Bodies found in Mexico might be kidnapped marines (AP)

MEXICO CITY ? The Mexican navy said Thursday it found bodies in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz that could include those of three marines and a naval cadet kidnapped by suspected drug cartel gunmen earlier this month.

Mexican drug cartels have kidnapped and killed military personnel before, but it remains a relatively rare occurrence.

The navy said in a statement that objects belonging to the kidnapped servicemen were found in a raid on a warehouse Sunday and that investigators later found the four bodies in four pits on the outskirts of the state capital.

The raid also resulted in the capture of five people suspected of participating in the abductions, authorities said.

Neither the navy nor federal security spokesman would say which cartel the suspects allegedly worked for, but the Zetas gang is known to be active in the area.

The statement said the bodies were being examined to determine whether they were the servicemen, who went missing in the first week of August. Three of them went missing while driving in a civilian car and the fourth one disappeared while off duty.

At the time, authorities said that a drug cartel was suspected in the abductions.

Two other navy personnel also disappeared earlier this summer in Veracruz. Their whereabouts remain unknown.

Elsewhere in Mexico, police in the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco reported Thursday finding two ice chests, one of which held a man's head and the other containing what appeared to be his leg and right foot.

Guerrero state police said three other coolers were found in another part of the city with other body parts. Police were trying to determine if all five coolers contained parts of the same person.

Several other coolers containing body parts were found at other points in the city, and police were investigating whether they were all from the same body.

In addition, three men were found shot to death in city buses, including one driver.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110818/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico

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Why To Attend Massage Classes Los Angeles ? Positive Attitude ...

You might have already experienced the benefits of massage. In this case you learned how relaxing it is. It also eases the pain of the muscles and it can recharge your batteries. Have you ever thought about learning to professionally perform one? Read on for five reasons to attend massage classes Los Angeles.

You can learn useful things you never knew about the body. This knowledge is one step forward towards the well being of you and your family. You will learn, alongside with the proper techniques, some of the mechanisms how the body works. Having this type of knowledge, will make it easier to have a healthier lifestyle.

You can help your family and friends. If you know someone who often has muscle pain, or is recovering from an injury, or simply stressed, you can help them with a personalized therapy. You can ease pain and make people around you feel better.

Massage is a great thing to learn in you would like to indulge someone you love an help them relax with a treatment. With these techniques the experience will be really pleasant. If you both take time to relieve daily stress you will see how much your life quality can improve.

You can also make this your business. As Los Angeles ha always been a vibrant place, you can easily gather clients if you work as a professional masseur. Here, everyone is constantly searching for stress relief and relaxation.

If that is your goal, it allows you to become independent as an entrepreneur. It is also possible to do it part time if you have a full time job. If, for any reason, you cannot have a full time job, for example at the time of maternity leave it is an excellent part time occupation.

There are several other reasons as well to go to massage classes Los Angeles. They definitely worth your investment of time and also money. You will notice how rewarding it is to help people relax. Read more about: massage classes los angeles

Looking to find the definitive source of information on massage classes los angeles?

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Articles 20VN | Cancer - Are You at Risk! | per cent | risk ...

What is Cancer: A cancer is a growth of abnormal cells that tend to invade neighbouring tissue and spread to distant body sites. Cancers are classified on the basis of two factors,the type of tissue and the type of cell in which they develop.

There are several kinds and causes of cancer but today I will focus on the Major Risk Factors for Cancer. According to research, environmental causes are believed to account for at least 50 per cent and perhaps, in some types, as much as 80 per cent of all cancers. Cigarette smoking is direclly related to aproximately 90 per cent of all cancers of the lung. Other environmental factors include industral pollutants and radiation.

These are some of the major risk factors for cancer.

-A heavy smoker over the age of 50 who smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 20 years will develop a cough called smoker's cough or one who started smoking at age 15 or before age 15 is at risk for lung cancer.

