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

• Speculation that Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc (LEH) may be an acquisition target...
• Earnings from AnnTaylor Stores Corp (ANN)...
• Earnings from Gap Inc (GPS)...
• Earnings from DryShips Inc (DRYS)...
• Earnings from Pacific Sunwear of California, Inc (PSUN) ...
• Earnings from China Sunergy Co., Ltd (CSUN)...
• Data that shows Baidu.com Inc (BIDU) is gaining market share....[note - shares of BIDU carry a relatively heavy amount of short interest so this data could set the stage for a potential short-squeeze situation....]
• An argument that First Solar Inc (FSLR) is a cheaper stock than SunPower Corp (SPWR)...
• Big expectations from Apple Inc (AAPL) with regard to the iPhone 3G...
• A potential partnership between Verizon Communications Inc (VZ) and Google Inc (GOOG)...
• Word that Warren Buffett thinks the "economy is unlikely to improve before 2009..." He also said - "Wall Street has been kind of a nudist beach..." [note - yes, I am disturbed too...]
• Skepticism on Cyberonics, Inc. (CYBX) as it is said - "Bottom line: I'm not seeing much reason to own this stock..." [note - according to data collected by our Quantified Analysis group, nearly a quarter of the stock's float is sold short....]

While those are all stories worth watching, I think it is obviously clear that the biggest news is this quarter of (somewhat unrelated) stories -

• Bigfoot hoaxers say it was just 'a big joke' - "...the whole situation began as a joke and then got out of hand...Still unclear is how much money Whitton and Dyer got out of the hoax..."
• Japanese team on yeti quest in Nepal - "A team of Japanese adventurers hope to prove the existence of the mysterious yeti in Nepal's mountains...being sponsored by Japanese beverage maker Suntory..."
• Lion, tiger stage escape [video] - "A tiger and a lion got loose at McCarthy's Wildlife Sanctuary in Florida..."
• Man uses Barbie fishing rod to make record catch - "...landed the 21-pound fish on a 6-pound test line. It was 32 inches long, 2 inches longer than the rod..."

So, we have the "official admission" that Bigfoot's body was just "an Internet-purchased Sasquatch costume stuffed with possum roadkill and slaughterhouse leftovers." I think this had the potential to be funny, but I am curious how the whole "money" angle is going to play out. Of course, this controversy doesn't seem to be dissuading the Yeti hunters. You have to love the spirit! Or should I say spirits? A check of Suntory's website shows they are an alcoholic beverage producer. Looks like it is time to dust off my "will-hunt-Yeti-for-beer" sign.

The third story is just another stick to throw on the whole animal uprising fire.

Meanwhile, I am still trying to figure out how I feel about the last story. On one hand, I feel a bit of admiration for someone who can land a fish that is bigger than the pole. On the other hand, it is a grown man using Barbie tackle, that's just not right. I have to think that landing a 21-pound channel cat on 6-pound test takes some time. Why didn't he give the pole back to her when she returned so she could land it? I think this article could have been title - "Man denies young girl a chance at record catch".