Legal crack

I am an addict. I have become addicted to Mario Kart DS. For those of you who don't play computer games, this could seriously damage your life. It's a cartoon driving game, starring Mario, a famous Italian plumber.

Which is all well and good. Except you can play against other people - anywhere in the world - via the interweb. Wirelessly. For free. At last a reason to go to McDonald's. Or Coffee Republic. Fortunately, I just play it at home, but against people I've never met and never will. And they always beat me. Brilliant.

But you can also play against your friends (if you, unlike me, have any). So if you have it, play me. My Friend Code is below. If you really are a friend. Let me win one.

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(My moniker is Friday - the handsome pup on the left. His pixellated visage (a la Crimestoppers) is my avatar.)

Roll up, ladies an' gentlemen.

Anybody want to buy a snowboard? Or two? With bindings?

One is an Option Supercap Wide, 164cm, with Salomon SP3 bindings. Good for tall(ish) or fat men with size 10 feet or larger. £120

The other is a Salomon Driver 155, with Salomon SP2 bindings. Good for bird of bloke of normal footed proportions. £100

Otherwise, I'm going to have to brave eBay.

Out of my head, can't take it...

I'm back. *Rapturous applause* Like Take That (or a McDonald's chicken nugget), I have reformed to bring my musings back to an adoring public (actual levels of adoration may vary). I really have no excuses, so I shan't offer any. Instead, have a thought that did occur to me in the long period since I last wrote...

In Liverpool Street station, in London's money-infested terrorist-target City, is a sign that says, "Professional beggars operate in this station." Think about that for a minute. Professional beggars. That's as opposed to amateur beggars, is it? Beggars who do it for the skill, the fun, the excitement, but who only accept payment in milk-bottle tops. Or, like my Sunday morning amateur football status, do they pay for the privilege and still get nothing in return?
And why the sign? If I get accosted by a beggar, I'll know there are beggars there. It's not like I see the sign and think, 'oh, that tramp demanding money from me wasn't my bank manager. Thank God I knew that beforehand or I could have signed over all my savings*'. Jesus wept.

*Nil.