-A person who develop a lump or nipple discharge or has a history of breast cancer. A close relative with history of breast cancer, A person over 35: especially over 50, Never had children or had their first child after age 30 will be at risk for breast cancer.

-A person with a history of rectal polyps, or rectal polyps runs in the family, has a history of ulcerative colitis, has blood in the stool and over 40 should be checked for cancer of the rectum and the colon.

-Uterine-cervical cancer usually begins with bleeding or discharge. this can happen to someone who starts having frequent sex in early teens or with many partners. poor care during or following pregnancy or age 40-49. Uterine-endometrial cancer usually begins with unusual bleeding or discharge.late menopause (after age 55) diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. onset: age (50-64)

-Excessive exposure to the sun, fair complexion, working with coal tar, pitch or creosote are all risk factors for skin cancer.

-A person who is a heavy smoker and drinker with poor oral hygiene should take precautions for oral cancer.

-A person with a history of ovarian cancer among close relatives and at age 50-59 is at risk for cancer of the ovaries.

-For prostate cancer, All males who has difficulty in urinating and is over the age of 55 should be checked.

-If there is a history of stomach cancer among close relatives and your diet is heavy in smoked, pickled,or salted foods,has some link with blood group "A" you should be checked for stomach cancer.

These are only risk factors for cancer. With constant observation, one should be able to seek medical attention before it's too late.

Source: http://www.20vn.com/cancer/cancer-are-you-at-risk-8fe.htm

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Where can I learn more about business to business advertising on ...

depends on what you are advertising and what kinds of businesses are your specified target market.

Yahoo bought up a campany called overture, that was responsible for virtually all internet portal search results for businesses.

Google also has a program called adsense that delivers highly targeted traffic to your site

Depending on your products/services, it may be beneficial to paste an ad on the intetnet usenet sites, bulitin boards, and/or classifieds sites

Source: http://advertising-on-internet.smartmoneybuilder.com/where-can-i-learn-more-about-business-to-business-advertising-on-the-internet/

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Florida Commercial Real Estate ? Investing Tips ? Real Estate Blog

Florida offers investors the perfect opportunity to set up a successful and profitable venture. Despite of the steep economic decline of the US economy, Florida still offers a lucrative opportunity for those people who want to start their very first business in the State. The only problem here is finding the perfect Florida commercial real estate that will serve as your foundation of your success in Florida.

Here are some of the useful tips that can help you find the right commercial property in Florida.

To rent or to buy

The first thing that the investor must determine is whether to rent or to buy a commercial property in Florida commercial real estate. This involves a little planning that includes the type of business to start in Miami, as well as the amount of money to invest in it. Finances are very important at this point and an entrepreneur should determine whether it is beneficial to rent a space in Florida that will fit well with their goals for the business.

Perfect location for your business

T is always an important factor to determine the exact location of your enterprise in Florida to be able to achieve success with it. It will be bet if the location is near the target market, where potential clients and customers are always available to purchase or make use of their services.

When picking the right Florida commercial real estate property for your business, it is very important to consider its specific location in the city. Aside from knowing the type of property with specifications that fits well with your business operations; it should be a property that is located in an area where it is easily accessible to your target market.

Specification of the commercial property

Once you are done determining the perfect location of the commercial property, the next important thing top consider is the features, facilities and services that are included with the building or commercial space to ensure that you will have a smooth operation of the business. This includes planning and thorough understanding of your business specifically the different department of your venture to come up with the right divisions to ensure harmonious work flow. Having enough space is very important when picking the right Florida commercial real estate to avoid getting one?s foot especially during the rush hour.

Of course in every venture it is always important to prepare your financial resources all the time. Make sure that you have enough resources so that it will be a lot easier for you to decide whether you will purchase or rent the commercial property. If planning to buy, applying for a mortgage loan is really a great help for your plans.

