I have not always agreed with your policies. But we're all human. You even apologized for the financial crisis and the Iraq War. This makes me think you've got legacy on your mind. If so, consider this: there is no way that pardoning Mike Milken, Bernie Ebbers and Conrad Black before you leave office will boost your legacy.

Granted, those pardons would be far less significant to historians than the things you've already apologized for, but why add to your post-presidential aggravation? Here are the reasons not to pardon these three:

• Milken - As i posted, Milken paid $650 million in fines and went to jail from March 1991 until January 1993 for securities law violations. He's a white-collar crook who's spent decades trying to burnish his image. It has not worked on me.
• Ebbers - Bernie Ebbers was convicted of orchestrating an $11 billion accounting fraud that brought WorldCom into bankruptcy, making it the second biggest in history. Lehman Brothers' recent $639 billion tops the list.
• Black - Black formerly headed Hollinger International Inc and was a member of Britain's House of Lords. He was found guilty of defrauding shareholders and entered prison in March 2008.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: This morning's noteworthy initiations included Nokia Corp (NOK), Fortune Brands, Inc (FO), Whirlpool Corp (WHR), Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc (DKS), Kona Grill, Inc (KONA):

• JP Morgan started Nokia Corp (NYSE: NOK) with an Overweight rating, believing the handset market is strong and expects gross profits to rise in 2007.

• Soleil wants to wait on the sidelines of Fortune Brands Inc (NYSE: FO), initiating shares with a Neutral rating, given the potential acquisition of Sweden's V&S Group along with the softness in the home and hardware segment.

• Soleil also started Whirlpool Corp (NYSE: WHR) with a Hold rating based on valuation, which they believe reflects the company's outlook through 2009.

• Nollenberger expects Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) will continue to outperform its peers, starting shares off with a Buy rating, and believes the recent pullback provides a compelling buying opportunity.

• KeyBanc is positive on Kona Grill's (NASDAQ: KONA) differentiated brand, compelling unit economics, positive SSS opportunity and growth, starting shares with a Buy rating...

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Ceva, Inc (NASDAQ: CEVA) was initiated at CIBC with a Sector Outperform rating.

• Black & Decker Corp (NYSE: BDK) and Briggs & Stratton Corp (BGG) were initiated with Hold ratings at Soleil.

• La Jolla Pharmaceutical Co (NASDAQ: LJPC) was started with a Sell rating at Lazard.

• Aviza Technology, Inc (NASDAQ: AVZA) was initiated with a Hold rating at Needham.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Salesforce.com, Inc (CRM), Black & Decker Corp (BDK), GenVec, Inc (GNVC) and RightNow Technologies (RNOW) were today's noteworthy initiations:

• With customers wanting an alternative to Microsoft (MSFT), Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM) is making an attempt to be that alternative. It is rumored that management is in talks with Google (GOOG) about the two companies working together, a move that could include offering Google Apps via the AppExchange and integrating more closely those apps with Salesforce.com. Baird initiated shares of Salesforce.com with a Neutral rating and $49 target.

• Banc of America sees major headwinds from declining construction and slower consumer spending on housing and started shares of Black & Decker Corp (NYSE: BDK) with a Sell rating and $85 target.

• Merriman sees upside from strong mid- and late-stage clinical programs, key collaborations and potential for revenue generation, starting shares of GenVec (NASDAQ: GNVC) with a Buy rating.

• Baird finds Rightnow Technology (NASDAQ: RNOW) to be well-positioned within the customer service segment of the CRM market with above average L-T prospects and views the recent uncertainty as a buying opportunity. Baird started shares of RightNow with an Outperform rating and $19 target...

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Jefferies initiated RadNet Inc (NASDAQ: RDNT) with a Buy rating.

• Lehman started Mobile Mini, Inc (NASDAQ: MINI) with an Equal Weight rating.

• Northwest Airlines Corp (OTC: NWACQ) was initiated with a Neutral rating at Goldman.

• Pacific Growth started shares of Javelin Pharmaceuticals Inc (AMEX: JAV) with a Buy rating.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).

