I like the convenience of having a laptop computer, and mine was a good deal at $400.00. But even if it had been a total steal I don't think I would have been willing to die for it.

Much less wet my pants.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) 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.

``This is total, total chaos,'' said Latoya Jones, 19, who lost one of her flip-flops in the ordeal and later limped around on the sizzling blacktop with one foot bare.

An estimated 5,500 people turned out at the Richmond International Raceway in hopes of getting their hands on one of the 4-year-old Apple iBooks. The Henrico County school system was selling 1,000 of the computers to county residents. New iBooks cost between $999 and $1,299.

Officials opened the gates at 7 a.m., but some already had been waiting since 1:30 a.m. When the gates opened, it became a terrifying mob scene.

People threw themselves forward, screaming and pushing each other. A little girl's stroller was crushed in the stampede. Witnesses said an elderly man was thrown to the pavement, and someone in a car tried to drive his way through the crowd.

Seventeen people suffered minor injuries, with four requiring hospitantation and fly back because of another commitment.

Anyway, here's a picture of the "riot":

Doesn't look unlike the restive Mideast "street." Back in the old days, I remember the word "riot" being used to advertise super discount sales. (Well, I see that occasionally, it still is.)

Considering that prices start at $249.00 for iBooks of the vintage described, the $200.00 saved would be more than offset by lost sleep, the cost of medical care, torn clothes, dry cleaning, Post Traumatic Stress, etc.

To say nothing of "hospitantation and fly back."

Sheesh.