current flock of family films is good for business. current flock of family films is good for business. "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. sure hoping you had a happy thanksgiving. if you were among the millions shopping last night at midnight or shopping today, we hope you're back home safely on this black friday night. it is rough out there as you will soon see tonight. for what's supposed to be a happy family time of year, there is a lot of worry out there on both sides. consumers and retailers and for both really the problem is paying their bills. so to get shoppers spending in a tight economy they offer come ons and prices come down while the so-called 1% can maybe wait and do shopping without price concerns. and the rush to buy for less led to violence. more on that in a moment. the promise of lower prices does strange things to people. 15,000 people were waiting at the mall of america for the opening at midnight. 10,000 people lined up at macy's herald square in new york. john yang happens to be one of them tonight. john starts us off this evening. john, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. black friday started earlier than ever at the stroke of midnight and those extra hours drew some very big crowds. the minute thanksgiving day ended and friday began. >> i'm getting it. >> reporter: so did the bargain hunting. shoppers jammed stores before the sun was up. across the country many scenes bordered on chaos, but the day was largely incident-free except scattered cases of violence. >> oh, my god. >> reporter: the draw? deals like 42-inch flat screen televisions for under $200. >> $199. >> if you can get it here for $199 it's worth waiting 20 hours. >> reporter: according to analysts the earlier opening hours appeared to attract opening numbers younger than th traditional black friday shopper. a sign that teenage fashion merchandisers had a good day. the next four weeks are a crucial time for retailers. according to the national retail federation, in 2010, nearly 20% of retail sales for the entire year came in november and december. this year, they project a 2.8% jump in holiday spending, about half last year's increase. analysts say today is likely to be the single biggest shopping day of the season. >> you don't get these type of deals any other time but now. >> reporter: still, even deeper discounts are usually available later. merchants use the hoopla of black friday to try to generate excitement and to set a tone for the weeks ahead. >> the whole point is to get people into the store to do other shopping and not just walk out with one item. >> reporter: for shoppers it can be as much about the chase as the savings. >> there is a good chunk of consumers looking for bargains and the sport of shopping, the thrill of the treasure hunt. >> reporter: big lines were reported at discount stores like walmart and target. and electronic stores like best buy seemed to be winners. this year, shoppers have a new tool -- smartphones. >> used to be you camp out in front of the store. now you camp out in front of your phone. >> reporter: taking comparison shopping to a new level. >> they are bringing the phones with them. so they are researching on the web on their phones to actually get the right deal, the right price, the right purchase for them. >> reporter: next up, cyber monday, the big online shopping day. analysts expect online shopping to be more important than ever this year, up 17% from last year. brian? >> john yang, the few, the proud, the brave at macy's herald square tonight. john, thanks. and as we mentioned, it has been rough out there. as black friday took a very dark turn in some places, there were violent confrontations among shoppers in a seasonal frenzy at crowded stores. the incidents have included people pulling out weapons, guns, pepper spray and a taser. all for the officially kickoff of the holiday season. that story tonight from nbc's kristen dahlgren. [ shouting ] >> reporter: on youtube today pictures of the quest for doorbusters again turning dangerous. in porter ranch, california, a woman pepper-sprayed fellow walmart shoppers so she could get at an xbox. >> this lady started spraying people. people are screaming. >> reporter: 20 people were injured and police spent the day looking for the suspect. at a walmart in northern california, one man is in critical condition after a shooting. an apparent attempted robbery of his black friday bargain. at a south carolina walmart, one woman was hospitalized after another attempted robbery and shooting. >> we heard gunshots. sounded like gunshots. about five of them. >> reporter: in oneida county, new york, two women were taken away by ambulance after a scuffle over $30 cell phones. >> next thing i know they cut the thing and there's 200 people on top of my mom. >> reporter: in a statement, walmart said overall it's been a very safe event at thousands of walmart stores but added they are always looking at how to do things better. in cities across the u.s. retailers and police were facing new security challenges. pepper spray was used in a north carolina walmart, this time by store security trying to subdue frenzied shoppers. in florence, alabama, police used a stun gun on an unruly customer. while in buckeye, arizona, questions about excessive force on an elderly man suspected of shoplifting. leaving many to wonder whether the battle for bargains is worth the cost. kristen dahlgren, nbc news, glendale, california. >> unbelievable. we have late news tonight about the chevy volt which has been praised, as you may know, as a big step forward for chevy and general motors. federal officials tonight say they are investigating the safety of the lithium ion battery in the chevy volt. the national highway traffic safety administration said the battery caught fire after recent crash tests. for its part, gm says it supports the investigation and it's cooperating. but the company notes these fires happened after extreme situations and there are no reports of similar incidents by owners. a lot of fire departments across the country have been training members in how to fight car fires that involve these batteries. now we turn overseas. emotions are running high. it's violent around cairo's tahrir square. some protesters, as you may know, are calling this fight the second revolution. it's between the people and the military in a country that remains in deep crisis. meanwhile, there are new developments involving three american