In support of Jack "Last" Straw By Pablo Luis González

I watched in disbelief as people walked around dressed in a most shameful and obscene diversity of clothes:

A young woman in faded blue jeans, brown boots and low cut yellow top. A man in a dark blue suit and tie. A woman wearing the niqab. A young woman in dark blue jeans, green jacket and sporting a disdainful smile. A man in a dark suit and red tie. A young woman in black trousers, jacket and pink baseball cap. A man in blue jeans and a black jacket.

A woman wearing a hijab. A man in grey polo shirt and trousers. A young woman in red top and black trousers A man in a dark blue suit (not grey: such a hideous crime). A young woman in faded blue jeans and blue anorak. A man in dark brown corduroy trousers, red T-shirt and cream safari jacket. A man in black cargo trousers, black T-shirt and black raincoat.

As I consider this diversity to be highly unpatriotic as it asserts the individuality of these people in a manner which is detrimental to the unity, integrity, cohesion and security of the nation, making any possibility of communication unviable (it is not good to talk to somebody wearing a red top) and, furthermore, disturbing the sensibilities and infinite patience of the Great Leader of the House of Commons Comrade Jack "Last" Straw, I propose that the individuals listed above should be made to wear compulsory bright orange boiler suits, their heads to be shaved and no jewellery or any form of body adornment to be allowed.

I propose that the individuals listed above should be made to wear compulsory bright orange boiler suits, their heads to be shaved and no jewellery or any form of body adornment to be allowed. Those who refuse to comply should be sent without delay to Guantánamo Bay for an unspecified period of time until they can prove that they will behave as good citizens. Long live the Party! pabloluisgonzalez.tripod.com/index.html#hom

Opinions - Response to Michelle Dee's Gigging in Hull By Darren Bunting Music HQ

	I enjoyed your article on thisisull about the local bands / promoters / scene at the moment and as a musician and promoter I agreed with 99% of what you said. The only thing I would argue/add would be that there are some promoters and venues who do try and make the effort for the artists (my gigs being one I hope LOL) where acts get Read more...

Opinions - Response to Michelle Dee's Gigging in Hull By Dj Mak

	In response to my good friend Michelle Dee's Gigging In Hull piece on ThisisUll.com I thought it be right for me to explain the stance and ethos of The Sesh at The Linnet & Lark on Princes Ave. The night was started nearly four years ago - 4th Birthday Celebrations in October -and was set up by myself with the help of Martin Knight of The Favours Read more...

Opinions - Gigging in Hull By Michelle Dee

	First up, I think that bands should limit themselves as to how many local gigs they play. Who is going to pay pounds to see a band at Adelphi or Piper when you can see them at the Sesh for free? Some of the bands are limiting themselves to only playing two or three local gigs a month which makes sense. Don't forget the old adage; absence Read more...

Opinions - Response To Michelle Dee's Review Of Phonic Voices At Urban Artz Festival By Paul Rush
	I just read your review of Phonic Voices at the Urban Arts Festival: 'Today it came in the form of Nicky a didgeridoo player from Phonic Voices music collective, with a uniquely special sound. It was a moment not to dissimilar to the one in the town of Hamlyn when a certain piper enticed all the rodents away, from the town. Nicky began to play her instrument Read more...

Opinions - Things Can Only Get Bitter By David Sloan
	I'm sick to death of listening to people moaning about New Labour. They've only recently been voted in for a third term in office with a large credible majority. So just what do people want? Yes, things have got better under New Labour. If you're a burglar, mugger, paedophile, illegal immigrant, rapist or terrorist, things have definitely got better. Under New Labour, Read more...

Opinions - It's Only A Game By Dave F
	Question - What do you call an Englishman in a World Cup Final??? Answer - Referee. Like most people in the country, I'm asking myself why... Why didn't we get through to the final? Why didn't Sven take better strikers? Why??? Actually, I'm asking myself why the England team turn to jelly at the mention of the word Penalty, and why we have to listen to excuses like Read more...

Opinions - Save Our Free School Meals By The Mental Alchemist
	Q. What do you get if you cross neo-liberal economic policy with a liberal party city council? A. No bloody change and the end of free school meals in Hull. I sat in stunned belief whilst watching Look North today, as it was announced that Hull City Council have put a price on the health and wellbeing of all our children, and it's less than £4 million. It actually cost the council a Read more...

Opinions - Response To The Grim Reaper's Article By Chris Wolds
	Hello thisisull team, I have just finished reading the piece written by the Grim Reaper titled Response To Arts Council Article. I read with interest what was there, just as I did the original article and the follow-ups. It puzzles me that these other comments have been published and those persons responsible for them have had their opinions aired. I have always seen this site as Read more...

Opinions - Money, School and Red-Tape: Education for Kids in Hull By Gregory Anderson
	Education in Hull is changing. Almost a third of our secondary schools are being demolished. Nearly £200m is to be invested in new schools. So let us not mince our words - the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project proclaims that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to drive reform of the secondary system and improvements in educational Read more...

