erin andrews videos

erin andrews videos
New Delhi, July 31, 2009: Erin Andrews videos refuses to leave the discussion forums. There is still no certainty as to who shot the video clip.

And mind you this was not a single video clip shot surreptitiously. A gossip website has so far concluded that the full video that did the round on internet initially was shot in six clips. So how come a single person can shoot a video of celebrity type ESPN reporter without the involvement of a group that has access to the places or hotels where Erin Andrews stayed.

Many people have also accused the broadcaster with whom Erin works of bringing out an almost forgotten video back into news.

Nobody knew that it was Erin Andrews in the video till ESPN send a notice to a website that had hosted the naked video of ESPN reporter.

In the meantime ESPN reporter Erin Andrews is vowing legal action against an unknown video voyeur after grainy footage showing the sports pro walking around a hotel room naked leaked online last week.

Andrews has become an Internet sensation, as she is popular among male sports fans for her physical appearance and knowledge of sports. In 2007 and 2008, she was voted "America's Sexiest Sportscaster" by Playboy Magazine.

Andrews began her career with FSN Florida as a freelance reporter from 2000–01, before serving as a Tampa Bay Lightning reporter for the Sunshine Network from 2001–02. She then worked as a studio host for Turner Sports from 2002–04, covering the Atlanta Braves and college football for TBS and Atlanta Thrashers and Atlanta Hawks for Turner South.

Andrews joined ESPN in May 2004 as a reporter for the network's National Hockey League coverage. Since the 2004 season, she has served as sideline reporter for the ESPN College Football Saturday telecast, the Saturday Primetime college basketball game and Big Ten college basketball coverage.

space shuttle landing today

space shuttle landing today
The space shuttle Endeavour landing path came into to Kennedy Space Center today. After tracking the Space Shuttle for 16 days in space, NASA welcomed Endeavor home Friday. The shuttle touched down at 10:48:08 am. Mission control announced its return, the exchange went as follows:

“Houston, Endeavour, wheels stopped.”

“Roger wheels stopped, Endeavour. Welcome home.

“Congratulations on a superb mission from beginning to end. Very well done.”

“Well, thanks to you and the whole team. That’s what it’s all about. And we’re happy to be home.”

Welcomed home were Polansky, Hurley, Payette, Wolf, Cassidy and Marshburn

cash for clunkers suspended

cash for clunkers suspended
Cash for Clunkers has not been suspended yet and lawmakers are racing around trying to find the funds to keep it open. Reports surfaced last night that cash for clunkers suspension was on the cards today. For the program has burnt through its initial allocation of funds in under a week rather than the over three months the stimulus program was originally intended to last.

Efforts are afoot in the House to find another $2 billion to keep cash for clunkers running although it does have to be said, at current rates that would mean the program might last another two weeks. The problem lawmakers have is that today is the last day the House sits before the summer break and if they're not able to craft the legislation today it will mean the end of the program. It is expected that funds will be diverted from renewable energy guarantee schemes.

The Senate will still be sitting next week so it is possible, although not certain, that the extension to cash for clunkers will go through. It was the Senate that cut the initial allocation of funds from $4 billion to $1 billion in the first place.

At least one politician has a sense of humor about this. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) pointed out that times were hard all over and that Pilgrim's Pride, a large poultry producer, had just filed for bankruptcy. "Where's their 'cash for cluckers' program?" he said.

Whether everyone's sense of humor will continue to be apparent depends upon what people say about the cash for clunkers program running out of money in this manner. It's certainly possible that opponents of national health care will make the point: if something as simple as providing money off cars goes three times budget in only a week, what's the implications for that trillion dollars some want to spend on health care?

shuttle landing

shuttle landing

Upodate: Endeavour and its crew are safely home at Kennedy Space Center following their two-week, five-spacewalk mission.

Original post follows.

Space shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member crew are enroute to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. They'll be landing on Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at 10:48 p.m. EDT.

Once again, I've teamed up with Space Vidcast to bring you the landing live.

jillian and ed still together

jillian and ed still together

After The Bachelorette' finale last night, everyone has been wondering, "Are Jillian and Ed still together?" Some fans are hoping the two are still going hot and heavy after Ed's erectile dysfunction recovery. While, others are hoping they have called it Splitsville.

Although, Jillian liked both of her finale contestants - Kiptyn Locke and Ed Swiderski. She said she had fallen in love with Ed and he expressed the same feelings. Tune into the 'The Bachelorette: After the final rose' tonight to find out if Jillian and Ed are still together. It will be airing at 10 PM on ABC. Perfect timing, so we can catch the season premiere of 'More to Love' at 8 PM on FOX.

bachelorette finale

bachelorette finale

In last week’s episode of “The Bachelorette” set on Maui, Jillian Harris bade farewell — or aloha, rather — to Reid Rosenthal. On tonight’s two-hour season finale, at 8 p.m. on ABC, the restaurant interior designer from Vancouver, Canada, will choose between the two remaining bachelors, Ed and Kiptyn on Hawaii’s Big Island.

If you’ll be lapping up the scenery, along with the unfolding drama, you’ll be interested to know that the 29-year-old Harris will make her final, possibly life-altering decision on a private estate on the Kohala Coast, in the island’s northwest region.

But, until she gets there, we’ll see her take in an aerial tour by Sunshine Helicopters of Kilauea volcano’s lava flows (see a photo gallery of Kilauea eruptions here), with a landing next to a waterfall in Hilo for a barbecue put on by KapohoKine Adventures. An excursion hosted by Captain Zodiac Rafting Adventures, based near Kailua-Kona, will include a stop on a remote black-sand beach.

Dinner and “alone time” will commence at various resorts on the Kohala Coast: Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel and the Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii.

Whether or not Harris and one of her two fine fellows find happiness ever after, the Aloha State’s tourism entities are hoping we viewers fall in love. The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau had a big hand in bringing the show to the state for filming.

dayana mendoza

dayana mendoza

NEW YORK, July 23 (UPI) -- Flo Rida, Heidi Montag, David Guetta and Kelly Rowland have agreed to perform during the 2009 Miss Universe competition in the Bahamas.

Paula M. Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, made the announcement Thursday.

Billy Bush, co-anchor of "Access Hollywood," and Claudia Jordan of "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Deal or No Deal" will serve as co-hosts of the pageant live from Atlantis, Paradise Island Aug. 23.

The competition is slated to air on NBC and Telemundo.

Venezuelan native Dayana Mendoza, Miss Universe 2008, will crown her successor at the conclusion of the 2009 Miss Universe telecast.

During her reign, Mendoza has traveled the globe as an advocate for HIV/AIDS education, research and legislation. The newly crowned Miss Universe will go on to do the same.

