I'm now back in watford, after a tiring week of advertising hunting for JamRadio, hopefully got a few new ones for after easter. Need to produce them before we go back on air on the 8th April. It was hard work, I think I went to more than 60 businesses in total. Don't know why I havn't written in ages, just been busy all week. Researching more articles for Hullfire, here they are:

The Deep
I went to an open day last week and I’ve got some pictures from the Deep, the new aquarium that opened in Hull on Saturday. Laura Wallace has a show on Jam and is also a guide there, so I have a picture of her and an ex-student called Ellie.

Hull’s Image
I’ve been speaking to George Pye the marketing director of the University, and have an interview with john Till from Hull city Vision, the group who have the task branding the city into something cool. It’s going to be a general article about where Hull is going.

Where to take your parents when they visit you at university.
A review of the best attractions Hull has to offer, for when you get stuck with your parents here and nothing to do.

Drugs at the Lawns.
Numerous people are being thrown out of the lawns for smoking cannabis. This process is like a witch hunt. Once the warden of the block notifies the university, students are “interrogated” about what they get upto: “there are two things I can spot in a person, one is a lyre and the other is someone who takes drugs” is what one student was told at his disciplinary hearing before he had said a word. The way the University is enforcing their “strict anti-drugs policy” appears inconsistent between halls, flawed and unproductive. Cannabis is smoked in every block in the lawns, without exception, so why are only some people made an example of? I am investigating how many people have been asked to leave recently and whether throwing people out has any benefit. Two thirds of young people have smoked Cannabis in the UK and it is due to be downgraded to class C (same as steroids) in May of this year. Is the University planning on reviewing its drugs policy and practices as a result of this?

The following may not be done for the next issue, but they are work in progress.

Guide to the Union.
Something I suggested to Mike Duwona and Sam Cunnington. A simple guide to how the different areas of the union work. What the different committees are and what Union Council is. What rights students have within the union, and how they can get involved.

Crime and Police in Hull
I hope to interview some police in Hull when I get back, to get a general picture of the state of crime in Hull.

Deprivation
There are some areas in Hull where there are rows and rows of boarded up houses (opposite the football ground is one example) I’d like to go there, photograph them, and write an article on how they have come about, and what’s happening to the areas. Speak to town council and the city planners.

John Prescott
What’s it like being second in command to the Prime Minister?!

Next issue should be ready when we go back to Uni after easter. I finally managed to get up at 6am, on thursday morning, and I spent the morning at Cosa Nostra, the Italian bakers down newland avenue. Giovani was showing me how to make bread and pizzas. I'ev got some good photo's, and one's of the deep too. Will have to wait till I'm back in Hull and have free internet before I publish them. I'm spending my time at home editing all the video I've collected recently, to free up some tapes. then writing up my hullfire articles, and catching up with friends. It's good to be home, I can't relax in Hull, always doing stuff. Meeting up with Karen, Rach, Lewis, Ted, Jon, Ian, Chris and Mike for drinks tonight at the compasses I hope. Lots more people to see over the week. Back in hull easter onday or tuesday.

Saw a band aclled 10 men at the adelphi on friday night, friend Chris who I lived with at lawns last year was playing. really good, well worth seeing if you get teh chance, sounded a lot like the beatles. an acoustic set as their drummer was not there, but sounded good to me. They were supporting the Raywell's who I'd not seen before either, they rocked the place too.

Hulltrains were cancelled all weekend, and I only found out on friday. Not to be beaten, I got a lift to Leeds M1/M62 on Saturday morning with Cat and her dad, and hitchhiked the rest. Thanks to fill for my "london" sign. left at 12 and after a van with a great brummy called Paul, and then a long political discussion with a woman from Saudi Arabia, I was dropped off in Watford by 5pm. About the same time the train would have taken, and £25 cheaper... Havn't hitched in the UK before, but well worth it. Will become a regular thing now I'm sure. Bye for now. John