making news in america this morning, and they're off. >> 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 testify about some truly shocking behavior. >> and 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. >> retailers may have to rename

the holiday shopping season kickoff black thursday. >> that's right. well, turkey and trimmings were already a distant memory when the doors opened to these bargain hunters in raleigh. in fact, they may already be back home after snapping up their items well before midnight, and here in new york crowds jammed times square during primetime brought in by loads of discounts. abc's chuck sieverson has more. >> reporter: you could say these went cold turkey. >> we decided to shop early this year so we can be the first ones in the door. >> reporter: leaving the bird on the back burner for the bargains. >> i bought four televisions and saved $500. >> reporter: the first pick of tvs and toys on thanksgiving. >> you don't have to worry about the crowds pushing and shoving or standing in line for hours. >> the reason retailers are doing this is they believe there's a limited amount of money that will leave the wallet, and if they can pass that money sooner, they'll win

over somebody who is not open soon enough. >> i wish i was home right now helping cooking. >> this is the day that makes or breaks your year, so we're hoping that everybody decides to support the economy and come on out. >> reporter:en 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 for those that buy accessories. >> you have a great holiday. >> reporter: they hope that black friday will turn the holiday season to gold. chuck siererson, abc news. early birds don't always get their worm xshgs that caused a nasty incident at a wall mart in los angeles. a shopper used pepper spray during a confrontation, and the crowd movement left at least ten people injured. >> i just don't understand how things get that crazy. calm down, everybody.

it's just a flat screen. first lady michelle obama accepts the white house christmas tree today. >> the first family really went for it with thanksgiving dinner for turkey and ham, two types of stuffing ands potatoes and six -- get that six -- kinds of pie. >> president called members of the military defloyd in iraq and afghanistan. >> it will be the last holiday spent in that country. they'll all be leaving by the end of this year. these troops got a hot meal, but many did not. many 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. all victims died in that third explosion. many of them were arming 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, and egyptian court has ordered the release of them. they're accused of throwing firebombs of police at an anti-government protest in kyron on sunday, charges they deny. they did manage to enjoy complete thanksgiving feasts in custody, courtesy of the u.s. embassy. well, unlike most movie 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 tabloid hounded her so aggressively she was forced to move out of her ho home. >> an enchanted garden. >> reporter: j.k. rowling made a fortune dreaming up the wizarding world of harry potter. the author told a government panel investigating media ethic that is 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 made rowling feel trapped in her own home, illegally snapping 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's 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 went far beyond phone hacking. when actress sienna miller began dating jude law, the pap rauts yea chased her.

>> if you take away the cameras, what have you got, a pack of men chasing a woman. >> reporter: 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 information. 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, 70 no-fly zone miami, and new orleans, about 61 here in the big apple. 60s from detroit to dallas. sacramento, 61, and seattle, 45. we mentioned how president obama spent his thanksgiving earlier. now for some others. >> in tucson congresswoman gabby giffords searched turkey dinner.

lookinging good there. it's the first time she's met with her constituents since being shot in the head 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 foot the sock monkey and sonic the hedgehog returned after an 18-year hiatus. good too see you there. 3.5 million folks, wow. coming up, the details from that tragic plane crash in arizona. also today, what to look for if you are going shopping and on the market for a fancy tv today. sgirchlgts and let's face it, it wouldn't be black friday without weekend football. we have all the highlights ahead.

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. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and less pain means, i can feel better and do more of what matters. [ female announcer ] lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision, or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. i found answers about fibromyalgia. then i found lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today.

some rain-drenched ski resorts near lake tahoe. the die-hard skiers didn't let this put a damper on their weekend. they went to the slopes anyway. now for a look at morning road conditions. ice and snow on parts of i-15, 84, and 90 in the northern rockies. damp on i-10 and 20 in texas, and soggy on i-40 from memphis to paducca. >> if you are flying today, a few weather-related airport delays are possible in the cities of memphis and dallas. well, three hours on a

family 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 mountain side outside of phoenix. here's 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 an hour, the aircraft slammed into the superstition mountain. these stills capture the moments just after impact. the twin engine plane was on a round trip flight from stafford, arizona, about 150 miles away. co-pilot sean perry was on his way to mesa to pick up 9-year-old daughter morgan, 8-year-old son, logan, and 6-year-old, luke, from their mother's home. pilot russell hardy left behind a wife and 3-year-old son and

