bj's! it's bj's! bj's is the -- let's hear it for bj's! it should be bj's. they are the discount king. they're better than big lots. we have to look at the down side risk. even though big lots is exposed to the supply issues of tjx or ross stores, it still has them. while big lots is trying to approve its hideous and messy stores and less than ideal customer service, wink, poke, just a wink, wink, wink. less than ideal customer service. where is it, where is it? what do i always use when i'm winking. okay, good. we don't know that the company will succeed. bj's has none of these problems. plus we're entering a period of recovery where the trade-down play may go out the window. but i think bj's is much less vulnerable to the collapse of the consumer trade down because it's a club like the elks. well, not really. and people pay to be members, making them less likely to -- that's bad luck. making them less likely to just stop shopping there and because it has less of a trade-down stig maw attached to it. you don't feel poor when you walk into bj's. i feel like

but wholesaler bj's managed to beat analysts's expectations seconding shares up 2% on the day. credit card holders will get a break as new federal guidelines go into effect. some of the changes, bills have to be in the mail three weeks before the due date and customers now have the right to dispute interest rates. keep an eye on shares of barnes & noble and the gap. all report second quarter results today. finally, if you're in the market for a new appliance, you may want to hold off. a federal program to debut this fall, set aside $300 million for energy-efficient dishwashers, refrigerators and washers. but unlike the cash for clunkers program, you will not need to turn in your old one. >>> well, a veteran pitcher signs on with the cardinals. and ivan rodriguez proves you can go home after all. >>> plus, cliff lee makes the indians wish they had it. your early morning sports headlines are straight ahead. >>> it was stormy weather in the east and the heat in the west. we'll have more to talk about to finish your week coming up. you're watching "early today." >>> good morning. i

going over the warehouse stores, cosco and bjs, where i think bjs can be maybe a contender for the discount crown. despite what i say, the discount stores don't matter. perhaps my personal love of shopping at cosco. the store samples i try to make a meal of. how do you think i got rich in the first place. i always fast before going to a cosco. today i want to come back with another retail name in the off price retail space. big lots! b-i-g for all of you home gamers. this hasn't been one of my favorite retail stocks but yesterday it reported a monster blowout. that's right. earnings per share coming in at 35 cents, 5 cents more than what the street was expecting. and it raised its guidance for 2009. you know what that is, that is the double play we're looking for and only apple and sales force.com have given us that combination in any meaningful way. you may not know these guys. they operate though out of 1,350 stores in 47 different states. many of them k highest concentration california, florida, texas and ohio. those first two especially are big beneficiaries of the recovery i'm seeing,

-- this is a shocker -- for people who go to warehouse clubs like costco, wholesale, sam's club or bj wholesale that you spend money on things you didn't really intend to, you buy things you didn't necessarily need. now, come on. do we need them to study this to know that? so i know that about myself, that if i go into costco or i go into sam's, bj's wholesale, that i'll buy things that on reflection, it's like, wow. here's one thing to reflect on when you buy things you don't need. i don't get a cart. i walk around and have to carry things in my arms. when my arms get heavy, i realize, i didn't really need that and put it back. it saves me a ton. for more ways you can save a ton, go to cnn.com/clarkhoward. >> clark will teach you to save more, spend less and avoid getting ripped off. catch him at noon eastern saturdays and sundays right here on hln. >>> a big dwtwist this morning the health care debate. there is word that the dems may try to push it through on a tactic. >>> a squirrel in somebody's picture? now that little guy is popping up everywhere. dddddddds >>> good mor

on most key metrics, bj's is a superior company with a superior stock. though i wouldn't go so far to say it's got a superior attitude and superior state of mind to produce. how stores that have been open for a year are doing now versus their sales a year ago. we compare identical stores, bj has stronger same-store sales. that's the key metric. it grew at 2.9%, excluding gas sales. which have taken a huge hit since gasoline came down in 2008. and they're expected to increase by 3% to 5% in the third quarter and 4% to 6% in the fourth quarter. costco same-store sales were flat last quarter. they were down 1% in july. who takes the cake when it comes to inventory? too much inventory in a retailer has to put an additional sales and promotions to get rid of old merchandise. inventories is the nemesis of retail profits. these warehouse stores are no exception. here costco has the edge. it beats b.j.'s. its average decreased by 4% in the most recent quarter, b.j.'s increased by 4%. that's a little scary, but the manager said it was due to soft trends at the en

