mediation by Dean Acheson, a former U.S. Secretary of State, and UN-appointed mediator Galo Plaza had failed, all the while the division of the two communities becoming more apparent. Greek Cypriot forces were estimated at some 30,000, including the National Guard and the large contingent from Greece. Defending the Turkish Cypriot enclaves was a force of approximately 5,000 irregulars, led by a Turkish colonel, but lacking the equipment and organisation of the Greek forces.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1964, U Thant, reported the damage during the conflicts:
UNFICYP carried out a detailed survey of all damage to properties throughout the island during the disturbances; it shows that in 109 villages, most of them Turkish-Cypriot or mixed villages, 527 houses have been destroyed while 2,000 others have suffered damage from looting.
The situation worsened in 1967, when a military junta overthrew the democratically elected government of Greece, and began applying pressure on Makarios to achieve enosis. Makarios, not wishing to become part of a military dictatorship or trigger a Turkish invasion, began to distance himself from the goal of enosis. This caused tensions with the junta in Greece as well as George Grivas in Cyprus. Grivas's control over the National Guard and Greek contingent was seen as a threat to Makarios's position, who now feared a possible coup.[citation needed] The National Guard and Cyprus Police began patrolling the Turkish Cypriot enclaves of Ayios Theodoros and Kophinou, and on November 15 engaged in heavy fighting with the Turkish Cypriots.
By the time of his withdrawal 26 Turkish Cypriots had been killed. Turkey replied with an ultimatum demanding that Grivas be removed from the island, that the troops smuggled from Greece in excess of the limits of the Treaty of Alliance be removed, and that the economic blockades on the Turkish Cypriot enclaves be lifted. Grivas was recalled by the Athens Junta and the 12,000 Greek troops were withdrawn. Makarios now attempted to consolidate his position by reducing the number of National Guard troops, and by creating a paramilitary force loyal to Cypriot independence. In 1968, acknowledging that enosis was now all but impossible, Makarios stated, "A solution by necessity must be sought within the limits of what is feasible which does not always coincide with the limits of what is desirable."
After 1967 tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots subsided. Instead, the main source of tension on the island came from factions within the Greek Cypriot community. Although Makarios had effectively abandoned enosis in favour of an 'attainable solution', many others continued to believe that the only legitimate political aspiration for Greek Cypriots was union with Greece.
On his arrival, Grivas began by establishing a nationalist paramilitary group known as the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston B or EOKA-B), drawing comparisons with the EOKA struggle for enosis under the British colonial administration of the 1950s.
The military junta in Athens saw Makarios as an obstacle. Makarios's failure to disband the National Guard, whose officer class was dominated by mainland Greeks, had meant the junta had practical control over the Cypriot military establishment, leaving Makarios isolated and a vulnerable target.
During the first Turkish invasion, Turkish troops invaded Cyprus territory on 20 July 1974, invoking its rights under the Treaty of Guarantee. This expansion of Turkish-occupied zone violated International Law as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Turkish troops managed to capture 3% of the island which was accompanied by the burning of the Turkish Cypriot quarter, as well as the raping and killing of women and children. A temporary cease-fire followed which was mitigated by the UN Security Council. Subsequently, the Greek military Junta collapsed on July 23, 1974, and peace talks commenced in which a democratic government was installed. The Resolution 353 was broken after Turkey attacked a second time and managed to get a hold of 37% of Cyprus territory. The Island of Cyprus was appointed a Buffer Zone by the United Nations, which divided the island into two zones through the 'Green Line' and put an end to the Turkish invasion. Although Turkey announced that the occupied areas of Cyprus to be called the Federated Turkish State in 1975, it is not legitimised on a worldwide political scale. The United Nations called for the international recognition of independence for the Republic of Cyprus in the Security Council Resolution 367.
In the years after the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus one can observe a history of failed talks between the two parties. The 1983 declaration of the independent Turkish Republic of Cyprus resulted in a rise of inter-communal tensions and made it increasingly hard to find mutual understanding. With Cyprus' interest of a possible EU membership and a new UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997 new hopes arose for a fresh start. International involvement from sides of the US and UK, wanting a solution to the Cyprus dispute prior to the EU accession led to political pressures for new talks. The believe that an accession without a solution would threaten Greek-Turkish relations and acknowledge the partition of the island would direct the coming negotiations.
