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.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Duran Dujam said 5:23PM on 1-01-2009
If the website is hosted in a state that is not Georgia, wouldn't that mean the State of Georgia has no authority as your account is both outside their jurisdiction and also, being interstate commerce, regulated by the Federal government?
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Stephani said 5:00AM on 1-02-2009
Doesn't matter where the site is. It is the sex offenders location and activities, that are of concern and by law are monitored. And they are not asking for online banking info and their passwords and the likes of that. They only want the e-mail and chat room activities monitored. That's where the pedophile pick ups are going on. There are not too many chat rooms on the B of A or Chase web sites and even if there were I doubt there would be a bunch of teenage girls surfing those sites and chat rooms. Why are you so concerned with those rapists anyway? They gave up all their rights.
Lori said 5:25PM on 1-01-2009
"Well intentioned, but crossing the line?" You have got to be kidding me, right? Who gives a crap if their privacy is violated? They should lose ALL of their "rights" the first time they abuse a child. KUDO'S to the states that are implementing this law. The liberal ACLU will challenge them all but at least something is being done to send a message that the rest of us think they are bottom dwelling, evil monsters.
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Brian said 6:15PM on 1-01-2009
Yes, Lori. And while we're at it why don't we castrate and behead them, as well? (/sarcasm) Last time I checked, we aren't in Iran.
While their crimes are despicable at best, their punishments should not be infinite. You can't take out all of society's frustrations and anger on these criminals, after they've served their time.
After these men are out of prison, we've already taken years (decades, even) out of their lives, destroyed any chance these people had of a career, and damned them to living in slums and working at the docks for the rest of their lives. What more do you want from these PEOPLE?
Mark said 7:24AM on 1-18-2009
Not all sex offenders offended a child. Nor are all sex offenders a person that actually sexually assaulted someone.
Get a clue people if your going to have an opinion.
Momof3 said 6:29PM on 1-01-2009
Brian, Maybe you would change your mind if it was YOUR CHILD. WE did not take years out of their lives, They did when they chose to do horrible , illegal things.
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Crazyeddieprobe said 7:38PM on 1-01-2009
Yes, Momof3, but then there are those found guilty that are later proven to be innocent of any wrong-doing. And please don't say 'it doesn't happen that often.' I personally know TWO individuals who were falsely accused, and had their lives totally ruined by the experience.
One was a husband - falsely accused by a vicdictive soon-to-be-ex-wife, who was trying to muster grounds for sole custody of their children. He spent three years in prison, until his case was retried on appeal. Yes, he was found not guilty during the second trial, but the professional, finacial and psychological damage already done was beyond repair...he committed suicide within a year of his release.
The other was a young married man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl. He was convicted almost solely on the testimony of his accuser, and the fact that he had no provable alibi for the period of time during which the crime had been committed. The police and DA only did blood-typing, not DNA, and his blood type was the same as the attacker's. He had a public defender and no money for DNA tests that could have exonerated him. his wife divorced him, and even today he is STILL trying to force the courts to at least allow himn visitation with his two children. Two years after his conviction, after he himself had been repeatedly raped in prison, his family and friends were able to raise enough money to persuade an independant lab to DO the DNA testing, and he was given a new trial. He was subsequently proven NOT to be the man who had raped the girl. He is now HIV-Positive, too ill to work, and living in his parent's basement. His life is effectively already over, save but the funeral.
The climate of Guilty-until-proven-innocent surrounding any accusation of child molestation or sexual misconduct has created an atmosphere of unwarrented fear and often results in rushes to judgements, spurred on by police and prosecutors responding to the public's demands that those guilty are punished swiftly and mercilessly, even beyond their time in prison. Placing someone's name permanently on a sex-offender list virtually assures that they will have trouble finding a job, a place to live, never have contact with their own children, and forces them to go on being punished for the rest of their lives...where is the justice in that? We even allow those convicted of MURDER who have served their full sentences back into society. See anything wrong here???
stephani said 4:54AM on 1-02-2009
Both the momsof... are right you do not know what the victims of these rapists go thru, but all the evidence should always be looked at. In a case where the kiddie rapist isn't actually leaving DNA, it should be easy to get the evidence on film. These creeps can't resist an opportunity, the set ups are easy. Just call it surveillance. And as for having served their time, studies show that these guys are pretty much all going out to do it again as soon as they can. The conclusion is, that there is little hope of rehabilitating the sex offender, they all are required to undergo intensive psychological therapy in the can. So I say, tap the phone, ankle bracelets, e-mail monitoring, go for it.
Mark said 7:29AM on 1-18-2009
Stephani, I'm not sure where your getting your info from, but sex offenders repeat rate is a federal low of about 6%. Robberies, murders are higher than 50%.
