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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081129/ap_ ... mart_death" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Every year, I read about something similar happening. (I don't think I've ever read about a death until this year.)

Mom & I have gone to the stores early on Black Friday for several years now, waiting in line outside some years if there were specific items we wanted. Pasadena & Orange got a tiny bit rough, but nothing like this. All other places we've shopped, people were very civil. (At the Bridge City Wal-Mart a few years ago, everyone showed up with no make-up wearing Christmas t-shirts, visited while waiting in line, and walked in a slow cadence into the store when the doors opened.)

Ahhh Yes, I was out there yesterday, trying to replace a TV lost in Ike. It s my first "black Friday". My daughter tried to warn me (she does it every year), but I went anyway!

Up at 3:30am to stand in a line that snaked around Wally World...

As the overhead speakers played Holiday music extolling the "wonderfull time of the year" people were cutting in line and rushing the door! By the time the song had changed to yet another "Christmas song extolling the LOVE" I was tying to push my way in to the mass of people to lay hands on a TV. I GOT it, but brother I thought I would shurely loose a limb before I did--LOL

WOW!!! What a trip, I think the Army should send the new troops to black Friday sales, imanage all the money that could be saved on combat training!! I thought it was bad untill I got home and saw that some poor devil had been trampled to death at a Wal Mart in New York!

I am sure glad I live in the (Friendly) South where people only cut in line, push, shove and steel your basket--LOL

I don't think I will be doing this particular sport again next year. I determined it is a FEMALE sport and men are WAY out of there league--LOL

Galveston Redneck

galvestonredneck wrote:I don't think I will be doing this particular sport again next year. I determined it is a FEMALE sport and men are WAY out of there league--LOL

I just can't imagine the allure to the women of fighting through a crowd to get the same junk they can get in a month at the after-Christmas sales. I clean up on those every year by going late at night on the 26th through New Year's Eve; it's rather impressive what they still have left and how deeply they'll discount it, and I can get in, browse most of the store, and get out in under an hour.

As for the stores, why compete like that and incur the extra liability, and the hassles of angry customers, when they could just have their sales on different days, all day, and get all the shoppers through without the morning mad dash?

Also interesting:

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., based in Bentonville, Ark., called the incident a "tragic situation" and said the employee came from a temporary agency and was doing maintenance work at the store.

Why would a temp maintenance guy be in charge of opening the doors, except that they understood the risk and considered it best that the worker at the greatest risk be one without their insurance?

Russell wrote:
The way these people act are ridiculous and can only be described as animals.

Russell, I have never seen animals act like this. I would describe it as a "overrideing lust" for "things". I can understand this only in the context of fleeing from a fire or some other LIFE or DEATH situation. I am more and more convinced that the so called "self esteem" of the majority these days comes from what they have and not what they are.

Galveston Redneck

KD5NRH wrote:Why would a temp maintenance guy be in charge of opening the doors, except that they understood the risk and considered it best that the worker at the greatest risk be one without their insurance?

I suspect the lawyers representing the estate of the deceased, as well as his loved ones, will take note and be sure to file directly against Wal-Mart, rather than their insurance company.

galvestonredneck wrote:

Russell wrote:
The way these people act are ridiculous and can only be described as animals.

Russell, I have never seen animals act like this. I would describe it as a "overrideing lust" for "things". I can understand this only in the context of fleeing from a fire or some other LIFE or DEATH situation. I am more and more convinced that the so called "self esteem" of the majority these days comes from what they have and not what they are.

Galveston Redneck

I have seen pigs, dogs, cattle, and a variety of other animals act in just this manner, but that's another thing.

We even had a "push" situation at Home Depot on Friday. People waiting at the doors and one loudmouth up front claiming that it's past 6am and the doors should be open, and trying to pry them open. The manager that opened the door said he felt as though he might get run down in the rush when he did so.

galvestonredneck wrote:

Russell wrote:
The way these people act are ridiculous and can only be described as animals.

Russell, I have never seen animals act like this. I would describe it as a "overrideing lust" for "things". I can understand this only in the context of fleeing from a fire or some other LIFE or DEATH situation. I am more and more convinced that the so called "self esteem" of the majority these days comes from what they have and not what they are.

Galveston Redneck

Lemmings come to mind.......

Wow, thats really all that comes to mind.......

I have experienced it once.. One of the stores here had some 3500 watt generators on sale, think it cost me 180 bucks! I was standing in line, and once the doors opened I was run down ( I took a few with me though ).. A group of people were looking for the generators, I was about 10 yards behind them as they basicly ran through the store. Passing the stacked up generators.. Since I was walking normally, I spotted them right off the bat.. I grabbed one and walked over to the register. Some of the people in the group saw me walking off and they changed direction. The only way I can describe the way they turned the corner is to picture 10 dogs outside, it's -10 degree's outside and snowing. Haven't ate in 4 days, and you open the door. They run down the hall way, where you have put just 1 bowl of food out for all 10 of them, and they end up looking like bowling pins..... I couldn't believe what I was seeing.. I'm just a laid back country boy, I dont get excited over much of anything, and these "people" were acting like animals..

Just like Jim Longley posted, I've seen cattle, pigs, horses and many other type animals act just like what I was seeing in the store. That was the last time I will ever do that again, or let anyone in my family go on Black Friday.. It's not worth getting hurt over.. I'd much rather pay full price, and have fewer choices than to lower myself to those level's..

If it were me, I'd try to identify as many people as I could in the security camera video's and make them answer for what they did.. It's not WalMarts responsibility under most circumstances ( well yes and no ), trying to control a "mob" like that would require Riot Control..

Russell wrote:I was telling Allison that if I was in charge of opening those doors, I would have my pepper spray, or better yet, taser at the ready.

Nah, just one grenade and no pin. "Go ahead, jostle me."

flintknapper wrote:Lemmings come to mind.......

As do stampeding cattle.

One more reason that Christmas has become my least liked holiday. It is no longer what it should be.

tboesche wrote:One more reason that Christmas has become my least liked holiday. It is no longer what it should be.

At least we have a little more of the original meaning of Christmas left than we do of Memorial Day. It's nothing but a sale day anymore.

KD5NRH wrote:

tboesche wrote:One more reason that Christmas has become my least liked holiday. It is no longer what it should be.

At least we have a little more of the original meaning of Christmas left than we do of Memorial Day. It's nothing but a sale day anymore.

True. We still put up trees like old pagans did for a winter solstice holiday... *DUCKS*