> making news in america th morning, and they're off. >> that's right. hundreds of thousands of people are shopping right now. cash registers across the nation have been ringing for hours. it can only mean one thing. it's black friday. and then from britain, tabloids on trial. more famous faces testifying about some truly shocking behavior. >> the big question from arizona. what went wrong with the plane that crashed into a mountain on a crystal clear night? captions paid for by abc, inc. >> good morning this morning. if strategy is successful, the holiday season kickoff may have to be renamed black

thursday. >> turkey and trimmings were already a distant memory when the doors opened to these bargain hunt nerz raleigh. in fact, they may already be back home after snapping up their items well before midnight xshgs here in new york crowds jammed times square during primetime brought in by loads of door-busting discounts. chuck sierverson has more. >> reporter: you could say these shoppers went cold turkey. >> decided to come early this year so we can be the first ones to get in the door. >> reporter: leaving the bird in the back burner for bargains. >> i prchtd four televisions. i saved around $500. >> reporter: this k-mart giving early birds first pick of tv and toys on thanksgiving. >> you don't have to worry about the crowds pushing and shoving or standing in line for hours. >> reporter: the reason retailers are doing this is because they believe there's a limited amount of money that is in everybody's wallet, and if they can have that money sooner, they're going to win over somebody else who is not having it soon enough.

>> reporter: it was tough on some employees. >> i wish i was home helping cooking. >> this is date that makes or breaks your year, so we're hoping that everybody decides to support the economy and come on out. >> reporter: an estimated 152 million people plan to shop this weekend. at old navy, some shoppers will get free digital cameras with a $40 purchase. jc penney, free snow blowers. sears, free ornaments to the first 200 shoppers who buy clothing or accessories. retailers are wishing on all the turkey wish bones. >> good day and great holiday. >> reporter: that black friday will turn the holiday season to gold. chuck siererson, abc news. unfortunately, early birds don't always get their worm. that caused a nasty incident in a crowded wal-mart last night in los angeles. a shopper used pepper spray during a confrontation, and the resulting crowd movement left at least ten people injured. >> i just don't understand how things get that crazy. calm down, everybody. just a flat screen. well, first lady michelle obama accepts the white house

christmas tree today. >> that's right. the first family really went for it for thanksgiving dinner with turkey and ham, two types of stuffing, two types of potatoes and six -- get that six -- types much pie. >> eating well in the white house. the president also called ten members of the armed services currently deployed in iraq and afghanistan to thank them for their service. >> for those troops in iraq, it will be their last thanksgiving spent in that country. fewer than 20,000 american troops are still there, and they'll all be leaving by the end of this year. these troops got a hot meal, but many did not. many basis let go of the outside contractors that cooked for them, so those troops were stuck with prepackaged meals instead of a turkey dinner. meanwhile, a reminder that iraq is still very much a dangerous place. at least 19 people were killed last night in three consecutive bomb blasts in the southern city of azra. all died in that third explosion. many of them were army and police forces who responded to those first two blasts. meanwhile, those three u.s. college students arrested in

egypt could be free as early as this weekend. egyptian court has ordered the release of derek sweeney, luke gace, and they did manage to enjoy a complete thanksgiving feast in custody, courtesy of the u.s. embassy. well, unlike most manufacture and tv stars, harry potter author j.k. rowling has always been a reluctant public figure, but she learned to tolerate the spotlight, until, she claims, the tabloids hounded her so aggressively she was forced move out of her home. here's abc's kelly. >> in an enchanted garden. >> reporter: j.k. rowling made a fortune dreaming up the wizards world of harry potter. the a gov told a gov told panel investigating media ethics that the dark arts of the tabloids left her baffled and on edge. >> it's difficult to explain to people who haven't experienced it what that feels like.

it's incredibly threatening. >> reporter: paparazzi illegally snapped photos of her children. newspapers ran pictures of where she lived and her home security system. one reporter somehow slipped a note into her daughter's book bag. >> it's very difficult to say how angry and how angry i felt that my 5-year-old daughter's school was no longer a place of security. >> reporter: the government's investigation grew out of the news of the world phone hacking scandal. more than a dozen people have been arrested. media titan rupert murdock shut down his popular tabloid, but the scandal is still growing. the string of witnesses speaking out now say the problem goes far beyond phone hacking. when actress sienna miller began dating fellow actor jude law, the paparazzi chased her. >> the fact that they had cameras in their hands, it was legal. if you take away the cameras, what have you got? a pack of men chasing a woman. rirchlg the panel will make its

recommendation on whether to curb the tabloid media early next year, and the criminal investigation is still open. on thursday scotland yard made its first arrest for hacking a computer in search of a scoop. well, time now for the weather from across the nation. up to half a foot of mountain snow in montana, wyoming, and idaho. lingering snow in the cascades. showers from the texas panhandle into central kansas. morning fog in the mississippi valley. scattered showers in east florida. meanwhile, some 70s in miami and new orleans. 61 here in the big apple. near record highs in the midwest. 60s from detroit to dallas. phoenix climbs to 71. sacramento, 61, and seattle, 45. we mentioned how president obama spent his thanksgiving earlier. now for some others. >> in tucson congresswoman gabby giffords served turkey dinner to service members at an air force base. it's the first time she's met with her constituents since being shot in the head at a meet

