Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Ipswich

Managing director of Call Connection, Graeme Kalbraier: "Our aim within the next two years as a company is to become carbon neutral."

Ipswich magistrates court

Andrea Reynolds for the prosecution said: “The car swerved moments before impact.”

March 16

Brighton

Brighton

Paraphrased from conversation with a friend: "I think I did the right thing, I got into middle-class collectives rather than an anarchist squat. I don't like anarchists."

March 15

London

Tea room, London

Paraphrased from conversation with a friend: "Making the right compliment is an art form."

March 14

***

Gig, Brixton

Watching all-male band, The Acorn. Audience member: "Show us your tits!"

March 13

***

Telephone Interview, Streatham

Managing director of Tortilla in Southwark, Brandon Stephens: "We have had queues out the door most days since we have opened and we make several
hundred meals a day."

March 12

***

Telephone Interview, Streatham

Manager of La Casita restaurant in Brixton, Fernando Matias: "The better you work the more you will be recognised for that and the better you will do in life."

March 11

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Cafe, London

Man talking to a woman:
"He is going to be the sort of successful man who persuades a gaggle of women to do things for him."

Monday, March 9, 2009

Moving to London

Marc, 30, London:
"It's... there's a shop, it's like on top of a shop. Its behind the main road. I'm not sure because I will be living with some people who I haven't known for so long. It will be a strange experience for me because I will have to share some things. I am not sure if all my stuff will fit into, like all my books."

London Rally

Spokesperson from Object:
"The first step in the oppression of people is the dehumanisation of them."

One million women rise rally chant:
"I said hey. Hey. Ho. Ho. Sexual violence has to go."

Girl manning a stall (paraphrased):
"Women are more naturally inclined to caring for babies. I suppose fewer women will attain high office in parliament but there should be more in parliament generally."

March 7

Friday, March 6, 2009

London nightbus

Woman:
"A lot of these jobs, there aren't trade unions, you can't fight back."

Fish and Chips in London

A friend of a friend:
"My doppelgänger is a porn star."

March 5

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

London bus

A woman talking to a friend:
"... surely it's more expensive because of costs of turbines ... he literally does it from start to finish ... all those materials ... it does make for some beautiful diagrams ... you have lost me there. As soon as you mention the word mathematics. ... This is the sort of thing that I need to ... aren't people who are dealing with this kind of thinking ..."

London School of Economics

"We have got no plans to repeal the freedom of information act." : Jack Straw, lord chancellor and secretary of state for justice, speaking at a public lecture.

On how members of his constituency approve of anti-terror laws: "[...]Just because they are Asian or Muslim should not mean they are not interested in the same things as everyone else."

March 3

Monday, March 2, 2009

British Library, London

An old university friend I ran into:
"I kind of like the idea of travelling round the world fathering illegitimate children on a host of women and then having an independent letter writing existence, so I could just receive letters from them.

"And then being able to have a huge reunion where they all get to meet me at the same time, possibly when I am in my 60s and dying of cancer.

"The relationships would be brief but extremely loving and meaningful."

Sunday, March 1, 2009

London bus

Two old men:
"No, I see what you mean, cause on the FA cup, but they used to play years ago [...]
"For years you haven't got a minute older, J-.
"I wish that were true brain-wise.
"There's another bit of roadworks there. That's what's holding it up [...] It was 2:2
"Was it 2:2?
"Yesterday"

London

Andi Snelling, 26:
"I have a housemate from Brazil, she applied for a post-study visa just as I did [...] There she was at the kitchen table and she was opening this parcel with her visa in it and actually it made me cry.

"My mum is entitled to an Irish passport but I am not because you have to have a parent or grandparent born in the UK to get a passport. My mum can but I cannot, because I was born one generation too late."

February 28

Manchester to London

The coach driver:
"We are now due to arrive into London next Wednesday, I mean around 10.15. There is, now, kareoke if you would like to come to the front and put in your requests."

February 27