Last month, I sent a note to a friend in DC that the Henrico County, Virginia school district was planning to sell off 1000-odd four-year-old iBooks for $50 each to the general public. Noting their age and potential problems, I added, “It’s about a 2 hour drive from DC, so I dunno if it’s worth it…”
Soon after, however, it became apparent that the sale would draw a huge crowd, as word spread across the Internet, and people from around the US started making plans to show up. Under fire from local taxpayers (who had kinda paid for these laptops already), the County Board of Supervisors amended the County Code to allow only Henrico residents to buy the used iBooks.
Even still, moved to the bigger venue at the Richmond International Raceway complex, a mob scene ensued, as thousands of people rushed the entrance as soon as the gate opened this morning at 7am. In all, police estimate nearly 5,500 people showed up. Some were trampled, and others were taken away due to heat stroke. One woman, apparently so intent on getting her iBook refused to leave the line to relieve herself, and pulled a Fergie-Black-Eyed-Pee-Pee. One genius tried to ram his way through the crowd, using his car.
Sad part of the whole thing? According to the Richmond Times Dispatch, “Students and teachers will be getting new Dell computers this school year.”
An NBC newsreport (RealMedia) from the scene captured the chaos.
See also:
Mac Attack (or, “When Cheap Psycho’s Assemble”)
I saw this today on Up-Load This! This is just ridiculous. Apparently some school district was selling old IBooks for 50 bucks. Word got out, over 5,500 showed up to grab some of the action, and the following acts of violence ensued:
trampling…