Mark Kelly: Mental health background check could?ve prevented Tucson

Giffords and Kelly appear at a hearing on Capitol Hill, Jan. 30, 2013. (AP/File)

Mark Kelly, retired astronaut and husband of former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, told "Fox News Sunday" that gun control legislation currently being discussed in Congress needs to include a background check that carries better mental health screening.

Kelly argued that a recent poll showing 90 percent of Americans support a universal background check should be a signal to Congress to take action, and that mental health records need to be considered when selling someone a gun.

?I would love to work with leadership of [the National Rifle Association] to make sure we get those records in the system," Kelly said Sunday.

Had such a system been in place in January 2011, Kelly said, his wife would not have been shot in the head and six people would not have been killed in a mass shooting in Tucson.

Jared Loughner, who pleaded guilty to the killings, passed a background check "despite evidence of his agitated mental state," the Associated Press reported.

The NRA has argued that additional legislation for background checks punish law-abiding gun owners. On Sunday, Kelly said a recent video showing a 5-minute background check proves it is ?not the burden that the NRA leadership says it is."

On NBC's "Meet The Press," Sen. Chuck Schumer called the proposed universal background check bill a ?sweet spot? because it ?would do a whole lot of good and had a good chance of passing."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/kelly-giffords-gun-control-background-checks-nra-161223691.html

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The Weirdest Thing on the Internet Tonight: Old Portents & Hand-Out Hijinx

Ben Crouse has done what some have said could never be done—he's captured the spirit of the World Wide Web, animated it into a six minute short, and put it back on the Internet. Hella meta. [Cartoon Brew] More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/57XGZQDwmoE/the-weirdest-thing-on-the-internet-tonight-old-portents--hand+out-hijinx

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Carmel Forest Spa Resort

Want to experience an extraordinary break? Plan your tour to Israel at the Carmel Forest Spa and Resort. Carmel Forest Spa Resort is a luxury hotel resort located in Israel. It is ranked among the best 5 star hotels in Israel. The resort has 126 rooms in total. If youre planning a luxurious retreat far away from the hustle bustle of the city life in Israel then Carmel Forest Spa Resort is the right place to book your accommodation.

The resort welcomes guests with a promise to make their stay comfortable coupled with a wide range of leisure activities, exceptional high dining facilities, recreational and sports activities etc. Keep in mind that it is an adult only hotel with all kinds of modern facilities like air conditioning, wireless internet access, wellness center, spa, sauna, massage, Jacuzzi to offer complete relaxation to the tired souls.

Once youre at the Carmel Forest Spa Resort you can break free putting your regular on hold. There are loads of activities to take part in. This resort is wonderfully located in a scenic landscape which provides a reason to escape, relax and unwind and indulge in every possible opportunity.

From the moment you get into this beautiful hotel resort, you will be greeted to the highest quality standards with excellent detail. There are well furnished and spacious rooms to meet every taste. Each and every room at the hotel has huge balconies with terraces offering the enchanting views of the forest and gardens.

As the name indicates, Carmel Forest is a spa resort. Hence, you can find top of the line spa services that combine well with the well appointed and attractively decorated lodging to accommodate and pamper guests in a nourishing and calm ambiance. The spa treatment rooms provide a range of massages that include body peels, aromatherapy as well as seaweed wraps.

The resort spa is situated on the hillside offering stunning views of the Mediterranean and the pine trees. You can reach the resort in a short drive starting from Haifa. Here you can consult a licensed nutritionist and go out on a thrilling forest walk. You can even enjoy a sesame oil massage on return and then get the meal prepared with all organic ingredients.

After spending an entire day in sightseeing, you can enjoy a refreshing and enjoyable swim in the spacious pools at the spa resort. Nonetheless, theres a fashionable restaurant at the resort which serves a range of admirable local and international dishes for lunch, dinner and breakfast. Additionally, there is a fashionable bar which provides the right choice of refreshing and tempting snacks and drinks.

Last but not the least, you must also know the other hotel facilities that include wake up service, meeting rooms, data ports, fitness room, in house dining facility, tea or coffee maker, electronic room keys, Sauna, air conditioning, room service, car rental desk, in house bar, business center, mini bar in room, and so on.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Carmel-Forest-Spa-Resort/4512708

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Delicious Vegan Dessert Ideas - Chocolate Pie Recipe

We don't toss around the term "Renaissance woman" lightly around here, but M?rida Anderson certainly qualifies. A photographer, artist, designer, and musician, she's also a serious (and self-taught) vegan chef. Known for running a pop-up dining club, Vegan Secret Supper, in Vancouver, Montr?al, and New York City, she's now pouring her expertise into a new cookbook.

Vegan Secret Supper: Bold & Elegant Menus From A Rogue Kitchen is a collection of plant-based recipes ??think fresh and gourmet vegan dishes, not mock-meat pizzas. "There are so many vegetables and varieties that each season I still can find something I have never cooked with before," Anderson says. "There is always something new to try. And, most times, vegetables don't even need much work to taste amazing."

If the thought of cooking vegan seems overwhelming, it doesn't need to be that way ??trust. Anderson is proving it by sharing her kitchen essentials and a seriously to-die-for vegan dessert. (Four words: Ancho. Chocolate. Truffle. Pie.) Get ready to be inspired to cook!

Photo: Courtesy of Danny Rico

Source: http://www.refinery29.com/vegan-food?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss

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AP PHOTOS: Easter celebrations around the world

On Easter Sunday, the most holy day of the Christian calendar, believers attended religious services - whether among the packed crowds before a new pope in St. Peter's Square, at sunrise services in India and Pakistan, or at churches flanked by blast walls and security cordons in Iraq.

