Happy Mardi Gras! Celebrate with New Orleans tonight, before it’s time for Lent. Bill Lucey has some thoughts about what to give up, and why. 

Somehow I missed the sad news that Royal de Luxe’s giant puppets have retired. 

Look, a whole website dedicated to old track railways and monorails and the like! 

You’ve probably seen Thamesmead, even if you don’t know the name – it’s been the background to A Clockwork Orange and that terrifying Aphex Twin video, among others. (I think I found a birthday present for Bunny in the 50 Years of Thamesmead book.)

Have you heard of Letitia Elizabeth Landon? Probably not, which is a shame, because she was called “the female Byron” of her day. She died very young and is only now getting some recognition.