Traditionalists might balk, but the holiday shopping season is already underway. Skeptical? Head to your local department store and you'll be inundated by Christmas trees and ornaments. Bargain hunters, though, know that the real deals are more than a month away.
Black Friday, traditionally, is when retailers truly slash prices. Early birds can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off of their holiday bills. Switched.com checked with a few elves, who gave a sneak peek at what you can expect deal-wise this year.
Blu-ray Players and Movies: Blu-ray is shaping up to be the biggest door buster of this year's Black Friday. de Grandpre expects at least one retailer will offer a Blu-ray player for just $49. Look for bargains on Blu-ray films as well, with last year's hit titles (such as "Iron Man") to fall as low as $5.
Laptops: With the proliferation of Netbooks this year, it's never been easier to find affordable portable computing, but Dan de Grandpre, CEO of DealNews.com says it will get even cheaper on Black Friday. Look for well-equipped Netbooks to sell for $199 – and basic 15" laptops to go for as little as $249.
HDTVs (Pretty big): The holidays are typically the best time to buy a new TV – and Black Friday is the time to do it. If you're looking for a normal sized set, you're in luck. Piper Jaffrey analyst Mitch Kaiser says he expects to see 32-inch LCD sets for as low as $299. GottaDeal.com is estimating 37-inch plasma and LCD sets will fall to $399 or less.
HDTVs (Really big): Need something bigger? How about a 46-47 inch LCD set for $599 – a 25 percent savings? Or a 52-inch LCD for $999? Dealnews says you can expect both. Plasma deals will be a little harder to come by, but a 50-inch set should run roughly $899.
HD Camcorders: You've wanted to shoot your child's school play in HD for a while, but haven't been able to spring for the pricey camcorder. This might be the year. Low-end, flash-based 720p models could drop as low as $60 (though you won't be able to zoom with those). Expect a high quality 1080p HD camcorder for $349.
GPS: While navigation systems have dramatically expanded their reach this year – even making it onto the iPhone – there's still a market for car-based systems. Dealnews predicts you'll be able to find a no-name entry-level system for $49, while a Garmin or Tom-Tom brand will be as low as $69.
Digital Picture Frames: Showcasing your digital pictures consistently gets cheaper. This year, skip the 7-inch screens and focus on the 8- or 9-inch ones, which should be available on Black Friday for as little as $30.
Monitors: Computer monitors might not be the sexiest of gifts, but they're usually welcomed with open arms – and they'll be cheap this year. Name brand 22-inch LCD models may go for as low as $99, while 24-inch models will drop below $150.
Memory: Don't know anyone who needs a monitor? External hard drives are always popular, since they're an easy way to back-up data. Dealnews expects a 1TB drive to fall as low as $49 this year. Gottadeal is looking for 8GB flash drives to hit $15.
There are some disturbing trends making the rounds on the Internet these days. Some are humorous, such as baby names inspired by text messages. Some are frightening, such as online suicide waves in Wales. 
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Reader Comments (Page 5 of 10)
Bear said 9:28PM on 4-21-2008
Way to go Debra!! I couldnt have said it better myself!! I totally agree with you.
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Joe said 10:02PM on 4-21-2008
Miranda, I fully agree! It's politics swept under the rug AGAIN!
As for you debra, take a poo poo maybe you"ll feel better.
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Michael said 9:33PM on 4-21-2008
In California there is CYA....California Youth Authority. Not charging these girls with anything will give them exactly the wrong message. They need to be held accountable and so do their parents.
This is NOT a political issue. Neither of our two major parties has cornered the market on decency and morality. Anyone who does not see that the guilty girls need to be held accountable has missed the boat regardless of their party affiliation.
Good to see name calling and insults on this site just like all the others. That kind of behavior goes far toward a meaningful discussion and fruitful dialog.
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Frank said 9:35PM on 4-21-2008
If these girls are to young to be taken to jail for their actions, take them to some childrens hospital in the area and have them talk to some of the children there. Seeing some of these children, like the ones in there for cancer and other deseases that are life threatening, could show these tweens what life is about and how fortunate they are. Then take the parents to look at the morgue and see hthe mangled bodies of car accidents, beatings, ect. After all, the parents are just as much to blame as the children.
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CJ said 9:37PM on 4-21-2008
"It takes a village to raise one child"...
I can remember my neighbors Mother having the permission to kick my ass if I acted up!
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Ironman said 9:56PM on 4-21-2008
I am that kids daddy and every kids daddy. Tell her I will find her and rip her a new asshloe like she has got comming. Stupid bitch has no family if she behaves like that.
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J. C. Wolf said 9:47PM on 4-21-2008
Parents are afraid of their kids.
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kieranlc said 9:57PM on 4-21-2008
sfisher@ccsc.k12.in.us
Write to Stephen Fisher
The school superintendent should be fired. Everyone write to him and tell him what a moron he his and to step down from his job and to suspend these girls from school for a year. They need mental help and shouldn't be allowed with the rest of the students. They are dangerous punks.