Here are some scenes from Easter Sunday around the world.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-photos-easter-celebrations-around-world-231217681.html

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Restaurant Performance Index Fell Below 100 in February as Sales ...

Friday, March 29th, 2013 ?

Restaurant operators remain generally optimistic about sales growth and the economy in the months ahead

Washington, DC? (RestaurantNews.com)? Due in large part to softer same-store sales and customer traffic levels, the National Restaurant Association?s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) slipped below 100 in February. The RPI ? a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry ? stood at 99.9 in February, down 0.8 percent from January?s five-month high. February represented the fourth time in the last five months that the RPI stood below 100, which signifies contraction in the index of key industry indicators.

?The Restaurant Performance Index decline was due largely to softer sales and traffic results, which fell in February amid higher gas prices and the impact of the payroll tax hike,? said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association. ?In addition, sales and traffic comparisons were more difficult due to the extra day in February 2012 as a result of Leap Year.?

?Despite the sales and traffic declines in February, restaurant operators remain generally optimistic about business conditions in the months ahead, which suggests they feel the setbacks will be temporary,? Riehle added.

The RPI is constructed so that the health of the restaurant industry is measured in relation to a steady-state level of 100. Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, while index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators. The Index consists of two components ? the Current Situation Index and the Expectations Index.

The Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators (same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures), stood at 98.3 in February ? down 1.4 percent from January?s level. In addition, the Current Situation Index stood below 100 for the 6th consecutive month, which signifies contraction in the current situation indicators.

With sales comparisons more difficult in February due to Leap Year in 2012, restaurant operators reported a same-store sales decline for the first time in 21 months. Thirty-three percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between February 2012 and February 2013, while 48 percent of operators reported lower sales. In January, 44 percent of operators reported higher same-store sales, while 37 percent reported a sales decline.

Restaurant operators also reported a decline in customer traffic levels in February. Twenty-four percent of restaurant operators reported higher customer traffic levels between February 2012 and February 2013, while 53 percent of operators said their traffic declined. In January, 33 percent of operators reported an increase in customer traffic, while 40 percent reported lower traffic levels.

Capital spending activity also dipped along with the sales and traffic results. Forty-eight percent of operators said they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling during the last three months, down from 52 percent who reported similarly last month.

The Expectations Index, which measures restaurant operators? six-month outlook for four industry indicators (same-store sales, employees, capital expenditures and business conditions), stood at 101.4 in February ? down slightly from January?s level of 101.6. Each of the four expectations indicators stood above 100 for the second consecutive month, which suggests restaurant operators remain generally optimistic about business conditions in the months ahead.

Although restaurant operators? outlook for sales growth remains positive, their expectations are slightly less bullish compared to last month. Forty-one percent of restaurant operators expect to have higher sales in six months (compared to the same period in the previous year), down from 46 percent last month. Meanwhile, 14 percent of restaurant operators expect their sales volume in six months to be lower than it was during the same period in the previous year, compared to 17 percent last month.

Although restaurant operators have a net positive outlook for the overall economy for the second consecutive month, their confidence is tenuous. Twenty-five percent of restaurant operators said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, down from 30 percent who reported similarly last month. Meanwhile, 20 percent of operators said they expect economic conditions to worsen in the next six months, unchanged from last month.

Restaurant operators continue to make plans for capital spending in the months ahead. Fifty-seven percent of restaurant operators plan to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling in the next six months, down slightly from 59 percent who reported similarly last month.

The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association?s Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures. The full report is available online at Restaurant.org/RPI.

The RPI is released on the last business day of each month, and a more detailed data and analysis can be found on Restaurant TrendMapper, the Association?s subscription-based web site that provides detailed analysis of restaurant industry trends.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 980,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of more than 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry?s largest trade show (NRA Show May 18-21, 2013, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF?s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 19-21, 2013, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids? menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

Source: http://www.restaurantnews.com/restaurant-performance-index-fell-below-100-in-february-as-sales-and-traffic-levels-declined/

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If You?re Always Busy, You May Just Be Procrastinating

There's a difference between being always busy and having a lot to do and not enough time to do it in. You probably know at least one person at work who seems to always be stressed out and busy, but you know they don't have as much on their plate as other people do. If that person is you, or you're stressed out because you're having trouble managing your to-dos, the problem may be simple: procrastination.

Over at GTD blog Next Action Associates, they point out the many ways that procrastination can work its way into our day and convince us that we're actually busy and active, when in reality we're wasting time:

Here's the thing: when we're busy we can easily trick ourselves into thinking that all of that activity means that we're not procrastinating. We're busy, sure, but we're not focused on the things that should really have our attention. If someone were to tap us on the shoulder and say, "that thing you're doing, is that the best use of your attention right now?" we would hesitate to agree.

We're busy procrastinating.

It's a bit of a backhanded suggestion, but the impact of being "busy" doing all the wrong things instead of focusing on the things that are most important or really need our attention is clear: we work longer hours, and our health relationships suffer. We've talked about how to say "no" without wrecking your career, how to say "no" without being a jerk about it, and even how to prioritize when everything is important and nothing can come off your plate. Those are the keys to making sure you're working on the right things in the right order.

Next Action Associates offers up another tip:

Ask yourself: what are the odds that that e-mail at the top of your inbox is the best thing to focus on next? If not and you choose to deal with it anyway, then you're being driven by "latest and loudest," letting your channels dictate your priorities.

Or maybe your procrastination looks like this: you're snacking on quick wins. This is what I quite often see when people say they're "cleaning up email." They're scrolling down into the older strata of their inbox, looking for things that can be handled quickly, ideally without much thought or energy. But in doing that I'll often see them scroll right past something that's strategic, critical even. But it's too big, or too complex. So it doesn't get any attention.

