Health club | Article

 Health club

Spacious gym floor at a health club

bac28394746f3a04fdf3e413c367f95c Health club

Free-weights area at a health club

A health club (also known as a fitness club, fitness center, and commonly referred to as a gym) is a place which houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise.

Facilities and services

Main workout area

Most health clubs have a main workout area, which primarily consists of free weights including dumbbells, barbells and exercise machines. This area often includes mirrors so that exercisers can monitor and maintain correct posture during their workout.

A gym which predominately or exclusively consists of free weights (dumbbells and barbells), as opposed to exercise machines, is sometimes referred to as a black-iron gym, after the traditional color of weight plates.

Cardio area/Theatre

7de02818984e3e704746d76dc270eee0 Health club

A cardio theatre including treadmills, stationary bikes and TV displays

A cardio theater or cardio area includes many types of cardiovascular training-related equipment such as rowing machines, stationary exercise bikes, elliptical trainers and treadmills. These areas often include a number of audio-visual displays (either integrated into the equipment, or placed on walls around the area itself) in order to keep exercisers entertained during long cardio workout sessions.

Group exercise classes

 Health club

Spin-cycle group exercise class

Most newer health clubs offer group exercise classes that are conducted by qualified fitness instructors. Many types of group exercise classes exist, but generally these include classes based on aerobics, cycling (spin cycle), boxing, high intensity training, regular and hot (Bikram) yoga, pilates and muscle training. Health clubs with swimming pools often offer aqua aerobics classes.

Sports facilities

See also: Sports club

Some health clubs offer sports facilities such as a swimming pools, squash courts or boxing areas. In some cases, additional fees are charged for the use of these facilities.

Personal training

 Health club

Personal training at a gym.

Most health clubs employ personal trainers who are accessible to members for training/fitness/nutrition/health advice and consultation. Personal trainers can devise a customized fitness routine, sometimes including a nutrition plan, to help clients achieve their goals. They can also monitor and train with members. More often than not, access to personal trainers involves an additional hourly fee.

Other services

Newer health clubs generally include health-shops, snack bars, restaurants, child-care facilities, member lounges and cafes. It is not unusual for a sauna, steam shower, or wellness areas to be present. Health clubs generally charge a fee to allow visitors to use the equipment, courses, and other provided services.

Levels of services and offerings

Health clubs offer a wide array of services, and as a result the monthly membership prices can vary greatly. A recent study of American clubs found that the monthly cost of membership ranged from US$15 per month at basic chain clubs that offer limited amenities to over US$200 per month at spa-oriented clubs that cater to families and to those seeking social activities in addition to a workout. In addition, some clubs ? such as many local YMCAs ? offer per-use punchcards or one-time fees for those seeking to use the club on an as-needed basis.

Costs can vary through the purchase of a higher-level membership, such as a Founders or a Life membership. Such memberships often have a high up-front cost but a lower monthly rate, making them potentially beneficial to those who use the club frequently and hold their memberships for years.

History

An early public gymnasium started in Paris (France) in 1847.

See also

  • Anytime Fitness
  • Celebrity Fitness
  • American Family Fitness
  • Gold?s Gym
  • YMCA
  • Fitness Dynamics
  • IHRSA
  • Virgin Active

Literary/cultural references

  • In Richard Russo?s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2001 novel Empire Falls and the Golden Globe- and Emmy-award-winning 2005 HBO mini-series made from it, central character Miles Roby?s ex-wife Janine (Helen Hunt) goes out with the owner of a local fitness center, Walt Comeau (Dennis Farina).
  • In Jay McInerney?s short story ?Con Doctor,? in which the title doctor?s lady friend, ?a recovering alcoholic, brassy and voluptuous ? looked like someone who would be dating a pro athlete, or a guy with a new Ferrari who owned a chain of fitness centers?.

Source: http://www.estateagencyy.com/health-club/

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Real Estate Marketing ? Foreclosures, Loan Modifications and ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Posts Related to Real Estate Marketing - Foreclosures, Loan Modifications and Government Bailout Plans - Part 8. Foreclosure Short Sale ? Sell your home and Save your Credit Score ? RealEstateMarketingThisweek.com ...