Over the course of two years a concrete plan, the Annan plan was formulated. In 2004 the fifth version agreed upon from both sides and with the endorsement of Turkey, US, UK and EU then was presented to the public and was given a referendum in both Cypriot communities to assure the legitimisation of the resolution. The Turkish Cypriots voted with 65% for the plan, however the Greek Cypriots voted with a 76% majority against. The Annan plan contained multiple important topics. Firstly it established a confederation of two separate states called the United Cyprus Republic. Both communities would have autonomous states combined under one unified government. The members of parliament would be chosen according to the percentage in population numbers to ensure a just involvement from both communities. The paper proposed a demilitarisation of the island over the next years. Furthermore it agreed upon a number of 45000 Turkish settlers that could remain on the island. These settlers became a very important issue concerning peace talks. Originally the Turkish government encouraged Turks to settle in Cyprus providing transfer and property, to establish a counterpart to the Greek Cypriot population due to their 1 to 5 minority. With the economic situation many Turkish-Cypriot decided to leave the island, however their departure is made up by incoming Turkish settlers leaving the population ratio between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots stable. However all these points where criticised and as seen in the vote rejected mainly by the Greek Cypriots. These name the dissolution of the „Republic of Cyprus", economic consequences of a reunion and the remaining Turkish settlers as reason. Many claim that the plan was indeed drawing more from Turkish-Cypriot demands then Greek-Cypriot interests. Taking in consideration that the US wanted to keep Turkey as a strategic partner in future Middle Eastern conflicts.
A week after the failed referendum the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU. In multiple instances the EU tried to promote trade with Northern Cyprus but without internationally recognised ports this spiked a grand debate. Both side endure their intention of negotiations, however without the prospect of any new compromises or agreements the UN is unwilling to start the process again. Since 2004 negotiations took place in numbers but without any results, both sides are strongly holding on to their position without an agreeable solution in sight that would suit both parties.
Friend Zone Problems #Friend, #Zone, #Problems, #Raydiaz, #Adinkolansky, #Iamstevenspence, #AmandaCerny #Contfeed
Check out here >> cofd.co/weu7r
I'm not sure if anyone else has had this problem, but I can't for the life of me remove the hair product from MM Jade and Cloe. It won't come out no matter what I do. The strange thing is I'm usually able to get Bratz hair silky smooth pretty easily. A portion of their hair is just clumped together and the texture is almost glue-like. Maybe I'm just being picky but it's bothering me :/ if anyone has any ideas on how to remove it I'd be so grateful 💕
The TLR becomes a problem when you've got something in the extreme foreground -- I'm talking inches from the camera. If I wanted it to, the Mamiya could focus on something within 9 inches or so; the bellows are handy for that as long as you compensate a little bit on exposure. But, when it's something that close, it's tough to tell where it'll actually show up in the purview of the lower lens. It's probably a rare case where this is ever an issue, but in this case I was trying to get some branches in the blurred out FG and Claire in the BG while still fully showing her face. The C330 top lens finder looked fine, but the bottom didn't work out quite as well. She's not even in sharp focus here, so I'm not too worried about it -- it's all an experiment anyways.
Mamiya C330 w/ Mamiya Sekor 80mm f/2.8, Velvia 100F (Expired 01/2004), processing and scan by NCPS, cropped at original aspect ratio.
Format: Still image
Abstract: Homemaker is helping a mother who has home management and child care problems.
Extent: 1 photoprint.
NLM Unique ID: 101448556
NLM Image ID: A029680
Permanent Link: resource.nlm.nih.gov/101448556
Taken during a photowalk thru St. Johns are in Portland.
This was the first photoshoot that my son attended with me. Spent 4 hours walking up and down hills in 90 degree weather.
He was a trooper and took a few good shots himself with his camera.
After the photoshoot, he took a minute to relax and I took this shot.
© Angela M. Lobefaro
All Rights Reserved
RIPRODUZIONE RISERVATA
A very nice photowalk with friends near Vercelli
Thansk to: Dennis, Irene, Chiara, Giulia
Dona 2 euro con un SMS solidale al numero 45509 -dal 27 novembre al 19 dicembre- | Progetto CESVI "Fermiamo l'AIDS sul Nascere"
The super secret police is now equipped with a new motorbike for super secret police chases. But is it fast enough to keep up with the Flash???
I've seen a few monarchs, about one per day, maybe, migrating through here with problems that happened during or right after their time in their chrysalis. For this one, the problem is easy to see at the top of it's right fore wing.
