Pathological gambling caused by excessive optimism

Apr. 29, 2013 ? Compulsive gamblers suffer from an optimism bias that modifies their subjective representation of probability and affects their decisions in situations involving high-risk monetary wagers. This is the conclusion drawn by Jean-Claude Dreher's research team at the CNC (Centre de Neurosciences Cognitives, CNRS / Universit? Claude Bernard Lyon 1). These findings, published in the May print edition of Psychological Medicine, could help explain and anticipate certain individuals' vulnerability to gambling, and could lead to new therapeutic approaches.

A growing number of gamblers suffer from pathological gambling, a disease that is usually characterized as either a loss of impulse control or a behavioral addiction. It results in an inability to limit the frequency of gambling and the amount of money wagered. This increasingly common psychiatric disorder creates financial, professional and personal hardships that can have severe consequences for the patients and the people around them. The mechanisms responsible for its emergence and development remain largely unknown, which limits the clinician's ability to proceed with a diagnosis, prognosis or effective treatment for this condition.

In this study, the researchers set out to test and verify the hypothesis that links pathological gambling to an alteration of probabilistic reasoning. The capacity to reason in probabilistic terms appears only at an advanced stage of human intellectual development (in fact, the basic concept of probability is not fully understood until the age of 11 or 12). Pioneering research in the late 1970s had already shed light on the difficulties that people experience in situations involving risk or uncertainty. These difficulties are reflected in the development and perpetuation in adults of cognitive biases1 specific to probabilistic decision-making, one of the most common being probability distortion (2).

The researchers conducted an experiment on compulsive gambling patients using a standard experimental economics task and a mathematical model for measuring both probability distortion and a more general optimism bias in relation to high-risk bets. The primary result obtained confirms the general hypothesis of a distortion, associated with pathological gambling, in the subjective representation of probabilities. The results also show that the compulsion to gamble is not explained by an exaggerated distortion of probability, but rather by an increased optimism bias. In other words, regardless of the objective probability of winning a high-risk bet, gamblers tend to act as though this probability were greater than it actually is. The researchers also observed that in the patient population under study, the intensity of this bias was significantly correlated to the severity of the symptoms.

For clinical psychiatrists, the simplicity of the procedure used to reach this conclusion could offer a rapid and reliable way of measuring the representation of probability, thus allowing them to refine both their diagnoses and therapeutic decisions. This study raises many new questions for researchers in the cognitive neurosciences: how does the brain represent the probability of winning? How do the cerebral structures responsible for this representation interact with the structures involved in the development and perpetuation of an addiction? Is a pathological gambler's particular relationship to probability accompanied by an increased sensitivity to reward and/or insensitivity to monetary loss? These important questions are now being investigated at the CNC.

(1) Internal or external influence causing an alteration of human judgment or perception.

(2) Identified by the Nobel laureates Kahneman and Tversky in 1979, probability distortion is characterized by the overestimation of low probabilities and underestimation of high probabilities.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by CNRS (D?l?gation Paris Michel-Ange).

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. R. Ligneul, G. Sescousse, G. Barbalat, P. Domenech, J.-C. Dreher. Shifted risk preferences in pathological gambling. Psychological Medicine, 2012; 43 (05): 1059 DOI: 10.1017/S0033291712001900

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/mind_brain/consumer_behavior/~3/6ThD_ZBimlQ/130429102400.htm

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Pro-gun billboard featuring Native Americans causing controversy in Colorado

Jim Rydbom / Greeley Tribune via AP

A billboard on U.S. 85 and 18th Street in Greeley, Colo., has residents upset on how the political billboard is depicting Native American.

By Andrew Rafferty, Staff Writer, NBC News

Two billboards that attempt to make the case for gun rights are being called disrespectful by some residents of a northern Colorado town.?

The black and white billboards, which are placed beside busy roadways in Greeley, Colo., feature three men dressed in traditional Native American attire with the words?"Turn in your arms. The government will take care of?you." ?The person in the front of the photo is holding a rifle.

Matt Wells, and accountant with Lamar Advertising in Denver, told the Associated Press that a group of local residents who wish to remain anonymous purchased the space.

