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Sculptor Richard X. Zawitz invented the Tangle and Tangle Jr. — twistable serpentine toys — and built a successful San Francisco company around them. Tangle Creations has sold or given away 100 million of its toys everywhere from Wal-Mart to McDonald's Happy Meals.

But Zawitz said he has been plagued by counterfeiters, usually Chinese factories, since launching the company in the early 1980s.

“This problem is like a cancer,” he said. “It's like Wack-a-Mole. Hit one down, another pops up.”

At one point, he said, the Chinese factory that was producing his legitimate Tangles by day was cranking out ersatz ones by night.

“They call that ‘backdooring,'” he said. “I went in with the police on a surprise raid and took the molds out.”

He and other toy makers say bogus brands continue to beset their industry.

“It's a huge problem,” said author and toy reviewer Stevanne “Dr. Toy” Auerbach of Berkeley, Calif. “It is truly devastating to a company that is doing everything legitimately. It cuts down the sales of the original, it dilutes the quality of the product and in many cases, the fake product is not tested properly so it could be a danger to the child.”

The United States is stepping up efforts to combat copycats. President Barack Obama appointed attorney Victoria Espinel in 2009 to the new position of U.S. intellectual property enforcement coordinator — also known as the “copyright czar.” The country is “committed to putting (product pirates) out of business,” she said recently.

Digital products — movies, music, software — top the list of pirated goods because exact copies are quick and cheap to create. High-end luxury goods — Coach bags, Rolex watches — are another frequent target because big bucks are involved.

Still, toy piracy adds up. Authorities seized counterfeit toys with a retail value of $26.9 million at U.S. ports last year, according to CNN Money.

Toys that strike a spark with the public tend to be the most common victims: think Cabbage Patch Kids, Beanie Babies and, more recently, HexBug Nano robots, Angry Bird plush toys and X-Men collectible figures. Fake fad toys have flooded the market during many holiday seasons.

“At the height of the Garfield boom, we had counterfeiters shipping exact copies of our Garfield in 40-foot containers to Europe,” said Harry Nizamian, former president of Dakin Inc., the Brisbane, Calif., company that made legitimate Garfields. “By the time you traced the manufacturer to China, it would be too late. They get in and get out.”

Now president of Hayward's Timeless Toys, which makes plush animal slippers, Nizamian said the problem persists, although it's less flagrant now.

Rick Locker, independent general counsel for the Toy Industry Association in New York, said many toy companies' biggest problem is a legal knockoff, rather than outright piracy.

In 2000, the Supreme Court ruled in Wal-Mart vs. Samara that copycat products can be legal as long as the consumer isn't misled to think they are the real McCoy.

True counterfeiting means “actual duplication with intent to sell a product and pass it off as someone else's product,” Locker said.

He said one of the best protections against fake toys is the end users.

“Kids, believe it or not, are very attuned to discerning between the real thing and the fake, in some ways better than their parents,” he said. “They are very keen to a lot of details.”

Rock McKinley, co-owner and co-founder of ImagAbility in Auburn, Calif., which makes Wedgits, which are multidimensional building blocks, said copycats became a problem as soon as his company branched out from the educational market to mainstream retail.

While ImagAbility would fight back by filing complaints in the U.S. and the copycat's country, that costs money.

“Basically, it is five grand anytime you file a complaint anywhere,” he said.

He wishes the industry trade group would take a strong stand. “We don't have the financial clout to go in there and fight it ourselves,” he said.

Undoubtedly one of the entertainment industry’s most bankable actors, Dingdong Dantes lives a very busy lifestyle. But occasionally, he likes to take a break from the showbiz hubbub by going on a vacation or experiencing adventures to different places.

Like any guy, Dingdong is fond of gadgets and in particular, he likes wearing timepieces that can withstand the test of time. He especially likes watches that he can wear anytime, anywhere, whether he’s attending a party, shooting a TV show, or just relaxing during a holiday.

Only recently, Dingdong showed his love for fine watches when he graced the unveiling of the Baselworld 2012 Collection by leading Swiss watchmaker Breitling. During the event, he was presented as Breitling’s brand ambassador, as he best exemplifies Breitling’s passion for travel and adventure. Gracing the event was Tristan Boyer De Bouillane, sales director, Asia Pacific and Middle East, Breitling, and Emerson Yao and Ivan Yao, managing directors of Lucerne, the exclusive distributor of Breitling in the Philippines.

Sporting a Breitling Chronomat 44 GMT, Dingdong loves how Breitling remains committed to constant innovation, precision and reliability of movement when it comes to designing timeless timepieces. He sees watches as an important accessory, as it doesn’t only help tell time, but also tells a rich tradition of success and novelty, as in the case of Breitling’s Baselworld 2012 Collection. Reflecting the brand’s commitment to quality timepieces with revolutionary features are the Transocean Chronograph Unitime and Chronomat 44 GMT, which were among the models highlighted during the unveiling.

Founded in 1884, Breitling is the only major watch brand to equip all its models with chronometer-certified movements, the ultimate mark of precision. Moreover, Breitling is one of the few to produce its own in-house movement, entirely developed and manufactured in its own workshops. Breitling is also one of the last remaining independent Swiss watch brands.