Opinions - Response To Arts Council Article By The Grim Reaper
	We can guess it's a guy that wrote the anonymous letter regarding Lou Duffy Howard receiving money from the Arts Council for the Grassroots festival. As a matter of fact Duffy Howard and 'Full Flava' David Okwesia set up the Grassroots thing and we all work together in making it happen to benefit the local community. So to whoever wrote the letter I would just like to say Read more...

Opinions - Fickle Voters By Mark Pollard

	I watched a TV programme the other night about the seemingly endless, unaccounted and under-investigated murder of scores of young women by street gangs in Guatemala. As a father of three girls myself it was heart-breaking stuff that made me thankful to live in the UK; the 'scandal' of John Prescott shagging his secretary hardly seems to matter by comparison. Read more...

Opinions - If The Council Won't Sort This Out, We Will By Pete Stitt
	I felt it was only fair to give the readers of thisisull an update of non-events since the issue of Arts Council grants, Council and other funding for multicultural events was raised by one anonymous writer and half of the Kurdish community in Hull. I think we have waited long enough for 'stage two' of this saga. I sent several emails to Ken Branson, who I know to be an honourable man, and he Read more...

Opinions - Blair Is No Churchillian Statesman By David Sloan
	Every day now we read more and more New Labour sleaze stories. Cash for knighthoods, offshore accounts for ministers, weapons of mass destruction which never existed to name but a few. I could go on with tough on crime, and the causes of crime. When magistrates have now been told not to even jail offenders. You can rob, rape or kill by dangerous driving and expect no Read more...

Opinions - Hull City Council 2006 - Changing Or Caging Us? By Gregory Anderson
	Hull City Council is changing. Having recently improved its rating infinity percent -from zero stars to one star - a new council seems to be evolving. Into what, you may ask? An aggressive political powerhouse to empower the people? Or an experiment of existential dustbin policy? Whatever this nameless Hullian perceives the council's policies to be, recent history says one thing is Read more...

Opinions - Wanadoo Offers Schadenfreude at 10p a minute By Greg Anderson
	Do you find junk mail bellicose nonsense? Same here. Amusing? At times, yes. Annoying? Always, I agree. So are you yet to experience the silent delight of receiving Wanadoo's broadband advertisement through your letterbox? Do you want to know how junk mail could make you smile? Read on. An established internet company, Wanadoo proclaim Read more...

Opinions - Response To Criticism Of The Night Shift And The Hull Blokes By Ian Ahmed Newton
	Regarding Steven Greendale's criticism of the Hull Blokes which I understand included some comments about one of my books, The Night Shift. I would say to Mr Greendale, that if you live in Hull, we have enough people outside this city who like to take a knock at those who are trying to promote the city. I also believe that we have many in power within this city who have also done little Read more...

Opinions - Response To Arts Council Article - People Rewriting Our History In Their Own Image By Pete Stitt
	I would like to thank the Editor of Hami Kurd magazine for waking me from a sort of self-imposed coma this week. I had walked away from the local asylum situation, completely disillusioned, as loads of middle class white (and ethnic minority) English individuals and organisations came flooding into the 'industry' when it became clear there were funding opportunities. Read more...

Opinions - Praise For Ian Newton's The Night Shift By Andy Brown
	I am formerly from Hull and my daughter still lives there. I keep up with events going on with help of your website. It's great. I saw that stuff about The Night Shift book by Ian Newton. My daughter sent me a copy for Christmas and all I can say is that this book almost gave me a hernia with laughter. I have never read a book so funny and so spot on about working night shifts. Read more...

Opinions - In response to Joe Hakim's Opinion: The King is Dead ... Again. By Kay
	Well, this post reminded me of a railway station at midnight, where the only inhabitants are drunken tramps spitting out a string of semi-coherent invective. I really don't see how you can criticise anyone else Joe, when you come off sounding like an unbalanced style-less dumbfuck. I bet your keyboard took a hammering there as you released your ultimate weapon . . . Read more...

Opinions - Response To Steven Greendale's Article By Mark Pollard
	To Steven Greendale: You're a bright lad, aren't you? Firstly, you accuse Anthony Newlyne of taking a poke at Ian Newton's book The Night Shift, when Newlyne's enjoyment of and respect for Newton's work is made quite clear despite the article being somewhat ironic in parts. How could you not have understood this, Mr Greendale? Can't you read properly? Secondly, you have a Read more...

Opinions - The King Is Dead...Again By Joe Hakim
	Well, I've just read Steve Regan's latest column, and I'm glad to see that the old cigar-chomping fuckwit hasn't let me down. I can still remember seeing his mug leering out from the top of his shitty sub-Gary Bushell column in the Hull Daily Mail, and by the look of it he hasn't managed to land his dream job as a Sun hack, but then again, even people who write for the tabloids need Read more...

Opinions - Hull By Wesy G

	Over the years, my experience of Hull has been limited to 80 minute slots of rugby or trips through to the P & O dock. Until recently. Via my job I have been working in East Hull for several months and have been surprised, disappointed, fulfilled and benefited in equal measure. Yes, the stereotypes of Hullers being cynical, defensive etc often hold true but to be honest Read more...