Each contestant from more than 80 countries around the world will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview as they vie for the coveted title of Miss Universe 2009.

shana martin

shana martin

n sports news today, the Stihl Timbersports competitions might just provide us with a new kind of hero, super tough female competitors. Extreme sport is no mystery to female athletes, this is for sure, but in reading of the exploits of Shana Martin and her contemporaries today, it occurred to me that a new class of women athletes may be emerging, perhaps even tougher than their male counterparts. News out of one of these

competitions, The Lumberjack World Championships, painted a whole new picture of women in sport for this writer.

In an article entitled Walking on Water, Penn State student Alyse Schroeder edged out Shana Martin in a race across water, atop logs connected by ropes, and then back again. Reminiscent of those log rolling contests we have seen, but much faster, the “boom runners” basically sprint across the perilous obstacles to the finish. Martin, a veteran of many extreme sports, began log rolling at age 7 at the Madison, Wisconsin YMCA. From her bio at her site, and news from her escapades, Shana just may be living proof that beauty, toughness and fitness can go hand in hand. As for her loss to Schroeder, Shana is also the favorite in the log rolling event upcoming.

Shana, a former gymnast and pole vaulter, is also a trainer, holds a black belt in Karate, and competes in triathlon events. As stated in her bio at Stihl/ESPN, her first love has always been lumberjack sports. The events in Madison take the tough little competitor back home to where it all began for her, and the events and competition have been her way of life obviously. Toughness however, is not always about physical prowess, which Shana learned early on, her mother having Huntington’s disease. Now Shana supports causes to help people and families suffering from the dread affliction.Shana, like so many great athletes, attributes more of her success to mental toughness, and her need to cope through athletics, than any God given talent. From my perspective, it is really cool to discover new people (to me and maybe you that is) who make “real sport” a valuable part of our lives.

mn unemployment

mn unemployment

Minnesota’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate climbed to 8.4 percent in June, compared to 8.1 percent in May, according to figures released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

The nation’s unemployment rate for June was 9.5 percent.

“The June employment figures represent the challenges that people and families are facing in this difficult economy,” said DEED Commissioner Dan McElroy in a statement. “Even though Minnesota’s unemployment rate is more than a point below the national rate, we’d like to see more people connecting with employment opportunities.”

Minnesota’s employers cut 16,700 jobs in June. Most of those were in construction, which lost 3,900 jobs; manufacturing, down 3,700; professional and business services, down 3,500; and leisure and hospitality, which lost 3,000 jobs.

Some sectors added jobs in Minnesota in June, including trade, transportation and utilities, which added 800 positions, and financial activities, which gained 600 jobs.

Over-the-year jobs losses hit the Duluth-Superior area hardest, dropping 4.1 percent in the past 12 months. The Twin Cities was second worst, with 3.7 percent of jobs being cut over the past year.

lake george new york

lake george new york

A New York City woman was killed and eight people were injured on Sunday when a bus taking them to visit prisons upstate crashed on a highway near the town of Lake George, the authorities said.

The bus, carrying nine passengers and the driver, crashed about 3:15 a.m. near Exit 21 of the Adirondack Northway Highway — a portion of Interstate 87 — the New York State Police and a fire chief said. The woman, Curtrice E. Gravitt, 33, was killed when the bus rolled onto its side, trapping her underneath, the State Police said in a statement. Ms. Gravitt, who last lived in Manhattan, according to public records, suffered severe head, neck and chest injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, the State Police said.

Seven passengers were taken to Glens Falls Hospital, the State Police said.

Ray Agnew, a hospital spokesman, said two of the injured passengers had surgery and their conditions were not immediately available, while a third was in serious condition in the intensive-care unit. By Sunday afternoon, four of the passengers had been treated and released, the police said. The bus driver was also treated for minor injuries, the police said.

The cause of the crash was being investigated, the police said. There had been no charges by Sunday evening.

The State Police said the bus was operated by Angelic Tours and Shuttles Inc., a private carrier based in Fayetteville, N.C., and had been taking passengers to visit New York State prisons in Ray Brook and Malone. Messages left at the bus company’s offices in Fayetteville and New York City were not returned.

The Northway is a portion of I-87, which runs more than 330 miles from the Bronx to the Canadian border. In August 2006, the driver of a Greyhound bus and four of its passengers traveling from New York to Montreal died when the bus flipped over on I-87, south of Plattsburgh, after the left front tire either blew out or deflated abruptly, causing the driver to lose control, the police said.

On Sunday, Joseph J. DuPrey, chief of the Queensbury Central Fire Department, said the department went to the scene, about a quarter-mile south of Exit 21, with equipment to extricate the victims.

“When we arrived on the scene, the bus was laying on its side on the median side,” he said in a telephone interview. A long skid mark on the highway indicated that the bus, which had been traveling north, slid for some distance before coming to a stop, Chief DuPrey said.

The woman who was killed had been seated near the back of the bus, but it was not clear how she became trapped under the bus. “How she actually got there I could not begin to even fathom,” Chief DuPrey said. “Whether it was through a window that got broken out during the bus rolling on its side, I can’t begin to take a guess.”

Another passenger, whose lower legs were trapped under the bus, had to be extricated with an air bag, he said.

alexis cohen season 8

alexis cohen season 8

New Delhi, July 27, 2009: Alexis Cohen Season 8 Contestant of American Idol is dead. The budding comedian and singer Alexis Cohen had uploaded a video to Funny or Die the day before her death.Her death is creating outrage across the US. The untimely death of the young and aspiring singer has created furor in America and the rest of the world.

People are feeling sympathetic to the girl who failed to find favour from American Idol judges.

She was killed in a hit and run case Saturday in New Jersey and police were on lookout for the person who killed an innocent soul.

In the meantime police arrested the person who is responsible for crushing her under his car’s wheels.

On the other hand people are saying that Cohen’s rendition of Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love” in American Idol was not horrible.

Someone wrote “I would even say she was good. Not great mind you, but better than some I’ve seen make it through in the past. I agree with Simon’s assessment that American Idol is not the right fit for her, and Randy’s that she would be good in a 60’s or 70’s cover band”.

Prior to the audition, she explains her “look” and likens herself to a pirate, saying “I like things that shine,” and continuing with “I’m a lady.”

Well she got the shine part right, but her expletive-filled tirade and very unladylike gestures after receiving a no from the judges, belied the lady part.d on July 27, 2009 in Crime. A CNN report says, “A 23-year-old man was arrested Sunday in the death of a former “American Idol” contestant, who was struck by a car in New Jersey, authorities said. Alexis Cohen’s body was found on a street in the town of Seaside Heights early Saturday, said Michael Mohel, Ocean County deputy prosecutor. An autopsy indicated that she had suffered head trauma and multiple injuries, including to her abdomen and chest”.

Alexis Cohen who will be remembered for her pirate like look during her participation in seventh edition of American Idol. She failed to get through to the final.

