Black Friday Shows OWS Overhyped, Impotent

For sheer, naked consumerism, it’s hard to beat Black Friday--Thanksgiving’s after party. This year, consumers responded by spending $1 billion more than last. Of course they’re manipulated by special promotions and artificial inventory shortages at panic-inducing price levels that encourage shopper stampedes, if not outright violence, reports of which abounded by Friday evening.