The smell of Barbecue lingered in the air as people sat on picnic blankets and listened to a band play "The Star Spangled Banner" outside of the Julie Rogers Theatre and the Beaumont Public Library Wednesday.

For six-year-old Jala Bradford, face painting was what she was looking forward too.

"I want to get hearts painted," she said. "Hearts are my favorite shape."

Bradford was also anxiously awaiting the fireworks to begin at 9 p.m.

Blankets and chairs filled the

grass area as children threw footballs around and family members watched.

Andy Knight, who recently moved from Illinois, said he and his family found out about the festivities online and decided to participate. He said he enjoyed the food and as "Sweet Home Alabama" played in the background, he enjoyed the music.

A general buzz of excitement was among the crowds.

Chris Adams, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, said for him the Fourth of July is a day to remember all those serving in the armed forces.

"It is a day where everyone comes together to celebrate," he said. "Everyone is together in one spot."

Adams was in his boat along the Neches River waiting for the fireworks to begin with family and friends.

Jason Harrington, a Beaumont resident, sat on a colorful picnic blanket with a friend playing UNO, enjoying the fair-like food, the hot weather and waiting for more friends to come and join.

The food lines were long as people grabbed some dinner and something cool to drink.

Around 8 p.m. the crowds began to disperse and head to the river setting up lawn chairs and more blankets, waiting for the sun to go down.

Meagan Gasaway, was a part of the crowds moving towards the river.

"The fireworks are the best part," she said. "It is the best five minutes of the whole day."

Before Gasaway headed to the river she stopped off at a food stand to grab some kebabs. With a lawn chair slung over her shoulder and a Dr. Pepper in hand, Gasaway was ready to go get a seat and enjoy the colors about to fill the sky.

"We are ready to roll," she said.

At 9:05 p.m. red, white and blue fireworks painted the relatively clear night sky.

The booming sounds from the fireworks were complimented with "God Bless America" being played on Crockett Street and the sound of car alarms.

The crowds cheered throughout downtown as the grand finale lit up the sky.

The Olympic Games are now just over three weeks away. NPR's Philip Reeves is tracking preparations. He brings us his latest letter from London.

PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: So it's true then. Surface-to-air missiles really will be stationed on London's rooftops during the Olympic Games.

Officials have been chewing over this idea for months. Yesterday, Britain's Defense Ministry announced the government's finally made up its mind. Batteries of Rapier and Starstreak missiles will be ready to repel attacks against the Olympic Park. They'll stand guard at six sites.

UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE: What do we want? Missiles out. When do we want it? Now. What do we want?

REEVES: Some London residents aren't at all happy. Over recent weeks they've signed petitions and paraded through the streets, singing their own protest song.

UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE: (Singing) Join us in protest against the missile threat. We'll fight for people's freedom till their needs are met.

REEVES: Chris Nineham, a leading protestor, says he's disappointed and angered by the government's decision.

CHRIS NINEHAM: We've been completely ignored and I think that's what' people feel. And I think people feel very, very nervous about it as well, because it is genuinely frightening.

REEVES: Next week, a group of Londoners is going to court to try to stop missiles being placed on top of their apartment block.

This is hard to visualize, isn't it. Missile batteries in a crowded modern city, in peacetime. They're just one element in an elaborate plan to protect the Olympics, says Tobias Feakin of the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies.

TOBIAS FEAKIN: This is the largest single security operation that the U.K. has undertaken since World War II.

REEVES: The British government says there's no actual reported threat against the games. Some of its critics suspect it's exploiting the Olympics to advertise its military wares.

But everyone knows Olympics Games have been attacked before. You just can't be too careful, say officials. So fighter jets will be on stand-by. There'll be tens of thousands of police, soldiers and private security guards, a vast array of closed circuit TV cameras, and in the River Thames a big warship.

FEAKIN: You will see HMS Ocean, which is currently the Navy's largest vessel. It will be moored just off of Greenwich. It offers a particular capability, a large number of helicopters to be able to distribute troops as required. It will also be the base for the Marines whilst they are deployed for the games.

REEVES: If you're coming to London and find all this a little worrying, it's worth bearing a couple of things in mind. Average out the number of deaths caused annually by what might be described as terrorism in England this century and you arrive at the figure five. That's the same as the number killed here each year by wasps, hornets and bees.

Also, says Feakin, the biggest security threat to the games is not terrorism but street crime.

FEAKIN: Pick-pocketing, muggings, theft, that kind of thing, and that's been proven through research into previous games. It's always come out as the number one threat and risk.

REEVES: There's another lethal weapon that'll be out there patrolling the Olympics. His name is Rufus.

IMOGEN DAVIS: Rufus is an American Harris Hawk.

REEVES: That's Rufus, the Hawk's owner, Imogen Davis.

DAVIS: He'll be at the tennis event of the Olympics. And he will be there, present, scaring the pigeons.

REEVES: The Olympic tennis will be at Wimbledon, where the world-famous championship is going on right now.

