ILLUMINATI LAPDOGS MEET IN DAVOS FOR ECONOMIC FORUM.
DAVOS, Switzerland (CNN) -- Economic woes took a back seat at the World Economic Forum in Davos Friday as the meeting focused on corporate responsibility and business chiefs played down the possibility of a recession. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates set the tone by announcing grants of $306 million to develop farming in poor countries -- a new direction for his charitable foundation. Gates, who is stepping down as Microsoft chair later this year, received a standing ovation for his announcement at the suggestion of U2 frontman Bono. The move will help boost efforts by the annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland to shake off its image as a billionaire's talking shop that does little to solve the problems it discusses. "If we are serious about ending extreme hunger and poverty around the world, we must be serious about transforming agriculture for small farmers, most of whom are women," Gates said. "The challenge here is to design a system including profit and recog