"I think it's a little bit extreme, of course, but I think people are really worried about their gun rights and what liberties are going to be taken away," Wells told the Greeley Tribune.

He refused to disclose how much the ads cost, but said they are only appearing around Greeley. He also said he has not personally received any complaints so far.

But Irene Vernon, a Colorado State University professor and chairwoman of the ethnic studies department, told the Associated Press that the plight of Native Americans history with the U.S. is much more complicated than whether or not American Indians were armed.

"It wasn't just about our guns," said Vernon, herself a Native American.?

Others who saw the billboard criticized it for politicizing or making light of the United States broken promised to Native Americans that date back to the country's founding.

The story also lit up the Denver Post's comments section, with a strong amount of comments supporting the billboards.

"I am a Navajo Indian and I am not offended by the billboard. The billboard merely points out broken promises by the U.S. government," said one comment.

Others critiqued the ad's message, citing that the current debate about guns is not over whether or not existing gun owners need to turn their firearms in, but how to regulate how they are bought and sold.

"If you feel you are putting out a strong message about gun control, why use a Native American image to make your gun-rights argument and then dastardly ask to remain anonymous?" another comment said.

?

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2b54464e/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A40C290C17976890A0Epro0Egun0Ebillboard0Efeaturing0Enative0Eamericans0Ecausing0Econtroversy0Ein0Ecolorado0Dlite/story01.htm

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Crystal Fighters: You & I

What happens when you combine a Bob Dylan-style groove with George Harrison-style animatronics? A poignant story of love and devotion as told by Crystal Fighters.

Directed by Elliot Sellers, You & I is off the London-based band's forthcoming album, Cave Rave, which drops on May 28th. The bird used in the video is real, though it was totally dead when the production crew found it?on Craigslist. [iTunes, Amazon]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/crystal-fighters-you-i-484641066

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From Coast To Coast with The Power Of The Sun

Weather permitting, a solar-power airplane will embark on a cross-country trip on Wednesday. Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin speaks with Bertrand Piccard, one of pilots and creators of Solar Impulse, which will make an American tour stopping in Phoenix, Dallas, Washington, D.C. and New York.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2013/04/28/179597476/from-coast-to-coast-with-the-power-of-the-sun?ft=1&f=1007

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Jerry Lewis makes appearance at 'King of Comedy'

NEW YORK (AP) ? The Tribeca Film Festival has ended on a royal note with Jerry Lewis showing up at the 30th anniversary screening of "The King of Comedy."

The 87-year-old comedian-actor walked out to thunderous applause after the screening Saturday, joining co-star Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese.

Lewis answered questions about the making of the film and brought the audience to laughter with a tale about a guy he met on a subway train.

In the movie, Lewis plays a talk-show host kidnapped by a deranged comedian played by De Niro.

De Niro founded the festival with producers Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff as a way to rebuild the neighborhood where the World Trade Center fell in the 9/11 attacks.

___

Follow John Carucci on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jacarucci

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jerry-lewis-makes-appearance-king-comedy-061812928.html

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The Power And Weakness That Come With Being The Default

Facebook had its big coming-out party for mobile on Wednesday, and its Home launcher will soon start shipping exclusively on an HTC device. This is the social network’s first crack at being the default experience on any device. Until now, using Facebook has been a completely optional and background experience, meaning you’d have to visit its website or download one of its apps. After nine years, that approach worked rather well, to the tune of over a billion users. To get to the next level, Facebook had to start dipping its toes into uncharted territory…being the default. Creating a situation where you are the default, out-of-the-box experience certainly has many advantages. For example, HTC is putting all of its marketing power behind the HTC First, and Facebook probably didn’t have to pay a dime for any of this. The phone manufacturer is hoping that even though this isn’t a true “Facebook Phone,” that the fantasy of it being that, along with a manageable $99 price tag, will be enough to sell a slew of them. AT&T is certainly helping the cause on their site with this massive advertisement, which is of course what you see by default when you surf there: On April 12, when people start opening their new devices, they will see a Facebook screen asking them to log in. Yes, Facebook has reached default status. If for some odd reason the person with the phone doesn’t have a Facebook account, they can simply sign up for one. Sounds crazy, but there are still many people without a Facebook account and might not have had a reason to have one before. They might have never had a smartphone before either, which means that the Facebook Home experience will be their guide. The importance, and potential negatives involved, cannot be understated. The Power Of Default Talk to Microsoft about defaults. It worked quite well for its Internet Explorer browser until it got them into hot water. We’ll get to the hot water later, but Internet Explorer was a beast, because it shipped as the only browsing experience for Windows machines. Was it the best web browser out there? For a while, yes it was. Installing another browser used to be seen as something only really geeky, or adventurous, people would do. I remember tweaking my old Windows machine every chance I could get, downloading any other interface to the