London has a vast number of pigeons. Hawks are often used to stop them messing up the city. Rufus is working at Wimbledon at the moment, making sure pigeons don't get in the way of play. The other day, while he was in a car, he was stolen. Several days later, after police made a public appeal, he was returned.

What was once a land of sagebrush, grass and loamy soil is a hardscrapple moonscape. Black dirt for acres and acres. Burned structures, still smoldering days after the wildfire swept through, consumed. Embers have left their mark in the wool of sheep that wander aimlessly across downed fences.

And a rancher stood next to a ranch house he restored and watched as it burned.

“It’s odd,” Steve Adami said Friday. “You stand and look at all the work you’ve put into it. Every railroad tie burning in the corral was one we put in by hand. Hoisted it into the hole and tamped it in and rebuilt the corral. All the work goes up in smoke.

“Watching the house burn was one thing, but feeling all your work, seeing everything you’ve worked so hard for disappear – that’s the part that was really hard to do.”

It took less than two days for a lightning-caused fire to consume some 27,680 acres in Johnson and Sheridan counties. And it took less than a day for the structures on Adami’s land to burn.

“We lost a lot of fencing, grass, the ranch house, a tack barn, a machine shed, our shop, two storage sheds, two tractors, a mobile home, our outhouse,” Adami said. “It was kind of a complete loss. That was our ranch headquarters.”

Adami’s land is located between Clearmont and Ucross. It sits south of the highway, some 30 miles from Buffalo. As of Sunday, the Cato Fire that started burning on June 25, was listed at 80 percent contained.  

On Monday, Wes Johnson, Johnson County Fire District chief, said crews would still continue to monitor and control the fire.

“We have equipment out there doing rehab,” Johnson said. “I think we will call control on that fire late (Monday or Tuesday).”

Rehab, Johnson said, consists of mitigating fire lines and assisting landowners with their needs.

And although the fire will be considered contained sometime this week, Adami said he estimates the Cato Fire burned 3,500 of his 10,000 acres – something he wasn’t expecting when the fire started.

Adami said the wind started to blow the fire away from his property on the evening of June 25.

“I wasn’t too worried,” Adami said. “But then my son sent me a text at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, saying the winds had changed and were coming out of the west. It put us in harms way.”

Adami made a call to the Johnson County Fire District, asking them to blade Double Crossing Road to build a fire line – and then he headed to his property.

“I called my son back and told him to get the guns and saddles – any special stuff out of the house,” Adami said. “We went out there Tuesday afternoon, and the shop and the barn had burned. The hay was on fire. And the house had just started. We watched the house burn. We had a couple of buckets in the back of my son’s pickup that we filled with water from the storage tank to put out the posts in the corral to save the corral – until our water system went down.”

But Adami said he didn’t have a lot of time to dwell on what was already burned.

“We had livestock without water, pinned against fences,” Adami said. “We had to cut the wires and let the livestock mix just to get them into the next pasture where they were safe. The next morning we had to move to get to water. Meanwhile, life goes on. You have to deal with all of the realities of the business.”

And those realities are sinking in for many landowners in the Clearmont area. Adami said most of the land surrounding his own looks the same as his – black. And he’s concerned that the hot spots damaged the soil – and that it will take a while for anything to grow back.

For now, Adami said he can’t focus on what has already occurred. He has to focus on what’s to come, like getting the results from his meeting with an insurance adjustor. Adami’s rough estimate for what he lost is close to $290,000, which includes $20,000 in tools, $30,000 in tractors and $20,000 in hay.

“And we had two sheep that were electrocuted on a power line,” Adami said. “They escaped the fire, only to step on a power line. Our favorite barn cat got caught in the fire. We probably lost eight or nine barn cats. And when my son and I were trying to put out the fire in the corral, we saw a pregnant molly cat wandering around. She didn’t know where to go. There is no place to hide. I don’t know where she will have her kittens. The hay is gone. The tall grass is gone. All those little things are overwhelming.”

Johnson said he sympathizes with those who lost structures, no matter the significance of that structure.

“It’s devastating for anyone to lose a structure,” Johnson said.

Adami said his ranch will go on.

“We have to rebuild because there is absolutely nothing there,” Adami said. “I don’t know what exactly will come first. The first night, none of us slept. We were a little overwhelmed. I didn’t know where to start. I backed up and said, ‘We’ll deal with the highest priority first and work our way to lower priorities.’ But how we rebuild at this point is too far down the list.”
 

Sailors in the Navy’s surface fleet are spending 80-plus hours a week on the job, according to researchers, and it’s taking a severe toll. A sailor at sea is already forced to balance multiple job-related tasks, and when you factor in exercise, meals and any career-advancing projects you’ve got going, there’s little time for shut-eye.

The problem can have far-reaching consequences, with a bleary-eyed sailor not only posing a threat to himself, but the entire ship and the mission.

So, what’s the secret to keeping sailors well-rested and alert?

The answer may be adopting a new watch schedule that better matches a 24-hour day, according to findings in a new study out of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. It would also require a shift in Navy culture, said Lt. Matthew Yokeley, a surface warfare officer who led study efforts for his thesis.

“We pride ourselves in getting as little sleep as possible,” Yokeley said. But “your personnel cannot function like this.”

