Black Friday

[IDrinkaRum]

Violence on Black Friday

Article mentions the pepper spraying incident in the Los Angeles Wal-Mart.

It also mentions a shooting in the parking lot of another California Wal-Mart. A group of guys were coming out with their purchases, a group of wanna-be robbers came up to them to rob them of their BF purchases. First group fought back, second group pulled out gun, shot one of the first group, but the first group was able to hold onto one of the robbers until police came. Seems like the robbers didn't get anything & weren't expecting the people to fight back.

Off duty cops at a Wal-Mart in North Carolina pepper sprayed at (not in the face) shoppers salivating for electronics deals. The shoppers were described as "rowdy" and were trying to pull merchandise off pallets before it was time for them to be purchased.

And a 4th incident at another Wal-Mart (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina), has a woman in the hospital after being shot due to an attempted robbery of her purse as she and her family/companions were putting bought items into the trunk of her car.

[HYHYBT]

Why they can't implement something like this for Black Friday, instead of turning it into the consumerist version of the running of the bulls, I cannot fathom.

Simple enough: that's what makes it a big event for a certain type of shopper. And the news stories of people getting trampled just make it more exciting to them next time around.

[Gravekeeper]

$2 waffle iron?

Buttcrack apparently needs 5 or 6.

[blas87]

I had the heebie jeebies just going to Best Buy today (after Black Friday sale), the place was just wild.

Ah, the holidays.

[Andara Bledin]

Police assault alleged shoplifter at Walmart by slamming him, face first, into the floor
Probe promised in Arizona Walmart case

I must ask: How the hell do you shoplift anything prior to leaving the store?

I like how the first article has the police spokesman saying that "he struggled after getting hurt." That gives no excuse or even reason for hurting him in the first place. At what point is it reasonable to throw a handcuffed man face-first to the floor, hard enough to knock him out?

^-.-^

[Gravekeeper]

I like how the first article has the police spokesman saying that "he struggled after getting hurt." That gives no excuse or even reason for hurting him in the first place. At what point is it reasonable to throw a handcuffed man face-first to the floor, hard enough to knock him out?

Is that the grandfather that was trying to save his kid from being trampled? I'd love to know how he struggled after getting hurt seeing as he was knocked unconcious by the blow. I'd also love to know how he was resisting arrest by "flailing his arms" *after* being handcuffed. I swear, cops in the US lately seem rather oblivious to the fact cameras exist. >.>

[Andara Bledin]

What's particularly amusing in this case is that one of the direct eye witnesses is a CNN reporter.

^-.-^

[Gravekeeper]

What's particularly amusing in this case is that one of the direct eye witnesses is a CNN reporter.

Must not have had time to round up the press and pen them off 4 blocks from the actual story so they can't cover anything. >.>

[Beckpatton]

Like others have said, we don't have Black Friday here in Oz, but we have our Boxing Day sales. In my city, the sales really only occur in the CBD and maybe at a couple of the larger shopping centres, (Highpoint, and Chadstone). While local stores have sales, I've never seen any kind of crazy behaviour, long lines etc at the smaller centres. At the big sales you do have people lining up for hours, stampeding into the stores when the doors go up, and general craziness.. I'm not aware of any deaths or major injuries, but really it's probably just a matter of time!

I myself actually took advantage of the Black Friday deals this year, thank you Amazon! Did a large amount of my Christmas shopping, as well as stocking up for myself.. about 30-35 movies on DVD for $196 inc postage from the US to Oz.. pretty damn good if you ask me... I have no desire whatsoever to actually leave my house for any sale, and the only time I've camped out has been for concert tickets... but that was just something fun to do when you are 18!!

Something definitely needs to be done about Black Friday, it really is just out of control.. and I'm noticing that the sales are extending to include the actual Thanksgiving Holiday.. How long before it's the pre-Thanksgiving Wednesday blockbuster sale, followed by Thanksgiving Bargain day, then Black Friday... (or is that already happening?) When does it stop??

Athough from many of the stories on CS it sounds like a lot of venues are getting smart, and organising proper security and organising their sales better.. here's hoping the rest follow suit!


oh and on a final note.. that video of the $2 waffle stampede still cracks me up, everyone I know who's seen it always comments on the girl with major plumbers crack.. no one ever says "gee what a bunch of bozo's fighting over a $2 waffle maker" it's all "check out the crack on that sheila!!" bahahahaha!!