If you're struggling with procrastination, then what's to be done? To get it under control, we need to make getting moving on the right things as attractive and friction-free as possible.

All of this is a double-edged sword though?the quest to be productive should be focused around giving you more time to do the things you want to do and optimizing the things you have to do, not just getting you to stop procrastinating. Remember, sometimes procrastination is essential to your health, and taking breaks helps you do more and stay creative. Hit the link below for more tips.

Too Busy? Maybe You're Procrastinating. | Next Action Associates via GTD Times

Photo by Vic.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/_yQFi-zPE50/if-youre-always-busy-you-may-just-be-procrastinating

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Gods and Beasts

Denise Mina's latest spins a web of Glasgow connections and corruption.

March 29, 2013

Gods and Beasts By Denise Mina Little, Brown 311 pp.

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Reviewed by Anna Mundow for Barnes & Noble Review

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The Scottish writer Denise Mina may be regarded as a crime novelist, but that has never been the whole story. From her first novel, "Garnethill," to her latest, Gods and Beasts, Mina has resisted neat classification. Her fiction, set mainly in Glasgow, is too subtle to be "tartan noir." Her protagonists are often female, but they are too complicated to be heroine sleuths, too difficult to pin down. Paddy Meehan, for example, who first appeared as a watchful girl in "Garnethill," became the prime investigator in "Field of Blood." Now Meehan, an established journalist, is barely glimpsed in "Gods and Beasts," while Detective Sergeant Alex Morrow, familiar from "The End of the Wasp Season," is Mina's chief character.

More confident these days in her hard-won authority, Morrow is as shrewd as ever, whether she is studying a suspect or a fellow cop. "It felt strange to have that double perspective," she reflects as she listens to an anxious, perhaps guilty, colleague, "to have to calculate the gulf between what was said and what was meant" (a Jamesian observation that also sums up what Mina does so well).

"Gods and Beasts" opens, however, in a straightforward way with a crime, or rather its aftermath. A young man sits on a curb, in shock, cradling a toddler, "koala-clamped to his chest," strangers welded together by casual violence. During the armed robbery of a post office, the child's grandfather has been shot to death. Martin Pavel, a bystander, is left holding the boy and replaying the bloody image: "automatic fire, red explosions on the old man's back, the tilt of his torso, the greasy slide."

What follows is equally impressionistic, a series of images ricocheting off a stunned consciousness. Martin registers a paramedic kneeling before him, the hospital where he and the child are "[p]ushed in a canvas wheelchair, through the A&E waiting room, not very clean, not very nice." Then a cubicle: "Time passed. Clocks ticked and trolleys rolled. Nurses shoes squeaked by beyond the curtain." And soon the departure of the boy with his distraught mother, followed by the arrival of DS Alex Morrow and DC Harris, whose questions tether and calm Martin's unruly recollections.

It is gradually apparent that the shooting was coincidental but not random ? the gunman and the grandfather seemed to recognize each other ? and that Martin himself is a conundrum. An American who sounds Scottish, is well educated, tattooed, and a compulsive runner, Martin is familiar with guns, gifted with accents, and haunted by details ? all of which makes him an invaluable yet oddly suspect witness. He is also a stray exotic on the harsh, treacherously shifting terrain that Mina so masterfully depicts.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/rbkc9VvKU-8/Gods-and-Beasts

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South Africa: Mandela making progress in hospital

FILE - In this Wednesday, July 18, 2012 file photo former South African President Nelson Mandela as he celebrates his birthday with family in Qunu, South Africa, Wednesday, July 18, 2012. The South African presidency says Nelson Mandela was re-admitted to hospital with a recurrence of a lung infection Thursday March 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)

FILE - In this Wednesday, July 18, 2012 file photo former South African President Nelson Mandela as he celebrates his birthday with family in Qunu, South Africa, Wednesday, July 18, 2012. The South African presidency says Nelson Mandela was re-admitted to hospital with a recurrence of a lung infection Thursday March 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)

Visitors gather in front of a portrait of former president Nelson Mandela, in a Park in Soweto, South Africa, Thursday, March, 28, 2013. 94-year-old Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa's first black president, has been hit by a lung infection again and is in a hospital, the presidency said. Mandela, has become increasingly frail in recent years and has been hospitalized several times in recent months, including earlier this month when he underwent what authorities said was a scheduled medical test. The Nobel laureate is a revered figure in South Africa, which has honored his legacy of reconciliation by naming buildings and other places after him and printing his image on national banknotes. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

A child passes portraits of former president Nelson Mandela depicted in various stages of his life in a Soweto, South Africa, street Thursday, March, 28, 2013. 94-year-old Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa's first black president, has been hit by a lung infection again and is in a hospital, the presidency said. Mandela, has become increasingly frail in recent years and has been hospitalized several times in recent months, including earlier this month when he underwent what authorities said was a scheduled medical test. The Nobel laureate is a revered figure in South Africa, which has honored his legacy of reconciliation by naming buildings and other places after him and printing his image on national banknotes. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

A child looks through a fence at a portrait of former president Nelson Mandela in a Park in Soweto, South Africa, Thursday, March, 28, 2013. 94-year-old Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa's first black president, has been hit by a lung infection again and is in a hospital, the presidency said. Mandela, has become increasingly frail in recent years and has been hospitalized several times in recent months, including earlier this month when he underwent what authorities said was a scheduled medical test. The Nobel laureate is a revered figure in South Africa, which has honored his legacy of reconciliation by naming buildings and other places after him and printing his image on national banknotes. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken on Thursday, March 14, 2013, a statue of Former South African president Nelson Mandela at the entrance to the Robben Island ferry departure point at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa. Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa's first black president, has been admitted to a hospital with a recurring lung infection, South Africa said Thursday, March 28, 2013. Mandela, 94, has become increasingly frail in recent years and has been hospitalized several times since last year, mostly recently earlier this month when he received what a presidential spokesman described as a "successful" medical test. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? Nelson Mandela is making "steady progress" while being treated for a recurring lung infection and he had a full breakfast on Friday, South African authorities said.