Yokeley, working with Nita Shattuck, a human performance researcher at NPS, conducted a recent experiment aboard the Norfolk, Va.-based destroyer Jason Dunham. The ship used an alternative watch schedule of three hours on and nine hours off over two weeks while in a pre-deployment training cycle. Some crew members were using a five-on, 15-off schedule, and others were using a “five and dime” — five hours on, 10 off.

Dunham’s trials were dubbed largely a success, so much so that the ship’s commanding officer, Cmdr. David Bretz, will continue to use the three-and-nine schedule when his ship deploys this summer as part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group. Shattuck said she will be logging six months’ worth of data from Dunham’s deployment.

While not everyone on board has been able to adopt that preferred watch schedule, those who are on it told Navy Times it’s afforded them more sleep and made them more alert during watch.

“The more sleep you get, the better your performance is,” said Shattuck, who has studied the impact of fatigue on sailors for the past 12 years and with 14 ships.

Poor sleep reduces creativity, dulls memory and decision-making, slows reaction time, affects moral judgment, degrades health and makes people cranky, Shattuck said. It can take up to two weeks to fully recover, she said.

The Dunham experiment reiterates what several previous tests aboard the cruiser San Jacinto and amphibious assault ship Kearsarge found: More sleep and shorter watches are good for the fleet.

The Naval Safety Center, whose mission includes advising the chief of naval operations on safety matters, is closely watching Shattuck’s research. So, why haven’t watch schedules that mirror a 24-hour day become more widespread?

It’s not an easy answer.

Unlike in the aviation community, where flight hours and aircrew workdays are restricted and rest is mandated under rules designed to reduce fatigue, no similar restrictions are in place for ship crews.

Senior surface leaders, who are on the record saying they are taking steps to beef up crews after years of shrinking them, haven’t issued any guidance or directives regarding watch schedules that ship COs must follow.

“The CO is ultimately responsible for everything aboard the ship,” said Lt. Rick Chernitzer, a Naval Surface Forces spokesman in Coronado, Calif.

Navy officials were hesitant to discuss the watch study, or how it might impact future operations.

“The crew rest study is still in its preliminary stage and has not been forwarded to leadership for review,” said Navy spokesman Lt. Matt Allen.

One big reason, according to sailors aboard Dunham, is you need to have qualified sailors capable of manning the various watches on the ship. If you don’t have the manpower to staff the four sections needed for a three-and-nine watch schedule, the watches still need to get stood. That means more work for the few who are qualified.

“It is a fairly short watch turnover time … by the time they gain situational awareness it’s time for them to go off watch,” added Lt. Cmdr. Robin Marling, operations officer of the Norfolk-based amphibious transport dock San Antonio, which has been using the new rotation since August and plans to continue to do so.

“I think the true test is how it works on deployment.”
‘You’re fresh, you’re ready’

For the Dunham study, Yokeley collected data from 32 crew members — a mix of officers and enlisted — in operations, combat systems, engineering and navigation. While only these sailors were tested, many other crew members participated in the new watch schedule, sailors said.

Participants wore watches that tracked their activity, and each one took a three-minute reaction test at the end of every watch.

Researchers expected to see benefits from fitting the schedule into a 24-hour day — more in line with the body’s natural rhythms — rather than a 20-hour workday, where “we are already at a disadvantage,” Yokeley said.

Sure enough, nearly everyone reported they benefited from more sleep, feeling more rested and able to sleep, and most liked the three-hours-on, nine-hours-off rotation, he said.

“The crew felt like they really owned their schedule,” he said.

Ensign Julia Kranz is a bridge watchstander on Dunham and oversees enlisted sailors conducting some of the ship’s daily functions. She sees clear value in a three-and-nine schedule versus the “five and dime” that she had been operating under on the destroyer.

“You’re fresh, you’re ready to go and, in some respects, you’re excited for watch,” said Kranz, an operations information division officer. “The general consensus was that it was a good idea.”

Aboard Dunham, the command tweaked the ship’s routine as well, Yokeley said. It eliminated the morning meeting, which often requires crew who pulled night watch or had little sleep to attend. The “XO’s Call” meeting moved from morning to afternoon, which let department heads prepare and interact with their personnel before meeting, he said. Division officers and leading chief petty officers also had to “plan ahead more than a day,” he said.

Lt. Joshua Oakes, a weapons officer for Dunham, stands watch as the tactical action officer in combat. He acknowledged that schedule changes did pose a challenge for leaders and a shift in planning. But he added there were “a lot of pros” to the new schedule, the biggest of which was that sailors had a set rhythm for each day and better work resulted from it.

The command also adjusted meal times, starting breakfast a half-hour earlier at 5:30 a.m. while dinner started an hour later, at 6 p.m.

The crew “enjoyed having the dinner meal later in the day,” Yokeley said.

For Master Chief Fire Controlman (SW) John Miller, the schedule meant he had more time, but not necessarily for sleep.

“As a senior enlisted, it gave me a lot more time to be able to do my general duties and collaterals — being able to take care of sailors,” said Miller, a combat information center watchstander.