and greet. the tragedy in tucson nearly a year ago. here in new york kids of all ages couldn't wait to feast their eyes on this year's macy's thanksgiving day parade. >> more than a dozen giant balloons and floats graced the streets of manhattan as 3.5 million people looked on a 40 future julius the sock monkey made its debut, and on top of that sonic the hedgehog returned after an 18-year hiatus. good to see you again. 3.5 million folks, wow. >> still ahead here on "america this morning" the details from that tragic plane crash in arizona. >> and what to look for if you are going shopping and on the market for a fancy tv today. >> and let's face it, it wouldn't be black friday without weekend football. we have all the highlights ahead. >> today's weather brought

william back. a big telecom merger deal this morning. at&t and t mobile say they have withdrawn the ram ficks of the federal communications commission because of opposition from the fcc as well as from the justice department, but the cell phone companies say they still want to go ahead with the $39 billion deal. portugal is the latest european country feeling the pain from the financial crisis. there are protests and strikes over cuts and services. theas airport budget required to get a bailout, and the credit rating agency now reports port gol's bonds as junk. tokyo's nikkei average slid

five points today. the hang seng lost 246 points. in london the ftse opened lower, and the nasdaq and dow were closed yesterday, but they will resume function today. >> that's right. you may be able to pick up a new high-definition television today and in the coming weeks at a big discount. the economy is still sluggish, and there's nothing new about technology. >> there are new rules for buying an hd tv this year. becky rowley has that. >> reporter: tvs have people using by resolution and tv angle. now there are new factors to consider. first, let's tackle the lcd versus plasma debate. plasmas have benefits over lcds. deep blacks. not some modelled gray you sometimes get with lcds. plasmas are cheaper and they handle motion better. got news, sports fans. let's talk lcd specs.

the one most prominently displayed is the refresh rate. 50, 120, or 240 hertz. this is a measure of how the set handles motion blur. now, one thing that is important with the new led vergs of lcds is dimming. make sure the set you are buying can basically turn the lights down on the portions of the set that are black while handling bright images in other quadrants of the screen. another decision you'll be faced with, 3-d tv. it's a personal decision, but one that will cost you. compared to a budget 2-d set, a 3-d model will almost double the price. this year there's no major invasion in tv that retailers can market to you. they can only pull one lever to get you to buy. lowering the price. just so you know, the best deals almost always come after the holidays. becky whirly, abc news, san francisco. >> best deals after the

holidays. keep that in mind, all the crazy black friday folks. >> i don't know if it's fun to go today. >> guilty plea and an infamous attempted robbery case that did not go quite as planned. >> plus, what in the world is this woman doing? we have the answer coming in "the pulse." i know the tests they've been through. i know the temperatures they can withstand. i even know why this little mesh pocket is mesh. the way we make gear, it's not just guaranteed to last. it's guaranteed to make a whole lot of sense. we hear from a lot of customers that this is the best place for a cell phone. [ aj ] and after warmth, that's the first thing i look for. my name is aj curran. i'm the director of outerwear and accessories, and the holidays are made here at l.l.bean. i didn't understand it. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia -- thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves.

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some rain drenched ski resorts near lake tahoe. the die-hard skiers didn't let it put a damper on their weekend. they hit the slopes. temperatures are expected to rise over the weekend. now, for a look at road conditions. ice and snow on i-15, 84 and 90 in the northern rockies. damp on i-10 and 20 in texas. and foggy on i-40, from memphis to paducah. >> if you're flying today, a few weather-related airport delays are possible in the cities of memphis and dallas. three arizona families looking forward to a happy thanksgiving holiday are now making funeral plans instead.

>> that's because all three lost loved ones on a small plane that smashed into a mountainside outside of phoenix. abc's diana alvear has the latest details. >> reporter: it was a tragedy captured on a web cam. one day before thanksgiving. a small plane, crashing into an arizona mountain. >> i looked up. and i saw this fireball. and it rose up. and then, all of a sudden, poof, boom. >> reporter: just minutes after takeoff, flying at speeds of 200 miles per hour, the aircraft slammed into the superstition mountains. these stills capture the moments just after impact. the twin-engine plane was on a round-trip flight from safford, arizona, about 100 miles away. they were on their way to mesa, to take up the three children from their mother's home. pilot russell hardy, left behind a wife and a son.