students who found themselves caught up in the middle of it all. for the latest we want to turn to nbc's iman moyadin tonight. good evening. >> reporter: good evening. they are reminiscent of the revolution. the tents are up. it's part carnival, part demonstration but all politics. there is an uneasy calm tonight. how long will the standoff between the military and protesters last. they came to tahrir square in the hundreds of thousands. part of a nationwide protest to, quote, save egypt's revolution. more than a million people estimated across the country including in the coastal city of alexandra and elsewhere. deadly street fights giving way to political showdown. under mounting pressure and growing international criticism including from the white house, egypt's military rulers appointed a new prime minister on friday. kamal ganzouri, a 78-year-old politician once served as prime minister in the former regime of ousted president hosni mubarak. that's why this woman tells me the new appointment represents the past. why is the military not reaching out to the new young leaders, she asks. it's a new prime minister but the same old problem, he says. the military won't give up power. there may be a lot of differences in the square. the one thing everybody agrees about is spelled on the posters. an end to military rule. that's not lost on the new prime minister who spoke publically for the first time today. the military isn't seeking to continue being in power. if i knew they were seeking power i would not have accepted, he told a reporter. meanwhile, the intimidation of foreign journalists and the harassment of women continues. prominent egyptian american activist monal tahawi was sexually assaulted and had both arms broken while in police custody. >> my detention and many other detentions are a reminder that the brutality of the security forces goes unchecked. that, for me, is a failure of the council of armed forces. >> reporter: three university students arrested and accused of attacking security forces are now flying back to the u.s. in cairo, people are still anxious. egypt's parliamentary elections are scheduled to begin monday. it may be several months before the military is ready to hand over real power to the people. all eyes now turn to the critical vote monday that kicks off the parliamentary elections. the key post of the presidency will not be filled at least until the middle of 2012. back to you, brian. >> thanks for that reporting. in this country, we learned today tom wicker has died. his name was known to millions of americans in the post war era, the cold war era, through vietnam and watergate and beyond. for those who grew up in that time dreaming of becoming a journalist, tom wicker was a giant. he grew up in north carolina, the son of a railroad conductor. he served in the navy in world war ii, then turned to journalism. local papers at first and then the new york times where he was washington bureau chief. tom wicker was riding in the motorcade in dallas, texas, 48 years and three days ago when jfk was assassinated. he wrote the first draft of history, front page of the next day's paper. he later played a big role in covering the attica prison uprising in upstate new york. he covered and knew his share of u.s. presidents and as a columnist he regularly managed to anger the political right and the left. he went after business, government, media and secrets of all kinds. he was the author of 20 books, nonfiction and novels. tom wicker died at his adopted home in vermont. he was 85 years old. at the white house tonight it's finally beginning to look a lot like christmas. the first daughters and the first dog came out to welcome the clydesdale-driven cart that delivered the official white house christmas tree. this year's is a 19-footer balsam fir from wisconsin. it will take up residence in the blue room as the center piece of the white house christmas decorations. when our broadcast continues, the war next door. an incredible new look at the dangers facing american farmer who are under constant threat because of where they live. later, why it's a good time to be a kid -- better than average. the slew of family-friendly movies making a big comeback at the american box office. we're back now with a frightening look at the dangers facing american farmers and ranchers living under the constant threat of violence, in constant fear all because of where they happen to live and work along our nation's southern border with mexico. nbc's mark potter reports tonight in his award-winning series of reports, "the war next door." >> there's the bundle right there. a large narcotics load under the helicopter. >> reporter: south of the texas border on the mexican side of the rio grande, surveillance video of what police say are smugglers loading illicit drugs bound for the united states. >> one, two, three, four, five, six, seven bundles. >> reporter: day and night the drugs are floated across the river in rafts and are then often carried across private property in the u.s. where increasingly american farmers and ranchers along the border say they and their workers are being confronted, even threatened by armed mexican traffickers. >> reporter: it clearly has intimidated u.s. citizens who, in many cases, don't believe they are safe on their own land in their own country. >> they went off road, avoiding the spikes. >> reporter: fearing retribution from mexican smugglers, this farmer would only speak on camera with his face and voice disguised. he says he was told by a federal agent to protect himself. >> one of them recommended that i look into buying a bullet-proof vest. >> reporter: while you're farming? >> while i'm farming. >> reporter: the problem isn't just confined to those right on the border. also affected are land owners miles inland where smuggling is still a huge problem. >> how does this look? mike vickers leads a group of texas land owners who work closely with law enforcement. they worry about mexican drug and immigrant smugglers threatening their homes and trampling their land. >> this fence was cut, no question. it was cut and pulled up. >> reporter: with hidden cameras they have documented waves of smugglers crossing private property. >> he's carrying at least 40 pounds of drugs in that backpack. we suspect cocaine. >> reporter: vickers said many families have moved for safety while others arm themselves. >> this is happening on american soil. this is a war zone. no question about it. >> right