Stores up the ante on Black Friday sales

This isn't confirmed yet, but apparently some stores have not yet begun their Black Friday sales.

What are these napping merchants waiting for?

Friday?

That's no way to bust open the door on holiday shopping.

There once was a time when holiday sales pretty much stuck to the days they were named for. Presidents Day sales happened, oddly enough, on Presidents Day. After-Christmas sales started, you know, after Christmas.

Then, big retailers discovered that the Friday after Thanksgiving really was the biggest shopping day of the year. And their instinct for more-more-more got the better of them.

Trying to elbow aside the competition, stores started opening earlier and earlier on Friday morning. Some pressed that to the point of ridiculousness, swinging the doors open one second after midnight Thursday night.

"Technically, it's Friday now," their oh-so-clever managers tittered to themselves -- and to the long lines of bargain-hunting lunatics stretching out to the parking lot.

Which only encouraged the stores.

So this year, Target is starting Black Friday at 9 p.m., seriously cutting into dinner-digestion time. On Thursday. Kmart, Wal-Mart and Sears have pushed their openings up to 8 p.m. Thursday, stomping roughshod over the pumpkin pie and the after-dinner drinks.

Those lay-a-beds at Costco aren't opening until 9 a.m. Friday. But just you watch: If they hype it right, they can claim they're opening extra-early for Black Friday 2013.

1. Walt Whitman

2. Smith Haven

3. Broadway

4. Green Acres

5. Roosevelt Field

They're getting paid to be here. We understand that. But some out-of-state utility workers have really gone the extra mile reconnecting Long Island. Who did more than diesel mechanic Lee Snoddy, 38, of Turkey Creek, La.? Snoddy was in his truck in New Hyde Park on Tuesday when he saw a man grab a purse from an 80-year-old woman at a bus stop near Jericho Turnpike. Her 82-year-old husband gave chase but fell and hit his head. Snoddy ran from his truck, chased the suspect and retrieved the woman's purse. Then two of Snoddy's colleagues, Brent Bernard and Robbie Jarman, tackled the man and held him for police. Nassau cops charged Brian Maher, 29, with two counts of robbery. Thanks, guys. Come back any time.

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