Miller was not alone is using his free time to get other work done. Many sailors on Dunham also worked out more, he said.

Overall, watchstanders liked the new schedule, Yokeley said; “nobody thought” the five-and-15 or five-and-10 were superior.

Sailors on Dunham said the problem for any ship looking to go to the three-and-nine schedule, or any variation of a 24-hour day, will be manning issues.

“One of the major things that any ship, including us, will have to adapt to is the qualifications of the personnel,” Miller said. “If you don’t have the personnel qualified, they can’t stand the watch.”

The problem is further complicated when there is a major event — an exercise, for example — and schedules have to be adjusted off the three-and-nine.

“Ships need to be flexible enough to handle the situation,” Oakes said.

Not everyone aboard Dunham is touting the three-and-nine as the next big thing in watchstanding.

Gas Turbine Systems Mechanic 1st Class (SW) Dwayne Williams said he’s served five-and-dime schedules, as well as four-and-eight.

“I’ve been in the Navy awhile now,” said the 37-year old sailor with 18 years of service. “All the schedules are pretty much the same. … Whatever comes along, I just have to deal with it.”

Based on the mostly positive feedback he’s gotten, Bretz plans to stick with the three-and-nine rotation for as many watches as possible through their upcoming deployment.

“The crew has responded positively with an increased ability to plan their day, attain consistent sleep patterns, complete PQS, train, work out, and prepare for watch,” he said. “Additionally, I witnessed increased watchstander alertness as a result of the three-and-nine rotation.”

Bill insisted that he had nothing to do with Deacon’s presence in Italy. Deacon charmed Alison into revealing the rest of Bill’s plan. Meanwhile, Hope made a second attempt to walk down the aisle with Liam. Steffy couldn’t help thinking about her own nuptials with Liam in Aspen. Katie discovered that Karen and Danielle were partners. As Hope and Liam finally wed, Bill began to accept that they were meant to be together. Stephanie checked in with Steffy by phone to see how she was coping in Italy. Caroline began getting serious with Thomas. Karen decided that she needed to be honest with Bill about her sexuality. Katie had an ultrasound to determine her baby’s gender. Liam couldn’t keep his mind off the events in Italy. Watch For: Brooke discovers that Liam is hiding something. Hope tries to make amends with Steffy. Taylor persuades Ridge to take her side.

DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Nicole found a box of bullets in EJ’s apartment. Rafe admitted to Carrie that he still has feelings for her. Gabi was disappointed that Chad was so consumed by the news of Melanie’s kidnapping. Brady accused Ian of drugging him. Rafe wondered if he was being biased in Stefano’s murder investigation. EJ and Nicole discussed what might have been. Ian offered to send Brady to rehab. Friends and family gathered to pay tribute to Lexie and shared a group dance. Sami hoped that Lexie forgave her before she died. Kayla was seriously considering divorcing Steve after he rejoined the ISA. Daniel and Nicole went out on a real date. Gabi felt that she was finally making headway with Chad. Watch For: EJ learns the results of his polygraph test. Sami accuses Carrie of sleeping with Rafe. Ian has proof that Brady is lying.

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Johnny told Kate that he could no longer help her figure out her past, or it might jeopardize his relationship with Carly. Anna was forced to tell Tracy about her relationship with Luke. Heather demanded that Todd assign her the gossip column in his paper. Steve was worried that Elizabeth was falling for Jason again. Patrick went ballistic when he caught Maxie wearing Robin’s robe. Heather was furious to hear that Sam landed a job at The Sun. Kate had an important flashback. Michael was smitten while watching Starr record her new song. Elizabeth warned Sam not to push Jason away. Maxie confronted Patrick about his unresolved grief. Todd advised Carly not to trust Johnny. Watch For: Kristina flirts with Trey. Sam watches the fireworks with McBain on the dock. Michael and Starr continue to deny their feelings.

THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Abby caused a media sensation when she Tweeted from the trunk of Carmine’s car after pretending to be kidnapped. Adam told Chelsea that he really does love her and wasn’t just trying to make Sharon jealous. A scarf with Daisy’s blood on it was found in the alley. Later, Ricky was shown throwing away Daisy’s purse and other possessions. Abby delighted in the fact that the news of her “kidnapping” had ruined the gala. Michael told Daniel that he was wanted for questioning in Daisy’s disappearance, while Eden insisted that Ricky had something to with it instead. Later, Daniel was arrested and Heather was assigned to the case. Phyllis insisted on her son’s innocence. Watch For: Paul feels guilty after a violent confrontation. Lauren is on the verge of being arrested. Anita has some shocking news about Chelsea’s father.

A sitting attorney general never has been held in contempt, and Republicans picked an odd day to set a precedent. They scheduled the votes the same day the Supreme Court was deciding the legality of President Barack Obama's health care law.

Passage of the contempt resolutions was not in doubt. Republicans control the House and are likely to pick up votes from Democrats who support the National Rifle Association. The NRA said it's keeping score on how members vote, partly because the gun owners' group believes the Obama administration wanted to use the program _ called Operation Fast and Furious _ to make the case for more gun control.