The office of President Jacob Zuma released a statement in which it said the former president and anti-apartheid leader was in good spirits after being taken late Wednesday to a hospital in the capital, Pretoria.

"The doctors report that he is making steady progress. He remains under treatment and observation in hospital," the statement said.

"We would like to repeat our appeal for the media and the public to respect the privacy of Madiba and his family," it said, using Mandela's clan name, a term of affection.

It is 94-year-old Mandela's third trip to a hospital since December. At that time, he spent three weeks in a hospital in Pretoria, where he was treated for a lung infection and had a procedure to remove gallstones. Earlier this month, he was hospitalized overnight for what authorities said was a successful, scheduled medical test.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been particularly vulnerable to respiratory problems since contracting tuberculosis during his 27-year imprisonment for fighting white racist rule in his country.

President Barack Obama said Thursday he was concerned about Mandela's health, but noted he was as strong physically as he has been in leadership and character. Obama said he was sending his thoughts and prayers to Mandela, and he described him as a hero and an inspiration who gave everything to his people.

Zuma's office said Thursday that doctors were acting with extreme caution because of the advanced age of Mandela, who has become increasingly frail in recent years.

Mandela, who became South Africa's first black president in 1994, is a revered figure in his homeland, which has named buildings and other places after him and uses his image on national bank notes.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-03-29-AF-South-Africa-Mandela/id-a82847977d44428e8d5bdebe1666bc88

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Andrei Arlovski?s camp says timing error in New Jersey caused him to take ?huge blow? late

Just days after Nick Diaz's camp criticized the athletic commission in Quebec for their handling of his UFC 158 weigh-in with UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre, another athletic commission is under fire. Jackson's MMA, the gym who backs Andrei Arlovski, said a timing error by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board resulted in Arlovski's broken jaw.

Arlovski lost to Anthony Johnson in a World Series of Fighting bout on Saturday. Jackson's MMA posted on their Facebook about the timekeeping problem:

The NJ athletic commission was worried about the World Series of Fighting getting a new canvas and new corner pads for the cage they almost canceled the fight Saturday night. Unfortunately they forgot to get a time keeper that was trained properly. 1st round 5min 8 sec in the Andrei fight. A devastating blow was landed after the 5min mark. It's amazing how so much time is spent with over regulating but the simple things can cost dearly.

WSOF had to bring in a new canvas and pads when the ones they originally had were unsuitable. But the timing error is much worse. Check out this video via MMA Fighting, and listen to the wood clacking at the 10-second mark. The clock disappears from the screen at seven seconds. Even a generous countdown shows the fight went past the five-minute mark.

The worst part is that the damage Johnson caused came after the time should have expired. His jaw was broken, and it needed surgery for repair. It also raises questions on if the fight result would have been different if Arlovski wouldn't have been hurt late in the first round.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/andrei-arlovski-camp-says-timing-error-jersey-caused-144726034--mma.html

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Teachers' gestures boost math learning

Mar. 29, 2013 ? Students perform better when their instructors use hand gestures -- a simple teaching tool that could yield benefits in higher-level math such as algebra.

A study published in Child Development, the top-ranked educational psychology journal, provides some of the strongest evidence yet that gesturing may have a unique effect on learning. Teachers in the United States tend to use gestures less than teachers in other countries.

"Gesturing can be a very beneficial tool that is completely free and easily employed in classrooms," said Kimberly Fenn, study co-author and assistant professor of psychology at Michigan State University. "And I think it can have long-lasting effects."

Fenn and Ryan Duffy of MSU and Susan Cook of the University of Iowa conducted an experiment with 184 second-, third- and fourth-graders in Michigan elementary classrooms.

Half ofthe students were shown videos of an instructor teaching math problems using only speech. The others were shown videos of the instructor teaching the same problems using both speech and gestures.

The problem involved mathematical equivalence (i.e., 4+5+7=__+7), which is known to be critical to later algebraic learning. In the speech-only videos, the instructor simply explains the problem. In the other videos, the instructor uses two hand gestures while speaking, using different hands to refer to the two sides of the equation.

Students who learned from the gesture videos performed better on a test given immediately afterward than those who learned from the speech-only video.

Another test was given 24 hours later, and the gesture students actually showed improvement in their performance while the speech-only students did not.

While previous research has shown the benefits of gestures in a one-on-one tutoring-style environment, the new study is the first to test the role of gestures in equivalence learning in a regular classroom.

The study also is the first to show that gestures can help students transfer learning to new contexts -- such as transferring the knowledge learned in an addition-based equation to a multiplication-based equation.

Fenn noted that U.S. students lag behind those in many other Western countries in math and have a particularly hard time mastering equivalence problems in early grades.

"So if we can help them grasp this foundational knowledge earlier," she said, "it will help them as they learn algebra and higher levels of mathematics."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Michigan State University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Susan Wagner Cook, Ryan G. Duffy, Kimberly M. Fenn. Consolidation and Transfer of Learning After Observing Hand Gesture. Child Development, 2013; DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12097

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/IO4pt2GHJqU/130329125105.htm

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Why We're Obsessed with 'Game of Thrones'

Nationwide, a legion of fans of HBO's Game of Thrones are clearing their schedules for this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET, when the epic tale launches into Season 3. A sizable portion of that fan base is female, which at first blush seems anomalous. Women aren't usually considered the target audience for an epic fantasy fueled by graphic violence and sex. So why are we so enchanted by the characters of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros?