Source: http://westdundeehomes.com/real-estate-marketing-foreclosures-loan-modifications-and-government-bailout-plans-part-8/

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'Aliens: Colonial Marines' grabs you by the chest

Sega/Gearbox

By Winda Benedetti

Gearbox Software and Sega have released the first gameplay trailer for the forthcoming game "Aliens: Colonial Marines" and one thing's for sure: It will make you clutch your chest in fondly remembered terror.

The game, due to launch for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC next spring, is set after the events of the "Alien 3" movie. According to Gearbox, the set-up goes like this:


Aliens: Colonial Marines begins with an ostensibly abandoned ship, the U.S.S. Sulaco, recovered in orbit around LV-426. Players lead a group of highly trained United States Colonial Marines as they board the deserted craft to uncover the fate of the crew. They will have to fight to survive unspeakable horrors and their own anxieties as they chase down the truth behind a galaxy-spanning deception that places humanity at the mercy of the most murderous and deadly species in the universe.

Sega has vowed that "Aliens: Colonial Marines" will be "the definitive 'Aliens' gaming experience.' By which they mean, they promise this "Aliens" game won't suck.

While I do hesitate to let my expectations rise too high for a game based on a film property, this sneak peak certainly indicates that "Colonial Marines" is doing much to capture the cold, otherworldly look, desperate feel and face-hugging, chest-bursting scares that so thrilled us in the "Aliens" films. Here, take a look:

Certainly, the fact that Gearbox is at the helm is a good sign. OK, so their last game?? "Duke Nukem Forever" ? wasn't so hot, but they rocked "Borderlands" and the "Brothers in Arms" games. So fingers crossed.

For more game news, check out:

Winda Benedetti writes about games for msnbc.com. You can follow her tweets about games and other things here on Twitter or join her in the stream here on Google+. And be sure to check out the In-Game Facebook page here.

Source: http://ingame.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/24/7463671-aliens-colonial-marines-will-grab-you-by-the-chest

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IP, Business and Franchising Law | Fabian, LLC

While obtaining registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is often seen as the end-game for many new trademark owners, this is in fact just one step in an ongoing process to develop, protect and maintain a brand owner?s rights in their intellectual property. To be sure, registration is a key step toward effective brand control, but ongoing trademark monitoring is essential to managing and protecting any trademark portfolio.

Trademark monitoring is the task of examining the market for illegitimate, unauthorized, and otherwise negative references to a company?s trademarks. United States trademark laws actually require brand owners to monitor and police their trademarks in order to retain their exclusive rights, and thus failure to conduct appropriate monitoring and enforcement activities can result in the combination of both negative image and loss of exclusivity.

Fabian, LLC provides both pre-packaged and customized trademark monitoring services for flat monthly and annual rates. You can read more at eTrademarkSolutions.com. Our trademark monitoring services cover roughly 100 federal, state, domain name, social media, search engines and other Internet resources, and we provide our monitoring analysis in a reader-friendly format along with a detailed trademark portfolio.

Consumer Confusion

One issue addressed by trademark monitoring is that of consumer confusion. Whether from counterfeiters or other infringers (such as start-up enterprises that do not properly clear their trademarks before adopting them), consumer confusion created by multiple similar (or identical) trademarks in the marketplace can be disastrous for a brand-based business. By monitoring their trademarks, brand owners can quickly spot and address instances of infringement before they cause significant damage.

Imagine this: One day a consumer comes to you complaining about a product they purchased recently, and demands a refund. You review your order history, and discover that you did not sell the product in the first place. However, the customer insists that they purchased the product from you, because they recognized your logo on the packaging. You do some research, and find out that a competitor has been using a trademark almost identical to yours for the past six months. When you contact the competitor, they refuse to change their logo, claiming that they adopted it innocently (although this is not a legitimate excuse), and anyway they purchased their domain name a long time ago, so they aren?t sure that you actually have prior rights. Plus, they have sunk a lot of money into marketing, and they aren?t going down without a fight.

