Happy Steal

One of the winners of last week's Mega Millions jackpot has already become the center of controversy. What is clear is that Mirlande Wilson bought one of the winning tickets at a Maryland 7-Eleven and split a $656 million jackpot with three other winning tickets. What is not so clear is whether her ticket was part of a pool of tickets she bought with her McDonald's co-workers, or whether the winning ticket is, as Wilson claims, one she bought for herself. Wilson has said she has no intention of sharing the winnings with her co-workers. Having each paid Wilson $5 (nearly a full hour's McDonald's wage) to enter the pool, her co-workers feel they are entitled to shares of the jackpot and are apparently a little miffed. Lessons here: 1.) McDonald's may not inspire quite the esprit de corps among its employees that one would think, and 2.) nearly 50 years after the release of the cautionary film, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Word, we still haven't learned that money makes people crazy.