Ella Ayson
Florida Commercial Real Estate

Eliza Ayson

Source: http://www.stockmarketsreview.com/realestate/2011/08/14/florida-commercial-real-estate-a%C2%80%C2%93-investing-tips/

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logic vs love - Sexuality and Relationships - Shroomery Message Board


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Anonymous #1


alright,? so firstly,? im mostly writing this just to get it out. no one to talk to at the moment so ill just type til i feel better.? this "story" is about a girl named jenni.

i first met jenni when i was 15 through a mutual friend.? im now going on 22.? for a while, we would just talk on AIM (you member those days)? ever since i even just started having conversations with this girl, i could feel something about her.? shes about 2 years older than me, and has always been gorgeous.? now the connection between us is very strong, but also very complicated.?

over the past 6 or 7 years, we've talked on and off. usually we'll go a few months without talking at all, then see eachother once or twice, and then repeat the cycle.? the past couple years it has even been less frequent. maybe only once.? even with all the distance, not hearing her voice, or? not even reading a text or email for months at a time, i wake up nearly everyday with her on my mind.? when i get close to her, i can just feel the energy. we vibe really well together.? i have never encountered a connection on this level with another girl.? i would do anything for her.? more then once, i have gotten out of bed at 3 or 4 in the morning just to drive 30 miles to her when she's had anxiety attacks only to leave 20 minutes later when she calms down.? we're both prone to anxiety although recently i have overcome mine through meditation. through the years, i have ALWAYS been there for her when she needed or wanted me.? but its always been totally one sided. meaning she's never been there for me.

ive always liked to think of myself as a very rational (science oriented) guy.? things always have to agree with my logic. except jenni.? ? i really wish i could forget about her sometimes.? i know that my life would be SO much easier without her in the picture.? but i can never do it. i always come back. and i know thats part of the problem, but i cant help it. im just so in love with this girl.? another funny thing is that when im not around her, and i really think it out, i dont think the relationship would work out even if we gave it a try.? just because since we met, we've become very different people. the love is still there though.? maybe even stronger than ever.? it just wouldnt work in a practicle day to day sense.

i have only had sex with this girl 3 times, and the first two times weren't even enjoyable for me.? i would get it in, spend maybe 5 or 10 minutes getting warmed up, then she'd come and push me off.? however the last time (2 months ago the last time i saw her) it was totally different and amazing.? it was more than sex. connection on such a deep level(pun intended) and it was bomb physically too. i got a good 45 minutes before i came and stopped. (she had already got off a few times)? now i suppose i should give a little background on what happened before this occasion.?

in 09 she had just moved back to LA from NY and she came to see me.? shes always been a prude, and i had never gotten furthur then making out with her. even feeling her up too hard with clothes on was not cool.? this time she came over, we went to the beach, came home, and she gets naked and fucks me.? a surprise to say the least.? She gave me the "i want you inside me" she spent the night and it was great. i was on the clouds. about two weeks later my father passed away from a drinking accident (his blood alc. level got so high his blood crystalized from the sugar and lack of food intake) and when i needed her the most, she dissapeared. it was really devastating to me because we were really close. i worked with him everyday. he was my best friend,? this really hurt me on both counts.? i went about a year before i would talk to her again.

in 2010 almost exactly a year later she came over to my new place, i had since moved out to long beach.? she came over at like 5 AM or something and we just had sex and layed around for a while. i could lay down next to her for days.? i was talking about how i wanted to see her more this time and she couldnt dissappear again on me. she starts acting really wierd and wouldn't tell me what it is. she'd say i wanna tell you something but i cant.? i kept bugging her and she said she was moving to mexico to live with her aunt.? i wasnt feelin this and the mood changed like a light switch. this was what i feared. she always come back into my life bringing lots of love and joy for me, only to take it away faster then it came. we went from cuddling and playing with eachothers hair, to me sitting on the other side of the bed staring out the window not saying anything.? i actually picked her up, and even called into work and made up an excuse to come in late so i could spend a few more hours with her.? she could tell i wanted her gone, so she asked for me to take her home, but i made her call her sister to pick her up.? she leaves and we basically left off like we wouldnt be seeing eachother again.? later i get a text from her.

