Tuesday morning links

TOP STORIES
So Where’s Consumer Protection? - DealBook
China calls US Treasuries important, wary on gold - China Daily
Greece seeks U.S. help regulating speculators - Washington Post
Collapse of the American Empire: swift, silent, certain - MarketWatch
Public Pension Funds Are Adding Risk to Raise Returns - DealBook
GATA appeals to CFTC to act against manipulative shorts - GATA
Deficit a Problem But Don't Stop Spending: Romer - CNBC
Blame it on the bubble - Baker, Guardian
Then All At Once - Kunstler, CFN

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MARKETS/INVESTING
Oil futures drop on expected rise in supplies - MarketWatch
Gold Declines in New York on Stronger Dollar, Chinese Reserves - Bloomberg
Managers gain 1% in February: Hennessee - MarketWatch
S&P Rally Slowed by Fastest Cash Depletion Since 1991 - Bloomberg
43% have less than $10k for retirement - CNN/Money
Mr. Market - Saut, Raymond James

ECONOMY
Employers still skittish on hiring - CNN/Money
Jobs outlook may be too optimistic: SF Fed study - Reuters
Unemployment in U.S. Peaked in October, Economist Achuthan Says - BusinessWeek
Offering money to unemployed friends or relatives isn't always a good idea - MarketWatch
They Saved the Big Banks But Lost The Economy Doing It - Baseline Scenario
A new index of financial conditions - EconBrowser

INTERNATIONAL
Greek PM urges G20 effort to rein in speculators - Reuters
Moody's may cut U.K. banks as support is withdrawn - MarketWatch
City of London Developers Start Skyscrapers as Rents End Slide - Bloomberg
China's forex chief not too keen on gold as investment - MarketWatch
Pound Slide to Help U.K. Outpace Europe, Goldman Says - Bloomberg
Europe bars Wall Street banks from government bond sales - Guardian
UAE government backs Dubai; Abu Dhabi help may lag - Reuters
European Monetary Fund being considered by Brussels - BBC

REAL ESTATE
Strategic defaults on homes on the rise - SF Gate
Treasury Getting More Comfortable With Principal Write-Downs - HuffPost
1 million U.S. homes lost to foreclosure since 2008 - O.C. Register
Mortgage Principal Writedown Won't Save Housing - CNBC

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
Is The Federal Reserve Insolvent? - Zero Hedge
Geithner’s financial plan is working - and making him very unpopular. - New Yorker
Fannie Mae Mortgage-Bond Spreads Fall to Record - Bloomberg
Bloggers @ Treasury - Salmon, Reuters

INTERESTING
Japan town baffled by 'kangaroo' sightings - AFP
Chilean Earthquake Moved Entire City 10 Feet West - Science Daily
Canada drops plans for politically correct anthem - Reuters
Humans found to have sixth taste - fat - SMH

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