My Kingdom For A $398 HP Laptop

So a couple of days ago I was complaining about kids not behaving in public. Why? Is it because I hate kids? No. It's because when kids who aren't taught to respect other people grow up, this crap happens. When kids are taught that they are the only important person in the room, and satisfying their desires is more worthy than their personal integrity, they grow up to trample people at the Wal-Mart.

Then again, there's the problem of the Trample-ee. A quick read-through of her story sends my risk-management alarm bells flashing.

"I got a bruise on my arm, and I don't bruise easily. I'm scratched up. I also got scratches on my back all from people clawing and grabbing," said Bumpers.
Her nephew took photos with his camera phone, showing Connie being taken away by ambulance after the morning melee.
...
Connie's brother did talk about the stampede. " They allowed control to be lost and as a result, my sister was in the hospital."

It's easy money to bet that these people are going to be suing the Wal-Mart corporation, if Wal-Mart doesn't settle for a chunk of change ahead of time. I hate that the woman was hurt, but her brother's remarks sound straight out of the Bart Durham Future Millionaires Of America handbook.

Bonus points in today's laptop fiasco go to Tim Severance of Martinsburg, W.Va. who said

"Turns out that it was only a gimmick to get people into their store."

Mighty keen grasp of the obvious there, Mr. Severance. Am I the only one who thinks that terms like "loss-leader" and "bait-and-switch" should be taught in grade school?