Now imagine this: You receive notice that someone has purchased a domain name that is uncomfortably similar to your primary trademark. You contact the purchaser almost immediately informing them of your pre-existing trademark rights, and stating your intent to enforce them. The domain name lies dormant over time.

This is the value of trademark monitoring.

Negative Image

Another issue that can be proactively addressed through trademark monitoring is preventing and (when necessary) responding to negative references to your company?s trademarks on the Internet. Whether from consumer reviews, social media posts, or competitors? advertisements, negative brand references can appear and spread in the blink of an eye. Active trademark monitoring allows brand owners to identify and react to negative references before they get out of control.

Loss of Exclusive Rights

Failure to actively monitor and enforce a company?s trademarks can ultimately result in loss of the exclusive rights that accompany a federal trademark registration. Federal law actually requires trademark owners to monitor and enforce their trademark rights, and brand owners who neglect to do so are likely to face claims from third parties that they have ?abandoned? their trademarks by failing to diligently enforce them. If a brand owner seeks to enforce its trademark rights against an apparent infringer who claims abandonment, it will have to be able to show that it has consistently made reasonable efforts to monitor and enforce its trademark rights.

As a result of these issues, trademark monitoring can sort of be thought of like insurance?a necessary expense that you will sure be glad you have when you need it. Only by monitoring their trademarks on an ongoing basis can brand owners ensure that they?and they alone?are controlling the image of their brands in the marketplace.

Fabian, LLC provides both pre-packaged and customized trademark monitoring services for flat monthly and annual rates. Visit etrademarksolutions.com for more information.

Source: http://fabianlegal.info/ipandbusinessblog/?p=264

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Outsourcing Services: The Ideal Solution for Your Business ...

The word outsourcing today is often heard in the world of business. Outsourcing is something that affected the way people run their businesses in the whole world. So, what is it about outsourcing that created so much change in the business world?

First of all, outsourcing is a simple agreement with a 3rd party to do a service for a company. Outsourcing today is utilized by numerous companies by paying an outsourcing company to handle a part of the company?s function. This is done in order to save cash in terms of cheaper services provided by outsourcing companies, better or equal quality in work, and also to unburden the business resources for other essential functions to let the company grow.

Outsourcing services have started with the data processing industry. However, because many companies are now recognizing the full potential of outsourcing services, more and more services are being outsourced, like call centers, tele-messaging, help desk, and other people.

Think of Company A as the parent company and Company B as the provider of outsourcing services. Imagine that Company A needs a call center in order for their clients have a way to contact them. However, Company A does not have the necessary funds to begin an in-house call center or it turned out to be too costly and can deplete their company?s funds. So, Company A seeks the services of Company B by outsourcing their call center to Company B. Company B has all of the necessary equipments and manpower to handle the job that Company A demands. In return for Company B?s services, Company A will pay a specific amount to Company B every month.

This is basically how outsourcing works. Because the provider of outsourcing services is generally in developing nations, the rate for its services is relatively cheaper and offers the same or perhaps better quality. Because of this, large companies that needs a call center or some other functions that are not really essential for the company but needs it anyhow, have a tendency to depend on outsourcing in order to get it done.

Outsourcing is a really cheap means to get the company?s work done. Outsourcing may also free the company?s resources and focus more on the growth and the strategy of the company to flourish or grow.

These are the main benefits of outsourcing. Here are some of the various jobs that companies are now thinking about to outsource to ensure that their company concentrate more on essential matters:

* Data Analysis

* Information Technology

* Research Process

* Engineering Design

* Help Desks

These are simply five of the many factors in business that are being outsourced today. So, when you have something in your company that needs to be done but your company does not have the manpower or the technology for it, you can consider outsourcing as one of the very best company solutions you can ever consider.

With outsourcing, you will observe that your company will become more efficient and more successful than ever before.

Outsourcing is the ideal solution for your company. With outsourcing, you can get the job done at a very inexpensive rate, and make your company and its resources concentrate more on important factors. Just make certain that the outsourcing company you hire is qualified enough and hires skilled and qualified experts in order to get the very best quality.