So far the authorities have taken the death as homicide as it was found that her body had severe chest and abdominal injuries. Though the cause of death is still unknown, authorities are sure that she collided with a vehicle.

American Idol is a reality competition to find new solo musical talent, created by Simon Fuller. It debuted on June 11, 2002, and has since become one of the most popular shows on American television. Part of the Idol franchise, it is a spinoff from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive Simon Cowell and first aired in 2001 in the United Kingdom.

The program seeks to discover the best singer in the country through a series of nation-wide auditions. The American public decides the outcomes of the later stages through phone voting. The judges give critiques of the contestants' performances: Grammy award -winning record producer and music manager Randy Jackson; Grammy award-winning pop singer and Emmy award-winning choreographer Paula Abdul; award-winning music executive and music manager Simon Cowell; and Grammy award-nominated singer-songwriter and record producer Kara DioGuardi. The format originally featured three judges with DioGuardi added in the eighth season.

For all the show's seasons, it is currenly hosted by veteran television personality and former children's game show host, Ryan Seacrest. Comedian Brian Dunkleman co-hosted with Seacrest during the first season. The American Idol band is led by Rickey Minor.

alexis cohen death

alexis cohen death

Police have arrested a 23-year-old New Jersey man in connection with Saturday morning's hit-and-run death of two-time "American Idol" contestant Alexis Cohen. The Asbury Park Journal reports that Daniel Bark was arrested at 6 p.m. on Sunday and charged with causing Cohen's death by reckless driving and then leaving the scene of a collision.

Cohen, 25, the defiant blonde who auditioned for "Idol" in seasons seven and eight, became a fan favorite thanks to her clashes with judge Simon Cowell, who referred to her as the "Green Goblin" after her first high-energy auditions. Proudly proclaiming that she marched "to the beat of a different drummer," the Allentown, Pennsylvania native who shared a studio apartment with her mom didn't impress with her cover of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love" in 2007.

She seemed humbled by the judges' criticisms at first, but then exploded once outside the audition room, dubbing the acerbic Brit Cowell "egotistical" when he failed to put her through to the Hollywood round, and vowing to go into acting instead after flipping the camera a double bird and ranting to Cowell to "Take it, take it, take it!"

Cohen was struck by a car early Saturday morning in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, and found around 5 a.m. by two passersby, who reported the death to 911. She was pronounced dead two hours later at the Community Medical Center in Toms River, New Jersey. Autopsy results showed that she had suffered chest, head and abdominal injuries. Cohen's body was found 350 yards away from her car, which was parked in a nearby lot. Police said it was unclear if Cohen was returning to her car when she was struck.

If convicted in Cohen's death, Bark could serve 10 to 15 years in jail. He is currently being held in the Ocean County Jail in Toms River on $35,000 bail.

so you think you can dance results july 23

so you think you can dance results july 23

She thought she could dance. Was she right?

In Katie Holmes' case, it should have been more like, so you think you can strut around the stage and strike a few poses.

That much she did with aplomb - not bad for someone with no real training as a dancer or a singer.

But especially when viewed after the often mesmerizing talents of the contestants on the show, two of whom were sent home last night, it's hard to qualify Holmes' performance as dancing exactly.

Mrs. Tom Cruise took the stage (well, the video screen, actually) on "So You Think You Can Dance" for the show's 100th episode on Thursday night in a tribute to Judy Garland, in order to draw attention to the Dizzy Feet Foundation, which funds dance scholarships for kids.

She also drew attention to her stocking-clad legs and pursed lips, as the camera kept zooming in for close-ups on her attempts to be sultry.

Holmes sang a pleasant, on-key if not full voiced version of Garland's "Get Happy" from the 1950s musical "Summer Stock." She appeared to be lip-synching as she slunk around the stage surrounded by a bevy of male dancers, who at one point hoisted the former "Dawson's Creek" star high over their heads.

Holmes was no where to be seen during the show - she was in fact shooting her new movie, "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark," in Melbourne, Australia.

But she needn't have hid out. The reception to her performance was predictably gushy, especially from its choreographer, Tyce Diorio, who was still on a egotastic high from the superlatives the judges threw at his breast cancer dance the night before.

"We went on this journey together and it's wonderful to see it all come to fruition," he said backstage after the show, as quoted by People magazine. "And having Garland's son in the audience to experience that, it all just felt so right, I'm so excited — and I had a chance to direct!"

Thanks for reminding us, Tyce.

Garland's son Joey Luft, from her marriage to Sidney Luft, did indeed smile politely from the crowd after Holmes' tape rolled.

Holmes' performance did have one very positive effect - it was a welcome distraction from the very sad fate of two standout dancers on the show.

Janette and Jason were both sent home last night, and the judges were openly bummed about America's decision.

Both Mia Michaels and Nigel Lythgoe proclaimed that Janette - a self-identified salsa dancer from Miami with little to no formal training in other styles, who nonetheless wowed with everything she was handed, from disco to hip-hop - had been their favorite of the whole competition.

Lythgoe had also given Jason high praise after Wednesday's dances, telling him he channeled Gene Kelly in a jazzy Broadway number with Kayla.

With so many talented dancers on the show this season, it's only the beginning of heartache for fans who will be crushed to see them go.

anabela janke

anabela janke

(CBS) He wasn't fired because of his performance -- but his wife's.

Former Fort Myers Beach, Fla., Town Manager Scott Janke appeared on "The Early Show" Friday to discuss why he was canned from his job. And the reason -- his porn star wife Anabela Janke -- was at his side on the show.

Scott, who married Anabela in October, was fired at an emergency meeting Tuesday after the mayor and council members learned the nature of her employment. Scott, the town manager for 15 months, was unanimously voted out, terminated with six months pay.

The firing came after Anabela, who goes by the stage name Jazella Moore, was recognized by an editor of an online adult entertainment publication after a photo of the couple on the Fourth of July parade was published in the local paper.

Fort Myers Beach Mayor Larry Kiker said, "Our issue is the situation town was put in in terms of how effective we can govern and whether or not it this was going to serve as a distraction for that, and we felt like it would."

On "The Early Show" Anabela said she didn't think her husband was being treated fairly.

"When this came out, he talked to the mayor and said, 'I'm willing to resign.' And then everything just..." She then trailed off.

Scott added, "When this story began to break, I was actually called by a local reporter, who also called the mayor about a day before he was going to actually print these articles. And the mayor and I chatted on the phone. Because of my ethics, I said, 'I'm willing to resign with compensation if the town council thinks it will help the community not be so distracted." '

Scott said he and his wife were trying to keep Anabel's employment under wraps after they were married.

"We talked about it, kept our heads down a little bit," Scott said, referring to the outing this week, "and hoped it would never happen, I guess."

