Friday, 3 April 2015

@hotelunionnow

Hi there, a lot of people have told me I should get a twitter account so, this is what I've done.

I'm @hotelunionnow

Please don't expect too much. I feel like twitter could become just as much of a time-sink as Facebook, so, it'll just be the odd tweet here and there but, please do follow.

Also, 35,000 people have now read this blog!

Many thanks to everyone paying attention and another blogpost is coming soon...


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63 comments:

  1. Ymmot1 May 2015 at 11:06

    From the tiniest acorn.........

    Keep it up. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:18

    While other Irish towns experienced a loss of manufacturing, from the 1820s Belfast underwent rapid industrial expansion. After a cotton boom and bust, the town emerged as the global leader in the production of linen goods (mill, and finishing, work largely employing women and children),[38] winning the moniker "Linenopolis".[39] Shipbuilding led the development of heavier industry.[40] By the 1900s, her shipyards were building up to a quarter of the total United Kingdom tonnage,[41] and on the eve of the Great War, in 1914, close one eighth of world production.[25]: 167  This included from the yard of Harland & Wolff the ill-fated RMS Titanic, at the time of her launch in 1911 the largest ship afloat.[42] Other major export industries included textile machinery, rope, tobacco and mineral waters.[17]: 59–88

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    Replies
    1. an proton14 July 2025 at 13:22

      Who doesn't like a good moniker problem!

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    2. an proton17 July 2025 at 11:02

      https://www.tips-and-tricks.co/various/icebergsecret-gal/?utm_campaign=hjsm3v2k&utm_source=zmaob&utm_medium=native&utm_term=www%2Espiegel%2Ede::b1_outbrainrtb&postbackid=89875_6677e218-6334-11f0-b2a2-1cfc473f83ba&zpbid=89875_6677e218-6334-11f0-b2a2-1cfc473f83ba

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    3. an proton17 July 2025 at 11:03

      Well, at least the village was untouched! Boats ...

      Delete
  3. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:19

    On 28 September 1912, unionists massed at Belfast's City Hall to sign the Ulster Covenant, pledging to use "all means which may be found necessary to defeat the present conspiracy to set up a Home Rule Parliament in Ireland".[48] This was followed by the drilling and eventual arming of a 100,000-strong Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).[49] The immediate crisis was averted by the onset of the Great War. The UVF formed the 36th (Ulster) Division whose sacrifices in the Battle of the Somme continue to be commemorated in the city by unionist and loyalist organisations.[50]

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  4. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:22

    In the spring of 1941, the German Luftwaffe appeared twice over Belfast. In addition to the shipyards and the Short & Harland aircraft factory, the Belfast Blitz severely damaged or destroyed more than half the city's housing stock, and devastated the old town centre around High Street.[61] In the greatest loss of life in any air raid outside of London, more than a thousand people were killed.[61]

    At the end of the Second World War, the Unionist government undertook programmes of "slum clearance" (the Blitz had exposed the "uninhabitable" condition of much of the city's housing) which involved decanting populations out of mill and factory built red-brick terraces and into new peripheral housing estates.[62][63] At the same time, a British-funded welfare state "revolutionised access" to education and health care.[64] The resulting rise in expectations; together with the uncertainty caused by the decline of the city's Victorian-era industries, contributed to growing protest, and counter protest, in the 1960s over the Unionist government's record on civil and political rights.[65]

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  5. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:25

    Among surviving elements of the pre-Victorian town are the Belfast Entries, 17th-century alleyways off High Street, including, in Winecellar Entry, White's Tavern (rebuilt 1790); the elliptical First Presbyterian (Non-Subscribing) Church (1781–83) in Rosemary Street (whose members led the abolitionist charge against Greg and Cunningham);[127] the Assembly Rooms (1769, 1776, 1845) on Bridge Street; St George's Church of Ireland (1816) on the High Street site of the old Corporation Church; St Mary's Church (1782) in Chapel Lane, which is the oldest Catholic church in the city. The oldest public building in Belfast, Clifton House (1771–74), the Belfast Charitable Society poorhouse, is on North Queen Street. It is now partly cut off from the city centre by arterial roads. In addition there are small sets of city-centre Georgian terraces.[128]

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  6. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:26