I watched this one:
www.flickr.com/photos/95092956@N00/21015073520/in/album-7...
emerge from the chrysalis last year and be unable to fully inflate its left wing.
MONASTERY MELK - SPIRITUAL CULTURAL CENTER
In 996, the name "Ostarrîchi" = Austria is mentioned for the first time in a document. In the more than 1,000 years that have gone by since then, the small Ostarrîchi has developed into a huge empire and finally to our present Austria, Melk has always been an important cultural and spiritual center of this country.
Leopold I in 976 with the territory of present-day South-Western Lower Austria as a margrave made the castle in Melk to his residence and his followers equipped it with precious treasures and relics. In 1089 Markgraf Leopold II the castle handed over to Benedictine monks from Lambach. Since then, monks have lived and continued to work in unbroken succession according to the rule of St. Benedict. Since the 12th century, a school has been connected with the monastery, and valuable manuscripts have been collected and prepared in the library. At the time of the so-called "Melk reform" in the 15th century, the monastery was starting point of one of the most important medieval monastic reforms and maintained close ties with the humanists at the University of Vienna.
Visible expression of the importance of the monastery in the Baroque period and the outstanding position of its then abbot Berthold Dietmayr is the magnificent Baroque building of Jakob Prandtauer, erected in 1702-1736, in which some of the most distinguished artists of this period have taken part (J. M. Rottmayr, P. Troger, L. Mattielli , A. Beduzzi, J. W. Bergl, P. Widerin, and others). But also in other fields, e.g. historical studies, or music, there developed in this epoch a rich activity in the monastery (for example, Father Anselm Schramb, Father Bernhard Pez, and Father Marian Paradeiser, Father Maximilian Stadler).
Even if Melk, under Emperor Joseph II (1780-1790), had been spared the fate of the abolition, but many state decrees intervened in the life of the convent. For example, Imperial commandry abbots were established, the theological private educational institution was closed on imperial orders, and the monastery gymnasium moved to St. Pölten. Trough the parish regulations during the Josephinian era also the number of the parishes supervised by the monastery grew to 27, and challenged the personal situation of the monastery. Nowadays, the monastery has still responsibility for 23 parishes.
The Napoleonic Wars and the abolition of the ground release in 1848 brought with it great economic changes and difficulties for the monastery. In the 19th century, the first thorough restoration of the monastery building and an extension of the premises for the Gymnasium and the Seminary were carried out. Around 1900 the monastery received a modern sewage system, electric light and a new water supply.
The time of the First and Second World Wars brought great problems for the monastery. In addition to the economic difficulties in the inflation period, the permanent threat of the abolition by the National Socialists came after the Anschluss in 1938, and fathers were threatened with arrest. The Gymnasium was taken away from the Benedictines and a large part of the monastery building was confiscated for a state high school.
However, as the monastery was not abolished, thank God, it was able to overcome the end of the war and the occupation time relatively well.
STIFT MELK – GEISTLICHES KULTURELLES ZENTRUM
Im Jahre 996 wird erstmals in einer Urkunde der Name “Ostarrîchi” = Österreich erwähnt. In den mehr als 1000 Jahren, die seither vergangen sind und in denen sich das kleine Ostarrîchi zunächst zu einem riesigen Imperium und schließlich zu unserem heutigen Österreich entwickelt hat, war Melk stets ein bedeutendes kulturelles und geistliches Zentrum dieses Landes.
Leopold I., 976 mit dem Gebiet des heutigen Südwesten Niederösterreichs als Markgraf belehnt, machte die Burg in Melk zu seiner Residenz und seine Nachfolger statteten sie mit wertvollen Schätzen und Reliquien aus. 1089 übergab Markgraf Leopold II. die Burg Benediktinermönchen aus Lambach. Seither leben und wirken hier bis heute in ununterbrochener Folge Mönche nach der Regel des hl. Benedikt. Schon seit dem 12. Jahrhundert ist eine Schule mit dem Kloster verbunden und in der Bibliothek wurden wertvolle Handschriften gesammelt und angefertigt. Zur Zeit der so genannten “Melker Reform” im 15. Jahrhundert war das Stift Ausgangspunkt einer der bedeutendsten mittelalterlichen Klosterreformen und unterhielt enge Verbindungen zu den Humanisten an der Wiener Universität.
