STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – The 2008 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences was awarded to economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman. Finishing second for the third year in a row was Rich Uncle Pennybags – a.k.a. Milburn Pennybags or Mr. Monopoly – the beloved mascot of the Monopoly board game. “Pennybags is always in our top ten,” said Nobel selection committee chairman Sven Up. “It would help his cause if the name of the game was ‘Fair Trade’ or ‘Capitalism With Regulation.’”
Pennybags thought this was his year after Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson admitted his decision to punish the heads of failed banks and investment companies was influenced by Pennybags’ Chance card: “Elected Chairman of the Board: Pay Each Player $50.” “I would have won if he had listened to my other suggestion – send them directly to jail,” said Pennybags.
Paul Krugman admits having mixed emotions about beating out Pennybags. “I’ve known Milburn for years. Being the banker in hundreds of Monopoly games in college convinced me to change my major from modern dance to economics,” said Krugman.
Pennybags believes that he can finally win in 2009 if Barack Obama is elected president. “If Warren Buffett turns him down, I think I’m his second choice for Treasury Secretary,” said Pennybags. “I’ve seen McCain play Monopoly. All he does is race that little car around the board, privatizing the utilities and telling the other players they don’t have to pay taxes. I don’t know anything about Sarah Palin. I hear her favorite game is “Go Fish.””