Before finding out about this site, I know I was one of those people. After all, I always thought it would be cool to invest funds in companies I highly valued; not only to potentially receive returns from these stocks, but to derive a sense of ownership in the company.

Of course, with this responsibility came fears of not knowing what to do or of losing a great deal.

A new social network, The UpDown, combats this problem through giving you $1,000,000 in free virtual money that you then use in the buying and selling of stocks. It's pretty cool, and for simply beating the S&P average or writing good analysis' you can earn real money.

Generally, The UpDown is a social network for investors. Essentially, however, it is more like one of those learning games (ie. remember Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing) with the added bonus that you can earn on your picks. :P

To receive a personal invitation to this cool site and register, Click Here.

And if you're looking for something a bit more political to play/learn, you might even try Fantasy Congress.