I love the board game Monopoly. It gives me great comfort for some reason. Probably has something to do with childhood and nostalgia, which is usually the origin for most love throughout life anyway. For those of you who are fans of both the television shows Northern Exposure and The Sopranos, you may find it interesting that in both shows, there are episodes which contain scenes where Monopoly is being played and two of the characters in the show are having a debate over the legitimacy of putting all of the collected tax money from the Community Chest and Chance cards and then "winning" said money every time you land on the "Free Parking" space. Coincidence? Not so fast--the great writer/director/producer David Chase did have a large hand in both TV series. To me, in both of the TV shows, the person arguing against winning money for Free Parking never makes a good case, stating that, in Northern Exposure, that the game is supposed to be based on free market principals (which is laughable, because, HELLO, the game is called MONOPOLY!) or, in The Sopranos, that winning free money takes away from a game that is supposed to be based on strategy instead of luck (come on, is Monopoly really based on "strategy"? I mean, its not chess, we are rolling dice throughout the game, are we not?).

Since I was playing Monopoly the other day, I decided to look through the rule book and, for the record (or in case you were a lawyer looking to defend the use of the Free Parking space to win money), the official Parker Brothers Monopoly rule book makes no mention of winning money for the "Free Parking" space. In fact, it’s quite the contrary. Here is what it says: "Free Parking: A player landing on this space does not receive any money, property or reward of any kind. This is just a 'free' resting space."

Anyway, while looking through the Monopoly rule book, I also came across this statement: "The Bank never 'goes broke'. If the Bank runs out of money it may issue as much more as may be needed by merely writing on any ordinary paper." Wow, what a gem considering the era that we now live in. I wonder if they knew back in 1935 how poignant that statement would be with regards to the ominous economic reality of the Aughts.

Ah, Christ, I have way too much time on my hands...

RDS3

Why do so many Christian Churches label Halloween as a holiday that aggrandizes pagan or satanic beliefs, yet seem to have no problem making a quick buck on the sale of pumpkins associated with said holiday?

Happy Halloween. Enjoy the "Ghost Dance" song by Cusco I have posted up on my main page--an appropriate Native American chant to honor the departed on All Hallows eve.

I'll be headed down to St. Augustine with my lovely girlfriend and some friends to rome the ancient alleyways and take in the enchanted night air blowing off of the Matanzas Bay in the nation's oldest city. Is there a better place to be on such an occasion?

And while your winding down from the night's events later on Halloween with your loved ones or alone with your black cat, a cool thing to check out is Coast to Coast A.M. at one A.M. on FM 106.5 and A.M. 690 here in Jacksonville (check www.coasttocoastam.com for your affiliate) for their annual "Ghost to Ghost" program in which callers call in all night with their personal ghost stories. Unfortunately, for the second straight year the great Art Bell won't be hosting, but in his place is the next best host, Ian Punnet. It's usually quite an entertaining show and some of those people's stories, if they are indeed true, are pretty damned creepy.

Raise up a glass of Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale and enjoy the weekend!

RDS3