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/why-women-love-game-thrones/1-a-531148?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Awhy-women-love-game-thrones-531148

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Grizzly robot EV shrugs off difficult terrain, laughs at heavy loads

Like its namesake, Clearpath Robotic's Grizzly is most comfortable in the wild. Sure, this unmanned ATV is perfectly capable of handling paved streets. But the 26-inch wheels and eight-inches of ground clearance are really built for offroad excursions. The 80-horsepower all-electric motor is capable of reaching speeds of 11 mph and of towing loads over 1,300 pounds. In short, this thing is beast. Clearpath suggests the bot would excel at agricultural tasks, but it seems to us that plowing fields would be a waste of Grizzly's skills. Unless, of course, those fields happened to be on another planet. To see this mobile monster in action check out the gallery below and the video after the break.

Gallery: Clearpath Grizzly

Filed under: Robots

Comments

Via: Inhabitat, Damn Geeky

Source: Clearpath Robotics

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/29/grizzly-robot-ev/

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Travel & Leisure Blog's: Plan Your Next Trip Out The Right Way

Lots of people fantasize about taking trips all over the world. While it's nice to daydream about all the wonderful places to explore, all the most memorable vacations begin with proper planning and knowledge. The following advice will help you get the absolute most out of your adventures to new places.

When traveling in another country, be sure to clean your hands and under your fingernails often. Try not to touch your face, especially your eyes and mouth ,to prevent any bacteria or germs from getting in. This is especially important if you're visiting a less developed country to avoid getting sick.

If you are traveling to a country where you do not know the local language, make sure to bring a translator. This is especially important when ordering at a restaurant, asking for directions, or trying to have a conversation with the locals. If you can, try to learn basic words before you leave on your trip.

When you enter your hotel room, check for bed bugs. Even though this is probably the last thing on your mind, it is an important factor. These pesky bugs can get into your luggage and attach themselves to your belongings, meaning you can end up bringing them home with you.

If you are traveling overseas take the time to make a photocopy of your passport before you leave on your trip, and give it to a family member or close friend to hold on to while you are away. So, if you for some reason lose your passport during your trip, they can scan and email you a copy so you can replace your documents easily.

If you are traveling and wear glasses, do not hesitate to bring a spare pair. Make sure it is a pair with a strong frame and preferably unbreakable lenses. In the event that you do not have a spare pair and time does not permit, get a copy of your prescription and order them at your destination when you arrive or if needed.

Avoid carrying bulky coats or feeling the chill of a window seat by dressing in layers that can be easily discarded or added back when flying. Airplane cabins are known for fluctuating temperatures both prior to takeoff and during the flight and most airlines no longer provide light blankets.

When you are traveling overseas, make sure that you have multiple copies of your passport in different locations. This will allow you to maintain the most security possible in the event that you were to lose your passport. Always have backup for important documentation when you are planning to travel.

Separate valuables and important documents while traveling in different bags or pockets. This way, if you lose your wallet or bag, you do not lose all of your valuables or identification. Consider anything difficult to replace or necessary when deciding where to pack items. For example, you may want to pack one credit card in your luggage and another in your wallet.

If you take prescription medications on a regular basis, be sure to carry plenty to cover the time you plan to be traveling, plus a little extra. Keep all of your prescription drugs in their original, clearly labeled containers to avoid problems with customs. Bring your doctor's orders with you and all information regarding the drug that you take. This should include information regarding generic equivalents of the drug.

Consider swapping souvenirs when you are traveling. Many people in other countries are interested in hats, shirts and a lot of other items that come from this country. If something catches your eye in a vendor's stall, see if they would like to make a trade with you. You will also have the opportunity to talk to local people and create interesting stories for your friends and family back home.

While you were traveling, have you worried about having a safe place to hide your emergency cash? Well a wonderful tip for women to hide their cash is by sewing in a little pocket inside of their bras. It takes little sewing knowledge to get a small piece of cloth, needle and thread and sew the pocket inside. You will feel better that it is there just in case you lose your wallet or purse.

If you are not interested in striking up a conversation with your seat mates, make sure you bring along big, noise-cancelling headphones. Most people will not try to strike up a conversation with someone who is obviously not interested in talking. These have the added bonus of blocking out the sounds of babies crying or people chatting while you relax.

If you plan to travel for more than a weekend, inform your bosses two weeks prior to leaving so that they can find someone to cover your responsibilities before hand. This way, you are not relying on someone who merely says they will cover for you and you have respectfully informed them the reasons of your absence.

Make sure to make the best of your road trip and enjoy it. Don't get so caught up in schedules, lists and how long you've been driving during the trip.

Pack your own pillow. If you have trouble sleeping away from home, try bringing your own pillow along. Some people find it difficult to sleep in a bed that isn't their own. Having a familiar pillow under your head can make a surprisingly huge difference. It could mean the difference between sleepless nights and being well rested for another day full of activities.

Now that you're equipped with all the tips in this article, you will have much less confusion while planning exciting trips. Fellow travelers will admire your resourcefulness as you demonstrate your awareness of any obstacles and then deftly conquer them.

When you decide to travel your expectation will be enjoyment. If you keep in mind the tips and advice in this article then you will have a chance at making the most out of your next trip. What matters is that you get as close as you can to what you were anticipating and feel totally fulfilled after you return.

