I live in Belfast, Ireland. Truly wonderful place to live. Great bars, plenty of craic and the Guinness is always flowing cold and fresh. Everyone always asks about the catholic protestant thing and since the end of the 'troubles', it's still as strong as ever. However there's never any violence between the two, just you very rarely mix with the other side outside of the workplace and even then, usually all the prods go to one party after work and the taigs to another (I work in a bar). It's very good fun, the Drink Licence laws are a little stricter than in the UK, but looser than the rest of Ireland. Although I say the troubles are over, there's usually a bomb every 2 weeks or so by some dissident republican group, it's exciting to hear it and then stay up on twitter all night learning what happened. However when a soldier or cop is killed, the whole town goes on edge and there's talk of loyalist reprisals (which there haven't been thank god). A comedian once wrote that Belfasts biggest industry is the production of IRA's, which is somewhat true. Just a year ago we had the RIRA, CIRA, ONH and INLA all active around the province. Whilst occasionally worrying, it does give some excitement to the place without much danger to yourself personally. To anyone thinking of visiting, I'd say go for it, there's no where like it in the world. The characters you meet, the variety of bars with ceili sessions (traditional music) and the history to the place really make it a lovely town. And the Irish girls are amazing too, just lovely. God Save Ireland.
I don't know why I still live in this country: - Red-Green opposition will demand that the US dismantles its foreign bases and decommissions its nuclear weapons (if they win) <a class="postlink" href="http://www.thelocal.se/26850/20100525/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.thelocal.se/26850/20100525/</a> - Red-Green politician explains that if you can't afford to pay your property taxes, just take a loan on your house! (can't find english link) - Red-Green politician holds a speech about how all public toilets should be "gender neutral" (ditto) Seriously? The fact that they currently have 46% of the votes scares me.
Our country is so boring and general population so ignorant that a US political issue automatically becomes one here.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20100818/us_time/08599201150900 Just ran across this article. Normally Ill defend the Nasty Nati but bed bugs? Gaaaaggh! Normally it you only hear about it happening in shitty areas, like OTR or Clifton where I went to school for 6 years. Ive never had a case of them in any place Ive lived, did have roaches once ughh. Firestations for some reason have big problem with them here and end up just burning the furniture themselves. Everyone else blames the problem on the Mexicans. Bill Cunningham on 700 wlw was having people call in and tell listeners how to legally obtain propoxur for home use a week or so before I left.
(at this point I accept if a 1 day posting ban occurs.......I have rambly drunk face....sorry...kinda) SGEDIT: No ban just stop drunk posting, if you don't then the ban.
Oh my God, I can't believe I haven't heard this. I'm a member of Free the Hops and was a volunteer at brew fest this year (working the Boulevard booth).
Bike Parties: Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Hipsters: http://www.latfh.com/; As far as I know, they could all be from the Bay Area. It wouldn't be that far of a stretch. And for some reason, this shit is getting REALLY popular here. Spoiler Fucking terrible. Ohio, keep your Four Loko, assholes. Thank you, San Jose, CA. I can't wait to move.
Just thought for accuracy's sake that I'd point out here that "than in the UK" is simply misleading here since Northern Ireland, regardless of your political leanings, is what makes the 'United Kingdom' of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the "rest of Ireland" is a different country. And since I know (at least I think I do) that this board forbids too much political baiting, all I can say is that your post is absurd - nothing like a good dissident bomb to make things exciting (after all, it won't be you getting killed!)