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/xSGJ-diHF4U/

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Windows SDK 7.1 won't install over Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable 10.0.40219

I'm trying to install the 64-bit compiler from the Windows SDK 7.1. ?But the install fails with an unhelpful (empty) error message. ?I've tried various fixes suggested in various online forums, and I think I've narrowed it down to the issue described in another post (thread?6e6c8a17-1666-42fa-9b5b-dfc21845d2f9). ?It?suggests that the trouble is likely that there are C++ redistributable packages already installed that are more recent than the version in the SDK, and it therefore won't install over them. ?Unfortunately, I cannot seem to uninstall the redistributables: ?there is no uninstall option on them in Programs and Features, probably because they were put there as part of the installation of some other program. ?I don't know which one(s), and haven't been able to figure it out. ?I can't just go removing programs at random, so I don't think removal is going to work for me.

Is there any way to get the compiler installed without removing those redistributables? Is Microsoft planning to release an updated SDK any time soon?

I'm running Windows 7 Enterprise SP1, 64bit.

Source: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vssetup/thread/e101eeb2-725a-423a-aa80-e6dff99a8d5b

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Charter Madrasa Movement (Balloon Juice)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/297147551?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Following Obama, Kerry to donate part of salary

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Three Cabinet secretaries became the latest senior administration officials to give back part of their salaries, in the spirit of government spending cuts.

The announcements that Secretary of State John Kerry, the richest Cabinet member, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew will voluntarily reduce their pay came a day after President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said they'd return 5 percent of their paychecks to the Treasury.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Kerry, however, will give his 5 percent to a charity for department employees. She said he already makes significant charitable donations.

Kerry makes $183,500 this year. His donation is worth $9,175.

The former Massachusetts senator was worth more than $184 million at the time of his 2011 Senate financial disclosure form. His wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, is heiress to the Heinz ketchup fortune and is reportedly worth more than $1 billion.

The Homeland Security Department said Napolitano would donate 5 percent of her salary to foundations that benefit Homeland Security staff. Further details were not provided.

The Treasury Department said that Lew would contribute a portion of his salary to nonprofit organizations that are supporting people and programs adversely affected by automatic government spending cuts. The amount of Lew's contributions and the organizations receiving the money were still being worked out.

___

Associated Press writer Alicia A. Caldwell and AP Economics Writer Martin Crutsinger contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/following-obama-kerry-donate-part-salary-180700893--politics.html

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Earth is 'lazy' when forming faults like those near San Andreas

Apr. 3, 2013 ? Geoscientist Michele Cooke and colleagues at the University of Massachusetts Amherst take an uncommon, "Earth is lazy" approach to modeling fault development in the crust that is providing new insights into how faults grow. In particular, they study irregularities along strike-slip faults, the active zones where plates slip past each other such as at the San Andreas Fault of southern California.

Until now there has been a great deal of uncertainty among geologists about the factors that govern how new faults grow in regions where one plate slides past or over another around a bend, says Cooke. In their study published in an early online edition of the Journal of Structural Geology, she and colleagues offer the first systematic exploration of fault evolution around fault bends based on modeling in a clay box.

Testing ideas about how Earth's crust behaves in real time is impossible because actions unfold over many thousands of years, and success in reconstructing events after the fact is limited. A good analog for laboratory experiments has been a goal for decades. "Geologists don't agree on how the earth's crust handles restraining bends along faults. There's just a lack of evidence. When researchers go out in the field to measure faults, they can't always tell which one came first, for example," Cooke says.