Scott said he was concerned about the town being hurt, but more importantly, his family.

"Paramount was our personal life being hurt. We have children and family members all over the country. So we were concerned about those kinds of things mostly."

So far, however, the couple's been supported, receiving hundreds of e-mails from people saying the town shouldn't have fired him.

"Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith said he doesn't think it will be long before he's offered a job.

Scott said, "Well that would be nice, you got something?"

erin andrews peephole tape video

erin andrews peephole tape video

Over the years, the biggest criticism of ESPN, the self-proclaimed "Worldwide Leader in Sports," has been that it engages in shameless self-promotion that often makes it seem as if the network is bigger than the stories it covers. But in a strange twist, two stories have developed in recent days that have thrust ESPN into the national spotlight and made the network the story. Here's a look at those two stories one that made the network the focus through no fault of ESPN's and one that did through ESPN's doing and how they have been viewed.The Erin Andrews videotape

What happened

A videotape surfaced on the Internet of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews, who was filmed naked through a peephole in a hotel room. Andrews' representatives and ESPN acknowledged the grainy video was of Andrews and that they would seek civil and criminal action against those behind the video if they are caught.

Exploiting the story

While all agree that Andrews was the victim of an abhorrent act, that didn't stop several media outlets, including Fox News and CBS, from airing either photos from the video or the video (with parts of Andrews' body blurred). The New York Post also ran several still photos, and ESPN has responded by banning Post reporters from appearing on its shows.

In an e-mail to the St. Petersburg Times, ESPN spokesman Bill Hofheimer said, "Erin was grievously wronged here, and while we understand the Post's decision to cover this as a news story, their running photos obtained in such a fashion went well beyond the boundaries of common decency in the interest of sensationalism. This is not a decision we undertook lightly, but we feel it is an appropriate one."

Backlash

In the story's wake has come backlash against ESPN and Andrews. The Post's Page Six gossip page ran at item Thursday that blamed ESPN. The Post wrote, "No one would have known that a sick voyeur had secretly videotaped ESPN reporter Erin Andrews nude in her hotel room if the Mickey Mouse sports network hadn't sent a letter to an obscure Web site demanding that it take down its link to a fuzzy video of an unidentified blonde."

Meantime, USA Today columnist Christine Brennan seemed to criticize Andrews in a Twitter post, writing, "Women sports journalists need to be smart and not play to the frat house. There are tons of nuts out there. Erin Andrews incident is bad, but to add perspective: there are 100s of women sports journalists who have never had this happen to them."

Brennan clarified her comments Thursday, saying her "frat house" comment, "was not meant to be pointed specifically at Erin, and I'm sorry if it was taken that way." She added, "What happened to her is terrible, and she will always have my full support."

Interestingly, "Erin Andrews peephole tape" was the top Google search Tuesday and Wednesday this week and No. 3 on Thursday. As AOL Fanhouse's David Whitley wrote, "The fact is only one person committed the crime, but almost all of us have contributed to this revealing peep at our culture. That includes ESPN."

Bottom line

Andrews was the victim of a pervert who crossed all lines of decency. To somehow question her style as a reporter or ESPN's role in creating a media sensation such as Andrews in the context of this scandal is not only unfair, it's indecent. Certainly there is never an inappropriate time to have intelligent conversations about networks' hiring practices, the networks' role in developing popular personalities and why certain personalities become popular. But it is apples and oranges. In this case, the blame starts and stops with those responsible for drilling a hole in a wall, taping an unsuspecting naked woman and posting that video on the Internet.

The Ben Roethlisberger case

What happened

This week a woman in Nevada filed a civil lawsuit accusing Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of sexually assaulting her last summer. The story appeared in newspapers throughout the country (including this one), on other media outlets and on major sports Web sites with one notable exception: ESPN. The network did not report it on any of its broadcast outlets or its Web site. It said that it has a policy of not running stories based on civil suits without a criminal investigation or without conducting its own reporting.

The initial reaction

ESPN claimed to be taking the high road by not reporting the lawsuit, and there is precedent for its decision. In 2005 it did not report a story about a woman who accused then-Falcons quarterback Michael Vick in a civil suit of infecting her with a sexually transmitted disease. On the other hand, ESPN did report last month that a woman had planned to file a civil suit against Lakers guard Shannon Brown on sex-related accusations.

With Roethlisberger, many wondered if ESPN was refusing to address the story in order to stay in good standing with one of the country's most high-profile athletes.

Backlash

Late Wednesday, ESPN first reported the Roethlisberger story when authorities announced there would be no criminal investigation. Why did ESPN shift gears? ESPN says it simply was waiting for either Roethlisberger or law enforcement to make a statement. On Dan Patrick's national radio show Thursday, ESPN senior VP and executive editor John Walsh was asked if ESPN should have reported the story sooner.

"I don't think that question should be answered until we see how the news story unfolds," Walsh said. "In the blogosphere and sports talk radio, too many judgments are rushed to be made before we know what we should know about a case. You want to get to the bottom of it and honor and respect all the people who are involved, including the victims."

Bottom line

Any news organization has the right to set the standards by which it will report a story. But because this case involved a civil suit and a high-profile athlete and because reputable news organizations, including the New York Times, reported the story, it did seem odd that ESPN chose to ignore it, especially when it calls itself the "Worldwide Leader in Sports." If nothing else, ESPN's future practices on reporting such stories will be under heavy scrutiny.

The Erin Andrews videotape

What happened

A videotape surfaced on the Internet of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews, who was filmed naked through a peephole in a hotel room. Andrews' representatives and ESPN acknowledged the grainy video was of Andrews and that they would seek civil and criminal action against those behind the video if they are caught.

Exploiting the story

While all agree that Andrews was the victim of an abhorrent act, that didn't stop several media outlets, including Fox News and CBS, from airing either photos from the video or the video (with parts of Andrews' body blurred). The New York Post also ran several still photos, and ESPN has responded by banning Post reporters from appearing on its shows.

In an e-mail to the St. Petersburg Times, ESPN spokesman Bill Hofheimer said, "Erin was grievously wronged here, and while we understand the Post's decision to cover this as a news story, their running photos obtained in such a fashion went well beyond the boundaries of common decency in the interest of sensationalism. This is not a decision we undertook lightly, but we feel it is an appropriate one."

Backlash

In the story's wake has come backlash against ESPN and Andrews. The Post's Page Six gossip page ran at item Thursday that blamed ESPN. The Post wrote, "No one would have known that a sick voyeur had secretly videotaped ESPN reporter Erin Andrews nude in her hotel room if the Mickey Mouse sports network hadn't sent a letter to an obscure Web site demanding that it take down its link to a fuzzy video of an unidentified blonde."