Who should we really be keeping an eye on? A murderer, or a sex offender who has been humiliated to the point they either commit suicide, or hide themselves from the public?
Momof# said 8:13PM on 1-01-2009
I understand that there are people who are wrongly accused BUT there are many that are not. I personally know of 4 people (1 child and 3 now adults) that HAVE been sexually abused and THEIR lives are NEVER THE SAME. So where is the justice for the innocent victims? They have to live with the knowledge of what happened to them EVERYDAY! It never goes away, especially if the victim is a child. I am not saying that something should not be done for the people who are wrongly accused, I am referring to the ones who are actually guilty.
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DarkLight said 9:20PM on 1-01-2009
Ok ok, give them 50 years of jail. Not enough? How about 80 years?
Yeah, I agree they should be punished hard for what they did (the really guilty ones), but this, is beyond idiotic
Worse than failure
Even if we forgot for a moment that this is just asking for trouble, it's not like it's secure at all, any offender computer-savy enough can easily bypass it
norman said 11:00PM on 1-01-2009
Do you really think these monsters are going to comply?
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andy said 11:00PM on 1-01-2009
f the government, and anyone else who violate other peoples rights just because they think they can, might is right and if takes a baseball bat over the head of law maker to understand who they work for then so be it!!! they deserve it!!
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Mark said 11:44AM on 1-18-2009
Let them take there privacy away - and they will soon take everyone's privacy away.
Can you say a communist party is rising?
Macha said 12:46AM on 1-02-2009
Might I point out MOM, that this law is for all offenders, not just child molesters?
ALL SEX OFFENDERS that have to register, are supposed to do this. My neighbor, an incredibly nice older man, is considered a sex offender. Why? Because a girl he messed around with when he was in his early twenties and then stopped seeing, had him charged with sodomy and other charges.
Should he pay with his privacy? Hand over all his dealings to the state?
How can we expect people to change for the better, if all we ever do is tell them how we never think they will?
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Mario said 6:04AM on 1-02-2009
Why do some of you soccer moms believe sex offenders are worst then murderers? These group of people are chastised, ridiculed and hated by more people then any other type of criminals. I disagree with the Georgia law. Many of these so-called sex offenders are 18 and 19 year old males having consented sex with 16 and 17 yr. old females. Many of these males are ruined for life and yet the female is not!
PS.. Brian, I agree with you! Good comment! You are a fair person!
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Remby said 8:34AM on 1-02-2009
Good God! --- Too many people lump all "sex offenders" with Child Molesters ----
You are aware that Streaking in College is a Sex Offense and thus makes you a "Sex Offender", as well as a few thousand other semi-innocent things on the law books. Everyone on this board has probably committed a sex offense by Georgia's State Laws, or does everyone here use the missionary position when they have sex? Think this through folks. if you get arrested for any basic sex crime, the government has the right to ask for your passwords to read your comments, political views, discussions with your girlfriend/boyfriend, shopping habits, etc for the rest of your life. That means you have no privacy on the internet. Furthermore this sets a legal precedence for the Government to make other laws allowing monitoring of your internet for other reasons in the future. Big Brother is ready to watch you.
Now who watches the watchers? Do you trust joe-blow government worker with your most private and personal information just because you showed your breast during Mardi-Gras'?
This is a bad law and needs to be struck down.!
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zillabaubles said 9:24AM on 1-02-2009
'Sex offenders' definition should be narrowed down into sub categories IMHO. It has been proven that a child molester can NOT be fixed, they will always be broken and if given the opportunity to offend again, they will. Requiring their passwords for chat/message boards etc is right up there with putting a breathalyzer into a multiple DUI offenders car. Nothing wrong with that in my book. If we don't work on keeping our children safe from repeat offenders, then we are just as much to blame as the offender them self.
For the record, I am not talking about 18-19 year old guys having consensual sex with a 16 year old girl. I'm talking about a grown man molesting/raping a child. As far as I'm concerned, once convicted, the molester should be taken out of society forever.
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Steven said 10:58AM on 1-02-2009
We would not have this problem and any other in keeping sex offenders under watch if they were simply put away for life. When will officials realize that sex offenders need to be incarcerated for life, particularly pedophiles? If somebody commits a sex crime against a minor, put that Cretin away for the rest if its life. Our children will be much safer if all of these creeps were locked way.
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kevin said 11:41AM on 1-02-2009
all rights should be stripped from child molesters. first offense, life in prison, period.. It's bad enough the right's these sick mofo's are given while incarcerated. protective custody, escorted court calls. trust me folks they don't roam general population with other inmates, but there still is enough loop holes for us honorable criminals to catch them slip'n and put a beating on them.
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