Unlike most geoscience researchers, she takes a mechanical efficiency approach to study dynamic fault systems' effectiveness at transforming input energy into force and movement. For example, a straight fault is more efficient at accommodating strain than a bumpy fault. For this reason Cooke is very interested in how the efficiency of fault bends evolves with increasing deformation.

Her data suggest that at restraining bends, the crust behaves in accord with "work minimization" principles, an idea she dubs the "Lazy Earth" hypothesis. "Our approach offers some of the first system-type evidence of how faults evolve around restraining bends," she says.

Further, Cooke's UMass Amherst lab is one of only a handful worldwide to use a relatively new modeling technique that uses kaolin clay rather than sand to better understand the behavior of Earth's crust.

For these experiments, she and colleagues Mariel Schottenfeld and Steve Buchanan, both undergraduates at the time, used a clay box or tray loaded with kaolin, also known as china clay, prepared very carefully so its viscosity scales to that of the earth's crust. When scaled properly, data from clay experiments conducted over several hours in a table-top device are useful in modeling restraining bend evolution over thousands of years and at the scale of tens of kilometers.

Cooke says sand doesn't remember faults the way kaolin can. In an experiment of a bend in a fault, sand will just keep forming new faults. But clay will remember an old fault until it's so inefficient at accommodating the slip that a new fault will eventually form in a manner much more similar to what geologists see on the ground.

Another innovation Cooke and colleagues use is a laser scan to map the clay's deformation over time and to collect quantitative data about the system's efficiency. "It's a different approach than the conventional one," Cooke acknowledges. "I think about fault evolution in terms of work and efficiency. With this experiment we now have compelling evidence from the clay box experiment that the development of new faults increases the efficiency of the system. There is good evidence to support the belief that faults grow to improve efficiency in the Earth's crust as well. "

"We're moving toward much more precision within laboratory experiments," she adds. "This whole field is revolutionized in past six years. It's an exciting time to be doing this sort of modeling. Our paper demonstrates the mastery we now can have over this method."

The observation that a fault's active zone can shift location significantly over 10,000 years is very revealing, Cooke says, and has important implications for understanding seismic hazards. The more geologists understand fault development, the better they may be able to predict earthquake hazards and understand Earth's evolution, she points out.

Funding for this work came from grants from the National Science Foundation and the Southern California Earthquake Center.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

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. Michele L. Cooke, Mariel T. Schottenfeld, Steve W. Buchanan. Evolution of fault efficiency at restraining bends within wet kaolin analog experiments. Journal of Structural Geology, 2013; DOI: 10.1016/j.jsg.2013.01.010

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/eGAyZW6JB6Q/130403104248.htm

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Analysis: Jobless youths could drag on recovery

By Mike Dolan

LONDON (Reuters) - The global economy is recovering - although the younger you are and the longer you've been out of work, the less likely it is that you'll have noticed.

A modest upturn in the major developed economies flagged last week by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development should be a considerable relief for Western countries still struggling to run down huge debts.

But with persistent recession across Europe and high levels of youth unemployment and long-term joblessness, signs that growth is picking up may offer little cheer.

"The rise of long-term unemployment, with more of the unemployed moving off unemployment insurance onto less generous social benefits, is worsening poverty and inequality," the OECD said on Thursday, adding the issue was especially bad in Europe.

The consequent drain on demand could hinder recoveries before they reach what some economists call "escape velocity" and policymakers are starting to fret that the longer high joblessness persists, the harder solving the problem becomes.

More than 40 percent of U.S. unemployed have been out of work for more than six months, almost double the previous post-World War Two record.

Even news on Tuesday of falling registered jobless in employment blackspot Spain may reflect more darkness than light, with economists at Citi saying the decline in March resulted from a tightening of the criteria for accessing benefits.

There is particular anxiety among policymakers - and increasingly global investors - that leaving hordes of youths without work even after a turn in the economic cycle could threaten social and political stability in many economies.

