Plot Thickens @ RBA Jubilee — Asian Creditor Cenbanks Dominating?

The reason given out for keeping the meeting venue a secret is security concerns. Even with the participation of US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank, the Asian central banks are expected to steal the thunder at the meeting. The Asian bankers are uniting under the leadership of the governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia, Zeti Akhtar Aziz. – Blog of India¹

How about that Tracy Porter Guy!  Oh well, while everyone was being distracted over the weekend, the big story in the world was happening at a secret location near Sydney, Australia with almost no media coverage.  Thanks to the Herald Sun and the above blogger in India a few hints are emerging, though.

Meanwhile, the folks at MW² inadvertently added a further piece to the puzzle through yet another one  of those 'Oh, must be OK then,' says son as cardiologist cuts short golfing vacation to rush to mother's side stories the financial press likes to perpetrate:

LONDON (MarketWatch) — Jean-Claude Trichet may not be flying to the rescue of Greece and other debt-troubled southern European nations, but news Tuesday that the European Central Bank president will leave Sydney earlier than initially planned to attend a meeting of European Union leaders in Brussels was enough to provide the euro and financial markets with a lift.

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[1]: "World’s Top Central Banks Meeting in Australia", by Meena Rani K, Blog of India, February 8, 2010.

[2]: "Financial markets calm as Greek rescue speculation rises: Portugal plans 10-year euro-denominated bond issue", by William L. Watts, MarketWatch, February 9, 2010.

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Wyclef Jean and Mary J. Blige are Full of Hope for Haiti

Wyclef Jean has tapped into his Haitian spirit by using music and festivities to shed light on the dire need for help and funds in his homeland. He was on hand for the launch of Hope, Help, & Relief Haiti in New York on Monday.

Throughout his career, Wyclef has used his celebrity to bring awareness to the needs of Haiti, a nation that faced struggles even prior to the earthquake. Following this natural disaster, Wyclef found his "true destiny," he told ET.

Mary J. Blige, who performed a lot of songs from her vast catalogue, said, "You have to put yourself in their shoes and think if it was you, you would want people to come out in the same capacity and help you get out of the situation you’re in." The images plastered throughout the media of the people struggling in Haiti have inspired Gayle King to be active in supporting recovery efforts.

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Jermaine Jackson on Michael’s Death: ‘It Hurts Every Day’

Jermaine Jackson was in court today to watch Dr. Conrad Murray face involuntary manslaughter charges in the death of his brother, Michael Jackson, and earlier Jermaine told ET’s Mary Hart, "It hurts everyday."

Asked if the conversation with his family often comes back to Michael’s death and how wrong it was, Jermaine replies, "There’s not a day that Jackie, Rebbie, Tito — all of us — Marlon, Janet, all of us, don’t talk about Michael. Every moment."

"If you were face-to-face with Dr. Murray right now, what would you say to him Jermaine," asks Mary.

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Autism risks detailed in children of older mothers (AP)

AP – A woman’s chance of having a child with autism increase substantially as she ages, but the risk may be less for older dads than previously suggested, a new study analyzing more than 5 million births found.
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John Sherffius

PUBLICATION DATE: Mon, 08 Feb 2010

Broadcaster fined over killing a rat on TV show (Reuters)

Reuters – British broadcaster ITV pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and was fined by an Australian court on Monday after a rat was killed and eaten on the reality TV show “I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here.”
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“Well unrelease it,” Togneri said: Strange Gyres in Paradis as Canada Nearly Transparent

The document was an annual report on [minister Christian Paradis'] Public Works' massive real-estate portfolio, which contained factual information on high vacancy rates and weak returns on investment. Such reports had never been made public before. // The department's real-estate branch had consented to the full release, and the Access to Information office at Public Works had determined after extensive consultation that there was no legal basis to withhold any of the report. [however ...] – Canadian Press¹

This rather creepy straw-in-the-wind showed up as front page news this morning on Doom North's snowy front doorstep.

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[1]: "Tory cabinet minister's office blocked full release of report", February 7, 2010.

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Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt Step Out Together on Super Bowl Sunday

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt joined their eldest son Maddox in Miami, Florida to cheer on the New Orleans Saints.

Jolie and Pitt reside in New Orleans with their six children. Photographed leaving the Sun Life Stadium after the Saints big win, their son Maddox showed his support for his home team by wearing quarterback Drew Brees’ No. 9 Saints jersey. 

Pitt was spotted with his son Sunday morning departing from Los Angeles and arriving in Miami. The Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in the Super Bowl XLIV.

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The Anti-Summit: Baffin Island was the Diversion

Representatives from 24 central banks and monetary authorities, including the US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank, landed in Sydney [Australia] to meet tomorrow [Feb 7th] at an undisclosed location. – Herald Sun¹

The heavy stuff always happens under cover of something like Super-Weekend, eh?  But the blogosphere never sleeps   Thanks for pointing me at this one, twist, I'd completely missed it with my own focus on Iqualoit.

It isn't every day the BIS sends up a flare like this.  So the spectacle of G7 finance ministers contemplating the prospect of raw whale blubber on the frozen shores of Frobisher Bay was, after all, only theatre.

Turns out the real story was unfolding quietly on the other side of the world.  Perhaps the MSM finally starting to cover the Agency Debt problem a few days ago was the last straw, but it's safe to go along with the Herald Sun's narrative, which is basically that the "World" crisis (which we'd all half forgotten by now) was in truth a lot more serious than we thought at the time.

"This does feel like '08 and '07 all over again whereby we had these sorts of little fires pop up and they are supposedly contained but in reality they are not quite contained," said H3 Global Advisers chief executive Andrew Kaleel.

"Dubai should have been an isolated incident and now we are seeing issues with Greece, Portugal and Spain."

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[1]: "World bankers meet in Sydney as recovery fears intensify", by George Lekakis and Fleur Leyden, Herald Sun, February 6, 2010.

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John Thain To Lead CIT

NEW YORK — Former Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain, who brokered the investment bank’s controversial sale to Bank of America, is taking over as chairman and CEO of CIT Group as the commercial lender continues to restructure its business following a brief stay in bankruptcy protection last year.

CIT Group Inc., one of the nation’s largest lenders to small and mid-sized businesses, said Thain will take the helm immediately. The 54-year-old replaces acting interim CEO Peter J. Tobin, who will remain on CIT’s board. Tobin had stepped in while CIT searched for a permanent replacement for Jeffrey Peek, who retired as chairman and CEO on Jan. 15.

Read more: Merrill Lynch, John Thain, Wall Street, Economic Crisis, Bank of America, Cit, Goldman, Wall Street Bailout, Bailout, Financial Crisis, Business News

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