Source: http://travel-leisure-blogs.blogspot.com/2013/03/plan-your-next-trip-out-right-way.html

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The 10 Highest-Paid Jobs in America

It's college acceptance letter season, and as students prep for four years of higher education, parents would do well to give them one piece of advice: go pre-med.

[ALSO: The 10 Lowest-Paid Jobs in America]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has released its latest rundown of occupational statistics, which dates to 2012,and of the 10 highest-paid positions, nine require medical training. Anesthesiologists lead the field, making slightly more money putting patients to sleep than the people cutting those patients open. The only non-medical workers that make it onto the list are chief executives, who come in at No. 10 with around $177,000 in annual wages, or around 24 percent less than the anesthesiologists.

Below, the 10 highest-paid occupations in America as of May 2012:

Occupation	Average Annual Wages
1. Anesthesiologists	$232,830
2. Surgeons	$230,540
3. Obstetricians and Gynecologists	$216,760
4. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons	$216,440
5. Internists, General	$191,520
6. Orthodontists	$186,320
7. Physicians and Surgeons, All Other	$184,820
8. Family and General Practitioners	$180,850
9. Psychiatrists	$177,520
10. Chief Executives	$176,840

[SEE: The 10 Most Overpaid Jobs]

That's perhaps unsurprising--everyone knows doctors are handsomely compensated--but what is striking is the extent to which medical occupations dominate the top of the wage ladder. You can still make a decent living even if you are not a doctor, as the list below of 10 top-paying non-medical professions shows:

Occupation	Average Annual Wages
1. Chief Executives	$176,840
2. Petroleum Engineers	$147,470
3. Architectural and Engineering Managers	$133,240
4. Lawyers	$130,880
5. Natural Sciences Managers	$130,400
6. Marketing Managers	$129,870
7. Computer and Information Systems Managers	$129,130
8. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers	$128,760
9. Financial Managers	$123,260
10. Sales Managers	$119,980

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/10-highest-paid-jobs-america-212148471.html

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Gay marriage foes draw fire for linking rivals to Nazi propaganda effort (Star Tribune)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/295285617?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Sun block for the 'Big Dog'

Thursday, March 28, 2013

An international team of astronomers, including researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy and from the University of Cologne, successfully identified two titanium oxides in the extended atmosphere around a giant star. The object VY Canis Major is one of the largest stars in the known universe and close to the end of its life. The detection was made using telescope arrays in the USA and in France.

The discovery was made in the course of a study of a spectacular star, VY Canis Majoris or VY CMa for short, which is a variable star located in the constellation Canis Major (Greater Dog). "VY CMa is not an ordinary star, it is one of the largest stars known, and it is close the end of its life," says Tomasz Kami?ski from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR). In fact, with a size of about one to two thousand times that of the Sun, it could extend out to the orbit of Saturn if it were placed in the centre of our Solar System.

The star ejects large quantities of material which forms a dusty nebula. It becomes visible because of the small dust particles that form around it which reflect light from the central star. The complexity of this nebula has been puzzling astronomers for decades. It has been formed as a result of stellar wind, but it is not understood well why it is so far from having a spherical shape.

Neither is known what physical process blows the wind, i.e. what lifts the material up from the stellar surface and makes it expand. "The fate of VY CMa is to explode as a supernova, but it is not known exactly when it will happen", adds Karl Menten, head of the "Millimetre and Submillimetre Astronomy" Department at MPIfR.

Observations at different wavelengths provide different pieces of information which is characteristic for atomic and molecular gas and from which physical properties of an astronomical object can be derived. Each molecule has a characteristic set of lines, something like a 'bar code', that allows to identify what molecules exist in the nebula.

"Emission at short radio wavelengths, in so-called submillimetre waves, is particularly useful for such studies of molecules", says Sandra Br?nken from the University of Cologne. "The identification of molecules is easier and usually a larger abundance of molecules can be observed than at other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum."

The research team observed TiO and TiO2 for the first time at radio wavelengths. In fact, titanium dioxide has been seen in space unambiguously for the first time. It is known from every-day life as the main component of the commercially most important white pigment (known by painters as "titanium white") or as an ingredient in sunscreens. It is also quite possible that the reader consumed some amounts of it as it is used to colour food (coded as E171 in the labels).

However, stars, especially the coolest of them, are expected to eject large quantities of titanium oxides, which, according to theory, form at relatively high temperatures close to the star. "They tend to cluster together to form dust particles visible in the optical or in the infrared," says Nimesh Patel from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. "And the catalytic properties of TiO2 may influence the chemical processes taking place on these dust particles, which are very important for forming larger molecules in space", adds Holger M?ller from the University of Cologne.

Absorption features of TiO have been known from spectra in the visible region for more than a hundred years. In fact, these features are used in part to classify some types of stars with low surface temperatures (M- and S-type stars). The pulsation of Mira stars, one specific class of variable stars, is thought to be caused by titanium oxide. Mira stars, supergiant variable stars in a late stage of their evolution, are named after their prototype star "Mira" (the wonderful) in the constellation of Cetus (the 'sea monster' or the 'whale').

The observations of TiO and TiO2 show that the two molecules are easily formed around VY CMa at a location that is more or less as predicted by theory. It seems, however, that some portion of those molecules avoid forming dust and are observable as gas phase species. Another possibility is that the dust is destroyed in the nebula and releases fresh TiO molecules back to the gas. The latter scenario is quite likely as parts of the wind in VY CMa seem to collide with each other.

The new detections at submillimetre wavelengths are particularly important because they allow studying the process of dust formation. Also, at optical wavelengths, the radiation emitted by the molecules is scattered by dust present in the extended nebula which blurs the picture, while this effect is negligible at radio wavelengths allowing for more precise measurements.