Democrats who normally support the NRA but vote against the contempt citations would lose their 100 percent ratings. That could affect their endorsements from the powerful organization, particularly if Republican opponents surface who are strong NRA backers.

Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., the longest serving House member and a staunch NRA supporter, said Wednesday he would not back the contempt resolutions but instead wants the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to conduct a more thorough investigation. Dingell has said he does not consider the contempt vote to be a gun control issue.

The 42-member Congressional Black Caucus said its members would walk out and refrain from voting.

"Contempt power should be used sparingly, carefully and only in the most egregious situations," a letter from the caucus to House members said. "The Republican leadership has articulated no legislative purpose for pursuing this course of action. For these reasons, we cannot and will not participate in a vote to hold the attorney general in contempt."

The criminal contempt resolution would send the matter to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, who is under Holder. The civil contempt resolution would allow the House to go to court in an effort to force Holder to turn over documents the oversight committee wants. In past cases, courts have been reluctant to settle disputes between the executive and legislative branches of government.

The House is unlikely to get the documents anytime soon, because Obama has invoked a broad form of executive privilege, which protects from disclosure internal documents from executive branch agencies.

Republicans want to focus on the economy and health care in an election year. They're hoping the diversion of holding the nation's chief law enforcement officer in contempt will not muddle their message.

Democrats have kept up steady criticism, accusing the GOP majority of trying to embarrass the administration and rushing to judgment rather than putting more effort into a compromise that could give Republicans the documents they want.

Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the oversight committee, said a committee report recommending contempt had more than 100 mischaracterizations, omissions and errors. He said the dispute could be settled if House Speaker John Boehner became personally involved in negotiations.

In Operation Fast and Furious, agents of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Arizona abandoned the agency's usual practice of intercepting all weapons they believed to be illicitly purchased. Instead, the goal of the tactic known as "gun-walking" was to track such weapons to high-level arms traffickers who had eluded prosecution and to dismantle their networks.

Gun-walking long has been barred by Justice Department policy, but federal agents in Arizona experimented with it in at least two investigations during the George W. Bush administration before Operation Fast and Furious. The agents in Arizona lost track of several hundred weapons in that operation.

Two of the guns turned up at the scene where border agent Brian Terry was killed in Arizona in a shootout with Mexican bandits.

Ironically, the documents at the heart of the current argument are not directly related to the workings of Operation Fast and Furious. Rather, they are internal Justice Department communications after February 2011, when the Obama administration falsely told Congress that guns were not allowed to "walk" to Mexico. The department has given the oversight committee's chairman, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., 7,600 documents on the operation itself.

Fast and Furious had been shut down by the time of the false information, but Issa wants documents showing Justice Department deliberations during the 10 months it took for the administration to acknowledge the error.

Issa told the House Rules Committee on Wednesday that he had no evidence that Holder personally knew that guns were allowed to "walk." But he has said he suspected some Justice Department officials were part of a cover-up.

Democrats insisted the administration did nothing wrong and said Republicans were just playing politics.

"It has all the trappings of a witch hunt," said Rep. Louise Slaughter of New York, the top Democrat on the rules committee. "I don't think there's any way we're doing justice to Brian Terry with what we're doing today."

Issa, however, said the documents he wants are essential to learn who in the administration produced a February 2011 letter with false information.

Referring to Justice Department officials, Issa said, "When did they know we were lied to, and what did they do about it?"

Issa also said closure was needed for Terry's family.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said Wednesday that the public would view the vote as "political theater" and "gamesmanship."

Carney said the Justice Department and the White House on Tuesday had shown House Republicans a representative sample of the documents they were seeking. He said the administration's offer would have provided "unprecedented access" to internal communications about how it responded to congressional inquiries into the Fast and Furious program.

Regina has been added to Environment Canada's list of Saskatchewan communities that could see tornado activity today.

Severe storms are on the brewing in the skies in parts of the province and tornadic activity is possible for areas including Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Craik, Swift Current, Outlook, Watrous, Hanley, Imperial, Dinsmore and Prince Albert.

During Tuesday afternoon, the tornado watch was expanded to Leader, Gull Lake, Maple Creek, Shaunavon, Val Marie and Cypress Hills. Regina was also added to the tornado watch list at approximately 3:30 p.m.

The weather radar showed a severe thunderstorm 20 kilometres south of Gull Lake tracking northeast at 50 km/h towards Swift Current. At 9:28 a.m., it gave golf ball sized hail 15 km west of Consul. The storm is also capable of producing wind gusts in excess of 90 km/h.

Environment Canada issued the warning, “That severe thunderstorms are imminent or occurring in these regions. Remember that some severe thunderstorms produce tornadoes. Listen for updated warnings.”

According to Environment Canada’s latest update, Swift Current, Herbert, Cabri, Kyle and Lucky Man are all under a severe thunderstorm warning and tornado watch.

Environment Canada notifies residents of the possibility of sever weather developing. A watch may be upgraded to a warning, which is an urgent message that severe weather is either occurring or will occur. Warnings are usually issued six to 24 hours in advance, although some severe weather — such as thunderstorms and tornadoes — can develop quickly and with less than a half-hour’s notice.