I am sick of reading about Black Friday -- it sounds so ghoulish. The reason for this name is that retailers lose money until the day after Thanksgiving at which point so many people buy holiday gifts that the retailers tip into profitable territory -- going from operating "in the red" to "in the black."

Why not color profit as green instead of black? After all, the money in my wallet isn't black, it's green. So I'm going to call it Green Friday instead. This sounds much more festive and alive to me.

And there's good news on this front. Surveys say that this years' shopping season looks to be better than last years:

• The National Retail Federation projects holiday sales will increase 5% from 2005, bringing spending to $457.4 billion;
• Citigroup forecasts an "average" same-store sales growth of 3% for November through January;
• Deloitte & Touche LLP is forecasting a 7% increase in 2006 holiday spending compared with 2005; and
• A Gallup Poll of 1,004 people indicated consumers will spend an average of $826, more than any of its polls since 2000.

So join in the national celebration of Green Friday. Our nation's retailers are depending on you.

Peter Cohan is President of Peter S. Cohan & Associates, a management consulting and venture capital firm, and a Professor of Management at Babson College.

Looking for toy and game bargains come this Friday, aka Black Friday? You've got it with some of the below choices, with many popular toys -- and even some games -- selling for less than $20 this Friday (and most likely Saturday as well). With the recent launch of the Sony Playstation 3 and the Nintendo Wii gaming consoles, console specials and associated games probably won't be featured heavily (if at all) in Black Friday deals with the launches having happened so recently. So, for less-expensive tastes, how about the below goodies:

Wal-Mart
Candyland Dora the Explorer Edition -- $9
Bratz sleepover doll -- $10
Disney princess director's chair -- $10
Playstation 2 three-game pack assortment -- $10
Cabbage Patch Kids Snuggle Beans assortment -- $10
Hot Wheels 20-car assortment -- $10

Target
Bratz doll -- $10
Cabbage Patch Kids cry and drink baby dolls -- $15
Bratz Babyz bride and groom set -- $15
Barbie mini-kingdom carriage and dolls -- $15
Star Wars transformer -- $15
Yahtzee turbo board game -- $15

Toys R Us
Dave Mirra freestyle BMX (Playstation 2) -- $5
Monster House DVD -- $8
Trivial Pursuit Star Wars Saga edition -- $10
Crayola super coloring kit -- $10
Leapfrog Books rainbow fish book -- $10
Magnetix 100-piece tube game set -- $15

Got gaming on your list? Target will be selling the Nintendo DS Lite for $129.99. Currently, it is listed for $224.99. There will definitely be more high-tech toy specials going round the ads this Friday, so keep your eagle eye out like I know you will. One word -- leave the kids at home with the significant other or a family member for this shopping experience (that goes without saying).

Looking for the perfect gift for the husband, dad, or grown son on your list? My advice: Skip the clothing racks and go straight for the hardware aisles. Another tie, sweater or pair of pajamas reeks of domesticity, comfort and a kind of quiet fading into the sunset. Instead, set his pulse to racing with a gift that shows you think he's a real man, a take-charge kind of guy, king of his castle and all that.

Some high-quality tools should do the trick. And, at these prices -- a leaked Sears circular indicates half-off sales for Craftsman tools -- quality tools are a great investment. How about a new socket wrench set, grip sander or miter saw? BFads.com is showing that you can purchase a DeWalt Heavy Duty Grip Sander for $29.99 with rebate at Ace Hardware.

The trick is to get tools that are so cool that he'll be happy to have them even if he never plans on using them. No home should be without a really nice cordless electric drill, for example. Shop at Big Lots on Black Friday and you can pick up a Stanley 150-piece "Fast Change Drill and Drive System" for $39 (listed on Gotta Deal's Black Friday site). Think of that: You get to give to give speed, drilling and driving -- all in one box!

The Wall Street Journal had a story [subscription required] a month or so ago in which readers complained about the ubiquity of digital cameras, reporting that at weddings, so many of the guests were snapping photos that there were no pictures of people enjoying themselves -- only meta-photos of other cameras. I'm certainly the worst kind of offender; my mom's been known to tell me that it still happened even if I didn't get a picture of it! (My answer: no it didn't!)