If you want more information on Sourcing, don?t read just rehashed articles online to avoid getting ripped off. Go here: elixir

Source: http://www.leclairenterprises.com/2011/08/outsourcing-services-the-ideal-solution-for-your-business/

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Verizon workers agree to end strike

Thousands of striking Verizon workers will return to work starting Monday night, though their contract dispute isn't over yet.

Both the company and the union say they have agreed to narrow the issues in dispute and have set up a process to negotiate a new contract. But the talks are likely to be contentious. The two sides still disagree on touchy subjects such as health care benefits, pensions, and work rules.

About 45,000 employees went on strike on Aug. 7, after their previous contract expired. They work in the company's landline division in nine states from Massachusetts to Virginia.

Verizon says that it needs to cut costs in the traditional landline phone business, which is in decline as more Americans switch to mobile phones. The company has proposed freezing its pension and switching union workers to its non-union health plan, which has higher costs for employees.

The unions counter that the landline business supports the growing wireless business and that Verizon, which earned about $3 billion in the first half of the year, can afford to maintain the benefits in the contract that expired on Aug. 6. They also say Verizon put too many proposals on the table.

Of the 45,000 striking workers, 35,000 are covered by the Communications Workers of America, while 10,000 are covered by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Jim Spellane, a spokesman for the IBEW, said the strike occurred because Verizon "came in with an extreme set of proposals and never really moved off of them."

But after the 14-day strike, "I think they realized the unions are serious," he said. "It's in everybody's best interest to get back to work."

Verizon spokesman Richard Young said that many of the benefits and work rules were put in place when Verizon faced much less competition in its landline business. "The contracts are not reflective of today's marketplace," he said.

Spellane said that much of the traditional phone network helps support the faster-growing wireless business. And many of the technicians that went on strike install and maintain the company's new fiber optic network, FiOS, which provides Internet, video and phone services.

Verizon has 196,000 workers, with 135,000 of those non-union. The wireless division, which wasn't affected by the strike, is mostly non-union.

Nearly 30 percent of U.S. homes have dropped landline phone service and rely on mobile phones only, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Verizon Wireless added 1.3 million wireless customers in the April-June quarter, for a total of 89.7 million. That growth has been helped by the addition of Apple Inc.'s iPhone in February. The company owns 55 percent of Verizon Wireless, with Britain's Vodafone owning the rest.

Meanwhile, total voice connections, which measures FiOS digital voice connections in addition to traditional landlines, declined 7.9 percent to 25 million. But the company has seen increases of more than 20 percent in customers subscribing to both FiOS Internet and TV services over the past 12 months.

Candice Johnson, spokeswoman for the CWA, said Verizon is asking $20,000 per worker in annual concessions. The company has disputed that but hasn't offered its own figure.

Johnson said earlier this month that the union's best-paid Verizon workers get about $77,000 a year in New York. The company puts the figure at $91,000 and said benefits average $50,000.

"These are very important issues" being negotiated, she said. "They are issues that help families ensure a middle-class life."

While union workers walked the picket lines, managers and non-union employees performed their duties.

Verizon's Young said the company began training managers and non-union workers at the beginning of the year to prepare for the strike. Thousands of employees were brought in from as far away as Texas, California, and Colorado, he said. They have worked 12 hours a day, six days a week, he said.

The company also used newer technologies to resolve 50,000 problems a day remotely, Young said, such as resetting set-top boxes and routers and testing lines.

Peter Thonis, Verizon's chief communications officer, acknowledged there was "a little bit of a slowdown" in installing new services like FiOS, but said replacement workers largely kept up on repair work.

The company said in its statement that it will "quickly address any backlog in repairs and unfulfilled requests for service."

While customers who will now get their FiOS services installed on time may be winners, Verizon's Thonis said neither the company nor the workers could claim a victory.

"We still have a lot of hard and difficult bargaining to do. None of the major issues that were on the table before the strike, are off the table," he said.

Story: Verizon Says Equipment Sabotaged in Central NY

During the strike, hundreds of striking Verizon workers held a candlelight vigil outside their CEO's New Jersey mansion Thursday, hoping to draw a stark contrast between the contract demands of blue-collar workers and the quality of life enjoyed by the company's executives.