during the entire time ive known her, she's had this crazy ex that she would get back with off and on, but would always talk about how much she hated him.? the text reads,
"me and james are engaged now.? he has a tattoo shop in long beach and im moving in with him. i just wanted to see you one last time. maybe ill run into you sometime."
" i truley hope i never see you again" - me

i was able to kind of get over her through anger for a while, but eventually that faded away back to the way things always were. me missing her.? when we would stop talking, i would always delete everything of hers so i couldn't contact her. as this was the only way, being that i didnt have the self control not to.? however, in june this summer, i had a dream about her, and had to get back in touch. after alot of searching, i found an old email i sent her with her email address.? i asked her how the wedding was. she said they split for good, and she wanted to contact me sooner, but that i deserve better. which i probably do.? she always says the reason she distances herself is because she cares about me and doesnt want to hurt me.? a little late.? i know everyone is going to say,? dont go running back you stupid puppy dog. she causes you more pain than pleasure.
and i must agree with you all, but i just cant. shes like my curse.? fuckin jenni man......

i can really relate to forest when i think about her.

feel free to share any input. especially the ladies, as maybe ,just maybe* one of you lovely shroomerite females can help me to understand whats going on in her head.? i would still jump at the chance to be in a relationship with her just so i can stop wondering what if.? to me thats more painful than having and loosing her.

thanks for making it through this long ass life story if you have.
good vibes to all? :heart:

OfflineLuc1d
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Registered: 01/03/11
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Dshsb

Offlinedshow
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Yea well you called it right. You are on the back burner and her little puppy. She would choose that guy over you any day.

Ive known this girl since 5th grade. We have talked on and off for years now. She has always had a boyfriend. Different bfs. Well one time years ago i was getting close with her while she was dating something. Needless to say she chose that guy over me. Years later (present day) i was getting close to her again on the phone. Weve been talking back n forth over the last 9 months. She was gonna fly here and visit me. Again, needless to say she not only broke up with a bf during these 9 months but found a new one. Then came up with some excuse to not come here.

My story is to help you out. Your girl like my girl is putting you on the back burner. She chooses another guy over you. The i dont want to hurt you is a ploy, a lie. She is probably either trying to convince you or herself that that is what it is when in reality she chooses the other guy either way.

Your girl like my girl wants to keep you around. Just in case something happens with their present relationship. Your like a safety net. Your also boosting her ego knowing.

DO what i did my friend.? cut all ties. You will always be #2. Even if you were to date, she would probably find another guy and dump you. You would be the bitch in every ending of this story.

--------------------

Like EDM?(Electronic Dance Music) http://www.youtube.com/user/ThisisEDM

"everyone has problems, some more then others"

Need some advice or just want some conversation?
PM ME. I am sure i can help you or give you that advice. Or just talk.

Offlinewithoutawire
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Registered: 08/16/09
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I think you are confusing sex with love. I am sure you had an intimate connection, but the lovey-type feelings you are experiencing from sex are causing you to latch onto her. These feelings are normal from sex with people who are your good friends. I have had it with two girls who are my very good friends, and at one point I confused it with love. I realized later on, the sexual connection is 250x times better with someone you trust and care about. This powerful physical connection sometimes tricks you into thinking you are in love, when really you are just experiencing feelings that come from passionate sex.

She is obviously unstable, obviously manipulated you and used you, and clearly she took advantage of your feelings for her in order to have sex with you and bring out her own emotions and feelings that she clearly did not have definite in her mind. She is making several life altering commitments and you appear to be a big factor in her life. This is how she manipulated you and took advantage of your own emotions for her in order to settle her own. She was not there for you when you needed her MANY times, so her selfish motivation is definite and an explanation of why she disregard you so cold hardheartedly. Obviously, it's absolutely horrible, but at least I can give you some insight into the "WHY" aspect.

