[ssf] consumer capitalism madness!

[Chris Malins]

If anything more worrying is the revelation further down the article 
that three people were killed in a stampede at a store opening in Saudi 
Arabia. God help us all.

dave thompson wrote:
> hi, 
> just saw this in the Guardian its also on all the
> discussion boards, Edmonton is rather a poor place,
> but
> this is crazy, shopping really is the new religion...
> 
> 
> dt
> 
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1409738,00.html
> 
> Midday update
> Chaos at Ikea opening
> 
> Mark Oliver
> Thursday February 10, 2005
> 
> Police outside the new Ikea store in Edmonton, north
> London, forced to close after overcrowding at its
> opening
> Police outside the new Ikea store in Edmonton, north
> London, forced to close after overcrowding at its
> opening. Photograph: Johnny Green/PA
>  
> 
> At one minute past midnight last night, Ikea's new
> flagship store opened in north London. Managers
> expected that around 2,000 bargain-hunters would
> quietly file in: the British, after all, have a
> reputation for being decorous queuers.
> 
> But Ikea had not predicted that up to 6,000 people
> would descend on the new store, in Edmonton, with a
> stampede to get in resulting in a frightening crush.
> 
> Thousands had been lured by bargains - some of which
> were only available until 3am even though a 24-hour
> opening was planned - such as 500 leather sofas for
> only £45. Cars were abandoned on the roadside as
> shoppers attempted to reach the store in time to
> secure the best offers.
> 
> Six people were taken to hospital, including a man in
> his 20s who was stabbed nearby at around 1.30am. He
> was said to be in a stable condition, and it was not
> clear whether the incident was related to the opening.
> The chaos meant the new store - the 12th and biggest
> to open in the UK - had to close just over 40 minutes
> after opening because of what Ikea described as the
> "unforeseen numbers".    
> 
> 
> 		
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