Meantime, USA Today columnist Christine Brennan seemed to criticize Andrews in a Twitter post, writing, "Women sports journalists need to be smart and not play to the frat house. There are tons of nuts out there. Erin Andrews incident is bad, but to add perspective: there are 100s of women sports journalists who have never had this happen to them."

Brennan clarified her comments Thursday, saying her "frat house" comment, "was not meant to be pointed specifically at Erin, and I'm sorry if it was taken that way." She added, "What happened to her is terrible, and she will always have my full support."

Interestingly, "Erin Andrews peephole tape" was the top Google search Tuesday and Wednesday this week and No. 3 on Thursday. As AOL Fanhouse's David Whitley wrote, "The fact is only one person committed the crime, but almost all of us have contributed to this revealing peep at our culture. That includes ESPN."

Bottom line

Andrews was the victim of a pervert who crossed all lines of decency. To somehow question her style as a reporter or ESPN's role in creating a media sensation such as Andrews in the context of this scandal is not only unfair, it's indecent. Certainly there is never an inappropriate time to have intelligent conversations about networks' hiring practices, the networks' role in developing popular personalities and why certain personalities become popular. But it is apples and oranges. In this case, the blame starts and stops with those responsible for drilling a hole in a wall, taping an unsuspecting naked woman and posting that video on the Internet.

The Ben Roethlisberger case

What happened

This week a woman in Nevada filed a civil lawsuit accusing Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of sexually assaulting her last summer. The story appeared in newspapers throughout the country (including this one), on other media outlets and on major sports Web sites with one notable exception: ESPN. The network did not report it on any of its broadcast outlets or its Web site. It said that it has a policy of not running stories based on civil suits without a criminal investigation or without conducting its own reporting.

The initial reaction

ESPN claimed to be taking the high road by not reporting the lawsuit, and there is precedent for its decision. In 2005 it did not report a story about a woman who accused then-Falcons quarterback Michael Vick in a civil suit of infecting her with a sexually transmitted disease. On the other hand, ESPN did report last month that a woman had planned to file a civil suit against Lakers guard Shannon Brown on sex-related accusations.

With Roethlisberger, many wondered if ESPN was refusing to address the story in order to stay in good standing with one of the country's most high-profile athletes.

Backlash

Late Wednesday, ESPN first reported the Roethlisberger story when authorities announced there would be no criminal investigation. Why did ESPN shift gears? ESPN says it simply was waiting for either Roethlisberger or law enforcement to make a statement. On Dan Patrick's national radio show Thursday, ESPN senior VP and executive editor John Walsh was asked if ESPN should have reported the story sooner.

"I don't think that question should be answered until we see how the news story unfolds," Walsh said. "In the blogosphere and sports talk radio, too many judgments are rushed to be made before we know what we should know about a case. You want to get to the bottom of it and honor and respect all the people who are involved, including the victims."

Bottom line

Any news organization has the right to set the standards by which it will report a story. But because this case involved a civil suit and a high-profile athlete and because reputable news organizations, including the New York Times, reported the story, it did seem odd that ESPN chose to ignore it, especially when it calls itself the "Worldwide Leader in Sports." If nothing else, ESPN's future practices on reporting such stories will be under heavy scrutiny.

cash for clunkers stimulus

cash for clunkers stimulus

The Cash for Clunkers stimulus is: well, it depends on your political viewpoint actually.

From one side Cash for Clunkers is a marvellous idea, it gets old polluting autos off the streets and into the scrap yards at the same time that it stimulates purchases of cars made right here in the Good Old USA. From the other side Cash for Clunkers is simply the politicians in power buying off one of their support groups with your and my tax money. Both descriptions of Cash for Clunkers could in fact be true, they are not mutually contradictory. You are entirely at liberty to believe one, both, either or neither of the explanations.

But what is the actual deal available under Cash for Clunkers? The official document is here. In essence, your old auto that you are getting rid of must be more than 8 years old and less than twenty five. It must get a combined MPG (ie, an average of town and country driving) of less than 18 mpg. It must be scrapped after you have traded it in, it cannot be resold (although some parts can be). To see if your old car gets under 18 mpg look at fueleconomy.gov. No, it doesn't matter what you actually get: it's what the EPA thinks you get that matters here, only their estimations count.

Because the old car must be scrapped under the Cash for Clunkers stimulus program you probably will not get the trade in value of it: you might get offered the scrap value, but not the trade in value. However, you will get a minimum of $3,500 as a discount on the sticker price of your new car and this must be in addition to any other offer or discount the dealer or the auto company is offering. The discount can be a little higher than that, up to $5,000 according to some reports, $4,500 to others. You don't need a voucher or to do anything else to get the money off: that's up to the dealer to get back from the Government.

Only one discount per person though, and yes, this applies to people who are jointly registered on a vehicle as well. So if Mom and Dad are on the registration for the high school boy's car and also the college girl's car then there's only one discount available in the family. Your new car must have a regular sticker price of less than $45,000. The Cash for Clunkers discount applies both to purchases and leases.

There is supposed to be an interactive tool at www.cars.gov to tell you which new cars qualify for the discount: explaining things like combined mpg and so on, but it appears not to be ready as yet.

Two final points about the Cash for Clunkers stimulus plan. The rules are slightly different for passenger automobiles, light trucks (SUVs etc), work trucks and larger trucks, worth checking out the full law linked to above.

Secondly, Cash for Clunkers runs until 1 November this year or when the money runs out, whichever happens first. As there's only enough cash for 250,000 cars, the betting is it'll be the money gone long before November.