Sichtbarer Ausdruck für die Bedeutung des Stiftes in der Barockzeit und die hervorragende Stellung seines damaligen Abtes Berthold Dietmayr ist der großartige Barockbau Jakob Prandtauers, errichtet 1702-1736, an dem einige der namhaftesten Künstler dieser Zeit (J. M. Rottmayr, P. Troger, L. Mattielli, A. Beduzzi, J. W. Bergl, P. Widerin etc.) mitgewirkt haben. Aber auch auf anderen Gebieten so z.B. der Geschichtswissenschaft oder der Musik entwickelte sich in dieser Epoche eine reiche Tätigkeit im Kloster (z.B. P. Anselm Schramb, P. Bernhard Pez bzw. P. Marian Paradeiser, P. Maximilian Stadler).
Auch wenn Stift Melk unter Kaiser Joseph II. (1780-1790) vom Schicksal der Aufhebung verschont blieb, griffen doch zahlreiche staatliche Verordnungen in das Leben des Klosters ein: z.B. wurden kaiserliche Kommendataräbte eingesetzt, die theologische Hauslehranstalt auf kaiserlichen Befehl geschlossen und das Stiftsgymnasium nach St. Pölten verlegt. Durch die josephinische Pfarrordnung wuchs auch die Zahl der durch das Stift betreuten Pfarren auf 27 an und belastete die Personalsituation des Klosters. Heutzutage obliegt dem Stift immer noch die Betreuung von 23 Pfarren.
Die Napoleonischen Kriege und die Aufhebung der Grundentlastung 1848 brachte große wirtschaftliche Umstellungen und Schwierigkeiten für das Kloster mit sich. Im 19. Jahrhundert wurde die erste gründliche Restaurierung des Stiftsbaus und eine Erweiterung der Räumlichkeiten für Gymnasium und Konvikt durchgeführt. Um 1900 erhielt das Kloster eine moderne Kanalisation, elektrisches Licht und eine neue Wasserleitung.
Die Zeit des Ersten und Zweiten Weltkrieges brachte wiederum große Probleme für das Kloster mit sich. Zu den wirtschaftlichen Schwierigkeiten in der Inflationszeit kam nach dem Anschluss 1938 auch noch die ständige Bedrohung der Aufhebung durch die Nationalsozialisten, Patres waren von Verhaftung bedroht. Das Gymnasium wurde den Benediktinern weggenommen und ein Großteil des Stiftsgebäudes für eine staatliche Oberschule beschlagnahmt.
Da das Kloster aber Gott sei Dank nicht aufgehoben wurde, konnte es das Kriegsende und die Besatzungszeit relativ gut überstehen.
Relationship Problems
The relations of everyone are different. But sometimes we face such similar issues. Whatever or however you are going in any relation but you are with this comfort that you are not alone.
Lack of communication:
If your issue is like you and your partner and don’t talk any m...
A common problem for students studying health and social care related subjects in HE is that they can access the web on any number of devices which do not necessarily have automatic syncing of bookmarked web pages enabled. There is also a related problem of sharing, as well as discovering relevant online resources. A potential solution to these problems is a social bookmarking application such as Yahoo!'s “delicious”. Results from previous studies using this service suggest that social bookmarking shares similar features to more traditional indexing systems but also contains extra dimensions such as tags related to time. We present the initial results from a study into social bookmarking that has encouraged three groups, containing over thirty health and social care students, to utilise delicious in their everyday practice and to create a tagged repository of resources that are relevant to their courses. We will discuss the preparation of introductory materials as well as specific problems faced by health and social care students in using Web 2.0 applications. We will also present the results of analyses into the patterns of tagging and bookmarking activity that have emerged in addition to the types of tags that are being used.
You can’t not can you, after all it is all part of history, the last in service T68 journeys took place today with a special tour using coupled 1016 and 1007. The tickets had long since been sold when I learnt of the tour so a couple of photos to mark the event was all I did which is probably about right as I have never really followed the Metrolink until it came to Droylsden, but I do commend the people responsible for marking the event and ensuring 1007 was involved. 1007 being a significant number as it was the number of the tram that closed the real Manchester tram system way back in 1949 an event I missed mainly due to the fact I hadn’t even been born then but I suspect looking at many of today’s riders they will remember some of early British systems if not the Manchester one itself. Any way and a pity it wasn’t 1007 leading but 1016 is seen during the tour in photo I composed to capture part of the great shape of what was once Central Station with the weird and wonderful, if you like that kind of thing, Beatham Tower, itself like the T68’s not without its own problems over the years.