Let her go, she obviously did not care about you the same way you did for her. You clearly cared about her on that sister/brother level where you love her, but then the sex really took your head for a spin because you probably started questioning if you loved her as a lover.

Move on, that's all I can help you with. Girls are crazy man.

--------------------
[quote]At first Coleridge welcomed the relief from pain provided by Kendal Black Drop [opium+spice tincture], but was later to say that his "eyes had been opened to the true nature of the habit into which I had been ignorantly deluded by the seeming magic effects of opium"[/quote]

InvisibleMr.PhilCybin
thrid eye fish fry
Male

Registered: 06/13/11
Posts: 16

Quote:

withoutawire said:
I think you are confusing sex with love. I am sure you had an intimate connection, but the lovey-type feelings you are experiencing from sex are causing you to latch onto her. These feelings are normal from sex with people who are your good friends. I have had it with two girls who are my very good friends, and at one point I confused it with love. I realized later on, the sexual connection is 250x times better with someone you trust and care about. This powerful physical connection sometimes tricks you into thinking you are in love, when really you are just experiencing feelings that come from passionate sex.

Thank you guys for the input. i suppose i will come out of hiding.?

The thing is, i can see why a third perspective might see it that way, but i have felt more or less the same about her before and after sex.? the thing that changed was that we BOTH had enjoyed it. last night i actually had an in depth conversation about this topic with a close friend and was able to realize some things i had never uncovered before.? The reason i keep coming back and i cant leave for good, is because i cant go on in my life wondering what if.? i have met many girls in my day, and the sympathetic resonance is so incredibly strong.? its not like? we were together, broke up, and i cant get closure.? im actively pursuing other girls throughout this whole thing, but no matter what, i would drop everything if she were to give it a chance.? Just because i HAVE to know what it would be like.

i really do believe its possible that she does care about me more than the others, but that she has something she needs to get over in her life. after my conversation last night with the homie, i really think she is just scared to connect with anyone on this level.? its way easier to go in and out of meaningless short relationships for her.

--------------------

Edited by Mr.PhilCybin (08/13/11 05:43 PM)

Offlinewithoutawire
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Registered: 08/16/09
Posts: 3,825
Last seen: 6 hours, 47 minutes

That is possible, but if she is getting married then I say stay away man. She's not stable clearly and is getting married. You wouldn't have a positive relationship

--------------------
[quote]At first Coleridge welcomed the relief from pain provided by Kendal Black Drop [opium+spice tincture], but was later to say that his "eyes had been opened to the true nature of the habit into which I had been ignorantly deluded by the seeming magic effects of opium"[/quote]

InvisibleMr.PhilCybin
thrid eye fish fry
Male

Registered: 06/13/11
Posts: 16

nah, no marriage.? she just said yes when he proposed because she liked the idea i think. they had a brutal and most likely final separation.?

all in all what im trying to say is that even though my logic says this is a bad idea, my heart says i love her and there's no other girl ive met at least yet that can make me feel the way she does. the brief moments i spend with her are obviously good enough to keep me around through the shit to keep coming back.? i really appreciate the input though you guys.

--------------------

Offlinewithoutawire
Opi Lover
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Registered: 08/16/09
Posts: 3,825
Last seen: 6 hours, 47 minutes

I don't doubt you have feelings for her, but obviously she doesn't respect your feelings. She very obviously had sex with you, fully knowing how you feel about her, so she could work out some feelings of her own. That's called leading you on, manipulating you, not respecting you, etc...etc...etc...

She is not a good choice for you man. I promise you that you will find someone else that will love you back and treat you the way you treat.

