Monopoly Game

If you're passing Go and want to collect $200, better bring a debit card. A British version of the classic Monopoly board game released this week substitutes a Visaimprinted debit card for the stacks of yellow, blue and purple play money long hoarded by children worldwide. Cheating just got a little tougher. "We started looking at what Monopoly would look like if we designed it today," said Chris Weatherhead, a Britain-based spokesman for Hasbro Inc., which makes the best-selling board game.

New York's Times Square is the new Boardwalk, the property with the highest rent, in Hasbro Inc.'s Monopoly "Here & Now" edition, set to arrive at store shelves on Thursday. About 3.5-million Internet votes were cast in a survey by Hasbro that asked consumers to determine which landmarks from 22 U.S. cities would replace game-board spaces named after streets in Atlantic City, N.J., said Mark Blecher, senior vice president for marketing at Hasbro Games.

Think of it as Donald Trump Fantasy Camp in a box. For decades, the game of Monopoly has been helping people discover their inner capitalist. It has been played underwater, aboard moving elevators, even by train robbers during a heist. Custom versions of the game have been built from chocolate, gold and granite. Monopoly has also spawned scores of imitators and spoofs, from Bible-opoly to Welfare Monopoly.

Among the blessings we commonly give thanks for this week is our extended family. We think about our aunts, uncles and cousins throughout the year, but time passes so quickly we rarely have the opportunity to visit with them. It is occasions such as Thanksgiving that provide the excuse we need to gather with these cherished folk. Gathering is nice. That is until you realize you have to keep these people entertained all day while you prepare the Thanksgiving feast.