Monopoly cheaters kill the bank, cut corners

Monopoly is turning 75 this year.

Hasbro is revolutionizing the game by introducing debit cards that eliminate the banker, aka your cheating brother, and creating sound effects for when you land on Chance or Community Chest. Another kicker? You get $2 million when you pass go and real estate prices have joined the 21st century.

Oh, and the most obvious change: The board is now round. According to Hasbro, they always intended to make the board round but opted for the traditional square version just before the release all those years ago.

So, will you buy the new game?

Hasbro purchase benefits Salvation Army

Wow! I seem to have offended some of you readers with my prior post on bell ringers.

For those of you who would like for me to "go stand in the cold, rain, and even the hot weather for a day" as a bell ringer, I guess I should confess that I volunteered as a bell ringer and with the Angel Tree program while I was in college. It was a truly rewarding experience in which I got to spread Christmas cheer.

And now, I hope to spread even more.

Target is donating 5 percent of your purchase of select Hasbro toys, bought now through Saturday, to the Salvation Army. For details, visit www.target.com/salvationarmy

According to Target, The Salvation Army serves more than 30 million people across the United States each year.