--------------------
[quote]At first Coleridge welcomed the relief from pain provided by Kendal Black Drop [opium+spice tincture], but was later to say that his "eyes had been opened to the true nature of the habit into which I had been ignorantly deluded by the seeming magic effects of opium"[/quote]


Source: http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/14909870

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Tina Fey Welcomes Baby Number 2

The ’30 Rock’ actress – who already has a five-year-old daughter, Alice, with composer husband Jeffrey Richmond – gave birth to a baby girl on Wednesday, her representative confirmed to People magazine. The couple have called their new daughter Penelope Athena. Before she announced her pregnancy, Tina revealed she felt guilty about Alice not having [...]

Source: http://www.celebritymound.com/tina-fey-welcomes-baby-number-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tina-fey-welcomes-baby-number-2

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What Travel Insurance is ? Cars and Insurance

If you are planning to travel abroad in the near future, then travel insurance is something that you need to purchase.

You need to know that travel insurance covers a lot of various eventualities that could happen while you are abroad. Below there are some of the areas that are traditionally covered by the majority of travel insurance policies:

- It is necessary for you to know that travel insurance covers damage, loss and theft of personal things as jewelry, cash, luggage cameras, clothing and other personal things that you are travelling with.

- Travel insurance has to cover damage, loss or theft of travelers checks and cash.

- Travel insurance has to cover personal injury and accidents. You have to keep in mind that this is important because medical care abroad could cost you a lot. These days, the majority of travel insurance policies will cover medical cost and it is necessary for you to check the medical insurance coverage provided by your insurer before actually buying your travel insurance policy.

For some reasons some activities will carry higher travel insurance premium than others. You have to keep in mind that if you are planning skiing holidays, you have to be ready to pay higher insurance rates because insurers will deem such activity as a higher insurance risk. However this does not mean that cheap travel insurance cannot be found for these activities. In fact, looking online is a great idea to start looking for cheap travel insurance policy.

To say the truth, because of the short term nature, travel insurance is one of the cheapest insurance policies to buy and is a definite if you are traveling abroad, but you will have to check out the small print of any policy before buying it. These days, it is easy to compare several insurance policies online by using one of insurance comparison websites where you have to be able to find a number of travel insurers in one place on the web as well as compare prices to find out the best deal for you.

If you are planning to travel somewhere it is really important to get a good and quality travel medical insurance and the online network can help find the one. Just search for ?cheap travel insurance? and no doubt you will find the best option for you.


Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically each day to your feed reader.

Source: http://carsandinsurance.info/insurance/what-travel-insurance-is

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French growth sputters to a halt in 2nd quarter

A stock trader looks on a graph detailing activity on the French Stock Exchange, in Paris, Friday, Aug. 12, 2011. The French economy posted zero growth in the second quarter, national statistics agency INSEE said Friday. Government economists had forecast growth of around 0.2 percent in the period. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

A stock trader looks on a graph detailing activity on the French Stock Exchange, in Paris, Friday, Aug. 12, 2011. The French economy posted zero growth in the second quarter, national statistics agency INSEE said Friday. Government economists had forecast growth of around 0.2 percent in the period. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

A stock trader looks on a graph showing activity on the gold market, in Paris, Friday, Aug. 12, 2011. The French economy posted zero growth in the second quarter, national statistics agency INSEE said Friday. Government economists had forecast growth of around 0.2 percent in the period. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

A stock trader looks on the graph of the activity on the French Stock Exchange, in Paris, Friday, Aug. 12, 2011. The French economy posted zero growth in the second quarter, national statistics agency INSEE said Friday. Government economists had forecast growth of around 0.2 percent in the period. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

A stock trader looks on the graph displaying activity on the French Stock Exchange, left, and the Japanese Nikkei Index, right, in Paris, Friday, Aug. 12, 2011. The French economy posted zero growth in the second quarter, national statistics agency INSEE said Friday. Government economists had forecast growth of around 0.2 percent in the period. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

(AP) ? The French government was put under further pressure to cut deeper into spending after figures Friday showed growth in Europe's second biggest economy ground to a halt in the spring, in another sign that the global economy is facing rising recessionary threats.