mechanic joseph hardaway, just 22 years old, was set to wed his fiance next month. >> the way that debris was strewn, and the fire was burning, it didn't look like anybody could survive something like that. >> reporter: crews have recovered the body of one of the children and continues searching. 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 alviar, abc news, los angeles. >> thanks, diana. we will lighten the mood after that tragedy. we have an update now. a bizarre robbery attempt caught on camera over the weekend. this man dressed as gumbie and his plain-clothesed accomplice are pleading guilty. >> yes, the character told the clerk he had a gun, and then

later claimed it was all as big misunderstanding. the two eventually turned themselves in, and police seized that gumby suit. >> everyone is safe from gumby. all signs of the nba labor dispute are back at the table today. there's still a deal to save the nationally televised christmas day game. david stern says it will take 30 days to start the season once a deal is finally reached. a big weekend of football is already underway. highlights now from espn news. good morning. i'm todd grisham. nothing goes better with turkey and mashed potatoes than football. thanksgiving day. rodgers and the pack try to remain undefeated. that will help greg jennings with the three-yard touchdown pass. 7-0. first quarter. opening drive, third and four. rodgers for donald driver. incomplete, but a flag on the play, and talk about -- watch

this. number 90, watch what he does here. he slams his head on the turf and then stomps on it. suh would be ejected. bad sportsmanship. packers are 11-0. battle of the brothers. john harbough facing jim harbough. ravens versus 49ers. fourth quarter. tied 6-6. flacco. touchdown. ravens 13-6. 8:12 left in the fourth. third and eight for the 49ers on their own 12. alex smith flushed out of the pocket, and that's mike carroll's son. again, smet sacked. he had nine on the night. three store stubbs. ravens win it 16-6. john harbough with the gatorade bath and beat his brother.

isn't that what thanksgiving is all about? all the latest news and highlights check out espn news. have a great day. well, there was a distinctly different footrace in dallas yesterday. 38,000 runners showed up for the eight-mile turkey trot. some of them in costume. >> a world record was set even before the race started for the largest gathering of people dressed as turkeys in one place. there were actually 661 of them. >> love it. >> looking good. well, up next, the pulse. as we promised, we'll tell you what the woman in the bikini is doing. >> uh-huh. plus, this little girl in washington state in a somewhat overzealous security guard at the local safeway. stay tuned for that and more when we come back. beauty, huh? it's dependable.

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"someone must open the window so the soul can depart." i smiled and squeezed her hand. "not tonight, britta. not tonight." [ female announcer ] to nurses everywhere, thank you, from johnson & johnson. time to check "the pulse." what will you be talking about today? forget flyers. a san diego woman is taking the search for her lost dog to a whole new level, and she's attracting plenty of attention. >> here's why. arlene hit the streets armed with a bikini as she plans to repeat the attention-grabbing stunt every day until her chihuahua chippy is found. >> she says she's willing to brave the cold to find her beloved pooch. however, temperatures are climbing into the 60s over the weekend, and even warmer next week. i don't know how that helps chippy. >> if i was chippy, i would come home.

that's all i'm saying. a security guard is in trouble for the way he questioned a shop lifter. you see, the suspect is a 4-year-old. all right. little savannah ate dry apricots on the shelf, and her dad didn't snow, but apparently the security guard did. >> the girl signed a form to promise she wouldn't go to any safeway wrshz she is just 4. she can't write. she did skribl on the paper. safeway has said clearly the guard was not using commonsense. >> we can all agree. >> duh. yes. the rolling stone magazine out today includes a list of the 100 greatest guitarists in rock 'n' roll. it's all up for debate zoosh a good bedee bait. top guitarists and experts rank them all. number five, jeff beck, who used to play in the late 1950s. >> the iconic keith richard from the rolling stones. >> number three from led

zeppelin, that all remains the same, jimmy page. number two eric clapton. number one greatest guitarist of all time, jimmy hendricks himself. climbed a rock wallver in the middle of the ocean? or tried something really wild? why not? it's all possible in the nation of why not. royal caribbean's floating nation where you're free to do anything you want. which may be nothing at all. royal caribbean international. visit royalcaribbean.com today. look, honey... it's santa. i have the perfect gift for you. ♪ oh...santa. [ male announcer ] save 25% on citizen watches at kay, the number one jewelry store in america. these are for me, right? ♪ every kiss begins with kay i took some steep risks in my teens. i'd never ride without one now. and since my doctor prescribed lipitor, i won't go without it for my high cholesterol

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♪ can i see clearly now the rain is gone ♪ ♪ 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 now from wsoc's dan torsman. >> reporter: sarah smith has spept her life giving. her daughter melanie knows. she was there when mom was pregnant with ernie, and doctors told sarah she would 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 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 one of her kidneys to her 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 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.