After a very long wait my Sony 28-135 arrived today. However, due to stormy weather I did not get the opportunity to test it in detail.
Because of a short break in the weather I was able to visit the Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin Cemetery and Dublin City University and take a few still photographs. I will test its video capabilities at a later date [I expect a long learning curve].
As this lens is designed for video work it has a number of specialised features and it has servo zoom which is nice to have but I am having a problem because the lens continues to zoom after I have stopped pressing the control and this is really annoying. I know that the lens has “fly by wire” controls but this should not happen.
The Sony FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS Lens is a wide-ranging zoom lens that covers wide-angle to telephoto perspectives while adding many features for full-frame, APS-C, or E-mount camcorder or still photography camera systems. The lens features a powered zoom control with a variable speed and zoom rotation direction reversal capability.
Candid shot, Glenshee Scotland.
----------------------------
Nail biting, is an oral compulsive habit (sometimes described as a parafunctional activity; the common use of the mouth for an activity other than speaking, eating or drinking).
Nail biting usually leads to deleterious effects in fingers, but also mouth and more generally the digestive system. These consequences are directly derived from the physical damage of biting or from the hands becoming an infection vector. Moreover, it can also have a social impact.
The ten fingernails are usually equally bitten to approximately the same degree. Biting nails can lead to broken skin on the cuticle. When cuticles are improperly removed, they are susceptible to microbial and viral infections such as paronychia. Saliva may then redden and infect the skin. In rare cases, fingernails may become severely deformed after years of nail biting due to the destruction of the nail bed.
Nail biting is also related to oral problems, such as gingival injury, and malocclusion of the anterior teeth. It can also transfer pinworms or bacteria buried under the surface of the nail from the anus region to the mouth. When the bitten-off nails are swallowed, stomach problems can develop.
Nail-biting is also associated to guilt and shame feelings in the nail biter, a reduced quality of life, and increased stigmatisation in the inner family circles or at a more societal level.
wearing the new `Midland' red that MRN introduced in 1992-4 is Leyland National 702 TOF702S which is seen leaving the new bus station in Ravens Meadows Shrewsbury in October 95, 702 had been delivered new to Wellington depot
All set for a day out and about in the world...and casual outfits such as this don't seem to cause any problems. Ladies usually smile and acknowledge me, sometimes even saying good morning, etc., while the guys just keep on keeping on...doing their own thing and paying no attention to another of the many women shoppers.
The only thing missing from the pic is my purse - I have several of them. And. I usually wear contacts, but this day, I just had to wear glasses.
Most of my clothes are now pocket-less by choice, and, needless to say, I don't miss 'em at all. Can you imagine how un-flattering bulging pockets would look on a pair of leggings? I can't remember the last time I bought anything with pockets - except for a few dresses and skirts. And those pockets, while indeed handy, are scarcely big enough to hold a hotel room key, credit card, a few dollar bills, and car keys. So, purses have definitely become my must-have. Forget the American Express card, girls. It's my purse that I can't leave home without!
I love the comfortable skimmers I'm wearing in this picture. They're soft, lightweight, flexible, and as you can see above, paired with nude pantyhose, very feminine. And they're also perfect with skirts and dresses, in addition to leggings.
The best part is, black tights or off-black sheer pantyhose let them become almost invisible under slacks and pants suits, making them a wardrobe staple for any occasion. That's probably because of the smooth, but not shiny, finish, lack of ballerina ties or other feminine enhancements, and just the right amount of exposed foot - no toe cleavage. I've worn them under dress slacks on selected days when some of my co workers were out of the office, with no issue. And they're a regular at the beauty and nail salon.
Having owned them for several years, I've walked quite a few miles and been many places in them, and have replaced a set of heels and soles. But they live on, and they're destined to stay an important part of my wardrobe. Though my new Mary Janes and nude pantyhose provide a much more feminine appearance in pants suits, and are unquestionably girly with shorts and dresses, I'll probably be wearing skimmers for a long time to come! Particularly since at this point, I'm still in leggings or slacks most of the time.