HOMING IN

A growing amount of investment research in recent weeks has homed in on the problem, making links with the huge anti-establishment vote in Italy's election in February and even the conditions that triggered the 'Arab Spring' uprisings in 2011.

"The rising trend of youth unemployment around the world threatens not just current economic growth but also political stability and the potential demographic dividend," according to a report published by Credit Suisse late last month.

That "demographic dividend" - which CS claims explained 44 percent of the rise in per capita output in developing Asia in the 30 years to 2000 - tends to kick in as the number of young workers swells relative to their older and younger dependents.

But it hinges on high levels of labor force participation, meaning potential gains may be evaporating as growing numbers of those in the 15-24 age bracket are left idle.

With International Labour Organisation data showing worldwide youth unemployment at 12.7 percent - or 74.6 million people - in 2012, up about one percentage point from pre-crisis levels, the global problem is pretty clear.

Rather ominously, the region most riven by social and political unrest over the past two years - the Middle East and North Africa - had youth unemployment rates of more than twice the world average in 2012.

Developed economies and the European Union came next, with an average young jobless rate of 18 percent.

Recent official statistics show more than 50 percent of young Spaniards and Greeks are out of work, and more than 30 percent in Italy, the highest among the Group of Seven nations. Bailed-out Ireland and Portugal also have youth unemployment running at more than 30 percent.

Youth joblessness across the euro zone has been more than twice the overall unemployment rate, while the connection between lack of work and inequality can be seen in Eurostat data showing a rising proportion of 15-24 year olds at risk of poverty and social exclusion over the six years to 2011.

Neither is problem solely European. The last time U.S. youth unemployment was below 10 percent was at the height of the dot.com boom in 2000, while it reached 17 percent in 2011.

NEET CUTS

Many people's preferred measure of the true level of youth unemployment - so-called NEETs or those Not in Employment, Education or Training - reduces the more alarming numbers.

So despite oft-cited statistics that almost every second Spanish or Greek youth is out of work, high levels of third-level education there show NEETs much lower at about 18 percent.

However, as Credit Suisse's head of demographics and pension research Amlan Roy points out, a lack of progress in creating jobs for young adults means there's no guarantee those staying in education will find work on graduation.

In a summit statement last month, EU leaders committed to a "youth employment initiative" that sets aside almost 6 billion euros for the worst-affected regions over seven years.

But with this amounting to less than 1,000 euros for each jobless young person in the EU, many are skeptical of success.

"The longer the disengagement lasts, the harder it is to bridge the skills gap and get a foot on the employment ladder. This has an effect on future wealth and living conditions," wrote Roy at CS.

(Editing by Catherine Evans)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-jobless-youths-could-drag-recovery-055415977--sector.html

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NRA says good guys with guns should guard all schools

By Ian Simpson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A study funded by the National Rifle Association released on Tuesday proposes that armed personnel be stationed in every U.S. school in response to December's school massacre in Connecticut.

The proposal by the National School Shield Task Force also includes security accords between schools and law enforcement, an online safety assessment tool for schools, state safety standards and improved federal coordination for school safety.

Asa Hutchinson, the panel's director, said having a trained and armed security officer or staff member in each school was a key element of the proposal.

"Obviously, we believe they will make a difference in the various layers that make up school safety," Hutchinson, a former congressman, told a news conference held under unusually heavy security.

"This is not talking about all teachers. Teachers should teach."

Security officers and staffers would need 40 to 60 hours of training that would cost $800 to $1,000 each.

While the NRA funded the 225-page, $1 million study, Hutchinson said his panel was fully independent. The 12-member task force included former Secret Service head Ralph Basham, police and security officers and five representatives from Phoenix RBT Solutions, a law enforcement training firm.

The NRA said it needed time to study the report and commended Hutchinson for his work. The NRA "is determined to continue to use every asset at its disposal to help make America's children safe at school," it said in a statement.

The report's recommendations said the NRA could develop and carry out armed personnel training. Given school funding shortfalls, the National School Shield program also could step in with NRA backing to support safety programs.

The panel also called for adoption of a model state law for armed school staffers and a program to assess threats and support the mental health of students.