On the Environment Canada website severe thunder storm watches have been issued for the southern part of the province including, Fort Qu’Appelle, Indian Head, Lumsden, Pilot Butte, Estevan, Weyburn, Radville, Milestone, Assiniboia, Gravelbourg, Coronach, Shaunovan Maple Creek, Val Marie, Cypress Hills, Leader, Gull Lake. Shaunovan, Cypress Hills, Maple Creek. and Regina.

If nothing else, Barack Obama’s presidency has been a boon for the publishing industry. Beyond his own best-selling books (“Dreams From My Father,” ‘’The Audacity of Hope”), Obama’s high profile has inspired books about his mother (“A Singular Woman”), his father (“The Other Barack”) and his marriage (“The Obamas”), as well as self-described exposes (“The Amateur” and “Culture of Corruption”), among countless other tomes.

Now comes “Barack Obama: The Story” by David Maraniss, an associate editor at The Washington Post who spent four years traveling the globe and researching “the world that created Obama.” The result is an exhaustingly thorough book — probably too thorough for most readers — on Obama’s forebears and early life. The level of detail extends to listing the names of his maternal grandfather’s El Dorado High classmates, a rambling five pages about Wichita being a “military-industrial dynamo” around the time of Pearl Harbor, the address of the Nairobi-area house where his paternal grandfather worked, ruminating for a dozen pages on the dynamics of Obama’s Punahou School basketball team and pointing out neighborhood landmarks on Obama’s walk from his apartment to Columbia University.

Some interesting tidbits: Obama reportedly watches the TV show “Mad Men.” In a high school pal’s yearbook, he wrote: “Some day when I am an all-pro basketballer, and I want to sue my team for more money, I’ll call on you.” Obama’s first serious girlfriend, predicting the kind of person he would end up with, presciently composed this diary entry after their breakup: “That lithe, bubbly, strong black lady is waiting somewhere!” Maraniss also reveals discrepancies in “Dreams From My Father.”

For example, while Obama was told by his mother, Ann Dunham, that his father, Barack Obama Sr., left them to pursue his doctorate at Harvard, Maraniss found that Dunham fled Hawaii to Washington State less than a month after the younger Obama was born, a year before the older Obama left for the Northeast. Some of these discrepancies Maraniss chalks up to family myths or fudges about sensitive topics.

Others are more blatant, like Obama’s inflated description of his first job out of college. The author attributes these exaggerations to Obama taking literary license.
Maraniss says in his introduction that he wanted to end the book before Obama’s entry into politics, but he cuts it off after Obama’s time as a community organizer in Chicago, before he attends Harvard Law School. Obama’s time as a law student was almost certainly more significant in shaping the person he has become than the lives of long-gone relatives he never met, and should have been included. Overall, the book paints a picture of Obama — cautious, deliberative, low-key — that has remained largely consistent, from childhood to the present. More than an engaging biography, “Barack Obama: The Story” reads like a long history book. Even those intrigued by Obama’s personal story may find it difficult to slog through the minutiae.

Jennifer Jankowski of Toms River is a 14-year-old with Down syndrome. She is also autistic.

Her mother, Elizabeth, works a late shift as a service clerk at Verizon, so she can get her daughter off to school in the morning. But that leaves a gap from when Jennifer gets home from school and when her father gets home from work around 4:30 p.m. If it weren’t for Jennifer’s older brother, Michael, 18, Elizabeth Jankowski says she doesn’t know who she would be able to get to watch Jennifer.

Michael has been baby-sitting for Jennifer since he was a freshman in high school, which limits the time he has been able to spend with his friends, his mother says.

“He’s probably given up so many things just to watch her, and I truly appreciate it,” Elizabeth Jankowski said of her son. “He loves her to death, but has complained that it’s hard to get a job where they will work with his hours.”

Now that Michael has graduated from Toms River High School East, he has plans of his own.

“He wants to join the Army, and there goes my baby sitter,” Elizabeth Jankowski said.

“I’m going to have to get on the ball and figure out who’s going to be able to help me,” she said. But, Jankowski added, “it’s hard to try to find someone who you trust.”

Making things more difficult is that Jennifer is nonverbal, and she has a knack for unlocking doors and getting out of the house, her mother said. Day-care centers tend not to want older children like Jennifer, she said. And Jennifer was once released from a summer program after only two days because the staff said she was trying to run away and they couldn’t handle her, her mother said.

Getting someone to care for a special-needs child is especially challenging, according to many parents in similar situations.

“There are really no baby sitters for special-needs children,” said Dawn Morris of Stafford, a single mother with a 6-year-old autistic son, Garett, who has a heart condition, attention deficit disorder and a communications disorder.

Morris said that after her mother died in 2007, she has been without anyone to watch her son.

WATERLOO, Ontario Brittany Lang won the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour title, birdieing the par-5 18th three straight times in a playoff.

Lang missed a birdie try on the hole in regulation, leaving her tied with South Korean players Hee Kyung Seo, Inbee Park and Chella Choi at 16-under 286. Choi was eliminated on the first extra hole, and Park dropped out on the second.