"It makes me sick that Americans have to come out and do this," said Joe Mastrogiovanni, a 29-year-old cable repairman from Piscataway. "We're not asking for more; we're asking to keep what we have."

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44213666/ns/business-us_business/

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Dublin: Cheap Car Hire: From Dublin to all over Ireland! ? SEO ...

Cheap Car Hire: Via Dublin to any or all over Ireland in europe!
Would you like to have a short trip however you don?t learn how to get to your own vacation spot? You?ve got a chance to use of going for walks, having a shuttle, using a plane as well as leasing a car. Note that there are some things consider before you decide upon rental-car inside Dublin or perhaps various other cities inside Eire. You?ve have got to think about the options to think about the reasons you would prefer to they are driving yet another automobile apart from your own.

Becoming Stuck on the Road
There?s absolutely nothing worse when compared with being trapped in the heart of thin air. If you generate a brand new rental which has been looked at and possesses experienced full maintenance services, there is less of a possibility of the automobile breaking down along with you.

Gas Mileage
This is particularly valuable should you be going prolonged miles. Instead of adding miles onto your vehicle, put miles upon a person else?s vehicle!

Wear
The damage and also dissect that you may access it your car or truck auto tires could just be done over a rental-car rather. Concurrently, lifespan of your personal car or truck is going to be lengthy.

Automobile Dimensions
Imagine if you?re travelling with lots of baggage sufficient reason for other family members? It would likely to end up an improved substitute for simply have a car rental if your auto is simply too promising small to in shape every thing.

Cost comparisons
Soon after you?ve made a decision you need to hire a care, how will you attempt searching for automobiles in a very metropolis like Dublin? Car rental companies can differ and it?s also very important that you just choose one which fits your requirements and your allowance.

There?s far more for you to renting vehicle than your publicized rental payment. The price you may see could be stop the actual price you pay. There could be some other charges just like gas expenses further motorist fees, insurance policy, express and native fees, and also drop-off fees. Be sure to e-book your car early so that you can may possibly assured that there?ll be a vehicle positioned on the time of one?s journey. 1 week upfront is usually the greatest while reserving your car or truck employ. Any time you?re filling out the arrangement, take note of almost everything meticulously consequently there aren?t any amaze fees. Such things as the company, accessibility to your vehicle, and can affect the prices. In addition, consider the hours associated with surgical procedures to make sure they fit inside your favored time. In case you?re a new recurrent car rental motorist, you should take into account becoming a member of an organization account to help you find savings every now and then.

When looking for a motor vehicle leasing, definitely check out internet sites on the internet for shopping around. Some on the internet car rental sites also provide motel information. Once you?re set aside the car hire on the web, you?ll discover that you can conserve a lot of cash. A number of your additional options incorporate actually going to the car hire place by itself to be able to hire the auto. It?s also possible to call to order accommodations automobile. To get more helpful ideas and data al vehicle renting, you should check out .

Cheap Car Hire Dublin

? 2011 SEO Article Directory, Find Online Articles, Backlinks, Search engine optimization

Source: http://www.maxref.com/dublin-cheap-car-hire-from-dublin-to-all-over-ireland-6

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Vegetable Salad Recipes * Easy Healthy Recipes * Garden Salad ...

Raw Food Weight Loss * Raw Food Diet Menu * Fat Free Salad Dressing Recipe * Corn Salad Recipes * ? Gourmet Fresh Garden Salad with Spicy Tomato Low Fat Salad Dressing ? * Watch and Learn Intuitive Raw Food Prep! * * I ngredients * ? Cabbage ? Zucchini ? Cilantro ? Corn on the cob ? Cherry Tomatoes ? Hot Pepper ? Lime ? Orange * P reparation * ? 1) Using your food processor's shredder blade, shred cabbage, zucchini, cilantro in food processor; transfer to serving platter ? 2) Slice corn off of cob(s); transfer to serving platter ? 3) Replace shredder blade with S-blade ? 4) Place cherry tomatoes & hot pepper into food processor ? 5) Squeeze juice of lime and orange into food processor as well ? 6) Blend until desired consistency ? 7) Pour over top of salad ? icon cool Vegetable Salad Recipes * Easy Healthy Recipes * Garden Salad & Tomato Low Fat Salad Dressing Do anything further that you want! You could add some sea salt, garnish with avocados, or just follow your own intuition! ?You Like? ...then Please Subscribe! ? ? Please click the yellow 'Subscribe' button above, so I can keep on keeping on.... with helping *you* to keep on keeping on!! ? ADD ME AS A FRIEND ON FACEBOOK! ? I would love to communicate with you there. Just click here: bit.ly PEACE, DAN =) .
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Related posts:

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  2. Vegetable Soup Diet * Raw Food Weight Loss * Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipes
  3. Easy Pasta Salad Recipe ? Healthy Vegan Recipes On Video
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Source: http://veganrecipessite.com/vegetable-salad-recipes-easy-healthy-recipes-garden-salad-tomato-low-fat-salad-dressing/

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A suitable Long Beach Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You | Find ...

Aug 21 2011

The current economy and large population may be the root cause of many life-threatening situations that result in accidental injuries, damages as well as deaths according to a Long Beach personal injury attorney. As much as the government acted upon to settle these increasing accounts, nonetheless, trial courts have been overloaded by lawsuits being filed by these poor victims. As a fact, the most up-to-date studies carried out by the National Center for Injury Protection and Control illustrate that roughly thirty one million people across the U.S. are sustaining personal injuries from terrible accidents every year. This consists of around 90,000 deaths from such numbers.

Personal injury is any kind of physical or mental injury suffered by an individual that?s the result of another party?s carelessness or wrongful act. There are plenty of considerations when ascertaining just how much a personal injury claim is worth, also it can be tough to set a monetary amount on injuries you suffer in an accident. You might be entitled to compensation for medical bills, time lost from work, medical expenses for recurring injuries, suffering and pain, and so on. There isn?t any formula that a jury or a judge must use in order to establish these damages and the compensation is based on an individual situation. However, an attorney might be able to help estimate the value of your claim based on comparable cases which have been set in the past. To find out more about your specific legal claim, it?s always best to meet with a certified Long Beach injury attorney in your area to go over your lawsuit options.

Sustaining an injury can be damaging and impacts every aspect of a client?s life. The physical, monetary and psychological stress that an injury or accident can place on you and your loved ones is understandable. A Long Beach personal injury attorney is there to help people put their lives back together again.

When you?re injured, whether in a car collision, truck accident, slip and fall accident, motorbike accident, construction accident, or suffer some other kind of personal injury, everything can change. You may not manage to walk or turn your head correctly. You might have to endure multiple surgeries. You may not have enough money or income to pay your health-related bills or support your family. Somebody has to take care of you, protect your privileges, and allow you to obtain the monetary means to invest in your recovery. A Long Beach personal injury lawyer is accessible to clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They have the expertise and are devoted to making the law work for you. With their support, you and your family can start the recovery process.

There are several things that are thought of to make an evaluation of your case?s value. It could be to your benefit to get a Long Beach personal injury attorney help you through the procedure and provide you with significant pointers so that you can get the most suited payment for your injuries.

Source: http://www.edstorms.com/a-suitable-long-beach-personal-injury-attorney-can-help-you/

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Economists see growing risk of global recession

(AP) ? Discouraging economic data from around the globe have heightened fears that another recession is on the way.

Fresh evidence emerged Thursday that U.S. home sales and manufacturing are weakening. Signs also surfaced that European banks are increasingly burdened by the region's debt crisis and sputtering economy.

The rising anxiety ignited a huge sell-off in stocks that led many investors to seek the safety of U.S. Treasurys.

Economists say the economic weakness and the stock markets' wild swings have begun to feed on themselves. Persistent drops in stock prices erode consumer and business confidence. Individuals and companies typically then spend and invest less. And when they do, stock prices tend to fall further.

"A negative feedback loop ... now appears to be in the making" in both the United States and Europe, Joachim Fels and Manoj Pradhan, economists at Morgan Stanley, said in a report Thursday. Both economies are "dangerously close to a recession. ... It won't take much in the form of additional shocks to tip the balance."