SAFER KIDS

The gun lobby's proposal follows the December 14 massacre at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, in which 20 students and six adults were killed.

Mark Mattioli, whose son was among the slain Newtown students, said he welcomed the recommendations and applauded the panel's work.

"This is recommendations for solutions, real solutions that will make our kids safer. And that's what we need," he told the news conference.

Hutchinson's proposal was similar to the post-Newtown call by NRA Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre for armed guards in all U.S. schools. The suggestion drew strong criticism from gun control advocates and the biggest U.S. teachers' union.

In a statement, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, called the new proposal a "cruel hoax" and said it would fail to keep schools safe. She urged Congress to act on gun-control legislation.

The liberal American Civil Liberties Union rejected Hutchinson's report. It said the proposal could get the federal government in the business of supplying arms to teachers and heighten the risk that students could be funneled into the criminal justice system.

The Newtown massacre galvanized the U.S. debate over firearms. Gun ownership is protected by the U.S. Constitution and no major gun legislation has passed Congress since 1994.

Lawmakers are scaling back President Barack Obama's ambitions for sweeping gun control measures made after the Newtown killings.

Gun-control advocates say expanded background checks would be the most effective way to reduce gun violence. Opinion polls show that more than 90 percent of U.S. voters and 85 percent of gun owners support it.

While such a measure could pass the Democratic-controlled Senate, it faces long odds in the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold the majority.

The NRA, which claims 4.5 million members, instead wants the federal government to step up prosecutions under existing gun laws.

On the state level, legislative leaders in Connecticut said late on Monday that they had agreed to some of the toughest gun regulations in the nation and expected to adopt them this week.

Asked about the Connecticut legislation, Hutchinson said it would be "totally inadequate" for school safety.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Leslie Gevirtz, Eric Walsh and Alden Bentley)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nra-funded-proposal-calls-armed-personnel-schools-170423486.html

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Tell me what you want me to say and I will say it (Unqualified Offerings)

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Angelina Jolie to sell jewelry line to fund overseas schools

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Angelina Jolie has opened another girls school in Afghanistan and plans to fund more from the proceeds of a jewelry line going on sale this week that she helped to design, celebrity website E! News reported on Monday.

Jolie, a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, funded the girls-only primary school in an area outside Kabul that has a high refugee population, E! News said in an exclusive report.

The school educates 200-300 girls, E! said. It showed pictures of the school, which opened in November, and a plaque acknowledging Jolie's contribution.

Jolie also funded a girl school in eastern Afghanistan that opened in 2010, according to the UNCHR.

Jolie's representatives did not return calls for comment.

E! said that Jolie plans to pay for more schools by selling a "Style of Jolie" jewelry line that she helped create with jewelry maker Robert Procop. Procop designed the engagement ring given to the actress by her partner Brad Pitt in April 2012.

"Beyond enjoying the artistic satisfaction of designing these jewels, we are inspired by knowing our work is also serving the mutual goal of providing for children in need," Jolie was quoted as telling the website.

Procop's website said the "first funds from our collaboration together have been dedicated to the Education Partnership for Children in Conflict (founded by Jolie) to build a school in Afghanistan."

According to the Style of Jolie website, the newly expanded collection includes versions of the black and gold necklace that the actress wore to the premiere of her 2010 movie "Salt," a pear-shaped citrine and gold necklace, and rose gold and emerald tablet-shaped rings, earrings and bracelets. No price details were released.

The jewelry will go on retail sale for the first time on April 4 through Kansas City jewelry store Tivol, Tivol said.

Procop told E! that it was "an honor to have the opportunity to be part of creating this line with Angie, as we both believe every child has right to an education."

Jolie is not the first celebrity to open schools in faraway places. Both Oprah Winfrey and Madonna have funded the building of schools in South Africa and Malawi in the past six years, although both ran into trouble.

Madonna's project provoked controversy over costs and mismanagement, while a staff member at Winfrey's school was arrested on charges of assault and abuse of students.

(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by David Brunnstrom)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/angelina-jolie-sell-jewelry-line-fund-overseas-schools-022604556.html

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