"I can't believe it took me seven years to win a tournament out here," said Lang, the first Duke player to win on the LPGA Tour. "I hadn't been that good under pressure and I'm getting better, and I'm so thankful that it happened this week and I'll only get stronger from here."

"I still can't believe that I'm the first Dukie to ever win an LPGA tournament. That blows my mind with all the talent that comes out of there, but I'm very thankful and very honored."

On the third extra hole, Lang hit her approach into a greenside bunker and blasted out to 6 feet to set up her winning birdie putt.

"The last putt to win, I felt way better than I did in regulation," Lang said.

Lang closed with her second straight 67, Choi had a 63, Seo a 67, and Park a 69.

"Today wasn't the best day for playing today," Park said. "I left a lot of putts out there, I think. Today was just not my day. Maybe the next time."

Lang, Seo and Park, playing together in the final threesome at Grey Silo, all had a chance to win in regulation, but settled for pars on the finishing hole to set up the playoff.

"I was just extremely nervous on the last hole to make that putt in regulation and it was just, my hands were shaking, it wasn't a good putt, but I gathered myself," Lang said. "And it was a really good experience for me to have that playoff go on that long because it was just good to be in the hunt and in the thick of things and it was a good practice for me."

Stacy Lewis, a two-time winner this year, and U.S. Women's Open champion So Yeon Ryu shot 64 to tie for fifth at 15 under. Lewis opened with a 72, then shot 64-69-64.

"Yeah, if I could go back and redo round one, I think I would be in a little better spot," Lewis said. "I'm just proud of the way I came back and finished it out really strong."

Held in weather conditions perfect for the sport of triathlon, the first race of this year’s edition of the annual triathlon series organised by Birkirkara St. Joseph Sports Club, this year sponsored by Festina Watches (Malta) and The Cyclist of San Gwann, produced some brilliant results by the participating triathletes, which augurs well for the rest of the season. Under 25 European Champion Keith Galea (Birkirkara St. Joseph) and national champion Danica Bonello Spiteri (St. Patrick’s), continued to turn on the superb performances they have been showing throughout the year, both in Malta and on foreign soil.

In the males’ race, Galea had the fastest 750-metre swim reaching transition area in 11 minutes 35 seconds, followed by team-mate David Agius Lia (11:41) and Graham Borg (11:49). However, it was during the 20-kilometre bike segment of the race that things started to take shape, as Mellieha AC triathlete Fabio Spiteri who had the fastest cycle (28:24), had to take on the Birkirkara St. Joseph trio of Keith Galea (29:32), Steve Chetcuti (29:14) and Rudolph Agius (28:48). The latter however could not keep the tempo in the final 5-kilometre run. Galea wrapped the race in this segment, running the distance in 17 minutes 46 seconds, and the battle for second place was won by Galea’s team-mate, Steve Chetcuti who ran faster than Spiteri, to make up for the advantage the latter had in the cycle. Galea finished the race in 59 minutes 39 seconds and Chetcuti’s time was one hour 30 seconds, 9 seconds faster than Fabio Spiteri.

National champion Danica Bonello Spiteri (St. Patrick’s AC) had to be at her very best to overcome the spritely challenge of Birkirkara St. Joseph’s Michelle Vella Wood. It was only in the final 5-kilometre run that the champion took the lead, after having lost it to the Saints’ triathlete in the bike segment. Bonello Spiteri swam the 750 metres in 11 minutes 47 seconds, followed by Mellieha AC triathlete Margaret Seguna (12:19) and Hannah Pace (12:16). Vella Wood turned on the power in the 20-kilometre cycle, taking the lead in the process. She covered the distance in 31 minutes 59 seconds to the champion’s 33 minutes 20 seconds. At this stage Johanna Calleja (Birkirkara St. Joseph) was in third place with a 34 minutes 39 seconds cycle. Bonello Spiteri’s 20 minutes 26 seconds 5-kilometre run could not be matched by Vella Wood who ran the distance in 21 minutes 2 seconds. Bonello Spiteri won the race in one hour, six minutes 18 seconds. Vella Wood was second in one hour, six minutes 36 seconds. Margaret Seguna finished third in one hour, 10 minutes, seven seconds.

The relay team competition was won by Kyle Buhagiar (swim), David Galea (bike) and Johann Galea (run) in a time of 58 minutes 27 seconds. Ten relay teams took part in this race.

During this race Birkirkara St. Joseph launched the main sponsors of this series, Festina Watches (Malta) and The Cyclist of San Gwann.

The next race in Birkirkara St. Joseph series will be held on the 15 July starting at 7:00 a.m.

In the meantime the Malta Triathlon Association is gearing up for the forthcoming Triathlon Championships of the Small States of Europe, which is held annually. Malta’s participation in the past has reaped excellent results. The selection of the Maltese contingent will be based on the results achieved in today’s forthcoming selection race which will take place in Xemxija Bay. ‘Although the main focus of this event is the selection of the National Team, this event is an excellent opportunity for triathletes to take part in a different location, since we are moving from Salina Bay to Xemxija Bay’ said Cyprian Dalli, President of the Malta Triathlon Association. ‘We are very pleased with the response received from aspiring triathletes who have chosen to take part in the race by joining up in a relay team’.