    Of the much larger Victorian city a substantial legacy has survived the Blitz, The Troubles and planning and development. Among the more notable examples are St Malachy's Roman Catholic Church (1844) and the original college building of Queen's University Belfast (1849), both in a Tudor style; the Palm House in the Botanic Gardens (1852); the Renaissance revival Union Theological College (1853) and Ulster Bank (now Merchant Hotel) (1860); the Italianate Ulster Hall (1862), and the National Trust restored ornate Crown Liquor Saloon (1885, 1898) (a setting for the classic film, Odd Man Out, starring James Mason);[129] the oriental-themed Grand Opera House (1895) (bombed several times during the Troubles), and the Romanesque revival St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Donegall Street (1877).[128]

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  7. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:27

    Built in the Romanesque-style on the site of an earlier neo-classical church, St Anne's Church of Ireland Cathedral was consecrated in 1904. The north transept, featuring on its exterior "the largest Celtic cross in Ireland",[132] was completed in 1981, and a final addition, a 40-metre stainless steel "Spire of Hope" was installed in 2007.[133]

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  8. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:28

    Finally, the Titanic Quarter covers 0.75 km2 (185 acres) of reclaimed land adjacent to Belfast Harbour, formerly known as Queen's Island. Named after RMS Titanic, launched here in 1911,[42] work began in 2003 to transform some former shipyard land into "one of the largest waterfront developments in Europe".[158] The current area houses Titanic Belfast, the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI), two hotels, and multiple condo towers and shops, and the Titanic [film] Studios.[159]

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  9. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:30

    From Georgian Belfast, the city retains a civic legacy. In addition to Clifton House[160] (Belfast Charitable Society, 1774), this includes the Linen Hall Library[161] (Belfast Society for Promoting Knowledge, 1788), the Ulster Museum (founded in 1833 by the Belfast Natural History Society as the Belfast Municipal Museum and Art Gallery), and the Botanic Gardens[162] (established in 1828 by the Belfast Botanic and Horticultural Society).[162] These remain important cultural venues: in the case of the Gardens, for outdoor festivities including the Belfast Melā, the city's annual August celebration of global cultures.[163]

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  10. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:30

    The city is the headquarters of BBC Northern Ireland, and ITV station UTV. The Irish public service broadcaster, RTÉ has a studio in the city.[193] The national radio station is BBC Radio Ulster with commercial radio stations such as Q Radio, U105, Blast 106 and Irish-language station Raidió Fáilte. Queen's Radio, a student-run radio station broadcasts from Queen's University Students' Union.

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  11. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:32

    From the mid to late 19th century, there was a community of central European Jews[226] (among its distinguished members, two-time Lord Mayor Otto Jaffe)[227] and of Italians[228] in Belfast. Today, the largest immigrant groups are Poles, Chinese and Indians.

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  12. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:33

    Of Belfast's Victorian-era industry, little remains. The last working linen factory—Copeland Linens Limited, based in the Shankill area—closed in 2013.[237] In recent years Harland & Wolff, which at peak production in the Second World War had employed around 35,000 people, has had a workforce of no more than two or three hundred refurbishing oil rigs and fabricating off-shore wind turbines. A £1.6 billion Royal Navy contract has offered the yard a new lease, returning it to shipbuilding in 2025,[31]: 261–262 [238] a prospect secured by the purchase of insolvent yard by Spain's state-owned shipbuilder, Navantia.[239]

    In 1936, Short & Harland Ltd, a joint venture of Short Brothers and Harland & Wolff, began the manufacture of aircraft in the docks area. In 1989, the British government, which had nationalised the company during the Second World War, sold it to the Canadian aerospace company Bombardier. In 2020, it was sold on to the American aerostructure company Spirit AeroSystems.[240] Producing aircraft components, it remains the largest manufacturing concern in Northern Ireland.[241]

    Originating in the Short Brothers' missile division, since 2001 the Thales Group[242] (owned by the French defense contractor Thales Air Defence Limited)[243] has been producing short range air defence and anti-tank missiles[244] including the NLAW shoulder-launched system[245] and, from 2025, lightweight multirole missiles (LMMs),[246] deployed against the Russian invasion by Ukraine..

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  13. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:37

    The 9,500 capacity SSE Arena accommodates the Belfast Giants, one of the biggest ice hockey clubs in the UK. Featuring Canadian, ex-NHL players, the club competes the British Elite Ice Hockey League.