My salon friends are encouraging me to enhance my femininity by wearing my leggings to work. They already know how cute ballerinas, pantyhose and leggings look under tunic blouses and tops, particularly sleeveless. To color coordinate, they want me in white, red, black or navy blue ballerinas (with feminine string ties on the vamp, of course) every day, thus saving these pretty skimmers for days with management meetings or field trips out of the office. A few months in girly outfits will prepare folks for what is to come...and give me time to prepare for my debut in dresses.
Will I eventually make the transition into dresses or skirts, like so many other women? Time will tell if it actually happens...the women insist that it will, and that they usually get their way!
Update:
Last March, I actually handed over my traditional pants to my beautician for her church's rummage saie, and since then, have been wearing outfits like this (sleeveless tops and with sleeves) to work quite regularly since then. I keep a couple of sweaters there so my arms and shoulders are covered. Though my current outfits are well accepted, the girls make it clear that they (and rumor has it, now the guys too) are ready for my feminine side to take over... They tell me that I should start wearing dresses with dainty little kitten heels, jumper dresses with ballet flats, or tailored skirt suits with high heel pumps. Anything except pants!
Now that I've become "one of the girls", I can better understand why we're always chilly, while the guys are too warm. Our clothes are much flimsier than the guys, and they expose more of our skin. The girls tell me that once I'm wearing those cute sundresses they've picked out for me (to keep my arms and legs on display), I'll find it even more chilly in the office.
Guess I have that to look forward to. It's just another of the things we gals must endure, in order to look pretty for the boys...
Further Update...October 2011
When I had my hair done last week, my beautician was wearing a pretty black sleeveless shell, a pair of gray pull-on pants, and peep-toe 2" heels. I commented on how nice she looked, though she wasn't wearing her usual skirt. She smiled, and asked if I recognize the pants, I told her that I used to have a pair just like that.
So she confessed: "These ARE your old pants, honey. Since we're both the same size, when you brought in your donation last March, I went through your stuff and picked out four pairs of pants that I like, and bought them before they ever hit the rack. So now you know that at least some of your clothes went to a good home!" I said "they look really cute on you, better than they ever did on me." "You look so much more feminine in stirrups, capris and dresses than you ever did while wearing these pants, sweetie, that I'm really glad you gave them up."
I said "I guess we both came out ahead, didn't we? Now I'm curious, though. Are you planning to wear my pants for dress or just casual?" "Most likely for conferences I attend, though I'll enjoy wearing them to your hair appointments, so I can tease you about "getting into your pants!" But most importantly, can I expect that going forward, you'll be here each time in skirts or dresses?"
"No, I don't have enough of them yet, but I'm working on it."
"That's an easy thing to fix. We're both plus-size girls, sweetie, and we've confided in each other that we wear the same dress size. I'm going to be donating some of my skirts and blouses to the next rummage sale. So till then. each time you come in, I'll have one of my older skirt outfits in the car. You know which ones they are...I've seen you "check me out" when I was wearing them."
"When you arrive for your next appointment, the receptionist will usher you right into the ladies' room. Get settled in there, take off your stirrups and blouse, fold and put them in a bag. Then hang it on the outside of the ladies' room doorknob, to be picked up by whichever of the girls comes by first, and wait patiently in the ladies' room. Keep the door locked since you'll be wearing just your bra and pantyhose.
The girl will bring me the bag, and when my prior appointment is finished, I'll take it out to my car, returning with an outfit for you. One of the girls will pick up the bag, hang it on the ladies' room doorknob, and knock, so you have something to put back on."
"After you get dressed, come on out to the salon, check the mirrors to see how much prettier you look wearing a skirt and ruffled blouse, then model your new outfit for us, and spend a few minutes talking with the ladies. They'll be friendly and genuinely supportive of you - and happy that you've chosen to become one of us. Socializing will help you get comfortable with your new appearance."
"Since your old clothes will be locked in the trunk of my car, you probably figured that you'll be leaving your outfit on during your appointment. Once we're finished with your hair (and give you some light makeup), if the girls like how you look (and I can guarantee that they will, since they think you should be wearing dresses and skirts) then it becomes your newest outfit. You'll be wearing it when you leave the shop, and .you can be sure that lots of female eyes will be watching as you walk across the parking lot and get in your car! "
"As for your stirrups outfit - I'll wash it and put it into the rummage sale in place of my skirt and blouse. They don't care what they get to sell, and I might even be buying it. Stirrups are a retro style I haven't worn yet, and they look great on you. Since I want to try a pair, I know yours will fit me, and this way I don't pay much."