tony bernazard

tony bernazard

Understanding the dynamic of the Mets' front office can be an exercise in futility. Though I have as much access to the inner workings as you do, I know when it feels like something isn't right. And according to Adam Rubin of the NY Daily News, something doesn't feel right about Tony Bernazard's latest alleged shenanigans: The Binghamton Mets clubhouse nearly turned into a scene out of WWE Raw recently, when VP for player development Tony Bernazard removed his shirt and challenged the Double-A players to a fight during a postgame tirade, multiples sources told the Daily News. Bernazard particularly went after middle infield prospect Jose Coronado, using a slang term associated with a woman's anatomy, a source indicated. The confrontation happened about 10days before the All-Star break, according to insiders. This story comes on the heels of another one by Rubin involving a recent outburst by Bernazard at Citi Field: The scouting community has been abuzz with an account of Mets VP Tony Bernazard going into a profanity-laced tirade directed at the organization's manager of baseball operations at Citi Field, which left witnesses in the section behind home plate aghast. According to two sources, scouts had settled in a row behind the plate during a recent game. Bernazard arrived and found a Diamondbacks scout sitting in the seat he wanted. When Bernazard's underling suggested that the Mets VP wait until the end of the half-inning to change the seating arrangement in order to minimize the disruption, Bernazard went ballistic in a rant against his Ivy League-educated deputy. It's usually around this point where someone points out that Bernazard wasn't crazy about Willie Randolph and may have helped orchestrate our ex-skipper's ouster. There's some truth in that sentiment, but it oversimplifies what happened as well as Bernazard in general. Go back to late autumn 2004, when Art Howe completed his lame duck tenure as Mets' manager and Minaya, as the team's new GM, would hire his first skipper. Quite a few names passed through NY's back pages for the post, including Jim Leyland, Terry Collins, Carlos Tosca, and even a brief flirtation with Bobby V. From the chatter, two names quickly emerged as the front runners: Rangers' hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo and Yankees' bench coach Willie Randolph. The chatter seemed to favor Jaramillo for the post, as he once managed at Single-A Sarasota with Minaya on his staff in 1985 and 1986 and the two maintained their relationship over time. Combining that with the sentiment that Minaya favored hiring a young, newer MLB manager rather than a seasoned vet like Leyland, it just felt as if Minaya hiring Jaramillo would be a case of Omar getting his guy. Enter Randolph, the heir apparent to Joe Torre and the Yankees' bench coach that lost the Mets' manager gig to Art Howe after an unprepared interview. He was from Brooklyn, not too far from the Wilpons' old stomping grounds and a short hop from Minaya's Queens roots. He represented the first African-American manager in Mets history. He almost joined Minaya in Cincinnati in 2000 when each interviewed for the Reds' manager and GM spots, respectively. And Willie's reputation with the Yankees would steal headlines for the Mets. The winds changed, and so did Minaya's mind. Lost in the rapid changes was the addition of Tony Bernazard, a former utility player and another old friend of Minaya's. Bernazard joined the Mets' ranks as a special assistant after a long tenure in the Players' Association (his big claim to fame was his work on bringing the World Baseball Classic into existence). Bernazard had no experience as a coach, scout, or front office executive but he did have good relationships with a lot of players through his work with the MLBPA. So Minaya hired him, and reaped the benefits of Carlos Beltran and Billy Wagner choosing New York in part due to Bernazard's presence. That backfired early on, and in a big way. As you'll recall, Carlos Delgado chose to sign with the Marlins instead of the Mets in 2005 because the front office mistakenly played the race card to woo him. That gaffe was largely attributed to Tony Bernazard, who allegedly so alienated Delgado that Carlos asked to deal exclusively with Minaya before eliminating the Mets from consideration entirely. One year later, Bernazard rises to the rank of VP of Player Development with the Mets. He continues his role as adviser to Minaya, but now he has control over the Mets' minor-league development. The Mets enjoyed a magic carpet ride in 2006, and any rumblings of discontent go largely unnoticed. But there was one move of interest made by Bernazard at that time. After the 2006 season, Tony Tijerina left the Mets' organization for Kansas City after serving as the team's Minor League Field Coordinator (the organization's top player-development official). Mark Healey of Gotham Baseball Magazine aptly describes Just who Tijerina is: Most fans don't know "T.J.", but the former minor league catcher served as a player, coach, manager and assistant to Guy Conti (who he replaced as Coordinator) for the Mets since 1991, when he was drafted in the 13th round of the amateur draft. Deemed "too negative" by Bernazard to be a cog in his machine, he was replaced by Luis Aguayo. It's worth noting that Tijerina probably left as a result of a poor showing by the Norfolk Tides in 2006 and their star prospect, Lastings Milledge. That being said, Adam Rubin commented about his exit to KC that, "The trend with the Mets has been to push out people who predated the current administration." It wasn't an outrageous move, but it was the first show of Bernazard truly wielding his sword in a curious manner. (Aguayo serves as a field coordinator within the Mets' organization after a fairly disastrous stint as the team's third-base coach. Tijerina works as a field coordinator for the Royals.) Bernazard, first as Minaya's advisor and later the VP of Player Development, wouldn't be given major influence overnight. But that clearly became part of the plan, as his comments to Michael Geffner of the Times Herald-Record indicated that Bernazard wasn't just along for the ride with Minaya: And as he continues in his position as a GM-in-training, dealing with a wide variety of racial views all over baseball, Bernazard refuses to let his Latin roots or slightly accented English hold him back in a game that loves to pigeon-hole people. He commands, as well as demands, respect as a knowledgeable, no-nonsense baseball man. "I've always been taken seriously, both on the field and off," he says. "The way I carry myself, the way I do things, I have to be taken seriously. I make sure of that. I never wondered about that. Leaders are leaders, and I've always been a leader." But he knows well, as a Latino moving up the ranks, that people, especially insiders, are watching him closely. This doesn't frighten him. "I've always felt like a role model," he says. "And so I always conducted myself in a certain way. When I was a player, I wanted to do things right. That hasn't changed. I still feel a great responsibility to myself, my family, the community where I live, the organization I'm with, and Puerto Rico, where I was born and raised. "Omar, myself, we feel a responsibility for doing well, because we will influence lives." I'd read that interview if I were you. Because there's more gems embedded within it. So what does this have to do with Randolph? Well, Bernazard joined the Mets with Minaya and Randolph in '05, and exhibited aspirations for higher office. He becomes VP of Player Development in 2006 despite no prior experience as a manager, coach, or scout. And as a former liason with the Players Association, he has the players' ears and had them before joining the Mets' payroll. The story goes that Bernazard eventually earned the attention of the Wilpons as well, presumably first with Jeff in regards to Minor League Operations and later Fred. The Wilpons have a history of receiving advice from ill-advised sources (go ahead and google "superscouts" Al Goldis and Bill Livesey, who had as much to do with the Kazmir trade as the Jacket did). And now they hear a voice of someone who doesn't approve of the manager, even though Omar Minaya stated that Bernazard endorsed Randolph's hiring in the first place. The Collapse goes down, and calls arise for Randolph's head to roll - possibly including calls from Jeff Wilpon. Minaya stands behind his manager (this despite early beliefs that Jaramillo would've been his guy instead of Randolph initially, and Jerry Manuel's arrival suggesting that Minaya hedged his bets on Randolph). Meanwhile, Bernazard plants seeds of discontent in the Mets' clubhouse by speaking his mind publicly so often that it becomes general knowledge amongst the beat writers that he wants Randolph out. Randolph finally gets canned, and Bernazard allegedly fiddled while Shea burned. Bernazard then continues the rhetoric against Jerry Manuel while keeping the availability of his cell phone number as part of the Mets' minor league development. And now he's calling out kids in Binghamton for reflecting his failures as VP of Player Development and yelling at subordinates in Citi Field for not bowing down to him. If Tony Bernazard were still a player and pulling these antics, he would be deemed a "clubhouse cancer" and everyone would beg for him to be traded or released. But he continues to work behind the scenes, just far out enough of the periphery to disappear from memory when we start pointing fingers. I believe Tony Bernazard is a major distraction and source of confusion and misinformation in the Mets' front office. I believe Bernazard is the reason the fans and media like to comment on a pro-Latin American agenda in Mets' personnel decisions, as he clearly uses it to his advantage. The conspiracy theorist in me believes Bernazard, who has made clear his aspirations for higher office, may be using subversion tactics to stage the baseball equivalent of a coup in the Mets' organization and will continue to do so until he's a GM himself or he's fired. And I believe the Mets will be a better team and organization without Tony Bernazard than with him.

shun kaji fusion

shun kaji fusion

I hurt myself today. To see if I still feel.

