(There is no link to this report.)

In a year when Mickey Mouse dances, Big Foot roams wild and dinosaurs act like pets, retailers aren't waiting until Black Friday to unleash their deals. Customers have taken notice. The sales are earlier this year. Richard Lancioni, professor of marketing at Temple's Fox School of Business, says stores are waging a price battle because it will resonate with customers. "The smallest difference in price will create — in their eyes — money."

Voters in Okinawa today placed further strain on Japan's security ties with the U.S. with the near-certain election of a governor opposed to the relocation of Futenma, U.S. marine base on the southern Japanese island. Polls had shown the candidates were neck-and-neck on the eve of the election. "Both candidates have run on a platform of backtracking on the original agreement, so it's now extremely difficult to go ahead with the Futenma relocation," said Jeff Kingston, director of Asian studies at Temple University, Japan Campus.