and we're trying to get larry sheets or bj so hit during the home run hitting consist. they want to hit the wall out in right field. >> you can't do that. >> i can bunt to the wall. come on out. it's free. come out and support cal ripkin tomorrow night. >>> still ahead on "good morning maryland". >> you say it's not your fall. but for hundreds of people ticketed for speeding, it actually wasn't their fault. >>> this little guy saves two lives. >>> here's jeremy hubbard with a look at your business news. >> reporter: topping the money scope report, there's no relief in sight for the foreclosure crisis. numbers show a record of more than 306,000 homes received a foreclosure filing last month. that is up 32% from a year ago. that works out to one in 350 homes income some stage of the foreclosure process. government spending aimd to lift the economy out of a resession has pushed the deficit to $1.27 trillion. last month it rode by $180 billion. and the total is more than $4,000 for every man, woman and child. and the feds are seeing signs that all the spending is paying off

laura, ceo of bj's whole sale, good touf to have you with us. i have the transcript from the conference call this morning. i thought it was interesting, area that's were the weakest in the second quarter at bj's included jewelry and trash bags. i don't know if there's anything particular about trash bags, do you see a real frugalty? >> those two commodities are completely different ends of the spectrum, trash bags are caused by deflation, driving trash bag costs up or down. jewelry is a form of discretionary spending which continues to be chal earninged. >> have you seen any improvements at all, or do you go with along with the anecdote, people are looking for store brands to cut cost? >> people are continuing to seek value. back to school season is starting out okay on school supplies and desks and things, that's a relatively small part of our business. >> what about jewelry, it is -- not in all cases, it is a discretionary as one can get. >> in our second quarter earnings, erin, we've seen improving trends and i think what's different is that

race up 2-0 in the 6th when bj upton hit a solo shot adding to the lead.an tried to fuel a comeback. rays win 3-1. final game of the 3-game series is tomorrow. >>> you know, it seems it's more than just us in baltimore who are wacko for flacco. according to nflshop.com, joe cool jerseys have cracked the top 20 jerseys list. he is the only raven in the top 25. new quarterback of the chicago bears jay cutler was tops followed by troy polamalu and ben roethlisberger of the dreaded steelers. >>> we could be cooking up something big. a popular cable show rolls into las vegas. at your chevy dealer. is available with more eligible models to choose from than anyone. if your clunker qualifies to be recycled, you can get a $3500 or $4500 government rebate. and just announced! if you qualify for the clunker rebate, you may also qualify for 0% apr for 72 months. that means you can buy this silverado half-ton for $228 a month after a $3500 government rebate and no down payment. go to chevy.com for details. >>> you don't generally find hundreds of people gathering in ba

bj upton added to the rays' lead in the sixth with a solo shot. they would win 5-4. game 2 tomorrow night. >>> and brett favre has another shot to once again win the super bowl, this time with the minnesota vikings. weeks of speculation became official today as favre signed a two-year deal. he then hit the practice field, and says he feels right at home with his new teammates. >> asked after practice, traditionally here we have the new guys say their name and where they're from, and something unique about yourself. i'm brett from hattiesburg, mississippi, and i'm the only guy on this team born in the 60s. that kind of broke the ice. >> favre played last season for the new york jets after spending 15 years with the green bay packers. >>> and speaking of seniors working out in the heat -- just kidding, brett! seriously, it is a concern for all of us, but seniors in particular. how to stay safe while still getting your exercise. with her son off to college, liz turned to target for great deals. like a twenty dollar comforter for his bed. a fridge for healthy snacks a re