That’s right. Sometimes the world gets so dark that all I can do is curl up in a dark room and listen to Trent Reznor or Marilyn Manson or Barry Manillow records. Play them at really slow speeds and it sounds like Type O Negative, I promise. It’s a dark place I inhabit, and sometimes, I just need to cut.

No, not me, that would hurt. Are you crazy? No, when it gets too much, I pull out my Shun Kaji Fusion 5 Piece Knife Set and cut other things. For example, the 9” Bread knife shows my pain with each smooth slice across the loaf. I throw away the end piece the way life throws me away every day.

Then I take the 8” Slicing knife and chop up a tomato, Those seeds fall like tears of blood from the eyes of a vampire. I know pain, tomato, pain like you can’t imagine. I then grab a 8” Chef’s knife and carve some fresh turkey. It lived, but now is dead, and roasted. All progress comes from pain. Why even bother? We’re born to die in the end.

With a 3” Paring knife, I slice the crust off, like removing the sin burnt onto my passionate heart forever. And then, at the end, I divide it down the middle with a 5” Utility knife. No one knows my inner soul. They see a simple sandwich. But really, I taste my own darkness. And we’re out of barbecue chips too. I hate my mom and dad.

Warranty: Shun Lifetime

Features:

* SG-2 Powdered Steel
* Comfortable, ambidextrous Pakkawood handles with samurai family crest inlay
* NSF approved for professional use
* Lifetime warranty
* Pattern Damascus cladding adds to the strength and beauty of the knives
* Thin sheets of a nickel alloy and stainless steel are folded to create true Damascus steel clad over the high-tech powdered-steel core

Additional Photos:

* Kai KDM024 Shun Kaji Fusion 8”Slicing Knife

* Kai KDM0025 Shun Kaji Fusion9” Bread/Carving Knife

* KAI KDMS0300 Shun Kaji 3-Peice Knife Set

In the box:

* Shun Kaji Fusion Utility Knife, 5”
* Shun Kaji Fusion Paring Knife, 3”
* Shun Kaji Fusion Chef’s Knife, 8”
* Shun Kaji Fusion Slicing Knife, 8”
* Shun Kaji Fusion Bread/Carving Knife, 9”

harvey mudd college

harvey mudd college
Forget U.S. News’s academic rankings and Playboy’s party-school list. For some prospective college freshmen, here’s the important question: Will I make more money if I go to Harvard, or if I go to Harvey Mudd?

PayScale, a site that collects data on salaries for different professions, argues that it can help students answer that question. Today the company is releasing an updated, gigantic data set on the salaries of graduates from hundreds of universities and colleges, as well as salaries and career choices broken down by department/major.

The numbers are from 1.2 million users of PayScale’s site who self-reported their salaries and educational credentials in a PayScale survey over the last year. While the data are not from a randomized scientific sample, they are still pretty tantalizing. Here, for example, are the rankings by median mid-career salary (minimum 10 years out of school) by university:
Full rankings are here. An important note: The data include only survey respondents whose highest academic degree is a bachelor’s. Therefore, doctors, lawyers and others in high-paying jobs that require advanced degrees are not included in the data set.

The reason for this, according to Al Lee, PayScale’s director of quantitative analysis, is that PayScale is trying to determine which undergraduate educations are the “best investment.”

“You’re thinking of buying a college. If that’s all you buy — an undergraduate degree –without having to spend more money and time and effort to get another degree,” Mr. Lee said, “you want to know what the return on that investment is.”

He also said that for many schools including alumni with advanced degrees would bring down their median salaries, because in PayScale’s sample advanced degree recipients are primarily teachers getting master’s degrees in order to teach. According to Mr. Lee’s data, teachers generally have more modest incomes than their classmates.

Some highlights from the data:

* Dartmouth College has the highest median mid-career salary (defined as salary at 10 years or greater after graduation).
* Loma Linda University has the highest median starting salary (defined as salaries within five years of graduation), a function of their strong programs in nursing, dental and allied health.
* In general, engineering schools produced the best starting salaries, and represented eight out of the top 10 schools in starting salary. On the other hand, Ivy League Schools are the best bet for mid-career pay, with five out of the top 10.
* Majors matter. Quantitative-oriented degrees – like engineering, science, mathematics and economics — filled most of the top 20 slots in both highest starting median salaries and highest mid-career median salaries.

erin andrews video peep

erin andrews video peep
Erin Andrews' peep video has been hot on the Internet for days, but now the Erin Andrews video peep has hit the mainstream. ESPN obviously didn't want to report on the video, but other major news outlets aren't so shy now. Now the Erin Andrews
Erin Andrews Video Peep Airs on Mainstream Media
video peep, and its pictures, have reached actual news organizations like the New York Post, FOX , and CBS. As such, Erin Andrews' video peep, and the evidence of it, isn't just limited to Internet porn sites anymore.

The first controversy came when the New York Post turned Erin Andrews' peep video into front page news - and even reprinted some of the peephole pictures. Of course, they put a black box over Andrews' private parts, but still reprinted the images from the video peep nonetheless.

Erin Andrews tried to remove the peep video of her changing in a hotel room, and threatened legal action against those that filmed it - as soon as they find the culprit. The New York Post reported in their story that Andrews and her attorney would pursue charges against those that filmed her, and those that "published the material."

That would have to include the New York Post, since they put the Erin Andrews peep video pictures on their newspaper for all to see. Although the naughty bits were blurred, the Post may have done Internet searchers a favor.

Those Post readers in New York now no longer have to risk getting a computer virus by searching for Erin Andrews video peep pictures, or by searching for the video itself. They can just go to yesterday's New York Post to get their fill. However, since the picture isn't completely nude, they may keep searching and risk a computer virus anyway.

If that wasn't enough, they could have also watched FOX and Friends and The Early Show yesterday morning. Those news outlets actually aired some of the video peep, as well as posted some of the pictures, while discussing the story yesterday.