I laughed to her that it would be fun for me to be wearing one of her cute skirt outfits, and have her working on my hair wearing one of my stirrups outfits. She said "That's very likely to happen, sweetie - remember, girls trade clothes all the time!"
"My plan is going to drastically enhance your girlie appearance, and at the same time, painlessly eliminate stirrups from your closet. Just make sure you're wearing your stirrups to every appointment, have your legs freshly shaved and in new pantyhose, because your skirts will be a couple inches above-the-knee, short enough to showcase your legs!"
"Before long, all your pants will be history, and you'll be happily wearing skirts everywhere you go, including work. Everyone will love your new-found femininity. And I'll be thrilled that my old outfits are going to a girl who will enjoy wearing them as much - and as often - as I did."
Interesting plan... If she actually follows through, I might as well go along with it. The clock is ticking toward that day, anyway...and I'll never have a more accepting audience.
Updated December 17, 2011.
Yours truly came back from vacation (I wore stirrups the whole time as requested by the better half, she said no Capri's this trip) and absent-mindedly forgot about the arrangement at the beauty salon. But they didn't.
When I showed up for my appointment wearing stirrups, the receptionist led me straight into the ladies' room. She waited with me till I removed my stirrups and handed them to her, then put an "occupied" sign on the door and closed it for me, leaving me there in my tunic top, pantyhose and flats. About 15 minutes later, she returned, handing me the beautician's tan skort - the very same one I had admired on her last summer.
To make a long story short, one pair of stirrups is now gone, and in its place is a new (to me) skort outfit. The ladies (all wearing jeans or pants, of course) think it's a perfect beginning casual outfit, even though a bit late in the season.
One of the ladies reminded me that girls who wear skirts or skorts in the winter generally wear heavy tights underneath to keep their legs a little warmer...and pointed out that I've now become one of those girls. So, I guess I better dig out my tights!
When I did the requested turn-about at my car as I was leaving, I got a thumbs-up from the ladies at the window.
Their plan is working...
El empleado “bomba de tiempo” podría conducir a clientes insatisfechos, compañeros de trabajo infeliz, litigios costosos, violencia en el trabajo, o en algunos casos, todo lo anterior. Cualquiera sea la forma de una explosión toma, sus efectos pueden ser devastadores. Así que, como de...
revistarecursoshumanos.com/2016/09/05/evitar-empleados-bo...
This was an exercise in problem solving, as one thing after another seemed to go wrong as I worked on this piece.... I'm not entirely satisfied with the end result, but I certainly learned a lot.
Depression can come on quickly, even for those who are usually happy people. Many things can cause depression to occur in a person. Whether or not you’re allowing the depression to take you over, it’s your decision. Use the tips in this article to fight back against depression. Look...
madanireview.info/fast-advice-to-sovling-your-depression-...
Luego del anuncio de PoisonGirl aka www.flickr.com/photos/rowan__ashlar/19673266728/ me he puesto a revisar a mis MIO.
A ambos los he sellado con MSC matt (la misma lata), pero Kairn es hasta ahora el único que muesta grietas (siendo el más nuevo). Cuando lo hice era verano. Se pueden ver claramente gracias a mi Reflex y una posición adecuada a la luz.
Mr. Hobby sabrá de mi...
Revisen sus custom hechos con MSC
Reclamos aka www.gsi.co.jp/contact/mr-hobby/en/
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After the announcement made by PoisonGirl aka www.flickr.com/photos/rowan__ashlar/19673266728/ I started to check my MIO.
I sealed both with MSC matt (same can), but Kairn is the only one showing signs of cracks (he's the newest). When I painted him was summer time here. You can see them very clearly thanks to my Reflex and light position.
Mr. Hobby will read me...
Check your custom sealed with MSC!
Contact here www.gsi.co.jp/contact/mr-hobby/en/
‘Cause there's no salvation for a bad girl
We’re rock bottom
But there ain’t no stopping
‘Cause they don’t know nothing about love
We’re hell raising
And we don’t need saving
‘Cause there's no salvation for a bad boy
We’re rock bottom
But there ain’t no stopping
‘Cause its you and me against the world
I’m your dream girl
This is real love
But you know what they say about me…
That girl is a problem
Girl is a problem
Girl is a problem, problem
Oh Baby
You so bad boy
Drive me mad boy
But you don’t care when they say about me…
That girl is a problem
Girl is a problem
Girl is a problem, problem