>> there aren't too many differences, but in dvenths for the incoming bj, that is one. it is too much promise on social policy expenditure without giving career ways of giving increases for government revenue. the second difficult with no basically uncharter ed policy package on security and defense. that is not easy to -- to somehow give a good package because within the party itself, the policy directions are disintegrated, programmented, very difficult for the party leadership to forge reasonably well packed policy on security and defense. >> it's bertha coombs here in the u.s. outside an outside investor, a lot of people would want to know if the dk party won, what would be their attitude towards the business community? would there be in the changes there that would impact an investor? >> not much, but i think it has some slightly stronger tendency to -- not to liberalize extremely weak sectors like agriculture. and the second is that basically the difficulties that the party leader, one of the secretaries of the party leader is being investigated by corruption char

it gave lflt bj the power to take, quote, all necessary measures to repel any armed attacks against the the united states and to predict-- prevent further aggression, basically a blank check and it would be cashed in vietnam. >> when america bombs north vietnam, it isn't understood that the north vietnamese communists are going to respond by increasing infiltration into south vietnam. but the viet cong were growing larger, at the same time they're stealing the countryside out from under the government in the slow seepage of guerilla war fwaer. >> oliver:? november of '64, lbj was elected president of the united states and in hanoi, lieutenant alvarez endured starvation at the hanoi hilton and managed to hang on to the belief he'd be coming home. >> somehow, i was convinced that someone was going to come along and open my cell and say, come on, you're going home. i mean, the fact that i would be left there just didn't even enter my mind. >> oliver: the first troops hit the beachch the sixties were all about freedom. ♪ and now in my sixties, they are again. grandpa, are we there yet? i ha

that if i go to costco or sam's or bjs that i'll buy things on reflection it's like why. my rule and one you should think about if you tend to buy things you don't need. not just the warehouse clubs, but anywhere else. i don't get a cart. i walk around and have to carry things in my arms. i realize, hey, i didn't really need that and put it back. saves me a ton. i'm clark howard. for more ways you can save a ton go to cnn.com/clarkhoward. >> he's on saturdays and sundays at noon and 4:00 eastern here at hln. >>> a maryland lawmaker used a police boat and helicopter to stage an elaborate marriage proposal to his girlfriend. what he's sighing after revelations it was all paid for with taxpayer dollars. >>> that has to be unsettling. right in the middle of baghdad. six bombs went off today. 95 people were killed. two of them targeted the ministry of foreign affairs building. the explosion sent vehicles flying, left others in a mangled twist of metal. more than 560 people were hurt. this is the most violent day in iraq since u.s. combat troop handed over security. in baltimor

i would police car a lefty like bj or larry sheets in town. we have an aluminum bat. i want to see them go over the warehouse that is any goal. >> tell me about this. you got a lot of mothers. ask cal about this. how to speed up the game. when i go out and see my nine, ten and 11 years... is there any idea that you can speed up the game of baseball so not to let the kids play an hour alacrosse? >> my wife sometimes said she likes baseball because it's a time game and you know how long you're going to be there and you're inside. bait balance is outside and there's a beauty to the pace of the game. the better the game is blade, the faster it appears to move. >> it won't be that way up there. >> put your ipod in and bring the newspaper. sometimes it's better to watch the game that way. the kids have their thing going on, you have your thing going on, look at the paper every once in a while. >>> and talk about the orioles. mcfail is going in the right direction. are you excited? >> yes. when you see the prospects and the buzz around the league, the orioles got some arms.

bj's wholesale club beat estimate. mixed commentary. earnings guidance higher but they lowered their sales guidance. goldman sachs lowered alcoa on valuation. they are concerned that a run-up in a movement of prices may have been too fast too far. how are we looking at the nasdaq, rebecca? >> bob, we are looking lower, like the rest of the overall markets. premarket, the nasdaq 100, premarket is down about half a percent, a little more than that right now. we've got a lot of client metrics out of the brokerages for the month of july. look at the fact that e-trade financial down 3.6% in the premarket reported a record july in terms of its account. 2.7 million accounts for the month of july. meantime, ameritrade said that without anything outside of organic growth as in higher interest rates, game changing acquisition, they don't see a lot of upside at ameritrade. they said interesting things about technology. they said they see a stabilized market and tech spending has hit bottom. taking a look at big tech premarket. not helping out. 2 1

here to talkabout fostering a pet and stone is bj, our friend from the montgomery county humane society. night -- nice to see you. good morning. >> good morning. >> and let's talk about the things you are trying to do and rescue without walls. what does that mean? >> that's something we're expanding for our foster program. we have had the contract with the county to run the county animal shelter for many, many years and we've also recently had a private rescue on south stone street in rockvillement we have a few animals still at the private rescue. once they are placed into either permanent adoptive homes or into foster care, then we're going to expand -- we're already expanding the foster into this rescue without walls. the building will be closed once we get the animals moved into the foster or doctors. >> and you're also here today to put up the call that fosters and volunteers are needed. now if you foster a pet, it doesn't mean this is a long lifetime commitment, it means you're taking care of a pet until they find that forever home, right. >> exactly. and it's a great way, if you

