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Black Friday's Retail Rush

Shoppers crowd around items at a Best Buy in Hobart, Ind., Nov. 25, 2005.
Tasos Katopodis
/
Getty Images
Shoppers crowd around items at a Best Buy in Hobart, Ind., Nov. 25, 2005.

After standing in lines for predawn store openings, shoppers wrestle over discount computers and other hot sellers as the holiday buying season begins.

In Orlando, Fla., shoppers wrestled a man to the ground after he tried to cut the line to snap a discount computer. In Beaumont, Texas, an off-duty policy officer sprayed mace into a crowd of overzealous Wal-Mart shoppers. Several people reportedly left the store gasping and choking as they headed for the parking lot.

Michele Norris talks with commentator Pam Varkony about her visits to a mall near Varkony's home in Allentown, Pa., to assess the Black Friday shopping crowd and talk to some of the smaller retailers about how busy they are.

The National Retail Federation projects a 6 percent increase in sales over last year's holiday season.

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The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

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Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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