The discoveries of TiO and TiO2 in the spectrum of VY CMa have been made with the Submillimetre Array (SMA), a radio interferometer located at Hawaii, USA. Because the instrument combines eight antennas which worked together as one big telescope 226-meters in size, astronomers were able to make observations at unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution. A confirmation of the new detections was successively made later with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI) located in the French Alps.

###

Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 551, A113 (March 2013). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201220290.

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft: http://www.mpg.de

Thanks to Max-Planck-Gesellschaft for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 35 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127502/Sun_block_for_the__Big_Dog_

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Feedly Updates with 10 New Features to Help Ease Your Google Reader Transition

Chrome/Firefox/Safari: Google Reader may be shutting down, but Feedly is already an immensely popular alternative. Today they released 10 new features to help ease the transition.

Feedly has updated their interface to make it a bit more friendly to Google Reader converts, while making it easy to switch between all its different views. Its List View is denser now, similar to what Google Reader fans are used to, while also adding keyboard shortcuts, better sorting, and more. Here's Feedly's summary of their changelog:

• Firefox upgrade from old v10 codebase to latest v14 codebase.
• A new left selector design. Less loud ? more more all caps.
• Better read/unread contrast
• Sort alphabetically
• Denser, cleaner list view
• n/p keyboard shortcuts.
• Fast view switching
• Faster saving.
• Better LinkedIn integration.
• Better recommendations.
• Memory optimization

For the full detailed list of changes, hit the link below. Firefox and Safari users will have to update manually, so be sure to uninstall your current plug-in and reinstall to see the new features.

10 new features for a smoother transition | Building Feedly

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/nGC2uqPcQxc/feedly-updates-with-10-new-features-to-help-ease-your-google-reader-transition

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Pluperfecter: internet marketing, SEO, web usability, web content ...

Coherent rants and exclusive, hard-hitting interviews with tech experts, internet marketing pros, and book authors.?

No fluff. No schmoozing. No goofing off. Just practical tips and deep insights you can use for your business right now.

Episodes thus far:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/02/17/basic-principles-of-seo

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/02/20/20-common-mistakes-in-website-design-1

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/02/22/how-to-use-social-media-for-competitive-superiority

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/02/23/secrets-of-web-content-development

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/02/24/big-mistakes-in-seo

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/02/27/interview-with-matthew-david-on-html5

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/03/01/ken-zurski-on-radio-technology-and-steamboat-disasters

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/03/10/internet-trolls-and-how-to-defeat-them

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/03/10/astronaut-scott-altman-on-working-in-space

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/03/14/how-trolls-use-mind-control-to-tear-people-down

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/03/18/worst-mistake-you-can-make-in-web-design

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/03/19/toxic-troll-comments-influence-weak-minded-people

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/03/20/loren-feldman-on-social-media-hucksters-and-tech-lemmings

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vaspers/2013/03/28/interview-with-jordan-cooper-of-blenderhead-media

Source: http://pluperfecter.blogspot.com/2013/03/achieve-business-goals-with-vaspers.html

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How do you explain a job that went bad? ? Business Management ...

Question: ?My current job, which I?ve had for nine months, is going sour fast and I don?t think I can go on. Here?s the real problem: If I leave, I don?t trust anyone here to give me a good recommendation, and I wouldn?t know how to explain to an interviewer that I have no references from my most recent position. But if I don?t list this job at all on my r?sum?, it creates a mysterious recent gap in my work experience. Is there any way out of a dilemma like this?? ? Nate, Contract Administrator

See Comments Below

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You'll Be Able to Buy a Cheaper, Smaller Samsung Galaxy S 4

Businessweek has a deep profile of Samsung detailing the company's rise to the number one smartphone manufacturer in the world. The article appears to confirm what we've been expecting all along: that a smaller cheaper version of the Galaxy S 4 will arrive on the heels of the big S 4 next month. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/pWYp8jaH7uA/youll-be-able-to-buy-a-cheaper-smaller-samsung-galaxy-s-4

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Pistorius allowed to leave SAfrica with conditions

FILE - In this Feb. 21, 2013 file photo, Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius stands during his bail hearing at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa A judge in South Africa says Pistorius, who is charged with murdering his girlfriend, can leave South Africa to compete in international competition, with conditions. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 21, 2013 file photo, Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius stands during his bail hearing at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa A judge in South Africa says Pistorius, who is charged with murdering his girlfriend, can leave South Africa to compete in international competition, with conditions. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)

State prosecutor Gerrie Nel, prepares for a hearing in the Pretoria, South Africa high court, Thursday, March 28, 2013. The state is opposing the relaxation of bail conditions in the charges against athlete Pistorius who is charged with the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last month. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2012 file photo, South Africa's Oscar Pistorius wins gold in the men's 400-meter T44 final at the 2012 Paralympics in London. A judge in South Africa says Pistorius, who is charged with murdering his girlfriend, can leave South Africa to compete in international competition, with conditions. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

The defense team for Oscar Pistorius, led by Barry Roux, left, prepare for an appeasl against bail conditions in the Pretoria, South Africa high court, Thursday, March 28, 2013. Pistorius is charged with the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last month. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

FILE - In this Sept. 5, 2012 file photo, South Africa's Oscar Pistorius competes during Men's 100m T44 round 1 at the 2012 Paralympics in London. A judge in South Africa says Pistorius, who is charged with murdering his girlfriend, can leave South Africa to compete in international competition, with conditions. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) ? Oscar Pistorius could compete at this year's world championships after a South African judge eased his bail restrictions and ruled Thursday that the athlete, who faces a murder trial for the shooting death of his girlfriend, can travel overseas to run.