. >>> and later -- costco, bj's, sam's club. we tell you if joining a warehouse club is worth your money. you could buy 300 bottles of water. or just one brita filter. ( drop plinks ) brita-- better for the environment and your wallet. but i've still got room for the internet. with my new netbook from at&t. with its built-in 3g network, it's fast and small, so it goes places other laptops can't. i'm bill kurtis, and wherever i go, i've got plenty of room for the internet. and the nation's fastest 3g network. gun it, mick. (announcer) sign up today and get a netbook for $199.99 after mail-in rebate. with built-in access to the nation's fastest 3g network. only from at&t. in a long line of amazing performance machines. this is the new e-coupe. this is mercedes-benz. >>> are you wondering if now is the time to buy or sell your home? call me or e-mail me at carmen@cnbc.com and you could be on the show. >>> talk about a bad trip. a great vacation can replenish the soul, also empty your bank account. today i'm going to help you save a

we are publishing a new book by the actor and activist mike farrell, who is best known for the role bje on the tv show m*a s*h. one of the greatest tv shows of all time. and this book, of mule and man is sort of a road book, a road memoir, a travel memoir. and we are putting him back on the road and were keeping him busy. how long have you been publishing books? >> would've been publishing since 1997. we publish literary fiction as the heart and soul of the company. we have a sort of outsider sensibility, though some of our books are quite popular but our books are often sort of provocative in one way or another and we do a little nonfiction as well, political nonfiction. biters include mike farrell, ron kovic, and other sort of cultural heroes of the left. you are not only publisher but you're the founder. how did you get into books? when did you decide to start a publishing house? >> i sort of stumbled into book publishing. it was never anything i intended to do. in my previous life i was a rock 'n roll musician and i spent most of the 1990s touring the world with my band, putting ou

black exploitation movement, we're publishing a book by mike farrell whose best known for the role of bjoneycutt on m.a.s.h., and this is a road book, travel memoir, and we're putting him back on the road, and we're keeping him busy. >> what is -- how long have you been publishing backs? >> since 1977. literary fiction is the heart and soul of the company. we have an outsider sincibility, though some web books are quite popular, but our book store is often provocative, and we do a little bit of nonfiction as well, political nonfiction, writers who we publish in the nonfiction realm include mike farrell and other cultural heroes. >> you're the publisher and founder. why did you decide start a publishing house? >> i stumbled into book publishing. in my previous life i was a rock and roll musician, and i spent most of the 1990s touring the world with my ban, putting out albums, and when a finally arrived at the thing that rock and rollers do best, making money, after i made some money, i publish a book as an experiment, and i found that i really enjoyed publishing the book. it was quite suc

. >> bj in florida. >> oh, bj. >> look at this clunker. >> we should have had stipulations like the government>> 1962 dodge lancer, that's takes the cake. >> this thing can move have you seen it on the road. >> new jersey, a 74 pontiac clunker, i think that's about 90 feet long. >> and here is one, ken from missouri, 1988 ford crown victoria. >> oh, classic. >> sweet ride. >> take a look at this, susan from massachusetts sent in the old caddy, that's sweet and that's a gas guzzler, but stylish. >> complete with leaves on the front. >> is that leaves or is that paint chipping. >> rust? >> hard to see. >> continue sending your clunker photos to us, friend friends@foxnews.com, we'll share them to you. >> first to rick reichmuth i'm sure had a clunker some point, ten, 20 years ago. >> i did, but my first car was a '66 mustang. >> that's cool. >> did you have a mullet? >> how many times? >> more than one. >> until recently. >> i'm going to read this so i get it right, but today there's 5,000 cyclists in the pan massachusetts challenge, riding 190 miles to raise for the farber cancer institute. the

