IKEA giving away $100,000, but you'll have to help others

Being the selfish person I am, the first thing I thought when I saw that the Swedish furniture store IKEA was having a contest offering a one-year sabbatical and $100,000 to advance a project that improves the lives of others, was "Cool, I could really kick back for a year and do a lot of deep thinking for $100,000. That would really improve my life."

A sabbatical is supposed to be a year of rest and used to acquire new skills or training, as teachers often do every seven years. I'm not a teacher, but a year off from being underemployed and having to work at my many part-time jobs after being laid off as a journalist two years ago sounds great. I could use a $100,000 sabbatical. It's the year of helping others that throws me.