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sonicboom1w said 9:54PM on 4-21-2008
I am your daddy! Come home and I will kick your ass better than that you little bitch. Where is your real daddy and he will get more. EYESOCKET GONE WRONG, GIVE YOUR DAD A HUG!!!
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mike said 10:52PM on 4-21-2008
The kid's father was a Police officer? If I was the Father of that kid that was beaten I think I would go beserk !!!!!!! I think I'd have to go to the house of each of those "Bitches" houses that beat up that poor girl, break down their doors, drag them out into their front yards, and beat the "Fucking" crap out of all of them as payback. And if the Father's of the "Bitches" wanted to make an issue out of it I'd beat their stupid azzes too !!!!!!!!!
I would really be fucking pissed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And if I were the parent's of those girls that perpertrated the beating, I'd be scared shitless of what the Father of the girl that got beat up is gonna do. There should be a law like they have in the middle east if you get caught messing around with someone other than the one your forced into marrying, the family dis-owns you.
A similar rule should apply here in the USA. And kid caught beating another kid - their families should dis-own them. No punishment???
no wonder why America is the way it is. No punishment for criminals but plenty of punishment and disregard for the ones being offended.
Our Country really sucks. If our laws don't punish kids like this, I would take the law into my own hands even if it means going to jail for my own kid. I guarantee you after I'm through beating on those kids, they'd never beat another person ever again.
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Cheryl said 10:04PM on 4-21-2008
Sounds like Indiana laws need some up dating to include this type of thing by kids who chose to beat another child up and then post to the Internet. A year in juvie ought to do the trick if they are age 12 or 13 and longer if they are older. Why aren't their parents teaching them that you do not put your hands on aother person without their permission, period. If adults can't do it, then why do children think they can. If they were adults they would be subject to jail or prison. Something is very wrong with both the parents and society when these things go on and folks haven't gotten the message. Maybe when the "dear little ones" get out of juvie they need to have a parent follow them around 24/7 for a year and then one of the parents stay home with them under house arrest after that.
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l said 10:07PM on 4-21-2008
DONT WATCH THE VIDEO THATS WHAT THESE LITTLE BASTARDS WANT READING THE STORY IS ENOUGH I HAVE A COUPLE OF TURDS I CAN DROP IN THAT "PHOTOBUCKET" WEBSITE THANKS FOR THE VIOLENCE PROMOTION
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Dj2all said 10:08PM on 4-21-2008
THOSE GIRL SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH FELONIES; AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, CRUEL TREATMENT, ASSAULT, RECKLESS CONDUCT, IMMTIMIDATION, HATE CRIME. THEY SHOULD GO TO JAIL..
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Andrew Miller said 10:08PM on 4-21-2008
pssshhhh, i may not live in some small midwestern town with "a really great school system" but I can tell that this is being completely blown out of proportion. we have fights every other day at my school and they're always online by the time we get home. you expect me to feel sorry for that girl cause her rich parents cried to the school and got some news crews to show up?
and, uhm, its not like one just got beaten up, they were fighting, if the other girl had won we'd still be seeing the same coverage.
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Elizabeth said 10:15PM on 4-21-2008
I am not sure who mentioned this, however, there is this minor thing called accountability and these "children" are old enough, and should be held accountable ALONG with their parents; because the law states that a parent or legal guardian IS responsible for a minor and their actions until they are of legal age; maybe once Dad and Mom have to suffer some conquence from baby's actions, they will take a little more time to see what their off spring is up to in their spare time; not to mention the poor child who has been abused by these "brats" should be compensated by their parents to the max; and the abusers put on probation for their actions..... Take some action toward them so they may think about their tough little selves next time they want to gang up on some one.... It takes nothing less than a coward to gang up on "one" person who is defensless against many; and it speaks loud and clear about Mom and Dad of these brats.... Teaching begins at home, and is followed thru by a life time, people want to get rid of their kids and put them off on someone else, anybody, they do not care; then they want to cry; what did we do wrong? Stop, sit and listen, maybe???? and get involved. or in this case? Stop, sit down and shut up!!!! and take the ride.
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sonic said 10:16PM on 4-21-2008
I am all the little girls daddy. That little bitch needs a lesson. If her real daddy cannot do it he needs a good black eye.
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Jarin said 10:22PM on 4-21-2008
What we have here is simple A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE.
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Diane said 10:24PM on 4-21-2008
Too bad that society has basically forbidden parents to effectively punish their children. As a woman in her 50's, as a child my parents had no problem using a paddle or belt on us if we grossly misbehaved. No severe beatings, just a reminder that certain behavior was not tolerated. And guess what...........no child would have EVER thought of doing some of the things that today's kids are doing. Give back some power to the parents as well as responsibility for their children.
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larcen007 said 10:39PM on 4-21-2008
I agree to a degree. Some disciplining power must be given back to the parents - but parents should not be allowed to "discipline" their kids because they may act "gay" or have different beliefs or question their authority. I think in the past there was too much discplining -- now there is not enough. Hopefully the pendulum will swing back soon - overdiscplining is better than underdiscplining.
GFox said 3:23PM on 5-11-2008
thwe bullys should be found dead,one at a time.(now i am ready for everyone to say "thats not right"
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