The risk of a recession is now about one in three, according to Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Among the worrisome economic signs:

? A survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia shows that manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region contracted in August by the most in more than two years. The steep drop, on top of a smaller decline in a New York Fed survey this week, means U.S. manufacturing probably contracted in August, economists said.

It would be the first decline since July 2009 ? a worrisome sign because manufacturing has been a key source of U.S. growth in the two years since economists say the Great Recession ended.

? U.S. home sales fell in July for the third time in four months, the National Association of Realtors said. Sales dropped 3.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.67 million homes. That's far below the 6 million homes that economists say must be sold to sustain a healthy housing market.

Sales are lagging behind last year's pace ? the weakest since 1997. "There seems to be a correlation between the stock market and home prices," said Andrew Davidson, a New York-based mortgage industry consultant.

? In Asia, Japan's exports fell for a fifth straight month. The world's No. 3 economy has fallen into a recession since its earthquake and tsunami in March. Its weakness is contributing to the global slowdown.

? Consumer prices rose 0.5 percent in July, mostly due to more expensive gas and food. The "core" price index, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 0.2 percent. The higher prices add to the burdens for Americans already squeezed by stagnant pay, though economists don't expect prices to rise much further. And gasoline has fallen this month.

Investors are also growing more anxious about Europe's sputtering economy and its leaders' ability to resolve the debt crisis. European bank stocks accelerated their fall Thursday.

European banks are being forced to pay more for the short-term loans they need to finance day-to-day operations. Some with heavy exposure to the debts of Greece and other weak countries are relying on loans from the European Central Bank because other private banks are reluctant to do business with them.

The ECB said Thursday that one bank had borrowed $500 million a day for seven days through the ECB's dollar lending program. It was the first time since February that a bank had used the program. The bank wasn't identified.

After all the volatility of the past month, the Dow Jones industrial average has lost more than 14 percent since July 21. That includes Thursday's drop of more than 419 points.

Some sectors of the U.S. economy still show strength. Retail sales are up. Gas prices have fallen. And job growth has been consistent, though below what's needed to reduce the unemployment rate.

Yet a consumer survey taken this month showed confidence in the economy fell to the lowest level in 31 years.

Morgan Stanley's calculation of a one-in-three risk of a new recession hinges, in part, on its expectation that Congress will let a Social Security tax cut, a business tax credit and extended unemployment benefits expire at year's end. It calculates that the expiration of those measures would reduce U.S. growth by 0.5 to 1 percentage point in 2012.

Jitters over the economy and financial markets may also reduce auto sales. That would be a blow to an industry that reported strong profits and healthy hiring earlier this year. J.D. Power and Associates has cut its 2011 sales forecast last week by 2 percent and its 2012 forecast by 3 percent.

On Tuesday, France's president, Nicolas Sarkozy, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held an emergency meeting to discuss the continent's sluggish economy and debt crisis. Disappointment in the outcome of the meeting has contributed to the sell-off in European bank shares.

"All we got was more taxes and more bureaucracy and more austerity," said Neil MacKinnon, an economist at VTB Capital in London.

The German economy, Europe's biggest, slowed to a growth rate of 0.1 percent in the April-June quarter, after expanding at a 1.3 percent rate in the first quarter of this year. France's growth fell to zero in the April-June period after a 0.9 percent quarterly rate in the first quarter.

Still, Neil Dutta, an economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said that most of the negative indicators, including the Philadelphia Fed index, reflect sentiment, rather than actual economic activity. Measures of the actual economy, like the number of people seeking unemployment benefits, haven't declined nearly as much.

The number applying for benefits rose 9,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 408,000. The four-week average, a more reliable gauge of the job market, dropped for a seventh straight week to 402,500, the lowest level since April. The report suggests that the economy is creating jobs but not nearly enough to lower the high unemployment rate.

"We are not ready to say this is the death knell for the U.S. economy," Dutta said. Still, recession risks are rising, he added.

__

AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit and AP Writer Pan Pylas in London contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-08-18-Economy/id-5131740202184479be03731af29ebf23

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