Meaningless numbers

It never ceases to amuse me when people talking about Susan Polgar's lawsuit treat the $25,000,000 ad damnum figure as if it has some basis in reality.  It bears even less relation to reality than any RGCP post by Sam Sloan or Phil Innes.

This number was created by Polgar's lawyer using a time honored legal technique known as "pulling it out of your ass."  Such a number has no conceivable rational basis.  People should stop dignifying it with repetition.

She wants $25,000,000.  That's fine.  I want world peace, the Pittsburgh Pirates to win the World Series, and a night on the town with Jessica Alba.  As a practical matter, nothing like this is ever going to happen in the real world.