Macquarie Group has labelled as “false” a report in The Australian newspaper this morning which claimed the financial group would have trouble renegotiating debts. In a statement to the ASX, Macquarie said:

“A report in today’s Australian newspaper which claimed that Macquarie Group needs to refinance $A45 billion of debt and that $A5 billion requiring refinancing by March 2009 “could prove difficult to get away” is false and inconsistent with information provided to the market by the Group.

“Since 31 March 2008, the Group has raised term funding of $A6.4 billion from a variety of sources. In addition, from 31 March 2008 to 31 July 2008, Macquarie Bank Limited increased deposits by $A3.8 billion to $A17 billion. The Group also has an undrawn $A3.8 billion senior credit facility.

“Macquarie remains well-funded and well-capitalised with liquid assets of more than $A20 billion as at 30 June 2008, which is twice the level of a year ago.

“The author did not provide the Group with an opportunity to respond to these claims.”

— Glenn Dyer

Life must be getting interesting over at Fairfax. As a Palace Movie Club member ($15 annual membership), I have been direct mailed and invited to subscribe to a one year home delivered Thursday to Sunday Age subscription for only $49 — a saving of $330! Probably the best $15 I have ever spent — especially as I have been buying The Age at full cost at my local newstand for many years…

— Crikey reader

Capital punishment or corporal punishment The Today Show isn’t quite sure what the difference is:

Herald Sun‘s marvellously illustrative graphics. And this kids, is how you die to get that death cover… WTF?

 — Crikey reader Ernie Biscan

Bud Light’s ‘Swear Jar’ Scores ‘Outstanding Commercial’ Emmy. Anheuser-Busch won its first-ever Emmy for “Swear Jar,” a spot where employees at an office add change to a jar every time somebody swears. Not so unusual, except the secretary’s revealed that the money might be used to buy packs of Bud Light for the office, so even the top execs see motherbleep!in’ bleep!suckers around every f–kin’! corner. — AdGabber

CNN Lehman brothers makeout. Watch as two guys make out with each other as a prank behind the CNN reporter who’s reporting live as employees leave the failing Lehman Bros company in New York. — You Tube

Trevor Phillips: downturn could hit diversity in the media. The economic downturn could hit women and ethnic minorities working in the media harder than their white male colleagues, the chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Trevor Phillips, said today. Phillips, speaking at the first MediaGuardian Ethnic Media Summit, said that belt-tightening by companies often led to a shift away from catering to minorities. — Guardian Media

John McCain’s People Cover Selling Far Less Than Sarah Palin’s. According to a well-placed industry insider, the McCain family issue has not sold as well as the Palin cover; in fact early estimates indicate it is selling below the magazine’s weekly average. — Huffington Post

Adviser says McCain helped create the BlackBerry. Move over, Al Gore. You may lay claim to the Internet, but John McCain helped create the BlackBerry. At least that’s the contention of a top McCain policy adviser, Douglas Holtz-Eakin. Waving his BlackBerry personal digital assistant and citing McCain’s work as a senator, he told reporters Tuesday, “You’re looking at the miracle that John McCain helped create.” McCain has acknowledged that he doesn’t know how to use a computer and can’t send e-mail, one of the BlackBerry’s prime functions. — AP