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Friday 12 June 2015 4:41 am

From London property prices and London smells to World Gin Day and naked cyclists: Here’s what got us talking this week

By: Catherine Neilan

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There was (another) election. There was the start of some privatising. And late on Friday there was some biblical weather. 
 
Here's what got us talking this week
 
1. We should be paying for property with Monopoly money
 
We wish it was that easy. This week were learned just how much of a share up there has been in the price of homes in London – by comparing them to the humble Monopoly board. And that is affecting demographics too – apparently Mayfair has been a “resort” for 20-somethings, a far cry from its post-war image. It's not all up-up-up, though, with property giant CBRE warning that Brexit could really hurt the sector.  Meanwhile we learned that Londoners are seriously losing out when it comes to those stamp duty reforms.
 
2. London has a smell all of its own
 
And it's definitely not oranges and lemons. But that is not the only thing that defines London.  These four charts sum up everyday life in the capital.
 
3. Today is World Gin Day. And also Naked Cyclists in London Day
 
It sounds like a strange combination but you can either celebrate one by getting your drinking hat on or celebrate the other by getting your kit off.  Probably best not to mix them up (at least until after the bike ride has finished). And if you are looking for a drinking partner, here's a list of the top 10 men and women that us Brits would most like to have a pint with. 
 
4. Middle class kids are selfish – and it's hurting their health
 
Turns out we learn whether to be altruistic or not at a really young age. But whether we like helping others or not, you can't stop the fact that being selfish raises your stress levels and hurts your health.  
 
5. The things we can't live without now are very different to those in 1890s
 
Apparently iPhones just weren't in vogue back then. Who knew?
 

Leisurely reads

It turns out London’s streets really are paved with gold – for estate agents, anyway, who have earn £10m in fees for sales in London’s 20 most expensive roads over the past 18 months. We crunch the numbers here. 
 
To Brexit or not to Brexit? With various businesses and industry groups commenting on the need for reform and the possibility of the UK's exit from the European Union we took a look at how Eurosceptism translates in Brussels. Will Cameron be able to get the support he needs?
 
With the Labour leadership contest hotting up we take a look at how the nominations break down, who is sitting pretty and how support for candidates is split by regions. We also analyse the deputy leadership race. 
 

Great reads from elsewhere 

So you think you don't need to code? Think again. This article explains why everyone, from the most senior person down, should start learning that language. 
 
Microsoft's made a supersize screen to revolutionise your meetings. This is how they made it happen.   
 
And lastly, this Quartz interview with Nobel economics prize winner Alvin Roth about the hidden rules behind Tinder, marriage, kidneys, and university admissions is well worth a read. 
 

The Last Word

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