Lump Sum or Installments?

Something fun to distract one on a rainy Wednesday: if I won the lottery, would I take the lump sump payment, or the installments over X years? The answer, of course, is "it depends". How old are you when you win, what's the annuity percentage on the installment plan, how much debt do you have, is there a "Best Buy" on the way home from the lottery claim center, etc. Oh, and I guess I'd have to play the lottery in the first place for this to matter much anyway. What would you do?

"Apprentice" Season Two Checklist

Mark Burnett's checklist for Season Two of "The Apprentice" (yes, I watch that crap, leave me alone):

  • Elevate Donald Trump to the status of demigod through not-so-subtle use of regal music and flattering camera angles. Check.
  • Exploit women for profit while using Carolyn's "strong character" to take the moral high ground. Check.
  • Breaking the stated rules of the game, fire someone who isn't technically allowed to be fired that week. Check.
  • Breaking the stated rules of the game, prematurely fire someone outside of the boardroom session set aside for firing. Check.
  • Breaking the stated rules of the game, fire multiple people at one time. Check.

Still to come (we'll definitely be Jumping the Shark this season folks):

  • Task where teams have 2 days to end poverty, oppression, and war with $25K seed money.
  • Special episode featuring Stacy J. on how to slander people you don't like and ruin their lives on national television. Subtitled: "Diagnosing mental illness for MBAs"
  • Fire Carolyn.
  • As the fired candidate is walking out to the taxi, shoot him or her in the kneecap with a sniper rifle.

Just wait, I'm tellin' ya. We ain't seen nothin' yet.

Big box stores eating big box stores

The forthcoming closing of Richmond's Target store, reported in the Palladium-Item on November 6th, is certainly a troubling development for the local economy. Jobs will be lost, the convenient shopping will need to be found elsewhere, and yet another "big box" piece of real estate will need to be filled.
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