beside the helicopter. >> reporter: the obama administration and local officials dispute the war zone claim but with mexican traffickers not letting up, u.s. land owners are asking for more federal protection at the front door to their own country. mark potter, nbc news along the rio grande. >> by the way, you can see much more of mark potter's emmy-award winning reporting on "the war next door." it's all on our website, nbcnightlynews.com. when we come back here tonight, a real life rocket man takes flight. and some very good dogs get their first ever taste of freedom. maggie daley has died. for 22 years when no one in chicago could imagine a mayor not named daley, she was first lady of the city. she remained an enormously popular figure. she devoted herself to her family, her husband my -- mayor richard daley and to the school children of chicago. for summer programs, after school programs, one we profiled as a "nightly news" making a difference segment. she was an advocate for the arts and architecture in chicago. maggie daley bravely and openly fought breast cancer for nine years. she died surrounded by her family. she was 68 years old. the nation's oldest four-star general has died. ralph haines was a product of west point. he led the first cav, first armored and 3 corps and was vice chief of staff in the army. saw heavy combat in world war ii. he served his country in uniform for 37 years. retired four-star general of haines was 98 years old. we now have another view of a helicopter crash in auckland, new zealand, a few days back. as you watch this, please remember while it is arresting to see, the pilot was okay. no one on the ground was hurt. the chopper was going to lower a christmas display on a public plaza on the water. pay close attention to a man working on the ground holding onto a cable leading to the chopper. he tries to flip it to a better position and it sounds like a riffle shot when the chopper goes down. at first, you can see the pilot's seemingly lifeless hand on the passenger seat. but then, after he regains consciousness, he walks away with assistance. now after the trauma he said he has no memory of the incident. but he's okay. perhaps you're familiar with the exploits of jet man, out to prove that humans can, indeed, strap on wings and fly while also avoiding those pesky baggage fees. he's done it this time. his name is yves rossi and after becoming the first man in the history of aviation to fly with a jet propelled wing he's now flown in formation with jets. two checkmate albatross jets over the swiss alps, flying a few meters from each other in perfect formation linked by radio, rossi is lowered from a chopper to take flight. he has four little jets inside that wing. we have heard from a lot of you about the story that ended our broadcast last night. dozens of beagles who have never dug a hole, chewed on a slipper or played in the grass before are now getting their first taste of freedom. they were rescued from a now shut down research lab in spain where they had spent their entire lives in cages being poked and prodded and tested. can you believe that? they were flown to los angeles where they will be nursed back to health and adopted. they are already doing better. if you would like to help the effort known as the beagle freedom project, we put more information on that on our website, nbcnightlynews.com. up next, the 12 and under crowd wielding more influence than ever before and hollywood is sitting up and taking notice. finally tonight, we will hand you off to the holiday weekend with this. this is always a big movie weekend because families are together. but if that includes kids, it's sometimes dicey to find something appropriate at the multiplex. not this year. from muppets to penguins there is suddenly a lot out there, and the current crop of family movies is being rewarded with people's business. from hollywood tonight here's nbc's miguel almaguer. >> i don't care what anybody says. i believe in you, and you. >> huh? >> reporter: it may have taken them 12 years. >> come on, guys! let's go! >> reporter: but the muppets have staged a big screen comeback. >> you guys are so talented. >> check it out! fart shoes! >> reporter: the return comes during one of hollywood's biggest holiday weekends and the muppets are just one headliner in a marquee full of family-friendly flicks. >> can you help us? there is no time to waste. >> must have movies you can see with the kids. >> "happy feet 2." >> reporter: from dancing penguins in "happy feet 2" to a house full of animals in "we bought a zoo." hollywood's plot this weekend, a family affair. >> once upon a time, a little boy -- >> reporter: what's interesting is the family movies are getting awesome reviews and that's really quite unheard of. >> meet the family that makes christmas happen. >> reporter: for hollywood, going family could mean big bucks. the studios could rake in $270 million this extended holiday weekend alone. >> if it's the right family movie, people will reach into the pocketbook. it's certainly going to be in the top two or three thanksgiving weekends of all time. >> reporter: while the stars have been able to pull in the kids -- >> do you think we should have rented a bigger car? >> reporter: -- this year, it seems they also have a plan to lure in the adults. >> what are you plugging? >> give it up for kermit the frog and miss piggy, everybody! >> reporter: hollywood going late night to make sure this is a weekend the entire family remembers. >> i'm going to shoot straight. you guys aren't famous anymore. >> sheesh. i wish she'd shot a little more curvy. >> reporter: miguel almaguer. nbc news, hollywood. >> who says they're not famous? that's our broadcast for this friday night after thanksgiving. thank you for being here with us as we end another week. i'm brian williams in new york. lester holt will be here with you this weekend. we'll look for you right back here on monday night. in the meantime, have a great weekend. in the meantime, have a great weekend. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com occupy black friday. protesters take their noej some of the busiest shopping spots in the area. we'll take you to the standoff with police that's happening right now. >> reporter: frustration in south san francisco tonight. good evening, coming up, resident are cleaning up after a massive water main break. >> reporter: plus, new information in the shooting
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