Things to do
SHAPE THE WORLD: All this week, LSE hosts Shape The World, a festival of free events looking at how the social sciences can make the world a better place. Highlights throughout the week include Tottenham MP David Lammy on exploring his own heritage, a preview of the American presidential race, and a look at how factors such as economic growth are shaping London. LSE (Holborn), free, book ahead, 2-7 March
I AM A WOMXN: Waterstones launches new exhibition I Am A Womxn, by Shado Magazine. The publication has brought together work by 18 photographers from around the world, all celebrating the intersectionalities of womanhood, and the different ways in which people identify as a woman. Waterstones Gower Street, free, just turn up, 2 March-30 April
JEWISH BOOK WEEK: The 68th Jewish Book Week has an impressive programme, covering everything from cookery to fashion to spies to politics to trees. Former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen, celebrated novelist Elif Shafak and historian Helen Fry are among the many participants across the 80+ events celebrating Jewish themes and writers. Kings Place (King's Cross), various prices, book ahead, 29 February-8 March
RAFE SPALL: Actor Rafe Spall chats to journalist Miranda Sawyer about the rewards and challenges of his current role in NT production Death of England. The one-person play is about a man left powerless by the death of his father, who decides to speak out about the difficult truths about his father’s legacy and the country that shaped him. National Theatre, £9/£6, book ahead, 3pm
LIONEL RICH TEA: We're delighted that Drink, Shop & Do has brought back its punny craft event, Lionel Rich Tea. Give Lionel Richie his deserved place in the biscuit hall of fame by recreating his likeness on a Rich Tea biscuit. There's a prize at the end for the best Lionel likeness. Drink, Shop & Do (King's Cross), £5, book ahead, from 6pm
NOT ABOUT THE BURQA: 12 months on from the publication of the book she edited, It's Not About The Burqa, British writer and activist Mariam Khan and a panel of guest speakers discuss what's changed since then. The book is a response to David Cameron’s assumption of ‘general submissiveness of Muslim women’, and features essays about faith, love, feminism, sex and queer identity, all true accounts from Muslim women. Foyles Charing Cross Road £5 (or £9.99 with book), book ahead, 6.30pm-8pm
CLIMATE CRISIS: Hear from Georgetown University Professor and former Times correspondent Anatol Lieven, often seen as one of the boldest and most provocative voices in the climate debate. He shares his views on why we need a nationalist solution to climate change, involving both leaders and the public, and why players often excluded from the debate — the military, business, and industrial powers like Russia, China and India — need to be involved. Society of Chemical Science (Belgravia), £30-£42, book ahead, 6.45pm-8pm
BEYOND BORDERS: This one is right up the street of cartography fans. Hear author Travis Elborough, cartographer Mary Spence and writer Zoran Nikolic discussing and exploring maps of some of the most unusual and peculiar corners of the globe. British Library, £13/£6.50, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm
HOUNSLOW AS ONE: Two primary school choirs, a huge brass band, a street band, a guitar orchestra and an Indian dance group all take to the stage to celebrate Hounslow's musical talent. Familiar tunes, and a newly commissioned piece are played by some of the 10,000 Hounslow Music Service pupils. Southbank Centre, £8-£25, book ahead, 7pm
PRIMADONNA PRIZE: Attend the first ever Primadonna Prize ceremony, hosted by Sandi Toksvig and celebrating brilliant writing. Enjoy an evening of poetry and performances before the judges — including author Joanne Harris and Irish novelist Neil Hegarty — reveal the winner. Conway Hall (Holborn), £15/£10, book ahead, 7.45pm
London weather with Inclement Attlee
Our idiosyncratic weather forecaster returns, keeping you up to date on London's skies.
I've recently been told that my forecasts are all silly, subjective and uninformative, giving no detail about the day's weather prospects. To counter such criticism, today's forecast lists out all the meteorological minutiae you could ever wish for.
Temperature high: 9°C
Temperature low: 3°C
Temperature in the View From the Shard: 20°C
Temperature at the bottom of the Thames: 3°C
Temperature in the central carriage of the 8.23am Central line train through Bank: 31°C
Windspeed: 8-12 mph
Tubespeed: erratic
Precipitation: 10.2 mm
Dedication: 's what you need
Hours of daylight: a tiny bit more than yesterday
Cups of tea: 4-6 and one coffee
Pollen count: low
Pigeon motility: average
People with umbrellas who annoy you: high
Moons: 1 (and a bit)
Alien invasions: 0.3
Humidity: 57%
Humility: increasingly rare
Hutility: not an actual word. Should be
Visibility: yes
Invisibility: hard to see
Raining men: let's hope not
Giant Mothra attacks: 1
UV index: medium
Seance host: medium
Pollution: still depressingly high
Number of Londoners who moan about the cold today, even though it's clearly still winter: 4,542,761
Litres of fart in the Greater London area: 47,003
Number of people still reading this list: 7
Contact Mr Attlee with any weather-related thoughts or pictures by emailing hello@londonist.com; subject line "For Mr Attlee".
Tube ponderings with Barry Heck
Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.
Seeing as Mr Attlee has provided you with such a comprehensive list (see above), I too shall present one for my Roundel of the Week:
1. The photo shows a pair of roundels from Brent Cross station, which was previously known as simply 'Brent'.
2. The modern name of Brent Cross only appeared in 1976, to reflect the nearby shopping centre.
3. Even so, it's arguably the oldest name on the underground. While the vast majority of London's place names go back to Angl0-Saxon times, Brent is one of the very few that probably has a Celtic (pre-Roman) origin.
4. Penge is another Celtic place name (perhaps explaining why it sounds so odd), though that's an Overground and not an Underground station.
5. I photographed the roundels at London Transport Museum's Acton Depot, which holds occasional public open days (the next is 25-26 April).
6. Brent is also the name of a borough, and it happens to be London's current 'Borough of Culture'. Special roundels have been commissioned as part of the celebrations.
Follow Barry on Twitter @HeckTube.
Good cause of the day
The Albany Theatre in Deptford has put out a call-out for artists to work with local Southwark audiences to develop new work as part of the Mayflower 400 Festival in the summer. Any performing artists, musicians, or visual artists who would like to develop new work addressing the Mayflower 400 themes to be performed at Canada Water Theatre are encouraged to apply. Find out more.
What we're reading
- No more legendary Wednesday singalongs at Soho's Coach & Horses.
- Grosvenor Square is having a revamp ahead of its 300th anniversary.
- Croydon Airport celebrates centenary of air traffic control tower.
- Hackney's Five Points Brewing Company could be forced out by rent hikes.