>> the way that debris was tlun and fire was burning, it doesn't look like anyone could survive something like that. >> reporter: a tough task for the team. agony for the family. >> with the families, if there's something they can be thankful for, is to have these loved ones in their lives to this point. and the good memories that they have with them. >> reporter: the sheriff said his teams will continue to work until all of the bodies have been recovered. diana alvear, abc news, los angeles. >> thanks, diana. we'll lighten the mood after that tragedy. we have an update, now, on a bizarre robbery attempt caught on camera over labor day weekend. this young man dressed as, yep, gumby, and his plain clothes accomplice, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor robbery. >> the gumby told the clerk he had a gun. the two eventually turned

themselves in and police seized that gumby suit. all sides in the nba labor dispute are expected back to the table here in new york today. there's still hope of reaching a deal inside to save the nationally-televised christmas day basketball games. commissioner david stern said it will take about 30 days to start the season once a deal is finally reached. a big weekend of football is already under way. highlights now from espn news. >> good morning. i'm todd grisham. update. your espn news and nothing goes better with turkey and mashed potatoes than football. packers and lions on thanksgiving day. aaron rodgers and the pack trying to remain undefeated. that will help. greg jennings, a three-yard touchdown catch. packers opening drive. rodgers were donald driver. incomplete. but a flag on the play. and talk about something crazy. watch this.

suh, watch what he does here. smith slams his head on the turf and then stomps on it. battle of the brothers. john harbaugh, facing jim harbaugh. raiders and 49ers. touchdown. ravens go up 13-6. fourth and eight for the 49ers. alex smith, flushed out of the pocket. terrell suggs, 49ers have to punt. three minutes left. niners still down by ten. and again, smith sacked by suggs. he had nine on the night. three for suggs. ravens win it, 16-6. john harbaugh gets a gatorade bath and beats his brother. isn't that what thanksgiving's all about? for all the latest news,

information and highlights, check out espn news. i'm todd grisham. have a great day. well, there was a distinctly different footrace in dallas yesterday morning. 38,000 runners showed up for the 8-mile turkey trot. some of them in costume. >> a world record was set before the race started for the largest gathering of people dressed as turkeys in one lace. there was 661 of them. >> love it. up next, "the pulse." as we promise, we'll tell you what the woman in the bikini is doing. 1 plus, this little girl, out in washington state, in a somewhat overzealous security guard at the local safeway. stay tuned for that and more when we come right back opinion beauty, huh? it's dependable.

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"not tonight, britta. not tonight." [ female announcer ] to nurses everywhere, thank you, from johnson & johnson. time to check "the pulse," stories you'll be talking about today. forget fliers. a san diego woman is taking her search for her last dog to a new level. and she's attracting attention. >> she hit the streets armed with a bikini and a sign. and she plans to repeat the attention-grabbing stunt every day until her chihuahua, chippy, is found. >> she is willing to brave the cold to find her pooch. but temperatures are climbing into the 60s over the weekend. i think she'll be okay. i don't know how that helps chippy. >> if i was chippy, i'd come home. that's all i'm saying. a grocery store security guard is in trouble for the way

he questioned a shoplifter. you see, the suspect is a 4-year-old. right? little savanna ate some dried apricots on the shelf. and her dad didn't notice it. but the security guard did. >> that little girl promised not to go to the safeways. she can't write. safeway has issued a statement saying, clearly the guard was not using common sense. >> we can all agree. and "rolling stone" magazine is out with a list of the 100 greatest guitarists in rock 'n' roll. all subjects up for debate. >> they asked guitarists and so-called experts to rate them all. at number five, jeff beck. >> and at four, the iconic keith richards from the rolling stones. >> and coming in at number three, from led zeppelin, jimmy page. the song remains the same. >> number two, eric clapton. >> and the number one greatest

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a few sprinkles in the north bay. >> jacqueline will look at well, finally this morning, a priceless present for a dedicated mom in south carolina.

>> the life-changing gift is coming just in time for the holidays, courtesy of her own daughter. details from wsoc's dan torsman. >> reporter: sara has spent her life giving. her daughter, melanie, knows. she was there when her mom was pregnant with ernie. and doctors told sarah she'd have to make a decision. >> they said the only thing is if you choose to have this pregnancy, you will be on dyalysis the rest of your life. >> reporter: like so many times before and since, mom did what was best for her kids and had ernie. it's meant dyalysis several times a day. >> that hole closet is full. >> reporter: and years of waiting for a kidney transplant. that is, until this letter came from carolina's medical center. >> my mom thought it was just another bill. and she opened it without looking at the front. it was, like, thank you for considering donation. my mom is, like, um, not donating anything. she looked at the front, and it said my name.

she called me, and was, like, is this true? it was. >> reporter: the truth was, melody wanted to donate a kidney to mom ever since ernie was born. she wanted it to be a surprise. >> i just was in shock and speechless. >> reporter: as soon as she turned 18 earlier this year, melody got tested. she was a match and will donate onher mom next week. >> 18, you're graduating high school. you want to go have that college experience. and she's put it all on hold for her mother. very, very unselfish. >> i think she deserves a second chance at life. i just look at it like that. i don't know. she's given me a lot since i have grown up. >> reporter: the lesson, one learned over time. like mother, like daughter. the nesbits relish most in what they can give. and after all, what's better than giving the gift of life? >> she's my mom. you know, and i want her here a little bit longer. >> love between a mother and a daughter. >> thankful for a kidney and a