Perhaps it's not so surprising that FOX and Friends would play such a video, but CBS is more surprising - as their version of the story was even covered by a "science and technology correspondent."

hgsi

hgsi

U.S. stocks were rising Monday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.6% to 8798, the S&P 500 rose 0.6% to 946 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.8% to 1901. Among the companies whose shares are actively trading in the session are Human Genome Sciences Inc. (HGSI), CIT Group Inc. (CIT) and Orexigen Threapeutics Inc. (OREX)

CIT Group ($1.26, +$0.56, +80.00%) was close to securing $3 billion in last-minute rescue financing from its bondholders Sunday in a deal that should keep the struggling lender out of bankruptcy court, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.

Human Genome Sciences ($10.26, +$6.94, +209.04%) said its experimental drug Benlysta met the goals of a late-stage study in treating lupus, a notoriously hard-to-treat autoimmune disease that hasn't seen a new therapy in decades. The success surprised many analysts and investors who were expecting the drug to fail, as it did in an earlier mid-stage study. Citigroup believes the trial's success makes the company a takeover target of partner GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK, $37.57, +$1.21, +3.33%). The companies split Benlysta, which the firm sees having $1.3 billion in 2013 U.S. sales, and Human Genome has potential for royalties on two other Phase III drugs from Glaxo.

Orexigen Therapeutics ($6.75, +$1.06, +18.63%) said its Contrave drug showed strong results in three large late-stage studies in treating obesity, a potential multibillion-dollar market.

BMO Capital markets downgraded its investment rating on Tyson Foods Inc. (TSN, $11.44, -$1.20, -9.41%) to market perform from outperform. The firm said the company's "near-term stock upside has become somewhat limited as its stock price reflects improved chicken margins, the company's internal improvements, and lower feed prices." Meanwhile, Sanderson Farms Inc. (SAFM, $41.42, -$4.28, -9.37%) was cut to market perform from outperform by BMO Capital Markets. The firm said in a note to clients that it's cautious on further chicken margin expansion as chicken demand has weakened and the effects from hot weather in the South were more muted than expected.

Wabash National Corp. (WNC, $0.72, +$0.18, +33.31%) announced it was getting a $35 million investment from a division of private-equity firm Lincolnshire Management Inc., which created a new entity Trailer Investments LLC, to buy a series of preferred stocks and warrants for new common stock. Trailer Investments will also get to put five board members on Wabash's 12-person board. "This capital infusion will fortify our balance sheet, allowing us to put in place a capital structure that meets the needs of the Company during this economic downturn, including to obtain needed accommodations under our existing credit agreement," Chief Executive Dick Giromini said in a statement.

   Other Stocks In Focus:   

California-based East West Bancorp Inc. (EWBC, $6.84, -$0.15, -2.15%) announced plans to sell at least 11 million shares as the company said it has completed a capital-raising effort that so far has generated $168.9 million.

Construction machinery reached a cyclical bottom during the second quarter, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch said while upgrading Caterpillar Inc. (CAT, $36.42, +$2.43, +7.15%) to buy. Caterpillar's results Tuesday are likely to be weak and potentially come with lower guidance for future quarters, "but we don't think that matters," BofA-Merrill said, as there's limited downside to the stock given low expectations. BofA-Merrill's dealer channel checks show reduced machinery inventories setting the stage for restocking going into 2010, and the firm predicts Caterpillar's multiple will expand to historical levels after its operations stabilize in the second half of this year.

Bank of America Corp.'s (BAC, $12.62, -$0.27, -2.09%) "normalized" earnings picture got cloudier after its second-quarter earnings, Fox-Pitt said, downgrading Bank of America to in line from outperform and sharply cutting earnings estimates. The firm had forecast normalized earnings per share of $2.80, or about 1% return on assets, but now says BofA will continue to struggle to generate positive EPS due to credit and revenue headwinds. Fox-Pitt swings its 2009 EPS view to loss of 46 cents a share from previous view of a 48-cent profit, and cut its 2010 view to 55 cents a share from $1.32 a share. Bank of America is unlikely to repay its Troubled Asset Relief Program loans soon, Fox-Pitt also added.

Eaton Corp.'s (ETN, $49.00, +$4.05, +9.01%) second-quarter profit plunged 91% on slumping sales and margins as results missed expectations.

Extreme Networks Inc. (EXTR, $2.07, +$0.07, +3.50%) signed an alliance with Internet-security giant McAfee Inc. (MFE, $43.06, +$0.07, +0.16%) to work on network security for customers for both McAfee and Extreme Networks, which works in Ethernet based networks.

Halliburton Co.'s (HAL, $21.98, +$0.60, +2.81%) second-quarter earnings fell 48% on weak demand and lower prices, but results were better than feared.

Hasbro Inc.'s (HAS, $26.28, +$0.90, +3.55%) second-quarter earnings rose 4.8% amid strong sales of most of its toy brands, including those related to the Transformers movie sequel, but revenue fell just short of Wall Street's expectations while profit topped estimates.

Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI, $23.42, +$1.90, +8.83%) posted its first profitable quarter since last autumn as the auto-parts and heating-systems maker saw cost cuts partially take the sting out of tumbling demand, which fell more than expected.

M&T Bank Corp.'s (MTB, $56.48, +$2.04, +3.75%) second-quarter profit plunged 75%, reflecting charges from its acquisition of Provident Bankshares and special payment toward the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s deposit-insurance fund.

Investors should buy Peabody Energy Corp. (BTU, $34.99, +$1.83, +5.52%) ahead of earnings Tuesday, FBR analysts said in a note, as Peabody will be supported by long-term steel and energy demand in China and India. China continues to import coking coal to improve its steel quality and conserve its domestic resources, and demand will be sustained by strong real estate construction, the firm says. Meanwhile, India's power generation has been growing every month this year and aggressive economic expansion efforts by India could increase coking coal imports by 75% by 2012.

PetMed Express Inc. (PETS, $17.36, +$0.71, +4.26%) recorded a 23% increase in second-quarter profit as sales jumped 13% and both figures exceeded expectations. The animal pharmacy and operator of the 1-800-petmeds number and Web site said that it added 297,000 new customers and saw online and reorder sales both rise.

Ruby Tuesday Inc. (RT, $7.35, -$0.15, -2.00%) will offer at least 10 million shares as the restaurant operator joins a wave of companies in recent months looking to take advantage of investor appetite for new shares to raise cash. The offering would dilute shares outstanding by about 19%.

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc. (SPPI, $5.81, +$0.26, +4.68%) shares gained Monday following news the U.S. Food and Drug Administration accepted for review the company's resubmission of its application for its cancer drug, Zevalin. The agency accepted the drug as a Class 1 submission and established Sept. 7 as a decision date, the oncology-focused biotechnology company said.

Weatherford International Ltd.'s (WFT, $18.80, -$1.14, -5.69%) second-quarter earnings fell 89%, with results missing analysts' expectations, as international growth failed to offset a steep drop in North American demand.