The international athletics body said that if Pistorius qualifies, it had no objections to him running ? an event that could eclipse the stir last year when he became the first double amputee to compete at the Olympics. Pistorius' agent told The Associated Press soon after the ruling that the world championships in Moscow in August could be a possibility if the runner wanted to return to the track on his carbon fiber blades.

Judge Bert Bam upheld the Olympic athlete's appeal against some of his bail restrictions, but said the 26-year-old Pistorius must travel under certain conditions. The athlete could face a life sentence if found guilty of murder for the Valentine's Day shooting death of Reeva Steenkamp.

His passport will be held by a court while he is in South Africa, and he can only leave the country if he provides an itinerary of his travel plans at least a week before he is due to leave. Pistorius must also hand his travel documents back to the court within 24 hours of returning home, Bam ruled.

"Based on this (the judge's decision), and if he is up for it and qualifies, the world championships will definitely be on the radar," Pistorius' agent, Peet van Zyl, told the AP by telephone.

The judge's decision was "fair," Van Zyl said, but any return to track would be up to Pistorius, who hasn't run competitively since September and hasn't trained for two months. The worlds are in August, while Pistorius' next court appearance is June 4.

"It's his call. He's the one under all the pressure for the court case and grieving for Reeva," the agent said.

Although Pistorius' lawyers said in the appeal hearing that he had no immediate plans to compete, he would likely need to return to track in the future to earn money, they said. Pistorius, widely known as the Blade Runner for his prosthetic legs, did not attend the court session.

"He has no desire to compete now but it might change and it will change," defense lawyer Barry Roux told the judge in arguing for Pistorius' travel restrictions to be eased. Roux said Pistorius would not try and evade trial if he is allowed to travel internationally, and would eventually need to run again "to earn an income."

"He is not going to run away and hide. He is going nowhere," Roux told the judge in the brown-walled courtroom in the high court, where television cameras and photographers were allowed in to record the proceedings. "Why stop him from traveling under controlled circumstances?" Roux added.

Pistorius says he killed Steenkamp accidentally when he fired shots through a door in his bathroom in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14, fearing there was an intruder in his house. Prosecutors say he shot the model and reality TV star intentionally after they argued, and they have charged him with premeditated murder.

The IAAF, athletics' ruling body, reiterated that it wouldn't comment on the case involving Pistorius, but he would be allowed to run at the world championships if he met the sporting criteria.

"If he qualifies for (the) Moscow World Championships next August, then on the basis of (the) 'innocent unless proved guilty' principle he would be free to run," IAAF spokesman Yannis Nikolaou said in a statement emailed to the AP.

The decision on whether Pistorius could run at other events would be at the "discretion of meeting organizers" and not the IAAF, Nikolaou said.

British Athletics chairman Ed Warner said it was too early to say if Pistorius would be invited to the London Anniversary Games in July at Olympic Stadium, a meet to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Olympics. Any decision would be taken "with great care," Warner said.

Pistorius' last competitive race was his victory in the 400 meters final at the London Paralympics in September last year. He hasn't trained or "seen a track" for around nine weeks, agent Van Zyl said, but when he was ready they would consider both able-bodied and Paralympic events.

Van Zyl saw no reason why Pistorius shouldn't be allowed to run again by athletics authorities while accused of murder and said that he had been contacted by race promoters who wanted to see Pistorius return to competition.

"If they (track bodies) don't allow him to run and he walks out (of court) a free man, there might be a problem," Van Zyl said.

The judge also ruled in favor of Pistorius on three other bail restrictions.

He no longer has to be regularly supervised by a probation official and a ruling that he wasn't allowed to consume alcohol and could be tested at any time for alcohol and "prohibited substances" was lifted. Bam also slammed one of the bail conditions imposed by another court, saying a condition that Pistorius would be in breach of his bail if he was merely accused of another crime against women was "fraud." It went against Pistorius' constitutional right to be innocent until proven guilty, Bam said.

The high court judge's rapid ruling came three hours after the hearing began.

Two other restrictions ? that Pistorius was not allowed to return to his house, where he shot Steenkamp dead on Feb. 14, and had to report regularly to a police station ? should be "disregarded," the judge said.

It meant Pistorius' legal team succeeded in all its appeals. Pistorius' lawyers smiled after the judge ruled in their favor.

The prosecution wouldn't comment on how the ruling affected its case.

"Our focus is on the upcoming trial and we need to focus on that with all our minds," National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Medupe Simasiku said. "The investigation is going well and we believe that soon it will be completed."

The athlete's lawyers had earlier argued that he was being treated as a flight risk by his bail restrictions even though a magistrate ruled last month that he was not when he released Pistorius on 1 million rand ($108,000) bail.

Defense lawyer Roux also argued against a ruling that prevented him from speaking to residents near his home, saying he should be allowed to consult with them to prepare his defense.

Prosecutors had opposed the relaxing of Pistorius' bail restrictions and also said the appeal should have gone to the original magistrate's court that set bail for Pistorius, and not Pretoria's high court. Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair imposed the bail conditions on Feb. 22. Pistorius had been held in a police station until then. He hasn't been seen in public since and is believed to have been staying at an uncle's house.

Pistorius was not required to attend his appeal hearing and none of his family members were present at the court in the heart of South Africa's capital city.

At Pistorius' next court appearance in early June, the prosecution would aim to serve indictments, chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the court. Nel said there is a possibility that Pistorius' trial will begin by the end of the year.

___

AP Sports Writers Stephen Wilson and Rob Harris in London, and Jerome Pugmire in Paris contributed to this report.

___

Follow Gerald Imray at www.twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-28-Pistorius-Shooting/id-34943a117337404f9866d7b4c301bd5b

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