Via Wonkette, this AP story is almost literally unbelievable:
A rush to purchase $50 used laptops turned into a violent stampede Tuesday, with people getting thrown to the pavement, beaten with a folding chair and nearly driven over. One woman went so far as to wet herself rather than surrender her place in line.
Clearly there's an undersupply of cheap computers out there. Just go to your local university town and read the classifieds...
no, there is an under supply of $250 prizes handed out by local government.
why would anyone think this was going to be a good idea? hold an auction, put them on ebay, or just charge $400 and lower the price $10 every day and none of this happens.
Posted by: tof | August 16, 2005 at 09:39 PM
tof, if these people could go on Ebay to bid on these things, then they probably don't need them.
I say let the crowd rush into the stadium, lock the gates, then hand out labtops calmly to the people left behind, trampled and bleeding.
Posted by: Dave M | August 17, 2005 at 11:17 AM
cheers!
good way to redistribute to the poor, stupid, and weak all at once.
Posted by: John R. | August 17, 2005 at 01:19 PM