Here are some of the contenders for today's biggest...news...of...the...day...

• Fewer-than-expected job cuts and an unexpected drop in the unemployment rate...stock futures are trading sharply higher after this news...
• Expanded cash-loan auctions...
• Concerns that Countrywide Financial Corp (CFC) creditors could "get stiffed..."
• Expectations that AT&T's (T) price cuts on Apple's (AAPL) iPhone "could increase the sales of the new 3G model by 50%..."
• Earnings from Viacom (VIA)...
• Disappointing results from Sun Microsystems (JAVA)...
• Expectations that Yahoo (YHOO) and Google (GOOG) may announce an ad deal soon...
• Earnings from NetSuite Inc (N)..

While those are all stories worth watching, I think it is obviously clear that the biggest news is this pair -

• Man arrested in Texas for trying to cash $360 billion check - "The 21-year-old North Texas man was arrested last week for trying to cash a $360 billion check, saying he wanted to start a record business. Tellers at the Fort Worth bank were immediately suspicious perhaps the 10 zeros on a personal check tipped them off..."
• Woman, 75, gets phone call about her funeral arrangements - "Rose Griffin is not dead, so the call from someone trying to arrange her funeral was a bit of a shock..."

So...we have a gentleman trying to cash a $360 billion check. This follows the cases (yes there was more than) of people trying cash or deposit fake $1 million bills. I understand the theory that if you are going to do anything, it should be worth your effort but really...

In regard to the second story, I have to wonder if it is related to that creepy story of Oscar the cat predicting patients' deaths. The article didn't mention if the funeral director recently bought a cat...