With the worse-than-expected French growth figures suggesting a possible budget shortfall this year, government ministers may have to find additional savings ahead of a key meeting with President Nicolas Sarkozy on Aug. 24.

The flat growth reported in the second quarter of the year was attributable to a slump in consumer spending and exports, and came as policymakers scramble to soothe investor concerns that the country could be the next major economy to lose its coveted triple-A credit rating.

A move Friday by stock market regulators in France and elsewhere across Europe to ban short selling ? a form of stock market speculation that some are blaming for the turbulent trading in recent days ? looked to be having some impact.

But economists stressed that any rebound was very fragile, and some derided the ban as misguided and ineffective.

French bank shares were performing solidly in Paris, with Societe Generale up nearly 5.7 percent and Credit Agricole up over 2 percent at the close of trading Friday. Over the past couple of days, French bank stocks, and Societe Generale in particular, have been hugely volatile amid rumours of their financial health.

The European Union's markets supervisor, the ESMA, announced the short selling ban late Thursday night after boosting surveillance of stormy markets earlier in the day. In a short sale, a trader hopes to make a profit by betting on the decline in the price of a share.

Regulators in France, Italy, Spain and Belgium are each implementing the bans, whose details vary from country to country.

Several countries banned short selling during the financial crisis of 2008 to try to tame volatility. But some experts said the bans actually contributed to a feeling of uncertainty.

"The decision (of short-selling ban) is more psychological as it seems to strengthen the position of the regulators compared to the speculators," said Dominique Dequidt, a fund manager at KBL Richelieu trading house in Paris. "But the speculators have found ways to by-pass this shorting ban for the last two years, when it was in place in the past so this measure seems more like a complete waste of effort towards the speculators."

News that French economic growth sputtered to a halt in the second quarter may raise concerns that the European economy is being impacted by the debt crisis that has afflicted a number of countries and has fueled the turmoil in the markets.

Separate figures from Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, showing that industrial production across the 17-country eurozone fell by 0.7 percent are likely to add to market concerns over the pace of the economic recovery in Europe.

The French economy posted zero growth in the second quarter, national statistics agency INSEE said. Government economists had forecast growth of around 0.2 percent in the period. Consumer spending slumped 0.7 percent and exports stagnated during the second quarter. Growth in the first quarter was nearly 1 percent.

Views on the weak performance were mixed, with warnings that a stagnant economy will make it harder to reduce the deficit.

"As for France itself, Q2's 0.7 percent drop in consumer spending was the sharpest in nearly 15 years, suggesting that the household sector can no longer be relied upon to support the economy," said Jennifer McKeown, an economist at Capital Economics in London.

However, Laurence Boone of Bank of America Merrill Lynch remained "positive on France overall" based on its careful handling of debt in the past.

"Gradual reforms should bear fruit in coming years, but more needs to be done," Boone said.

France's finance minister took to the airwaves again Friday in a bid to put a positive spin on the weak second-quarter numbers.

"It's not a surprise that the second quarter is worse than the first, we anticipated this," Francois Baroin said on French radio station RTL. He said the government is sticking with its deficit reduction targets despite the lower growth.

Baroin also pledged France would still achieve its target of 2 percent growth this year, which many economists are skeptical about.

Flagging growth may mean France has to come up with new budget cuts if it is to bring its deficit down to 5.7 percent this year as planned.

In Greece, where Europe's debt crisis began, statistics released Friday show the country is mired in a deep economic recession, contracting by 6.9 percent in the second quarter compared to the same period last year, on lower consumer spending.

And in Italy, Premier Silvio Berlusconi's government is holding an emergency meeting Friday to approve new measures to balance the budget by 2013 and calm market concerns over Italy's public finances.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-08-12-EU-Europe-Financial-Crisis/id-b4c5d507b0b146aba61c80091975ced8

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