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  14. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:38

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOAl6cXfooA

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  15. an proton10 July 2025 at 08:39

    Belfast was the home town of former Manchester United player George Best, the 1968 European Footballer of the Year, who died in November 2005. On the day he was buried in the city, 100,000 people lined the route from his home on the Cregagh Road to Roselawn cemetery.[345] Since his death the City Airport was named after him and a trust has been set up to fund a memorial to him in the city centre.[346] Other sportspeople celebrated in the city include double world snooker champion Alex "Hurricane" Higgins[347] and world champion boxers Wayne McCullough, Rinty Monaghan and Carl Frampton.[348]

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    Replies
    1. an proton12 July 2025 at 08:27

      Just puts things into perspective that Wilder must have had a REALLY hard punch to have been world champion!

      Delete
    2. an proton12 July 2025 at 08:29

      Wasn't enough for Clemente Russo, though!

      Delete
    3. an proton12 July 2025 at 08:29

      And Krzysztof Zimnoch of course!

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    4. an proton12 July 2025 at 08:30

      On May 9, Frank Warren announced a card that would take place at the Wembley Arena in London on June 15, 2013, which would feature Wilder and British boxer Derek Chisora as the main event. Prior to the announcement, Golden Boy and Wilder's camp stated there was no deal in place.[27] The fight fell through after Wilder was arrested in May following a domestic assault in Las Vegas, Nevada.[28] Days later, Wilder signed Al Haymon as his new advisor.[29]

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    5. an proton12 July 2025 at 08:31

      Mate, you should have gone to Camp Victor!

      Delete
    6. an proton12 July 2025 at 08:46

      In December 2015, Showtime confirmed that terms had been agreed for Wilder to defend his WBC title against Polish boxer Artur Szpilka (20–1, 15 KOs) on January 16, 2016, at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York, where the winner would be scheduled to fight WBC mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin.[65] A crowd of 12,668 mostly pro-Polish fans was announced. Szpilka looked very strong as the bout began, and won the first three rounds with his awkward southpaw stance, rapid foot movement, and talent for slipping punches. Szpilka made Wilder appear wild with his punches, as Wilder missed 175 punches thrown at Szpilka, mostly head punches. Entering round nine, Szpilka, aware from the ring commentators he could no longer win the fight on the cards, changed strategy and took a gamble. Going to the inside, Szpilka swung for the rafters, but Wilder read Szpilka and connected first with a powerful right hand to the face. Szpilka fell to the canvas, and his head jerked backwards in a reflex motion, abruptly ending the competitive contest and sending the ringside physicians and emergency medical personnel immediately into the ring. At the time of the stoppage, Wilder was winning the bout with the scores of 78–74 (twice) and 77–75.[66] Wilder reportedly earned a career-high $1.5 million compared to Szpilka who had a $250,000 purse.[59] The fight averaged 500,000 viewers and peaked at 623,000 viewers.[67]

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    7. an proton12 July 2025 at 14:44

      https://youtu.be/Ylw0xCDDa_E?si=tPd2ZR5eC6lDOPku

      Delete
    8. an proton14 July 2025 at 13:25

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N786mCawx9s

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    9. an proton14 July 2025 at 13:26

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWPCG8sHgVM

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    10. an proton14 July 2025 at 13:28

      Notice how he goes on the front foot for Wilder!

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    11. an proton14 July 2025 at 13:53

      Altemeyer (2010). The Authoritarians, chpt. 5: "The high RWAs went along with the unethical decision a lot more than the low RWAs did. In fact they liked it, they said in private afterwards, it was the right thing to do, and they gave their boss a high rating. The less authoritarian students did not like the boss's decision and said so, and they did not like the boss either."

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    12. an proton14 July 2025 at 13:54

      Dean; Altemeyer (2020). Authoritarian Nightmare, chpt. 6: "And as new ideas crash into the old ones, people try to make sense of what they have learned. Many of us integrate. But high RWAs do not. They stick with the old truths, and if a new learning contradicts an old one, it makes no difference because everything is in its own place and not to be disturbed. So even if you win the argument, it is not likely to change their minds."