bj's wholesale club and deere will be after the close.re going to hear from hot topic, petsmart, and victoria's secret. the secretaries of xherz, homeland security and health and human services will hold a joint news conference at 11:00 a.m. new york time. that is your global stock watch. >> coming up, our next guest thinks current momentum and market carriers for some time. how long? we'll find out after this break. i'm racing cross country in this small sidecar, but i've still got room for the internet. with my new netbook from at&t. with its built-in 3g network, it's fast and small, so it goes places other laptops can't. i'm bill kurtis, and wherever i go, i've got plenty of room for the internet. and the nation's fastest 3g network. gun it, mick. (announcer) sign up today and get a netbook for $199.99 after mail-in rebate. with built-in access to the nation's fastest 3g network. only from at&t. >>> it's a little more than half past the hour. here is the top business stories from around the world. in the u.s., warren buffett says the u

. >> bj is a decent 165.e he has a whole other attitude about training. you will see the 22-year-old prodigy. >> am doing this for me. >> the ultimate fighter. it's unbelievable how much this kid has grown. ♪ >> since losing his shot at the title 2 years ago, he's gone undefeated 6 fights and stopped everyone of those guys except for roger. >> penn is at his best at 165. that's the guy they want to fight. >> i may finish him in the 1st round. >> did he really say this [bleep]? >> [shouting]. here we go, ladies and gentlemen. the ufc light heavyweight championship of the world. kenny florian. >> [cheers and applause]. >> here he is. getting the 2nd title shot. he's won. >> he's been on a mission. let it all hang out in each and every one of those fights. very, very impressive. a well deserved shot at this title. >> trained with florian a lot. i have never seen anyone as meticulous about their preparation. each traininging session has a purpose and a strategy. >> we see the champion penn. training now at the ca

. >> bj upton and the rays have behind the wildcard. trying to narrow the gap.ce. number 8 of the season for him. one home run shy of his total from last year. david price improves to 6-1. in his last nine games. giants and reds have just gone final. top 10, ryan garbage he owe, with two men on. that's trouble for the reds. can you think of you panda is in. another run is in. 7-5. giants on top. then 8-5, bottom 10. joey vato grounds out to ishiskawa, and that's it. san francisco's won back-to-back games. garko finishing 2 for 5 with four ribs. he had four r.b.i. combined in 17 games with the giants entering tuesday. >> we will continue to cover brett favre's second comeback to the nfl. up ahead, brett favre's old teammates, the packers react to him being a viking. not sure how much his role will change with the eagles, but michael vick' >> cubs padres top of the third. erik lee 2 for 2 so far. got his 24th homer of the season. a's and yankees, just taken a 2-1 lead. kurt suzuki got a solo homer off c.c. sabathia to get it all started. something going on in that

. >> you can pick epple of items at bjs. >> lynn, thank you for being here. >> thank you. >>> for mores. >>> up next invite people to your wedding in style. we're giving away a 500 gift ward to allison barnhill designs in just 5 minutes. get ideas for your big day all under one roof. the baltimore bridal show returns this weekend. it will be held at the baltimore marriott waterfront sunday, august 15t >>> welcome back to fox 45 morning news. 8:30 is the time. i'm pa t patrice harris. >>> good morning, i'm megan gilliland. >>> you got your purple? >> yes. >> let's sites what meteorologist steve fertig has to say about the weather. >> you love when i say we're going all the way and we haven't even played one game, don't you steve. >> one game at a time. i don't want to jinx anything. one rain drop at a time. it looks like the rain has moved off to the northeast. it has left us with fog in spots. however, we will see a chance of showers returning in the afternoon and thunderstorms, too especially for the eastern shore where we do have a flash-flood watch for the eastern shore. it could ex

this fall, tour the home to america's highest court, the supreme court >> state department spokesman bj crowley answered a number of questions today on the middle east peace process. this follows remarks from hillary clinton. this is a half-hour. [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] " i have no reformation to support that. >> did this individual say whether the hijackers had intended to go into iran or is it your interest -- understanding that they crossed the border and did not know it. >> i think that at this point, we have all lot of good questions but very little information. at some point in time, when we know where they are, and we have access to, we can -- access to them, we can know what to do. >she had the video conference here in the building with diplomats from around the world who work on iranian issues. i would characterize that as a routine discussion of an assessment of iran. >> was the embargo of petroleum goods considered? can you see what others have discussed -- say what others have discussed? what i would say that this was some