Felix, You said "What are you talking about? Merchants are putting out hords of stuff, the customer and anyone who has money feels obligated to buy it, the recession is over, back to normal..." Felix - "WHAT PLANET ARE YOU ON?" Most stores, as reported by NPR, have as small as they can purchase inventories... People are buying... "LESS!!"... Many people don't have enough money to put food on the table .. .let alone splurge on Black Friday... And as for the "Recession being over".... Perhaps technically... But in a practicle sense.... I know its not.....