Is there a technology backlash? Are consumers deciding to forego the digitalization of every minute of their lives and just frickin' enjoy them for a minute? Ummm, nope. If the leaked sales for Black Friday are any indication, come New Year's Eve, there will be ever more amateurs making high-resolution memories of that New Year's kiss.

I remember it used to be $100 per megapixel, but now you can get massive resolution for a miniature price. But how many megapixels do you (and your gift-ees) need? And can you really get a good 6MP camera for $99? Here are some of the sales we've found for this Friday:

Sears
Polaroid i630 6MP Digital Camera $99
Kodak EasyShare 6.1MP Digital Camera and Printer Dock $329.99
Kodak EasyShare 7.1MP Digital Camera with Printer Dock $244.00 Doorbuster Sale

Wal-Mart
Casio Elixim EX-Z60 Digital Camera $199.88
Kodak Z612 Digital Camera $329.76
Kodak EasyShare C633 Digital Camera and Printer Dock $189.74 Doorbuster Sale

Best Buy
Canon PowerShot 6MP Digital ELPH Camera $219.99
Kodak 5MP Digital Camera $79.99 Doorbuster Sale
Nikon Coolpix 5.1MP Digital Camera $119.99

Plasma HDTVs have always seemed to have had a curious target market. Back in 2000, when the industry was really just beginning to explore the possibilities, I was working with a company that sold used goods on eBay. We did a favor for our dotcom bank, helping the account managers liquidate some assets from a bankrupt fellow startup. The prize was a 60-some" plasma screen, which I very quickly sold to a man in Kentucky for a hefty sum. He drove down to pick it up and I learned he had paid his entire monthly paycheck for the giant toy -- but he still lived with his parents, so where else was he going to spend his web designer salary?

Now that 22-year-old web site designers are no longer making six-figure salaries, HDTV manufacturers have had to change their marketing strategy a bit. Instead of marketing to dotcom CEOs and their overpaid, pixel-hungry staffers, they're now marketing to the regular Joe. This is the one who has just enough room left on his credit card for these plasma HDTVs being offered, according to BFads.com, at $1000 and less. Here are just a few of the reported deals we found:

Wal-Mart
42" Widescreen Plasma HDTV -- $988

Target
37" LCD HDTV -- $1097

Best Buy
42" LCD HDTV -- $999

Circuit City
52" Rear-projection HDTV -- $999
40" LCD HDTV -- $999

Why not start small when you're shopping for your holiday gifts? No, not small in storage capacity or features. Just in size and price. To misquote an old adage, storage capacity will double in amount as it halves in price, and it's never seemed more true than in reviewing the leaked ads for this Black Friday. Who has the best deals on tiny and useful peripherals this weekend? According to our sources at BlackFridayAds.com, these are a few of the highlights:

Storage
Polaroid 2GB Secure Digital Memory Card, $29.99 at Circuit City
PNY Attaché 1GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive, $14.99 at Best Buy
PNY 1GB Secure Digital Memory Card, $14.99 at Best Buy
SanDisk 2GB SD Memory Card, $29.99 at Best Buy

Peripherals
HP Deskjet 3940 Color Inkjet, $24.99 at Circuit City
Linksys Wireless-N Wireless Router With 4-Port Switch, $129.99 at Best Buy
Motorola Bluetooth Headset, $14.99 at Best Buy

Apple always has to be different. But today, everyone cheered as the company brought out a version of their pretty laptop, the MacBook, in matt black (yes, that's the same finish as your boring old PC). Our sister site, Engadget, took the MacBook for a spin and declared it "a pretty freaking great value" (but they're not doing black, for the record). The Apple Insider hails the removable (by an actual user!) hard disks. No more purely cosmetic screws!

It wasn't all black hearts and roses, though; MacWorld UK today mourned the locking down of OS X. Thanks to concerns of piracy, Apple closed down its open source code so that developers can no longer tinker with its operating system. Bad for pirates is also bad for very advanced users; says Tom Yager, "there are ways to address the piracy issue without stripping the critical and defining quality of openness from OS X."

AAPL stock responded by ticking up 25 cents to $65.26 on lower-than-average volume. Evidently the market, while intrigued, isn't ready to jump unreservedly on board for black is the new MacBook.

[Photo redjar]