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    13. an proton14 July 2025 at 14:03

      https://marvinherbert.co.uk/

      Delete
    14. an proton14 July 2025 at 14:04

      Altemeyer (2010). The Authoritarians, chpt. 4: "They can be woefully uninformed about things they oppose, but they prefer ignorance and want to make others become as ignorant as they. They are also surprisingly uninformed about the things they say they believe in, and deep, deep, deep down inside many of them have secret doubts about their core belief."

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    15. an proton14 July 2025 at 14:12

      Yep, F1 kills innovation or forces it to be done in strange ways to bend the rules rather than push to the edge of what's possible!

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    16. an proton14 July 2025 at 14:15

      Because being too risk adverse can stop innovation!

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    17. an proton14 July 2025 at 14:16

      But the FIA seems to ban a lot of things because they are 'too good'

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    18. an proton14 July 2025 at 14:19

      Like banning of 6 wheel cars in formula student!
      You get lower drag from the smaller frontal area was the thinking

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    19. an proton14 July 2025 at 14:21

      The design just seems odd. Like what's going on with the tires, why is there no fairings?

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    20. an proton14 July 2025 at 14:22

      They banned robotic refueling and robotic wheel changes etc

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    21. an proton14 July 2025 at 16:08

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXeWidqob8I

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    22. an proton14 July 2025 at 16:08

      Yeah the magic bit got silly!

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    23. an proton14 July 2025 at 16:22

      Usyk vs. Dubois 2 will take place on Saturday, July 19 at Wembley Stadium in London.

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    24. an proton14 July 2025 at 16:25

      https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UtgB7GKydt8

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    25. an proton14 July 2025 at 16:40

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx_b7AFLwrY

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    26. an proton14 July 2025 at 16:43

      Someone knows how to yap!

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    27. an proton14 July 2025 at 16:49

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    28. an proton14 July 2025 at 16:59

      FIA Presidents Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR)
      Term President Nationality
      1931–1936 Robert de Vogüé France
      1936–1946 Jehan de Rohan-Chatbot France

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    29. an proton16 July 2025 at 05:42

      https://youtube.com/shorts/XuujYpEXPpE?si=ePAqHoJOfJPupRx4

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    30. an proton16 July 2025 at 05:43

      https://youtube.com/shorts/bk4keSBNLsw?si=bTa0YseTXilOqdGG

      Delete
    31. an proton16 July 2025 at 05:48

      https://youtu.be/mwSfiEAKt7o?si=Ik4XVxHdpiB6rS04

      Delete
    32. an proton1 August 2025 at 07:30

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUnUsOtHz2Q

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    33. an proton1 August 2025 at 07:34

      Did anyone just see that ending? That was crazy!!

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    34. an proton1 August 2025 at 07:37

      He should keep the gun!

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    35. an proton8 August 2025 at 14:16

      There are varying levels of social deprivation in the area. Places such as the central area and Chalkhill have had relatively high deprivation, with the latter having been troubled for a long time. In more recent years, regeneration has helped these areas fare better albeit with a higher general cost of living. Some parts of the town meanwhile are among the least deprived in the borough, especially Barn Hill estate and North Wembley's Sudbury Court Estate.[50][51]

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    36. an proton14 September 2025 at 15:47

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91K7ZsonSTU

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    37. an proton14 September 2025 at 16:36

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8by5ehVRrfk

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    38. an proton14 September 2025 at 16:50

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0Upz1_aL8A

      Delete
    39. an proton14 September 2025 at 16:53

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5rAgHvHwIE

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    40. an proton27 September 2025 at 14:53

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31rkBDCxTAw

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  16. an proton10 July 2025 at 11:47

    Henry Cooke (1788–1868), Presbyterian Moderator, evangelist, proponent of "Protestant unity" (Cooke Memorial Church, May Street, "Black Man" statue College Square East)
    Waddell Cunningham (1729–1797), Trans-Atlantic trader, West-Indian slaveholder, Irish Volunteer, liberal patron
    John Templeton (1766–1825), "Father of Irish Botany", patron of the town's scientific and literary societies

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  17. an proton10 July 2025 at 11:50

    https://www.cooke.church/

    You have to be a real smart cooke to do this!!

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  18. an proton30 July 2025 at 15:38

    https://guyaneseassociationofbarbadosinc.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/briliant-quotes/
    This is a good way to remember the colors of the rainbow!

    ReplyDelete
  19. an proton30 July 2025 at 15:42

    It's for the Tots Corner in case you were wondering!

    ReplyDelete

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