might as well just starting clubbing them over the head when they come out of the womb...

'cause our youth ain't getting any smarter...

remember back in the old days when games were not only for fun but they also slyly educated you without you actually knowing???

scrabble - spelling, the uselessness of the letter "Z"

trivial pursuit - general knowledge

chess/checkers - strategy, how to escape a harry-potter-esque security system

snakes & ladders - the dangers of snakes and the clearly pro-ladder agenda of milton bradley...

and monopoly - the money game!

economic activity, renting & trading, realty... learning the value of money... how to count money...

well parker brothers has gone and given the learning quotient of monopoly a lobotomy...

claiming that they are moving with the times, the iconic monopoly money is being replaced with a VISA (yes, it's branded...) credit/debit card...

horray! no more making my brain sweat with all that pesky money counting! now all you have to do is slide your card through the reader and it's a done deal.

says spokesman chris weatherhead: "The new electronic Monopoly reflects the changing nature of society and the advancement of technology."

it also reflects current sciety's disregard for the value of money... when you don't have to think about it in tends of dollars and cents and all you have to worry about is plastic, it's so much easier to just let money flow from your pockets.

this is silly... i can't believe they're dumbing down monopoly... my rage (is rage too strong a word? maybe...) over this has turned my brains in scrambled eggs and i'm left here shaking m head going but... but... but...!

for all those monoploy purists out there, hasbro (parent company to parker brothers) has a site where you can download traditional monopoly money in pdf form so you can make your own and save your brain from turning to apple sauce.